Chapter 711: Chapter 694: Why Not Command This Star River

Huangfu Qing was very satisfied that he would seek her counsel in these matters instead of consulting his father-in-law from the Cui Family.

Although she had been “defeated and conquered” by him and even her current Half-step Imperial Realm was achieved with his help, that certainly didn’t mean he had already surpassed her in true strength and understanding of Martial Arts.

Especially in terms of understanding Martial Arts, she, the Vermilion Bird, was now one of the top Grandmasters of this epoch. Zhao Changhe had practiced for such a short time that genius could not replace the depth and insight gained from experience. If he were to solely rely on his own thoughts for practice, he might well venture down the wrong path.

Huangfu Qing felt that Zhao Changhe had begun to hesitate in matters of Martial Arts cultivation, losing his usual momentum that was as unstoppable as a great river, as well as the reckless bravery and overwhelming force he displayed in battle, now replaced with an excessive caution.

This was incorrect, for one should never lose that vital energy in Martial Arts.

Why the overpowering approach when controlling others but faltering when it comes to Martial Arts?

“Do you hesitate in the control of the Four Symbols because you fear Emperor Ye or in the control of Blood Evil because you do not want to follow the old path of Lie and deem it insufficiently grand, or perhaps the control of the entire world because you fear repeating the failures of Xia Longyuan? Is that it?”

“Indeed… and additionally, I feel none truly suit my own path…”

“Where has your domineering spirit gone?”

“Huh?”

“Why don’t you choose a woman that’s the most suitable for you?”

“Huh?”

“Given your temperament, shouldn’t you want them all?”

“…Can one think of Martial Arts in the same way? There isn’t a primary one either…”

“Who is the main consort in your harem? Me?”

Zhao Changhe feigned death.

So according to your nature, what exactly is it that you’re struggling with in your Martial Arts? Shouldn’t everything in the world be at your disposal?”

Zhao Changhe was slightly moved by the thought.

Indeed, having everything at his disposal was right up his alley, but with no primary focus, could he truly make a breakthrough?

Yet this was not the same as with women… If one must draw a parallel, it’s like having a handful of loose thread ends. Normally, you would choose one to thread through a needle, pulling the others along with it – easy to comprehend. But shoving a whole handful of thread ends through at once – can it really fit?

But then he heard Huangfu Qing say, “In fact, this is what it means to ‘Control Heaven and Earth’… The difficulty lies in its vastness. Since you have such a foundation, why not give it a try? First, you need to be resolute in this regard. If you never even considered it, you’ll never achieve it.”

Zhao Changhe said, “Would it even be considered a foundation if I’m only superficially involved in each area?”

“In the previous epoch, it is written that Han Gao did not consider himself a match for Xiao He in one area, Han Xin in another, or Zhang Liang in yet another, yet he was the one who ruled over all under heaven. What makes you think you need to personally master every single element? You only need to have a cursory understanding of them. What you should control is not them, but us who already have the mastery.”

“Eh…” Zhao Changhe’s eyes widened.

That was quite a statement… The message was clear.

“In fact, the concept of ‘Control Heaven and Earth’ isn’t necessarily all that great, but I mentioned it to make it easier for you to understand,” Huangfu Qing said with a smile. “In my opinion, both heaven and earth can collapse, epochs can be remade, so this heaven and earth aren’t really worth controlling. What you should control is a vaster heaven, transcending the limits of this world—like a galaxy beyond the skies, falling from beyond the Nine Heavens, descending to the mortal realm, destroying everything… That is what your Dharma Image should achieve. If you must speak of control, it would be controlling the Star River, but not the Star River of this world.”

Zhao Changhe was greatly moved by her words as he looked into Huangfu Qing’s eyes, her gaze deep and filled with untold wisdom.

Zhao Changhe had initially thought that the Vermilion Bird was entirely consumed by the ideas of Emperor Ye, but it was clear from her words that her thoughts had transcended.

Once transcended, one’s vision would become boundlessly broad. That’s what made her one of the top-ranking Vermilion Bird Venerables in the world, and not just someone with charming skills in the bedroom.

“My thinking has transcended, and you are the one who pulled me out,” Huangfu Qing said with a smile. “You made me feel that the will of Emperor Ye is too small… yet you yourself are so limited by it. Have you forgotten where your own strengths lie? Have you been assimilated by the mundane, or is it the overwhelming difficulty that has robbed you of your bold ambitions?”

Zhao Changhe was stunned for a moment, then suddenly said with a laugh, “It’s more like being too hasty, like Zhu Bajie eating the Ginsengfruit—just skimming the surface without deeper contemplation and losing the ability to think.”

Huangfu Qing bit her lower lip, her eyes flirtatious: “Like how you ‘eat’ us? Gulping it down without savoring.”

Zhao Changhe: “…”

He didn’t engage in Huangfu Qing’s flirtations, but instead solemnly saluted her: “Changhe is fortunate to have made the acquaintance of the lady.”

Huangfu Qing blinked her eyes, a slight smile on her face.

He called her “lady,” which sounded pretty nice.

Zhao Changhe stood up straight, letting out a long sigh. Huangfu Qing could tell that his whole demeanor had changed slightly, as if he had some kind of epiphany right there and then.

For someone as brave and determined as Zhao Changhe, he was never afraid of having goals that seemed too high or too difficult; what he feared was feeling lost without direction. Once a direction was set, the process of striving towards it was his pleasure, and the power of his determined advance was enchanting.

Huangfu Qing really liked his spirit—along with the spirit he once had when he wanted to conquer the Vermilion Bird Venerable, which was very charming. She didn’t know if this was what people called ‘self-debasement.’ If Tang Wanju knew, she’d probably die laughing.

What’s fighting with Chichi compared to this? Small family disputes could be settled quickly, but Tang Wanju was the true lifelong rival.

Huangfu Qing brushed away the sudden thought of Tang Wanju from her mind, and spoke seriously: “There’s no need for formalities when we help each other as partners. I also have an issue that requires your insight.”

Zhao Changhe asked: “Is it to make the final breakthrough? Or do you feel your current speed isn’t up to par?”

These two issues could be considered one and the same, because without a true Breakthrough into the Imperial Realm, everyone’s inherent attributes were still a tad weak. The problem they faced was that they could beat their enemies but couldn’t catch up or finish them off, which would leave endless troubles for the future.

Huangfu Qing responded: “Previously, I mentioned that to achieve a Breakthrough, we need to venture to the Southernmost Land to truly witness the Nanming Li Fire. Now, I feel that may not be necessary. I think I’ve already grasped its essence, and seeing the source of the fire doesn’t seem to hold the direct significance I once thought it did. What I lack for my Breakthrough, I believe, is exposure to not enough varieties of special fires…”

Before she could finish speaking, a page appeared in front of her. It was the Heavenly Book she brought back from Yangyang when she left Langya. Obviously, now this item should be used by everyone together; it was not something only she should breakthrough with.

Huangfu Qing was taken aback: “The Heavenly Book?”

Zhao Changhe said: “Within the Heavenly Book is the Natural Page, which contains many different types of Fire Intent. It also records and collects based on what I come into contact with. A few days ago, I saw the Destructive Flame in the Cui Family, and the Heavenly Book has recorded it too, which should be useful for you.”

Huangfu Qing stared blankly with a strange expression for a while—wasn’t this like getting a pillow when you’re sleepy?

His destiny really was odd. She used to think his fortunes were tied to Xia Longyuan’s ambiguous position as the Crown Prince. Now it seemed it had nothing to do with Xia Longyuan, not even a copper coin’s worth of connection—it was his own momentum.

The saying goes, when the time is right, the entire universe conspires in your favor.

Then she heard Zhao Changhe continue: “But speaking of which, when facing opponents with special attributes like Feng Yin or Destruction, even if everyone breaks through, can we necessarily keep up? I doubt it. I intend to head to Kunlun, see Li Shentong of Yuxu, and perhaps uncover some more secrets while I’m there…”

Huangfu Qing frowned: “You’re going to Kunlun?”

“Yes… I think you can handle the matters in Jinzhong, and while you do, I’d like to make trips to Kunlun and Ba Shu.”

Huangfu Qing’s brows were tightly knit.

Going to Kunlun and Ba Shu was theoretically the right move. But this was much more dangerous than visiting the Cui Family… For instance, Kunlun. They had both been there before, and their relationship was solidified in that place. Huangfu Qing knew full well that Kunlun was vast and still concealed a multitude of secrets, and that there was more than one or two Secret Realms there. More than a pair of divine and demonic eyes were probably watching Kunlun.

While Li Shentong of Yuxu might claim to be righteous, the stance of each person varied, and it wasn’t something that could be clearly distinguished as good versus evil. For example, Yuxu’s past claim to shelter criminals might not have been as straightforward as stated. If their intentions were unfavorable, even someone at the Imperial Realm could perish there, unable to return—and Zhao Changhe was yet to Breakthrough.

However, Huangfu Qing also knew that in order to finalize their battle with the barbarians, it was necessary to clarify these unstable elements and not leave them unchecked.

And right now, Zhao Changhe was severely lacking consolidation, yet the situation didn’t allow him any time to do so. But looking at it from another angle, his path to Breakthrough might indeed require such places. His path was exceptionally challenging, and ordinary warfare would probably not suffice.

After pondering for a long time, Huangfu Qing reluctantly said: “If you really must go, you should still see Tang Wanju before departing… Whether for Cultivation or the overall situation, she can offer deeper insights.”

————

PS: My wife underwent surgery for a thyroid nodule, hence my late update. It was a minor surgery and all went well. I thought I’d be able to write while in the hospital, but it turns out I was too optimistic; not an ounce of inspiration struck me.