Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 146: See the Essence Through Dense Fog

Although he said that he was going to continue exploring the secrets of vicious blood qi in the afternoon, Zhao Changhe went neither to Tranquility Hall to visit Lu Shaoxion nor to visit the third young master of the Gu Clan. Instead, he went to Tiger Hill Sword Pond again.

Watching Zhao Changhe pace around the edge of the pond, Sisi could not understand what he was doing here.

Anyone who analyzed the situation would also think that the Tiger Hill Sword Pond was unrelated to the issue. It seemed much more sensible for the true source of the vicious qi to be outside. With young masters from both the Lu Clan and the Gu Clan having been tainted, it made more sense to look for places that they had both visited.

In fact, at the moment, Tang Buqi was doing exactly that together with Gusu’s Demon Suppression Bureau, which Susu saw to be one of the rare moments where Young Master Tang was actually acting in a reliable manner.

On the other hand, Zhao Changhe, who always gave others a very reliable impression, seemed to be working toward nothing at the moment. He kept wandering around the Tiger Hill Sword Pond, but after half an afternoon, he still had not found anything. Despite that, he was even chuckling to himself.

Those who did not know better might think that was just here for a walk with a maid.

Although the surrounding scenery was indeed beautiful, and there was a comfortable atmosphere with the presence of the pond and a cool breeze, Sisi was someone diligent. She felt like they were simply wasting their time here, and she had not been working so hard just to enjoy herself.

“Master,” seeing Zhao Changhe crouched under the shade of a tree looking at ants, Sisi finally could not bear it anymore. “Master, should we go to investigate the case like Young Master Tang and the others?”

“Huh? Since they’re already checking the places where both those young masters had been, why don’t we just ask them about their findings later? What’s the point in going and checking the same places they are?”

Sisi opened her mouth but could not find a response for a while. After a while, she said, “But there isn’t much of a point in sitting here and watching ants either.”

“Don’t underestimate ants. They are much more sensitive to crises than humans.”

Sisi rolled her eyes speechlessly.

While that might be true when it comes to ordinary people, you’ve already broken through the fifth layer of the Profound Gate. Wielding a saber weighing forty or fifty jin with one hand doesn’t even trouble you in the slightest! You’re no longer an ordinary person. Your senses should have already surpassed those of any creature in the natural world. What’s the point of looking at ants when you can just close your eyes and sense the surroundings yourself?

“Do you really think that this is meaningless?” Zhao Changhe chuckled. “But have you noticed...”

As he spoke, he tossed a piece of dessert leftover from lunch over toward the ants.

Some ants quickly crawled up to it.

“...Have you noticed that there are very few ants here?”

Sisi was stunned. “Could it be that the vicious qi really is here? But then why hasn’t anyone sensed anything at all?”

“If there really was vicious qi here that could force ants to move away, then there shouldn’t be any of them left here.” Zhao Changhe said, “Based on our common knowledge, what does it usually mean when ants move their nests?”

Sisi said, “It means that heavy rain is coming, which may flood their nest.”

“But there have been no signs of rain lately, and these ants should have moved their nests a long time ago, leaving behind only a small number of them here... Can we consider that they sensed something else that would flood their nests, prompting them to migrate much earlier?”

Sisi’s eyes flashed with intrigue.

Although it seemed a bit far-fetched to extrapolate from the scarcity of ants in the area to such thoughts, at times like these, any small detail could potentially be a clue. Assuming this inference was correct, even if it did not prove the existence of vicious qi in the pond, it could indicate something else unexpected was going to happen, such as the water overflowing from the pond.

“Master... Did you really infer that from observing ants?”

“Well, actually, I suspected that there may be unexpected events related to the sword pond, so I came here specifically to look for something that could support my speculation. I guess these ants can barely be considered evidence?”

“...Just barely, but in the end, it is insufficient.”

“However, it’s not like I’m closing a case for the government. I don’t need ironclad evidence. I just need to verify my suspicions.”

“So what exactly is it that you suspect?”

“Well... Let me put it this way. Whether or not there exists a treasure of vicious qi in Gusu has always been a mystery. The sudden madness of the Lu Clan’s young master does not prove the existence of such a thing. I could go mad too, but what would that prove? So, finding the source of the vicious qi is a secondary matter.”

Sisi’s eyes widened in surprise. “Then what exactly is the main issue?”

“The main issue is that the downfall of the Maitreya Cult in Yangzhou will inevitably lead to some action from their leader, Maitreya. The Maitreya Cult is already prevalent throughout Jiangnan, and only Gusu remains like a pure land, untouched by their faith. If I were their cult leader, the next course of action would naturally be to target Gusu.

“With him already searching for the treasure of vicious qi, now that the clues lead to Gusu, this makes that course of action all the more likely. With these two things combined, whether Maitreya himself comes to Gusu or not, actions against Gusu are undoubtedly already underway, and the first target will definitely be the Tang Clan.

“So, while there may not necessarily be vicious qi here, there have definitely already been some changes in the Tang Clan. That is the main issue. The role played by this so-called vicious qi and its impact on this matter is what I am currently focusing on. It might help solve this imminent crisis. Searching for the source of vicious qi is likely a course of action that the other party wants us to take, and they’re leading us in that direction. In fact, the vicious qi might not even exist at all, and those on the case right now are just being led on a wild goose chase.”

Sisi: “...”

What they had been focusing on had been different from the start. No wonder she had always felt that Zhao Changhe’s attitude was peculiar. He did not seem like someone eager to find the treasure. Instead, he seemed more like someone solving a case. She initially thought it was normal; after all, solving a case could lead to clues about the treasure. In reality, however, that was not the case at all.

What she did not know was that the reason why Zhao Changhe was willing to involve her in this matter was that he knew she was not actually associated with the Maitreya Cult, and she might be able to help him.

As for her goal of obtaining the treasure of vicious qi, it might conflict with his own goal, but that was secondary to him.

After pondering for a while, Sisi suddenly asked, “Master, I heard that you practice the Vicious Blood Art. You’ve already reached the fifth layer. Is it true that further progress is limited by the finite blood and qi in the human body?”

“It’s not that exaggerated. It is true that I must nurture vicious qi as relying solely on drawing in pure energy is not sufficient. However, nurturing vicious qi does not necessarily require any treasures. It can also be done through killing. The Blood God Cult relies on that method. After all, where are they supposed to get so many treasures?”

“...In other words, if there were a treasure for nurturing vicious qi, you would desire it greatly?”

“Yes.”

“Then why are you still so calm, as if the treasure you desire doesn’t even exist?”

Zhao Changhe thought for a while, then laughed and said, “The treasure is indeed important, but the camaraderie in jianghu is even more important.”

“Camaraderie?” Sisi asked curiously. “Because you’re friends with Young Master Tang?”

“Yes.” Zhao Changhe looked at the sky and saw that the sun was setting. He then turned to descend the mountain. “Now that we drank together properly, isn’t Tang Buqi my friend?”

Sisi followed and muttered, “Men are so strange. Just over a drink?”

“Also, didn’t he even give you to me as a gift?”

“...”

Zhao Changhe chuckled. “There is one more thing...”

Sisi immediately said, “Could it be Tang Wanzhuang? Master, do you really have some sort of relationship with her?”

“Where did you get the idea? She did not even give me a glance. Do you really think I’m that desperate?” Zhao Changhe said leisurely. “No...it’s because I don’t want this beautiful Gusu to become another Realm of True Void of the Maitreya Cult. We’ve learned martial arts, and there are always things for us to do.”

“Don’t we learn martial arts to improve our own lives?”

“Do you see the afterglow of the setting sun?”

“Huh?”

“That afterglow is not only Yue Hongling, but also me, Zhao Changhe.”

*

After leaving Tiger Hill Sword Pond and returning to the guest house for dinner, a figure flashed past. It was Ji Chengkong. He was right outside his door. “The guards of the Tang Clan are much more lax compared to the Lu Clan. It’s as easy to get in as a toilet. I was wrong to think that the Tang Clan would be more capable.”

Zhao Changhe asked, “Is the Lu Clan heavily guarded?”

“Yes. I nearly even thought that I was at the Demon Suppression Bureau. Luckily, although they do have a lot of guards, they are quite lacking in skill, so I was able to gather some information,” said Ji Chengkong. He sat down at the table as if they were old acquaintances, and continued, “Do you have any wine? After lurking around for so long, I’m parched.”

Sisi lowered her head and poured him a cup of tea.

Ji Chengkong glanced at her again. Her figure did resemble the person he was looking for. Although he did not recognize her face, the person he was looking for was a master of disguise... However, there were many people with similar figures. Even Yue Hongling had a similar figure to the person he was looking for. If he were to use that as a reason, he would only offend Zhao Changhe unnecessarily. With that in mind, he simply let her be.

He was not too bothered by it. He directly said, “According to my investigation, the Lu Clan has a forbidden area, with security much stricter than the so-called forbidden area of the Tang Clan. It can’t be entered merely with a token or some password. You need to be of the main lineage of the Lu Clan to be allowed passage. It’s quite strange indeed. They are far more secretive than a clan their size should be.”

Zhao Changhe smiled and said, “They have someone at the ninth layer of the Profound Gate right at home. That’s someone who has already gotten a glimpse of the Profound Mysteries. With someone like that, they can’t be considered a small clan.”

“If they aren’t on the rankings, then they’re just rubbish.” Ji Chengkong pointed at his own nose. “I’m at the sixth layer of the Profound Gate, and you were only at the fourth layer back then. Even then, I could not dodge a punch from you. This just goes to show the gap between someone who is on the Ranking of Hidden Dragons, like you, and someone who isn’t, like me.”

“Brother Ji, your strength does not lie in combat. You said it yourself: if you were to suddenly use a dagger or even a poison needle, I dare not say that I would not fall in your hands.”

Ji Chengkong nodded slightly, feeling a little pleased with the comment. “That’s right, everyone has their own strengths. Anyway, I did not find anything useful, and there was no fun to be had. I’ve taken your deposit, and that’s already enough. I don’t have the face to ask for more. If there isn’t anything else you need, then I’ll be taking my leave.”

“Wait, brother Ji,” Zhao Changhe followed after him. “There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you...”

Sisi tensed up instantly.