Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 397: The Grand Show Begins

Zhao Changhe sat in the outer hall mainly to avoid the formalities and the tension between the women inside, but he actually also had another purpose for doing so.

He did not want to be directly in the spotlight, arguing over whether something or someone could be treated or not, and neither did he want to show anyone up. He preferred to wait and observe others’ attempts at treatment or their debates, which would allow him to gather insights and gain more confidence in his own attainments. If he were inside, cornered by someone like Wang Daozhong, it would be difficult for him to avoid confrontation, so it was better to stay outside and maintain a clearer perspective.

Wang Daozhong probably saw through this and realized that Zhao Change likely did not come here just to celebrate a birthday. He thus intentionally tried to force Zhao Changhe into the spotlight, making it impossible for him to hide.

Old Wang isn’t foolish, but the price he’ll have to pay for this may end up being quite high, and that’s probably something he hasn’t considered...

As Zhao Changhe looked at Thunderbolt Sword Ding Ting standing in front of him, he leisurely gnawed on a chicken leg and said leisurely, “You’re at someone else’s banquet, yet you challenge a guest before the host has spoken—this is the Wang Clan’s etiquette, huh. I see...”

Ding Ting chuckled and replied, “Aren’t you a bandit? You even take pride in being a bandit, so when have you ever cared about etiquette? Are you afraid?”

Zhao Changhe finally put down the finished chicken leg, wiped his hands, and said, “I just think that your ranking is a bit low. It’s basically pointless for me to fight you.”

Ding Ting, enraged, drew his sword. “Please enlighten me!”

Swish!

A sword was thrust right at Zhao Changhe’s face.

Ding Ting, known as the Thunderbolt Sword, was famous for the speed of his sword. However, this particular strike was meant to force Zhao Changhe to rise from his seat and draw his weapon, so he did not execute the strike at his full speed; he was holding back.

But to the onlookers, the speed of his sword was already incredibly fast—almost as soon as the sound of the sword being drawn was heard, the sword had already reached Zhao Changhe’s face.

Zhao Changhe himself did not care much about the Ranking of Man. With that said, there were only so many people in the world who could make it onto the ranking, and no matter where they went, they could be considered masters. Even when playing around with someone, they were not someone that an ordinary person could handle for even half a move.

The many people in the outer hall were sweating profusely, knowing that if they faced this sword strike, they would not be able to avoid it at all!

Under the gaze of everyone, the blood-red flash of a saber appeared.

No one knew where his saber had been before this.

No one knew how he had drawn his saber.

The blood-red flash of light passed, followed by a scream.

Ding Ting’s treasured sword clattered to the ground as he clutched his wrist and retreated. It was difficult to tell whether or not his tendons were severed, yet it seemed a genuine possibility.

Blood sprayed out like rain.

Listening to the Spring Rain in a Little Pavilion at Night.

Tang Wanzhuang’s eyes turned misty. Every time she saw this move, she thought it was so beautiful, yet it felt as if it were teasing her.

It resembled her style so much.

Ding Ting clutched his wrist and retreated rapidly. His tendons were indeed severed, with only a small part still connected. Fortunately, there were many renowned doctors present. If he received timely treatment, there might still be hope to save his wrist. If it were a different time and place, it may have been truly rendered useless.

Ding Ting could not afford to waste time threatening Zhao Changhe and quickly rushed back to the inner hall. “Mister Cai, Mister Cai...”

Everyone else was utterly silent; even Yang Jingxiu and Wang Daozhong were stunned.

No one had expected Zhao Changhe to instantly defeat Thunderbolt Sword, someone ranked close to him, without even having to stand up. He even critically injured the other party with just a single strike!

In fact, Ding Ting had already reacted quickly. If he had been even a split second slower, he would not have just suffered severed tendons—his entire hand may have ended up being cut off, and it would not matter how many renowned doctors attended to him then.

Zhao Changhe sighed and leisurely drank his wine. “Do you really think my last name is Xue... and so just about anyone can bully me?”[1]

“...”

The atmosphere remained silent for several seconds before Wang Daozhong slammed the table in anger. “Zhao Changhe! This is a birthday banquet. Ding Ting was just offering you a friendly sparring match and testing a sword move. How could you take that opportunity to strike so viciously? Do you have no sense of martial virtue?”

“Oh...” Zhao Changhe did not even raise an eyelid. “A sockpuppet, barking madly here—do you think I care?”

Others might not understand what he meant by sockpuppet, but Wang Daozhong was nearly driven mad to the point of having a heart attack.

You’re really bringing that up?! I’ve never seen someone so shameless!

Zhao Changhe continued leisurely, “I originally intended to be polite. I even asked earlier if it was proper etiquette for someone who’s merely attending a birthday banquet to be issuing a challenge to a guest. Since neither Mister Wang nor Mister Ding believe that there’s any need to follow proper etiquette and even say that I, being a bandit, shouldn’t overthink things—well, just what exactly is the problem here then? I’m quite good at being a bandit; you should take some notes.”

Huangfu Qing and Tang Wanzhuang seemed to be silently watching the spectacle, but at this point, both of them simultaneously showed a smile.

Then they caught a glimpse of each other smiling and quickly returned to wearing serious expressions on their faces.

Wang Daozhong was so angry that he could hardly contain himself. In his fury, he turned to Tang Wanzhuang and asked, “First Seat Tang, what does the Demon Suppression Bureau have to say about such a violent act?”

“It’s indeed inappropriate,” Tang Wanzhuang replied sternly. “It’s simply lawless!”

Wang Daozhong was delighted, but then he heard Tang Wanzhuang continue, “Once this matter is settled, I will personally take him back for questioning.”

Wang Daozhong: “?”

Once this matter is settled? You’re probably just going to bring him back for a kiss, right? This bureau chief can’t be relied on.

Suppressing his anger, Wang Daozhong turned to Huangfu Qing, “Your Highness...”

Huangfu Qing, as if waking from a dream, let out an “Ah?” Then, with a look of disgust toward Zhao Changhe, she frowned and said, “My dear subject from the Wang Clan, you’re absolutely right. I will report this ruthless bandit to His Majesty...”

“Never mind, there’s no need for you to do that, Your Highness.” This bastard is likely to be His Majesty’s own son. Who in the imperial court would dare accuse him?

Wang Daozhong finally calmed down, fully understanding that using legitimate methods to shake Zhao Changhe even a little was impossible. He had set up the challenge, so he had to swallow the bitter consequences of its failure.

When did Zhao Changhe gain such influence? He’s truly terrifying.

He knew why Zhao Changhe had acted ruthlessly, disregarding martial ethics. The Wang Clan had been confirmed as his enemies, and he took this opportunity to weaken them as much as possible. Why should he show them any mercy? However, Wang Daozhong never imagined that a simple maneuver to force Zhao Change out of the shadows and onto the spotlight would cost him the short-term combat effectiveness of a key subordinate. It just went to show how ruthless Zhao Changhe could be—something that many who had not witnessed it firsthand could not fully grasp, as they were often led to believe that he was just someone who flirted with women.

But regardless of the outcome, his initial goal of sending someone to challenge Zhao Changhe was still achieved. It forced him into the spotlight, where he could no longer hide behind the scenes and quietly do as he pleased.

At this moment, an elderly man had finished bandaging Ding Ting’s wrist and said solemnly, “Thanks to the timely treatment, the hand could still be saved. Mister Ding, you must avoid any combat for the next month, or even the Heavenly King himself cannot save your hand.”

Ding Ting, drenched in cold sweat, thanked him, “Thank you, Mister Cai.”

Cai Wenque, known as the Enemy of the King of Hell, was ranked twenty-third on the Ranking of Earth.

Severed tendons were a grave issue for anyone, but Cai Wenque seemed to be able to handle it with ease.

Zhao Changhe had wanted to seek his medical expertise in the past, but he could not find him. Who knew where Yang Jingxiu had managed to invite him from?

Seeing that Cai Wenque had treated Ding Ting, Yang Jingxiu found an opportunity to join the conversation, “Doctor Cai truly is a divine physician—I’m impressed.”

Cai Wenque cupped his hand in modesty and said, “I don’t deserve such praise. I heard that you have been feeling unwell lately?”

“Indeed,” Yang Jingxiu replied. “Attempting to break through to the third layer of the Profound Mysteries is known to be extremely difficult. I tried it recently and felt my mind become foggy and my spirit weakened. Although it had not affected my strength, I’m concerned that it could hinder future breakthroughs, which is why I invited many renowned doctors to help me eliminate potential issues.”

Cai Wenque asked, “May I take your pulse?”

Yang Jingxiu readily extended his hand, “Please do.”

Cai Wenque stepped forward, placed his hand on Yang Jingxiu’s pulse, and his expression gradually turned to one of surprise.

The pulse was incredibly strong, and his strength was unfathomable. His cultivation was at least certainly much higher than Cai Wenque’s own cultivation.

No wonder he’s in the top ten of the Ranking of Earth. Many say that the Yang Clan is in decline, but their accumulation is far beyond that of ordinary people.

But... there doesn’t seem to be any issue here...

The so-called soul also seems... eh?

As he was pondering this, he suddenly felt as if Yang Jingxiu’s soul had disappeared entirely, and his own perception seemed to plunge into some dark, empty space, a vast void where nothing could be seen.

Is he dead? But it still feels as though he exists, perhaps a state of deep sleep then?

But to say it’s a deep sleep is also not accurate... I can’t even find where his soul is.

Just what is going on here?

Cai Wenque looked up at Yang Jingxiu, who was smiling faintly, showing no signs of a lost soul.

—What Cai Wenque had no way of knowing was that with his formidable power, Yang Jingxiu had connected the Lianshan Sword he carried with himself. What others were probing, thinking it was his soul, was actually the state of the sword spirit within the Lianshan Sword.

Huangfu Qing vaguely noticed this and was secretly amazed.

Yang Jingxiu is a low-key person, but he’s actually quite impressive. Perhaps being ranked tenth on the Ranking of Earth is too low for him. At the very least, He Lei, who was ranked seventh back then, did not have this level of skill. This is almost on par with my own level before I broke through. Back then, I would not have been confident in winning against him.

It just went to show that the Ranking of Troubled Times could only be taken as a reference. Since many of the experts on the rankings had not fought anyone in a long time, the rankings may not be entirely reliable.

Meanwhile, Tang Wanzhuang was also paying attention, with a hint of anticipation in her heart.

If Cai Wenque could solve the issue with the Lianshan Sword’s spirit, couldn’t he possibly help her with her condition as well?

Amidst everyone’s expectations, Cai Wenque slowly began to speak, “From what I can see, the issue with your condition might be...”

“Hold on,” interrupted Wang Daozhong. “Your medical analysis can be discussed with Brother Yang in private or after all the other doctors have finished examining him. At that time, we can all discuss it together. For one, our bandit brother may want to listen in?”

Zhao Changhe ground his teeth.

Everyone else does not believe that I came here to treat an illness, so why are you watching me so closely?

The annoying part was that Wang Daozhong was right to be suspicious. With this, Zhao Changhe’s intention to eavesdrop on their discussion was immediately shut down.

Zhao Changhe wished he could strangle Wang Daozhong on the spot, but he could only stand up and make his way toward the main hall. “To treat Senior Yang’s illness, we should pool our collective wisdom. Everyone should offer valuable insights and consult with one another; perhaps in that way, we may stand to gain something. I can only wonder if some people see this event as a personal opportunity to gain fame. Where did this petty village gossip come from, with such a small-minded attitude at that?”

If I’m so small-minded, then why do you keep using my name as an alias?!

Wang Daozhong coldly said, “Then how about we have little brother Zhao start us off and show us how we can pool our wisdom?”

Zhao Changhe was rather helpless and extended his hand toward Yang Jingxiu. “May I have a look, senior?”

Yang Jingxiu was actually quite frustrated at this time, but not with Zhao Changhe—his frustration was directed at Wang Daozhong. What nonsense are you pulling? I’m here to get treatment, and you’re just babbling on!

He cursed inwardly, but he could not afford to flip out, so his words began to take on a sarcastic tone, “It’s good that you have such intentions. In learning, there is no distinction between the senior and the junior; the one who achieves mastery becomes the teacher. Pooling wisdom might indeed yield some results. Medicine is like martial arts—some people are repeatedly outdone by their juniors, and perhaps the root of the problem lies here.”

Wang Daozhong pretended not to understand and stared intently at Zhao Changhe, waiting for him to admit that he had no solution so that he could kick him out of the game.

This is a power struggle. It’s not that I’m being petty. I’m doing this for the sake of the Wang Clan’s grand ambition. Do you think it’s easy for me...?

Zhao Changhe placed his hand on Yang Jingxiu’s.

Tang Wanzhuang and Huangfu Qing both instinctively leaned forward, watching closely for any changes.

Then, they exchanged a glance and leaned back again.

At that moment, Cui Yuanyang’s voice transmission reached Tang Wanzhuang’s ears. “Bureau chief, you asked me to keep an eye on any unusual activities surrounding the Wang Clan... This Mister Cai entered the Wang Clan’s residence yesterday and had a deep conversation with Wang Daozhong for at least half an hour.”

Tang Wanzhuang’s eyes narrowed.

1. Just a note that this is hinting to Xue Canghai. Pretty rude if you ask me. ☜