Chapter 459: Want to Conquer Me?

Chapter 459: Do You Want to Conquer Me?

Sisi’s peach-blossom eyes stared unblinkingly into Zhao Changhe’s, their gazes deep as a thousand-foot pool, each revealing nothing of their thoughts.

Yet all the clamor around them seemed to grow distant, even Yue Hongling, who sat nearby watching with amused interest, her chin propped on her hand, blurring into the background.

Sisi heard her own voice, dreamlike and distant: “Old Ye~ After all this toil, what reward do you desire?”

As if just waking from a trance, she quickly glanced at Yue Hongling, then instinctively tucked her little foot beneath the small stool.

But the stool was far too small to hide her foot; in her awkward attempt, she let out a soft “Ah!” and nearly pitched forward.

Zhao Changhe reached out subtly to steady her shoulder: “My arm wound is nothing serious, no need for the Saintess to be so concerned.”

Outwardly, it looked as if Sisi had simply leaned forward to examine his arm…

Sisi took a deep breath, finally steadied herself, and said flatly, “I’ll bestow a reward later.”

Zhao Changhe smiled faintly: “Alright.”

Lei Zhentang had been brooding for a long time, a belly full of rage wanting to sabotage the Spirit Clan’s fifth seat, but under the weight of the situation, he couldn’t bring himself to speak. Finally, he suppressed it, deciding to postpone the matter: “Everyone, the selection of the five clans is a crucial milestone for Miaojiang. It’s late, and there are many wounded here—this is no time for idle talk. Why not rest a night in Dali, and we’ll discuss specifics tomorrow.”

He couldn’t even be bothered to play host with a banquet, a clear sign of his displeasure. His mind was set on stalling, dragging things out until the next day’s five-party meeting, where he could find a way to manipulate a small clan like Sisi’s—or perhaps make some final moves tonight.

Everyone saw through his intentions, but no one called him out. Lost in their own thoughts, they dispersed.

Before leaving, Pan Wan embraced Sisi and cast Zhao Changhe a look that was both alluring and teasing: “Guardian Si, we’ll be in touch from now on.”

Sisi stood before Zhao Changhe, instinctively rising on her tiptoes to block that gaze, nearly hopping in the process.

Pan Wan chuckled softly, unable to resist reaching out to pinch Sisi’s cheek: “You look like a little fox, but really you’re…”

Sisi bared her teeth.

“…Well, a little fox after all.” Pan Wan turned and left, leaving a warning: “He’s deliberately letting things sit overnight; there might be trouble tonight. You’re few in number—be careful.”

After Pan Wan left, the Bai clan leader approached and performed a ritual Zhao Changhe didn’t recognize: “Guardian Si is a true hero; let’s keep in touch.”

Sisi quickly transmitted a message: “Bai clan chief, Dao Qingfeng.”

Do you have a sister named Dao Baifeng? Zhao Changhe muttered inwardly, returning the gesture: “Chief Dao, you’ve been a great help. Thank you.”

Dao Qingfeng’s expression was odd, his gaze flickering between Sisi and Zhao Changhe. He thought to himself, Their dynamic feels off—who’s the Saintess and who’s the Guardian? It’s like one’s a maid and the other’s the master.

“Mutual help—who’s helped whom more is hard to say.” He kept his grumbling to himself, glancing at Lei Zhentang and sneering, “As long as they don’t take the stage, everything’s fine… Be careful tonight.”

Two major clan leaders had now warned them to be cautious—Lei Zhentang’s intentions were an open secret.

Sisi didn’t seem bothered, smiling brightly: “Got it. We’ll head back to the village now.”

As the crowd dispersed, Lei Zhentang secretly sent men to ambush the only road from Dali to Xizhou. They waited all night, but never saw a trace of those Spirit Clan dogs. Where they claimed to be returning to the village remained a mystery.

What was worse, they couldn’t be found anywhere in Dali city either, as if the entire group had vanished into thin air.

Sisi was no naive little Saintess fresh out of a small clan—she was a little fox who, as a young girl, had dared to travel alone to Kunlun, venture into the Central Plains, and stir up trouble in Jiangnan. Yue Hongling and Zhao Changhe were seasoned wanderers of the martial world. They wouldn’t easily reveal their whereabouts to be cornered.

They said, “We’ll head back to the village,” but in truth, they slipped into Dao Qingfeng’s entourage, took a detour around the southern edge of Erhai Lake, and ended up in Fengyi Town, a Bai stronghold…

While Lei Zhentang frantically searched for them, Zhao Changhe was already lying in a guest courtyard the Bai clan had graciously prepared. Several of Sisi’s trusted young girls fluttered around him, eager to treat his wounds.

“Ahem.” A dry cough came from outside the courtyard. Sisi strolled in, hands behind her back, swaying slightly: “How’s the injury?”

One bold Spirit Clan girl dared to ask, “Saintess, you brought another man into your tent two days ago.”

What the hell?

Sisi’s eyes blazed: “None of your business! Out, out!”

The girls, satisfied they’d dropped their hint, left the courtyard, not before casting Zhao Changhe flirtatious glances, as if to say, The Saintess isn’t faithful—she has a man. Guardian Si, you’d better come to us instead…

The door closed, and the two stared at each other, then burst out laughing together.

Zhao Changhe grinned: “They actually dare to compete with the Saintess for a man—you haven’t established your authority well.”

Sisi snorted: “Are you pleased? Planning to sneak into someone’s fragrant tent tonight? I doubt they’d refuse.”

“No thanks—I’m afraid of being tied down with a curse or poisoned. That stuff’s lethal.”

Sisi stared at him for a long moment, then smiled sweetly: “So Guardian Si doesn’t dare ask the Saintess for a reward either, does he?”

Zhao Changhe said, “The reward was just for show… But if the Saintess insists on giving one, then don’t call me Guardian Si—just call me by my name.”

Sisi: “…”

Zhao Changhe looked up at the sky.

Sisi finally sighed, moved closer, and sat on a stool beside him, helping to apply medicine to his arm: “So eager to be my master… Or is it that you want this kind of relationship, and that’s why you’re helping my Spirit Clan?”

Fragrant breeze lingered at the tip of his nose. Sisi, usually so changeable and coquettish, now wore a serious expression. Her hands worked meticulously on the wound, but her eyes seemed distant, tinged with melancholy and sorrow.

That look reminded Zhao Changhe of Tang Wanzhuang.

Indeed, once burdened, people share something in common.

Zhao Changhe said, “I consider you a friend, so of course I’d think of your clan… It’s not that utilitarian. If I have a real goal, it’s more about the experience of testing my sword against a hundred clans—I’ve enjoyed the fight. In fact, I’ve borrowed the Spirit Clan’s identity, so we’re even.”

Sisi murmured, “You really see me as a friend? On the first night we met, I put a curse on you…”

Zhao Changhe replied, “Wasn’t that just a prank?”

Sisi didn’t mention how he had grabbed her wrist and sealed her qi, treating her like an enemy back then. That talk was pointless now. Whatever ambiguous past they had was long gone, replaced by a new chapter.

Not utilitarian? Maybe a little. But perhaps Zhao Changhe hadn’t thought that far in the moment—if Tang Wanzhuang had once intended to establish a transactional relationship with Sisi, planting a seed for future use, then now that seed had fully blossomed.

Miaojiang had rebelled. Even the Bai and Yao clans hadn’t strongly opposed it; it was a fait accompli.

But now, among the rebel council, they had an ally. Everything was still within control, and the Bai and Yao could still be won over.

The question was, did Sisi truly acknowledge this alliance?

“I told you before, rebellion doesn’t serve my clan’s interests right now. We have very few core members out here, still in the foundation stage of gathering strength. Getting involved in such a major event would only crush us, forcing us back into the secret realm…” Sisi finished tying the bandage and patted it with satisfaction: “But your move has given me a chance to grow.”

Zhao Changhe asked curiously, “How do you grow? Can different clans merge into one?”

“Yes. For instance, many mountain villages and hamlets don’t clearly belong to any clan. There are also remnants of extinct clans, homeless wanderers, mixed marriages—they all blend into new clans. That process isn’t finished yet. And finally…” Sisi smiled. “Now that the southwest is purging the Han, what will happen to the Han who live here? Will they be killed or expelled? Or will they go into hiding and join some clan?”

Zhao Changhe nodded: “From what I see, Bashan Sword Hut has joined the Black Miao as a whole, though I don’t know the reason… In any case, they can absorb Han, and so can you. There are many Han here. With the fifth seat and deliberate recruitment, you can grow rapidly, snowballing into a true fifth force.”

Sisi said leisurely, “By absorbing a large number of Han, this will become a pro-Han faction. It’s an inevitable tide; even the leader must go with it. There’s no need for you to talk about friendship, no need for Tang Wanzhuang to build connections, and certainly no need for someone to keep thinking about conquering me and turning me into his maidservant.”

Zhao Changhe felt a bit awkward: “I really didn’t mean that—it was just a joke…”

“Oh?” Sisi, who had managed a normal conversation for less than a cup of tea, was back to her old tricks, her voice turning seductive: “If you don’t want to conquer me, then do you still want a reward?”

Zhao Changhe kept a straight face, but his gaze instinctively fell on her bare feet.

She didn’t try to hide them, casually stretching them out within reach.

Under the moonlight, her pink toenails seemed to glow like pearls.

Zhao Changhe couldn’t help asking, “You’re always barefoot—how are they so flawless, without a single callus?”

“Hehe… I have a protective charm, you see…” Sisi bit her lower lip, leaning back slowly, her foot seemingly limp as it rested on Zhao Changhe’s leg.

Zhao Changhe: “…”

What charm? Who could tell?

Sisi’s voice dripped with allure: “As for what kind of charm… would the master like to touch it himself, to examine and study it personally?”

There was no need for Zhao Changhe to be caught in a fierce inner struggle... As Sisi's words faded, with a "bang," the door was pushed open, and Yue Hongling entered leisurely: "Better let this Protector do the inspection. If word gets out that a man touched the Saintess's foot, it wouldn't look too good."