Chapter 69: Heaven And The Mortal World

CHAPTER 69

Heaven and Earth

Zhao Changhe no longer felt the urge to grab her as he had last time. Instead, he asked calmly, "What, spying on me all the way wasn't enough? Now you're openly watching me bathe? How's the size? Oh, and by the way, were you watching me piss and shit the whole time too? How did it smell?"

The Blind Woman said, "You were in a dream. When did you bathe?"

Zhao Changhe looked down and saw that he was indeed not in a bathtub. He was wearing his modern clothes, standing in the middle of the room, and the bathtub was nowhere to be seen... It was clearly a dream.

How ironic. Now, the real world had become something that only appeared in dreams.

He didn't dwell on it and continued, "So you weren't spying on me all along?"

The Blind Woman shook her head. "No."

"Are you sure you didn't write the Book of Chaos?" Zhao Changhe asked directly. "I always feel that thing looks serious on the surface, but inside it's full of deep mockery. That fits the impression you've given me."

"..." The Blind Woman actually thought for a long moment, as if somewhat puzzled by the impression she had left on Zhao Changhe.

Then she said, "The Book of Chaos is a name given by the world itself. It has another, greater name."

"Oh?"

"The greater name is simple: it is the Heavenly Book. Or, to be more precise, it is just one page of the Heavenly Book, dedicated to recording the martial affairs of the mortal world." The Blind Woman sighed. "So it is a record of the Heavenly Dao, beyond my control. If I could truly control it, then I would indeed be the Heavenly Dao. Why would a Heavenly Dao of a realm stoop to doing such boring things with you?"

Zhao Changhe said coldly, "Then where is the Heavenly Dao? Don't tell me that nonsense about 'this heaven has no Dao' again."

"The Heavenly Dao is dead," the Blind Woman replied, seemingly indifferent. "Otherwise, how could its record of a realm have broken down and become freely visible to the world? So what's wrong with saying this heaven has no Dao?"

Zhao Changhe's eyes widened in shock.

The Heavenly Dao was dead?

What kind of concept was that?

"Do you think the Four Symbols Sect and Xia Longyuan are really pursuing worldly power?" The Blind Woman smiled mockingly. "Perhaps, in comparison, the Cui family's ambitions are more human."

Zhao Changhe was silent for a moment, then said slowly, "You're the same."

"Are you any different? Even now, you haven't truly considered yourself a person of this world. You keep babbling in your 'Zhao Cuo dialect.' How much of that is an ingrained habit you can't shake, and how much is a deliberate attempt to distinguish yourself from this world?"

"...You said you weren't spying on me?"

"You were brought here by me. Is it strange that I take an interest in you?" The Blind Woman sighed. "But I never expected you to touch the Heavenly Book several times in just a few months. That truly surprised me."

Zhao Changhe said flatly, "So, you came this time because you think I'm promising material and want to give me a cheat code?"

The Blind Woman didn't answer. Instead, she said, "Someone is coming for you."

With that, her figure vanished, and the night shattered.

Zhao Changhe opened his eyes. Outside the window, the sky was already bright. He was still in the bathtub, and the water had long gone cold.

He hurriedly got out of the tub to dry himself. Damn it, soaking in water all night—if it weren't for his cultivation, he'd have a fever by now.

As for the meaning behind the Blind Woman's visit this time, Zhao Changhe had a good idea, despite his sarcastic words.

If the Book of Chaos was just one page of the Heavenly Book, what about the other pages? The Blind Woman hadn't said it outright, but anyone who heard it would likely be tempted to search for them. Those would be the true treasures, far surpassing any cheat code... It also hinted that the Four Symbols Sect and Xia Longyuan's pursuits were probably related to this.

If the Heavenly Dao was dead, who would rise and fall?

This was the truth that the heroes of this world ultimately sought, and it was also what the Blind Woman was guiding Zhao Changhe toward this time.

What was her purpose?

Lost in thought, he was drying himself when—

"Creak." The door was pushed open, and Cui Yuanyang jumped in: "Brother Zhao... uh..."

Zhao Changhe expressionlessly looked down at his invincible little brother, then expressionlessly looked up at Cui Yuanyang.

Cui Yuanyang took a step back, then another, until she caught her heel on the threshold. "Ah!" She tumbled backward, landing on her butt with a thud.

Despite his heavy thoughts, Zhao Changhe couldn't help but laugh. "Rank 213 on the Hidden Dragon List, and this is how it goes? I feel like the credibility of the Book of Chaos is about to collapse."

Cui Yuanyang covered her eyes. "Why aren't you dressed so early in the morning?"

Zhao Changhe leisurely pulled on his pants. "Remember that morning during breakfast, when someone shouted from the room, 'I'm not dressed yet!'—who was that?"

Two maids' heads popped out from either side of the doorframe, their eyes blinking.

Zhao Changhe: "..."

There was no way to clear this up.

He shouldn't have joked with her like that... but they had grown so familiar over these days...

Though it seemed no matter what, it was impossible to clear things up anyway.

Cui Yuanyang, her face red, scrambled up from the ground and muttered softly, "What are you looking at? Go on, go on. I'll take the things in myself."

The maids suppressed their smiles and gave a slight bow. "Yes, miss."

Cui Yuanyang took the tray from the maids' hands and carefully stepped over the threshold. Zhao Changhe had already put on new clothes and was looking at her with a smile.

It was a brocade robe, tinged with a hint of vermilion and purple, embroidered with mountains and rivers, majestic and magnificent. The fabric was extremely precious, and even the embroidery seemed to use gold thread, exuding an air of immense wealth. Zhao Changhe had never worn such expensive clothes in either world... And this robe wasn't in a warrior's style; it leaned more toward the scholarly, softening his rough and wild aura, giving him a composed and dignified bearing.

Cui Yuanyang's eyes sparkled as she looked at him. She found it very interesting. She had never imagined Zhao Changhe could have such a side to him. It was surprisingly pleasing to the eye.

At the same time, Zhao Changhe's eyes were also sparkling, because the Cui Yuanyang before him now... was very beautiful.

Yes, not cute anymore—beautiful.

No longer the fluffy rabbit-eared hat, no longer the tattered, mud-smeared beggar look... She was lightly powdered, with a jade hairpin in her hair, standing gracefully in a pale green long dress. It somehow made her look taller, and even her face seemed less round, taking on a slightly oval shape, very delicate and lovely.

She was clearly a beautiful young girl.

The only trace of her former self was the neat bangs across her forehead, making her look like a doll, adding a touch of adorableness.

As their eyes met, both felt a sense of "So this is what you really look like..."

Then they both smiled at the same time, as if a lifetime had passed.

"Come! Something delicious!" Cui Yuanyang happily placed the tray on the table. As she turned, she revealed the dirty spot on her butt from her fall. Zhao Changhe burst out laughing again.

No lifetime had passed. It was still the same.

"What are you laughing at?" Cui Yuanyang turned and pouted. "We haven't had anything good to eat the whole way. Come and eat. This is supposed to be my greatest contribution!"

Seeing the rich little girl still brooding over her failure to "sponsor" him, all the worries from Zhao Changhe's dream dissipated. His mood greatly improved as he sat down at the table. "Alright, alright. What's this pastry?"

"This is Yufu Cake from Piaoxiang Fang, this is Yuanyang Bazhen, this is Zhirong Xueyu Cake from the old Zhang family shop in the capital..." Cui Yuanyang enthusiastically introduced each one, looking at him expectantly. "Try them and see which one you like best. I bet it'll be the same as mine!"

She was still just a child.

After all the blood and storms they had been through, she was still so childlike.

Because she was home? Well, actually, Wei County wasn't her Qinghe. There was still some distance.

Zhao Changhe took a bite of each and smiled. "This Yufu Cake."

Cui Yuanyang was overjoyed. "I knew it! It's the same as mine!"

Zhao Changhe said nothing, just smiled. It was because she had introduced this one first.

As he sipped fresh milk and ate the delicate pastries, looking at the fine clothes he wore, he thought to himself: Cui Wenjing letting his daughter run over to find him so early in the morning said a lot. If what he wanted was this kind of life, then with just a few words, he could really live like this for the rest of his life.

Fine clothes and good food, a lovely wife. A father-in-law ranked ninth in the world, a power spanning provinces and commanderies.

But somehow, he felt something was missing.

Perhaps it was the Blind Woman's words from last night, lingering like a shadow in his heart.

There is someone, always watching you; all that you do is but a living drama in another's eyes.

There is another group, seeking the mysteries of the world, swords pointing to the heavens, taking heaven's place with their own bodies.

The setting sun and evening clouds reflect upon the river; the vastness of the jianghu has just begun to unfurl its scroll.

The steel blade brought from Beimang has just been nicked—has the knife in the heart also grown dull?

"Brother Zhao," came Cui Yuanyang's voice, "how come you're daydreaming while eating? There's no scheming boatwoman here."

Zhao Changhe snapped back to reality, smiling: "Who knows if there's a scheming little rabbit?"

Cui Yuanyang blushed slightly, lowered her head and murmured, "Not at all."

At that moment, the maiden's shyness rippled in her heart, nearly shattering the twilight glow of the jianghu.

Zhao Changhe dared not look at her crimson face, and lowered his head to say softly, "I wish to meet your father; there is something I need to discuss."

If anyone else were here, their first thought would surely be that this fellow wants to propose marriage. But as Cui Yuanyang listened, the blush on her face slowly receded instead, and her big eyes stared unblinkingly at Zhao Changhe.

With Brother Zhao's bold and heroic nature, if he were proposing, why would he speak with his head bowed?