Chapter 747 (1): Zhao Changhe's Profound Control

One had to wonder if this simply was the inevitable fate of high-level barbarians who set foot in the divine land.

Years ago, He Lei had been caught in Gui Chen’s formation. Initially, he had held a slight advantage. But then, Zhao Changhe, who at the time was merely at the sixth or seventh layer of the Profound Gate Realm, had drawn his bow while claiming to be Wang Daozhong. Though the arrow had yet to be loosed, He Lei mistakenly believed he was being targeted by an expert ranked on the Ranking of Earth. The immense psychological pressure that followed restricted his movements, ultimately leading to his injury and forced retreat, setting the stage for his eventual demise.

And now, history was repeating itself.

Yue Hongling was a renowned hero of

jianghu

, and Vermillion Bird had arrived as an official envoy. It was perfectly natural for them to engage in combat with a barbarian leader upon encountering him. The Li Clan could not openly intervene in favor of the barbarians, or their painstaking efforts to distance themselves from them in the eyes of the people would be utterly undone.

But Zhao Changhe could not draw his blade and join the battle. The moment his presence was exposed, it would be over—not only would Jiuyou inevitably make a move, but the Li Clan would also have every reason to mobilize their forces and encircle him. At that point, what use was public sentiment or prestige? If Zhao Changhe perished, the Great Han Empire would collapse in an instant, and the world would fall into their hands.

Thus, Zhao Changhe could not engage in close combat. He could only assist from afar with his bow. Very few people had witnessed his Dragon Soul Bow in action. It was still a card he could play. However, indiscriminate arrows could just as easily disrupt Yue Hongling and Vermillion Bird rather than aid them. The best approach remained the same as the one he had used against He Lei.

After all, an arrow nocked on the bow is far more terrifying than one in flight.

From Bo’e’s perspective, the presence of that bow was a haunting specter, a looming death sentence. Though he had not yet been struck, the aura emanating from it filled him with bone-deep dread. He had no doubt that if that arrow was released, no body cultivation technique could shield against it. Not even Li Shentong, a master specializing in such defenses, would be able to withstand it.

A mere bow, and yet its threat felt more suffocating than the two women besieging him. At least half of Bo’e’s focus was now locked on that distant figure, his eyes flicking toward him every few breaths.

Meanwhile, Yue Hongling and Vermillion Bird were fighting with unrestrained ferocity.

The bow’s aura might have been enough to make even them feel a tinge of fear, their scalps prickling, but knowing the one holding it was their man? They had nothing to worry about. Neither so much as spared him a glance, fully committing to pummeling their opponent with wild abandon.

Their cooperation was seamless, but the more they fought, the more an odd realization dawned upon them... Their instincts had been correct; their cultivation techniques clashed.

Vermillion Bird and Black Tortoise had once theorized that if a Sun Emperor were to exist, he might be the Vairocana. But they had eventually dismissed this notion, as Buddhist martial arts exhibited no fundamental contradictions with theirs. Yet here, with Yue Hongling, that contradiction was clear as day.

Had they been opponents, their arts would have directly countered one another. But as allies? Instead of disrupting one another, their techniques surprisingly harmonized. They did not simply work together; they amplified each other to a degree far beyond ordinary cooperation. The result was an overwhelming synergy that neither had ever expected.

This is downright ridiculous. Tang Wanzhuang and I have been at odds all our lives, clashing like fire and water, yet we’ve never experienced anything like this bizarre mix of counteraction and synergy.

And you? A pure swordswoman with no elemental affinity, plain and unremarkable... yet we complement each other?

The thought unsettled both women.

As for Bo’e, caught in the middle of this chaos, he was suffering beyond words.

Forget the absurd portrayal in the Tome of Troubled Times that had turned him into a laughingstock. He was, in reality, the undisputed second strongest in the world. He had indeed reached the late stage of the first layer of the Profound Control Realm—in fact, he was almost at the very peak of it. Aside from Xia Longyuan, he feared no one.

Neither of these women should have posed a real threat to him. One had barely stabilized her cultivation at the Profound Control Realm, while the other, though stronger, was still not even at the middle of the first layer. Even in a fair two-on-one fight, he should have had a decent chance of victory. Yet somehow, their inexplicable synergy made their teamwork feel like a battle formation. For the first time, Bo’e was not sure if he could win this fight.

And then there was the bow.

That damned arrow, held at the ready but never released. Half of his mind was consumed by the need to guard against it, throwing his focus into disarray. As a result, he had already fallen into a disadvantageous position within just a few exchanges.

Escape was not an easy option either. In a chaotic melee like this, an archer would not easily take a shot for fear of friendly fire. But the moment he turned and fled? That would be the perfect opportunity to let the arrow fly, and that shot was one he might not survive. Adding to his frustration, not a single one of his subordinates had the strength to intervene, not even to slightly offset the pressure.

While Bo’e struggled, high above the Li Clan’s palace, Jiuyou stood atop the rooftop, gazing at the distant battle with a deep frown.

Ying Five was busy stirring trouble along the trade routes, forcing Snow Owl to deal with him. Desolate Calamity was in Hangu Pass, making moves against the Yang Clan. Hidden Wind had been stationed in Jinnan to guard against Vermillion Bird, yet here she was in Chang’an instead. If Jiuyou did not act, there was no one else available to interfere in a battle of this scale within the Profound Control Realm.

However, she did not want to move personally. Even Papiyas and the Dao Lord had yet to step into the open. If she acted first, would that not make her the first of their kind to dirty her hands in the affairs of the mortal realm...? And she was sure that a certain someone was undoubtedly watching from the shadows, observing all of this with an infuriatingly knowing smile.

If that wretched woman sees me take action first, she’d probably laugh herself silly, rolling from the night sky straight into the mud.

The laughter was one thing—what Jiuyou truly worried about was what she would do with this opportunity.

There’s no way that woman isn’t planning something big. I have no intention of giving her an opening.

Yes. From start to finish, the reason so many gods and demons—including Jiuyou herself—hesitated to reveal themselves was one single blind woman.

Everyone was convinced she was orchestrating some grand and unfathomable scheme. No one realized that, in reality, she spent her days following a man around, growing increasingly infuriated as she watched him flirt with others, yet unable to do a damn thing about it.

Jiuyou pondered for a moment before giving a quiet order, “Go inform Kong Shi that if he takes action, we will support him in return.”

One of her subordinates hesitated. “Kong Shi’s Buddhist sect is currently competing with Yuxu for the hearts of the people. If he openly aids the barbarians, he can forget about winning that battle... Would he really be willing to take action?”

“Public sentiment is fleeting and illusory. It is imperial backing that truly matters. Besides, people’s memories are short. Tell him plainly. He will understand the choice he must make.”

“Understood.”

Moments later, a solemn Buddhist chant echoed through the battlefield. “Amitabha... Engaging in combat within a crowded marketplace risks harming innocent civilians and disrupts the harmony of heaven and earth. This old monk has come to mediate. May you all grant me this small courtesy.”

The words were spoken with the utmost benevolence. Yet, in the very next instant, a surge of Buddhist light blasted toward Vermillion Bird’s back with ruthless killing intent, its force vicious and unrelenting, aimed at taking her life.

Twang!

Like a meteor streaking across the sky, an arrow flew, its sound trailing behind its speed.

Zhao Changhe had loosed a shot at Kong Shi the very instant the attack launched.

But Kong Shi was prepared. In an absurdly physics-defying movement, he abruptly retreated while advancing, causing the arrow to graze past his face with a sharp whoosh before vanishing.

And in that brief moment when Zhao Changhe’s arrow had been expended, Bo’e seized his opportunity.

With a violent burst of force, he shattered the offensive pressure from Yue Hongling and Vermillion Bird, twisting his body into a retreat. His laughter rang through the wind as he fled. “How laughable! Chang’an’s bustling streets—where Zhao Changhe’s women gang up on their guest! Is this the grand outcome the heroes of Guanlong sought by inviting Buddhism into their land? What an incredible joke!”

His words were meant to mock the Li Clan.

You refuse to submit to us, playing your balancing games, trying to appease everyone. And yet, what’s the result? Instead of standing firm as rulers, you’ve allowed Zhao Changhe’s people to run rampant in your own streets while you stand helplessly by!

Perhaps if you were obedient and followed the banners of those of us from the north, we might still allow you to rule the Central Plains. Otherwise, once Zhao Changhe arrives in full force, Chang’an will be his capital, not yours.

Jiuyou stood calmly on the rooftop, watching the events unfold as if she had not heard a thing.

Bo’e’s mockery was like a passing breeze to her, incapable of stirring the slightest reaction.

Her attention, however, was focused elsewhere, on the “Qin Jiu” who had fired at Kong Shi.

Absent-mindedly, she rubbed her fingers against her pants.

You shoot pretty damn well, little brother... You actually dare to show up in front of me again? Do you really think I can’t kill you?

Meanwhile, in the streets below, Vermillion Bird and Yue Hongling were burning with fury as they surrounded Kong Shi.

Yue Hongling’s sword gleamed as it pointed straight at him. “A so-called sacred monk of Buddhism, conspiring with the northern barbarians, what face do you have left to meet your Buddha?”

Kong Shi, utterly unfazed, chuckled. “In the eyes of the Buddha, all beings are equal. There is no distinction between Hu and Han.”

Vermillion Bird, her hand crackling with flames, sneered coldly. “Then you can die in his place.”

“Venerable, you are merely an envoy. This is Chang’an. This is not the capital.” Before she could act, the clanking of armor surrounded them from all sides. A massive force of Li Clan’s elite soldiers flooded into the streets, weapons at the ready. At their lead, Li Boping arrived at last, his smile faint but composed. “Bo’e’s presence within the embassy was unknown to me. Thus, when Heroine Yue and Your Excellency attacked in outrage, I did not intervene, though I am king here... But now that Bo’e has fled, let me remind you, Master Kong Shi is a revered Buddhist monk, not some foreign enemy to be hunted down at will.”

He referred to himself as “king,” openly asserting his self-granted title of King of Qin. And, with a few carefully chosen words, he had already begun washing away the accusation of colluding with the northern barbarians. Would people believe it? That was another matter. But the official stance had been set.

As for Kong Shi’s actions? Well, Buddhism preaches the equality of all beings. If he chooses to aid the Hu, that’s Buddhism’s doctrine. It has nothing to do with the Li Clan. However, if you choose to attack a Buddhist monk here in Chang’an, then that is an offense against the city itself. That is something we will intervene in.

Such is the logic of politics. No matter how disgraceful the reality is, the surface always has to be dressed in a presentable facade. Unless you of the jianghu are willing to throw a tantrum like an unruly child, there’s no official argument left to press further.

But while the two of them were indeed unwilling to speak, there were always others who could. From the distance, Yuxu arrived with an air of effortless grace, stepping onto a nearby rooftop and offering a respectful salute. “Since that is the case, what better time than now? With all of Chang’an gathered here, its scholars and commoners alike as witnesses, this old Daoist intends to reopen the Buddhist-Daoist debate. Let us see, in the presence of the entire city, how much support the so-called sacred monk still has after openly allowing a barbarian leader to escape!”