Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 204: I Have Had Enough Wine

Wang Zhaoling’s expression turned ugly.

They could not force Zhao Changhe to do anything. As for getting rid of him, that was absolutely out of the question.

Although they had not figured out Zhao Changhe’s true relationship with Cui Yuanyang, there was no question that Zhao Changhe was Cui Yuanyang’s benefactor. The Cui Clan had given him Dragon Bird, which essentially conveyed the message that they acknowledged his identity. If it were not for the Cui Clan’s certification, who would recognize the possibility of Zhao Changhe being the prince?

If not for that, killing him behind the scenes would have been feasible, but that was obviously not the case.

Dragon Bird had brought a lot of inconvenience to Zhao Changhe, but the benefits that it had brought him were substantial as well; every coin has two sides.

Cui Wenjing’s attitude was like a sharp sword hanging above them, and the Wang Clan absolutely did not want to offend valuable allies like the Cui Clan. With that being the case, could they really even carry anything out now? They might as well just go home and sleep.

Not to mention Cui Wenjing, even the Wang Clan’s countless affiliated forces, disciples, and former officials would find it difficult to support something as drastic as killing the prince. If word spread, the Wang Clan’s influence could potentially collapse overnight.

This was where the biggest difference between the aristocratic families and the demonic cults lay. The aristocratic families all required legal justification for their actions. Once they deviated from this principle, history would remind them of the severe consequences. Of course, if they managed to make use of those principles well, achieving success would be much easier for them compared to the rebellious demonic cultists. All they had to do was change flags.

Wang Zhaoling glanced irritably at Cui Yuanyang, who blinked innocently, like a bewildered rabbit. Wang Zhaoling knew that they could not expect any clear stance from her. Her presence here was a friendly gesture from the Cui Clan, but that was as far as they would go.

It was not actually because of the custom of not seeing one’s partner before marriage that Cui Yuanyong skipped this gathering. It was purely because what he represented was different from Cui Yuanyang, so he deliberately avoided the banquet. With Cui Yuanyang coming as an ignorant little rabbit, no matter what ended up happening in the banquet, the Cui Clan could simply play dumb.

All of them were cunning old foxes.

After remaining silent for a while, Wang Zhaoling decided to give up on trying to sway Zhao Changhe.

After all, as long as Zhao Changhe sat here without storming off and disrupting things, and since outsiders would not really be able to know the full situation, they could bend the truth so that he could be interpreted to have supported and participated. There was no need to complicate matters unnecessarily.

With this in mind, Wang Zhaoling smiled and clapped his hands. “Alright, let’s leave it at that then. Regardless of whether you participate in the sword testing or not, I would like to first thank all of you for coming to celebrate my birthday. Let us all eat and drink our fill, so that we can all have the strength when we begin sparring.... Bring out the dishes and start the music!”

“I won’t be eating.” Situ Xiao stood up unsteadily and stretched. “I have had enough wine. Now, all that’s left is for my sword to drink as well.”

Wang Zhaoling was stunned. “Brother Situ, what do you mean...”

Situ Xiao chuckled and said, “Old Wang, don’t overthink it. You’ve forgotten the basics. Earlier, everyone speculated that you were using your birthday as an excuse to invite hidden dragons from all over the world to test your sword. Honestly, despite the arrogance that you have displayed, it does suit my taste. It is true to the spirit of a martial artist to test the heroes of the world. I am willing to accompany you in this sword testing that you have arranged, as well as to verify some things for myself. We will both benefit from a spar between us. Do you really think that I came all the way here from Huguang to attend your banquet just for a meal?”

Wang Zhaoling’s expression gradually became more serious.

Situ Xiao said lazily, “You talk about the difficulty of training and invite heroes from all over the world, but then you’re the one who is actually choosing to miss such good opportunities with all the schemes you’re plotting? Look back and ask yourself, do you not regret it?”

He slowly pulled out the heavy sword from his back. “I, Situ Xiao of the Divine Brilliance Sect, challenge the hidden dragons of the world. I shall toast anyone who is willing to come forward! Who will accept my challenge?”

The entire hall fell silent, and Wang Zhaoling took a deep breath.

The stage he had set up had become Situ Xiao’s martial arts arena.

But this was indeed his original intention, wasn’t it?

Even Wang Zhaoling himself could not deny that there was a surge of pride and excitement in his heart.

However, how could the two strongest fighters end up fighting before the sword testing even began? Would the following matches between the other hidden dragons not become a joke?

If he really wanted to elevate his status, he should stay seated on the main seat, watching others spar, and then accept the challenge from the victor, and then win. That would be the perfect ending.

Wang Zhaoling suppressed his urge to join the fray and kept a smile on his face as he said, “Since brother Situ wants to test his sword, he surely will not overwhelm others with his strength. Who is willing to come forward and spar with brother Situ to verify their techniques?”

There was silence for a moment. Who the hell would go up? Situ Xiao never said that he would not rely on his superior strength to suppress others. Moreover, even if he did, no one had the confidence to face him.

Just like with Chi Li back then, the only one who could match him was Yue Hongling. Now that Situ Xiao was standing there, the only one who could truly fight him was Wang Zhaoling himself.

Situ Xiao stood in the center of the arena with his sword in hand, but no one stepped forward to accept his challenge for a good while. Gradually, clear disappointment and disdain appeared in the eyes of the ragged drunkard.

Yue Hongling has already climbed onto the Ranking of Man, Cui Yuanyong did not come to avoid suspicion, and nobody here is willing to step forward. What kind of hidden dragons are these?!

Suddenly, boisterous laughter came from the side of the arena, “A toast to brother Situ!”

Everyone turned to look, only to see Zhao Changhe tossing out the wine cup in his hand directly toward Situ Xiao at the center of the arena.

Situ Xiao’s eyes lit up instantly.

The corners of Wang Zhaoling’s mouth twitched as he said, “Brother Zhao, didn’t you say you weren’t going to participate?”

Zhao Changhe said with great surprise, “Why, Brother Situ and I merely met at a banquet, and ended up sparring with each other. We’re not participating in whatever competition for whatever prize. What does our spar have to do with the Wang Clan?”

Wang Zhaoling: “...”

Xia Chichi could not help but chuckle, and her grip on her sword hilt gradually loosened.

She also wanted to participate but hesitated because of her identity. She did not expect Zhao Changhe to be so shameless.

Others, however, did not think too much of it, and their eyes were fixed on the wine cup that had been tossed.

The cup was full of wine, almost to the brim, but as it flew toward the center of the arena, not a single drop spilled, highlighting the exquisite control with which it had been thrown.

“Yue Hongling’s Sun-Shooting Flying Feather Hidden Weapon Art mixed with the Tang Clan’s Azure Waves Clear Ripples Intent. How very exquisite,” Wang Zhaoling muttered to himself in a soft voice. The fighting spirit in his eyes became stronger and stronger, almost to the point where he forgot why he had hosted this banquet in the first place.

Situ Xiao’s eyes were also filled with joy as he suddenly raised his heavy sword.

Clack

A crisp sound could be heard as the bottom of the wine cup landed and brushed against the blade, sliding along it until it reached the hilt, where it momentarily stopped. Surprisingly, instead of falling and spilling, the glass tilted forward and the wine gushed out like an arrow.

Situ Xiao opened his mouth, and every drop of wine directly entered. The cup then landed steadily on his blade. It was as if someone had just poured it for him to drink.

“Excellent wine!”

Situ Xiao laughed heartily. With a slap on his waist, the stopper of his wine pouch popped open, and a stream of wine gushed out, landing accurately inside the cup. When the flow of wine ceased, the cup was filled to the brim.

Immediately, he swept his heavy sword and said, “Cheers to brother Zhao!”

The heavy sword that clearly weighed tens of jin swept across with a whistling sound, but there was only a faint sound as it tapped the cup, sending it leisurely flying back while not a drop of wine was spilled.

This move was much harder than Zhao Changhe’s earlier toss. In terms of skill alone, he was clearly much better than Zhao Changhe.

Zhao Changhe did not have any more flashy tricks up his sleeve. He simply reached out and caught the cup of wine before downing it all in one gulp. He exclaimed with delight, “Excellent! Excellent sword art! Excellent martial arts!”

After he finished speaking, the wine cup landed back on his table and Dragon Bird was taken out!

With the sound of a dragon’s roar, a dim blood-red light surged across the hall, heading straight for Situ Xiao in the center.

Situ Xiao casually thrust his sword in response. The blood-red saber light suddenly changed, and Zhao Changhe seemed to be flying in the air as he gracefully shifted half a step to the side. Then, he transformed his slash into a stab, thrusting his saber at Situ Xiao’s chest.

Situ Xiao’s expression finally became solemn, and he urgently dodged to the side to get out of the way of the stab. He was ecstatic. “Haha, excellent! Excellent sword art! Excellent movement art!”

Excellent...sword art...?

Many people watching were puzzled. Isn’t Zhao Changhe using a saber? It’s even outrageously sized for a saber...

But that sudden thrust just now did seem to contain the essence of a sword art. Where did he learn such a sword art, and how did he seamlessly integrate it into his broad saber techniques? Can a newcomer to the jianghu really achieve such a feat?

“The Tang Clan’s Water Treading...” Wang Zhaoling muttered under his breath. “I have no idea where he learned that from. Either way, Tang Wanzhuang probably helped him integrate it into his saber. His relationship with Tang Wanzhuang...”

Cui Yuanyang pursed her lips and sniffled.

Chinngg!

The sword and saber finally clashed in the arena. However, what took place was not a fierce collision between a heavy sword and a broad saber that everyone expected. Instead, the blades grazed against one another, producing a harsh grating sound.

As they passed by each other, they each struck at the other’s chest and ribs with their left hands, and dull thuds echoed the air.

Zhao Changhe’s fingers brushed past Situ Xiao’s ribcage, but he felt as if his hands were hitting a sheet of iron. He was unable to injure his opponent at all, and his fingers even felt a bit sore. Situ Xiao’s finger struck at Zhao Changhe’s acupoint, but likewise, nothing happened.

After passing by each other, they turned back to look at each other.

Zhao Changhe rubbed his chest where the acupoint had been hit, feeling like he had lost. He was unable to hurt his opponent at all, while his own acupoint had been hit, and it hurt.

The joy on Situ Xiao’s face became somewhat strange: “Brother Zhao...”

Zhao Changhe: “Hm?”

“You’re a grown fucking man, yet you’re playing with me with flower-picking hand arts! Are you just trying to touch me inappropriately?”

“...I don’t know any fist or palm arts. I was just looking for an opportunity to learn. Can you teach me?”

Situ Xiao looked both amused and exasperated, “You really aren’t polite.”

After saying that, he held his sword in both hands, slightly bent forward, and stared fiercely. “My sect’s hand arts may not be considered fierce, but they can make you as tough as iron. If I can gain something from this battle with you, I will give you a set of hand arts. There’s no harm in doing it anyway.”

Zhao Changhe stood with his saber held horizontally and his stance appearing slightly off. A fierce bloodthirsty aura erupted from him. “Compared to that, I would much prefer to see what you can do with that edgeless heavy sword.”

Wang Zhaoling: “...”

Is this not what I wanted for the Langya Sword Conference? At first glance, yes, it seems so. But why does it feel so off...

Before this display of sword and saber, it seemed that he had become just another bystander, with no one caring about him anymore.