Chapter 868: Thirty Years in the Human World

Chapter 868: Thirty Years in the Mortal World

That night's battle of demon gods was, for the common people, a night of terrifying visual effects, as if the apocalypse had come, only to vanish abruptly.

At the time, the vast majority felt no real crisis, only the fear stirred by the spectacle. Even if blades were drawn, the only ones who turned them on their own necks were in the Miaojiang region; others merely felt their swords and knives disobey for a moment. According to actual statistics, only a few hundred Miaojiang people died that night, the cause being the bursting of gu worms; everyone else didn't even suffer a scratch.

No sense of urgency was experienced, nor did any admiration or worship arise for heroes who turned the tide.

Only those in the know understood that the truly skilled warrior has no spectacular feats. When someone arranges everything so perfectly that, when disaster strikes, they can shield everyone from even perceiving the danger, that achievement is far more meaningful than saving the day after heavy casualties.

Ordinary people didn't understand, and the authorities couldn't say much. Even the empress's own contribution as the main force in the formation—a feat that could be loudly praised—was hard to mention, because talking about opposing the Heavenly Dao was too shocking. Not to mention whether the world would believe it; even if they did, perhaps seven or eight out of ten would think the Heavenly Dao was righteous and the court was villainous.

The authorities couldn't speak, but the Book of Chaos helped them. So what if the enemy was the Heavenly Dao? As long as the Book of Chaos called it "extraterrestrial demon," then it was an extraterrestrial demon.

"There was an extraterrestrial demon, hiding its demonic body within the Spirit Clan, lasting two cycles."

"On the Mid-Autumn Festival of the eighth month, using the Vermilion Bird and White Tiger as sacrifices, and the flesh and blood of the living as a lure, the demon revived, bringing calamity to the world."

"The Sword Emperor stirred all blades under heaven to devour their masters, seeking to slaughter the blood of all living things. Ye Jiuyou struck and killed him; Piaomiao protected the mountains and rivers, and the calamity of blades turned against their owners was resolved."

"Yue Hongling, Xia Chichi, Huangfu Qing, and Yuan Sanniang used the Four Symbols to enact the firmament, trapping the demon's hateful soul in the void. Ye Jiuyou, having slain the Sword Emperor, turned to battle the demon soul and destroyed it with one blow, thus resolving the calamity of the living being demonized."

"Huangfu Qing was reborn through nirvana; Zhao Changhe severed the White Tiger's karma with Han Wubing. The demonic body's revival was incomplete, so they drew upon the Spirit Clan's witchcraft, gu, flesh and blood, and spirit control methods to impose upon it, seeking to transform it into a divine body. Piaomiao protected all living things; Lie led flesh and blood into shared silence, and the calamity of mountains collapsing and earth sinking was resolved."

"The demon god's true body appeared beyond the three realms, seeking to erase the spirit of the Heavenly Dao and turn the three realms into a prison. Zhao Changhe used his life as an arrow and perished together with the demon. The calamity of the world being imprisoned was resolved."

"Demon God Third, the Sword Emperor fell."

"Demon God Fifth, Lie fell."

"Demon God Seventh, the White Tiger fell."

"The Demon God List was abolished and merged into the Heaven, Earth, and Human List."

"Heaven List First, Ye Jiuyou."

"Heaven List Second, Piaomiao."

"Heaven List Third, Zhao Changhe."

"Heaven List Fourth, Huangfu Qing."

"In that battle, all demon gods emerged, heroes rose together, turning the world's calamity into nothingness, averting the peril of a new era. The blood of heroes can be sung in full."

"My heart to the cold stars, but they do not see; I offer my blood to Xuan Yuan."

Only when the Book of Chaos blazed across the sky did people understand, from this very simple summary, how many great calamities of heaven and earth, how many perils of a new era, how many demon gods fell, and how many heroes endured in that war that seemed to hold no sense of crisis.

The blood of heroes is always in places unknown to men, beyond the songs and dances of peace.

Among them, Zhao Changhe, according to the description in the Chaos List, was already dead, but his name remained on the list, as if his heroic soul was eternal... No one knew if he was truly dead or not.

People only knew that for the next thirty years, there was no news of him.

It was as good as death, yet eternal in the hearts of the world's chivalrous.

……

Tianhan thirty-first year, Qingming Festival.

This was the thirty-first year since the founding of the Great Han and the empress's ascension. It was also the thirtieth year since that night of the blood-red celestial river.

After that night, Guanlong submitted, the Western Regions were pacified, and all within the seas were unified. The divine land prospered for thirty years, entering the strongest golden age in recorded history of this era. The empress's prestige reached the pinnacle of mortal emperors.

People said that for thirty years, not even a local disaster had occurred, highlighting that the current empress was truly favored by the mountains and rivers' vital energy. No wonder she remained graceful and charming after so many years; aside from gaining three parts more majesty and allure, her appearance was almost the same as when she was a young girl.

Ordinary people naturally did not know that after breaking through to the Imperial realm, one's appearance never ages, remaining eternally youthful.

The empress not only retained her own youth but, due to the special nature of the Azure Dragon's power, could also help others retain theirs.

If she hadn't helped Baoqin preserve her youth, that little girl might have jumped into a river thirty years ago. Even now, sitting at the same table every day, she was getting cheeky.

After all, her chance to extend her prime at the most beautiful age had been snatched by the empress. Now, after thirty years of bitter waiting, it was a tale that made men silent and women weep. If she hadn't kept that youth for her, the only rebel in the Great Han today would likely come from the chancellor's mansion.

At this moment, the Great Han empress Xia Chichi stood on the imperial observatory, gazing up at the stars. A fine drizzle fell, and the 365 lanterns on the observatory remained unextinguished, only gently swaying.

Xia Chichi touched her belly and said with some delight, "Sister Piaomiao, my dormant fetus of thirty years has moved. Does that mean he is about to revive?"

After a moment of silence around, a divine thought descended in the wind: "The pull of life force; it should be so."

The continuous drizzle seemed to take on a hint of sourness.

"Don't be sour. Is being pregnant for thirty years such a good thing?"

"You have no pregnancy symptoms normally. Is there any difference between being pregnant and not? If you don't want it, give it to me." Piaomiao was even more exasperated. This was a miraculous fetus that slept together with its father. Zhao Changhe was in deep slumber to make up for the flaws of his overly rapid cultivation. However long this sedimentation lasted, the fetus would accompany it. Normally, there was no sign of pregnancy, and it had no effect on the mother. But once it emerged, this fetus would likely be the strongest human body in this world.

Xia Chichi touched her belly day after day, sighing and saying it was unpleasant. Who didn't know that she touched her belly to show off, reminding everyone that Zhao Changhe's first child was here? In recent years, whether it was her mother Huangfu Qing or the loyal chancellor Tang Wanzhuang, every time they saw the empress's belly-touching gesture, they would flick their sleeves and leave, but she never tired of it.

Others like Yue Hongling and Sanniang had each wandered off to the ends of the earth, never coming to the palace. Only Piaomiao had no choice but to keep watch, forced to be shown off to every day.

You should be grateful this isn't a palace drama from a storybook; otherwise, abortion drugs would have been secretly fed to you several times.

Xia Chichi was asking, "But since the fetus moved, why can't we still find him?"

Piaomiao answered crossly, "Ye Jiuyou has disrupted time and space and created her own secret realm to evade Ye Wuming and the Heavenly Dao. How can we find it?"

"Is it to prevent the Heavenly Dao and Ye Wuming from finding him, or is she hiding him for herself and not letting us touch him? She knows in her heart!" Xia Chichi gritted her teeth. "That bastard was only in this world for three years in total, and now he's slept for thirty years. How dare she hide him!"

Piaomiao also said nothing, somewhat helpless.

At that time, because the battle took place outside the realms, no one really knew the outcome clearly—how badly the Heavenly Dao was injured, or what state Ye Wuming was in.

With many eyes and ears, who knew if the Heavenly Dao and Ye Wuming were watching the movements of all these women? If anyone went to find Zhao Changhe and was discovered, the consequences could be incalculable. Only someone as cold and domineering as Ye Jiuyou could withstand the pressure from all the sisters and keep her face straight, not letting anyone know.

But whether it was entirely for the common good was questionable. Piaomiao felt that Ye Jiuyou's intention to monopolize the man was stronger...

Who knew how she had toyed with him during the process of his body's reconstitution? Thinking of that scene made her heart itch like a cat scratching.

Piaomiao knew Ye Jiuyou wouldn't give Zhao Changhe any good treatment. Shooting his own life out as an arrow looked stirring and heroic, but what did he think of the sisters? They said it was to stop Ye Wuming's plan and avenge everyone, but if you thought about it, the hidden meaning was clear—this guy was saving Ye Wuming's life, willing to trade his own life for hers.

If they found where he was, they would kill him for sure. Who knew if Zhao Changhe was partly hiding to avoid them, afraid of being beaten.

From afar, a guard's announcement came: "Your Majesty, Chancellor Tang and Chief Cui request an audience."

Xia Chichi's cheek twitched. Every time she heard the term "Chief Cui," she felt a strong sense of dissonance. When she saw Cui Yuanyang's round face, unchanged for thirty years, appear before her, the dissonance overflowed.

That girl was now the Chief of the Demon Suppression Bureau.

The former Chief Tang Wanzhuang came with her, looking like an older sister leading a little kid.

In fact, when these two came to see the emperor, they didn't need to "request an audience." Before Xia Chichi could even utter the word "admit," the two had already arrived at the observatory. Piaomiao, who had been hiding in the form of a void energy flow, immediately beamed and materialized, giving Cui Yuanyang a hug: "Yangyang!"

Cui Yuanyang then snuggled into Piaomiao's arms, rubbing against her, and showed a comfortable expression: "Sister, I missed you..."

Xia Chichi rolled her eyes. And you call yourself the Chief of the Demon Suppression Bureau: "Missed? You can see each other anytime you want. Come on, what's the matter?"

Before the two had even ascended the steps, Tang Wanzhuang's voice arrived first: "News from the Demon Suppression Bureau: signs of a divine artifact appearing in the mortal world. Its location is hard to pinpoint. When it appears, day turns to night, and the stars fill the sky."

Xia Chichi's heart stirred: "The Star River!"

Tang Wanzhuang nodded: "Correct, it can only be the Star River."

Back then, the Star River was shot out of the realms to bind the Heavenly Dao, and after the battle, it scattered into the mortal world. Due to the Star River's special nature, its location was elusive, flickering in and out of existence, as if present yet absent. No one could find where it was.

Now that it has appeared, it is highly likely strongly correlated with someone about to emerge from seclusion. In other words, as long as they find the specific location of the Star River's appearance, there is a good chance they can intercept Zhao Changhe.

Even if it has nothing to do with Zhao Changhe, if they want to find the path to the Night Palace and trouble Ye Wuming, the Star River Sword is the best key.

"Does the Demon Suppression Bureau have any specific clues about where the Star River will appear?" Xia Chichi looked at Cui Yuanyang. "Also, since the Star River has appeared, there should be news of the Dragon Sparrow, right?"

Cui Yuanyang shook her head. "The Dragon Sparrow is different from the Star River. It ran away from home on its own to play, and if it wants to hide, who can find it? I've already ordered all departments to keep watch, but we need more information before anything else. I just came to tell you first."

Xia Chichi pondered for a moment. "Then how has the demon-slaying been going lately? The appearance of the Star River might become a focal point."

Ever since the Demon Realm shattered back then, the world had been filled with countless demonic beasts and strange creatures, sprouting up like weeds every now and then, and the Demon Suppression Bureau could never wipe them all out. Beyond that, the overall level of cultivation in the human world had risen significantly compared to before, with many villainous figures emerging—various demon sects, cults, and underworld gangs springing up like bamboo shoots after rain, no less chaotic than the old days, still weaving the eternal tapestry of the martial world.

This might be a theme that no world can ever escape, and in this world, it carried a special meaning—it was likely still a manifestation of the Heavenly Dao, permeating every aspect of existence.

In the martial world, there were still chivalrous warriors rising with their swords, through thirty years of night rain, the mortal realm remained unchanged.

On these matters, figures like Piaomiao had no desire to interfere. Human affairs couldn't all be handled by them. Even Yue Hongling, once a chivalrous soul so fond of meddling, had rarely acted in recent years. Their minds were set on two things: searching for old friends like Zhao Changhe and Ye Wuming, and exploring the outer heavens beyond this realm. The human world, after all, needed new blood to take over.

The Hidden Dragon Ranking changed again and again, yet the flourishing of martial arts never waned.

Cui Yuanyang sighed. "The demon-slaying results are still the same... Though there are many heroes in the mortal world, in my eyes, among the younger generation, only Yue Hongling's disciple seems truly promising. I gave her a jade token from the Demon Suppression Bureau, hoping to trick her into taking over someday, but it seems she has a temper like her master's—she prefers to roam alone."

Xia Chichi curled her lip. "Women, when they meet their match, they'll understand. Even her master couldn't escape it; who does she think she is?"

Tang Wanzhuang said, "Send her a message, tell her to notify her master. The Star River has appeared; Yue Hongling should come out of retirement. Also, have Bu Qi send a message to that dead turtle—he's been drifting overseas for so long, isn't he bored yet?"

...

By the Ancient Sword Lake.

A long-legged, ponytailed girl dashed through the bamboo grove in the rainy night, a faint trace of blood seeping from her abdomen.

Behind her, a group of murderous black-clad figures shouted, "She's wounded! The blood trail leads this way—chase her!"

Though injured, the girl's eyes were calm. In the night rain and dense forest, visibility was low, and the muddy ground offered plenty of chances to escape.

She had been secretly investigating a group of demonic cult thugs and accidentally learned that they had clues to the Zhao King's Dragon Sparrow Blade. They were plotting something, even planning to offer it to the Northern Desert—unforgivable.

Unfortunately, just as she was about to notify the local Demon Suppression Bureau, they discovered her and launched a frenzied pursuit.

"Swish!" A hidden weapon flew from behind. The girl stumbled to dodge, and the weapon struck a nearby bamboo, sending leaves wildly shaking and water droplets scattering. With a sweep of her sword, she turned the droplets into a rain of petals, using the moment to leap several zhang further.

Just wait until this lady gets out of here...

As she fled, a thatched cottage suddenly appeared ahead.

In front of the cottage stood a nameless tombstone. A hunched old man in a blue robe sat before the grave, coughing softly, as if plagued by illness.

Before the grave lay an exaggeratedly large broadsword, its dark red blade carved with the faint shape of a dragon sparrow, claws bared and fierce.

This was a style of broadsword many had imitated since the Zhao King's sudden rise, but few could wield such a heavy single-handed blade. It had been popular for a while but then faded. Still, some remained, all uniformly engraved with dragon sparrows—a relatively common weapon, not something that would make anyone think of the true Dragon Sparrow Blade.

The girl hadn't expected to find an unrelated person here. She urgently called out, "Senior, flee quickly! These people kill without blinking!"

The old man, perhaps hard of hearing, remained unmoved. He leisurely took out a flask of warm wine and slowly poured it over the broadsword, muttering, "The Qingming Festival is just right... Since you're here, why not drink one with me in his stead?"

The broadsword seemed to hum faintly.

The old man laughed. "You say he's not dead, then who am I mourning? Tell me, after all these years with no news, what's the difference from being dead?"

The broadsword hummed again. The old man laughed louder. "Right, you think so too."

The girl didn't understand. She stamped her foot, raised her sword to shield the old man, and turned to face the pursuers. In the blink of an eye, dozens of black-clad figures surrounded them, laughing. "Why aren't you running?"

The girl said, "This old man is innocent. Let him go first."

The black-clad men all laughed. "Ling Ruoyu, the Hidden Dragon number one, and you're this foolish? Your predecessors on the Hidden Dragon Ranking—Yue Hongling, Zhao Changhe—if they were as stupid as you, the ranking would have long been a dead snake list, hahaha!"

Ling Ruoyu shouted, "Their names are not for scum like you to utter! If they were here, they would act the same!"

The old man's ears twitched. The dragon sparrow shape on the broadsword seemed to turn its head eerily.

Like a girl with twin ponytails leaning back to peek.

The Hidden Dragon number one, huh...

"Enough, Zhao Changhe died long ago. Everyone knows that bloody river back then was his life force turned to blood. His blade and sword scattered across the world for people to fight over—could a living man do that?"

Ling Ruoyu was furious. "Nonsense! The Chaos Ranking hasn't removed his name, so the senior isn't dead!"

"The Chaos Ranking still has Jiuyou and Piaomiao, who slept through an entire era. Even if Zhao Changhe isn't dead, he's no different." The black-clad leader grew impatient. "Enough. Even if Zhao Changhe were here, he couldn't save you. Since you trapped yourself in death for an old man, then die."

"Swish, swish, swish!" Blades and swords flew toward her. Ling Ruoyu took a deep breath and thrust her long sword forward.

The night rain seemed to vanish, leaving only a faint afterglow illuminating the sky, a desolate sunset appearing in the mortal world.

The old man's expression shifted slightly. He murmured to himself, "The Sunset Divine Sword... This girl is actually..."

"Clang!" With a sword's cry, several black-clad men clutched their throats and fell, four or five dead. Ling Ruoyu stumbled back, then her legs gave way, and she knelt on one knee, gasping.

The remaining black-clad men, still shaken, closed in again. The leader laughed, "The Hidden Dragon number one lives up to its name, but this is as far as you—"

Before he could finish, the old man coughed and slowly stood up, a slender long sword appearing in his hand as if from nowhere.

He walked slowly toward the black-clad men, as if there were nothing there.

Ling Ruoyu cried out in alarm, "Senior, be careful!"

"Where did this sick old man come from, putting on airs?" The black-clad leader sneered and suddenly thrust his sword at the old man's throat.

The old man just walked slowly, and that sword inexplicably missed. His hunched figure, coughing, continued forward, gradually disappearing into the bamboo grove, no longer visible.

At almost the same moment, blood seeped from the throats of the dozens of black-clad men in the clearing.

The leader clutched his throat, whispering in horror, "Han..."

"Thud..." Dozens of bodies collapsed to the ground simultaneously, silent.

Ling Ruoyu stared dumbfounded at this bizarre scene, a name rising in her mind.

Han Wubing.

She snapped back to reality and shouted, "Senior Han! There are Earth Ranking demon cultists coveting the Zhao King's war blade—please lend your aid!"

"Earth Ranking?" Han Wubing seemed to be laughing, his voice already coming from far away. "Pick up that drunken broken blade on the ground. The duty of guarding it is now yours."