Chapter 495: If You Can Still Find Me

Chapter 495: If You Can Still Find Me

Actually, it wasn’t until Sisi played “Seeking a Mate” that Zhao Changhe realized why he’d felt off all day—like he’d been numbed by anesthesia, with no real sensation. It was because the pain-transfer gu was still in effect.

Sure, it made him bolder mentally, and that felt good, but physically? No pleasure at all.

All of it went to Sisi’s enjoyment?

What a mess.

He sighed, pulling on his clothes and heading out the door: “That gu of yours…”

But the moment he stepped out, the maidservants immediately knelt, not daring to lift their heads, all their earlier giggling and chatter gone.

Zhao Changhe’s words caught in his throat. He glanced at Sisi.

Dressed in full regalia, Sisi had a striking allure different from her simpler attire, but Zhao Changhe had no mind to appreciate it. Frowning, he said, “Kneeling in that kind of situation is one thing, but in daily life, drop this act. Don’t make it seem like I’m some tyrant oppressing them—what’s the point of what we’re doing then?”

Sisi gestured for the maids to rise, laughing, “It’s not a rule I set for them; it’s genuine awe from their hearts. Blame your bizarre performance…”

She paused, leaning close to his ear, whispering softly, “You really… don’t want to oppress me?”

She stressed the word “oppress,” her voice dripping with seduction to the marrow. Zhao Changhe’s throat bobbed, but he said nothing.

Sisi giggled, murmuring by his ear, “Master~ time to eat…”

Too much.

Yue Hongling was watching from inside the room—could you flirt some other time? This puts me in a tough spot.

Zhao Changhe said helplessly, “First, tell me how to undo this gu. I can’t have all my sensations transferred to you forever—how would I function?”

Sisi pouted, a little disappointed, and sighed, “It only lasts a day, not a permanent gu. The one I placed on you last night will naturally dissolve by tonight.”

Zhao Changhe studied her, unsure if he felt relieved or oddly let down.

Actually, this gu was kind of fun—he hadn’t fully explored it yet. For instance, if he touched himself, what would she feel?

Casually, he rubbed his own chest.

Sisi’s eyes bulged.

Zhao Changhe couldn’t help but grin.

By then, Yue Hongling had lazily tidied her clothes and stepped out, tying her ponytail as she asked, “Is there food?”

Sisi clutched her chest: “There is… a grand ceremony to welcome the dual saint envoys.”

“What kind of gesture is that chest-clutching?”

“…A special ritual of the Ling tribe, signifying respect.”

Yue Hongling eyed them both suspiciously but found no flaw, so she said, “Honestly, we don’t need or like grand ceremonies. It’d be best if just a few of us ate in a small hall.”

Sisi smiled faintly. “Today’s ceremony is unavoidable… I know you two might not care for it, so hiding in the back hall for a private meal works fine—it even adds to the saint envoys’ mystique. Unfortunately, I can’t join you.”

“That’s fine.” Yue Hongling perked up a little. “We’ll eat and enjoy the festivities from a distance.”

In truth, if they could join a grand bonfire party as ordinary people, watching the young men and women of the foreign tribe sing and dance, Yue Hongling would have been thrilled—and Zhao Changhe too. But this setup left them both uneasy.

Hiding in the hall, they looked out at the vast land at the mountain’s foot, where fires stretched for miles. Countless Ling tribespeople knelt in solemn prayer, murmuring incantations. Though there was singing and dancing, it felt more like a shamanistic ritual, the religious ceremony suppressing any joy of victory.

Yue Hongling leaned against the mountain, wine cup in hand, sipping slowly as she watched for a long while before sighing, “No fun.”

Zhao Changhe embraced her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder—their favorite pose. Hearing her sigh, he chuckled, “If we’d beaten the enemy in a normal fight, you might see the lively scene you’re hoping for. But this is different… Maybe it’s just today; tomorrow or the day after, there’ll be celebration.”

Yue Hongling said, “It’s not just the atmosphere. Ah, I can’t quite explain it. Anyway, watching them kneel and kneel, I start doubting the meaning of all our struggles…”

She pouted petulantly: “I’m not as cultured as Hall Master Tang.”

“If you can’t explain it, don’t.” Zhao Changhe was amused. “My dear sister… you’ve been getting more jealous lately.”

“Do you prefer me jealous, or indifferent to all this?” Yue Hongling leaned back in his arms, asking lazily.

Zhao Changhe was stumped. After a long pause, he said, “Hmm… I think I like this better.”

Yue Hongling was speechless. “Hey, are you a masochist?”

“Because this version of Sister Yue feels more human—more like a wife.”

“Hmph.” This time, she didn’t refute the “wife” label, but then said, “Still, I feel like leaving again.”

“Huh?” Zhao Changhe was stunned. “Your injuries aren’t even fully healed—at least wait until you recover.”

Yue Hongling laughed. “Of course I don’t mean now. I’ll wait until I’m healed. Besides, I have a lot of martial insights to discuss with you… But speaking of which, you don’t seem surprised that I’m thinking of leaving again.”

“I’m not surprised at all. You’re not the type to stay in one place. Seeing this scene doesn’t sit well with you, so it’s no wonder you want to go.” Zhao Changhe turned his head slightly and kissed her cheek. “But don’t run off too fast. I’ve only seen you for such a short time this time, and most of it was spent fighting… Now that things have settled, I want to spend some real time with you.”

“I thought you’d want me gone so you could have fun with the maids.”

“…Nonsense. Honestly, I don’t even dare touch her. I can’t even undo this pain-transfer gu—if I got hit with some love gu, I’d be done for…”

Yue Hongling teased, “Poor thing, all show and no action.”

Zhao Changhe didn’t deny his desire. A seductress like Sisi—who wouldn’t want her? Only a eunuch wouldn’t. Still, it felt strange discussing this with his woman, especially after she’d clearly expressed jealousy… Yet with Yue Hongling, it came naturally. How odd.

Yue Hongling didn’t dwell on it. Instead, she said, “Want to hear about my experience with the second hidden treasure?”

“Yes.”

Blind would be weeping tears of joy—finally, they were getting down to business.

Yue Hongling said, “Actually, I was at least three steps away from the second hidden treasure before I met you. After meeting you, I completed them all in no time.”

“What three steps?”

“First, my body training was insufficient, my blood energy lacking. The Jun Tian Blood Jade baptism made up for that.” Yue Hongling continued, “For you, it’s the opposite—your body training is sufficient, but your inner energy is lacking.”

“Mm.” Zhao Changhe nodded. “I’m aware of that. And the others?”

“I’m not finished.” Yue Hongling said, “After stepping into the second hidden treasure, I realized that from here on, inner and outer forces begin to merge—physical strength and inner energy will eventually become one, inseparable. Perhaps when this stage is complete, one can attempt to glimpse the third hidden treasure.”

Zhao Changhe was taken aback. This was indeed valuable insight—a clue to the next step.

Not just training both inner and outer, but merging them? If so, he had a natural advantage, since the Six Harmonies Divine Art was built from the start to harmonize and merge.

Yue Hongling continued, “That’s the foundation. Second is martial insight. Your actions this time deeply moved me. We’ve discussed it before—maybe it’s the sword of one man versus the sword of the world? Anyway, my sword intent broadened. When my vision expanded, I touched the threshold of the second hidden treasure, almost breaking through. For you, you’ve moved from brute-force hacking to refining your sword intent—also walking a broader path.”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “I’ve felt that too. And the third?”

“Third is the meaning in that silk scroll. Is it ‘setting sun reflecting a lone swan’ or ‘flying feather striking the blazing sun’? This might be the process from sensing and using the energy of heaven and earth to controlling and breaking it. Like climbing the stairs to heaven, gradually looking down from above.” Yue Hongling said, “The first two are quantifiable—once achieved, they’re achieved. For this last realization, maybe you can use that silk scroll?”

Zhao Changhe thought to himself that this scroll of the Way of Life might indeed be the most suited to his cultivation path, far more than the second scroll.

Even the first step—improving his inner energy—might be closely tied to this scroll.

This was probably why Blind had been steering his journey toward the Miao territories…

But the second scroll might be a prerequisite for this one, or else he’d end up like Duoluo and Shi Wuding, turning into a demon king.

Yue Hongling added, “Also, the sword techniques I taught you—the more I ponder them, the more I feel they’re converging with the fragmented moves I’ve gathered over the years. From what Duoluo let slip, both should be Sword Emperor techniques. The ones I taught you might be from his early days, while the fragments I found are from his later insights. When I go back, I want to visit an old secret realm—maybe I’ll find more.”

Zhao Changhe snapped out of his thoughts and asked, “Where is that?”

Yue Hongling bit her lower lip, her voice barely a whisper: “If… if you can still find me, then…”

Zhao Changhe blinked.

Yue Hongling murmured, “Maybe then I won’t be able to leave anymore…”