Chaotic World Book

Vermilion Bird didn't waste time here, she immediately took Luo Qi back to the main temple of the Four Symbols Sect.

The positions of Holy Daughters for Azure Dragon and White Tiger had been vacant for a long time, and now at least one of them was about to be filled.

It might even be possible to hold both positions.

Zhao Changhe stood on the mountain peak, gazing at the moonlit silhouette of Luo Qi disappearing into the distance with Vermilion Bird. He knew that the Four Symbols Sect would soon have a Holy Daughter named Xia Chichi, and the so-called test was almost a foregone conclusion.

People who inherited both the ancient Azure Dragon and the previous White Tiger Holy Daughter couldn't fail such a test, especially since Luo Qi was as familiar with the Four Symbols Sect as with her own home.

She was returning home, but he felt as though he had lost a family member.

The feeling of being a couple that slept and rose together turned out to be just an illusion.

A woman burdened with hatred and ambition had officially embarked on the turmoil of these chaotic times, bound to stir up storms sooner or later. Years later, he wondered if she would remember the passionate kiss in the village, in Shuilian Cave, the man who touched her heartstrings.

Perhaps she would forget.

After all, to be a Holy Daughter meant to forsake romantic thoughts, didn't it? Sects had plenty of such rules.

When they met again in Worldly Society someday, what he could call her would depend on her attitude then.

Zhao Changhe lifted his liquor gourd, took a big gulp, and strode back to the village.

Luo Qi had soared up the branches, but Zhao Changhe had certainly benefited from it—first of all, he easily became a follower of the Blood God Sect. Squad Leader Fang in front of Vermilion Bird didn't even dare to fart.

And with the official follower, Zhao Changhe, who now had the backing of the Quasi-Saintess of the Four Symbols Sect, he gained another advantage.

With the Azure Dragon Seal found, this branch seemed to lose its value... the relatively important stewards in the village, including Instructor Sun, could all withdraw. There was no reason to keep elite followers like Instructor Sun in such a desolate place.

In theory, it wouldn't matter if all the bandits in the village withdrew, but after all, a proper village had been built, and the harshest winter had passed halfway, it seemed a pity to abandon it now.

After some consideration, the Sect Hierarch Xue decided to keep it, continuing to appoint Fang Buping as the squad leader, and the key point was really to start preaching in the nearby cities.

The village, as a backup den, just needed some insignificant followers to guard it. The village chief was...

Zhao Changhe.

...

"Instructor, take good care of yourself."

Instructor Sun and the others didn't leave immediately; they dealt with various odds and ends for about seven or eight days before departing. Just during these days, Instructor Sun thoroughly taught Zhao Changhe the Blood Evil Saber Technique, completing his departure ceremoniously.

Although he hadn't told Zhao Changhe about the controlling aspect of the Blood Evil Skill, which was a bit of a hiccup, Zhao Changhe still respected Instructor Sun.

In this village, besides Luo Qi, Instructor Sun was truly the only other person who genuinely cared for him... in a way, Instructor Sun's kindness felt even more sincere.

Yet, the two people who had treated him kindly both left within ten days, suggesting that there was really nothing in this village worth lingering for.

"Hold on, you even walked out of the village, when you sent off Luo Qi... oh, Saintess Xia, you didn't accompany her that far." Instructor Sun chuckled and patted Zhao Changhe's shoulder: "You're such a rough man."

Zhao Changhe replied with a smile, "Once a teacher, always a father figure—not the same as a woman."

"This kind of teacher I am, is not a true master, but my duty in the sect is to teach broadly."

"I consider those who impart knowledge and resolve doubts as accomplished," said Zhao Changhe.

Sun Jiaoxi listened with a smile, glanced around, and lowered his voice, "The big event here is over. Fang Buping has been badly injured by the Vermilion Bird Venerable and still hasn't gone back to recover; he's left here to continue preaching, clearly as a punishment. And you, who have officially joined the sect and have backing, why not return to the Main Temple with us? Why stay in this godforsaken place and continue to be governed by someone from the Fang family…"

"Fang Buping would hardly come to the mountains to suffer. He's healing from his injuries and preaching in the city, usually, he cannot manage me. I suppose he doesn't dare either, given my connections." Zhao Changhe's gaze flickered as he smiled casually, "I don't like being confined, nor do I harbor any great ambitions. Being a mountain king here is good enough for me. Going to the Main Temple, I would just be another pawn, and that doesn't sit right with me."

"You...That indeed is your nature, never willing to be inferior to others," Sun Jiaoxi sighed, "You would have more opportunities to learn the Blood God Skill at the Main Temple… But with chaos imminent in the world, leading a village alone, no matter how insignificant, there will still be opportunities for advancement. Just be mindful."

"Indeed. After accompanying a friend for a thousand miles, there must come a parting," Zhao Changhe bowed his fists, "I won't accompany you too far; take care on your journey."

"Do not neglect your training, for it is the foundation of your standing," Sun Jiaoxi punched Zhao Changhe once more before striding off.

Zhao Changhe stood quietly in the snow, watching until Sun Jiaoxi's figure had completely vanished, then turned back to the village.

His choice to stay and be the mountain king, of course, had his reasons.

Having gained Xia Longyuan's inheritance, quite comparable to the Azure Dragon Seal, he was sure it belonged to the top-tier in the worldly society and likely to solve or alleviate the flaws of the Blood Evil Skill. So why join the sect to fawn over others, be ordered around, and achieve tasks for the sake of learning a Blood God Skill which even Yue Hongling could challenge? Ridiculous.

And the matter of him being able to solve the Blood Evil Skill's flaws had to be hidden from the eyes of the Blood God Sect. Hiding in this remote village, training until a certain level before going out, was the safest strategy. At least by leading the village, accumulating resources for cultivation was far more beneficial than being a fugitive out there.

As for the Royal Family affairs, he hadn't wanted to touch that mess. Not to mention, recognizing some random person as a father was not something just anyone could accept, better a fugitive indeed.

Joining the Blood God Sect was essentially just to have an identity to avoid some restraints. Looking at it now, it was better than expected; he could even be the village chief.

Once his skills matured, he could make his own decisions as freely as a fish in the ocean.

However, he hadn't anticipated becoming the village chief so suddenly. He was like a duck thrust onto a perch, and he immediately faced various problems. First and foremost was how to address the sustenance for the members of the village without the previous managers...

Not until you're in charge do you realize how expensive groceries are.

Previously, he had thought the food and clothing in the village were subpar. Now that he was handling them himself, he realized how hard it was to arrange proper housing and bedding, and to have someone deliver steamed buns in the morning and meals in the evening.

Some disorganized soldiers might not even manage that well, revealing somewhat the organizational level of a sect. Blood God Sect was already like this; what about the Four Symbols Sect?

Fortunately, those involved in cooking and servitude hadn't left; otherwise, just finding replacements for those tasks would have given Zhao Changhe a massive headache.

You simply can't recruit for such things!

At present, it was still manageable. The infrastructure was good, and equipment was all in place... The biggest issue was the lack of resources.

There was never much money or food to begin with in the village; they relied on Luo Qi and others to hunt and raid to keep the village running. Now that the main forces had withdrawn, no one would provide extra funds to a bunch of nobodies. Whatever was left in the storehouse was all there was; if it wasn't enough, they had to find their own means.

Zhao Changhe, with hands clasped, grimaced at the sparse Copper Coins, the last few bushels of millet, and the meat which altogether weighed less than three pounds in the storehouse... He felt that even these supplies wouldn't last him a few days, let alone the entire village.

You want to light an oil lamp in the house? Even the cooking oil was almost gone...

And there was no salt left... That was even scarcer than oil. While many things could be boiled or pressed for oil, without salt, there simply was none.

The only consolation was discovering quite a stockpile of medicinal herbs, mainly for bruises and injuries, and some for medicine baths. Medicine baths could obviously assist with External Skill cultivation, but previously, nobody had the conditions for luxurious hot water baths, and since Sun Jiaoxi wasn't his father… Now that he himself was the village chief, he could enjoy this privilege.

"Weren't there more resources before?" Zhao Changhe asked the storekeeper with a headache after inspecting the storage, "If it was always this scant, the mood in the village would have tightened long ago, doesn't seem that drastic... How come it looks like it's been cleaned out now, like not even a dog would crawl here?"

"Squad leader Fang transferred a batch of money and food to the city," the storekeeper explained, "He said that originally the money and food were for the sect to support treasure hunting, not to sustain the village. On the contrary, the village's role is to gather wealth for the sect, not to sponge off it..."

Zhao Changhe narrowed his eyes.