Chapter 736 (2): King Zhao's Cauldron

After a long silence, Li Shentong finally rose to his feet. “Yuxu is currently in Louguantai[1]. There’s no need for me to send a letter—go and meet him yourself. As for me, I won’t be accompanying you. If you die in Chang’an, then all discussions end there.”

Situ Xiao could not hold back from speaking up, “Master—”

Li Shentong shot him a glare before turning back to Zhao Changhe. “For now, there are two things I require your assistance with before you go. First, root out the Snow-Listening Pavilion’s remaining sword slaves. Second, organize the former personnel of the Demon Suppression Bureau. I have use for them.”

Li Shentong’s words had become increasingly blunt, as if Zhao Changhe owed him his assistance. But instead of taking offense, Zhao Changhe burst into hearty laughter. “Alright, I’ll handle it right now.”

Li Shentong cast him a long, penetrating look before turning to grab Situ Xiao by the collar. “Come on, there’s work to be done. Who told you that you could just sit here and stuff your face with noodles?”

Situ Xiao, caught mid-slurp, was yanked up and dragged off in a stumbling mess.

As they disappeared, Yue Hongling finally chuckled. “Situ Xiao acts completely differently when he’s in the sect from when he’s in the

jianghu

. Out there, he carries himself like a hero. Here, in front of his master, he doesn’t even dare breathe too loudly.”

Zhao Changhe, still chewing on his half-eaten steamed bun, spoke through a full mouth. “That’s exactly why he goes wild when he’s outside the sect. He’s been suppressed so much under his master that he’s gotta let loose somewhere. He even recites poetry when making an entrance... and I’d say his literary skills are even better than some.”

The blind woman: “?”

Yue Hongling nodded. “Sect Master Li has an imposing presence. When he glares, his eyes carry a killing intent that most people can’t withstand.”

Zhao Changhe grinned. “Really? It didn’t seem like you were intimidated at all, though.”

Yue Hongling shot back, “Then were you being obedient at the end there because you were intimidated?”

“No,” Zhao Changhe laughed. “It’s because I know that when it comes to a man like him, the less formal he is when asking for your help, the more he considers you a true friend. That’s a good thing.”

He leaned back and smirked. “Especially when he’s letting me organize the Demon Suppression Bureau. Do you know what that means?”

Yue Hongling frowned slightly. “Even if you organize it, those people will still be under his jurisdiction. Do you mean there’s more to it? Don’t tell me you think it’s going to end up as some Bashu branch of the Great Han’s Demon Suppression Bureau.’”

“Oh, there is more to it.” Zhao Changhe’s smirk deepened. “Simply because I’m the one organizing it. Naturally, they’ll report to me. And who can define which reports should be relayed to me and which shouldn’t? There’s plenty of room for playing the margins. If Li Shentong wanted a unit that would report nothing to me, he wouldn’t have asked me to organize it in the first place. And if he tries to shut me out after the fact, that would be a complete break in trust, basically declaring we’re enemies. Tell me, does he seem like the kind of man who’d make that mistake?”

𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Yue Hongling stiffened, her expression shifting.

On the surface, it was just a deeper level of cooperation. But in a certain sense... was this not borderline defection?

All this... just from a few words he said?

Zhao Changhe finished off the rest of his steamed bun in a few quick bites and stood up. “I’m off to do a little Demon Suppression Bureau work for Bashu. Get some rest. There’ll probably be a bloodbath when we reach Chang’an.”

Watching him stride away full of energy, Yue Hongling shook her head with an amused smile. She did not follow him. Instead, she remained seated in the pavilion, quietly cultivating.

She really did feel her qi flow shifting, her soul condensing. Zhao Changhe had noticed it as well, which was why he had told her to rest.

Following him, she often felt like there was little she could contribute. She could not help much, could not offer strategic advice, and ended up feeling like nothing more than a glorified bodyguard.

And yet, despite that, she never once felt that this path deviated from what she wanted. Nor did she ever find it dull.

When it came to

jianghu

chivalry, Zhao Changhe had helped more people than she ever had.

When it came to broadening her horizons, the experiences she gained at his side were far more vivid than any she could gain from any tales in the

jianghu

.

And when it came to her path in swordsmanship—widening her perspective, enriching her understanding—she was beginning to suspect that this might be a truer road to breaking into the Profound Control Realm than any simple trial by combat.

Perhaps she would reach the Profound Control Realm before Zhao Changhe... After all, some of the things that he spoke of seemingly in mere passing were like shattering revelations to those who listened. The depth of his insights, the sheer weight of his words—there was simply too much to absorb.

But the most important thing was that as long as she remained by his side, she felt at peace. Watching him converse so casually with a regional ruler, a veteran of the Ranking of Heaven, and slowly but surely turning him into an ally, she felt a sense of triumph greater than any hard-won battle.

Not all paths of the sword were the same.

She had inherited fragments of the Sword Emperor’s legacy, perhaps even a later-stage portion of it. It had always been an accepted notion that one day, she might need to visit the Sword Emperor’s tomb to fully understand the karma that came with this inheritance.

But what exactly was a Sword Emperor?

In the conventional path of the sword, reaching its pinnacle would grant one the title of Sword God, or perhaps Sword Saint. But to be called Sword Emperor... did that not mean all swords must bow before them? If so, could the swords of others be wielded as one’s own?

That honestly appeared to be no different from what Zhao Changhe was doing now.

As Yue Hongling sat in meditation, sword qi swirled behind her, spreading outward.

The guards stationed around the guest quarters suddenly felt their swords and sabers begin to tremble at their waists. Startled, they instinctively reached for their weapons to still them, but the vibrations only intensified.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

A cacophony of metallic rings resounded as every sword and saber within several li unsheathed itself at once, soaring into the sky.

Then, as if drawn by an unseen force, they turned toward the guest courtyard, trembling in midair, as if paying their respects.

Ten thousand swords bow to their Emperor.

A massive, ancient sword shadow shot into the heavens, piercing through the morning sky, its brilliance illuminating the red-tinged clouds above.

Within her own sword, the newly-formed sword spirit, barely two days old, opened its eyes for the first time.

Yue Hongling, who had been stuck at the half-step Profound Control Realm for some time, broke through in that peaceful morning, suddenly and without warning.

Halfway back to the sect, Li Shentong suddenly jerked his head around, his expression stunned.

Both he and Situ Xiao stared in shock at the sword shadow towering over the horizon.

What kind of monster is this? We were just talking for the past two days

,

yet just from listening in, she breaks into the Profound Control Realm?! Situ Xiao was sitting there listening in too! How come he didn’t even get a single bit closer?!

Are these two sent from the heavens purely to make people feel inadequate?

From a corner of the courtyard, Zhao Changhe also turned to look at the sky, a faint smile on his lips.

He was not surprised. Yue Hongling had been on the verge of breaking through for a long time; it was bound to happen sooner or later. The only thing she lacked was a catalyst. He just had not expected that their casual discussions over the past two days would become that catalyst.

She truly is a genius...

People called him a genius, but in truth, that was only partially deserved. Without his external advantages, he would not be nearly as exceptional.

But her?

She was the real deal.

A singular, unparalleled anomaly in this world.

“Blindie.”

“What now?”

“When you sent me to Zhao Family Village, was it intentional that the first person I saw was Hongling?”

The blind woman grumpily said, “You picked that spot yourself. What does it have to do with me?”

“I drew the position card, sure. But all it said was something about the throne—it could have applied to Chichi. How I was introduced, however, was entirely up to you. You could have arranged my first encounter with Chichi any number of ways, and yet, you made sure the first person I met at Zhao Family Village was Hongling.”

“Oh? You’re using that brain of yours for once?” The blind woman yawned lazily. “There’s really nothing much to it. Anyone with half a sense for qi observation would know that she’s the protagonist of this era. Dropping you near her was just common sense.”

“But now, your destiny as the protagonist is even stronger. After all, the protagonist... has been thoroughly conquered by you.”

Zhao Changhe ignored her lewd remark. He fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said, “If the Sword Emperor’s legacy marks the protagonist, that means there’s something major still unresolved over there.”

The blind woman was caught off guard, having unknowingly let something slip. She instantly went quiet.

“Your Highness.”

A figure emerged from the shadows at the street corner, bowing discreetly to Zhao Changhe. “You signaled for us. What are your orders?”

It was the elite agents of the Demon Suppression Bureau, those who had remained hidden in Chengdu despite Li Shentong’s rule.

These were true elites. To continue operating under the very nose of someone like Li Shentong required a level of skill and loyalty that was rare even among intelligence circles. Yet for the past two months, they had received no orders, no coordination.

Now, seeing King Zhao in the flesh, reaching out to them directly, was like finding their long-lost anchor.

Has the court finally decided to reclaim Bashu?

But... they had no intelligence to offer. This place was too dangerous. Just last night, a purge had taken place with who knows how many people having been executed. The numbers were too high to even track.

Yet, their supposed leader’s first words sent a chill through them.

“Come with me to see Li Shentong. The Demon Suppression Bureau is reopening. Its first order of business: overseeing land audits and investigating official corruption.”

The agents blinked, their eyes darting around.

Wait... isn’t the Divine Brilliance Sect’s banner still standing strong at the city gates?

Nothing had changed. Bashu had not fallen.

And yet, here was Zhao Changhe, openly declaring the Demon Suppression Bureau’s return like it was already a done deal.

Speaking of the city gates, the great cauldron Zhao Changhe had planted there still stood, unmoved. Travelers passing through often stopped to marvel at it. The legend of King Zhao’s cauldron had already begun to take shape.

It should have been an obstruction. It should have been an insult to Li Shentong, a sign of dominance left by an outsider. And by all logic, if Li Shentong had wanted it gone, he could have removed it himself with ease.

Yet he had not.

Did that, in itself, not mean something?

1. Louguantai is a Daoist temple in Tayu Village, Zhouzhi County, Shaanxi province. It’s about 70 km west of Xi’an, also known as Chang’an. ☜