Chapter 746: The Imperial Capital Is Where We Are

Yue Hongling sometimes wondered what kind of relationship she would have had with the Four Idols Cult if Zhao Changhe had never appeared.

On the level of political power, the Four Idols Cult was at odds with First Seat Tang, and privately, it was said that the Vermillion Bird was First Seat Tang’s lifelong nemesis.

But when the

jianghu

came into discussion, it was clear that Yue Hongling and the Four Idols Cult were more like the protagonists of classic

jianghu

tales.

Without Zhao Changhe, she might never have gone to Beimang. Even Xia Chichi might not have ventured there. The fateful first encounter at Beimang, where her sword clashed against “Luo Qi’s,” might never have happened. At the same time, Xia Chichi’s deep-rooted connection to the Four Idols Cult was undeniable. There was a high chance that during the battle at Luo Family Village, she would have been taken by Vermillion Bird and indoctrinated into the cult.

As one of the most notorious demonic cults in the

jianghu

, the Four Idols Cult had committed more than its fair share of atrocities. Given her own temperament, it was highly likely that she would have clashed with them in the Central Plains, perhaps starting by provoking the newly ascended Saintess Xia Chichi and those of her Azure Dragon Hall, only to draw the ire of the other Twenty-Eight Mansions. Eventually, she would have angered Venerable Vermillion Bird herself, suffered a crushing defeat, fled in disgrace, and then—perhaps by some stroke of fortune—obtained the legacy of the Sword Emperor, trained relentlessly, and returned to settle the score....

Many old

jianghu

tales followed that exact trajectory. It perfectly aligned with her stance against the Four Idols Cult and the way both sides operated. The only real difference was that the protagonists of such tales were usually men.

And if, in the end, it turned out that the Four Idols Cult was actually a righteous army resisting a tyrannical emperor, would she have ultimately set aside their differences and joined them in rebellion? That would have been another tale entirely.

Yet, because of Zhao Changhe’s existence, both she and the Four Idols Cult had deliberately avoided direct confrontation. Now, after all this time, she was finally meeting the very venerable she had once imagined herself being defeated by and forced to flee from... and yet the battlefield had somehow shifted to someone else’s backyard. Beyond that, this venerable was now one of the most trustworthy people in her life, and it all felt beyond bizarre.

Huangfu Qing glanced at the red-clad woman standing at the street corner. Her first thought was,

That red outfit looks utterly tacky.

Then, she immediately wanted to slap herself.

She recalled a conversation she had had with Lady Three just a year before.

“For ages, people have speculated about the existence of a Sun Emperor. After all, if there is a Night Emperor, then there should also be a Day Emperor, no? No records have ever mentioned one. But even if the ancients did not have such a figure, by the laws of the Heavenly Dao, one should exist. Even if none existed in the past, could one not appear now?”

Lady Three had replied, “Yeah, yeah. So what? Weren’t you suspecting a bald monk before?”

That damned tortoise really has a way of making people’s blood pressure spike.

Huangfu Qing had retorted impatiently, “That was based on the idea that it might refer to the Vairocana. But the bald monks have been so thoroughly suppressed by Xia Longyuan that they hardly seem capable of harboring such a presence. And from our interactions with them, we’ve sensed no martial arts resonance that would suggest such a connection. It’s likely unrelated. However, now, in the

jianghu

, there is this Yue Hongling... The announcements of the Tome of Troubled Times have repeatedly associated her with the setting sun. What if she is...?”

Lady Three had quipped, “Yue Hongling just stood shoulder to shoulder with Zhao Changhe beyond the northern frontier. You’re not thinking of using this as an excuse to kill Zhao Changhe, are you?”

At that time, Huangfu Qing had not truly fallen for Zhao Changhe yet, but they had already crossed swords at Sword Lake. Hearing this, she hesitated deeply.

She thought about whether or not she really wanted to kill Zhao Changhe.

The answer was no. If anything, she probably wanted to kill Yue Hongling instead.

Of course, she could not let the damned tortoise see through her thoughts. She knew that if she did, the tortoise would laugh so hard she might never recover. So, she had simply asked, “You met her beyond the northern frontier. Did anything feel off about her?”

Lady Three inwardly smirked.

You think you can hide your little schemes from me?

The Fire Pig of Shi mask was already in play—she would love to see if Huangfu Qing could still keep up her arrogant facade when the time came.

Outwardly, though, she answered nonchalantly, “Her cultivation is too low. If I sat on her, she’d be flattened. What could possibly feel off about her? But if you’re so curious, you could always have Chichi provoke her a little. I’m sure Chichi would be more than happy to oblige.”

Huangfu Qing hesitated even more.

If she really sent Xia Chichi to provoke Yue Hongling, Chichi would be absolutely thrilled. But what would that even be? Picking a fight for no reason? What excuse would she give? “Your man has a vixen outside, want to go hack her to pieces?”

In that case, her obedient disciple ought to cut herself down first.

Besides, Xia Chichi was not even strong enough to take on Yue Hongling.

Huangfu Qing deliberated for a long while before finally saying, “I’ve received intelligence from Kunlun. The Earth Deer of Liu reports that Yang Qian, the fugitive wanted by the Yang Clan, has fled to Kunlun. If we capture him, we may have some leverage over the Yang Clan. Kunlun lies in the west, and since Chichi is seeking to break through to the Profound Mysteries, it aligns with the path of the White Tiger of the west. She will go on this mission. If she succeeds in unlocking the Profound Mysteries, she can then deal with Yue Hongling. Otherwise, she would only be delivering herself to disgrace us.”

Lady Three commented, “Kunlun is full of formidable experts. You’re sending her there alone?”

“The reports mention the Fiery Kun Ridge of Kunlun. I want to see it for myself. It serves as both a hidden safeguard for her and a step on my own path to reaching the third layer of the Profound Mysteries.”

Lady Three’s eyes twinkled mischievously as if she were barely holding back laughter. Back then, Huangfu Qing had not understood the meaning behind that look. Now, however, it was all too clear. Lady Three had already known that Zhao Changhe was heading to Kunlun in search of the Blood Ginseng.

The past flickered like a mirage, only to shatter against the long, bustling street before her eyes. The street remained lively as ever, yet here she was, staring at a smiling romantic rival.

The debate of sun and night was still unresolved. Perhaps in the future, she ought to spend more time interacting with Yue Hongling. After all, they were now a family of sorts... A family member she was meeting for the first time. How utterly ridiculous.

Vermillion Bird noticed someone whispering to Yue Hongling and subtly withdrew.

Then a voice transmission drifted into her ears. “How about a little collaboration, Venerable?”

Without breaking composure, Vermillion Bird urged her horse forward at a leisurely pace. “On what?”

Yue Hongling transmitted, “Chang’an isn’t as overrun by barbarians as we initially imagined. In fact, there are none at all—only regular merchants and emissaries. This means that, on the surface, the Li Clan is beginning to distance itself from the barbarians in an attempt to win the people’s favor. Of course, in reality, their alliance remains intact. This is merely a facade.”

“And?”

“I originally claimed I was going to assassinate a high-ranking officer of the barbarians, but that was merely an excuse to test my master...” Yue Hongling hesitated for a brief moment before shaking her head. “Forget it. That’s not important now. The key point is that someone just secretly warned me about Bo’e hiding inside the court of state ceremonial. If I step in, I’ll be walking straight into a trap.”

Though Yue Hongling was smiling, Vermillion Bird could see the grief and disappointment in her eyes.

Her master betrayed her.

A strange and ridiculous feeling welled up in the Vermillion Bird’s heart: disdain and... pity?

Yue Fenghua, are you truly so deluded? Do you actually believe people respect you for your own worth? Everyone is here for the sake of your disciple. If she dies, who will care for Luoxia Mountain Village? You’ve been blinded by years of fleeting glory.

Meanwhile, Yue Hongling continued, “If it were just me, I would consult Changhe. But since you happen to be here, this actually presents an excellent opportunity. Once I enter the court of state ceremonial and engage Bo’e, you—being so close—can shout loudly, ‘Why do I sense Bo’e’s presence here?’ and then come to support me. I’ll be fine, and at the same time, Bo’e’s presence in Chang’an will be exposed to the world. The Li Clan’s carefully crafted deception will collapse instantly, forcing them to make a public decision.”

Vermillion Bird was deeply intrigued but deliberately asked, “And what if their decision is to choose Bo’e and eliminate us?”

Yue Hongling chuckled. “We still have Changhe in the shadows. As long as we create enough of a commotion, he will intervene. How could a mere Chang’an contain us? More importantly, the Li Clan’s attempt to cleanse its reputation will fail, and in the battle for the people’s trust, we’ll have already won half the war.”

Vermillion Bird rode forward at an unhurried pace, but Yue Hongling could just barely make out her distant response—

“Sure.”

In truth, there was no need for an enormous uproar. Zhao Changhe was already nearby. He had rushed here anxiously, fearing that Yue Hongling might run straight into Bo’e.

Different paths, different pursuits, yet everyone and everything converged at the same place.

Even before they arrived, a dazzling sword light burst into the sky from within the court of state ceremonial, piercing through the morning glow with unparalleled brilliance.

“Barbarian scum, meet your end!”

Wei Changming, the very man who had secretly warned Yue Hongling about Bo’e’s presence, felt his mind go completely blank.

What the hell is wrong with this woman?!

Do you have any idea how much risk I took just to warn you? All you had to do was take the hint and leave—maybe even owe me a favor. That would have been a fair trade! Yet you charge in anyway, knowing full well Bo’e is inside? Have you lost your damn mind?!

𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Wait...

Judging by that sword strike... Has she already broken through to the Profound Control Realm?

Well, things might not be too bad, then... But no matter how you look at it, she’s just entered the realm at best! Bo’e is likely already in the later stages of the first layer! Not to mention this is his stronghold, teeming with elite guards and deadly traps! Do you really think you can walk away from this in one piece?!

Even as those thoughts raced through his mind, a terrifying explosion of energy erupted from within the court of state ceremonial. In the blink of an eye, lightning crackled, thunder roared, and the temple walls crumbled, sending shockwaves rippling through Vermillion Bird Avenue.

Vermillion Bird, who had seemingly gone far ahead, suddenly turned back, her voice ringing out with thunderous authority, carrying across several miles, “How did Bo’e end up in your Li Clan’s court of state ceremonial?! I thought you sought to sever ties with the barbarians so that our Great Han could set aside past grievances to stand with you. But now I see your two-faced treachery! You’re still colluding with them in the shadows!”

Half of Chang’an must have heard it. Stunned silence fell over the city. Even Li Boping, seated within his hall, was struck dumb. Meanwhile, Wei Changming, standing in the streets, froze for a moment, and then, a trace of delight flickered through his eyes.

Vermillion Bird’s words were righteously resounding, but before the echo could fade, she had already transformed into a raging inferno, streaking across the avenue straight toward the court of state ceremonial.

Boom!

Flames surged skyward, engulfing the entire court in an instant. Whatever traps and ambushes had been laid within were rendered useless. Whatever mechanisms had been prepared were reduced to ashes.

Bo’e’s voice finally rang out amidst the chaos, “Vermillion Bird! Yue Hongling! This is Chang’an, not your imperial ca—”

Before he could finish, his instincts screamed in alarm. He whipped his head around.

Far in the distance, perched atop a rooftop, was the figure who had briefly appeared at Louguantai the day before—the one rumored to be a true disciple of orthodox Buddhism, Qin Jiu. He had drawn his bow and had an arrow nocked. The deadly tip was pointed straight at Bo’e’s throat.

This is Chang’an?

So what if it is? Wherever we are, there is the imperial capital!