Chaotic World Book
Chapter 231 - 226 Rumors

Chapter 231: Chapter 226 Rumors

"Whoosh~" The Sword Seekers by the lake looked at the two pig heads emerging from the water and got so scared they turned tail and ran.

Who wouldn’t run! It’s one thing for two pigs to come out of the lake, but one of them was smoking all over, the epitome of a monster!

Vermilion Bird laughed forward and backward, finding it very amusing.

Zhao Changhe glanced at her with a side-eye, full of regret.

When he had entered the Sword Room, all his thoughts were on Han Wubing and sensing the remnants of Sword Intent, completely forgetting to take a look at her. With the hot weather, everyone was wearing thin clothes. How magnificent must the sight of such an attractive lady soaked after getting out of the water be?

But when she emerged from the water, she was actually able to use her True Qi to dry her clothes, leaving nothing to see...

Is the Ninth Layer of Mystical Gate really that awesome?

He, Zhao Changhe, could only manage to dry his body; drying clothes was far beyond him. Besides, even if he reached a higher cultivation in the future and could dry clothes, he’d have to slowly evaporate the moisture, right? How could he do it instantly like she did, was this water extraction or drying?

Vermilion Bird said, "What’s with that look? Are you regretting not having looked more in the Sword Room just now?"

"No, no, I’m admiring your cultivation."

"Our cultivation of Fire Attribute True Qi is, of course, a bit more outstanding than average people," Vermilion Bird smiled, "Not like you and some others who practiced the Spring Water intent and are always wet for no reason."

Zhao Changhe: "?"

Was that the sound of being run over by a car?

But Vermilion Bird, as if unaware of her own teasing, casually said, "Being all wet must be uncomfortable, huh? Do you want me to give you a hand?"

"If you can help, then help."

"Call me a good sister."

Been waiting for this, haven’t you? Zhao Changhe couldn’t help but laugh and didn’t dwell on it, indeed cooing, "Good sister~"

Seeing a pig head in front of her pinch its throat and call her good sister, Vermilion Bird almost burst out laughing. She held it in and finally bent over with her hand on her stomach, "Hahaha..."

Zhao Changhe watched her speechlessly.

This sister was becoming more and more prone to laughter, different from when they first met. It was as if after switching from a snake face to a pig head, behind the mask, a lot had been let go.

Vermilion Bird seemed to realize her own loss of composure but didn’t care, still laughing and gasping for breath. She then stood up, patted Zhao Changhe’s shoulder.

The intense True Qi surged instantaneously, clothes drying directly under a mist of evaporating water.

Zhao Changhe was inwardly impressed: "Impressive..."

"Want to learn?" Vermilion Bird grinned, "Join the sect, I’ll teach you."

Zhao Changhe didn’t answer and strode directly toward the city.

Vermilion Bird snorted and followed suit.

Sword Lake City had always been a peculiar city. Zhao Changhe knew this from his last visit here. Despite being classified as a small town in the Imperial system, the city’s prosperity was entirely due to "tourism." As the city expanded, the Imperial administration didn’t promote it to city status, and it remained a town. There wasn’t even a Government Office in town, basically turning into a lawless land inhabited by various gangs and factions.

Last time, Zhao Changhe had been puzzled - without a government office, who would manage taxation... Could the town’s clerks hold these unruly gangs in check?

The Demon Suppression Department didn’t have an independent office either; for some reason, they had set up their base in a brothel. Since it had been this way for a long time, top factions like the Four Symbols Sect had guessed the true nature of the Wanzhuang Brothel, though it was unclear if the local Black Gangs were aware.

In any case, this situation was very martial arts-oriented, yet quite unrealistic. There must be reasons behind its formation, but last time he hadn’t delved deeper into it.

He made his way to the familiar bamboo grove in the backyard of Wanzhuang Brothel. The gatekeeper was the same one he knew, but the pig head was a stranger. Unsurprisingly, they were stopped: "You two, this is a private bamboo forest, not a place for romance and affection..."

Vermilion Bird: "..."

"Why is it that wherever I go, people talk about love and affection? Those who committed the robbery said the same thing."

Wearing the same pig mask, how does it become a matter of love and affection?

Zhao Changhe didn’t reveal his face, he just quietly took out his Jade Token and signaled with it. The guards instantly shivered and, after looking around, lowered their voices, "I have seen the secret envoy, sir. What are your orders?"

Tsk, it seems this token is really high-ranking, not just a Secret Agent, but a secret envoy...

Vermilion Bird glanced at him sidelong but said nothing. This token was likely unique to Tang Wanju, the kind where seeing the token was akin to seeing her in person. This young man had completely not considered that from the moment he took the token, he was representing Tang Wanju, not just some subordinate secret agent.

Played like a fiddle by the big sister and he doesn’t even know it.

With his pig-head held high, Zhao Changhe put on the full airs of a secret envoy, "Take us inside. Who is in charge here now? Have them come to see me."

After speaking, he confidently strode into the courtyard and directly headed for the bamboo building where Tang Wanju once stayed. The guards took it as a matter of course and quickly went to inform their superior.

Before long, a middle-aged, robust man hurried up the stairs and bowed, "Subordinate Wei Zicai from Sword Lake City, at the special envoy’s service. What are your orders?"

"I want the full story regarding Han Wubing’s matter."

Wei Zicai was very straightforward, "He had a conflict with Ji Yinan from the Tianyi Gang. In their struggle, he killed Ji Yinan. The Pinghu Association stood up for the Tianyi Gang. Together, they attempted to capture Han Wubing. In the end, Han Wubing was outnumbered and forced to flee, and the Tianyi Gang was assimilated by the Pinghu Association."

Zhao Changhe’s first reaction was that something was wrong, "Assimilated?"

Wei Zicai revealed a hint of a smile, "Yes... so whether Ji Yinan was really killed by Han Wubing is still an unknown. It might have been Yan Lianping’s doing. They could frame Han Wubing, uniting the forces of two gangs to capture him, forcing out the location of the Ancient Sword and the source of Han Wubing’s new swordsmanship, while also smoothly taking over the Tianyi Gang, killing two birds with one stone."

This was real Worldly Society affairs, and Zhao Changhe and Vermilion Bird almost at the same time had the sensation of moving from the imperial affairs to the Worldly Society, as if entering another world.

But to tell the truth, this was what they preferred, at least Zhao Changhe was far more interested in this kind of intrigue over the grand affairs of the world.

Hearing that Han Wubing had just fled and was not in any real trouble, Zhao Changhe’s mind was much at ease; he then asked, "Why would Han Wubing, who secluded himself for cultivation, expose any new swordsmanship, and get involved with gang conflicts? Was it because his movements in the city aroused suspicion?"

"Han Wubing occasionally appeared in the city to buy necessities, which was normal. He behaved in the same way when he previously secluded himself by the lake, and nobody minded," Wei Zicai said. "What really exposed him was standing up for Zhao Changhe."

"?" Zhao Changhe was taken aback, "What does this have to do with Zhao Changhe? Explain."

"Some people spread rumors, saying Zhao Changhe’s physique and using a Broadsword were not like those of the Central Plains folks, suggesting he might be a grassland spy, possibly the illegitimate son of the ferocious lion He Lei. Han Wubing heard this while shopping and, in a fit of rage, fought with the other party, revealing swordsmanship far beyond what was learned at the Sword Pavilion, leading to suspicions about him uncovering the secrets of Sword Lake."

Zhao Changhe fell silent at once.

Vermilion Bird glanced at Zhao Changhe, this guy was truly loyal... There was probably no need to get to the bottom of this since Han Wubing was just on the run and not dead. Now it seemed impossible not to involve Zhao Changhe.

Zhao Changhe took a deep breath, "Your Majesty used this kind of sword in battle, so where does this talk of grassland style even come from? And people believe this sort of thing?"

"There are many fools in the world who will believe anything they hear," Wei Zicai said. "Such rumors might even have a deeper purpose. Subordinate had also sent a letter to the head office a few days ago. Now that the special envoy is here, that’s even better..."

Zhao Changhe frowned, right, to target his origins was indeed a very sensitive matter, aiming to fundamentally undermine his legitimacy as an heir to Great Xia. This sounded like it could be the work of the Four Symbols Sect.

He turned to look at Vermilion Bird, who met his gaze coldly. Zhao Changhe chuckled and shook his head. Of course, it couldn’t be the Four Symbols Sect; times had changed, and the Four Symbols Sect was planning to recruit him. Doing this would no longer benefit them.

Could it possibly be the Wang Family, the Maitreya Sect, or even the Alien Clan directly?

"When did this happen?"

"Three days ago."

Three days ago, the Wang Family was the most likely culprit, considering the proximity to Langya.

However, upon second thought, while Han Wubing was exposed for his martial arts because of this incident, the harassment from the Tianyi Gang and Pinghu Association might not be directly related. There could be another situation altogether, and Han Wubing could have been embroiled in another conflict.

Sword Lake City is an anomaly after all, bound to have its secrets.

After contemplating for a long moment, Zhao Changhe suddenly said, "Why is Sword Lake City organized the way it is now, can Wei Zishou explain in detail?"