Chapter 733: Bashu Today

Chapter 733 Today's Bashu

The next morning, Zhao Changhe led the black steed Wuzhui, bid farewell to Sisi with Yue Hongling, and headed north to Bashu.

Sisi did not see them far off, stopping only north of Erhai Lake and going no further.

For this time, behind her followed the Dali officials and ceremonial troops, seeing him off under the official guise of honoring the Han Zhao King. Zhao Changhe turned to look—on the lakeside grassland, the multitude stood solemn and still, each still holding the gesture of a farewell bow, only Sisi stood quietly, staring fixedly at him, thus standing out like a crane among chickens in the sea of bent waists.

Thousands of horses and troops, the vast lake surface, all became a backdrop, only the maiden's gaze, faintly tearful, deep as the sea.

No one could link the solemn farewell before them with the seductive charm of last night.

She was the first woman to willingly share herself with another in serving him; it was said that Miao girls were not as reserved as Han women, but in truth, it reflected a bone-deep longing. For their meetings were always hasty—last parting, half a year before reunion; this so-called lengthy stay, in truth, added up to less than seven days, and in those seven days, she was busy with chores, meeting him but a few times; the so-called indulgence, including last night, amounted to only two nights.

Gods and demons had emerged, the world was in strife. This parting again, who knew when they would meet? A bad turn could make it eternal.

Longing and meeting—when would that be? This moment, this night, hard to bear.

Hongling understood as well, and so she indulged them once.

Zhao Changhe rode Wuzhui, turning back at every step, finally clasped his hands, steeled his heart, and spurred the horse into a swift gallop.

The flesh-and-blood supplements of the Ling tribe were not only the best place for Zhao Changhe's Blood Asura body but also the best for nurturing Wuzhui. Clearly, in these few days, Wuzhui had progressed more than its master, strength markedly enhanced, speed notably increased. Looking closely, faint dragon-like patterns could be seen on its hide. Once, carrying both Zhao Changhe and Yue Hongling in flight, it would have struggled; now, it was as light as if unloaded, vanishing in an instant.

Sisi's gaze misty, watching the direction where the two and the horse had disappeared, she said softly, "Pass the order: muster the troops, drill in the north, make as much noise as possible."

"If we make a loud noise, won't Bashu know?"

"That's exactly what I want them to know."

"The Zhao King wants to intimidate Bashu? ... And if Bashu is not intimidated and truly fights?"

"Then fight." Sisi said calmly, "Our strength may not be only for self-defense. In this chaotic age of gods and demons, could there not be a place for us?"

Pan Wan ventured, "Does Your Majesty also have ambitions of conquest?"

"How could that be?" Sisi smiled brightly, "This is a time for rest and recovery. If I insisted on war, you would surely grumble."

Pan Wan gave an awkward smile, "Then Your Majesty's intention is..."

"Because he will need it—not now, but in the not-too-distant future."

...

Wuzhui flew over Mount Emei. Zhao Changhe looked down for a while; in the mountains, many were still fervently practicing martial arts and lifting iron, showing that the Divine Flame Sect had not collectively moved to Chengdu, with many disciples still at the mountain gate.

From this alone, the Divine Flame Sect did not seem bent on conquest. Even if these were only low-level disciples of the sect, with low combat power, they were still absolute elites as soldiers. These days, other factions would drag old men from Stone Moat Village into the army, so how could they leave a bunch of iron-lifting elite men in the mountains without any organization?

"The Divine Flame Sect must have their secret realm within; they can't easily abandon their lair." Yue Hongling observed for a while and said, "It's hard to judge from this alone; let's look around elsewhere."

"Mm."

Zhao Changhe no longer let Wuzhui fly swiftly, instead moving slowly to observe.

It was said that Li Shentong was poor at governance and had no help from the gentry; one might imagine things were worse than before, in chaos. But in truth, it was not so bad.

After the initial chaos, Bashu now appeared quite peaceful and tranquil; the bandits that once proliferated seemed to have vanished. At a glance, it looked more dilapidated and desolate than before, mainly because many wealthy gentry had been slaughtered, their manors burned, with ruins everywhere. The population had also decreased, for Li Shentong had killed too many, like a second Great Western King.

But in various villages, smoke rose from chimneys; though the villagers were gaunt and sallow, they seemed to have warm clothes. It felt that Li Shentong had redistributed wealth and grain from the rich, and the fields were likely divided, though winter now hid any farming scenes. And though the villagers were thin, they no longer had the cowering fear of before; their spirits were much improved.

With such a foundation, governance was possible. Frustrated literati were everywhere, and not a few were willing to join and help. Three-legged toads were hard to find, but officials? How could they be hard to find?

Passing by a county town, one could see the government office in session, orderly.

They said Li Shentong couldn't handle such matters, but as long as he was willing to put his mind to it, he was still better than Xia Longyuan... Old Xia had no right to laugh and say everyone was the same.

This was good. But for Zhao Changhe's mission, it might not be so good.

If Bashu were still in chaos, he might not only persuade Li Shentong to cooperate but even take back Bashu without bloodshed. But since it had been orderly governed and revived, it was truly a force vying for hegemony, or at least a force capable of splitting off and holding its ground. Why would they bother with him?

The couple exchanged a glance, unsure whether to be happy or troubled.

"Forget it, it's a good thing after all." Zhao Changhe said, "No need to observe more; it's pointless. Let's go straight to Chengdu and see if we can scrounge a dinner."

At sunset, the two arrived in Chengdu. They did not fly into the city on horseback, which would be too startling, but landed discreetly at a distance and led their horses through the city gate.

"Halt! Road... uh..."

Now the questioning at the gate was getting shorter and shorter.

This time, the guard didn't even finish his sentence before the gate fell silent. Not just the guards, even the commoners entering the city felt their hearts pounding, two names nearly leaping from their throats.

This couple hadn't disguised themselves... Two years ago, portraits of Yue Hongling were everywhere, cosplayed all over, even the bandits of Mount Beimang recognized her—a true celebrity. And now, with the added fame of the god-slayer and Asura King, their romance known to all, appearing together, their identities were beyond doubt.

In ordinary times, someone might have stepped forward for an autograph, but now? The Asura King was the Han Zhao King, and this land was a rebel king's domain.

Zhao Changhe looked around and suddenly laughed, "What's all this? Please inform Situ Xiao that an old friend visits, asking for a cup of wine. Don't tell me he's not here?"

Before the words faded, a large tripod suddenly fell from the sky: "Have a mouthful?"

The aroma of wine from the tripod drifted all the way to the city gate.

But "have a mouthful"—the tripod was upright; how to drink the wine inside? Jump up and drink? That would be unsightly. Tilt the tripod? The wine would spill and drench one's head.

Everyone watched Zhao Changhe's move with bated breath, only to see him grin, then suddenly raise a finger.

The finger precisely pressed against one of the tripod's legs; the tripod spun upward, water splashing in spirals from its edge like a fountain scattering flowers.

Zhao Changhe snapped his fingers with a "pop," and the scattered wine droplets in the air suddenly gathered, forming a cup shape that landed steadily in his hand.

He tilted his head and drained the wine in one gulp, while the wine-made cup remained.

He flicked it casually, and the cup suddenly transformed into a small water dragon, roaring skyward, chasing the still-spinning tripod, and with a "plop," fell back into the tripod, vanishing.

The crowd at the gate watched as if witnessing magic... Was this something martial arts could achieve?

Zhao Changhe laughed, "This wine is rather ordinary."

A sigh came from the air: "We're all poor, can't you make do? Lady Yue, please?"

As the words fell, the tripod had just reached its highest point and began to descend.

But in that instant of descent, the wine inside suddenly burst forth, countless droplets like swords shooting out with a "swish swish swish," then like ten thousand swords in unison, precisely aimed at everyone present.

Before anyone could react, the thought of dodging barely formed, a wine-made small sword had already stopped at their lips, unmoving.

Yue Hongling's voice came: "Brother Situ, when did you become so stingy? Borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha, everyone gets a share, please!"

The crowd, hearts stirred, actually spoke in unison: "Lady Yue, please."

And with that, they opened their mouths, and the wine swords entered their throats.

Situ Xiao's voice laughed heartily: "Good, good, good!"

The large tripod once again entered the space three feet above Zhao Changhe's head. He suddenly slapped upward: "Return the favor, Situ!"

"Boom!" The tripod landed in his hand, unmoving, but the wine inside roared up, coalescing into a massive water dragon, charging straight toward a certain spot on the city wall, its roar along the way truly like a dragon's cry!

"Tsk..." A palm gently patted out, the dragon's head halted, slowly gathered into a large mass of wine. Situ Xiao's big face appeared on the city wall, hugging the wine and gulping it down wildly.

In a moment, he drank it all, laughed heartily, and replied, "Come, I've already sent someone to slaughter a pig; I must treat you to a good meal."

Zhao Changhe slammed the large tripod into the ground with a "clang," its legs buried deep in the earth, then led his horse and strode into the city. Yue Hongling smiled faintly and followed leisurely behind.

It was long after the two had entered the city that the sound of sighs rose and fell outside the gate, as if many had been holding their breath and now finally exhaled.

Several guards came to move the tripod—it couldn't stay stuck at the city gate; that would be improper.

But three men took positions at three corners, and the tripod remained fixed in the earth, utterly immovable. Two more joined, crowding around with no room to stand, and with a heave, it didn't budge an inch.

All were stunned.

“How terrifying… is this even human martial arts?”

“Otherwise, why call him the God-Slayer?” someone said. “It would be a wonder if Young Master Situ could withstand it.”

“Because they’re friends, perhaps? Was that water dragon merely a toast?”

“You’re overthinking it. This is surely a test of strength. If either side showed weakness, things would be different… And planting that tripod at the city gate is a clear show of force. Come to think of it, the young master has already shown weakness—clutching that whole jug of wine, lacking the effortless ease of that couple.”

“The young master is only on the Human Roll today, while those two are clearly at the Heaven Roll level, just lacking a decisive battle. The one who can truly speak with them is Sect Leader Li.”

Sect Leader Li… Zhao Changhe, already far into the city, still heard the whispers outside. In theory, Li Shentong now styled himself the King of Shu—not necessarily because he wanted the title, but because circumstances demanded a name to govern the region; without a proper title, words carry no weight. Yet even now, people still called him “Sect Leader Li”?

“Hey, eavesdropping on what?” Leaning against a wall by the roadside, Situ Xiao grinned lazily. “Walking straight in like that—do you even know where you’re supposed to go?”

“You’ll lead the way anyway. Why else are you here—to show off?”

“…”

Zhao Changhe said casually, “Speaking of which, isn’t it at the former prefect’s mansion?”

“Before we even reached Chengdu, there was already a riot here. The prefect’s mansion was burned to the ground by someone.” Situ Xiao sighed as he walked over, falling into step beside them. “The world says we’ve killed many in Bashu, but that’s not entirely true. A lot of it was done by the people themselves, and many by real bandits… Not all who rise up are righteous armies. Strictly speaking, those who can be called righteous armies are few enough to count on one hand.”

Zhao Changhe asked in surprise, “You’d say ‘count on one hand’? I thought you’d say only your own faction.”

“Not at all. The whole realm is in revolt—how could we be the only righteous army? We’re just more famous.” Situ Xiao chuckled. “Of course, in the court’s eyes, there are no righteous armies—only rebels.”

Zhao Changhe said, “That’s not necessarily true.”

“Because the court is you? You see a difference, so there is one.”

“…You could put it that way.”

Situ Xiao added, “Actually, strictly speaking, the Four Symbols Sect could also count as a righteous army. Their original intent might not have been that, but what they’re doing now truly is. Perhaps that’s also because of you?”

Zhao Changhe finally laughed. “If you keep talking like this, I feel like your next line will be ‘let’s just join forces and muddle through together.’”

Situ Xiao said leisurely, “That’s not a decision I can make.”

Zhao Changhe asked in surprise, “You mean, if you could decide, you’d actually agree?”

Situ Xiao laughed. “A jug of wine and a sword—roaming the world is plenty enjoyable. Why bother with conquering the realm? Only an idiot would do that. Like someone I know—once, a jug of wine and a blade, and he was perfectly happy. Now his heart is full of worries, and he looks years older, tsk. Others cultivate and grow younger; some cultivate and start getting white hairs.”

Zhao Changhe: “Are you insulting me?”

Situ Xiao just laughed.

Yue Hongling suddenly spoke up. “Since Brother Situ says that, why the test at the city gate?”

Situ Xiao smiled. “So you were that hostile just now?”

Yue Hongling said, “It’s Changhe who has a bond with you, not me.”

Situ Xiao nodded and sighed. “Because the whole sect wanted to see. If I hadn’t tested you at the gate, you’d have faced a test in the hall. I figured it was better for me to do it—at least Old Zhao understands me, and it won’t harm our friendship.”

Zhao Changhe said, “I don’t understand you that well. People change.”

Situ Xiao laughed heartily and said no more. He led them into another street and pointed to the end. “That government office over there is the place. It used to be the headquarters of the Bashu Demon-Suppression Bureau. The Bureau’s people have been driven out, though some might still be hiding… Anyway, we didn’t really hunt them through the whole city—just took over their place to work. One good thing about the Demon-Suppression Bureau’s grounds is that there are plenty of traps and mechanisms inside, which suits our situation perfectly, hahaha…”

Zhao Changhe was caught between laughter and tears. “You’re afraid of assassinations?”

“After all, Master can’t stay here to oversee things all the time. He has his own affairs. The strongest here are Uncle Shi and me. Assassination isn’t impossible—if your Four Symbols Sect were to go all out, well, who knows?”

“Your master, now the King of Shu, doesn’t stay here to govern but runs all over the realm?”

“There are places he must go.” Situ Xiao said leisurely, “In his heart, Master is still a martial artist.”

“He’s still trying to break through?”

“Of course.” Situ Xiao said, “At the turn of the eras, gods and demons rise, and the old barriers are crumbling. Since there’s a method to reach the Imperial Realm, my master naturally tries to break through… Actually, not just him. When cultivation methods are elevated, even lower-level practitioners benefit. Just like when we got divine arts back in the day—you and I were far ahead of our peers, and this had a lot to do with it. Your Blood Fiend Art is an ancient demon-god method, and your internal technique—we all guessed it was Xia Longyuan’s method. That starting point is different from someone toiling away with a third-rate technique.”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “You mean, what everyone’s getting now is even more divine than the divine arts of old, and cultivation speeds are generally increasing.”

“Yes.” Situ Xiao said, “So the one everyone admires most isn’t actually you—it’s always been Miss Yue, because her inheritance was poor.”

Yue Hongling said, “I’ve also had ancient inheritances.”

“But they were incomplete, weren’t they?”

Yue Hongling fell silent, feeling no pride in her heart—instead, a hint of gravity.

This reasoning made sense. They hadn’t thought deeply about it before. Though the so-called emergence of gods and demons wasn’t accessible to everyone, overall, anyone with opportunity was improving. At the very least, they had seen the power of the Imperial Realm and beyond. Seeing and not seeing were different.

The eras were no longer severed.

And Situ Xiao wasn’t just speaking idly. His implication was to warn Zhao Changhe that his master had likely already broken into the Imperial Realm—he couldn’t be judged by old standards. There was a hint of a double agent about it…

Sure enough, from the courtyard ahead came Li Shentong’s voice: “Situ, as punishment, lift a thousand-jin tripod two hundred and fifty times.”

Situ Xiao covered his face.

Zhao Changhe strode into the courtyard and said loudly, “Is Sect Leader Li also learning from those petty schemers, afraid to reveal his own cultivation to others?”

Li Shentong said flatly, “Me revealing it myself and others leaking it are two different things. Enough idle talk. King Zhao comes here—are you here as an envoy of the Great Han, or as a friend visiting Situ?”

Zhao Changhe said, “I already said at the city gate—I’m here as a friend visiting Situ.”

Li Shentong said, “If that’s the case, then you’re not here to discuss official matters? Zhao Changhe has started being hypocritical too?”

Zhao Changhe laughed. “Why can’t we not discuss official matters? Everyone understands official matters—they don’t need to be spoken. You and I will just talk about the martial world, and when we’re done, we’ll leave.”

Li Shentong showed a hint of a smile and instructed Situ Xiao, “Set out the wine.”

Situ Xiao said, “You just told me to lift the tripod.”

Li Shentong raised his hand as if to strike, and Situ Xiao jumped back, scurrying off: “Alright, alright, the wine’s been ready for a while. Who are you all pretending for?”

Li Shentong sighed helplessly, then turned to Zhao Changhe. “Five days ago, the Vermilion Bird single-handedly wiped out the Jin merchant Qiao family. Not even a dog escaped from the Qiao household. In that battle, the Vermilion Bird’s fire dyed the southern sky crimson, and the might of the Imperial Realm shook the world in terror. Is this what you call… just talking about the martial world?”