Chapter 449: Long Rainbow Piercing the Sun, Falling from the Nine Heavens

Chapter 449: A Long Rainbow Pierces the Sun, Falling from the Nine Heavens

Sisi had run off, and Zhao Changhe couldn't tell if he was getting rest or growing more listless.

At least the bath he'd been yearning for was finally done. He tossed and turned half the night on the bed, breathing in the floral scent of the bedding, drifting in and out of sleep, hazy and confused. Countless silhouettes flickered through his dreams, too chaotic to make out.

Over and over, those eyes—now frowning, now smiling—floated before him, along with a snow-white waist and jade-like feet, swaying back and forth.

In his sleep, he couldn't sort out what everyone was to each other, and waking up didn't make it any clearer.

When he woke, the sky was just barely light. A young maidservant was dozing nearby, but she seemed to startle awake the moment Zhao Changhe stirred. Rubbing her eyes, she smiled: "Did the guest sleep well? You kept mumbling something in your sleep, but I couldn't make it out."

"Huh?" Zhao Changhe sat up with a start. "What did I say?"

"Couldn't hear clearly." The maidservant giggled and leaned in. "Can you tell me secretly? I won't tell the Saintess."

As she leaned closer, a faint fragrance wafted into his nose. Zhao Changhe's face stiffened, and he dared not move a muscle.

The girls of this foreign tribe were indeed bold. It felt like the Tang Monk entering the Kingdom of Women—temptation at every turn.

Since she hadn't heard clearly, Zhao Changhe relaxed and said with a grin: "I was probably asking your Saintess to gift me a little maidservant."

The maidservant blushed and spat, "Pah! We don't have such customs. That's a vile practice of you Central Plains folk—don't bring it here. It's disgusting."

Zhao Changhe seized the chance to probe: "What are your customs, then?"

The maidservant said, "If we fancy someone, we invite them to dance and share a tent. It's our own business—what does it have to do with anyone else?"

"Wait, doesn't that mean you could be used and cast aside without a second thought?"

"We have gu. Would they dare?"

Zhao Changhe muttered: "Damn."

This kind of gu was clearly something like a love-bond gu, binding both sides. So despite their seemingly open ways, they were actually committed to one person. Don't think you could flirt and sleep around freely—if you did, you'd be dragged back and "married in."

So when Sisi brought him into her tent and even ran in while he was bathing, it probably meant something significant in the eyes of her tribe. Did Sisi not care at all about her reputation?

Zhao Changhe probed further: "Does the Saintess follow the same rule? No need for political marriages? Or serving the gods? Can she really choose anyone she wants?"

"Of course. We're an ancient—uh." The maidservant snorted. "What political marriages would we have? In Miao territory, the Saintess calls the shots. Remember when Lei Ao wanted to marry her? She beat him so hard she knocked out a tooth. Didn't you notice Lei Ao's missing tooth?"

"...I didn't pay attention."

"If there's any rule, it's about strength. If a man can't beat me, I wouldn't look twice at him." The maidservant looked Zhao Changhe up and down for a long moment, then giggled: "I heard you escaped the Saintess's snake formation? The guest is quite impressive, no wonder..."

Zhao Changhe said flatly: "Plenty of people can beat your Saintess. With her skills, is that really how she chooses a husband?"

The maidservant's eyes sparkled: "Guest, are you... jealous? Afraid she'll run off with someone else because of that?"

Zhao Changhe paused, then fell silent.

The maidservant laughed even more cheerfully, scampered over to fetch a basin of water, and said: "Wash your face first."

"Wash his face?" Sisi's voice came from outside the tent, sharp and stern: "Splash it in his face, then slap him twice and use that as a towel."

The maidservant laughed and ran off: "Let the Saintess reward him herself."

The tent flap lifted, and the maidservant slipped past Sisi, laughing as she disappeared into the distance. Sisi watched her go with a straight face, then walked in with her hands behind her back, muttering: "No respect. I've spoiled them too much. I need to learn from you Central Plains families how to discipline maids."

Zhao Changhe rubbed his face and said casually: "They're not really maids, are they? They're your trusted tribeswomen, just young girls curious about the outside world, helping you out for now."

Sisi said: "In our tribe, there's no custom of maids or servants. We're all one clan. Though there are differences in status, who would treat their own people as servants? If we ever settle outside and pick up your bad habits, we probably won't make our own people do menial work. But enslaving others—that's not a bad idea. I think you'd be perfect."

Zhao Changhe ignored the last remark and laughed: "These little girls are completely innocent. You'd better keep a close eye on them, or someone might trick them into doing everything without even using the gu."

"Hey." Sisi couldn't help but smile. "They're not yours. Why do you care if someone tricks them?"

"Oh, I just think they're cute and wanted to give a friendly warning."

Sisi stepped closer, leaned in, and whispered in his ear: "Could it be... you've already taken them as part of your harem?"

"What are you talking about?" Zhao Changhe glanced at her. He wanted to say he hadn't even thought of taking her, but the words stuck in his throat. Instead, he changed the subject: "I'm going to change my appearance and head to Xizhou today to investigate Lei Ao and Shi Wuding's situation."

Even though she must have heard the word "jealous" earlier, Sisi didn't dwell on it. Her demeanor was completely different from yesterday, and she spoke seriously about business: "I saw your sword in public yesterday. Should I find you a different one to use?"

"Just change the scabbard. The sword itself looks the same—who would recognize it?" Zhao Changhe felt a bit helpless. He'd told himself not to rely on divine weapons, but without the Ancient Sword Dragon's power yesterday, he couldn't have held Shi Wuding back. Without such enhancements, he'd barely survive here.

Sisi stuck her head out of the tent and ordered the maids to find a scabbard. Then she looked at the sky with some confusion: "Strange. It's almost dawn. Sister Yue went to assassinate the Xuanwei Commissioner. Normally, just before dawn is the best time. If she hasn't succeeded by now, something might have gone wrong..."

Zhao Changhe was startled: "How would you know from so far away whether she succeeded or not?"

Sisi shot him a glance: "Because the Commissioner is a Human Roll expert—Lan Tiankuo, ranked eleventh."

Zhao Changhe was shocked: "How could it be him? I checked the list of Miao territory experts before I came, and he wasn't on it!"

Sisi shook her head: "He was just transferred from Shu Commandery a little over a month ago. Lately, he's been behind all sorts of vile deeds, forcing tribes to send women... A new broom sweeps clean, and he's set the entire Miao region ablaze."

Zhao Changhe couldn't sit still. Without waiting for the scabbard, he rushed out of the tent: "Is she strong enough to kill someone ranked eleventh on the Human Roll? And with all his subordinates and guards? Is she trying to get herself killed? Dali, right? I'm going to find her immediately!"

Sisi watched his frantic back from behind, a complex glint flickering in her eyes. Finally, she sighed: "Our tribe's experts are secretly assisting her—she's not going alone. Besides, you're ranked thirty-seventh on the Human Roll. Sister Yue was already a renowned veteran of the Hidden Dragon before you even started martial arts. Why do you always underestimate her? Just because she hasn't climbed the rankings as fast as you?"

"I still need to back her up..." Zhao Changhe sprinted out of the stockade, then suddenly stopped.

A golden light flashed across the sky:

"April, Grain in Ear. Yue Hongling attempted to assassinate Lan Tiankuo at the Dali Xuanwei Office. The plot failed, and she was trapped but broke through the encirclement. As Lan Tiankuo pursued her closely, Yue Hongling suddenly turned back and slew him amidst the siege."

"At that moment, a white rainbow pierced the morning sun; heaven and earth were obscured, life and death intertwined. The onlookers were stunned."

"Yue Hongling, drenched in blood, cut through the siege and vanished into the distance."

"Human Roll update."

"Human Roll, eleventh: Sunset Divine Sword, Yue Hongling."

"Why must the setting sun tether a lonely wanderer? A long rainbow pierces the sun, falling from the nine heavens."

Zhao Changhe stared up at the words for a long moment, then suddenly smiled.

"Find me a horse..." He strode out of the stockade. "Don't be fooled by how impressive she looks—she's in grave danger. I have to go meet her."

Sisi followed behind with a straight face, feeling that the moment he saw Yue Hongling's name on the Chaos Chronicle, everyone else became invisible to him.

...

Southwest of Erhai Lake, Dali.

Hoofbeats shattered the morning mist. Yue Hongling, drenched in blood, spurred her horse forward. Behind her, a dark mass of pursuers stretched endlessly, their numbers beyond sight.

Wounded and exhausted, her eyes were still firm and fearless.

Yue Hongling hadn't let Sisi's people cover her retreat. She didn't want to drag Sisi too deep into this, exposing her entire tribe to immense danger.

She could handle it herself—though it was perilous.

This was a plain, but beside it stood Cangshan Mountain. If she could escape into the mountains, she might shake off the pursuers.

There were dangers in the mountains too—the Black Miao held sway there—but at least it wasn't as exposed as the lakeside plain.

Too bad. This Ferghana horse—she and Changhe had seized it together on the frontier, galloping side by side for so long. If she abandoned it to enter the mountains, the horse would be lost...

If she survived, she'd come back to see who took the horse and make them pay back with interest.

Just as this thought crossed her mind, dust rose in the distance ahead.

Yue Hongling's heart jolted with alarm... If enemies blocked the road ahead, she wouldn't have time to reach the mountains—trouble.

She gritted her teeth and spurred the horse forward. She had to break through.

Drawing closer, he could now almost see the Miao men's bushy beards, each face ferocious and grim.

Yue Hongling tightened her grip on the longsword in her hand.

Just then, a sudden commotion erupted behind the blocking troops ahead; an arrow came flying from an extreme distance, piercing straight through the rearmost Miao man. The terrifying, unmatched force sent him tumbling off his horse, crashing into the warhorse in front, instantly throwing everything into chaos.

The Miao men blocking the road all reined in their horses, turning back in astonishment.

A burly man brandishing a broadsword came galloping from afar, shouting: "Stand in my way and die!"

Yue Hongling gazed into the dust from afar; her eyes, always steadfast and fearless, suddenly flashed with surprise, and also with the weariness deep within.

It's you...

Yue Hongling couldn't be bothered to think why he had appeared here—was it "a coincidental meeting due to different matters"? Or had he come specifically knowing she was in danger?

It didn't matter.

With him here, she wouldn't have to be so tired...

"Roar!" In an instant, Zhao Changhe caught up from ahead, his Longque sweeping wildly; wherever it passed, heads flew up, blood filled the sky.

The Blood God's dharma form blotted out the sun and sky, fear spreading wantonly through the ranks.

He really suited this kind of scene... Yue Hongling tightened her grip on the sword hilt and spurred her horse into the formation.

A sword qi precisely pierced the throat of the blocker ahead; the blocker clutched his throat and toppled off his horse, and Yue Hongling charged straight into the formation.

The two converged from front and back amidst thousands of troops, gradually drawing close, so close that they could see the joy in each other's eyes. The faces of others in the military formation were indistinct and blurred—she couldn't be bothered to see what they looked like, couldn't see them.

"Tired of wandering the ends of the earth?" Zhao Changhe raised his blade and cleaved the Miao man in front into two halves, shouting loudly: "I've come to take you home!"

Yue Hongling smiled, her smile as beautiful as the morning glow.

Sisi, riding her horse at a distance, curled her lips; her horse was a beat slower, and she hadn't even entered the formation yet, but she had already been force-fed a mouthful of this dog food.

Disgusting.