Chaotic World Book
Chapter 88 - 86: Strategically Capturing Sword Lake

Chapter 88: Chapter 86: Strategically Capturing Sword Lake

Zhao Changhe’s "Don’t Hide Your Tracks" was intentional.

At the time when he made the oath with Han Wubing, everyone at the ruined temple had died except for Yangyang, so nobody else knew about it. It made no sense for Han Wubing to randomly tell people that he was waiting for Zhao Changhe there. That said, where he was heading after leaving the Cui Family was not supposed to be known to outsiders... let alone when he actually left the Cui Family.

So why, shortly after he left the Cui Family, did a group of people know he was heading to Ancient Sword Lake? Assassins and the Demon Suppression Department came along the way, and they even knew what he was up to, giving out Han Wubing’s information with troubling familiarity.

There was only one possibility. Since Yangyang was naturally unguarded towards her family, she might have unintentionally mentioned where Brother Zhao was headed, and someone quietly leaked it.

After all, Cui Wenjue had fallen, and his influence was substantial. It wasn’t unusual for someone to secretly take revenge. If they couldn’t retaliate against the Cui family, why not target him, the ousted criminal?

Who knows, in addition to the Blood God Sect, there might have been additional people outside raised by Cui Wenjue’s faction, like the Horse Trip Rope, which doesn’t seem like a typical tool used by the Worldly Society.

The cause must have been as such.

Now that his enemies knew, so did the Demon Suppression Department. He carried the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow on his back—others might not recognize this absurd weapon, but how could Chief Tang not know? At this moment, he didn’t know how many plays were going on inside his heart.

Perhaps from Chief Tang’s perspective, you could simply skip going to Ancient Sword Lake. Others would instantly lose track of you, and nothing would happen. Why force it?

A man has his promise, even if knives were falling from the sky, he must go. What do women understand!

What? Not hiding your tracks might attract an overpowering enemy?

That’s for others to hear!

Zhao Changhe grandly rode his horse halfway along the official road, seeing that the pursuers had already been thrown off by Wuzhui in the snow. Suddenly, he pulled the reins and darted away into the wilderness.

Half a day later, as the sun was setting, in the woods by the side of the official road.

Sect Hierarch Xue Canghai’s face was grim: "You said he didn’t hide his tracks and kept going straight along the official road?"

"Yes, yes, that’s what he said."

"I’ve been waiting here for a whole three hours, and it’s almost dark now. Where is he?"

"I, I don’t know. Perhaps he’s taking a nap in the woods by the roadside?"

With a slap, Xue Canghai angrily spun his subordinate around: "Idiot, you’ve been fooled! You’ve wasted my time!"

Behind him, a familiar face... Sun Hengchuan leaned against a tree trunk, arms crossed, looking up at the birds with a smirk.

"Old Sun." Beside him, the Elder of the Blood God Sect in charge of teachings asked in a low voice: "Based on your understanding of this man, where might he be now?"

Sun Hengchuan, who was not under the same administrative system as the teaching department, was technically a direct subordinate of the Elder. When his superior spoke, he straightened up and laughed: "How would I know... This kid was a polite young man at first, and now this bandit aura is also from me. I used to tell him to speak up, and that changed him into the character everyone knows now. Who knows what kind of shadow he originally was?"

"Tsk." The Elder murmured with some annoyance: "Some in the Sect blame you..."

"Blame me for what?" Sun Hengchuan’s voice rose: "I am merely performing my duties broadly, if the bandits I taught have good saber skills, that’s because I’m skilled! I should be praised! Spreading teachings and establishing faith isn’t my duty. I barely know a few big characters, what does it have to do with me? I have not blamed them for not preaching well and failing to grasp the good seeds I taught. How dare they blame me?"

Xue Canghai overheard and glanced at him, feeling indeed that Sun Hengchuan shouldn’t be blamed. Theoretically, the stronger Zhao Changhe became, the more it proved Sun Hengchuan’s duty was excellently fulfilled, and he indeed should be praised. But with the situation as it was, who would dare to praise him? And they couldn’t exactly say, "You did your job too well, you brought trouble to the Sect, perhaps do a worse job in teaching from now on?"

Damn annoying.

"And that Fang Buping! Huh? Did I not report before? Did I not say that the stupid fellow’s narrow-mindedness and private desires hindered potentials? Huh? Didn’t I also recommend letting Zhao Changhe join the Main Base? Huh? If they’d listened to me, where would we be now! Turning it around to blame me now? They can go to hell!" Sun Hengchuan’s words grew louder.

"Enough." The Elder glanced at Xue Canghai whose expression was turning darker and warned internally, "If you keep this up, negligence will fall on the Hierarch himself, who certainly isn’t going to dismiss his capable Branch Leader just because of your report..."

He could only lower his voice, "That’s true, but ultimately it was your disciple who became a traitor, and we still have to shoulder some responsibility. No one is more familiar with his methods than you. If you could personally capture him this time, you would naturally be commended with no faults."

Elder Sun just "hmm"ed and didn’t say anything.

In his heart, he didn’t really think Zhao Changhe could beat him. The lime on Fang Buping’s face had been inspected by everyone in the Sect, indicating that Zhao Changhe wasn’t so defiant of the natural order. He understood his methods well; there shouldn’t be much of a problem. But still... Elder Sun really didn’t want to get involved in this sort of business.

No matter how you put it, that was his personally trained prized disciple—every move calibrated by his own hands—this relationship was no small matter. The more prestigious he was in the Worldly Society, the more face it brought him. Not to mention, many brothers in the sect didn’t just have opinions about him; a large part actually harbored some envy—you could hear it in their tone.

What does one live for in life, the petty dues from the sect?

"Alright," Xue Canghai said indifferently, "As for this matter, Sun Hengchuan is blameless. The brothers in the sect should not fault him. However, as Protector Ding mentioned, capturing this traitor is indeed Hengchuan’s duty to bear a greater part. Now that this person is deceiving others, no one knows where he’s gone; he might not even really go to Ancient Sword Lake. Any opinions? Hengchuan, you know this person better, what do you say?"

Sun Hengchuan felt that Zhao Changhe would definitely go to Ancient Sword Lake, but upon speaking, he still said, "Besides us, there are others targeting him on this route. He should know this by now... If I were in his shoes, I probably wouldn’t go. A mere martial contest is not worth risking one’s head for. Of course, that’s me, I’m not sure about him, don’t let me be the scapegoat again."

Everyone chuckled, amused by the bandit’s slight cunning—quick to push the blame. However, after being fooled by Zhao Changhe like this, most really thought it was a feint, that he wouldn’t go there again. What old Sun said made a lot of sense.

Xue Canghai pondered and said, "Currently, many high-ranking officials from the Four Symbols Sect are at Ancient Sword Lake; I’d rather not join the buzz."

Basically, he didn’t want to go there and be ordered around like a dog.

Continuing, he said, "But Ancient Sword Lake still needs to be guarded, just in case Zhao Changhe truly goes there. This task will be assigned to Protector Ding and Hengchuan; you two take a few men and station yourselves in Sword Lake City."

The transmitting Elder and Elder Sun both bowed their hands in acknowledgement, "Understood, Sect Hierarch."

"The rest continue to scatter around, searching for news of this person. That will be all, I have other matters to attend to." After speaking, Xue Canghai disappeared in a flicker, leaving a group of dispirited Blood God Sect members exchanging glances.

At different official roads and junctions, others also frustratingly waited in vain for a whole day before dispersing to search elsewhere.

Zhao Changhe traveled eastward across the barren hills and fields, avoiding cities and making large detours around two of them as night fell.

Under the moonlight, the Wuzhui horse reared and neighed long, suddenly turning southward, dashing towards Sword Lake.

"Whoa!" Not knowing how long he had been running, the Dragon Sparrow on his back shivered slightly, as danger approached anew.

As long as someone believed he would go to Ancient Sword Lake, it was impossible to shake off all pursuers. Anyone willing to wait at each possible passage was bound to encounter him.

Of course, it wouldn’t be someone of Xue Canghai’s caliber waiting so foolishly; this was a real razor-sharpening and not courting death.

The Great Xia Dragon Sparrow was newly acquired; whether in length, weight, or thickness, it still wasn’t well adapted. Without various trials, how could it perform as readily as his own limbs?

Zhao Changhe seemed oblivious to the Dragon Sparrow’s warning; he relentlessly galloped forward.

A blast of Sword Qi suddenly struck from the right.

Zhao Changhe’s form swiftly ducked down, hiding within the stirrups as the assassin soared past on horseback.

A Broadsword silently rose upwards.

Wuzhui galloped far under the moon before a loud "thump" was heard, and two halves of a corpse fell to the ground behind.

Who said a Broadsword was only for wild swings?

Hoping that by the time he reached Sword Lake, the horse would be like his legs, and the sword like his arms.

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PS: There are still three updates today, but they will be late, maybe by 12 o’clock, don’t wait.