Chapter 746: Where We Are is the Capital

Chapter 746: Where We Stand Is the Capital

Yue Hongling sometimes wondered what her relationship with the Four Symbols Sect would have been without Zhao Changhe.

On the level of power, the Four Symbols Sect and Chief Tang were adversaries, and it was said that Vermilion Bird and Chief Tang were lifelong enemies.

But if one considered the world of martial arts, she and the Four Symbols Sect seemed more like the protagonists of a Jianghu tale.

Without Zhao Changhe, she might not have gone to Beimang, and Xia Chichi might not have gone either, so the first encounter at Beimang with the sword pointing at Luo Qi would never have happened. Yet Xia Chichi’s ties to the Four Symbols Sect were undeniable, and she would most likely have been taken directly by Vermilion Bird into the sect during the battle at the Luo Family Estate.

As a notorious demonic sect in the martial world, they had committed no shortage of chaotic and vile deeds. Given her temperament, she would have likely clashed with them in the Central Plains, perhaps starting with the newly emerged Saintess Xia Chichi and her Azure Dragon Hall minions, then drawing the ire of other Twenty-Eight Mansions, and finally provoking the Vermilion Bird herself. She would have been defeated and forced to flee, only to obtain some legacy like the Sword Emperor’s inheritance, train, and return to strike back.

That was how many old Jianghu tales went—it fit her position and the Four Symbols Sect’s mindset, the only difference being that the protagonists in those stories were usually men.

As for eventually discovering that the Four Symbols Sect was actually a righteous army resisting a tyrant, and whether she might have reconciled with them to fight the tyrant together—that would be another story.

But because of Zhao Changhe’s existence, both she and the Four Symbols Sect had deliberately avoided each other. And so, for the first time in so long, she had abruptly encountered this great demon she had once imagined being defeated by and fleeing from. Yet the conflict seemed destined to unfold in someone’s backyard now. Beyond that, this great demon was actually one of the most trustworthy people—a feeling that was utterly bizarre.

Huangfu Qing, gazing at the woman in red at the street corner, had her first thought: “That red outfit is so tacky.” She nearly slapped herself.

Her second thought was of her conversation with San Niang the previous year: “We’ve always wondered—if there is a Night Emperor, is there a Sun Emperor? No records exist. But even if there wasn’t in ancient times, according to the principles of heaven, there should be. If there wasn’t then, there might be now.”

The dead turtle’s replies always made her blood pressure spike: “Yeah, yeah, so what? Weren’t we guessing it was some bald monk before?”

Huangfu Qing said irritably, “We guessed it might be the Great Sun Tathagata, but those monks were crushed by Xia Longyuan into such a state—they don’t seem to have that kind of aura, and in our interactions, we’ve felt no conflict in techniques. Probably not. But now there’s Yue Hongling in the martial world. The Chaos Book’s judgments have repeatedly linked her to the setting sun. Could it be…”

The turtle pointed out, “Yue Hongling just fought side by side with Zhao Changhe beyond the Great Wall. You’re not thinking of taking the chance to kill Zhao Changhe, are you?”

Back then, Huangfu Qing hadn’t truly gotten involved with Zhao Changhe, but they had already held hands at Sword Lake. She hesitated. Did I want to kill Zhao Changhe? More like I wanted to kill Yue Hongling herself.

But she dared not show this in front of the turtle, lest it laugh itself silly and never recover. Huangfu Qing could only say, “I’m asking if you saw her beyond the Great Wall—did you sense anything off?”

San Niang thought, *You think you can hide your little schemes from me? The Chamber Fire Pig mask is already prepared. Let’s see if you can keep that haughty look then. Heh.*

She replied aloud, “Her cultivation was too low. I could have sat on her and killed her. What could I sense? You could have Chichi provoke her a bit—Chichi would probably be delighted.”

Huangfu Qing grew even more hesitant. If she really let Chichi provoke Yue Hongling, Chichi would be overjoyed. But what was this? Picking a fight with Yue Hongling for no reason, without any excuse—was she supposed to say, “Your man has a fox spirit outside; do you want to chop her up”? Then she’d have to ask her dear disciple to chop herself first.

Besides, Chichi couldn’t beat Yue Hongling yet… such a useless little thing. After a long hesitation, Huangfu Qing finally said, “I’ve received news from the Willow Earth Badger in Kunlun that the Yang family’s wanted man, Yang Qian, has fled deep into Kunlun. If we can capture him, we might trade with the Yang family. And Kunlun is to the west—if Chichi wants to break through her secret treasury, she should seek the meaning of the White Tiger of the West. This task goes to Chichi. If she can break through, then let her face Yue Hongling. Otherwise, she’d just be a sacrifice and shame us.”

San Niang said, “There are so many strong fighters in Kunlun. You dare send her alone?”

“The Willow Earth Badger’s report mentioned the ‘Fire Blazing Kunlun’ legend. I want to see it too—partly to secretly protect her, partly for my own path to the third secret treasury.”

San Niang’s eyes blinked rapidly, as if she was about to burst out laughing. At the time, Huangfu Qing couldn’t read her expression, but now she knew—San Niang had long known that Zhao Changhe had gone to Kunlun for the blood ginseng…

Memories flickered by like fleeting shadows, then shattered against the street before her. The street was still bustling, but her rival was smiling.

The debate of day and night remained unresolved. From now on, she should probably interact more with her. They were family now… a family member she was meeting for the first time. How absurd.

Vermilion Bird noticed someone whispering to Yue Hongling, then quietly retreating.

“How about a coordinated move, Venerable?” Yue Hongling’s voice transmission reached her ears.

Vermilion Bird remained expressionless, urging her horse forward slowly. “What is it?”

Yue Hongling transmitted, “Chang’an isn’t like we imagined earlier, with the Hu running rampant. In fact, there are no Hu troops now—only ordinary merchants and envoys. On the surface, the Li family is beginning to distance themselves from the Hu to win over the people, though in reality, their alliance with the Hu hasn’t been dissolved—it’s just a facade.”

“So?”

“I originally claimed I was going to assassinate a high-ranking Hu official, but it was actually to test my master… never mind that. Anyway, someone just quietly warned me that Bo’e is hiding in the Court of State Ceremonial. If I go there, I’ll fall into a trap and never come out.”

Yue Hongling was smiling, but Vermilion Bird could see the sadness and loneliness in her eyes.

Her master had sold her out.

A sense of absurdity surged in Vermilion Bird’s heart. *Yue Fenghua must have water in his brain. Did he really think others respected him for his own skill? Everyone cares about Yue Hongling! Once she dies, who will care about your Falling Sunset Manor? These years of glory have blinded him.*

Yue Hongling continued, “If I were alone, I would go find Changhe to discuss it. But since you’re here, Venerable, it’s the perfect setup—if I enter the Court of State Ceremonial to fight Bo’e, and you, being so close, loudly shout, ‘How can there be Bo’e’s aura here?’ and then come to back me up, I won’t be in danger. And Bo’e’s presence in Chang’an will be exposed to the world. The Li family’s facade will collapse instantly, forcing them to make a choice.”

Vermilion Bird’s heart stirred, but she deliberately said, “What if their choice is to side with Bo’e and kill us both?”

Yue Hongling smiled freely. “We still have Changhe in the shadows. If we make enough noise, he’ll come to our aid. How could mere Chang’an trap us? This will bankrupt the Li family’s whitewashing scheme, and we’ll have already won half the battle for the people’s hearts.”

Vermilion Bird had already ridden far away, but Yue Hongling’s ears caught her faint reply: “Good.”

In truth, there was no need to make a big noise—Zhao Changhe was already nearby. He had rushed here frantically, worried that Yue Hongling would run into Bo’e.

They had each gone their separate ways, only to converge on the same point through different clues.

Before he even arrived, he saw the morning glow spreading across the sky, a dazzling sword light shooting straight into the Court of State Ceremonial: “Barbarian, die!”

Wei Changming, who had quietly warned Yue Hongling about Bo’e’s presence, was so terrified his mind went blank. *What is this woman doing? I risked everything to warn you to run, hoping you’d remember the favor! But you knew Bo’e was inside and still charged in? Are you insane?*

Oh, from this sword strike, she had reached the Imperial Realm? Maybe it would be okay… but even so, she was just a beginner in the Imperial Realm, while Bo’e was likely at the late stage. And the place was full of ambushes and traps. How could she survive going in?

Just as he thought this, a terrifying burst of energy erupted from within the Court of State Ceremonial. In an instant, thunder and lightning flashed, walls collapsed, and the shockwave spread to Vermilion Bird Avenue.

Vermilion Bird, who had seemed to be far away, suddenly turned around and roared, her voice carrying for miles: “How is Bo’e in your Li family’s Court of State Ceremonial! I thought you had broken ties with the Hu, and we Han had set aside old grudges to join hands—but you’re two-faced, still colluding in secret!”

Half of Chang’an heard her. Everyone was stunned. Li Boping stood frozen in the hall, while Wei Changming, after a moment of shock, felt a flicker of joy in his eyes.

Vermilion Bird’s words were stirring, and she herself transformed into a blaze of flames, sweeping across the street straight toward the Court of State Ceremonial.

“Boom!” Flames erupted, engulfing the entire Court of State Ceremonial. All the ambushes and mechanisms turned to nothing.

Bo’e’s voice finally rang out: “Vermilion Bird, Yue Hongling… this is Chang’an, not your cap—”

Before he could finish, a sharp warning flashed in his heart.

He turned his head and saw, far away on a rooftop, the man who had shown his face at the Louguan Terrace yesterday, rumored to be a legitimate Buddhist disciple—“Qin Jiu”—drawing his bow, aiming at Bo’e’s throat.

This was Chang’an?

Where we stand is the capital!