Chaotic World Book
Chapter 150 - 146: Seeing the Essence through the Fog

Chapter 150: Chapter 146: Seeing the Essence through the Fog

"They said we’d continue to delve into the Blood Evil Secret that afternoon," Zhao Changhe didn’t continue his visit to Jingxin Temple to see Lu Shaohong, nor did he go to inquire about the third young master of the Gu family. Instead, he made another trip to the Huqiu Sword Pond.

Seeing Zhao Changhe circling the pond, closely observing it, Sisi was quite puzzled.

Anyone analyzing the situation should have considered the Huqiu Sword Pond a red herring. The real source of Evil Qi must be elsewhere, as both the young masters from the Lu and Gu families were tainted. It would be logical to search for a place they both visited in common.

For instance, Tang Buqi was doing just that with the Gusu Demon Suppression Department, which Sisi thought was a rare instance of the young master doing something reliable.

Yet, Zhao Changhe, who usually gave people a very reliable impression, seemed to be aimlessly wandering around this red herring of the Sword Pond, having turned it upside down for the better part of the afternoon with nothing to show for it. Yet, he was all smiles.

To the uninitiated, it looked as if he were merely taking his maid for a leisurely spring outing.

Although the scenery was indeed beautiful and the air by the pond refreshingly cool—certainly comfortable—it wasn’t for comfort that Sisi, the diligent Sisi, had put herself through so much...

"Master," said Sisi, unable to bear watching Zhao Changhe crouching under a tree and observing ants, "Master, shouldn’t we also investigate the case like young master Tang and the others?"

"Eh? Since they’re all checking out where the young masters from the Lu and Gu families have been, won’t it do just to ask them when they’re done? Why should I investigate the same things?"

Sisi opened her mouth to reply but found herself at a loss for words. After a long pause, she finally said, "But we shouldn’t be studying ants, either."

"Don’t underestimate ants; they’re more keenly aware of dangers than humans."

Sisi rolled her eyes in silence.

That might be valid for ordinary people, but you, having broken through to the Fifth Layer of the Mystical Gate and able to wield a forty or fifty pound sword single-handedly as if it were nothing, are far from ordinary. Your Five Senses should already surpass any animal in nature, so what’s the use of watching ants? Better to use your own Perception.

"Do you feel this is meaningless?" Zhao Changhe asked with a smile. "But have you noticed..."

While speaking, he threw a piece of the sweet dessert that was left over from his lunch.

Several ants quickly swarmed onto it.

"...have you noticed that there aren’t many ants around here?"

Sisi paused, "Could it be that the Evil Qi is really here? But why hasn’t anyone sensed anything?"

"If the Evil Qi caused the ants to vanish, they would be extinct, not just a few left," Zhao Changhe said. "According to our common sense, if we see ants moving their nest, it usually means what?"

Sisi replied, "It means there might be heavy rain coming, possibly flooding their ant hill."

"But there has been no sign of rain recently, and these ants must have moved a long time ago to have so few left... Could it mean that they sensed something else that might flood their ant hill and have been relocating early?"

Sisi’s gaze changed.

Although it might not seem too reliable to infer this from the scarcity of ants, any small detail could indeed be a clue at times like these. If this reasoning were correct, even if it doesn’t prove the Sword Pond contains Evil Qi, it might indicate that a change is coming, such as the pond water overflowing.

"Master... did you really guess all this just by observing the ants?"

"Uh, actually, I felt there was a change in the Sword Pond and came specially to look for something that could corroborate my hypothesis. Could these ants count as one?"

"...Barely, it seems like insufficient evidence."

"However, I’m not an official closing a case; I don’t need incontrovertible proof, just to confirm my suspicions."

"So what exactly are your suspicions?"

"Well... let’s just say, whether the Nourishing Evil Treasure truly exists in Gusu has always been unknown. The madness of young master Lu doesn’t prove its existence. I could go mad too—does it prove anything? Therefore, searching for the source of Evil Qi is secondary."

Sisi’s eyes widened in astonishment: "Then what is the primary concern?"

"The primary concern is this; since the fall of the Maitreya Sect in Yangzhou, it will inevitably provoke some kind of action from Sect Hierarch Maitreya. In a Jiangnan filled with the Maitreya Sect, only Gusu remains unsullied. If I were Maitreya, I’d consider this move to greatly likely target Gusu first. Especially since he was already searching for the Nourishing Evil Treasure, and now that the clues lead back to Gusu, his attention would naturally turn here. Combining these two factors, regardless of whether Maitreya himself has come to Gusu, an action against Gusu must have already begun, with the Tang family being the first in the line of fire."

Zhao Changhe spoke at leisure: "Thus, the existence of Evil Qi is uncertain, but a change in the Tang family is certain. That’s the main issue. What role this suspected Evil Qi plays, and its impact on the situation, are what I’m chiefly analyzing. It might help break the situation. To truly seek the source of Evil Qi is to be led by the nose, perhaps finding nothing but loneliness in the end..."

Sisi: "..."

""

Everyone had a different starting point; no wonder she always felt that Zhao Changhe’s attitude was odd, not quite like someone eager to hunt for treasures, but more akin to solving a case. She had thought that was normal, after all, solving cases was to find clues to treasures, but it turned out not to be the case at all.

What she didn’t know was that Zhao Changhe was willing to involve her in this matter because he was well aware that she was not part of the Maitreya Sect and thus could become an ally.

As for her goal, if it was the Nourishing Evil Treasure, it might conflict with his own ambitions, but that really was the least of his concerns.

Sisi pondered for a long time before suddenly asking, "Master, I heard that the Blood Evil Skill you’re cultivating is now at the Fifth Layer, and the subsequent cultivation is limited due to the finite Qi and blood in the human body, which might make it hard to progress further. Is that true?"

"It’s not that exaggerated. The intake of pure energy alone isn’t quite enough; it’s true that it needs Nourishing Evil. But Nourishing Evil doesn’t necessarily require treasures, you know; killing people works just as well. Isn’t that what the Blood God Sect relies on? Where would they get so many treasures?"

"...So you’re saying that if there were a Nourishing Evil Treasure, you’d be very eager to have it?"

"Right."

"Then why can you remain so calm, as if the object of your desire doesn’t exist?"

Zhao Changhe thought for a moment and couldn’t help but laugh, "The treasure is quite important, but the codes of conduct in the Worldly Society are a bit more significant."

"Codes of conduct?" Sisi said curiously, "Because you’re friends with Young Master Tang?"

"Right." Zhao Changhe looked at the sky, saw the day turning to dusk, and turned to descend the mountain, "Wasn’t Tang Buqi already my friend after we drank together last night?"

Sisi followed him and muttered, "Men are so strange, it’s just drinking."

"Didn’t he also give you to me?"

"..."

Zhao Changhe laughed again, "There’s another thing..."

Sisi immediately said, "It couldn’t be Tang Wanju, could it? Master, do you really have something to do with her?"

"What are you thinking about? She didn’t even hint with a glance; do you really think I’m that desperate?" Zhao Changhe said leisurely, "It’s because I don’t want this beautiful Gusu to become a vacuum homeland for the Maitreya Sect... When we learn martial arts, there’s always something we should do."

"Isn’t learning martial arts for living a better life for oneself?"

"Do you see the afterglow of that setting sun?"

"Huh?"

"That afterglow represents not only Yue Hongling but also me, Zhao Changhe."

...

After leaving the Huqiu Sword Pool and just about to eat some dinner at the guesthouse, a figure flashed by, and Ji Chengkong appeared at the door, "The Tang family’s guard is much more lax than the Lu Family’s, coming in is almost like visiting the outhouse; I thought the Tang family was more capable."

Zhao Changhe said, "The Lu Family is on high alert?"

"That’s right, as strict as if I were in the Demon Suppression Department. Luckily though strict, their skills were subpar, which allowed me to gain a clear understanding." Ji Chengkong, acting as if he were very familiar, sat down at the table on his own, "Got any wine? I’ve been lurking all day; it’s parching."

Sisi quietly poured him a cup of tea.

Ji Chengkong glanced at her again. Her figure and posture did indeed resemble the person he was looking for. Even though he didn’t recognize the face, that person was a master of disguise... Yet people with similar builds were everywhere; even Yue Hongling looked a bit like her. To use that as a reason to check for a disguise would deeply offend Zhao Changhe; it wasn’t necessary...

He didn’t dwell on it too much and directly said, "According to my investigation, the Lu Family has a forbidden land, a hundred times stricter than the so-called forbidden land of the Sword Pond of the Tang family, and not something any token or password can grant access to. Only the direct descendants of the Lu Family are allowed to enter. It’s strange indeed; a small broken family putting on airs of mystery more than anything else."

Zhao Changhe laughed, "If there is a Ninth Layer Mystical Gate in the house, it already counts as someone peering into the Secret Treasure, so it’s not really a small broken family anymore."

"If not on the Human List, they’re all rubbish." Ji Chengkong pointed to his nose, "I’m also at the Sixth Layer of the Mystical Gate, and at the time you were only at the Fourth Layer. I couldn’t even dodge your punch. So, you can see the difference between someone like me who isn’t on the Hidden Dragon List, and those of you on the list."

"Brother Ji’s strengths don’t lie in combat. As you said, your hands wielding a dagger or even a poison needle when stealing, I, Zhao, really couldn’t confidently say I wouldn’t fall into Brother Ji’s hands."

Ji Chengkong felt somewhat flattered, "That’s not wrong, everyone has their own strengths. Anyway, this investigation didn’t uncover anything useful, and there was nothing entertaining to speak of. Receiving your deposit is enough for me; it would lack honor to ask for more. So, I’ll take my leave."

"Hey, hey, Brother Ji, wait a minute." Zhao Changhe hurried after him, "I have something I’d like to ask you..."

Sisi tensed up instantly.