Chaotic World Book
Chapter 102 - 100 What is Fickle Love ( - 100 Celebration~)

Chapter 102: Chapter 100 What is Fickle Love (Chapter 100 Celebration~)

Tang Wanzhuang allowed her subordinates to give chase, carrying out the farce thoroughly. Her gaze had long shifted in another direction, to the distant fields beside the lake, across from the hill she was currently standing on.

Elder You and others didn’t know where Zhao Changhe was, but her senses were much stronger; she had already seen him.

Zhao Changhe and Han Wubing were standing on the hill, watching the chaos unravel below. It seemed like they felt that Tang Wanzhuang had no real intention of harming Xia Chichi, so Zhao Changhe breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Han Wubing with a somewhat bizarre expression.

Han Wubing also turned his gaze back to him.

It looked like external affairs had concluded; now it was time to deal with their own matters.

The moods of the two idiots were very strange. Logically, today was the day of their scheduled duel. However, after all the twists and turns, saving each other, and mutual admiration, now that they had acquired their swords and everything was ready, neither of them had the will to fight.

Wouldn’t a real fight just be a sparring match like the one that happened initially with Yue Hongling? What significance would it hold?

"Are we still fighting or not?" Zhao Changhe asked.

"... A fight that one agrees to, should be seen to the end," Han Wubing replied.

Zhao Changhe bared his teeth, "Do you know that I’ve been wanting to beat you up for a long time?"

"... I know, at least twice you wanted to chop me, once in your room, and just now."

Zhao Changhe drew his sword, "Then let me chop you twice and we’ll call it even."

Han Wubing drew his sword, "Don’t you know that, with all these antics of yours, anyone who watches would want to chop you?"

Good, the will to fight had risen.

Sword and blade crossed; they were on the verge of clashing.

Tang Wanzhuang, watching from a distance, gently shook her head, "He’s still just a big kid... Alright, let’s go back."

The maid curiously asked, "Miss, aren’t you going to watch the outcome of this fight? Han Wubing’s cultivation is still higher than Zhao Changhe’s; what if there’s an accidental injury..."

"He won’t be injured, at most some superficial wounds. He deserves it."

"What if Zhao Changhe wins? Will the Chaotic World Book appear?"

"It won’t appear; if this counts as a battle... then Zhao Changhe and Xia Chichi might have more intense fights in the future, maybe even tonight. Will the Chaotic World Book appear then?"

The maid’s eyes clouded with confusion for a moment, then she suddenly realized and giggled, "Miss, you you you..."

Tang Wanzhuang pondered with her hand on her forehead: "His relationship with the Demon Sect demoness is improper; logically I should try to sabotage it... But given his feelings, sabotage would only lead to estrangement. This is truly a difficult matter..."

The maid glanced at her, wanting to say something but held back.

Sabotage by force would certainly lead to estrangement, but there was another way to sabotage—for example, snatching him away for yourself would end the matter, without any estrangement, and even with zero distance between. Miss, with your cunning, haven’t you thought of this?

Of course, Tang Wanzhuang had not thought of such a thing—who would consider involving themselves in such matters... Besides, she wanted Zhao Changhe to remain a Prince because he didn’t want to consider marriage.

In the end, her strategy was still the simplest, most brash, and most dignified: "Order a search across the entire region, to capture the demon folk of the Four Symbols Sect and Maitreya Sect, and restore clear skies to Sword Lake City!"

First, drive Xia Chichi away then we’ll talk. At least for today, no passion can ignite. How to handle the future, I will slowly consider.

The sun was setting in the west.

In the city, the officials were capturing members of the Demon Sect; outside the city, two big kids were fighting.

After fighting for more than an hour, both utterly exhausted, they ceased their fight and lay on the hill, watching the sunset, with no desire to speak.

Indeed, the Chaotic World Book did not make an appearance.

For Zhao Changhe, a spirited and uninhibited match was far more liberating than being entangled in identity and emotions. The original plan had been to meet at Ancient Sword Lake, with no need for such messy complications—traveling thousands of miles to meet, weapons at the ready, a hearty battle, how wonderful... Now, the intended ambiance had been mostly ruined. Such a pity.

Now he could sympathize with Cui Yuanyong and Yue Hongling’s mutual admiration after their duel. When you swing a sword that usually cuts through anything but is cleverly deflected by the opponent, at that moment, genuine admiration does arise in the heart.

And so, he knew how to handle the next encounter even more perfectly. Strength is cultivated through trials, one after another.

"Hey Han...," Zhao Changhe suddenly spoke, "you held back a killer move just now, didn’t you? I felt a moment when my scalp went numb."

"That’s correct," Han Wubing looked up at the sky, "I let you have it, the outcome was already decided."

"Pah!" Zhao Changhe wanted to save face, but he knew he had deliberately held back the power of Dragon Sparrow, refraining from relying on the might of the Divine Weapon. He acknowledged he might have lost and didn’t stubbornly resist, asking, "You had a killer move, why didn’t you use it when you were in danger before?"

"Because this move came to me while you were courting a woman, and I was reflecting in the Sword Room."

Zhao Changhe: "... Women really do slow down the speed of cultivation."

Han Wubing said, "If there’s a need, brothels can solve the problem. The heart of a martial artist should not be burdened with such matters."

"What if someone falls in love with you?"

"As long as the rejection is clear, there will be no fickleness. I’m not interested anyway, why lead someone on for a lifetime?" Han Wubing said, "A hero like yourself shouldn’t be entangled in romantic affairs either; it always seems so awkward."

"Then the Worldly Society in your heart and in mine is different."

"Oh?" Han Wubing said, "To understand the sword in your heart, to right the world’s wrongs—isn’t it so? I see you feel pretty much the same..."

Zhao Changhe fished out his hip flask, opened it, and took a heartening gulp. "I dreamt of wandering Worldly Society with a sword, sipping wine along the way, and holding a beauty with a slender waist effortlessly in my palm. I guess I’ve achieved the first half, although I wield a saber... The second half doesn’t seem to suit me at all. I can hardly imagine being that comfortable—I always feel awkward."

Han Wubing thought it over and chuckled, "It might not fit your temperament, but it looks like you’re already on that path. Still, I’d advise you to be careful; such words often come from the unfaithful. If you carry on like this, Xia Chichi’s sword will eventually be the death of you."

Zhao Changhe suddenly remembered the second half of the original poem.

"After a decade-long dream in Yangzhou, I earned a reputation as a heartbreaker in the pleasure quarters."

Brother Xia, you’re quite perceptive... But, when it comes down to it, the true heartbreaker here is you, not me. I don’t enjoy such things.

So what defines a heartbreaker?

Han Wubing suddenly said, "The bout of pleasure’s ended, and the time has come for us to part ways. After this, no one will bother you while you’re seducing women."

Zhao Changhe asked, "Where do you plan to go?"

Han Wubing answered, "Back to the lake’s bottom."

Zhao Changhe: "?"

"That’s a place for swordsmen. I plan to meditate on my swordsmanship there."

"For how long?"

"I can’t say for sure—long enough. Anyway, I can sneak back to the city to buy whatever I need for daily expenses, so life will go on unimpeded."

Zhao Changhe smacked his lips. That was very much the way of a swordsman, but unfortunately, he doubted he could endure such a life for even a single day.

"Then till we meet again." Zhao Changhe stood up, patted Han Wubing on the shoulder, "You might be the first friend I’ve made in Worldly Society."

Han Wubing just smiled and didn’t respond. If he discounted those who had passed, Zhao Changhe was indeed his only friend in Worldly Society.

Zhao Changhe didn’t babble on. He slung Dragon Sparrow over his shoulder and strode off. "I’m off. Let’s hope the next time we meet, you’ll have emerged from the depths."

Han Wubing watched his figure disappear, thinking to himself that this guy actually had some culture.

He wondered if Zhao’s parting words referred to leaving the lake’s bottom or to the Hidden Dragon emerging from the depths.

In reality, there were many things they both had yet to accomplish. Han Wubing still had affairs at Sword Pavilion, which, unbeknownst to others, involved significant matters tied to the previous epoch. As for Zhao Changhe, he seemed to draw all manner of major incidents to himself—whether related to the Cui Family, the Four Symbols Sect, or the Demon Suppression Department.

Yet as each other’s only friends, neither had offered, "Is there anything I can help with?" They didn’t even inquire about each other’s situation, feeling that these were challenges they must face on their own.

Once you overcome them, you emerge from the depths.

Han Wubing had a strong premonition that if they were to meet again and he hadn’t perished, he’d have made a name for himself throughout the land.

......

Back in Sword Lake City, Zhao Changhe hadn’t even walked down a single street when a familiar brothel madam caught him: "Oh my, sir, have you forgotten someone?"

Facing the odd looks from passers-by on the streets and alleyways, Zhao Changhe rubbed his temple and slipped through the back door.

The bamboo forest was as tranquil as ever, devoid of any music.

Zhao Changhe confidently climbed up to the bamboo building. Tang Wanju was hunched over her desk writing something, occasionally coughing lightly. Her frail and laborious figure betrayed no hint of her formidable power shown in confronting the Maitreya Sect Hierarch.

Zhao Changhe couldn’t help but think of Chancellor Zhuge... Even though Tang Wanju’s importance to the Empire couldn’t compare to that of Zhuge, the impression was somewhat similar.

Zhao Changhe stood at the doorway for a while before finally speaking up to break the silence, "Why don’t you seem to care at all about rumors, being so nonchalant about linking yourself to a brothel?"

Tang Wanju didn’t look up, "The ignorant won’t notice, and those in the know won’t make unfounded associations. The brothel is just a front, useful for what it is."

"How is it useful, exactly? There must be something better than this."

"Because brothels see all sorts of people coming and going, there’s a wealth of information—it’s convenient."

"Do you also study the ’Spring and Autumn’ annals?"

Tang Wanju finally put down her pen, "What are you standing there for? Come in to talk."

"I’ve come to report back. I’ll leave once I’m done," said Zhao Changhe. "Even though Xia Chichi got the sword in the end, the chaos you feared from the Divine Sword didn’t happen. Does that count as mission accomplished? If it does, I’ll be on my way."

"Do you think this mission should directly offset the Cultivation Technique and Dragon Sparrow?"

"I know this isn’t a one-time deal, and there’s more to come, but surely you’re not going to keep assigning me tasks forever? Honestly, I won’t stand for working 996."

Tang Wanju, unaware of what 996 referred to and too indifferent to ask, simply said, "The second mission is very easy. You can complete it right now—just agree to it."

Zhao Changhe curiously asked, "What mission?"

"Stay in the brothel tonight. Pick any girl, and if you spend the night until dawn, the mission is complete."

Zhao Changhe immediately knew what she was getting at and wasn’t pleased, "Don’t push me to talk back at you again."

Tang Wanju looked at him steadily, knowing what his retort would be at this moment.

"Forget it." Zhao Changhe turned to leave, "Seeing you working so hard at your desk, any decent person would show some respect. I won’t say anything unpleasant. But when it comes to matters of the heart, I don’t want anyone to interfere, not even my own father if he showed up."