Chaotic World Book
Chapter 304 - 297 The Four Symbols Sect is Not a Brothel

Chapter 304: Chapter 297 The Four Symbols Sect is Not a Brothel

Zhao Changhe was really fooled, his heart bursting with joy.

He did have a fondness for Miss Winged Fire Snake, but her manner was hot and cold. Sometimes, he felt her fondness in return, shrouded in ambiguity, yet upon closer inspection it was just a faint detachment. It was as if she operated on a higher plane, merely playing a game with him.

Was this one of life’s great illusions? He didn’t know.

He thought back to the days in Sword Lake City, running hand in hand with Miss Winged Fire Snake through the misty alleys, she seemed happy then.

But after arriving in the Capital, things felt awkward. It was as though after shedding one mask, she had put on another.

Yet now, the mighty Xuanwu was seriously saying she liked him!

Zhao Changhe nearly shouted "Yay" and clenched his fist; even his motion of pouring wine for San Niang became sycophantic, "But her identity..."

"Apart from the difficulty of you sneaking into the harem, what else is there to worry about? The one who struck a deal with Huangfu Qing was the false Xia Longyuan, who seized the opportunity when the real one went missing for a while and set everything up, Huangfu Qing must have told you, right?"

"Mhm, she mentioned it. She said the imposter wanted to pave a way for a miraculous turnaround to become real and made a partnership with you. At that time, I thought that this imposter really had nerve, damn fearless. But I think you all are truly fearless..."

"At that time we wanted to gauge the real one’s reaction, to find out if he was truly in the Divine Hall. If he was, he wouldn’t tolerate suddenly having a random Imperial Concubine, the northern army becoming the emperor’s in-laws, and the Wang Family thrown into chaos—he would have intervened, and nothing would have come of it. But if he didn’t intervene, it would mean he was either extremely weak, having lost control, or that he was too preoccupied to care. Then our people holding key positions in the harem would be very useful..."

Zhao Changhe said, "I get what you’re planning! But aren’t you afraid that he was just temporarily away, didn’t intervene, but later returned and, finding the fake out of control, killed the fake and the Huangfus together?"

"Of course, we’ve thought about that." San Niang smiled faintly, "Huangfu didn’t tell you, did she? That she actually desires to be ’killed by the foolish emperor’ to incite Huangfu Yongxian’s rebellion? But of course, we would secretly extract her in time..."

Zhao Changhe, rubbing his temples in frustration, grumbled, "Damn..."

In fact, San Niang had just about given herself away.

Only sect leaders like the Vermilion Bird, who roamed the land with confidence in their own strength, believing they could escape from a compromised Xia Longyuan, would dare to take such risks and dwell at the heart of power. If Xia Longyuan never showed up, she could indeed benefit greatly from her position. Should he appear, she would just flee, and it would even provoke her blindly loyal father to rebel—quite the calculated move.

Such schemes could only be conceived by someone like Vermilion Bird, not a "Mystical Gate Ninth Layer" Winged Fire Snake who lacked such confidence. It would be a death wish otherwise...

Thus, her words were essentially a giveaway that Huangfu Qing was Vermilion Bird. Huangfu Qing wouldn’t have dared lay it so bare to Zhao Changhe for fear of the clever young man seeing right through her.

However, Zhao Changhe was unlikely to grasp this slip-up because his image of Xia Longyuan was too formidable; he was first in the Heavenly List simply because it didn’t go any higher, but in reality, there should only be two tiers on the Chaotic World List—Xia Longyuan and the rest. So, whether it was Vermilion Bird or Winged Fire Snake in the palace, to Zhao Changhe, both were courting death; the lack of a reaction was just Xia Longyuan watching the show.

But he also understood the Four Symbols Sect’s reasoning in these matters. Their planning was, after all, logical in conventional thinking. Like He Lei, so powerful a figure on the forefront of the Earth List, who dared not reveal himself in Sword Lake City wounded amidst the rank and file, lest he be mobbed and end up even more injured. A fallen phoenix is inferior to a chicken; this is the conventional wisdom that led to the assumption that Xia Longyuan, secluding himself and letting an imposter hold court, surely indicated trouble.

Who would have expected Xia Longyuan to be so outrageous? Everyone else was at best mid-tier in martial arts, but he had escalated to high fantasy levels? Completely different dimensions made all predictions and schemes misguided.

He couldn’t say such things; Xia Longyuan showing up wasn’t to let himself proclaim it all over. He could only motion with his hand, "I suggest you not make wild guesses about Xia Longyuan... better to pull out sooner, before it’s too late, really..."

But to San Niang’s ears, it was as if he was saying he didn’t dare to sneak into the harem to steal someone, better to steal away from outside.

She considered it for a while, then shook her head, "The real Xia Longyuan has never once appeared, we have painstakingly breached the central power, leaving now without reason is impossible... how about this, if you’re too afraid to enter the harem, I could arrange for a secret rendezvous outside for her?"

Zhao Changhe exploded, "I’m not stealing her, she’s in real danger in the palace, you don’t understand a thing! A bunch of conceited women!"

San Niang was left stunned, pointing to her own nose in disbelief, "You’re yelling at me..."

Zhao Changhe let out a sigh, "Sorry, I got carried away... yelling at you is pointless, I should be yelling at her."

San Niang’s expression was impassive. She was scolded, yet why did it somehow feel amusing... Go on and yell at her, and if you don’t, you’re no man!

Zhao Changhe thought for a moment, "Right, since you’re here, can you pass a message to Chichi for me?"

San Niang, with a stern face, said, "Speak."

"I once went to check on someone for Chichi, let her know that person is very healthy, lively and kicking."

San Niang paused, musing, "Have you ever considered that your so-called ’old acquaintance’ is just a bluff?"

Zhao Changhe paused, and suddenly, he understood the logic of the others.

Thinking about it... it wasn’t entirely impossible.

"Alright," San Niang sipped her wine leisurely, "although you yelled at me, I can see it’s out of concern, worried about someone... I won’t hold it against you. But don’t expect me to help you steal her away."

Zhao Changhe muttered, "I’ll steal her myself. If she really likes me, what have I to fear?"

Hee... San Niang’s mood instantly improved.

One wore a stern face, the other smiled cheerily, and after they downed a few drinks in silence, Zhao Changhe finally said, "How is Chichi doing? Can she come out?"

"Hey!" San Niang incredulously said, "Enough with that, we’re the Four Symbols Sect, not a brothel."

Zhao Changhe: "..."

San Niang said, "But on the other hand... Chichi became one of us before you, right? The Winged Fire Snake should call her ’big sister,’ correct?"

Zhao Changhe helplessly replied, "The Winged Fire Snake is far from a done deal."

"I’m just asking if that’s the way it would be if it happened?"

"...Yeah, I guess."

San Niang’s eyes gleamed, hardly able to stop herself from shouting ’Hurry up, I want to see.’

But perhaps the matter concerning the Holy Daughter truly was a sect taboo, and even the reckless San Niang didn’t dare to take it lightly, blushing profusely.

Zhao Changhe said, "How come I feel like your Holy Daughters graduate, like Vermilion Bird and you; weren’t you both Holy Daughters before and then became Venerables? So, when Chichi becomes the Azure Dragon or White Tiger Venerable, wouldn’t all these issues disappear?"

"It’s not quite the same," San Niang explained, "We indeed were Holy Daughters, but it was just a transitional role, to select outstanding individuals to act as spokespeople for the Four Symbols, which means becoming Venerables. But Chichi is unique; she embodies two Symbols, which is unprecedented, and to us, she’s not being groomed to succeed as a Venerable, but rather to be trained as the Sect Hierarch, so the highest standards are applied. You can’t imagine someone destined to rule the stars starting out by going against the teachings. It feels like that would mean the end of the sect, doesn’t it? In the eyes of the disciples, the people’s faith would be shattered, and no one would believe in our doctrines anymore."

Zhao Changhe: "..."

That seemed about right. Any sect in such a situation would seem to have no future.

"And there’s one more difference, and that’s who’s in charge. The previous generation of the Four Symbols Sect wasn’t as strong; it’s thanks to us geniuses that the sect has grown so powerful today. This means that even if we violated the rules in the past, it wasn’t considered a big deal. But now, there’s a very strict manager keeping a watchful eye...The Four Symbols Sect owes its present glory mostly to her efforts. I was hands-off most of the time, so I must respect what she decides is important."

"...Vermilion Bird?"

"Yeah."

Zhao Changhe, rubbing his forehead, said, "I thought you were older than her. Isn’t she the youngest according to the Four Symbols ranking?"

"The Four Symbols are equals; there’s no ranking. You’re a bit mistaken... Besides, even if there were rankings, between someone with real power like her and someone hands-off like me, it’s obvious who calls the shots." San Niang began to sob mockingly, "If she wants to punish me, I can only meekly obey, wailing away."

"That’s doubtful..." Zhao Changhe sipped his wine leisurely and said, "San Niang, why do you love money so much, yet you live so simply without showing any signs of enjoyment... When the sect was in trouble, it was you handling the finances, giving everything you earned to the sect’s development, and you’ve grown accustomed to it even now."

San Niang paused, then narrowed her eyes and stopped talking.

"You guys are really impressive," said Zhao Changhe earnestly, "Although I think some of what you’ve done is rash, great achievements always involve some risk."

San Niang asked, "Does that tone mean you’re giving up on Chichi?"

"Based on what you’ve said, there’s no rush. Either she becomes the Sect Hierarch, or..."

"Mmh? She might become the Sect Hierarch in twenty or thirty years. By then, will you still be able to stand tall?"

Zhao Changhe: "?"

"Cough." San Niang coughed to cover her embarrassment, "I think instead of expecting her to become the Sect Hierarch, it would be more realistic to see if you could defeat Vermilion Bird... When the time comes, step into the Divine Hall, call out boldly to marry Chichi, and see what she can do about it."

Zhao Changhe earnestly looked at her, "Guigui, you really have a talent. The Four Symbols Sect hit the jackpot with you..."

"What did you call me?"

"No, no, it’s just a slip of the tongue, an exclamation..."

San Niang huffed, "But I don’t think you can do it. Do you have any idea what kind of chain reaction your Xuanwu Stone will set off?"

"What?"

"Tang Wanzhuang was able to glimpse the Third Layer Secret Treasure, but she rushed it and ended up harming her lung qi. Seeing what happened to Tang Wanzhuang, we didn’t dare to be reckless. We played it safe, waiting for the right opportunity... and now is the opportunity."

Zhao Changhe was stunned for a moment before he finally realized.

Did this mean Vermilion Bird and Xuanwu might both be stepping up to the true Heavenly List caliber?

Was the Four Symbols Sect ready to soar?