Chaotic World Book -
Chapter 107 - 105 Slow Dance of Yangzhou
Chapter 107: Chapter 105 Slow Dance of Yangzhou
"Oh, it’s Brother Zhao from Hidden Dragon Eighty-Eight, truly a name that thunders in my ears," laughed the burly Wan Dongliu. "May I ask where Brother Zhao is headed? An invitation is not as good as a chance meeting. Our Main Base is just ahead in Yangzhou, how about we go into the city and have a drink of water wine?"
"Wait a second, Brother Wan, right? Please wait a moment, I have a question to ask," Zhao Changhe dismounted from his horse and grabbed the skinny man, "What is this Bloodthirsty Asura all about?"
Wan Dongliu: "..."
The skinny man’s leg was broken and he was in so much pain he was rolling around. How could he expect Zhao Changhe’s concern to be about this? Enduring the pain, he said, "Aren’t you the one with the Blood Evil Skill, Blood Evil Saber Technique? I’ve heard that when you chop people up, your eyes turn red, and you have a move that looks like you’re eating people. With your Broadsword, the bodies of those you oppose end up completely dismembered... If you aren’t Bloodthirsty, who is?"
"Bloodthirsty is fine, but why add Asura? Sounds a bit tacky."
Wan Dongliu: "..."
What exactly are you hung up on? Whether the nickname sounds good or not?
Sweating from the pain, the skinny man explained, "That was said by the Buddha’s of the Maitreya Sect. They say Asura is a kind of fierce deity from Ancient Times, immensely strong, quick to anger, and combative..."
Zhao Changhe opened his mouth, then closed it again.
Why does it seem so fitting?
The skinny man continued, "Asuras are divided into male and female, with the males being ugly in appearance."
Zhao Changhe became furious, "I am at odds with the Maitreya Sect!"
Both the skinny man and Wan Dongliu, despite being enemies, unanimously agreed that it was highly appropriate.
There are only mistaken names, not mistaken nicknames...
Neither took the claim of being at odds seriously, and Wan Dongliu smiled and said, "Brother Zhao, it’s just a nickname. If you’re not satisfied, why not think of one yourself? To be honest, promoting nicknames is precisely what my Cao Gang specializes in. Many Jade-faced Divine Swords and ’Little White Dragons’ were spread from here. There have been over a hundred ’Little White Dragons’ already."
Zhao Changhe’s eyes lit up, "There’s such a scheme?"
"Indeed," Wan Dongliu laughed, "So, what would you like to be called?"
Zhao Changhe was at a loss; he had never considered this. If he had known, he would have asked Tang Wanju for help earlier, she was educated.
"Forget it, since I have Brother Wan’s channel, I’ll take my time to think." Zhao Changhe mounted his horse again, "Is Yangzhou just ahead?"
"Yes," Wan Dongliu picked up the skinny man, smiling, "This person stole an important item from our Cao Gang, but luckily Brother Zhao helped catch him. I need to take him back first to report. When Brother Zhao enters the city, just mention my name, Wan Dongliu, and you’ll be treated like an honored guest everywhere!"
After saying this, he gave a clasped-hand salute and carried the skinny man away, walking on water.
Damn, why can everyone walk on water, Zhao Changhe felt his Stepping Blood Traceless was getting more and more shabby. Here he is, claiming to be Stepping Blood Traceless, and yet he would sink while stepping on water.
But actually, it wasn’t that Stepping Blood Traceless was no good, it was quite alright; it’s that his Inner Strength hadn’t caught up. Without sufficient Inner Strength, naturally, he’d sink in anything he tried to step on.
And these two guys who seemed to be random passersby actually had better Inner Strength than him, Zhao Changhe at least knew who Wan Dongliu was.
The Young Master of the Cao Gang, Mystical Gate Five Layer, Hidden Dragon Seventy, just a bit lower than Han Wubing, but a bit higher than Zhao Changhe. From this Qinggong, it was clear his Inner Strength was of the kind that had fully entered the room, not merely an external martial artist as he appeared.
Worldly Society was still churning out heroes, and wasn’t that precisely what he wanted to witness? Since fate had brought him here, he might as well take a look at the Cao Gang that he hadn’t originally intended to see.
The melancholy stirred by the sights and sounds of the past few days was temporarily tucked away in his heart, as there was nothing he could do about those matters at present. Even if he intended to act in the future, he needed to understand the ins and outs of the Worldly Society first.
This river was not the main Canal channel, just a minor tributary, not very wide; otherwise, the two of them earlier wouldn’t have been able to cross. A narrow river often meant there should be a bridge somewhere... Zhao Changhe reined in his horse to detour, and sure enough, not far off he found a stone arch bridge and leisurely guided his horse across.
So why the hell were you two doing that Water Stepping nonsense... When my martial arts improve, I too will walk on water!
Not far ahead was Yangzhou, one of the most important cities in Jiangbei, and like Qinghe, it was a place with a name and culture that paralleled the real world... Directly speaking, it was also a part of Jiangnan in terms of culture.
Stepping through the city gates, Zhao Changhe felt a sense of destiny. Not long ago, he had spoken with Han Wubing about gallivanting with a sword and wine, embracing slender waists in hand, and now the dream of Yangzhou seemed within reach; who was to be the fickle lover?
Interestingly, while the outerland was desolate for thousands of miles, the city held the flavor he had imagined it should have. It was as if it had sucked all the blood from the surroundings to nourish itself, making its prosperity seem somewhat ironic.
The place was nearly as bustling as Qinghe County, but the cultural differences were significant. Perhaps it was because the Cui Family emphasized the importance of moral inheritance that the overall atmosphere in Qinghe seemed serious and dignified, and the architectural tones were somber and restrained. Here and now, however, he sensed nothing but brothels in full bloom and romantic intrigues.
Riding through the city’s inner bridges and pausing to look around, he noticed many girls in the buildings at both sides of the river, craning their necks to gaze out. When they caught his glance, they waved their sleeves invitingly and covered their mouths to laugh.
In my younger days, I wore a thin coat in spring, riding my horse against a slanted bridge, with red sleeves waving from every building.
The quality here was much better than in Sword Lake City, and the atmosphere much more refined. Even Zhao Changhe, who had returned all his poetry books to his teacher, couldn’t help but feel his heart brimming with poetic inspiration. No wonder they say with a hundred thousand strings of cash, you can fly down to Yangzhou; this damn place really is a paradise for men.
Wondering where the Twenty-Four Bridges were located, oh, perhaps this world did not have them, yet this city surely needed them...
"This young master, please stay at our Xiao Xiang Inn. Our girls are the most famous in town. You can rest assured about your fine horse as well—we have the best fodder and meticulous care..."
Zhao Changhe retrieved his attention from his surroundings, chuckling, "In Jiangnan, what is ’Xiao Xiang’?"
"Eh? The young master is indeed a man of culture! This is what we call an exotic flavor...uh..." As Zhao Changhe turned his head back, the madam’s complexion changed, her voice beginning to stammer, "That scar...the, the Bloodthirsty Asura, Zhao Changhe..."
Zhao Changhe’s smile faded in an instant.
"What’s the matter, does my violent reputation detract from the class and public order of your establishment?"
"No, no, not at all..." the madam hurriedly laughed it off, "A renowned figure like the young master is very welcome here."
"Is that so?" Zhao Changhe dismounted, "Well then, I shall stay here after all."
The madam inwardly groaned with distress; her concern about classiness aside, her fear for public order was genuine. Should this fierce individual actually cause a commotion within, the building might very well collapse. She refocused and smiled brightly, "Please come in, young master. Our Xiao Xiang Inn also pays its respects to the Cao Gang, so perhaps the young master has some connections."
She was hinting that the Inn had a powerful backer. Zhao Changhe smiled wryly, about to respond when laughter erupted from a street corner: "Hahaha, Brother Zhao still enjoys the taste of Xiao Xiang, eh? Excellent, excellent! The Xiao Xiang Inn is run by us, the Cao Gang. Brother Zhao, just enjoy yourself, and all expenses are on Wan Dongliu!"
So apparently you have connections with the Cao Gang... The madam’s face turned to one of reverence as she smiled and said, "Young Master."
Wan Dongliu approached with confident strides, clapping Zhao Changhe on the shoulder with enthusiasm, "Come on, my treat. Let’s show Zhao Brother the warmth of Yangzhou!"
Why are you everywhere... This means I’ve been the center of attention since I entered the city, do they report to you as soon as I arrive? Your level of enthusiasm seems a bit excessive to me.
As Zhao Changhe’s thoughts whirled, he decided to engage further and see what this man was really about, and thus he didn’t refuse, beaming, "Then I shall happily comply, Brother Wan, please lead the way."
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