Chapter 435: Entering Shu

Chapter 435: Entering Shu

Yue Hongling had said that after the Sword Hut, she planned to go to Miaojiang.

At that time, the Battle of Xiangyang had not yet erupted, and Yue Hongling had no idea that Zhao Changhe was right nearby. If she was fleeing, her normal psychological inertia would also be to head toward Miaojiang; generally, there was no need to consider other options—she should be there.

It was just unknown how long it had been, and whether she had already left or not...

Regardless, going there would at least yield some clues; if she was still there, that would be best.

Actually, if none of this had happened, under normal circumstances, Yue Hongling would go to the Sword Hut and then to Miaojiang, and he, Zhao Changhe, would also normally go to the Sword Hut and then to Miaojiang... If they met, could it be considered "two people from opposite ends of the earth meeting in the same place for different purposes"?

Perhaps barely... but at this moment, Zhao Changhe no longer had such a lighthearted mood.

Miaojiang was vast... finding one person there was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

He could only hope that Yue Hongling and Shi Wuding were both famous figures, making it easier to gather clues when inquiring...

Especially now that he was not alone; finding people was relatively easier than before.

Zhao Changhe entered Shu from Ba, arriving in the Land of Abundance. He immediately headed straight to a well-known jewelry shop in the area—the meeting place agreed upon with Li Si'an. He didn't know if Li Si'an had already arrived.

Upon reaching the place, he saw Li Si'an inside examining some jadeite: "The quality of this batch doesn't look great... Has something gone wrong over there recently? The feel is off; the goods coming through are all a bit misshapen... Huh? You're here so early?"

Zhao Changhe strode in: "I was afraid you hadn't come. It's good that you're here."

"Your expression... Something happened?"

"The Sword Hut on Bashan is empty—the entire sect has relocated. Did you know?"

"We just found out about it..."

"How could this intelligence be so delayed?"

Li Si'an put down the jadeite and sighed: "The Sword Hut is a group of austere swordsmen. Think of Han Wubing's temperament... Though most in the Sword Hut aren't as reclusive as him, the basic mold is similar—they rarely have much contact with the outside world. It's normal that we haven't heard much about their people moving about... For a semi-secluded sect like this, even if they were suddenly wiped out, few would know."

Zhao Changhe sneered: "Rarely have contact with the outside world? Could it be because most of them are too busy with other things to spare the energy?"

Li Si'an asked curiously: "What makes you say that?"

Zhao Changhe replied directly: "I suspect it might be a public front for the Listening Snow Tower... The guess might not be accurate, but Yue Hongling fought with them, and someone died under her sword—I personally examined the corpse."

Li Si'an's expression shifted slightly: "This..."

He glanced around and pulled Zhao Changhe into an inner room: "In Bashu, be careful with such words... Although the Sword Hut disciples rarely travel the jianghu, many high-ranking families in Bashu, even military officials and the Demon-Suppression Bureau, have sought instruction from the Sword Hut. They're practically unregistered disciples. So on the surface, the Sword Hut seems low-key, but its influence is widespread."

Zhao Changhe narrowed his eyes: "Rarely have contact with the outside world, yet many people go to them for exchange..."

"Building their own prestige, I suppose?" Li Si'an laughed. "Doing this gives them the appearance of the sacred land of swordsmanship in Bashu."

"Then their relocation..."

"I don't know how accurate your Listening Snow Tower judgment is... Suppose Yue Hongling spread this baseless claim; it wouldn't have much impact on the Sword Hut. Even though Yue Hongling has a good reputation and credibility, she's still just a young rising star in the jianghu. It's hard to shake the roots of such deeply entrenched local elders. Look, even when you tell me, I'm willing to believe you, but what use is it? I can't just take it as fact; I'll just keep it in mind."

Zhao Changhe nodded: "True. So the relocation isn't because of this?"

"It might attract enemies of the Listening Snow Tower from all sides to come snooping, greatly increasing the chance of trouble. Relocating for that reason is still possible..." Li Si'an mused. "But I don't think that's the main reason—at most one of the reasons. Moving the entire sect just for that seems a bit excessive..."

Zhao Changhe calmed down and felt there was some truth to that.

Li Si'an said: "From this, it's possible that Yue Hongling didn't fight them because she discovered the Listening Snow Tower's secret. There might be other factors. You don't even know whether the battle happened before or after the relocation."

"Hmm..." Zhao Changhe suddenly found it somewhat amusing.

Back when he went beyond the frontier, he also thought Yue Hongling was in danger and rushed out frantically, only to realize later that her danger wasn't that great. The vast desert wasn't easy to block her.

This time was the same. His first judgment was always like this, but upon careful analysis, it didn't seem to be the case. Even if she was being chased by Shi Wuding, as long as she could shake him off on the road and hide in Miaojiang, it wouldn't be much easier to find her than in the desert...

Logically, Yue Hongling was the type who didn't need anyone's worry; she had far more jianghu experience than he did. Yet Zhao Changhe always inexplicably worried most about her...

Perhaps it was because people who wander the world like that always give a sense of being drifting duckweed, as if they are constantly walking the line between life and death, evoking the most concern.

Li Si'an said: "Regarding the Listening Snow Tower matter, I'll write to inform the chief so she knows. As for you going to Miaojiang, is there anything I can help with?"

Zhao Changhe said: "Mainly help me find clues about Yue Hongling. I can't do it alone."

"Wait, aren't you going to Miaojiang to find the entrance to the secret realm?"

"...What can you help with that? If you could find it, Ying Wu would have gone in himself long ago."

"At least I can arrange a more convenient identity for you to get by there. Otherwise, do you think any Han Chinese can just waltz in and thrive?"

"A merchant caravan?"

"Exactly. I have a long-term business relationship with the local chieftain Lei Ao. If you go there, even if you're not treated as a VIP, asking for small favors shouldn't be a problem. Finding someone will definitely require their help. As for how to find the secret realm, your skills are better than mine..."

"Alright..." Zhao Changhe thought for a moment. "Can this merchant identity be assigned casually? Can I pretend to be someone else?"

Li Si'an asked curiously: "What trick are you up to now?"

"If you introduce me as the famous Wang Daozhong of the Wang family, would they believe it?"

"Should... probably work." Li Si'an laughed and cried. "Might even be better. If I say you're from my gang, and you cause trouble over there, I won't be able to shake off the connection. But if I say it's Wang Daozhong asking me to introduce business channels, and I'm just doing it out of face, I can wash my hands of whatever you do."

Zhao Changhe was very satisfied: "Then it's settled."

Li Si'an said: "Wang Daozhong caused trouble in the Yang family, was rescued from prison, and couldn't stay in Langya. So he was sent to Miaojiang to open new paths—that's quite reasonable..."

"Mm-hmm."

"But you at least need to do some light makeup. Don't treat people like fools... At least grow a beard or something?" Li Si'an looked him up and down. "I'll also get you a scholar's robe..."

Zhao Changhe sighed: "Someone once told me that if I ever messed up my disguise again, he would beat me up. Rest assured."

By now, Zhao Changhe had long forgotten that he himself had once said he didn't want to live under someone else's face.

No help for it—playing Wang Daozhong had too much sentimental value.

Li Si'an found a set of clothes in the style Wang Daozhong usually wore and also brought some fake beards. Zhao Changhe took out his pots and bottles and did a proper makeup job. When he looked in the mirror, he was startled—he really did look like Wang Daozhong...

Li Si'an was loading a cart nearby, saying: "We mainly transport Shu brocade over there and exchange it for jade and gemstones. But the quality of these recent batches of jadeite is very poor. I was planning to go over and see what's going on myself—whether Lei Ao is starting to play tricks on me, or if our people stationed in Miaojiang are lining their own pockets with inferior goods... This trip happens to be a good chance to introduce Mr. Daozhong..."

Zhao Changhe poked his head out to look at the accompanying personnel; there were quite a few: "Are these all from the Demon-Suppression Bureau? Or your bandit brotherhood?"

"The Demon-Suppression Bureau doesn't have that many people... Some are from the brotherhood, some are locally hired. What, you don't trust them?"

"Hmm..." Zhao Changhe put the Longque into his ring and took out the ancient sword Dragon Emperor to hang at his waist: "From now on, call me Mr. Daozhong."

Longque crouched in the ring, dumbfounded.

A few days ago, it felt like it was about to be put to use again. Now it was being left to gather dust?

Not cherished once obtained, huh?

Just as it was about to throw a tantrum and rebel, Zhao Changhe's soothing voice came through its consciousness: "I'm just pretending to be someone else now. When there's a real important battle, you'll be my trump card."

Longque snorted twice and didn't respond.

Strange—this guy actually explains things to a sword... Really different from Xia Longyuan.

Li Si'an laughed: "Loading the cart will take a while. Let's go eat first? Get you used to your identity as Mr. Daozhong."

Zhao Changhe looked around and saw no issues, so he followed Li Si'an out the door toward a nearby restaurant.

They hadn't taken two steps when a surprised voice came from the street: "Isn't this Mr. Daozhong? When did you come to Bashu?"

Zhao Changhe turned his head and saw a long-robed scholar with a few attendants passing by, looking very surprised to see Wang Daozhong here.

A string of ellipses ran through Zhao Changhe's mind. I don't even know you, damn it. How do I respond to this greeting?

In his ear came Li Si'an's secret voice transmission: "The Chief Clerk of Shu Commandery Governor Zhai Muzhi's mansion, Xie Ruhai."

Zhao Changhe's heart stirred slightly.

Xie Ruhai was nothing special, but Shu Commandery Governor Zhai Muzhi, besides being a local feudal lord, had another identity that greatly intrigued the martial world.

After the successive falls of Earth Rank fighters like He Lei, Cai Wenque, and Maitreya, the top few of the Human Rank were promoted to fill the Earth Rank. Now the gatekeeper of the Earth Rank was no longer Wang Daozhong, and the number one of the Human Rank was no longer the former Vulture Hunter's Fang, but the one who had been fourth back then, now lying his way to first.

Whether he got there by lying down or not, as long as you are the head of a ranking, you become very dazzling.

Formerly fourth on the Human Rank, now first on the Human Rank, Shu Commandery Governor Zhai Muzhi.