Nature’s craftsmanship bears divine beauty, dividing yin and yang, dusk from dawn.
Atop Mount Taishan, Zhao Changhe, following Xuan Chong, climbed up the path, taking keen interest in the surrounding scenery.
Had it not been for the Wang Family event, Zhao Changhe might not have continued to associate with Xuan Chong. He would have returned to Mount Taishan, and perhaps Zhao Changhe would have stopped in Xuzhou to see if there was a Pei or Xiaopei in this world, to reminisce about Lord Pei and Zhao Lie, and to take a look at the one at Baimen Tower who had wandered through life, wondering if he himself needed to learn from them.
Speaking of which, this world is all under Jiangsu, yet it feels so different from the Su Yang he had just left. It’s not at all the same style.
But with the Wang Family matter at hand, he had to forgo such historical reflections and head straight to Qi Lu. To the north of Xuzhou, Linyi is actually where the Langya Wang Family resides, their influence reaching to the East Sea shore, making the entire region staunchly Langya, and hence the martial arts there bore a significant relationship to the sea as well.
However, the Wang Family had only just begun extending invitations for their occasion, their celebratory banquet was still a long way off, so Xuan Chong invited Zhao Changhe to travel further north to visit his Sect.
Zhao Changhe thought about his long time in the Worldly Society, having encountered aristocratic families, gangs, sects, kicked around in martial arts schools, and even mingled with the outlaws himself, yet he realized he had never interacted with a conventional martial arts sect, so he gladly went along to broaden his horizons.
Besides, Mount Taishan itself was well worth a visit.
His mindset had indeed changed. When he first left Beimang, he had no leisure to indulge in reflecting on the past or in enjoying the scenery. But now, he could, and he did so with enthusiasm.
That evil qi that had often tortured and troubled him, had not erupted since Yangzhou. Logically, at the Sword Emperor’s Tomb, surrounded by evil qi, it should have manifested, but he remained unscathed. Tang Wanju’s advice to "calm down" had been immensely helpful.
Initially, he thought the geography of this world would be vastly different from the modern world, considering how much Beimang had shifted northward. But as he increased his travels and knowledge, he discovered that the vast majority of places held no discrepancies, except for the anomaly of Beimang, which might cause some changes in the Heluo region. There must be a reason for this.
Culturally, there were some differences, such as Taishan not carrying the same imperial and religious significance as in the modern world – it was simply an esteemed mountain. The mountain once housed several sects, both large and small, but with the Sect Master Gui Chen of the Taiyi Sect ascending the Earth List, some of the smaller sects were annexed or relocated, leaving Taiyi Sect as the sole powerhouse on Taishan.
In recent years, the Taiyi Sect had also grown strong. Xuan Chong, a direct disciple, had reached the Seventh Layer of Mystical Gate at a young age and was listed twelfth on the Hidden Dragon list—no, now he was tenth—which was a matter of great pride. The lineage of Taiyi Sect seemed blessed and orderly. This content belongs to novel{f}ire.net
Perhaps due to the gentle nature of Taoist cultivation, Xuan Chong hadn’t made a strong impression on Zhao Changhe, but that didn’t mean he was weak. Being suppressed by Chi Li seemed embarrassing, but considering Chi Li’s level, was it truly shameful? On the contrary, managing to exchange a few moves with Chi Li without being instantly defeated was in fact quite impressive, certainly stronger than Zhao Changhe was at that time.
The character ’Chong’ may seem to imply action, but in the Taoist understanding, it signifies emptiness, void, humility. Hmm, it’s the opposite of "full."
Zhao Changhe was interested in him, mainly due to his curiosity about Xuanwu.
—Xuanwu epitomizes a typical Taoist concept. The True Martial Great Emperor is Xuanwu.
Xuan Chong seemed to have a good relationship with Wan Dongliu, staying at his place in Yangzhou for so long. Was it for training? Could his master, the Taoist Gui Chen, whose name graces the Earth List... could it be possible he’s masquerading under another name on the Chaotic World Book? Might he be Xuanwu, playing two roles on the Chaotic World Book?
Vermilion Bird, Xuanwu, Maitreya—surely they have real names, yet the Chaotic World Book only acknowledges them as "Vermilion Bird, Xuanwu, Maitreya" without their real names, meaning that it recognizes the names they choose for battle.
So if one used another name, could they place multiple aliases on the list? Or would it not be recognized, counting only as one? It’s unclear. Something to test in the future.
This kind of thought process was probably beyond the realm of imagination for people of this world, but for Zhao Changhe, who had seen countless aliases duke it out on online forums, nothing was impossible.
The only reason he doubted this theory was that he felt Xuanwu impersonating the Sect Master of a Taoist sect seemed meaningless. The secretive upper echelons of the Four Symbols Sect and the conspicuous significance of the Young Master of the Cao Gang were clear, but what could make a Taoist Sect worth Xuanwu’s elaborate charade? Moreover, why would Xuanwu be so tied up as to neglect Sect affairs, leaving the responsibilities to Vermilion Bird? It didn’t fit.
Looking at the scenery around him, his mind wandered while he chatted casually with Xuan Chong, listening to him describe the sights of Mount Taishan. It was quite entertaining. Xuan Chong was pleasant and easy to get along with.
"Is my senior brother returning?" At the entrance of the sect on the mountaintop, the disciples guarding the gate showed considerable respect and casualness when they saw Xuan Chong, "We were just talking the other day about how long you’ve been away; it seemed about time for you to come back."
The other disciples all laughed, "Every day we crane our necks looking to the sky, hoping that one day there will be news of a senior brother making waves in Jiangnan, but there’s been nothing."
Xuan Chong raised his hand in a feigned strike and scolded with a chuckle, "Looking at what sky? Do you think it’s that easy to make it onto the Chaotic World Book? Do you think it’s like eating a meal, that you can just fight a few bouts and get on the list?"
The disciples jumped back, laughing, "Isn’t that what Zhao Changhe does, just like eating a meal?"
Xuan Chong glanced at Zhao Changhe, who was standing aside with a smile, seeming to find the Sect atmosphere quite amusing, without interjecting.
Xuan Chong then said, "Does he eat meals? Which of his achievements isn’t solid? Even the time when people least acknowledged his debut on the list, when they said many could achieve that kind of level-hopping challenge, his was disproportionate progress in the same cultivation system, a challenge not everyone can meet. Whenever you all face a senior brother in training who’s learnt for an extra year, don’t you end up getting thrashed around looking for your teeth?"
"Hmph, his martial achievements are solid, no question about that. It’s mainly because he goes around saying ’How could I not be involved?’ as if it’s a neutral comment—clearly, it’s an expectation from his side. Some even suspect that if the Chaotic World Book had a spirit, it might be in cahoots with him..."
Zhao Changhe finally couldn’t help but cough dryly. Those words... did seem to have some truth to them. The familiarity in those four characters really couldn’t be hidden, it was at least a kind of expectation.
However, whether the Book Spirit is blind or not, her expectations might not be well-meaning. I’m not interested in having a leg with it, but I’m quite interested in smearing it all over its face; it’s a pity that there hasn’t been any recent distribution.
The dry cough finally caught the attention of the disciples, and eventually someone asked, "Senior brother, is this your friend? Please let us know his name and surname. Recently, the Sect Master has issued strict orders that no one with unclear identity is allowed up the mountain."
"This is the very person you were just saying has ’a leg’ with the Chaotic World Book."
Xuan Chong, frustrated like a metal unable to become steel, stamped his foot, "The fools of the Wang Family didn’t recognize him, at least because he didn’t have his knife in the cabin with him. Now, with that big knife on his back, what kind of brain do they have to discuss Zhao Changhe in front of this get-up!"
The disciples stuttered, "No, no, it’s just that... there are many men in the north carrying such knives lately, it’s become fashionable... even scars on the face, some people deliberately make them... who knew it was really him, wasn’t he at Tai Lake just a few days ago?"
"My senior brother was in Yangzhou just a few days ago, what kind of pig brain!"
Xuan Chong was exasperated yet amused, "Can ordinary people even swing those kinds of knives?"
"Hmph, if they can’t swing them, they make them out of wood covered with iron or hollow iron—there’s always a way." The disciples sneak peeks at Zhao Changhe, admiration truly present in their gazes. Young people admire bold and valiant men, indeed more than respected brothers like their own, who are tepid like lukewarm water.
It wasn’t strange to trigger a wave of imitation; celebrities do start trends, after all. Whether it was Beimang or Yangzhou, everyone quickly adopted the "fake Yue Hongling" look because that attire was everywhere; you could find a red heroine outfit and a red sword scabbard all over the streets.
Zhao Changhe, however, was stunned for a moment, then suddenly overjoyed, "There’s such a good thing!"
Xuan Chong looked at him askance, "Do you find having a big reputation comfortable? Many people don’t like others copying them."
Zhao Changhe’s joy was barely concealable, "I’ve always been worried about being too recognizable and it being a nuisance, but this is a godsend! I’d love for more people to dress , the more the better, everyone with a scar!"
Xuan Chong was briefly stunned, shook his head with a chuckle, and indeed...
Soon, his smile faded and he ignored the merrily self-indulgent Zhao Changhe, turning to ask the gatekeeping disciple in all seriousness, "What’s happened that even I need to be questioned about the names of my guests upon entry?"
The gatekeeping disciples all shook their heads, "We have no idea; everything seems normal. If there were any major incidents, we wouldn’t have the mood to joke around."
Xuan Chong nodded, then suddenly smiled at Zhao Changhe, "I was wondering why I had a sudden stroke of inspiration to invite you to visit our Sect... Looking at it now, perhaps there’s a case for you to crack?"
Zhao Changhe’s joy froze on his face, and he almost wanted to throw the Demon Suppression Department’s Jade Token down the mountain; wasn’t this fate?
But at that moment, he wouldn’t throw it away... What was his relationship with Tang Wanju back then, and what is it now? It’s the Jade she gave him!