Chapter 529: Covenant of the Eastern Sea

Chapter 529: The Eastern Sea Covenant

This was the second time Zhao Changhe had encountered an opportunity that required waiting for the right celestial timing. The last time was at the ancestral land of the Spirit Race, where he too had benefited, so he understood this pattern perfectly.

In truth, what was called celestial timing was inextricably bound with geographical advantage. In the Spirit Race's case, it had to be at their ancestral land, the site of the Spirit Platform. Xia Chichi's opportunity likewise required a specific location, though it remained unknown what made that spot unique.

Xia Chichi was free to venture out to sea whenever she pleased.

The Four Symbols Sect had not yet fallen out with the Wang family, and their cooperation remained pleasant enough. Especially now, with Wan Tianxiong sweeping across the Jianghuai region and blocking the Tang family's path northward to render aid, he served as a southern shield for the Wang family. Against the backdrop of the Wang family's thwarted assault on Puyang, the Sea Race was even less likely to casually provoke the Four Symbols Sect—that would be utter idiocy, and if they were to turn hostile, it absolutely could not be at a time like this.

Thus, as long as Xia Chichi encountered no force majeure or unforeseen disasters overseas, she could amuse herself however she wished. With no enemies to speak of, she could even officially serve as an envoy to the Sea Race if she so desired.

The only uncertainty lay in how the Sea Race would react if the celestial timing was triggered and a special anomaly was provoked—whether they would turn hostile to contest it.

If something went awry, then far across the boundless ocean, distant from the Divine Land, there would truly be no heaven to cry out to and no earth to answer.

As for Xia Chichi herself, she was not one to fear running into danger. How could her own cultivation falter and retreat just because of a risk that might not even exist? If so, why bother cultivating at all?

The main issue was that she simply did not want to leave right now...

How long had it been since she last saw Zhao Changhe? Having finally met after so much hardship, they had barely spoken two sentences before she had to watch him rolling around in a pale, fleshy tangle with that woman who knew nothing but how to flaunt her charms, the Winged Fire Snake. She couldn't even win their arguments, and now, like a defeated hound, she had to travel far across the sea. What kind of nonsense was this!

Xia Chichi rubbed her small foot against the ground repeatedly, only after a long while muttering, "With the Central Plains in such turmoil now, I am at least a powerhouse of the Second Secret Treasure. I represent a formidable martial force for the Sacred Sect. Should I really be running off overseas at a time like this..."

Huangfu Qing said, "Of course you must go. That is an opportunity for the Third Secret Treasure. Do you know how important that is? The affairs of the Central Plains, as things stand, are at least not urgent for our Sacred Sect. It is not yet time for us to make a full-scale move."

"The Third Secret Treasure is still a long way off. I haven't even reached that bottleneck yet; it will take at least a few years of tempering," Xia Chichi said. "I still need to report this matter to the Venerable One first and let the Venerable One decide."

Huangfu Qing desperately wanted to say that there was no need to report, and that she should just hurry up and get going. Overseas could provide tempering just the same; who said it had to be within the Divine Land?

When the time came, the Four Symbols Sect would possess three figures on the Heaven Ranking under one roof—what an explosive and magnificent sight that would be!

Regrettably, these words could not be spoken openly, so she still had to play along: "Then we shall await the Venerable One's intent... How did Xia Longyuan make you break through so suddenly? Tell me about it, so I can report it to the Venerable One together when the time comes. Perhaps it might even offer some supplement to the Sacred Sect?"

Xia Chichi sat there like a defeated hound, grumbling, "He just tapped my forehead with his finger, and a whole bunch of things suddenly appeared in my head... He lied to me, saying he was teaching me my mother's things, but they were actually all his own stuff, and I can't even pluck them out of my brain... Everything else aside, what's with that 'My Fist' and 'Overlord Blade'? They sound hideous. I'm a woman..."

Zhao Changhe and Huangfu Qing exchanged a look. This Xia Longyuan truly was... beyond description.

A palace maid knocked on the door and said in a low voice, "Your Highness."

Huangfu Qing recovered her senses: "What is it?"

"Someone has been dispatched from the Ziwei Hall to command Tang Wanzhuang to immediately arrest a batch of officials, and to command the Young Marquis to lead troops to support Hebei."

Zhao Changhe stood up abruptly, filled with both shock and joy.

The so-called Ziwei Hall was supposedly the residence of the fake Xia Longyuan. To suddenly issue commands in the dead of night could only mean that instructions had been received from the real article.

Could it be that his previous reckless outburst had actually worked?

He was truly beginning to attend to proper matters!

Internally purging the officials connected to the Wang family, and externally dispatching the capital camp to rush to the aid of Hebei—more crucially, he was actually willing to send Huangfu Shaozong out!

Huangfu Shaozong was the hostage Huangfu Yongxian had left in the capital. Even if any other emperor were in charge, they might not be willing to let him off the leash, let alone lead troops! This was thoroughly an imperial style filled with boldness, using men without suspicion. If he had been willing to act like this earlier, how could the world have fallen into such chaos!

Even Huangfu Qing found it hard to believe: "How many troops did he order Shaozong to lead? Which battalion?"

"That is not known..."

Huangfu Qing swiftly threw on her clothes: "Leave the palace immediately. I want to see Shaozong."

Once Huangfu Shaozong was off his leash, she, the Vermilion Bird, could employ even more devious designs. This time she truly had no heart to dally with her man or bicker with her disciple.

Watching her actions, Xia Chichi opened her mouth but hesitated.

Did you only just realize that we've been interacting for so long while you were stark naked?

Losing to this seductive creature really wasn't a shameful defeat; who else could be so utterly shameless... When she went out this time and met the Venerable One, she would see about lodging a complaint. This kind of vixen was clearly ruining the reputation of their Four Symbols Sect—they weren't a brothel!

...

Huangfu Qing hurried off to the Marquis's estate. Xia Chichi originally wanted to look for the Vermilion Bird as well, but looking at Zhao Changhe, he had been lost in thought all the way out of the palace, his mind occupied by unknown matters.

Thus, Xia Chichi did not rush to accompany Huangfu Qing, instead pulling Zhao Changhe's hand as they walked along the street outside the palace.

The stinky man was growing more and more prone to attracting loose women, with an endless flock of beauties around him, but Xia Chichi did not actually care all that much. After all, she was the one who had suggested letting him break his restraints, so it was pointless to badger him about it.

In truth, the Venerable One was no longer as guarded against her relationship with Zhao Changhe as before. For instance, right now, openly holding his hand as they walked the streets of the capital, knowing full well the Venerable One was nearby—in the past, she would never have dared, but now she felt that even if the Venerable One found out, it wouldn't be an issue.

The current Zhao Changhe was growing ever more powerful, and she herself was not weak either. The Venerable One had to carefully weigh the relationship between the two.

Strength was forever the passport. Back then, her hope that Zhao Changhe could grow strong was precisely in anticipation of such a day. He had fulfilled it magnificently, already becoming stronger than she was...

The capital, which they used to avoid and dared not approach, was a place where the two of them had now faced even Xia Longyuan directly. To put it bluntly, it was just that. Whatever taboos existed were merely shackles they had imposed upon their own hearts.

However, Zhao Changhe had been very quiet during this visit to the capital, as if the chaos of the world had cast a heavy shadow over his mood.

The two strolled quietly for a good while before Xia Chichi finally spoke, "What are you thinking about?"

Zhao Changhe said, "Initially, I was thinking about what I could do regarding the Sea Race... I couldn't find any leads, and I even thought about going to Puyang to fight on the battlefield alongside Cui Yuanyong."

"And now?"

"If the government army supports Hebei, it seems I don't need to do that anymore, and I can consider some other things. For instance..." Zhao Changhe paused, then said in a low voice, "Seeing if it might be appropriate for me to make a trip out to sea as well."

Xia Chichi almost stumbled in her tracks, filled with both shock and joy: "Really?"

Amusement danced in Zhao Changhe's eyes as he turned to pinch her nose: "I'm just an idle wanderer of the martial world, to be moved wherever I'm needed. I am indeed quite curious about the situation overseas and want to go see it for myself. But I am also somewhat hesitant..."

"Hesitant about what?"

"I left the Central Plains to stay in the Miaojiang region for so long, and when I emerged, the winds and clouds had changed drastically. If I go out to sea, I'll be far away from the situation in the Central Plains again. I'm very afraid that if something happens while I'm away, nothing will be left when I return... It gives me a sense of panic."

Xia Chichi fell into silence.

Her reluctance to go out to sea at this time stemmed from similar misgivings. Of course, the things she worried about were not as numerous as Zhao Changhe's; as long as nothing happened to the Four Symbols Sect, she couldn't care less about anything else. Yet Zhao Changhe's sense of responsibility was unaccountably heavy, always making her feel like he wanted to accomplish something.

Xia Chichi sighed, "You, there's no need to always pile burdens onto yourself. What does this world's affairs have to do with you anyway?"

"Nothing else, I just can't bear to look on passively, yet I don't know what I can do."

"You've already done plenty..." Xia Chichi paused, adding a line, "More than the Emperor."

Zhao Changhe smiled faintly, offering no reply to this.

Xia Chichi thought for a moment and said, "Whether I actually go out to sea and when I go isn't set in stone, and your plans are also unknown. How about this: over a thousand miles out in the Eastern Sea, there is a large island called Haitian Island. There is a small kingdom on the island, and it's quite prosperous. Jiao Mu Jiao of the Four Symbols Sect has been stationed on that island for many years; it can be considered a small base of ours. If you intend to go out to sea, you can meet up with me at Haitian Island..."

Xia Chichi, who originally had no desire to go to sea, began to feel a sense of anticipation as she spoke, suddenly laughing, "Perhaps you and I, as husband and wife, can stir up a massive storm in the Eastern Sea."

At the end of the road, a squad of Demon Suppression Bureau subordinates ran past, seemingly heading somewhere to make an arrest.

Tang Wanzhuang walked past just behind the formation. Turning her head to spot the two of them, she startled for a moment, then stood there waiting, as if she had something to say.

Xia Chichi smiled, having no intention of facing Tang Wanzhuang. Her jade-like feet lightly tapped the ground, and in an instant, she soared onto the adjacent rooftop, vanishing into the mist: "I won't disturb you from gathering the two most beautiful wealthy blossoms of the capital at the same time."