Tome of Troubled Times

What actually happened inside the room was not as Han Wubing imagined, nor was it even what Zhao Changhe expected to happen.

Right as he closed the door, he immediately wanted to hug her, kiss her, and tell her that he missed her after half a year of separation.

But as soon as he raised his arm, when he caught sight of Xia Chichi’s half-smiling eyes, Zhao Changhe froze in place.

Just half a month back, he had been hugging a little girl and telling her to wait three years for her Big Brother Zhao.

Because of that, now that Xia Chichi was right before him once again, he could not help but have a guilty conscience.

Besides, her eyes did not seem to be as warm as he initially expected. Furthermore, her half-smiling smile appeared to be far less excited and joyful than his own—how are events like this in the jianghu supposed to go?

Xia Chichi smiled and said, “What’s wrong? Big Brother Zhao? Why did you suddenly turn mute and become as red as a tomato after seeing a woman?”

It’s over. The sourness in her words can probably drift all the way to the lake. How does she know how Yangyang calls me?

Zhao Changhe was trying to figure out what to say when he suddenly saw a cold flash of light—the edge of a dagger was getting a bit too close to his neck.

His first reaction was to dodge and, interestingly enough, he felt that he really was able to dodge this strike. He consequently could not help but wonder whether it was because the gap in strength between himself and the thirteenth Hidden Dragon was not that large...or because she was showing him mercy.

With that in mind, despite feeling that he could dodge, he did not move in the slightest. He simply allowed the dagger to reach him.

He could not sense any murderous intent from Xia Chichi, and Dragon Bird did not react at all... Regardless, he could see the apparent anger in her eyes. In the end, he simply resigned himself to his fate, stopped resisting, and decided to let her do whatever she wanted with him until she was satisfied.

Xia Chichi noticed the signs of Zhao Changhe instinctively moving to dodge but ultimately stopping himself from doing so. She harrumphed and said, “Is this how vigilant you are in the jianghu? You just let random people in, and you don’t even dodge when they raise their weapons against you? What gives you the confidence that I won’t kill you?”

Zhao Changhe then blurted out, “How are you ‘random people’?!”

“Oh? Am I not? Then who’s Cui Yuanyang?”

“About Yangyang...” Zhao Changhe wanted to say that he had tried to refuse her by telling Cui Wenjing that he already had a girlfriend, but the old fox had ultimately tricked him into this situation.

But then, after giving it some thought, he realized that while he may have been deceived initially, he had still fallen victim to Yangyang’s cuteness. Even though what he felt for her was more like a family member than a partner, the same could not be said for Yangyang’s feelings for him. So was it even a good argument to make? Moreover, he did indeed consider waiting for her to grow up, so it really was as if he had cheated on Xia Chichi.

After his thoughts reached this point, he decided to no longer even attempt to argue and simply admitted in a low voice, “It was my fault. I was unable to control myself.”

“When a woman chases after a man, merely a veil separates their union. Not to mention, the woman in this scenario is Cui Yuanyang, who’s so incredibly cute and rich. Even I would have probably done the same if I were in your position, much less our dear Big Brother Zhao.”

“No, I...”

Xia Chichi slightly increased the pressure she placed on his neck with the dagger. “So I am indeed an outsider. Right now, I am none other than the saintess of the sect superior to the Blood God Cult. I am merely acting to purge the traitors of the sects subordinate to mine. For the sake of our friendship, I can make an exception and let you choose to die on your own terms. Tell me, how do you want to die?”

“...Hm, could you bite me like how you did back in the cave? It’d be nice if you could suffocate me to death like that.”

Xia Chichi said coldly, “You are a traitor to our cult, yet you still want to relive your old dream with the saintess? Sorry, but to be a saintess requires renunciation and devotion to the idols of our worship. I have long since forgotten you. I came here to see you so that I could put a definitive end to our past relationship. In addition, you even have a new love, so what have I to lose?”

“Luo Qi—”

“My name is Xia Chichi.”

“Chichi.”

Xia Chichi forcefully held back the emotions she was feeling and glared at him angrily.

“The Blood God Cult is a subordinate of the Four Idols Cult. Since when was it the duty of the Four Idols Cult’s saintess to come out and help the Blood God Cult purge its traitors? Are they even worthy of such favor?” Zhao Changhe sighed. “Did you come here to look for the ancient sword? Do you need help?”

“...”

Do I need help?

Just this simple sentence of his shattered the psychological barrier that Xia Chichi had erected. She gritted her teeth and said, “I have plenty of subordinates, and all of them are at the eighth or ninth layer of the Profound Gate. Do you seriously think you can compare to them?!”

“Outsiders may think that when you became a saintess, it was as if a little sparrow jumped from a branch and transformed into a phoenix. But I know that you haven’t had it easy in the past six months,” Zhao Changhe said softly. “A completely unfamiliar environment, a dark, demonic cult, without anyone to talk to, unable to express your true feelings...”

Xia Chichi shouted, “I had someone!”

“While you were indeed given the power to order others around as per the rules of the cult, once you make a mistake, even if it was ever so trivial, such as going out to look for a man, that mistake could well lead to you being banished. I have no idea how many people there are who are jealous of your position and are secretly trying to pull you down. You walk on ice as thin as paper, and you probably never had a good night’s sleep since Beimang.” Zhao Changhe sighed. “I understand. You should not even have come to see me today...”

Xia Chichi looked at him steadily and said nothing.

He was right. She terribly missed him, which was what had led to her impulsive actions. She truly should not have come looking for him in the first place...

She knew deep inside her that she was not doing the right thing. Otherwise, why would she have always been hiding in the trees and secretly peeking at him from afar? While she reasoned it as observing the traitor...

The truth was that she just could not hold herself back.

As soon as she had left him, Yue Hongling had appeared. Then when he later ventured into the jianghu, Cui Yuanyang had appeared.

After being away from him for half a year, she could not help but wonder if, while she had not forgotten him, he had forgotten her.

In fact, the cult’s degree of penetration into society was quite ridiculous. The Four Idols Cult even had people within the Cui Clan. Although Xia Chichi did not know the details of the conversation between the rumored father and son-in-law, she could figure out from other people’s descriptions that Zhao Changhe truly did hold Cui Yuanyang dear, in a way similar to their relationship back then. While such a relationship was still different from that of lovers... she still felt uncomfortable with the fact.

Additionally, she could not deny that Cui Yuanyang was frankly more suitable for Zhao Changhe than herself. She was just a saintess who was supposed to not show any emotions, so how could she drag someone around for the rest of her life? On the other hand, Cui Yuanyang was kind and lovely, and her family was rich. The help she could give him was much greater than what Xia Chichi could.

So shouldn’t I be happy for him?

But I just can’t help feeling angry, I really just want to poke him with the dagger and ask the heartless asshole how he wants to die!

But when I saw him in Ancient Sword Lake...

I even came to see him even though I shouldn’t have. And even with my dagger against his throat, he still asked me if I wanted his help.

It was just like back then; when I came back home exhausted and saw the food ready at home, it was like an arrow piercing my heart, and I could not dodge it.

Xia Chichi looked at him dumbly, watching helplessly as he stretched out his hand, easily pushed away the dagger on his neck, and then took her into his arms.

Xia Chichi, who was much stronger than him, actually failed to get out of the way.

The dignified thirteenth Hidden Dragon was oh-so-vulnerable at this moment.

When he hugged her, Xia Chichi still felt nostalgic for a moment, and then she sobered up in horror and pushed his chest. “If someone finds out, you and I will both die.”

Zhao Changhe dragged her hand, raised the dagger to the side, then raised Dragon Bird, and chopped down on the dagger. “Look, the saintess is fighting the traitor.”

Xia Chichi nearly burst out in laughter.

“Chichi.” Zhao Changhe was chopping down on the dagger while looking at Xia Chichi, but his eyes slowly turned warm...and blurry. “No matter how you look at me, no matter how ungrateful you feel Zhao Changhe to be, I.... Really, after you left, I really never shared that kind of intimacy again.... You have always remained my girlfriend in my heart. I’ve always been waiting for the day I get to truly see you again, and kiss you however I want....”

Xia Chichi’s mind blanked. She did not know whether or not Zhao Changhe had kissed Yue Hongling and Cui Yuanyang, but she felt that he was speaking the truth.

Earlier, he would even blush from the mere provocations of the brothel madams.

He... He’s really been waiting for me?

When she came to her senses, her lips were already sealed.

The saber and dagger were lying on the side. Meanwhile, his left hand held her thin waist tightly, and he kissed her domineeringly.

He seems to really be suffocating... Xia Chichi thought drowsily.

But what about me? How many midnight dreams have I had of the man who touched my heartstrings, that fierce and domineering kiss, over and over again. I never forgot it either. This is so weird, though... I mean, he’s my man, but for some reason, I feel like we’re having an affair.

The chivalrous is detached, while the noble is reserved. They are merely suppressing Changhe...and I am just a witch of a demonic cult, what’s wrong with me having an affair?!

All these thoughts flashed through Xia Chichi’s mind in an instant. In the end, she closed her eyes and accepted the kiss enthusiastically.

Anyway, I’ve already decided to let him choose how he wants to die, so be it if he suffocates to death!

The source of this c𝓸ntent is fr𝒆e(w)𝒆bnovel