Chaotic World Book
Chapter 350 - 343: Nighttime Wine Conversations

Chapter 350: Chapter 343: Nighttime Wine Conversations

Zhao Changhe smiled, not dwelling on it, and accompanied him in draining his bowl. With a hiss, he exclaimed, "Good wine! I’ve never had such fine fruit liquor before."

Yuxu was quite delighted and laughed heartily, "Of course it’s good wine. I picked the mountain fruit myself and used the best Qingxi Spring water to brew it by hand. I may not claim to be the best in anything else, but they shouldn’t try to compete with me when it comes to wine."

Zhao Changhe asked, "Can I take some with me? I’ve just bought a gourd and it’s still empty."

Yuxu waved his hand with a smile and said, "Just help yourself... and by the way, take another jug out for me, to give to someone."

"Who?"

"Li Shentong. Ask him how it tastes when he drinks it, whether he approves or not."

Zhao Changhe said, "...Alright. First, a toast to the elder."

Yuxu very gladly raised his bowl and drank, clearly enjoying the feeling of having someone to share a few bowls of warm wine with in this snowy wooden hut.

Zhao Changhe enjoyed it too.

Every big shot had their own story and their own pursuits.

Zhao Changhe felt that Yuxu’s secluded life here must also be full of subtext; surely he wasn’t here just to trouble the wicked. His leisurely attitude, living amidst clouds and moonlight, didn’t seem to care much about the world’s rights and wrongs.

His stance must be "none of my business."

Just watch the puppet show in the tent and instead gaze at the summit of Kunlun.

And the bad guys weren’t fools, either; why wouldn’t they suspect they were being led to the slaughter, instead of naively treating it as protection? There must be a reason.

But he was cut off before he could ask more, simply told to drink his wine and then return to where he belonged.

Zhao Changhe really didn’t ask; what was the point in meddling too much in other people’s affairs? It had nothing to do with him; better to ask about his own matters, "Senior can see that I am seeking the path to grandmastery..."

"Could I not see it..." Yuxu sipped his wine leisurely and smiled, "Your ascent, listening to the wind and admiring the scenery, seemed not to be a visit to a senior, but rather an experience of Kunlun. Was it intentional?"

Zhao Changhe replied, "I am embarrassed to admit that there was indeed some intention in my climbing, but the higher I went, the more I forgot about other things."

"Normal... At first, you search deliberately, and eventually it becomes second nature. That’s how it is with everything."

"Yes, I have come to feel that," he agreed.

"However, given your foundation in Blood Evil cultivation, it’s truly exceptional that you would take this path," said Yuxu, twisting his beard, "It’s said you have no master. Who taught you to slow down? Z... The women of Kun Gang were as fierce as fire in their cultivation, and she doesn’t seem like the one to teach you this."

Just as Ye Wuzong had assessed, anyone who could guess that it involved Zhu was unwilling to reveal it.

Good thing Yuxu reacted quickly.

Zhao Changhe didn’t catch the shift and replied, "It was Tang Sect Leader."

Yuxu nodded slightly, "Without her, your temperament certainly wouldn’t be like this."

Zhao Changhe knew that his temperament had changed significantly, with the turning point being his initial encounter with Tang Wanju in Gusu. Since then, he had slowed down and taken on a more dignified manner, no longer the loud and rude bandit of his early years.

Tang Wanju’s intention was fundamentally to shape the ideal Crown Prince she envisioned, but she indeed fulfilled the role of a master.

In fact, whether it was Yue Hongling or Tang Wanju, along with Huangfu Qing’s guidance a few days ago, all had been of great importance to him; one could say each was a master to him.

Even this Real Person Yuxu could be consulted for some matters...

Zhao Changhe thought for a moment then asked, "Senior mentioned that the woman from Kun Gang was as fierce as fire. Does that mean one can also follow her path, implying that seeking the door to the Secret Treasure doesn’t necessarily require slowing down?"

"Of course not. Everyone has a different path; there’s no rule that one must live a tranquil life. Li Shentong is even more impulsive and he’s not dead. Cui Wenjing, Wang Daoning, they’re all entangled in worldly matters and yet they don’t fail in their cultivation. If you continued on the path of Blood Evil cultivation that is expected of the Blood God Sect, it could also be viable, perhaps even facilitating easier breakthroughs—since your current mindset and the Blood Evil Skill are diametrically opposed, it might even be causing confusion."

Zhao Changhe poured him another drink and asked humbly, "And yet I feel it truly is beneficial and not a hindrance..."

"It is indeed beneficial," Yuxu said comfortably, sipping his wine, "If you were to rush headlong through the Blood Evil cultivation, you might more easily find the door to your Secret Treasure, but in the end, it’s highly likely that you’d become a cruel, insane killer, or at the very least, a rude and impulsive brute. Tang Wanju must have high hopes for you and wouldn’t want to see that outcome. Likewise, if that were the case, you wouldn’t have the privilege of sitting here drinking wine today."

Zhao Changhe: "..."

Yuxu said, "That woman, or rather, her superior, the Vermilion Bird, is more typical. Those who walk the Flame Road pursue the fierce flames. She has no need to slow down, nor can she; instead, she should be even more brave and diligent. But if she encounters the test of Heart Demons, it might be more dangerous for her than for ordinary people. A mishap could result in her heart fire burning her body to ashes, which is why she is part of the Demon Path. You see, the Demon Path allows one to understand deeper, practice faster, but it also comes with more consequences."

Zhao Changhe indeed had a deep understanding, whether it was his own situation or that of Huangfu Qing. After hearing this, he tentatively asked, "Previously, when she faced the heart fire, senior, you gave some pointers..."

Yuxu said indifferently, "I’ve always been aware of the heart fire. The legend of the fire blazing Kun Gang can lure people from thousands of miles away to peek; being so close, how could I not have searched for it? Of course, I know about it. Naturally, I’m not of the Fire Attribute Cultivation and cannot subdue that thing, nor can I move it. It’s not that I’m generous enough to leave it for others to take."

Zhao Changhe nodded. That made sense. Huangfu Qing had said that the thing had no medium to rely on; it was immovable, and it seemed Yuxu couldn’t do it either. Later, because it was subdued, it became the Spiritual Platform Heart Fire in the body.

"Since I cannot move it, I can either completely seal off that space to prevent it from harming people, or I can let it be, stirring the heart fire, enticing villains to kill each other." Yuxu smiled faintly, "This is actually the origin of the legend that Kunlun attracts evil people. This Miss Huangfu is just one of the evil people attracted by Kunlun..."

"..."

Heart fire burns, those who manifest it outward are demons. The evil of Kunlun is nothing more than that.

It turned out that from their first encounter, Yuxu had made it clear.

Four Symbols Sect, in the eyes of others, of course, is seen as a Demon Sect full of demonesses, but Zhao Changhe has never felt that Huangfu Qing and Xia Chichi are anything like demons. A little mischievousness is even more adorable, San Niang is also quite charming, and the only one he felt was truly a Demon was called Vermilion Bird, who was indeed trouble.

Of course, he wouldn’t say these things, but simply continued to pour wine for Yuxu and asked, "If that’s the case, why did senior give me a hint to save her?"

Yuxu picked up the wine bowl and drank comfortably, "Originally, I wanted to watch her burn herself to death... When you approached rapidly, I sang to get your attention, thinking the matter had nothing to do with you, and I was warning innocent people not to go there and court death."

Zhao Changhe’s expression began to turn awkward.

Indeed, Yuxu’s next words were, "It wasn’t until I met you that I realized you were not innocent... The Azure Dragon’s spring of vegetation, Xuanwu’s gentle moisturizing of water, both have a significant impact on you, and there is even a faint response of Star Acupoint secret techniques. I look at the core followers and protector elders of the Four Symbols Sect, and none seem as closely aligned with the Four Symbols Sect as you."

Zhao Changhe: "..."

Weren’t you supposed to be unable to tell one’s cultivation from their appearance? How can you notice everything? Even those secret techniques you can see, that’s a bit outrageous.

As if seeing what he was about to say, Yuxu clicked his tongue twice, "Don’t worry about how I can see all those curious and bizarre things mixed in you... Anyway, I originally thought you could go die too, but then you went ahead and put on clothes for me."

He smiled slightly, "Whether or not one is a demon doesn’t really matter much; some things can make even a demon become soft."

It’s just affection.

"How wonderful!" Yuxu was completely unconcerned seeing a demon, in his eyes, breaking through a realm about equal to his own and not caring that others took the precious heart fire. He contentedly drank himself and laughed joyously, slapping the table, "In this trashy place, such a sight is rare indeed!"

Zhao Changhe truly appreciated such a senior’s state of mind; to him, this was what a real senior looked like. So, he raised his bowl in respect again, "Another toast to the senior."

"No more, no more," Yuxu waved his hand, "Don’t be greedy."

Zhao Changhe took a large gulp himself, "Then... May I be greedy for a few more words?"

Yuxu laughed heartily, "You’re quite an interesting child."

Zhao Changhe said, "Encountering a high personage like senior, it would be foolish not to ask about my perplexities in detail... Senior just mentioned that my current state of mind and the Blood Evil Skill are at odds, which probably adds to my confusion. Now at the entrance of a Secret Treasure realm, unable to enter; is it perhaps due to this conflict?"

Yuxu was very surprised, "You’ve gone off a hundred thousand miles, and yet you still remember the original topic."

Zhao Changhe sighed helplessly, "I must remember, my heart is full of Secret Treasure now; I am thinking about everything that could hinder a breakthrough."

"Although your current cultivation mindset clashes with the Blood Evil Skill, making a potential breakthrough harder, it also makes it stronger because the potential of Evil Qi backlash leading to demonic possession is greatly reduced. You should know how long it has been since you had troubles with Evil Qi affliction."

"Yes."

"When you cultivate Demon Skills, enjoying the convenience of initial efficiency, you should be prepared that certain stages are especially deadly. Vermilion Bird has risks breaking through, let alone you... Xue Canghai has always been afraid to break through the Secret Treasure; do you know why?"

Zhao Changhe took a deep breath, "Understood, it seems it isn’t just my problem. Actually, I’m reassured now that senior mentioned it; as long as I’m not wrong, it’s fine."

"With the opportunities you have now, such a mindset, you should continue to maintain it. Slow is just slow; in time, things will happen naturally." Yuxu also spoke with a sense of incredulity, "You are already fast enough; why such a hurry? What’s driving you, pushing you to be faster? Is it the three-year agreement?"

Zhao Changhe’s heart was moved, and it seemed that he could take this opportunity to probe a bit more.

Thus, he extended a finger and pointed upwards, "There is."

The jovial, smiling, drinking old man’s demeanor that Yuxu had kept up until then vanished in an instant, replaced by extreme solemnity.