Chaotic World Book
Chapter 371 - 363 A Night of Spring Rain in the Pavilion

Chapter 371: Chapter 363 A Night of Spring Rain in the Pavilion

Night fell.

Xue Canghai had gone to meet with the Maitreya Envoy, and Zhao Changhe was not residing in the secret caves of the Blood God Sect, but in a courtyard within the mountain stronghold, gazing at the moon in the courtyard.

He couldn’t sleep...

In fact, with his current cultivation, he hardly needed sleep anymore, as meditation could fully replace it and even had better effects.

At this moment, gazing at the moon, his thoughts were a bit chaotic, not knowing what he was thinking about.

In a daze, he thought of Yue Hongling, and by now he could probably understand why Yue Hongling and Chi Li were reluctant to barely make it onto the Human List all those years ago; he felt the same now, absolutely certain he would make it onto the list, so why aim for the tail end?

The only uncertainty was how many positions he could challenge... and that would also mean needing to find the right opponent that he personally disliked. Too low would be meaningless, and too high could mean defeat...

At this thought, he gave a wry, silent laugh.

What was he thinking, fretting over such trivial matters?

He was still just an ordinary person after all, with a strong desire to show off by making the list.

The Human List he once regarded so highly... well, specifically those who had broken through the Secret Treasure. Those who hadn’t just made up the numbers never meant much.

Now that he had reached this level, he realized it was nothing special and could even say it was only the beginning. The more he saw, the more he knew there was an endless journey ahead, with a far and wide gap.

The approach to the Second Secret Treasure alone was a headache.

Cui Wenjing had mentioned that the Mystical Gate Ninth Layer was the extreme of the human body’s cultivation; what followed was the cultivation of other aspects, and the body’s growth depended only on accumulation.

The Secret Treasure was no longer like the Mystical Gate, where each First Layer had clear indicators. Now, with one layer of Secret Treasure, how much accumulation was needed to reach the threshold of the Second Layer? With no clear information, it was vague, as if cultivation could go on endlessly.

The Blood Asura Body was not too worrisome; it was mostly about finding more Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures for strengthening and modification, which was a headache for others, but for him with the Heavenly Book, it should be simpler.

The area of Inner Strength was even more daunting. How to break through which acupuncture point constituted a level? Clearing which meridians? Or how much True Qi had to be accumulated?

It was said that all applied, but due to differing factions, it was unquantifiable, which was rather perplexing.

Xia Longyuan had never personally instructed how to practice the Six Harmonies Divine Skill, simply letting him develop on his own. Did this mean he could just pick any path, like the Four Symbols Sect’s approach of clearing all acupuncture points, and that it would count?

However, after a second thought, it seemed it wasn’t a big problem... This unquantifiable state actually seemed more in line with the original martial arts ethos: no levels, just focusing on who could accumulate more, whose techniques and integration with the world were better?

From this perspective, he felt a bit more at ease. Without knowing the thresholds, why not just tackle them all? To clear all meridians, break through all acupuncture points, and amass a quantity of True Qi that knows no bounds... sooner or later he would touch the threshold of the Second Layer, and at that point, many would be able to guide him with the essential tips to breakthrough, no worse than the treatment of the orthodox sects’ direct successors.

Zhao Changhe heaved a long sigh and unsheathed the Dragon Sparrow, practicing saber under the moonlight.

A drizzle was beginning to fall, but it couldn’t stop a martial artist’s desire to practice.

Apart from the few days entangled with emotional life, it was mandatory to practice saber every day, even while traveling.

Having mastered the Secret Treasure, the more he needed to practice, to consolidate and settle it.

"Whoosh!" A saber strike sailed through, like the wind in the night.

Amidst the night, the Evil Qi concealed itself, as if with ghostly cries and howls, which rose in someone’s heart with the spring rain.

Close by, followers of the Blood God Sect turned to look towards his residence, the instructor Sun sighed softly.

Now it seemed he had to kneel to Zhao Changhe, with their statuses inverted. What hadn’t changed was Zhao’s diligence, just like before.

Elsewhere, Sect Hierarch Xue was in the cave, negotiating many details with the Maitreya Envoy, finally sending off the self-satisfied envoy. Having just returned to the stronghold, he saw the soaring Sword Light on the mountaintop.

He also stood there absentmindedly... Everyone thought Zhao Changhe was practicing fast. Although he really was, it was also due to his hard work. That’s being talented and diligent. Xue himself practiced sporadically, but this past year he did put in some effort, for reasons everyone knew.

A pity that vengeance could no longer be sought; Yue Hongling was 100% the wife of the Saint Heir, and he wondered if he would need to pay respects when meeting her in the future.

Damn it.

Speaking of which, the Blood God Sect’s rules didn’t prohibit marrying; virile men theoretically had needs, and previously, Fang Buping had his fun with the maidservants in Beimang. However, the truly ambitious like Sect Hierarch Xue and instructor Sun refrained from women.

This wasn’t like the Heavenly List figures, who avoided romance for different reasons, but because Blood God Sect’s practice focused on Blood Qi, which couldn’t be wasted lightly—in fact, the more one maintained one’s virility, the purer the cultivation. Xue Canghai felt if Zhao Changhe were willing to remain chaste, his cultivation would be even purer. This was not a matter of understanding Blood God Skills or doctrine, but a martial arts axiom...

Xue Canghai felt a vague concern that if Zhao became tainted, no one in the Holy Sect would be able to control him. Then it occurred to him that it was not the Blood God Sect’s headache to bear, for they didn’t have any female disciples. The ones who should worry were from the Four Symbols Sect, weren’t they?

Thinking of this, Xue Canghai suddenly cheered up and whistled a tune as he walked back to his quarters.

A confidant whispered beside him, "Sect Hierarch, do you really recognize him as the Saint Heir?"

"Hmm? Is there any doubt about it? If he’s not the Saint Heir, then he’s the reincarnation of the Blood God."

The confidant replied helplessly, "But if the doctrine changes, we will face significant constraints."

"It’s as if we don’t have constraints now... People from the Four Symbols Sect come, and you have to kneel to them. At least he won’t require that of you."

"..."

Xue Canghai said indifferently, "Everything is false, only one’s own power is real. If his will of the Blood God is true and can lead us to truly pursue the power of the Blood God, that’s what matters most. Otherwise, even if the doctrine allows you to do as you please, if you don’t have the ability to do so, what’s the use? It would simply be self-deception."

The confidant said, "What if he doesn’t just manage the doctrine, but starts meddling with power? Considering how fanatically others regard him now, sidelining you wouldn’t be difficult."

Xue Canghai chuckled ruefully. "Do you think his aim is the trifling power of the Blood God Sect? Do you imagine Zhao Changhe, famed across the land, first among Hidden Dragons, a yearly Secret Treasure contender, would have the same petty vision as you?"

His confidant was sweating profusely. You have such grand vision, yet why have I never noticed it before... Why don’t you ask around, and see what everyone thinks of Sect Hierarch Xue?

Xue Canghai said indifferently, "Since you had my best interests at heart, I won’t punish you. But your narrow-mindedness disappoints me. Reflect upon it for three days."

The confidant bowed his head in resignation. "Yes."

Xue Canghai finally looked up to the sword light and blood Qi emanating from Zhao Changhe’s courtyard and felt a sudden itch in his heart.

He too had entered the Secret Treasure, so why not fight him again tomorrow?

As he was musing, the sword light abruptly ceased, and an elated Zhao Changhe flew over, shouting, "Sect Hierarch Xue, Sect Hierarch Xue!"

Xue Canghai was stunned. "Saint Heir, what is it?"

"Let’s have a fight!"

Xue Canghai looked up at the pitch-dark night sky, his head drenched with cold sweat.

I thought I was obsessed enough with martial arts, contemplating a fight tomorrow, yet here you are, suggesting a battle at night.

"Alright," Xue Canghai drew his Blood God Saber, smiling, "The Saint Heir’s mastery of Saber Technique is still unrefined. Now that I’ve broken through the Secret Treasure, I have more tricks at my disposal. I fear you’re going to lose badly this time."

"We’re just sparring, it’s not that serious. Come on, come on." Zhao Changhe raised his hand and struck with his saber. "Let me see the Sect Hierarch’s Secret Treasure Saber."

Their clashing blades once again startled countless sect members, who gathered to watch the bout.

Who won that last fight? Zhao Changhe was at a disadvantage, then turned the tables on Sect Hierarch Xue, and then Sect Hierarch Xue seized the opportunity to break through, and they stopped... If they continue after the breakthrough, Zhao Changhe was set to lose, but before the breakthrough, it was basically a draw, right?

And this time?

"Clang!" Their sabers collided once more.

The surrounding sect members suddenly felt their blood boiling, as if all their veins might burst, a sense of alarm rising from within.

The difference was too stark, wasn’t it? This intensity wasn’t present when they were merely observing before!

And if you were to face such a saber head-on, wouldn’t death be certain?

Yet, the two combatants appeared unaffected. Xue Canghai swung his saber horizontally again, and Zhao Changhe responded with a direct chop.

Smiles broke out on both their faces at the same time.

Zhao Changhe’s Moon Reflected in Water spirit could oversee from above and discerned the extremely fine saber Qi, mysteriously appearing behind and beside him, encircling him.

"Blood Filling Mountains and Rivers."

If one was not observant and assumed the saber struck only from the front, they would be dismembered.

"I knew it, the Sect Hierarch would use such a tactic."

"Whoosh!" Boundless blood light dispersed in all directions, dissolving the sneaking saber Qi, but at the same time, Xue Canghai suddenly realized he could no longer clearly predict Zhao Changhe’s sword momentum—a momentum that, earlier in the day, he could easily see through, even if it was a visual trick. Now, he had miscalculated.

The Dragon Sparrow was quicker than expected, just by a hair.

"Clang!" Xue Canghai hastily parried, but his hurried defense failed to hold up, and he quickly retreated backward.

Zhao Changhe relentlessly pursued with another slash.

Strangely, it was just a hint faster than his expected trajectory, not a visual deceit, but genuinely faster.

Xue Canghai’s predictions were off, losing the initiative, he defended in a fluster. His mind raced with confusion. What on earth was happening? Had he suddenly taken an aphrodisiac?

"Clang!" The Dragon Sparrow blade broke through the Blood God Saber, landing at Xue Canghai’s throat.

Xue Canghai: "..."

Zhao Changhe: "... Put the Chaotic World Book away, dammit."

The entire sect: "..."

The two who were evenly matched during the day were now battling at night, with Sect Hierarch Xue quickly overpowered in just a few moves?

Xue Canghai, thoroughly puzzled, asked, "Why is your saber so fast? It shouldn’t be."

Zhao Changhe took a deep breath and laughed. "Before my breakthrough with the Blood Evil, I had Insights into many different techniques. Doesn’t this strike resemble the winding of the wind into the night, silently nurturing all things?"

Xue Canghai was taken aback. "Not only can you harness the surrounding Evil Qi, you can now blend into the natural elements of wind and rain..."

Zhao Changhe chuckled. "What do you think about giving this move a name?"

"... What name?"

"The Pavilion Listens to Spring Rain Overnight."

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PS: My monthly tickets got hammered, send some monthly tickets please, sob sob.