Chaotic World Book
Chapter 385 - 376: 44 is Too Low

Chapter 385: Chapter 376: 44 is Too Low

Everyone knew that Zhao Changhe had been practicing martial arts for less than a year and a half.

When he reached the top of the Hidden Dragon List, it had just been a year, and it had shocked everyone profoundly. It was said to be the strongest anyone had ever been when first named the top Hidden Dragon.

Not only had he reached the Mystical Gate Eighth Layer in one year, but his combat record was also phenomenal, showing an unprecedented potential since the beginning of this epoch, including Xia Longyuan. Indeed, he deserved the title of the number one Hidden Dragon.

But that was, after all, just the Hidden Dragon List; it was still hidden. No matter how extraordinary, it didn’t matter much; for all anyone knew, he might be stuck in the Secret Treasure forever.

People could guess that Zhao Changhe would definitely make it to the Human List without a doubt; the mystery was how long it would take and whether he could break through the Secret Treasure.

For a long time, the Chaotic World Book hadn’t flashed. It had flickered once for Kunlun, where the main character was Xia Chichi, with Zhao Changhe merely a supporting actor. It didn’t highlight his role, much less his breakthrough through the Mystical Gate Ninth Layer or mention the Secret Treasure.

People believed that Zhao Changhe had finally slowed down; he ultimately needed time to consolidate.

Yet, before half a year had passed in this so-called consolidation, when the Chaotic World Book flashed again, he had skyrocketed to the top fifty of the Human List!

Yue Hongling, ever so proud and lofty, refused to be at the bottom and landed somewhere in the sixties.

Xia Chichi made a striking debut and got into the fifties.

This one was even more extraordinary, landing in the forties...

The Heaven, Earth, and Human List was different from the Hidden Dragon List.

The Hidden Dragon List, being an evaluation of potential, emphasized current cultivation levels at each update, aiming to spotlight the speed of cultivation; it didn’t need to explain actual strength. Even if Person A and Person B had never met, the Chaotic World Book could still subjectively rank Person A higher based on criteria such as age, cultivation speed, and the difficulty of their combats.

The Heaven, Earth, and Human List, however, ranked solely on strength. If you defeated someone, you took their place. There was no more emphasis on how much one had cultivated at each update; winning was winning. Those who hadn’t fought were not arbitrarily replaced, because one had to fight to know.

You can’t just shoot up recklessly like you can on the Hidden Dragon List! Others struggled to move up step by step; how did you just leap to forty-fourth?

People believed, with such combat records, that Zhao Changhe had undoubtedly broken through the Secret Treasure.

No one knew when he had silently broken through the Mystical Gate Ninth Layer, and even the Secret Treasure... All this in less than half a year...

For Zhao Changhe himself, it might have felt like he was stuck longer than before, but to the world, what the hell? Was breaking through the Secret Treasure that easy? Even if the Secret Treasure was not tough to break through, he had practiced for just a short while. Despite being a genius with great opportunities and fast breakthroughs, skills need to be practiced repeatedly. Without enough practice time, how could he use them as if they were extensions of his body, and how could he use them to defeat a Grandmaster in actual combat?

Zhao Changhe, because of the "Heavenly Book" cheat, had analyzed each skill in slowed frames more detailedly than others, though even with such training, it was still not proficient enough—criticized by even the Sect Hierarchs.

But his battle instincts and intelligence just barely made up for these deficiencies.

Those who hadn’t seen it for themselves could hardly imagine how he had done it; it seemed inexplicable, a one-time miracle that couldn’t be reproduced.

Ying Shuang sat amidst the sandy winds of the Western Regions, listening to the distant sounds of the Hu flute, gazing at the sky.

Xiangyang... seemed so far away.

Wang Daozhong, you bastard, you knew he was in Xiangyang yet claim you "failed to stop him," telling me he’s in the Western Regions?

...

"Daddy, Daddy!"

In Qinghe, Cui Yuanyang kicked open the ancestral hall door, bursting with excitement: "Brother Zhao made it to the Human List!"

Cui Wenjing was sitting cross-legged inside, with the Qinghe Sword on his lap, engrossed in his thoughts. Startled by the door kicking open, he opened his eyes, his face dark as the bottom of a pot: "Don’t you know this is the ancestral hall? Kicking the door?"

"Ah... I forgot, forgot." Cui Yuanyang grinned apologetically: "I was just wondering if daddy was asleep. I thought you’d be meditating on the Qinghe Sword Spirit, so probably not asleep..."

"Very thoughtful, aren’t you? Still caring whether your dad was asleep?"

"That I am, that I am."

Cui Wenjing looked at her dismissively, irritation bubbling up: "Bellowing in the ancestral hall, confined for three months!"

"Ah?" Cui Yuanyang’s face turned pale: "Three months! He’s in Xiangyang, surely helping Tang Wanzhuang, and at this rate, I could be out in time for the Tang family baby’s full-month celebration!"

Hearing this, Cui Wenjing likewise became unsettled but felt it absurd to send his daughter in a panic all the way south for a thousand miles; mixed emotions churned within.

Son full of crude talk, daughter all chasing after a man.

What sins had my Cui family committed...

He sighed softly: "Alright, why are you rushing? Even if Zhao Changhe has a thing with Tang Wanzhuang, could you make it in time now if you rushed there? Zhao Changhe isn’t the type to leave us hanging. Wait for him to kick our Cui family door down and ask ’The three-year pact is due; where’s Yuanyang?’ would be more like it."

At this thought, Cui Yuanyang’s eyes immediately sparkled.

Cui Wenjing eyed her sideways, thinking how this scenario would actually be humiliating for their family, yet this silly fool was actually looking forward to it... Damn it, now I’m cursing too.

"""

Not only did he curse, but he also brought up the scene himself.

Cui Wenjing waved his hand listlessly, "Ever since your brother returned from Yanmen, the Qinghe Sword Spirit indeed showed intention to return. Now it’s clear who the Qinghe Sword hopes its master will be... Although it somewhat matches you, it’s not a complete fit. You’ll need to find another opportunity... What does that disbelieving expression mean?"

"Nothing, nothing..."

"If you ever want to engage in household intrigue, you need to have the means to compete, or else with your current foolish appearance, do you think you can compete with Tang Wanju? Dream on!" Cui Wenjing slapped the sword and stood up: "I have a task for you."

Cui Yuanyang instinctively straightened his back.

"Embark on a mission to Hongnong and deliver a letter to Yang Jingxiu for me," said Cui Wenjing lightly. "It just so happens to be old Yang’s birthday soon, a perfect ostensible reason."

"What reason do you need for a mission?"

"... The reason that Zhao Changhe might also go. He participated in the battle of Xiangyang."

Cui Yuanyang leaped up: "I will definitely complete the task!"

Cui Wenjing sighed deeply. Am I not having a hard time?

How did this guy end up on the Human List? And ranked so high.

How exactly do people view my Cui Family’s entertainment? Everyone’s necks must be elongating.

But now he has Tang Wanju by his side!

...

"How come it’s only forty-four? That’s too low!"

Inside the Governor Mansion, Li Si’an led a sweeping revenge operation, thoroughly purging the Governor Mansion, it was not a time for mercy. No one knew how deeply infiltrated the Governor Mansion was, and how many were Maitreya Sect followers.

In fact, even a Maitreya Buddha statue was found in the madam’s room.

The Secret Investigation Bureau was adept at this; Zhao Changhe didn’t intervene much, preferring to heal his wounds in the secret chamber of Great Zhou’s duck farm.

Although the Governor Mansion appeared secure on the surface, there was still the possibility of being attacked and killed by Wang Daozhong. The duck farm was a better place, unknown to anyone.

His shoulder was pierced by Yu Cixiu’s gun. He had forgotten the pain and after killing Lv Shiheng, weakness and exhaustion overtook him, unable to stand, he urgently needed to recuperate.

Yet while Great Zhou thought he was recuperating, he gritted his teeth and muttered, "Such a low ranking, and not even a good tagline. Are you screwing me over?"

The air was silent, no one responded to him.

An ordinary person would know that the Human List ranking could only be known through a fight, sadly, Zhao Changhe was not an ordinary person. It was his first time on the Human List.

"Also, why did you delete my ’bloodthirsty’ character? The seven-character party was much smoother. Blood Shura Zhao Changhe sounds awkward, doesn’t it?"

"Bloodthirsty is too tacky... Not just tacky, but it also doesn’t fit you, you’re not bloodthirsty, just appear utterly fierce." Finally, the blind man’s irritable voice came: "I’ve told you, I don’t control this. The Heavenly Dao honestly reflects the perception about you, that’s how it is. Blood Shura suits you... If you care, shouldn’t you care that the name Shura goes against your chivalrous will?"

Zhao Changhe cupped his chin: "I always feel like I’m in a Chaotic Scene, this name suits me."

Blind man: "..."

Too lazy to deal with this idiot, responding to him was a mistake: "If you think forty-four is too low, just climb up the rankings yourself. What have I got to do with it?"

Zhao Changhe stroked his chin: "Actually, that makes sense, doesn’t seem too hard."

"Don’t bother me if it’s nothing important. I’m not your personal strategy guide, nor your complaining buddy. I have a lot to do."

"But I have something important." Zhao Changhe said, "Who’s the God Demon behind Maitreya?"

The blind man was silent.

"I know if I ask you vaguely who they all are, you won’t answer, it’s as if you’d self-destruct... But now, there’s a specific person who is opposing me directly, and you can’t answer that?"

"When did he confront you directly? He was facing Tang Wanju."

"Are you joking? Haven’t Maitreya and I confronted each other? Next, I plan to eradicate them completely. Won’t that put me against him?"

"In reality, you could simply say, confronting Tang Wanju is confronting you."

"..."

"Tang Wanju is here, you should focus on healing first."

The voice of the blind man suddenly vanished, the next second, the door was gently knocked, and Tang Wanju’s voice quietly asked, "Are you in meditation? If so, I’ll come back later."

Zhao Changhe blurted out, "Please come in."

"""