Chapter 401: Blue Blood Entangling the Soul

Chapter 401: Blue Blood, Lingering Soul

Dr. Lu stammered, “Wh-what I know may not be entirely accurate…”

Zhao Changhe smiled amiably. “No matter. Tell me what you know, take your time.”

The mystery of the Wang family’s sea clan—back then, the Heavenly Book had spoken in riddles, vague and evasive, offering no further details, leaving him to guess blindly. The sheer curiosity alone could drive a man mad. If not for lack of time, Zhao Changhe might have gone out of his way to investigate this case, to uncover what it truly was.

Now, an answer had come knocking, and the assassin Wang Daozhong, who had been hounding him all along, was sent to prison. It felt like finally relieving a stubborn case of constipation—there was no describing the sheer relief.

Ah, right. There was also that assassin from the Listening Snow Pavilion. Where had he gone?

Dr. Lu was speaking. “The Wang family’s peculiar sea mud comes in two types. One only improves the physique; perhaps due to its thin energy, its effects are merely average… Ah, it seems Young Master Zhao has used it before.”

“Yes, I have.” Of course, the effects were average. That mud was formed from a tiny fragment that had broken off the True Martial Sword Stone and scattered its energy into the sea. The fragment itself was small, and the energy was further diluted in the ocean—how effective could it be?

The main body of the Sword Stone lay within the Xuanwu Secret Realm. The energy it emitted wasn’t like that meager, scattered ice cream; it had condensed into a solid jelly, filling the entire mountain belly. That was the true precious material for refining the body and forging the “Supreme Sword Body.”

Zhao Changhe’s long-troubled meridian issues had been greatly improved here. Yue Hongling and San Niang had each gained something as well.

If he thought about it carefully, could gathering those scattered fragments make the Sword Stone’s effects even better? He’d have to ask San Niang later if she was interested…

Dr. Lu continued, “Though the effects were only average, the Wang family’s claim that they didn’t value it much was self-deception. Almost every member of their clan grew up soaking in that sea mud from childhood.”

Cui Yuanyang couldn’t help but ask curiously, “If they had such a divine aid to assist their cultivation from a young age, why wasn’t their cultivation any better than our family’s?”

Yang Jingxiu shook his head. “In truth, the medicinal baths our two families prepare ourselves aren’t necessarily inferior to this stuff… Aids are merely aids; personal diligence is what truly matters. Relying on such things to lay the foundation for the entire clan’s cultivation might even backfire, fostering dependence and reducing self-discipline.”

Cui Yuanyang felt as if an arrow had struck her knee. She pouted and fell silent.

What was wrong with soaking in medicinal baths since childhood? It had made her skin so fair and smooth—Brother Zhao loved to touch it.

Dr. Lu smiled apologetically. “The Grand Marshal speaks truly. The Wang family’s generations of dependence on this not only bred reliance but also sparked a craving for something stronger, like an addiction that only grew. In truth, the Wang family had long realized that this substance contained some peculiar aura, subtly altering the foundation of their cultivation. Their techniques grew increasingly cold and yin, yet overall, they resembled the vast, raging sea, so they didn’t pay it much heed.”

Yang Jingxiu nodded. “In the end, they couldn’t bear to part with it, so they clung to hope.”

“Yes… In fact, when Young Master Zhao first arrived in Langya, they pretended to be generous and gave him that sea mud to use. Their intention was that, given Young Master Zhao’s meridian problems, he was like a parched land starved for rain. Once he encountered this substance, he would likely become addicted and dependent, giving them leverage over him.” Dr. Lu’s face showed a hint of admiration as he spoke, whether feigned or genuine: “Who would have thought that Young Master Zhao would swallow the sugar coating but remain utterly unaffected by the temptation? The Wang family was caught off guard.”

Zhao Changhe chuckled. “Alright, stop flattering me. I know this sea mud well. There’s no point dwelling on it. Tell me about the Xuan Guang You Rang.”

“The Xuan Guang You Rang—after the Wang family became dependent on that sea mud, they craved something even more potent and deliberately ventured out to sea in search of it. At the time, Wang Daoning had not yet broken through the Third Hidden Treasury. But by some divine fortune, he actually found such a divine object. After obtaining it, he broke through.”

Everyone exchanged glances, sensing that there were plenty of problems here.

Dr. Lu said, “In truth, even within the Wang family, some insightful individuals had questioned this. If the earlier sea mud, which only improved the physique, had its drawbacks, then this You Rang, which targeted the soul, might be even more problematic. Yet the temptation of Wang Daoning’s breakthrough to the Third Hidden Treasury silenced all dissenting voices.”

Pausing, Dr. Lu smiled apologetically. “I only know this much because Wang Daoning invited me to examine his body to determine if there were any issues. As for the deeper layers, I am unaware… In any case, based on my examination, Wang Daoning had no problems…”

Yang Jingxiu said coldly, “Your cultivation is insufficient; you wouldn’t have detected the problem. Wang Daoning asked you to check merely for psychological comfort… From the way the yin qi invaded the sword spirit, Wang Daoning must have known full well that there was definitely a problem.”

“Ah, these humble ones truly do not know. I only learned of the Wang family sword spirit’s mishap through this incident. On the surface, the Wang family appeared to have no problems at all…”

Tang Wanzhuang mused, “Judging by this behavior, it doesn’t seem like control. Wang Daoning wasn’t being directly manipulated; otherwise, he wouldn’t have needed to seek your examination for comfort… This suggests a parasitic or symbiotic state. He knew there was a problem, but his soul had grown stronger, and he felt no adverse effects, so he clung to hope and continued drinking poison to quench his thirst…”

Huangfu Qing looked at Cai Wenque’s corpse on the ground. “At least one thing can be confirmed…”

Tang Wanzhuang interjected, “The Chaos Chronicle didn’t flash.”

Huangfu Qing said, “This man is not dead.”

“A remnant soul, combined with the yin qi of the You Rang, still lives. Once we bury him, he will revive.”

The two women spoke almost simultaneously, and the auras of water and fire descended upon Cai Wenque’s corpse at the same time.

A piercing, wailing cry rang out. A wisp of yin qi emerged from Cai Wenque’s crown chakra, dodging the two women’s attacks.

But how could it escape the wrathful Yang Jingxiu, who was already seething with fury?

A fierce, unmatched palm strike awaited it, slamming the yin qi into a twisted, watery shape. The water took on Cai Wenque’s distorted face, grotesque and terrifying. Cui Yuanyang immediately jumped into Zhao Changhe’s arms, shrinking in fear.

In his rage, Yang Jingxiu struck again, utterly shattering the yin qi. White wisps dissipated into the void, vanishing without a trace.

Earlier, Wang Daozhong had pierced Cai Wenque’s throat, and bright red blood had pooled on the ground. But now, when Tang Wanzhuang and Huangfu Qing struck, they found that the blood flowing from the new wound was no longer red—it had turned a deep, oceanic blue.

Yang Jingxiu’s furious voice boomed beyond the door: “Bugui! Take men and hack that Ding Ting outside to pieces! Bring his corpse to me!”

Moments later, golden light flashed across the sky.

It indicated that Ding Ting’s soul had not been tainted; his death was final.

“In early March, at the Yang family’s birthday banquet. Thunder Sword Ding Ting challenged Blood Asura Zhao Changhe. His hand tendons were severed with one slash, and he later died at the hands of Yang Bugui. Human Ranking No. 45 has fallen; positions shift accordingly. Zhao Changhe’s ranking remains unchanged.”

The world: “…”

Never mind the unchanged ranking. Was Zhao Changhe really at the level of No. 44? Two slashes to kill No. 44, one slash to kill No. 48, one slash to kill No. 45… Could you please move him up a bit? Leaving him at this ranking—who are you trying to trap?

“Tang Wanzhuang, Yang Jingxiu, and Zhao Changhe joined forces against Wang Daozhong and Cai Wenque. The latter were defeated. Wang Daozhong turned on his ally mid-battle and ran Cai Wenque through with his sword. For some reason, the latter did not die immediately but later fell to Tang Wanzhuang and Yang Jingxiu. Earth Ranking No. 23 has fallen; positions shift accordingly.”

Zhao Changhe: “?”

What about Huangfu Qing?

Even more bewildered were the onlookers reading the rankings.

This time, the Chaos Chronicle’s words were plain and simple, lacking the stirring, epic descriptions it had used for Zhao Changhe’s past battles. It merely gave a brief account of the battle’s outcome and who killed whom.

Understandable. Such chaotic melees were hard to describe with any dramatic flair; just getting the facts straight was enough.

But it hadn’t explained things clearly at all. Everyone was utterly confused. No matter how they tried to imagine it, they couldn’t piece together what had happened. Why had these people fought? Why had Wang Daozhong turned on his ally? It was too bizarre.

And that “for some reason did not die immediately”—couldn’t you be clearer? Was it because Cai Wenque’s medical skills were so good he could cling to life?

This battle report was well-announced. Next time, don’t bother.

Yang Jingxiu watched the rankings shift in a blur, a strange expression crossing his face.

When Xia Chichi and Zhao Changhe had entered the Human Ranking, the Hidden Dragon Ranking’s top three were Wang Zhaoling, Han Wubing, and Yang Bugui.

Now, with one Human Ranking and one Earth Ranking dead, and no one like Xue Canghai breaking into the Human Ranking from outside the Hidden Dragon, it was almost certain that Wang Zhaoling and Han Wubing would move up to the Human Ranking.

The current Hidden Dragon No. 1 was Yang Bugui.

Over the past year, the Hidden Dragon Ranking had seen three different top-ranked individuals: Cui Yuanyong, Wang Zhaoling, and Yang Bugui. Coincidentally, they were the sons of the three greatest top-tier noble families of the Great Xia, as if they had been given a backdoor pass. Each family had one, with no favoritism.

Such a coincidence made one feel that the Chaos Chronicle had a twisted sense of humor…

But the one with the strangest expression was Tang Wanzhuang. She glanced sidelong at Huangfu Qing, who was acting as if nothing had happened, and seemed to want to speak but held back.

You’re putting on a good act.

Just now, on the surface, she and Huangfu Qing had struck Cai Wenque’s corpse together. But in reality, Huangfu Qing’s attack had been deliberately delayed, making it seem like she was “weaker than Tang Wanzhuang” and that “lagging behind her was normal.” In truth, she had let Tang Wanzhuang deliver the “real killing blow.” By the time Huangfu Qing struck, the target was already dead. This was to fool Zhao Changhe’s eyes and to avoid appearing in the Chaos Chronicle.

If one didn’t count the extinguishing of the sea mud’s yin qi, Huangfu Qing had never actually fought anyone from start to finish. The Chaos Chronicle had flashed for a long time, but her name never appeared.

This was the caution expected of the rebel leader Vermillion Bird. Yet at that moment, what crossed Tang Wanzhuang’s mind was—for the convenience of letting my man enjoy himself, you’ve really gone through a lot of trouble.