Chapter 736: King of Zhao Establishes the Tripod

Chapter 736: The King of Zhao Establishes His Authority

Li Shentong and Yuxu had been close friends for many years. Back then, Yuxu had given Li Shentong wine through Zhao Changhe, with the subtle intention of promoting Zhao Changhe and asking Li Shentong to offer some guidance on body forging. Li Shentong indeed honored the request; for just a single jug of wine, he gave a few pointers, embodying the spirit of high-minded camaraderie.

Thus, regarding matters on Yuxu’s side, even if Li Shentong did not know everything, he was at least aware of the key points.

In fact, back then, because Zhao Changhe had helped him cover up the theft of official grain, Li Shentong had said he owed Zhao Changhe a favor and could do one thing for him. At the time, Zhao Changhe thought Yue Hongling was being pursued in Bashu and asked Li Shentong to look after her. In the end, since Yue Hongling was already in Miaojiang, there was no need for Li Shentong’s protection, and the request went unfulfilled. Li Shentong said he could bring it up again later.

By the code of the martial world, Zhao Changhe could have directly made a demand this time, but both sides tacitly seemed to have forgotten the matter, with no one mentioning it.

Because the current affairs were no longer personal; both sides needed to be responsible for their entire factions, and such a favor could not be exchanged. Bringing it up would only invite awkwardness.

But precisely asking Li Shentong to personally venture beyond the pass was fitting, and the tacit understanding needed no words.

Li Shentong did not bring it up either. He accompanied Zhao Changhe, eating steamed buns, and spoke as if chatting about everyday matters: “I think you should understand that some gods or demons—or let’s not call them that, it’s meaningless—are actually realm masters who cultivate qi or faith. This is mainly achieved through the spread of earthly sects. You’ve been deeply involved with the Four Symbols Sect, so you should know.”

Zhao Changhe thought to himself that he not only knew but had directly benefited.

Now that the Four Symbols Sect was the state religion, he had received a great deal of the faith power spread, because he was the new Night Emperor. Even back when forging the sword, breaking through the triple secret treasury on the spot was accomplished by gathering both qi and faith power. And since breaking through the triple secret treasury, it hadn’t been long before he attempted to break through to the realm. The accumulation speed of his cultivation was closely related to the growing faith power.

The one who benefited most from this in the Four Symbols Sect was Sanniang. She not only received the faith of the Four Symbols’ Black Tortoise but also the faith of the Sea God. Now, with the faith spreading overseas, her cultivation speed was likely the most outrageous.

“So, Patriarch Li means that Yuxu’s involvement in the worldly struggle is about the competition for sect faith?”

“Yuxu was already half-step into the realm long ago, and now he has broken through. He has his pride. He has always been averse to being driven around by the Dao Lord and refused to participate in these matters. There are many Daoist sects in the world, like Taiyi Sect’s Guichen, and so on. Originally, there was no need for Yuxu to do anything; the Daoist path naturally flourished, and the Dao Lord didn’t push Yuxu too hard, so things were peaceful.” Li Shentong sighed. “But then two problems arose, both related to you.”

Zhao Changhe roughly knew what they were.

Sure enough, Li Shentong said, “First, Yuxu could previously avoid spreading the faith, using the excuse of the Heavenly Book. When you took the Heavenly Book and Yuxu didn’t even try to stop you, not to mention whether it caused a rift between him and the Dao Lord, at least it made it hard for him to find excuses to refuse other matters.”

Zhao Changhe fell silent. Back then, taking the Heavenly Book had been satisfying in the moment, but he hadn’t considered others’ situations. Yuxu had borne a great deal for him.

Because the Blind One had acted then, the other side felt it was essentially the Blind One who took the Heavenly Book, not Zhao Changhe, and dared not trouble the Blind One. Otherwise, they might have come knocking long ago. But not troubling him and the Blind One didn’t mean they wouldn’t trouble Yuxu. Over the past year or two, the tension between Yuxu and the Dao Lord was imaginable. The more the Dao Lord revived, the more uncomfortable Yuxu became. Now, if the Dao Lord asked him to do something else, it was really hard to refuse.

Li Shentong continued, “Second, originally, Xia Longyuan destroyed Buddhism, and the Four Symbols Sect was a hidden demonic sect, so the Daoist path dominated the world alone, which was fine. Now that Xia Longyuan is dead, Buddhism shows signs of revival, and the Four Symbols Sect has become the state religion, openly spreading its faith everywhere. The Daoist path’s position has suddenly become precarious. Even if the Dao Lord says nothing, Yuxu, as the highest representative of the Daoist path in this world, should naturally do something.”

It seemed that Xia Longyuan’s death was their doing, and Zhao Changhe had actually been protecting Xia. But the connection was that the Four Symbols Sect was tied to Zhao Changhe; he was the Night Emperor of the Four Symbols Sect.

Indeed, both problems were directly related to Zhao Changhe, and thus to the current Great Han.

That meant if Yuxu directly stepped in to support the Li family, it would be entirely reasonable, and no one could blame him.

No wonder Li Shentong had wanted to attack Hanzhong before but had recently held back, requiring Zhao Changhe to come as an envoy. That was because, given the ironclad relationship between Yuxu and Li Shentong, it was possible for Guanlong and Bashu to merge, rather than the old impression that Li Shentong would always attack northward.

Thinking of this, Zhao Changhe broke out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, he hadn’t been lazy; as soon as the north was settled, he headed straight to the southwest. If Li Shentong and the Li family had merged, the trouble would have been enormous. Everyone knew how terrifying the Qin-Han model of Guanlong and Bashu united would be.

The reason they hadn’t united yet was, of course, the Hu people issue stuck in between, preventing Li Shentong from merging.

Seeing Zhao Changhe’s expression, Li Shentong knew he understood, and said, “Yuxu’s contact with the Li family is also stuck on the Hu issue. Yuxu hopes the Li family will reject the Hu, so they can cooperate fully. But I can’t know in real time how their talks are going. So you have a lot of room to maneuver here. If you handle it well, you might even cooperate with Yuxu to fight the Hu first.”

Yue Hongling couldn’t help asking, “Do otherworldly sects care about the Hu versus Han distinction?”

Li Shentong shook his head. “People aren’t born from cracks in rocks. Yuxu had a family before he became a monk. How do you think his family was lost?”

So that was it… Yue Hongling nodded and said no more.

Li Shentong added, “Moreover, the Hu believe in the Eternal Heaven, which also creates conflicts in sect matters. If one has already left the secular world, past grudges can fade like smoke, but this issue cannot be reconciled. However, speaking purely on this aspect, they could cooperate. At least the Dao Lord would think cooperation possible. As long as they first overthrow your Great Han, the faith of the Eternal Heaven cannot compete with the Daoist path in the Central Plains. He would have such confidence.”

Zhao Changhe nodded slightly. “Yes, the thoughts of gods and demons differ from humans. Senior Yuxu is ultimately human, but the Dao Lord’s perspective may no longer be…”

Li Shentong said, “That is, once the Dao Lord pressures Yuxu to set aside personal grudges, their cooperation can easily be established. It’s entirely dependent on Yuxu’s stubbornness holding out. If you truly think Kunlun won’t interfere in the struggle for supremacy, and while you’re fighting to the death with the Northern Hu, the Dao Lord stabs you in the back, you’ll know what it means to be dumbfounded.”

Zhao Changhe tapped the table lightly, pondering for a long time, then said in a low voice, “Thank you, Patriarch Li, for telling me this… So, I really should meet Senior Yuxu first.”

Li Shentong suddenly laughed. “You dare go to Kunlun? The Dao Lord might kill you without a word the moment you step into his territory. And besides the Dao Lord, you know Kunlun is chaotic; all other factions hold no goodwill toward you either. For you, it’s no different from a dragon’s den or a tiger’s lair.”

“I indeed dare not go to Kunlun… Not yet.” Zhao Changhe said frankly, “But I dare go to Chang’an.”

Li Shentong was startled. Zhao Changhe continued, “Senior Yuxu has many messy things behind him; someone is secretly targeting them… He will want to know. That’s the basis for my talk with him. Patriarch Li, you and Senior Yuxu are close friends; please help pass a message, and we’ll meet in Chang’an.”

Li Shentong became serious. “Someone is targeting Yuxu?”

Zhao Changhe said, “Not necessarily targeting him, but definitely unfavorable to him. I know that under the Dao Lord’s pressure, I can’t persuade Senior Yuxu with mere righteousness. But since it involves his own life-and-death matters, it’s negotiable.”

Li Shentong suddenly smiled. “You know how to use righteousness to persuade me?”

Zhao Changhe said, “I haven’t stated any great righteousness to you, Patriarch Li. But since you have righteousness in your heart, what I said has touched you deeply.”

Li Shentong nodded. “What you said—have you considered it might just be a mirage?”

“In what aspect?”

“For example, equalizing land. Distributing land is just tedious, not too difficult. But once there is buying and selling, over time, it will still lead to annexation. And if land trading is banned, wouldn’t that be against common sense, existing only in ideals?”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “Indeed. But it can be delayed.”

Li Shentong stared into his eyes. “Judging by your attitude, you’ve thought about these things but are unwilling to say?”

Zhao Changhe said, “Not unwilling. I do have many ideas, but I need to do more research. I don’t even know the current per-acre yield. I’ve seen too little, know too little. Just making a superficial observation and then talking endlessly would be armchair strategizing and irresponsible. Given the current situation, no one has that kind of time and energy. Delaying is good enough.”

Li Shentong showed a hint of a smile. “Good. You’re not boasting.”

Zhao Changhe said sincerely, “These are vital matters of national policy and people’s livelihood. Any boasting could bring disastrous consequences. I can only say I have some directions to think about; more specific things require long-term study. If you’re interested, Patriarch Li, we can ponder them together.”

Li Shentong said, “Then what you said about opening education, letting everyone practice martial arts and read books—is that just a direction, or perhaps just a hope? I thought about it at night and realized it’s actually impossible…”

“If you, Patriarch Li, are willing to strongly support it, then the main obstacle is paper and printing, isn’t it…” Zhao Changhe said, “But as long as we know where the gap is, we can work toward solving it, right? Not everyone in the world practices martial arts. I see that shipbuilding technology is already quite advanced. If we can gather relevant craftsmen and propose ideas, it can be solved sooner or later. Well… I’ll handle this from the capital later; it’ll be more appropriate. If you’re interested, Patriarch Li, we can first promote it in Bashu.”

Just Zhao Changhe’s first sentence made Li Shentong’s expression change. When he said he thought it was impossible at night, he just felt it was impossible, without figuring out why. Zhao Changhe hit the nail on the head. This deeply showed that Zhao Changhe wasn’t just casually painting a pie; he had long had a comprehensive plan.

As for whether it could be achieved, that was actually less important.

He was silent for a long time, then finally stood up. “Yuxu is currently at the Louguan Terrace in Chang’an. No need for me to send a letter; go yourself. As for me, I won’t go with you. If you die in Chang’an, then everything is off.”

Situbo couldn’t help saying, “Master…”

Li Shentong glared at him, then said to Zhao Changhe, “There are two things now that need your help, King of Zhao. Do them before you go. First, root out the Sword Servant of the Listening Snow Pavilion. Second, please organize the personnel of the former Demon Suppression Bureau; I have use for them.”

These words were spoken even more bluntly, as if Zhao Changhe ought to do things for him. But Zhao Changhe was instead very pleased and laughed heartily. “Alright, let’s do it now.”

Li Shentong gave him a deep look, then turned and grabbed Situbo. “Let’s go. There’s a lot to do. Who allowed you to keep eating noodles here?”

Watching Situbo being dragged away stumbling, Yue Hongling finally laughed. “Situbo acts very differently in the sect and in the martial world. In the world, he’s quite heroic, but in front of his master, he’s docile and doesn’t dare breathe.”

Zhao Changhe hadn’t finished his steamed bun and continued munching. “It’s because he’s been crushed by his master in the sect that he’s so wild in the world. He even recites poems when he appears—more literary than some…”

Blind One: “?”

Yue Hongling nodded. “Patriarch Li has a strong aura. When his tiger eyes glare, the killing intent is chilling. Most people can’t handle it.”

Zhao Changhe laughed. “But you didn’t seem intimidated.”

Yue Hongling said, “And you willingly helped him in the end—was that because you were intimidated?”

“Because a man like him, the less polite he is in asking for help, the more he treats you as a friend. That’s a good thing.” Zhao Changhe said, “Especially letting me organize the Demon Suppression Bureau—do you know what that means?”

“After organizing, he’ll control it. What could it mean? You can’t say it’s the Great Han Demon Suppression Bureau’s branch in Shu, can you?”

“That’s different.” Zhao Changhe laughed. “Because it’s the Demon Suppression Bureau I organize, so it’s natural for them to be responsible to me. No one can define which words they can report to me and which they can’t. There are plenty of gray areas to exploit. If they were forbidden from telling me anything, then they wouldn’t have asked me to organize it. If they burn the bridge after crossing, that would mean turning against me. Do you think he has that intention?”

Yue Hongling was startled, her expression changing.

On the surface, this meant deep cooperation with Zhao Changhe. But in a sense… wasn’t this planting a hint of surrender?

Was it worth it? Just for those few words?

Zhao Changhe finished his steamed bun in a few bites and stood up. “I’ll do a job for the Demon Suppression Bureau in Bashu. You rest first. When we reach Chang’an, there might be a bloody battle.”

Watching Zhao Changhe leave full of energy, Yue Hongling shook her head with a smile and truly did not follow, sitting alone in the pavilion to cultivate.

She truly felt a stirring of qi, a coalescence of spirit; Zhao Changhe noticed this and told her to rest peacefully.

By his side, indeed there were many things she felt she could not intervene in, could not help with, could not even offer opinions—she was purely a guard. Yet in her heart, she did not feel this went against her own preferences, nor did she find it tedious. In terms of wandering the jianghu as a chivalrous hero, he helped more people this way; in terms of broadening knowledge, the experiences by his side were far more novel than any jianghu tale; in terms of sword cultivation, the wider her horizons grew, the more extensive her sword path became. Yue Hongling always felt this was more of a proper path than her own training to break through to the Imperial realm.

Perhaps she would break through to the Imperial realm earlier than Zhao Changhe... after all, some things he spoke of as ordinary struck others as earth-shattering, stirring too many insights.

Of course, the most crucial thing was that she felt at peace only by his side. Watching him converse eloquently with a regional lord and a Heaven List senior, forcefully turning them into his own people, Yue Hongling felt a greater sense of achievement than winning a bloody battle.

The sword path and the sword path are not the same.

Yue Hongling had once received part of the Sword Emperor's inheritance, possibly from the later stages. This had been common knowledge among everyone before; perhaps in the future she would need to visit the Sword Emperor's tomb to verify this karmic connection.

And what is the Sword Emperor?

On the previous path, reaching the end might be called Sword God or Sword Saint. But if called Sword Emperor... does it mean all swords bow down? If so, can others' swords be used by me?

Just like what Zhao Changhe is doing now... Is this the Emperor's Sword?

As Yue Hongling cultivated, the sword aura behind her began to shimmer and gradually spread.

The guards at the distant inn suddenly felt their swords and waist knives start to tremble and ring. Alarmed, they reached out to press them down, but the trembling grew more severe, impossible to suppress.

Clang, clang, clang! Countless crisp sounds rang out simultaneously. Within several li, swords and blades all leaped from their sheaths, soaring into the air.

Then, toward the direction of the inn, they trembled slightly, as if bowing from afar.

Ten thousand swords paying homage to the emperor.

A colossal ancient sword shadow shot straight into the sky, the horizon blazing with red clouds. Within the sword, the infant that had just taken shape two days ago opened its eyes.

Yue Hongling had been stuck at the half-step Imperial realm for some time, yet on this peaceful morning, she abruptly broke through to the Imperial realm.

Li Shentong, who was dragging his disciple back to the mansion halfway, turned around in shock. Master and disciple stared at the sword shadow in the sky, dumbfounded.

What kind of freak is this? Just a few words of conversation over these two days, and you, listening from the side, break through to the Imperial realm?

That Situ Xiao also listened the whole time—how come he didn't even stir a hair?

Are this couple sent by heaven specifically to crush others?

Zhao Changhe stood at a corner of the wall, also looking back, and smiled slightly.

He was not particularly surprised by this. Yue Hongling was just a hair's breadth away from that window paper; a breakthrough at any time was not unusual, only requiring a catalyst. He just hadn't expected that the conversations over these two days could become her catalyst... Truly a genius... People called him a genius, but there was quite a bit of exaggeration. Without his external advantages, he really wasn't that extraordinary. Sister Yue was the real genius, the one-of-a-kind freak in this world.

“Blind.”

“What now?”

“When you sent me to Zhao Village, the first person I saw was Hongling—was that intentional?”

Blind said irritably, “The location was drawn by you yourself. What does it have to do with me?”

“The location card I drew was only related to the throne, possibly corresponding to Chichi. But how to approach it—the interpretation was up to you. No matter how you arranged my meeting with Chichi, it didn’t have to start with seeing Hongling first in Zhao Village.”

“Oh, you’ve grown a brain.” Blind said lazily, “It’s nothing. Anyone with a bit of qi observation would know she is the protagonist of this era. Throwing you next to the protagonist is nothing strange. It’s just that now your protagonist fate is more obvious—after all, you’ve already bedded the protagonist.”

Zhao Changhe didn’t engage with her crude joke. He was silent for a while, then suddenly said, “Since the Sword Emperor’s inheritance is the protagonist, that means there is something very important related to the Sword Emperor.”

Blind, caught off guard by the leak of heavenly secrets, immediately shut up.

“Your Highness.” A person turned out from a street corner and quietly saluted Zhao Changhe: “You summoned us with a secret mark—what urgent matter?”

These were the elite of the Demon Suppression Bureau who had remained hidden in Chengdu without withdrawing. Truly elite—they dared to stay under the nose of a great king like Li Shentong, truly loyal and commendable. But for the past two months, no one had organized to contact them. Now, seeing the Zhao King secretly contacting them, they felt as if they had found their backbone.

Was the imperial court finally going to recover Bashu? But these days they really hadn’t been able to gather much intelligence—it was too dangerous here... Just last night, countless people had been dragged out and killed, impossible even to count.

But the backbone’s first words scared them stiff: “Come with me to see Li Shentong. The Demon Suppression Bureau will reopen, and the first task is to oversee land and investigate official misconduct.”

The spies craned their necks to look around—what flag was that at the city gate?

Wasn’t it still the Divine Radiance Sect’s Great Tripod Flag? No change!

Come to think of it, the great tripod that Zhao Changhe had planted at the city gate remained unmovable to this day. Passersby would stop and stare at it, making it a city gate attraction, known to all as the Zhao King’s Tripod.

Supposedly, this greatly obstructed traffic and was theoretically a show of force by the Zhao King against Bashu, damaging Li Shentong’s face. If Li Shentong personally acted, pulling out this tripod should be easy, yet he had never moved it... Didn’t that itself imply something?