Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 457: Testing the Hundred Tribes

The second duel had already begun, with Zhao Changhe facing a burly, bearded man.

Gu arts came in many forms: some enhanced the user’s abilities, some were used like beasts to attack, some only activated after entering a target’s body, and some created external effects.

At this moment, Zhao Changhe was dealing with one that created an external effect.

The bearded man’s palm struck toward him, flames blazing.

What came toward him was not a palm, but a Flame Gu.

For low-level martial artists, fire and lightning were nearly insurmountable. Unlike in games where getting hit by a fireball would merely take away some health, fire could literally burn someone to death in the real world. Even someone as powerful as Yan Que from the Ranking of Earth would not dare to withstand lightning or fire with just his body. Once one was ignited, that spelled severe injuries at the very least.

This was why Vermillion Bird’s combat abilities were often overestimated. People generally perceived the less flashy Black Tortoise to not be as terrifying as Vermillion Bird. In the battle against Maitreya, the Vermillion Bird’s fire was not particularly effective against Maitreya’s corpse-like body, which was one of the rare occasions where her fire did not work as intended. Most of the time, opponents would not dare face her flames head-on.

Zhao Changhe thought that if this type of gu was brought to the Central Plains, it would be nearly invincible on the battlefield... He wondered if it was common, and how difficult it was to raise.

As these thoughts flickered through his mind, his sword was already in motion, piercing through the flames and heading straight for the man’s palm.

“?”

The bearded man was dumbfounded.

Why isn’t he afraid of the fire?

He quickly retracted his hand, but his technique was nowhere near as refined as Meng Tai’s earlier, so there was no way he could avoid Zhao Changhe’s sword.

A metallic clang resounded as his palm suddenly became as hard as metal, blocking the sword.

Copper Skin Gu!

But the next moment, the man let out a scream and retreated rapidly. His palm had still been cut open, and a small, fire-red gu worm poked its head out of his hand, looking surprisingly cute.

No matter how much the gu enhanced his skin to be like copper or iron, it was unfortunate for him that Zhao Changhe’s sword was an ancient divine sword. Even without unleashing any special powers, the material the sword was made of alone was enough to slice through metal.

The man quickly pushed the gu worm’s head back into his hand and began bandaging it, still utterly confused. “Why aren’t you afraid of fire? You didn’t even use any true qi to dispel the flames!”

Zhao Changhe chuckled. “I told you, I also practice gu arts. Along with my Giant Strength Gu, I have a Fire Resistance Gu. They don’t conflict, right?”

It’s true that such gu would indeed not conflict, but gu are typically cultivated over a long period of time. It’s not as if someone can just randomly collect a bunch of them and throw them into their body whenever they please. What do you think you are, some kind of gu master?

Is he really so lucky to have been cultivating exactly the right gu since childhood, just in time to face opponents like us?

Even Sisi could not figure out what was going on. She quietly asked Yue Hongling, “How is he able to disregard the fire?”

Yue Hongling was uncertain herself. “It seems... like he has an affinity with fire, allowing him to neutralize weaker flames... That man’s Flame Gu just so happens to fall within the range of those weaker flames. Strange... When did he ever practice any fire-related cultivation techniques?”

Sisi shook her head. “I have no idea.”

Zhao Changhe certainly was not about to tell them that this fire affinity of his came from when Huangfu Qing transferred her energy to him with a kiss back in the Kunlun Secret Realm. That was the power of the Fire Serpent of Yi, one of the Twenty-Eight Mansions, or so he believed. In comparison, the fire of the bearded man before him did not even come close. If Huangfu Qing had agreed to dual cultivation at that point, Zhao Changhe may have even been able to take complete control of the flames the bearded man released.

Zhao Changhe took a long breath and raised his sword again. “Who else wants to challenge me?”

Whoosh!

A nearly invisible gu shot at him from behind.

Zhao Changhe’s ear twitched, and he sidestepped just in time, the gu barely grazing his neck—it was a sneak attack meant to kill him!

Without hesitation, Zhao Changhe swung his sword, aiming to cut the gu in two.

The gu fluttered its wings with incredible agility, dodging the sword and veering off to the right, flying toward a tall, thin man who was waiting to catch it.

“Come back here!” Zhao Changhe’s left hand grabbed forcefully.

A vortex of energy erupted, and the gu, as if seized by an invisible hand, let out a sharp squeal but could move an inch.

Crane Controlling Art!

The tall, thin man was shocked. He reached out to grab his Stealth Gu, but the gu screeched again, flying straight at him. Its invisible wings sliced across the man’s fingers, drawing blood.

The man hurriedly pulled back, only to find Zhao Changhe’s sword flashing toward his throat!

“Stop!” Lei Zhentang suddenly intervened and his Miao saber drew a strange arc, arriving just in time to block Zhao Changhe’s sword.

But Zhao Changhe’s wrist flicked and his sword defied logic, speeding up by half a beat, piercing the man’s throat before Lei Zhentang’s saber could intercept it.

Clang!

Only then did the Miao saber meet the sword, the force of the clash making Zhao Changhe step back and withdraw his sword. But the tall, thin man was already clutching his throat, collapsing to the ground.

The hall was in an uproar.

Lei Zhentang pointed at Zhao Changhe and shouted angrily, “This was just a duel—who gave you the right to kill him?”

“He used a Stealth Gu to ambush me. If I hadn’t dodged, I’d be the one lying dead on the floor right now.” Zhao Changhe’s expression remained unchanged. “Respect goes both ways. If someone tries to kill me, they should be prepared to take the same road to the afterlife. I’m always fair.”

Lei Zhentang replied coldly, “Who can say for sure if he just wanted to place his blade against your neck and force you to admit defeat? Regardless, whoever strikes to kill first is the loser. Does anyone object?”

Zhao Changhe couldn’t help but laugh aloud. “The council hasn’t even been established yet, and you’re already running a one-man show.”

He held his sword high once again and asked, “Who’s next?”

“I’ll go!”

“No, me!”

Several men jumped forward, exchanging glances before bursting into laughter.

Lei Zhentang’s face darkened.

No matter the culture, respect for heroes was a universal concept.

Others were eager to challenge this formidable swordsman, and since the council had not been officially formed, who had the right to judge the outcome?

Moreover, many in the crowd realized that Si Laoye was facing a series of opponents without even taking a break, yet he showed no fear, displaying great valor. If he really could win until the end, he would undeniably deserve a seat on the council. In fact, more of the smaller tribes might be inclined to follow him over the other four major tribes.

This was a hero.

Zhao Changhe, with a half-smile, looked at Lei Zhentang and said slowly, “Chief Lei, you still haven’t left the arena... Could it be that you want to challenge me yourself?”

Lei Zhentang replied, “Why not?”

“You better think this through, Chief Lei. If you win, all is fine. But if by any chance you lose to me, the Black Hmong’s seat might become a bit unstable...” Zhao Changhe’s sword pointed forward as his smile suddenly disappeared. “Do you truly wish to fight?”

Lei Zhentang’s expression flickered between uncertainty and resolve.

It was not that he thought he would lose; it was just that it would be unseemly for him to even fight.

The chief of the strongest tribe, the figure acknowledged as the most powerful among those present, going out to fight a protector from a tiny, obscure tribe of just a few hundred people—would that earn him any honor?

Even if he won, if he so much as received a minor injury, people would mock him for years to come, just like what happened to Xue Canghai in the Central Plains.

Besides, Si Laoye had already fought several duels and was likely getting tired. There was truly no logical ground for Lei Zhentang to be the one to fight him. He could simply wait for Si Laoye to wear himself out, and someone else could finish him off later.

After having all these thoughts go through his mind, Lei Zhentang signaled to someone among the other tribes, who nodded slightly in return. Finally, Lei Zhentang laughed heartily, “Should I, a seasoned warrior, really fight a rookie like you? That would be shameful. This is your arena, carry on.”

With that, he returned to his seat, watching the battles unfold with a calm demeanor.

Zhao Changhe knew exactly what Lei Zhentang was thinking, but he did not care. He smiled and suddenly pulled out a gourd of wine, taking a big swig. “The finer the clothes, the fewer the heroes. A shame my friend isn’t here to drink with me.”

Pan Wan’s eyes flashed with admiration, and she deliberately asked, “You’ve already fought three duels. Would you like to rest?”

Without turning his head, Zhao Changhe hung the gourd back at his waist, pointed his sword to the field, and said, “It’s a grand occasion—why rest? Our Spirit Tribe has just emerged from the mountains, and I’ve come forth to test my sword against the Hundred Tribes. Whatever tricks you’ve got, bring them on!”