Chaotic World Book
Chapter 225 - 220 Winged Fire Snake Travels Together

Chapter 225: Chapter 220 Winged Fire Snake Travels Together

Blocked Wang Daozhong back, Vermilion Bird looked toward the direction Zhao Changhe rode off, sighing softly.

She really wanted to follow and observe, but unfortunately, it was a bit difficult.

Not only because the identity of Vermilion Bird was not suitable... but also because her normal identity under the mask couldn’t disappear for too long; hence, even changing to Winged Fire Snake to follow was difficult.

Actually, Vermilion Bird knew that under normal circumstances, Wang Daozhong wouldn’t personally take action. Being identified by the Demon Suppression Department and Cui Family as a perpetrator of murder was also troublesome. Therefore, Wang Daozhong should only be overseeing work, not necessarily taking action personally, but Vermilion Bird didn’t dare to gamble, her first reaction was to push him back first.

However, pushing him back was only temporary; others could continue once she left. If Wang Daozhong really decided to throw caution to the wind and brazenly attack Zhao Changhe, what then?

Forget it, she still needed to follow, especially since he was heading north now, and Xuanwu was also in the north. She might as well go find Xuanwu.

As for her true identity... she had to return first, make an appearance, and make arrangements. She was heading north anyway, it was still en route.

Zhao Changhe hesitated a bit and slowed his horse, walking for a short while before a gust of wind swept past behind him.

Turning his head to look, it wasn’t Vermilion Bird but rather the Winged Fire Snake...

Zhao Changhe felt that was normal; it would be abnormal for Vermilion Bird to have the free time to always follow him, "Little Snake, has the Venerable finally decided to let you have more contact with me?"

Vermilion Bird was speechless, "Who are you calling Little Snake? I’m older than you."

"Little Snake sounds quite cute, would you prefer if I called you Old Snake? Or how about you give your real name? We’re so familiar, who’s who anyway."

Vermilion Bird wasn’t pleased, "Whatever."

"Is that your real name? Then... ’Little Convenience’?"

Vermilion Bird kicked out flying, sweeping across his old waist.

Zhao Changhe lay back on the horse as the kick swept past his face, a fragrant breeze passing over the tip of his nose.

Originally, Zhao Changhe was somewhat intentionally teasing and tried to grab the leg... only to realize it was faster than he anticipated, grabbing nothing but air.

A hint of amusement flashed through Vermilion Bird’s eyes, you think?

Really trying to tease me.

Seeing Zhao Changhe grab at the air and doubt his life, Vermilion Bird leisurely said, "Even though I’m Winged Fire Snake, I am also one of the Twenty-Eight Constellations. Did you really think I was just a garden snake? Wanting to tease me, save it. I’ll report back, and not just to the Venerable—I bet even the Holy Daughter would want to bite you dead."

Zhao Changhe sulkily said, "It was just a joke, look how tense you are."

"You and I have only met twice; you don’t even know what I look like, yet you already want to tease me," Vermilion Bird leisurely said. "I don’t understand why the Holy Daughter is so infatuated with someone like you; it makes no sense. It’s also good; I came here to observe your faults, and I will report them all back to the Holy Daughter, letting her see your true face."

"That’s not necessary; I am full of faults."

"Like now, spreading out all over the horse and making me walk beside it?"

Zhao Changhe couldn’t help but laugh, "Then why don’t you come up?"

"In your dreams."

"Forget it." Zhao Changhe dismounted, walking alongside her, "Since you won’t ride, it does feel impolite for me to be on the horse."

Vermilion Bird glanced sideways at him, "So do you feel that my presence is a burden?"

"To tell the truth, a bit."

Vermilion Bird’s face under the mask frowned, and her gaze grew somewhat unfriendly.

Without me helping you, you would have been killed by Wang Daozhong! Yet you say I’m a burden!

Zhao Changhe continued, "Sometimes people are quite contradictory... I enjoy riding alone, freely traversing thousands of miles, but thinking about it, I also quite fear that loneliness. Having companionship, regardless of gender or strength, isn’t a bad thing."

Vermilion Bird actually believed this; Zhao Changhe obviously liked making friends, although he didn’t have many because he was selective, not because he preferred seclusion.

Like at the Wang Family’s banquet hall, where Hidden Dragons gathered, only Situ Xiao shared a drink with him.

Zhao Changhe added, "So it would be slightly better if you were a man; at least there wouldn’t be so much nagging in sharing a ride, then it wouldn’t feel like a burden."

Vermilion Bird chuckled, "Was the Holy Daughter like this back then?"

Zhao Changhe was stunned for a moment.

Oh.

Before Luo Qi had been known as a "man", it had been more relaxed and comfortable. It only became awkward after he suspected she was a woman.

Zhao Changhe then suddenly burst out laughing, "Actually, many things depend on how you think about them. Initially, when Yue Hongling and I rode together, it was extremely natural and neither of us felt awkward."

Vermilion Bird scornfully said, "It’s only because you wanted to flirt with her the moment you met her. Riding together really wouldn’t have been a big deal, travelers in the Worldly Society don’t have so many taboos. But you let lust creep into your heart, and thus a normal thing became sordid."

"That’s true, I lost my composure," Zhao Changhe said. "Since that’s the case, I’ll be polite now. Will the lady mount the horse? You will sit behind me, and I won’t be able to touch you."

Vermilion Bird asked, "What if I sit behind you, aren’t you afraid I’ll attack you unexpectedly?"

Zhao Changhe smiled, "You don’t need to. If the Four Symbols Sect really wanted to kill me, the Vermilion Bird Venerable would have done it several times already; why would it be your turn to sneak an attack? Mount up."

With that, he turned and mounted his horse, patting the horse’s back as a signal.

Vermilion Bird didn’t fuss and truly did mount gracefully, sitting behind him.

In her view, looking at Zhao Changhe was just like watching a child; there was no need for all this fuss.

Zhao Changhe also relaxed a lot, reined his horse to a walk, and laughed, "Speaking of burdens, there actually is another matter."

Vermilion Bird was startled, "What is it?"

"If you do not wish to reveal your true face, at least change your mask, or use some Disguise Technique. With a Winged Fire Snake mask moving around everywhere, not only am I inconvenienced, aren’t you afraid orthodox factions will give your sect trouble? You usually live day to day in your true faces, and only represent your sect’s identity with a mask for official sect affairs. What is this you’re doing now?"

Vermilion Bird inwardly admitted he was right; unfortunately, she really could not reveal her true face, nor did she have Sisi’s miraculous disguise abilities, so she could only consider changing to a mask unrelated to the Four Symbols Sect. Honestly, who wears a mask in the streets like a normal person? It’s weird.

Seeing her silence, Zhao Changhe guessed what she was thinking about, smiled, and suggested, "How about changing the mask?"

"Hmm."

"Let’s go buy a mask then." Zhao Changhe laughed heartily, speeding up the horse. "Hold on tight!"

Wuzhui neighed long and suddenly sped up.

From the way the "Winged Fire Snake" behind him held a stable posture, this abrupt acceleration wasn’t causing her even a slight back tilt; he might as well forget any hope of sudden braking making her bump forward.

Zhao Changhe was puzzled.

He had never thought it was Vermilion Bird; the voice and even the scent were different, and most importantly, he had never imagined the highly esteemed Vermilion Bird would play this sort of game. But the Winged Fire Snake in his mind was at the Wan Dongliu level, around the Mystical Gate Seventh Layer or so. Since she wasn’t on the Hidden Dragon List, even though she might be at the same Mystical Gate Seventh Layer, her actual skill level was far from Wan Dongliu’s.

However, that kick earlier and now this level of bodily control, all seemed to indicate an extremely skilled master.

He couldn’t help but ask, "Hey, what level of Cultivation are you really?"

Vermilion Bird leisurely replied, "Mystical Gate Ninth Layer."

"Damn!" Zhao Changhe cursed irritably. "With this skill level, you’re telling me ’which list has seen my Winged Fire Snake?’"

His voice was somewhat distorted by the wind rushing past, and one could sense his frustration at thinking he was carrying a light load only to discover he was the burden. Vermilion Bird found it quite humorous, "But I really haven’t been on any list. Ah, the ones usually challenged above their level by people on your Hidden Dragon List are just like me, your stepping stones to fame. How pitiful..."

"I didn’t detect any pity in your tone at all, clearly you’re mocking."

"You just thought you had brought a Cui Yuanyang along, only to find out it’s a Yue Hongling. You wanted to play big brother but turned into the annoying little brother in an instant," Vermilion Bird leisurely said. "However, the Venerable assigned me to follow you mainly to protect you. Otherwise, if you died, that strange star chart wouldn’t resolve, and the Venerable would lose sleep. You really thought it’s to get to know you? Don’t flatter yourself."

"If Wang Daozhong came to kill me, you couldn’t protect me either," Zhao Changhe grumbled, then fell silent and focused on riding.

Vermilion Bird couldn’t be bothered to argue and also remained silent, leisurely enjoying the wind as she rode the horse.

This experience of riding through the greens with a little man unexpectedly made her feel young.

The wind rustled past her ears, very soothing.

In fact, it had been many years since she had traveled so freely and relaxed... Every trip was always for urgent sect affairs, her eyebrows and eyes constantly carrying vicious energy, and her actions were invariably meant to harm others.

It’s just a shame, the mask on her face blocked the wind, so she couldn’t feel a bit of it, making the experience seem unreal.

In this life, no matter where she was, she always wore a mask, regardless of the identity.