Chapter 326: Heart Fire

Chapter 326: Heartfire

Zhao Changhe kissed with immense pleasure.

He knew that the women of the Four Symbols Sect, though they called themselves a demonic sect and styled themselves enchantresses, were actually less open than even Sisi, let alone comparable to the Maitreya Sect.

On the surface, they seemed quite seductive, indifferent to worldly judgment and stares, but in truth, each of them was exceedingly proud, with a rigid and conservative mindset shaped by sectarian doctrine. Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise appeared to have different temperaments—one cruel, the other a pure hedonist—but in essence, they shared a common trait: a kind of "divinity," a perspective from on high, with emotions sealed within the sect, devoted to the ethereal Four Celestial Symbols and the pursuit of the divine.

For a woman like Chichi, if they had not known each other in their humble beginnings, but were only now meeting, winning her heart would be harder than scaling the heavens.

The same held true for Huangfu Qing. She was a tiger’s daughter from a general’s household, of noble birth, who had sparred with Tang Wanzhuang for over a decade. Even just to save face against Tang Wanzhuang, she would never deign to take a man. Becoming an imperial consort was a political transaction, sacrificing personal honor and even life for the sect’s interests. Even if the false Xia Longyuan were replaced by the real one, her plan was to flee or even die. Who could ever win her?

Just moments ago, she had slaughtered dozens of Kunlun experts, leaving rivers of blood.

But now, in his arms, she was dazed, being kissed, her expression lost, her lips soft.

That psychological triumph overwhelmed any physical pain or weakness, making him feel that even if Vermilion Bird stood in his way, he would dare to fight her.

Yet joy turned to sorrow. Before long, Huangfu Qing’s weakness gradually faded, and her strength returned somewhat.

That earlier moment had not been a true "reluctant yielding"; she simply lacked the strength to resist and could only make excuses to stop him from going too far. Then a mask of the Fire Pig had blocked her excuses, leaving her mind blank, unsure what to do.

Now that her strength had returned, how could Huangfu Qing allow herself to be treated like a little woman and continue being taken advantage of?

Hey, where are your hands going?

Zhao Changhe was enjoying the kiss when suddenly the world spun. He was flung up, swung in a wide arc, and slammed into the black mud with a crash and a scream.

Huangfu Qing’s face was bright red. She stood up angrily, straightening her clothes: "You wretched thing!"

Looking down at her disheveled garments, she saw them stained with blood—his blood.

She pursed her lips, realizing she truly felt no murderous intent.

She was annoyed at being taken advantage of, but there was no killing intent...

Watching Zhao Changhe flop in the mud, clearly in pain from his wounds, Huangfu Qing sighed, went over, and pulled him up: "Usually, you don’t seem like a lecher. Why, from the very start, have you been full of lustful thoughts toward me? It’s infuriating..."

Yes, Huangfu Qing had always seen that Zhao Changhe’s feelings for her were mostly lust. There was no deep emotion between them—just mutual teasing, a game between man and woman. But this time, she doubted her own judgment. In a mere game, who would risk life and death like that?

She had to admit that moment had stirred her heart, even driving back the demonic heartfire.

Only emotion could do that.

Was it because she was too weak to resist that she had no choice but to be kissed?

Perhaps not... Huangfu Qing’s mind was in turmoil. She didn’t know.

Anyway, it was a forced kiss! It wasn’t because I wanted it!

Zhao Changhe was tragically pulled up. He sat in the mud, hands tucked, looking pitiful: "Sister, you don’t know how tempting you are..."

Huangfu Qing’s face was expressionless: "So you really just want to toy with me."

Zhao Changhe scratched his head. For a man, it was sometimes hard to distinguish. Her peerless beauty was stunning—what man could resist? But was it really just lust? He felt it was and wasn’t.

Who the hell would risk their life purely for lust? That would be insane.

Holding hands and running through the misty rain of Sword Lake City—she was happy, and so was he. Over a month traveling north, together in every way, sharing a mount—could feelings really not have grown? In the pouring rain of the capital, when the imperial consort took off her mask and he saw her true face, his heart raced. Was that just lust?

He wouldn’t deny it was stunning, but there was something else.

If he had to put it into one word, it would be—

"Pity," Zhao Changhe said softly. "You’ve sacrificed too much for the sect."

Huangfu Qing’s eyes flickered. She sneered: "Go pity Tang Wanzhuang. She coughs so pitifully. What do I need pity for?"

"Her outward appearance differs, but the essence is the same," Zhao Changhe said. "The you who laughs freely under the pig mask—that’s the real you. Not the one who frowns under the sect’s constraints, not the pawn sent by the sect’s high echelons to approach men for information, not the one who sacrifices honor and dignity for the sect’s schemes to become some consort. You can’t even stand Tang Wanzhuang’s mockery, let alone the peril of the palace, where life and death are at stake. Tang Wanzhuang can’t be herself for the empire, and you can’t be yourself for the sect. Why shouldn’t I pity you?"

Huangfu Qing: "...Fine, I know you pity Tang Wanzhuang."

Zhao Changhe didn’t take the bait. He said bluntly: "What right does the Four Symbols Sect have? What right does Vermilion Bird have to order you around like this? Is sect brainwashing really that powerful?"

Huangfu Qing twitched her mouth: "You must not speak ill of the Venerable."

"I want to curse her! She doesn’t treat her subordinates like people!"

Huangfu Qing turned her head away, unsure whether to be angry or amused: "I respect the Venerable. Cursing her is cursing me."

"Fool," Zhao Changhe said helplessly. "You were once on par with Tang Wanzhuang, and in the eyes of the world, Tang Wanzhuang is on the same level as Vermilion Bird. That means you’re no worse than Vermilion Bird. Why lower yourself like this? Sister, can’t you live for yourself for once? There’s no one else here. No need for masks."

Huangfu Qing sneered: "Living for myself means being shameless with you?"

"Isn’t it?" Zhao Changhe said with righteous indignation. "You already admitted to Black Tortoise that you like me. Why care so much about sect rules?"

I... Huangfu Qing’s face flushed. She couldn’t refute this logical loop.

He was convinced she liked him, so of course intimacy was reasonable... Damn you, Black Tortoise, just wait...

But aside from that last foolish remark, the rest seemed to strike a chord in her heart.

Why did she indulge more when disguised as Winged Fire Snake? Why did she act like a girl when wearing the pig face?

Who didn’t have a girlhood? Who didn’t love chasing butterflies by the misty rain lake, playing carefree with other youths? But as Vermilion Bird, it was impossible. Only by wearing a mask could she shed her burdens, since no one would know who she was.

In this life, as Vermilion Bird, she inspired terror in all, her followers bowed before her. No one had ever spoken of "pity" for her, nor said they hoped she would live for herself.

Except him. Who else cared?

Even her younger brother still harbored some resentment, and even her father thought her entering the palace was a good thing...

Similar in essence to Tang Wanzhuang? So that was it. No one had ever made that comparison before...

Huangfu Qing sighed softly. She didn’t continue the topic, afraid that if he talked more, he would embrace her again, and she didn’t know if she would have the will to push him away.

She turned and walked toward the unquenchable flame, trying to distract herself with business.

Earlier, San Niang had brought back the Black Tortoise Stone, and after studying it for a while, she felt she was just one step away from breaking through the third secret treasury. But how to take that step required an opportunity.

What she sought was not a treasure, but an understanding of the essence of flame.

Like this flame before her... It burned not from any treasure or fuel; the flame itself was the treasure—the undying heartfire recorded in the last era.

Fire, without something to sustain it, would eventually die. The reason it never died was that it was heartfire.

As long as human anger still existed, the heartfire would never be extinguished.

So-called "demonic possession" was exactly this. When the "fire" of demonic possession manifested externally, it became this flame; when it manifested internally, it was the madness of those people just now, and of herself.

Was the undying heartfire here related to the evil of Kunlun?

The saying "fire burns the Kunlun peaks" might not refer to a volcanic eruption. There were many places with volcanic eruptions—why was this one legendary? More likely, many people had been driven mad here by their inner demons and burned themselves to death.

Why hadn’t Jade Void Master taken this thing away, leaving it here to guide people’s hearts?

Huangfu Qing’s understanding of physical flame was already at the pinnacle of the age. The reason she was stuck at the second secret treasury was that she hadn’t yet grasped this layer of heartfire. Forcing it would easily lead to demonic possession, as she had just experienced.

Now that the heartfire was manifested externally, if she could comprehend it, she would break through to the third secret treasury without a doubt.

But how to comprehend it?

Earlier, just being tainted by some of its aura had quickly driven her mad. But now, standing before it, she felt no reaction at all.

As she pondered, she felt an arm around her waist. Zhao Changhe embraced her from behind: "What are you looking at?"

"Studying the heartfire. Don’t disturb me," Huangfu Qing answered instinctively.

Only after she spoke did she suddenly realize how calm and natural it felt to have him hold her and ask questions.

To quell the fire within the heart, to transform into the softness of water—only through emotion.

I tried to distract emotional thoughts with serious matters, only to find that this is the serious matter.