Chapter 339: Tragic and Fierce Revenge

Chapter 339: A Brutal Revenge

Supposedly giving Xia Chichi space to act coy, yet as soon as Huangfu Qing vanished beyond the door, what Xia Chichi said was: “That sister is truly beautiful and so elegant, enough to stir envy in anyone.”

Zhao Changhe said, “She’s gone now, so I can speak plainly with you—don’t bully me, this is really a bit…”

Xia Chichi laughed, “Why only speak now that she’s gone? Because when you’re both here, it feels like you’re taking sides?”

“Uh…”

“You… really aren’t good at this sort of thing.” She gently stroked his face, finding it somewhat amusing. “But honestly, you shouldn’t waste too much thought on it… Yesterday, I was making excuses, but when I thought it over afterward, what I said unintentionally turned out to be quite right. Back then, we suppressed our feelings and each focused on cultivation, which is how we gained the strength we have today. Our fate is still not in our hands—how dare we waste time?”

Zhao Changhe knew she was right.

But it was rare to meet, reunited in a foreign land, and he had indeed lost himself a little.

“If you’re going to dally with women, just dally—don’t invest too much thought… Women, including me.” Xia Chichi said softly, “You belong out in the martial world, gallant in fine clothes, testing your blade across the land, commanding the winds and clouds—not tangled in a bevy of beauties, troubled or indulged. When we part today, I hope next time I see your name shining in the sky, it will be ahead of mine.”

Zhao Changhe fell silent.

Looking into Xia Chichi’s tender gaze, he had some words on the tip of his tongue, but now they wouldn’t come out.

They gazed at each other quietly for a moment. Xia Chichi gave a faint smile, rose on tiptoe, and gently kissed his lips: “Though it smells a bit of other women…”

She reached out and pressed his heart: “…but this place is mine.”

The little enchantress turned and walked out the door with a flourish, her ponytail bouncing: “I ought to get to work now. There will be some discussions with the Hongnong Yang clan… In a while, the maritime trade proposal you once submitted to the Venerable might also be put on the agenda. The world’s changes grow ever fiercer—you and I, riding the current, striking the waves—isn’t that exhilarating?”

Zhao Changhe said nothing, just smiled faintly, accompanying Xia Chichi as she slowly walked out of the cloth shop and onto the streets of Kunlun.

Facing the moderate snowfall, he saw her all the way out of Kunlun City.

Only when they reached outside the city did Zhao Changhe stop and utter three simple words: “I will.”

Whether it meant his name would shine ahead of hers, or that his heart would be hers, or that they would ride the current together, striking the waves in exhilaration—

Or all of it?

Xia Chichi didn’t press for details, nor did she cling. She unfurled her lightness skill and sped away into the distance.

White-clad, icy sword, merging into wind and snow, in an instant vast and unseen.

Zhao Changhe stood in the wind and snow, watching her figure until it vanished completely, then slowly turned and walked back.

How fortunate, to have met you in the humblest of times.

He let out a long sigh, shook the recent romantic entanglements from his mind, and strode back into the city.

First, go back and see Chen Yi, finalize the matters of the secret realm with Ying Wu, then settle down in the inn to train, waiting to see if the Jade Void Elder would grant an audience.

If the Jade Void Elder refused to see him, it didn’t really matter… He had no pressing need to meet the Jade Void Elder; it was purely to see if there were clues about the Heavenly Book, and the Heavenly Book was something the Blind Man wanted—not something suitable for someone at his current level to probe too deeply. He did plan to train in Kunlun City for a while afterward… This was a place for tempering, with such a vast city and many extraordinary people still unencountered.

Chichi was right—his focus should be here, on improving his martial arts cultivation as the top priority.

If he couldn’t ride the current and strike the waves in this world, then his transmigration would be in vain, and he would have failed her expectations.

…

Meanwhile, Xia Chichi, having put on a grand show, believed she had etched a perfect impression in Zhao Changhe’s heart. The little enchantress’s stern expression had already turned into a grin on the road.

What’s that about Yi Huo She? Trying to compete with me? Look—you slept with him, but whose name is swirling in his heart right now?

Hmph, hmph.

Earlier, Liu Tu Zhang was responsible for escorting Yang Qianyuan, but not directly to Hongnong. Liu Tu Zhang was in charge of establishing a foothold and spreading influence around Kunlun—there was no reason for him to dash off to Hongnong, thousands of miles away. He had only gone to a city a few hundred li away to buy cloth and stock up, which would take two or three days. Yang Qianyuan was temporarily locked up nearby, waiting for the Saintess to take over.

Xia Chichi was swift on her feet. Setting out early in the morning, she arrived by afternoon.

Entering the agreed-upon base, she saw Liu Tu Zhang loading a cart in the courtyard. Xia Chichi called out casually, “Yang Qianyuan hasn’t escaped, has he?”

Liu Tu Zhang replied, “His meridians are crippled; he’s loaded in the cart.”

“Mm, later, give me a separate carriage to take him away. Running all the way is really tiring.” Xia Chichi stretched as she entered the main hall: “Is there any food? Bring some, bring some…”

Her words caught in her throat.

In the main seat of the hall sat someone early—a fiery red ritual robe wrapped around her, a firebird mask covering her face. At that moment, she was lounging with legs crossed, one hand holding a cup of tea, the other lifting the lid to gently stir the tea leaves. Her sexy red lips blew softly, her posture relaxed, yet she exuded an aura of majesty and authority.

The surrounding subordinates of the Four Symbols Sect all hung their heads low, not daring to look sideways.

Whenever it was Zhuque, even just drinking tea, her presence and authority pierced straight into the heart—Xia Chichi was no exception.

Xia Chichi’s eyes went wide. All the pleasant feelings from the journey vanished. She stammered nervously, “Ve, Venerable, why are you here?”

She didn’t know why she was so nervous. She had completed all her tasks perfectly, and should be asking for praise. But then again, she had been shameless with her man again, and Xia Chichi instinctively felt a pang of guilt.

The beautiful eyes beneath the mask stared fixedly at Xia Chichi for a long time without speaking. The atmosphere inexplicably took on a murderous edge.

Zhuque set down the tea she had been blowing on for a while, as if dissatisfied that it wouldn’t cool down, making a crisp “clang.”

Xia Chichi almost jumped.

“Chichi…” Zhuque finally spoke, her voice languid yet commanding.

“Ah, Venerable…” Xia Chichi thought to herself, though both were older women with noble airs, the Venerable’s voice was far more cold and majestic than Yi Huo She’s—it made one’s heart tremble just hearing it. That Imperial Consort only knew how to act spoiled.

Zhuque looked her up and down for a long while, then said leisurely, “Put your hands on your head and kneel in the corner for half an hour.”

Xia Chichi was dumbfounded: “Venerable, what did I do wrong?”

“You stepped with your left foot first when you came in.”

Xia Chichi: “?”

“Oh, you were fooling around with Zhao Changhe in Kunlun, and you really think I have no other eyes and ears besides Liu Tu Zhang?”

“…Was it Yi Huo She who snitched?”

Zhuque interrupted flatly, “So you admit it?”

Xia Chichi wilted, obediently putting her hands on her head: “Can I kneel when we get back? There are so many people here; it’s embarrassing to be watched.”

Zhuque glanced at her sidelong for a moment: “I’m thirsty.”

Xia Chichi scurried over, grinning obsequiously as she picked up the teacup and blew on it several times: “Venerable, the tea is cool now.”

“Mm…” Zhuque took the cup, feeling immensely pleased.

You wanted me to serve tea?

Who serves whom?

She took a leisurely sip, feeling the same satisfaction as drinking iced sour plum soup at the mouth of a volcano, and said slowly, “Kneeling as punishment might be a bit ugly, huh…”

“Yes, yes, yes!” Xia Chichi smiled ingratiatingly. “I am, after all, a leader of some rank…”

“Then let’s do something more refined.” Zhuque sighed. “Look at you, all restless and impatient like a monkey—go copy some scriptures.”

Xia Chichi was dumbfounded: “Huh?”

“Just copy the Holy Sect’s Four Symbols Myriad Dharma Sutra, ten times. It will help calm your mind and settle your spirit, so you don’t act like a monkey.”

“But, but that scripture is over a thousand words…”

“What, ten times is only over ten thousand words—is that too much?” Zhuque waved her hand. “Go on, I’m doing this for your own good. After you finish copying the scriptures and settle your mind, I’ll study how to forge your Four Symbols Sword Body. It involves the intensity of fire—if you’re still this rash, it will be detrimental.”

Xia Chichi had never thought of herself as rash, but if her master said she was rash, then rash she was—who could argue?

Speaking of which, since the Venerable mentioned the Four Symbols Sword Body and fire, she must have obtained the Fire Essence, probably handed over by Yi Huo She. That really did seem like Yi Huo She had ratted her out from behind.

Remember this—I’ll make you wear tiny shoes until you can’t walk.

Xia Chichi sniffled, obediently pulled out a booklet, and flattered, "This is the ancient 'Hundred Herbs Poison Classic,' a fine supplement for our Azure Dragon lineage. We painstakingly copied it; please, Your Reverence, take a look."

Vermilion Bird took the booklet and stuffed it into his bosom without even glancing at it. "Mm, this item is of great use."

Xia Chichi's face was just showing delight when she heard Vermilion Bird say, "The medicinal sections in our Azure Dragon sacred canon, together with this Hundred Herbs Poison Classic, you shall also transcribe each one. A good memory is not as good as a bad pen; it will benefit your understanding of pharmacology and toxicology."

Xia Chichi stood there utterly dumbfounded.

She had returned with merit, expecting praise, but why did the treatment feel completely different...

Yet the Reverence kept saying it was for her own good, and her previous teachings had indeed been stern and unsmiling. For a moment, she couldn't even tell if this was punishment or reward.

"By the way," Vermilion Bird suddenly patted her shoulder amiably, "You've traveled a long and dusty road; you should go take a bath first. We'll do the rest later. I have prepared a set of clothes for you; I hope you like them."

Xia Chichi let out a sigh of relief. The Reverence did care about her after all, like a teacher or mother; a little strictness was nothing.

She apologized and withdrew. When she reached the guest room and peeked in, beside the steaming bath bucket lay a set of bright red clothes, tacky with gold trim, just like a wedding gown.