Chapter 710: Chapter 693: The Trapped Bird Escapes the Cage

Xia Chichi and Huangfu Qing, of course, wanted to put the Jinzhong region in order. Xia Chichi was somewhat steadier, while Huangfu Qing was more impatient. She originally wanted her brother to lead the troops and charge north, but he managed to persuade her otherwise. She was on her way back to the Capital, seething with frustration.

Because her biological father was at Yanmen Pass and currently faced being attacked from both front and rear, lacking in both clothing and provisions. The situation was dire, as if he was completely isolated.

But her brother was still her father’s son, and if he, feeling helpless, said that the troops simply could not engage in battle, then they truly could not. She couldn’t insist otherwise, and could only return, fuming with anger.

Actually, the situation in Jinzhong hadn’t always been this poor. At least, Huangfu Yongxian’s circumstances didn’t include having enemies at his back.

If it was said that the entire world turned against Xia Longyuan, it might be Zhao Changhe who could salvage some dignity. On the contrary, it was Jinzhong that was different. Perhaps they recognized Xia Longyuan more and resisted Zhao Changhe.

Before the fall of Great Xia, merchants from Jinzhong would never have struck Yanmen Pass with a blade; it was meaningless. Their only interest was in making money. They didn’t care about the nation or foreign tribes—who doesn’t get along with money? The more incompetent Xia Longyuan became, the happier they actually were.

But once Great Xia collapsed and Zhao Changhe became the leader, the merchants were keenly aware of how he viewed them after his trip to the Northern Border. They definitely wouldn’t bear good fruit from him. To preserve themselves, they took the initiative to move their troops toward the Capital, and after their failure, they were even more inclined to welcome the foreign tribes into the pass. In other words, Huangfu Yongxian’s current precarious situation could be seen as being dragged down by Zhao Changhe; it hadn’t needed to be this difficult.

Of course, no one would blame Zhao Changhe for this; they were not so ungrateful. Huangfu Qing simply said, “Who doesn’t want to deal with them? But even Shaoweng said we can’t fight. For one, the Capital Army is unwilling to move and are just waiting to celebrate the New Year with their rewards; secondly, even if we forcibly pushed them, the forces are insufficient. Diving into the vast Jinzhong would be like getting stuck in the mud. In this snowy and icy weather, the morale is low, and it’s almost no different from sending them to their deaths. Our military force isn’t meant for such use. Although I’m worried about my father, I know he’s right, but what should we do?”

Zhao Changhe said, “I’ve thought about this issue on my way here… We should adapt measures to local conditions. The situation in Jinzhong is different from Langya, and perhaps methods from the Worldly Society would be better. I think… you should handle it the same way you did with Luo Family Manor.”

Huangfu Qing was momentarily stunned, then a fierce light suddenly burst in her eyes.

Those four words are often just an adjective, not so exaggerated, but at this moment, Huangfu Qing literally personified them. A cold light flashed in her eyes as if lightning were flickering in an empty room, terrifying the palace maids nearby.

Even Xia Chichi felt a bit of a tremor; she could sense the Venerable’s emotions.

The feeling of being able to personally strive to help her father was undoubtedly significant and also touched upon the Venerable’s sigh that had been pressed in her heart and never expressed. A feared Demon from the Worldly Society, who had been ready to be trapped within the Imperial Palace, which wasn’t the life she wanted. But due to circumstances, she had had no choice. With a single word from Zhao Changhe, she realized she could still be the Vermilion Bird, traversing the world and doing what she loved most.

It was like a caged bird set free.

“I… If I stay outside for long, the safety of the palace…” Huangfu Qing tentatively asked.

“When I returned, I triggered an Array. I think it’s quite powerful. It might be worth studying, to see if it can be combined with Xia’s Underground Sky Dome, and thus become more defensively integrated and powerful. As long as it’s not easy to breach in the short term, there wouldn’t be a need to confine you here… Chichi can fend for herself; you have to trust your own apprentice.”

Huangfu Qing glanced at Xia Chichi, who was leisurely eating a pastry and smiling, “You taught me martial arts, not to protect me for a lifetime, Mother. If I can stabilize the situation sooner, then you can come and protect me.”

“Tch.” She’d need protection after stabilizing the order? In bed, perhaps?

But with those words from Xia Chichi, Huangfu Qing truly felt much less worried and said with great zeal, “Dealing with those Jin merchants with the mindset of the Worldly Society, I do have many ideas. Shaoweng can go play with mud for all I care; who needs him? The so-called Alliance of Merchants is not of one mind. There is much to exploit here. I’ll start by picking the most troublesome one to decapitate. That will surely shock and intimidate the people. There will always be those who waver. Once the Four Symbols Order is issued, we’ll see their attitudes…”

Looking at her, one could tell she had already analyzed her way to a conclusion. Zhao Changhe and Xia Chichi couldn’t help but laugh.

“What are you laughing at? I was terrorizing the Worldly Society when you two were still wetting your pants in Luo Family Manor.” Huangfu Qing slammed the table, “I’ll take charge of this!”

Zhao Changhe smiled and asked, “Does the Four Symbols Sect have enough people?”

“It should be fine if Shaoweng comes back to take care of the city defense… The main issue is Tang Wanju, that waste. She actually told me that the Capital is in a state of utter terror now, with many secretly defying authority. The Demon Suppression Department’s armed forces are spread thin, and she doesn’t have enough people, asking to borrow from me.” Huangfu Qing was quite speechless, “The Demon Suppression Department borrowing from the Demon Sect, she has the nerve to ask. We’re already stretched thin patrolling, and we still have to act as the Inner Guard; where do we get so many people…”

“You’re calling yourself a member of the Inner Guard one minute, and a member of the Demon Sect the next; how can you even say that…” Zhao Changhe said with a mix of laughter and tears, “Don’t worry, I’ve found you a team of helpers.”

Huangfu Qing curiously asked, “Who?”

“Whoever you brought with you to the Luo Family Manor, that’s who.”

Finally, Huangfu Qing couldn’t help but laugh, “You really are…”

“In love with Vermilion Bird,” Zhao Changhe chimed in.

Huangfu Qing looked at him tenderly, not even drinking the porridge, thinking of drinking something else.

Xia Chichi almost vomited, tapping her chopsticks on the table, “I was there too, at the time, don’t make it sound like it’s just your shared memory. And I didn’t find it at all appealing.”

Huangfu Qing gave her a sidelong glance, thinking about finding a book for her to transcribe. You knew you shone like a lantern back then, didn’t you? Is that something to brag about? So clueless.

Xia Chichi had already stood up, swept her robe aside, and left, not wanting to watch this couple seduce each other any longer, “Anyway, before you leave, you’d better get that formation you were talking about sorted out! Alright, I have to attend the morning court now, you carry on!”

Zhao Changhe and Huangfu Qing exchanged a glance, took each other’s hands, and hurried to the Underground Sky Dome.

This place, as the greatest legacy left by Xia Longyuan, was still heavily guarded. Inside, many things belonged to Zhao Changhe, things he wished to use but didn’t have the power to; for instance, being able to invoke Divine Presence by simply pointing at a location was incredibly convenient. Zhao Changhe always had the idea that the whole place could potentially be refined into a portable globe to carry around, which would be the true final form… But obviously, that was a far-off dream and not something achievable in the short term.

For the time being, the small world nature of this Underground Sky Dome could be extended to encompass the entire Imperial Palace. If the palace could be turned into a relatively independent and closed environment, one would only need to guard the entrances strictly. This would be far more comfortable and secure than having Vermilion Bird sit at the core.

“How do you plan to do it?” Huangfu Qing asked with curiosity, “You’ve always been weak in arrays, haven’t you? Can you also improve our formation?”

Zhao Changhe shook his head, “I’m still not too interested in arrays, but this time I’ve mastered something else…”

“I noticed those two moves you used when you sparred with me last night; they were quite interesting, was it qi?”

“You’re as perceptive as ever, it was indeed qi.” Zhao Changhe pointed to the Heavenly Vault above, “Fundamentally, your intangible array is like the atmosphere enveloping the space above the Imperial Palace. I don’t need to understand the array; I just need to connect the qi here with your array, forming a complete layer of qi, creating a closed small world. As for how to adjust the array, that’s up to you.”

As he spoke, an invisible surge of qi rose from the underground, spread out into the Heavenly Vault, merging with the Array laid out above by the Four Symbols Sect. Vermilion Bird’s naked eye could even see a curved layer of qi shrouding the Imperial Palace; it was mysterious and didn’t block the wind and rain or the sunlight, yet it blocked all invading forces.

How to let the formation counterattack intruders was indeed her matter, and it was simple for her.

Huangfu Qing looked at Zhao Changhe with burning eyes and whispered, “Have you noticed something…”

“What is it?” Zhao Changhe asked, puzzled.

“The various attributes of cultivation you’ve mastered all fall outside the Four Symbols and Five Elements, and they only resonate with us due to our connection… Even your Principal cultivation of the Rejuvenation Technique, which seems to belong to wood, is only for recovery, not a main combat technique.”

Zhao Changhe was stunned, thinking it was true. His Five Elements Control was all for support, just like the Rejuvenation Technique and his martial arts; none were true control over wood or water. It seemed as if he was subconsciously avoiding the foundation of the Four Symbols Sect, without knowing if it was just his subconscious.

“I don’t know if you’re intentionally avoiding these, and I won’t comment…” Huangfu Qing, who was also talking about this, added, “But since you’re avoiding such mainstream cultivation and don’t want to retread the old path of ‘Lie’ to prove Blood Evil again, will you eventually feel that the path of controlling the Imperial Realm is chaotic and confusing, without a clear goal?”

“Yes, that’s precisely my recent headache. I’m supposed to be planning a Breakthrough, feeling that my cultivation is almost sufficient, but lacking a clear direction, Qing’er… Does the Venerable have any teachings for me?”