Chapter 32: Why Come So Late

Chapter 32: Why So Late a Coming?

“You want this blade of mine?” Vice-Captain Huang tapped the blade, somewhat amused. “If you truly can defeat me, my position would be yours, and a mere blade would naturally be offered with both hands. But I truly wonder where you get your confidence—do you really think that just because you live with her, you’ve reached her level?”

Zhao Changhe did not argue, merely smiled slightly: “Please enlighten me.”

The two stepped outside the courtyard, and a crowd of sect disciples watched in solemn silence, the atmosphere quickly turning murderous.

A first-level Xuan Pass fighting a second-level was not unheard of, but could such an ability to challenge above one’s rank truly exist in a novice who had trained for barely over a month?

Zhao Changhe dared to fight, of course, with his own confidence. He was no longer the ignorant newcomer who had first arrived at this place.

He knew well that at the low martial level he currently faced, there was no qualitative leap between the first and second levels of Xuan Pass—only greater strength and faster reactions, and not by a huge margin. His concurrent cultivation of internal energy could make up for this gap, and his opponent did not know this. This disparity in information, coupled with the opponent’s underestimation, was his chance for victory.

His real challenge, instead, was how to make use of this internal energy while hiding it from discovery…

Besides, a fist grows rusty without practice… Zhao Changhe had been fighting every day in the stronghold, not a few times against old sect members, earning the names “Boss Zhao” and “Little Tyrant” through sheer brawling. His practical combat experience was passable. And this Vice-Captain Huang, who had spent so long in the city doing nothing but hugging maids and drinking wine—how much of his former ferocity could he still muster?

Yue Hongling could challenge above her rank, and Luo Qi had already shaken the world… If he dared not even try this, he might as well go home and farm. How could he ever join these people in roaming the jianghu again?

Zhao Changhe took a deep breath, shifted his stance, and struck first.

The long blade cut through the space of about a zhang before him. People saw only a flash of steel, a wild surge of bloodlust, and the crimson blade-light was already at Vice-Captain Huang’s left neck.

“Such a swift blade!” Many were startled.

“Just from the technique of that strike, who would guess he’s only trained for a little over a month?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he said he’d trained for three years…”

“Can there truly be such a genius in this world? And they all live under the same roof…”

These thoughts flashed through minds in an instant. On the other side, Vice-Captain Huang’s expression turned grave. He too was startled into a cold sweat by the speed of that strike. He instinctively dodged to the right, raising his steel blade in a hurried block to the left, trying to use his superior cultivation and the overwhelming weight of his blade to deflect Zhao Changhe’s strike.

If he could knock it aside, leaving Zhao Changhe wide open, victory would be decided.

Over there, Captain Fang sighed gravely: “Old Huang has lost his momentum; he shouldn’t be so passive…”

As he spoke, Zhao Changhe’s stance, which seemed like a thunderous, unstoppable slash, suddenly halted mid-air. Vice-Captain Huang’s blade struck heavily into empty space, as if hitting cotton. Zhao Changhe’s blade slid like a fish past the side of Huang’s sword, gliding toward his wrist.

“That is indeed a move from the Blood Fiend Blade Technique, but almost no one uses it, right?”

“The Blood Fiend Blade Technique is all about wide, forceful strokes; its subtle variations don’t fit well and require extra effort to integrate. Most people simply abandon these tricky moves.”

“So how long has he actually trained?”

“Such effortless control—has he really only trained for a little over a month?” The same thought flashed through Vice-Captain Huang’s mind as he hastily withdrew his blade.

But in pulling back, he found himself wide open.

A hint of a smile seemed to play on Zhao Changhe’s lips, and a large foot unceremoniously slammed into Vice-Captain Huang’s lower abdomen.

This kick showed none of the delicate changes of the earlier blade work. A wild, overwhelming surge of blood-fiend power erupted. Vice-Captain Huang felt as if his second-level Blood Fiend Art had been practiced in vain—he could not withstand this completely homologous force. He was sent flying several zhang like riding clouds and mist, crashing heavily into the courtyard wall, then tumbling to the ground.

“Cough, cough…” He curled up painfully on the ground: “G-give me a Blood-Settling Pill… His blood-fiend aura has thrown mine into chaos…”

The scene fell into dead silence.

The same Blood Fiend Art, the same Blood Fiend Blade Technique—first level defeating second level, and in only the third exchange!

Vice-Captain Huang hadn’t even found a chance to launch an attack!

Even Zhao Changhe himself hadn’t expected it to be so easy. He hadn’t even used his internal energy… Instructor Sun was right: the tempering of the blade was no less important than the cultivation method.

That blade, practiced a thousand or even three thousand times daily, had finally begun to shine with a dazzling light in this world.

Zhao Changhe pointed his blade: “Captain Fang, have I won this challenge?”

Looking at those eyes, tinged with blood and ferocity from the Blood Fiend Art, Fang Buping, with the blade pointed at him, felt a jolt of fear, as if this fierce man might strike him with the next slash.

He took a deep breath, gripping the armrest of his recliner tightly: “Good. According to sect rules, from today, Vice-Captain Huang’s duties are yours.”

Zhao Changhe laughed: “Excellent! As the vice-captain in charge of finances and supplies, I naturally have a say in resource allocation. Wang Dashan!”

Wang Dashan trembled: “Y-your humble servant is here.”

“Humble nothing! You’re my deputy stronghold leader—speak louder!” Zhao Changhe pointed his blade toward the warehouse: “Take a few brothers, fetch three hundred taels of silver, load three carts of millet, and take half the meat. Support the construction of the Beimang Stronghold. Be careful, don’t empty it out—leave some for the brothers in the city. Don’t be stingy and forget how to be a man.”

Fang Buping’s face turned green.

Zhao Changhe strode to the courtyard wall, bent down, and fed Vice-Captain Huang a Blood-Settling Pill: “I, Zhao Changhe, am entrusted by Sect Leader Xue to manage the Beimang Stronghold. Vice-Captain Huang, you may continue to oversee the finances and supplies of this branch for now.”

By now, Zhao Changhe had more than the single Blood-Settling Pill he had deliberately kept earlier—he had seven or eight, secretly given by Instructor Sun before he left. Vice-Captain Huang hadn’t expected that it would be Zhao Changhe, not Fang Buping, who would solve his problem first. After taking the pill, he was silent for a long while, then said in a low voice: “Thanks. The blade is yours.”

He seemed to be a man of bandit origins, still possessing some straightforwardness. Zhao Changhe didn’t stand on ceremony. He took the thick steel blade, admired it with a few gestures, and hung it at his waist. Then he turned, picked up the stack of books, and said to Fang Buping with a smile: “If the captain has no further orders, I’ll take my leave.”

Fang Buping took several deep breaths. If he weren’t injured, he might have thrown caution to the wind and split Zhao Changhe in two. But now, unable even to get out of bed, he feared instead that Zhao Changhe might throw caution to the wind and split him in two. Given the lightning-fast blade-light just now, others might not even have time to rescue him.

He suppressed his fury with all his might, forcing a calm tone: “Stronghold Leader Zhao is valiant. The Holy Sect gains a great general—a fortunate thing. However, since you have joined the sect, there are some rules I must make clear to you.”

Zhao Changhe said: “Please speak, Captain.”

“The stronghold is not your private property; it is a branch office under the sub-sect for seeking wealth and resources. That is the principle everywhere. If the stronghold yields harvests, half is to be kept for use each month, and half must be submitted to the sub-sect. If you capture government troops or righteous sect bandit-suppressors, you must not handle them on your own; they must be delivered to me for judgment. You must be clear on these matters, Stronghold Leader Zhao. Otherwise, if it reaches the main altar, the Four Symbols Sect will not protect you over such things. Our Blood God Sect’s internal affairs remain autonomous.”

Zhao Changhe laughed: “Naturally, I understand. But conversely, if government troops or righteous sects come to suppress us, I hope the sub-sect will provide support.”

“That is only right.” Fang Buping could no longer bear to look at Zhao Changhe’s sunny smile. He waved his hand in disgust: “Go.”

Zhao Changhe looked at Wang Dashan and the others pushing carts in the distance, and waved grandly: “Brothers, back to the mountain!”

Just then, golden light flashed in the sky.

It was rare for the Chaos Chronicle to shine twice within less than a quarter-hour. Almost the entire world looked up—which ranking had changed this time?

It was the Hidden Dragon Ranking again.

“Twelfth month, Minor Cold. Zhao Changhe, Xuan Pass first level, defeats second level within three exchanges. Potential commendable.”

“New entry on the Hidden Dragon Ranking.”

“Hidden Dragon 250: Zhao Changhe.”

That was all. The rank was rather foolish, and there was no appended comment like those for Yue Hongling and Xia Chichi, as if it were not highly regarded.

After all, it was merely a low-level bout between first and second Xuan Pass. Such cross-rank victories were not rare; only the three-exchange win was somewhat notable. In truth, being on the Hidden Dragon Ranking with such strength was not necessarily a good thing—weak and envied, many of these bottom-rank newcomers did not live long.

Most people in the world glanced at it and paid no mind, at most thinking the name Zhao Changhe sounded vaguely familiar…

A thousand li away, in a secret place, Xia Chichi opened her eyes from cross-legged cultivation, looked up at the sky, and a moving smile curved her lips.

“You chase after me onto the ranking, to remind me of something? Is this a love message through the rankings? Hehe.”

“I’ve always known that no matter how late we start, when the Chaos Chronicle blazes across the sky, there will surely be a place for you and me.”

“The Hidden Dragon ranks are not the end; the Earth and Heaven Rankings await us.”

The summer sun hangs high—why so late a coming!

She, Xia Chichi, was like that; and was Zhao Changhe any different?

Somewhere in the city, Yue Hongling stood atop a high tower, quietly watching Zhao Changhe in the distance below, directing his subordinates as they transported supplies.

That day, Zhao Changhe’s words suddenly flashed through her mind: “I, Zhao Changhe, came to this world not to wander idly through the countryside.”