Chapter 356: Xue Canghai

Chapter 356: Xue Canghai

Xue Canghai watched from afar as Zhao Changhe strode boldly up the mountain to pay his respects, and a glint of admiration could not help but appear in his eyes.

What true courage.

Such heroic spirit—this is how a man should be.

The men of the Blood God Sect admired Zhao Changhe, for in his roving through the jianghu they saw the very bearing they themselves yearned for. Apart from his bloodlust, which Blood God man would not love that swaggering stride, that broadsword sweeping across the world, that lone rider plunging into a demon’s lair to announce his arrival with a loud call?

Alas, none of them could do it themselves; instead, from Zhao Changhe, who had abandoned the sect, they glimpsed the shadow of their own dreams.

Unconsciously, they gradually came to regard him as their representative in the outside world, unwilling to brand him a “traitor” any longer—all stemming from this state of mind.

Xue Canghai himself was no exception.

At that moment, he even forgot to be wary of the Maitreya Sect envoy lurking in the stronghold, and leisurely transmitted his voice: “Invite Young Master Zhao to the main hall. What are all these people crowding around for? Making a spectacle of yourselves. Disperse now; Hengchuan will bring him in.”

Instructor Sun bowed respectfully: “Yes.”

Zhao Changhe also realized that, aside from that one meeting under the dark torchlight at the Luo Family Manor, he had never truly faced the legendary Xue Canghai face to face—and now, seeing him in person, the man actually had considerable presence…

Choosing to receive him in the main hall of the stronghold rather than in the sect’s hidden sanctum carried a certain implication. Zhao Changhe smiled faintly and strode up the mountain with head held high.

Instructor Sun whispered at his side: “Changhe…”

“Hmm?”

“What are you here for this time? Can you give me a hint?”

Zhao Changhe laughed: “I did originally want to challenge the Sect Leader… but I haven’t decided how far to take it.”

“What do you mean? How far do you intend to go?”

“Let’s put it this way… If I beat Xue Canghai and take his pathetic seventy-first spot on the Human Roll, I really don’t want it. It would be embarrassing—my wife would laugh at me.”

Instructor Sun: “You son of a…”

Zhao Changhe walked up the mountain with an honest, simple expression, but deep down he truly meant it.

Of course, no one else would believe him. Instructor Sun sighed: “Cut the crap. You’ve already made plans for how to take over the sect after killing the Sect Leader, haven’t you…”

“Hey, Old Sun, you can talk nonsense about food, but don’t spout nonsense about words.”

“Oh, spare me your little schemes.” Instructor Sun looked around and lowered his voice to the barest whisper: “People from Beimang have come here. Many advised the Sect Leader not to give them positions, fearing exactly this day.”

“And yet the Sect Leader still gave them positions?”

“The Sect Leader said they came with a letter of introduction from the Black Tortoise Venerable… The Black Tortoise Venerable ranks even higher than the Vermilion Bird Venerable. If the Four Symbols Sect wanted his head, it would have been taken long ago. Being overly defensive only invites ridicule; better to be open and aboveboard.”

Zhao Changhe chuckled. Meeting in person was better than hearing the name—Xue Canghai seemed rather interesting; he was no comic figure.

The Black Tortoise Venerable, whom he treated so magnanimously, was actually quite the joker…

Instructor Sun squinted at him: “So is that really what you think?”

Zhao Changhe countered: “Are you that loyal?”

Instructor Sun was silent for a moment, then sighed: “Yes. I’ve been in the Blood God Sect for twenty years. This is my home.”

Zhao Changhe looked Instructor Sun up and down for a while, then suddenly laughed: “I did have such a contingency plan—just in case Xue Canghai proved unreasonable and I got swarmed here, having my own people to back me up would be better. But I don’t want that to happen. The current situation feels fine to me.”

As they spoke, they reached the highest main stronghold. The guards at the gate saluted Zhao Changhe with almost fanatical reverence. Instructor Sun fell silent and led Zhao Changhe sullenly into the main hall’s meeting chamber.

Damn it—the respect the guards showed to Instructor Sun, a dignified Protector, couldn’t even compare to what they gave Zhao Changhe… Well, it made sense: the prestige of the Hidden Dragon List’s number one was on par with the Sect Leader’s; Old Sun couldn’t compete. On the other hand, precisely because their statuses were reversed, the fact that Zhao Changhe had just knelt on one knee to him still left Instructor Sun feeling like he was in a dream.

With his mind in a fog, he followed Zhao Changhe into the meeting hall. Zhao Changhe strode in with a dragon’s gait and a tiger’s step, stopped in the center, and cupped his hands in salute to Xue Canghai on the main seat: “Greetings, Sect Leader Xue.”

Xue Canghai nodded slightly: “Please, be seated. Serve tea to Young Master Zhao.”

Zhao Changhe unceremoniously took the guest seat of honor. A sect member brought tea, and Zhao Changhe glanced at it, clicking his tongue.

A male attendant… Not even a maidservant for such menial tasks. Sect Leader Xue, you truly are a role model for men.

Xue Canghai was also sipping tea, studying Zhao Changhe. After a long moment, he said: “The sect members regard you as one of their own. In your heart, do you think they are a bunch of fools? Just a year ago, you were a traitor they were hunting, and now they fawn over you—isn’t that ridiculous?”

Zhao Changhe replied: “Back on the road to Gujian Lake, I told Instructor Sun that aside from Fang Buping, the Blood God Sect has no enmity with me; on the contrary, it took me in and taught me skills. If everyone still sees me as a representative of the Blood God Sect, I am happy—this bond of fellowship has not been severed. I am grateful that the Sect Leader does not call for my head.”

Xue Canghai was noncommittal: “Call for your head? We couldn’t kill you out there, but now that you’ve walked right in, there’s a chance.”

Zhao Changhe smiled but did not reply.

Xue Canghai did not press further, instead changing the subject: “Young Master Zhao has come here… surely not just to visit old friends?”

Zhao Changhe said: “I did want to see Instructor Sun. It’s been a long time, and I missed him dearly.”

Instructor Sun turned his head away.

Do you believe that yourself…

Xue Canghai remained impassive: “Now that you’ve seen him, shall I arrange a room for you and your teacher to catch up properly?”

Zhao Changhe: “…”

Xue Canghai continued sipping his tea, saying nothing more.

In truth, even the most ardent fans should have caught on by now: Zhao Changhe’s intentions were not friendly; he was most likely here to challenge the Sect Leader. Xue Canghai had understood from the very beginning.

Zhao Changhe was probably truly at the threshold of the Secret Vault. To break through, taking other detours would be meaningless no matter how impressive—his fundamental arts were the Blood Fiend Skill and the Blood Fiend Blade. He had to seek a breakthrough in these, so coming here was almost inevitable.

But he was no Vermilion Bird after all. Coming alone into this tiger’s den, did he really think he could walk away unscathed if a fight broke out?

This was Zhao Changhe’s courage. Xue Canghai admired it, but when the challenge was directed at himself, he was hardly willing to be a stepping stone.

Damn it, you pair of young lovers—your bandit wife used me as a springboard to gain worldwide fame, and I’ve been a laughingstock ever since; your brother-in-law was hunting me all over the world, claiming he couldn’t accept that I made the Human Roll while he didn’t; and just when that bastard finally got on the Human Roll himself and quieted down, the replacement, Situ Xiao, also claimed he couldn’t accept being ranked below me and has been searching for me everywhere.

What the hell did I do to deserve this? Are you all insane?

And now it’s your turn, is it?

Zhao Changhe also took a sip of tea, speaking as if it were nothing: “The Sect Leader may have guessed it—I have come seeking the gate to the Secret Vault.”

Xue Canghai said flatly: “No matter how everyone views your relationship with the Holy Sect, the core techniques of the Holy Sect cannot be passed on to outsiders. As for experiencing the sacred relics, you have no qualification.”

Zhao Changhe shook his head: “The Sect Leader possesses all the techniques and even cultivates with the sacred relics, yet to this day he still hasn’t broken through the Secret Vault. This shows that these things are at most aids, not to be overly relied upon.”

Xue Canghai was taken aback: “So what do you want?”

Zhao Changhe pondered for a moment, then suddenly said: “If I’m not mistaken, the Sect Leader has likely abandoned the Blood God Skill and retrained in the Blood Fiend Skill, which is why you suddenly gained recognition from the Book of Chaos and made it onto the Human Roll. Otherwise, with your original combat power comparable to Yue Hongling at the eighth level of the Xuan Barrier, you wouldn’t have qualified for the Human Roll.”

Xue Canghai’s face darkened: “You could have left out that last part.”

Damn it, you young bastards screw me over, and the Book of Chaos screws me too. I finally managed to secretly improve, thinking no one would know and I could play the dark horse—but before I could hide for two days, I got put on the Human Roll, and the whole world knows. Screw this.

And what’s worse, after retraining in the Blood Fiend Skill, the gate to the Secret Vault still remains closed, and the backlash of the fiendish energy torments me from time to time. Was it all worth it…

Zhao Changhe said: “The Sect Leader must also be at the threshold of the Secret Vault, facing the same problem as I do. I don’t ask for secret manuals or sacred relics; I only seek a fierce and unrestrained battle with the Sect Leader. Perhaps by mutually verifying what we have learned, we can both step through the gate of the Secret Vault.”

Xue Canghai almost laughed out loud: “So in the end, you still think I’m a soft persimmon, ripe for the squeezing?”

Zhao Changhe said very seriously: “No. I think I may not even be a match for the Sect Leader. Your mastery and understanding of the Blood God Sect’s arts are unparalleled in the world. I come with the attitude of seeking instruction.”

Xue Canghai said coldly: “Then why should I satisfy you?”

Zhao Changhe set down his teacup and said calmly: “Because I am Zhao Changhe.”

Xue Canghai narrowed his eyes.

“In the Blood God arts, I am inferior to the Sect Leader. But in drawing analogies and absorbing from many sources, the Sect Leader is inferior to me.” Zhao Changhe said slowly: “I lack refinement in the Blood Fiend; the Sect Leader is overly obsessed. I believe that if we can complement each other, the gate to the Secret Vault lies right there.”

Xue Canghai's heart finally gave a jolt.

He had imagined countless reasons for Zhao Changhe's visit, but this was the last thing he expected.

Indeed, he was not a junior challenging a senior, nor a traitor returning home in glory.

This was a renowned martial artist, hesitating on the path to becoming a grandmaster, engaging in a discourse on the Way.

Xue Canghai was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked: "On what basis do you say I am overly obsessed? Have you studied my martial arts?"

"That is easy to know," said Zhao Changhe. "The Blood God Sect's cultivation method is fierce and violent, killing to nurture baleful aura. Even now, Chief, are you still thinking that it is this world that limits you? If you could find an opportunity for mass slaughter, the door to the secret treasury would surely be broken?"

Xue Canghai said slowly: "Continue."

Zhao Changhe said: "But has the Chief not realized that the fundamental intent of that ancient demon god was not killing or nurturing baleful aura? It was the heroic pride that scatters gods and Buddhas, the self-slaying and heart-questioning that transcends heaven and earth, the worldview that hell is as it is. The Way of Heaven is dead; who shall be the Way of Heaven? When that demon god was on the verge of death, was he truly only thinking of slaughter?"

Xue Canghai slowly stood up, his expression extremely severe.

Zhao Changhe touched his ring, and the Longque blade appeared in his hand with a swish, pointing at Xue Canghai from afar: "I have said all there is to say. Chief Xue... would you care to verify it?"