Chapter 706: Tianshan in the Western Regions

Chapter 706: The Heavenly Mountains of the Western Regions

Zhao Changhe didn't know if he was getting old or young—why had he gone from caressing her face to leaning in her arms, comforted, feeling so peaceful and serene.

By her side, he always felt an extraordinary sense of safety. Once, he'd worried about her wandering alone; now, though he was clearly stronger, he inexplicably found security in her embrace.

Strange—her bosom wasn't any bigger than San Niang's, just average.

If he was getting old, perhaps it showed in how, nestled in his sister's warm arms, not a single impure thought arose.

Now he could honestly admit—before, no matter how much respect he showed, claiming no profane intentions, deep down it would be a lie to say he never imagined taking her to bed. Men understand these things...

But now, truly, not a single profane thought stirred. She smelled fresh and clean, yet he felt nothing at all... Was he broken, impotent?

Or was this what they called an old married couple, like left hand holding right? Zhao Changhe sank into deep confusion.

Yue Hongling had no idea what nonsense he was pondering. Overflowing with maternal instinct, she held him close and murmured, "I've been in various secret realms these past days, unaware of the changes on the Chaos Rankings. You've grown so strong... You must have endured much hardship."

The Blind One would have gagged—was it Zhuque's bitter mouth, Xia Chichi's aching chest, or Cui Yuanyang's tender, suffering body? He'd certainly feasted plenty.

But to be fair, he was truly exhausted, not putting on airs. With Xia Longyuan laid low, the pressure on his shoulders was immense—so great that the Blind One had doubted whether he and this tottering new court could hold. Even the Blind One had said Xia Longyuan died too early, outside her plans.

Yet this fellow, riding his dark steed, swinging his blade left and loosing arrows right, had carved out a relatively stable sky. Now he could set the tone against an entire Buddhist sect—something unthinkable a month ago.

The key was that before others, he had to be an anchor, showing no weakness. But when he thought about it, he wasn't even twenty-three—still at the age of graduating college and hunting for internships...

It was tough... Having a sister was good; she could soothe his nerves.

Zhao Changhe, nestled in Yue Hongling's arms, mumbled vaguely, "I haven't suffered much... But you've been gone half a year, now at the Third Secret Treasury. You must have fought plenty, yet never appeared on the Chaos Rankings. What exactly did you do in the Western Regions? I want to hear the story."

Yue Hongling laughed. "Just now, I felt you were stealing my thunder, not letting me speak more in front of those monks."

"Of course—no matter how honest they look, caution is key. Some details are best kept to ourselves." Zhao Changhe said lazily, "Especially my sister Yue's private stories—why should I share them with them?"

"You're such a tease. My stories aren't what you imagine; there's nothing to hide!"

"What do I imagine?" Zhao Changhe tilted his head slightly, burying it in her embrace. "You're right here in my arms—what need have I for imagination?"

Yue Hongling ruffled his hair with some affection, letting him lie more comfortably, then said, "Anyway, though I had many battles in the Western Regions, I never challenged anyone stronger on the rankings, so my position stayed the same. The vast deserts there, the setting sun slanting westward—their meaning is infinite, great for cultivating sword intent. I gained no small amount. But the real improvement came in the secret realms; even if I fought, it probably wouldn't be recorded on the Chaos Rankings."

Zhao Changhe thought to himself, *That Blind One is useless—she can't see anything where space is obscured. What's with her pretending to be the Way of Heaven?*

So the "Buddha who knows all under heaven" that Yuan Cheng spoke of didn't exist at all—not even the Blind One qualified, let alone others.

The tragedy was that Zhao Changhe felt he had no energy left for serious matters, only wanting to rest in his sister's arms. Yet hearing this, he instinctively wanted to know more: "So you fought many battles with the Western Region Hu? But I haven't seen anyone from the Western Regions on the Chaos Rankings. What's the martial atmosphere like there?"

"The Western Regions are also Hu people... but different tribes—like the difference between the Vulture Tribe and the Batu War Lion Tribe. Though both are called Northern Hu, their customs often vary. There are strong warriors there, but on the Chaos Rankings, they're counted as Hu, and the Central Plains generally know little about them."

"Tell me more?"

The Blind One almost laughed in exasperation—*You said you wanted to rest, and now this?*

*If you don't tire yourself out, who will?*

Yue Hongling was answering: "It's a hub of trade, but very chaotic. Bandits, thieves, assassins everywhere, and various tribes constantly fighting, changing their banners at will. Merchants have to pay hefty protection fees just to set up shop, and even then, they're often robbed or killed."

"Of course—once the banner changes, who honors the old protection fees?"

"Anyway, the barbarity and slaughter there far exceed the Central Plains—only the Northern Frontier can compare..." Yue Hongling tilted her head and asked, "Does that count as martial atmosphere?"

"It counts," Zhao Changhe said with a smile. "But it's not the martial arts of wandering heroes—it's what the Brotherhood of Bandits would love most."

"I didn't see any of Ying Wu's people there, but they must exist—maybe it's their headquarters. By the logic that every place has a strongest figure claiming the most resources, the Western Regions must have a Heaven List expert. Ying Wu is likely the incarnation of some local king or one of the biggest bandit forces."

Zhao Changhe hissed. "I never would have guessed..."

He'd never sensed that quality in Ying Wu before, but now connecting the dots, it was obvious—Yue Hongling's judgment was correct.

Yue Hongling sighed. "Stepping into a wider world reveals more injustices. But with only a three-foot sword, I can't right them all... These six months have made me realize your path is the right one. Only the emperor's sword can pacify these rivers and mountains and help more people."

Zhao Changhe nodded absently, but his mind was elsewhere. He was thinking that this resembled the Silk Road in his conception, yet with differences. After all, the world was different—at least the races and sects weren't as diverse; here, they were all counted as different Northern Hu tribes.

From this, he could see: first, there were still kingdoms in the Middle East-like region, perhaps more to the west; second, the Silk Road trade existed but had long been absorbed by the Li family, with the Central Plains reaping almost no benefit—the Li family swallowed it all. This meant the Li family's hidden power was greater than imagined, surpassing the Wang family, whose maritime trade had only recently begun.

When it came to statecraft, there was much to be done here. Old Xia was a mess—why didn't he learn from Emperor Wu of Han, if nothing else?

Then Zhao Changhe suddenly asked, "From your description, besides Ying Wu, I suspect the headquarters of the Listening Snow Pavilion is also likely there... but their nature is more secretive; they wouldn't openly occupy a mountain and claim resources."

"Yes, it was precisely because I found traces of the Listening Snow Pavilion's assassin business that I followed them, hoping to find their lair, and ended up entering the Heavenly Mountains. Hmm, they call it the Heavenly Mountains there; in our terms, it should be part of the Kunlun range? But it's far from the Valley of Villains we know—completely opposite directions."

"I know that."

"When I reached the Heavenly Mountains, they were even more vast and desolate than the snowy peaks we'd seen—nothing but endless snow. The terrain was extremely treacherous, with many strange occurrences..." Yue Hongling said, lost in thought. "On the very first day I entered, I saw you."