Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 29: Stronghold Master

Venerable Vermillion Bird wasted no time and brought Luo Qi back to the Head Altar of the Four Idols Cult.

For a long time, the Four Idols Cult lacked a saintess for the Azure Dragon and White Tiger. Now, they managed to find someone to fill one of the roles.

It was possible that Luo Qi could even take on both.

Zhao Changhe stood on the mountain peak, gazing at Luo Qi following Venerable Vermillion Bird under the moonlight. He knew that the Four Idols Cult was about to have a new saintess known as Xia Chichi. As for the so-called test to become one, he was already certain of the outcome.

She had obtained the inheritance of the Azure Dragon from days of old and was the successor of the previous White Tiger Saintess. It was inconceivable for her to fail the test. What’s more, Luo Qi understood the Four Idols Cult like it was her own family.

She was going home. But it also seemed like she was abandoning a family member.

That feeling of being a wife and husband living together was, in the end, all an illusion.

A woman with hatred and ambition was now formally riding on the waves of these troubled times. Sooner or later, she would stir up a storm. A few years from now, Zhao Changhe did not know if she would remember her time at the mountain stronghold, the cave behind the waterfall, that passionate kiss that took everything out of them, or that man whose heartstrings she touched.

Perhaps she’ll forget it all. After all, if she is to become the saintess, doesn’t she have to forget about matters between the sexes? I mean, it’s a cult. Cults are like that.

What I call you when we next meet in the jianghu—will it not depend on your attitude then?

Zhao Changhe raised his wine gourd and drank a mouthful before heading back to the mountain stronghold in big strides.

Luo Qi had now risen to the top, but Zhao Changhe also gained something out of this. Firstly, he had easily joined the Blood God Cult. In front of Venerable Vermillion Bird, Branch Master Fang did not dare say a damn thing.

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Along with this, Zhao Changhe, who now had the backing of a saintess from the Four Idols Cult, also gained something else.

Following the discovery of the Azure Dragon Seal, the Beimang branch seemed to have lost its value. The more important deacons at the stronghold, including Instructor Sun, could all leave. There was no point in letting an elite teacher like Instructor Sun remain at this frigid wasteland.

From a logical standpoint, it also would not have mattered if all the bandits in the stronghold were to leave. However, it was also a pity to abandon this nicely built stronghold after the hardest winter days to weather had passed.

After some thought, Cult Leader Xue decided to retain it with Fang Buping continuing as branch master mainly to start preaching in the nearby city.

The mountain stronghold was to become a backup nest. Some small fry would be stationed there to look over it, and the stronghold master was to be...

Zhao Changhe.

*

“Instructor Sun, take care of yourself on the way back.”

Instructor Sun did not leave immediately. Every matter from head to tail was in a mess and he took seven to eight days to sort things out before he could leave. Within this period, Instructor Sun also managed to pass down the entirety of the Vicious Blood Saber Art to Zhao Changhe and left without leaving any loose ends.

Even though he never told Zhao Changhe anything about how the Vicious Blood Art was used to control people, this was only a minor problem. As a whole, Zhao Changhe still respected Instructor Sun a great bit.

In this mountain stronghold, other than Luo Qi, the only other person who treated him well was Instructor Sun... In some sense, Instructor Sun did so with even purer intentions.

These two people who had treated him well both left within ten days. To Zhao Changhe, it was like there was no longer any point remaining here.

“No need to see me out any further. You’ve already followed me to the foot of the mountain. Even with Luo Qi... Oh, I mean the saintess, you didn’t send her off this far.” Instructor Sun chuckled and hammered Zhao Changhe’s shoulder. “You really are a rough man.”

Zhao Changhe laughed. “A teacher for a day is a father for a lifetime. My relationship with you is different from that with a woman.”

“I’m not that kind of master. I’m just an instructor with a responsibility to teach. I’ve instructed many.”

“Anyone that passes down their teachings and helps me dispel my doubts is that kind of master in my heart.”

Instructor Sun was extremely pleased with his words. After looking around, he lowered his voice and said, “This major event has already passed. Fang Buping has been gravely injured by Venerable Vermillion Bird. Before he was even able to recuperate, he was ordered to remain here to preach. This is clearly a punishment. On the other hand, you’ve already formally joined the cult and have a strong backer. Why do you choose to stay here rather than return to the Head Altar with us? Not even birds want to take a shit in this place, and you’ll have to continue receiving orders from that Fang...”

“Fang Buping won’t come to the stronghold to suffer. He’ll remain in the city to recover and preach. Under normal circumstances, he won’t be able to control me. Moreover, I don’t think he would even dare to. After all, now I have someone looking out for me at the top.” The light in Zhao Changhe’s eyes flickered and he said nonchalantly, “I’m not someone who likes to be restricted, nor do I have any ambition. Being the king of a mountain sounds pretty good to me. At the Head Altar, I can only be a minor figure. It wouldn’t be comfortable.”

“You... I guess this is your personality. You cannot bear to live under others.” Instructor Sun sighed. “Your chances of receiving the Blood God Art would be higher at the Head Altar... However, the world is about to be upheaved. Even as a small fry leading a mountain stronghold, there will be opportunities for you to prove yourself. As long as you work hard, it’ll happen.”

Zhao Changhe cupped his fists. “Indeed. One has to eventually say farewell to a lord he sends off for a thousand li. I won’t follow you any further. Take care, teacher.”

“You must never be lax in your training. That is how one should fundamentally conduct themself.” With this last remark, Instructor Sun left.

Zhao Changhe stood quietly in the middle of the snow, gazing at Instructor Sun until his figure completely disappeared before returning to the stronghold.

Him choosing to remain here to become a mountain king was not without some thought.

He now had Xia Longyuan’s inheritance. Even though it could not compare to the Azure Dragon Seal, it was still definitely one of the best in the world. There was also a high possibility it could help him remedy the side effects of the Vicious Blood Art. Why should I return to the Head Altar to become someone’s henchman to be ordered around? Why should I run around completing missions and accomplishing whatever deeds for the cult? For a chance at receiving the Blood God Art which Yue Hongling managed to defeat even with a lower cultivation? I may be dumb, but I’m not insane.

Furthermore, if his cultivation could mitigate the side effects of the Vicious Blood Art, it was of the utmost importance that the people of the Blood God Cult did not find out. Hiding at this remote stronghold and training until he got to a certain level was the safest way to go about things. At the very least, being the head of the stronghold, accumulating resources, and cultivating made more sense than going out as a wanted fugitive.

As for the matter regarding the Imperial Clan, even now, he was making a strategic decision to stay away from them. He absolutely did not wish to get involved. Besides, accepting a stranger as one’s father was not something a regular person could easily do. Between that and being a wanted fugitive, Zhao Changhe would pick the latter.

He had joined the Blood God Cult to acquire some status. There would be fewer hindrances if he could become a low-level bandit of the cult. However, his present situation was even better. He had unexpectedly become the stronghold master.

His plan was to complete his training so that he could move about freely, and then decide what to do when the time came. However, he had never expected to be put in charge of a stronghold. He was now in a position he was not qualified for, and he realized there were many things that needed to be settled. There was one thing that needed to be handled first...

Without the deacons managing things in the stronghold anymore, Boss Zhao, for the first time, had to figure out how he was going to handle the clothing and food issue for the small fry in the stronghold...

People who did not manage a household were not aware of how expensive it was.

In the past, he had even thought the clothing and food in the stronghold were garbage. Now that it was his turn to manage the stronghold, however, he realized that in order to have bedding in the houses arranged properly, have someone deliver cornbread every morning, and have someone to properly distribute meals for lunch and dinner, there was a lot more work to be done than he’d thought.

In reality, less organized officers and soldiers working for the empire could not even expect such conditions. From this, one could have an idea of how organized cults were. If the Blood God Cult is like this, what about the Four Idols Cult?

It was a good thing that the cooks and laborers had not left. If not, finding people to take over these roles would have been an enormous headache for Zhao Changhe.

There’s no way I can hire people!

Things were still looking good, though. Basic matters had been handled well beforehand. There were many things that were available for use. At the very least, housing and appliances were in order... The biggest problem was that they were out of resources.

The stronghold lacked money and food to begin with and needed Luo Qi and the others to go out hunting or looting to ensure that it could continue operating. Now that the main force of the stronghold had left, there was an even lower chance that additional supplies would be sent out to help the nobodies huddled here. However much was left in the storehouses was however much there would be. Anything else, and they had to think about how to get it themselves.

Zhao Changhe clasped his hands together as he looked painfully at the scraps of copper coins remaining in the storehouses, the remaining vats of grain, and the cured meat of which they had less than three-hundred jin of... I don’t even think this’ll be enough for one person to use over a few days. How is it gonna be enough for a whole stronghold?

There was also no salt... There was less of it than oil. At least with oil, they could boil and extract it from a variety of items. But with salt, if they did not have it, they would not be able to make their own.

The only thing that provided Zhao Changhe some relief was that there was still plenty of herbal medicine available. They were mainly used to treat contusions, sprains, and fractures. There was even some medicine used for medicinal baths available. Medicinal bathes could assist with practicing external arts. Since no one was able to take baths beforehand, it was natural that they did not have the luxury of taking warm medicinal baths. Instructor Sun was kind, but he wasn’t Zhao Changhe’s father...

Now that he was the stronghold master, however, he had the authority to use all of these things.

“We weren’t this short on resources before, were we?” asked Zhao Changhe after his inspection. “If we had this little, then the atmosphere in the stronghold would have long-since been incredibly tense, but I don’t believe it was ever that bad... If that was the case, then was everyone just brainwashed? There was nobody that ever tried to run away.”

“The Branch Master moved some money and grain into the city,” the storeman replied. “Whatever money and grain the cult sent us was to assist us in finding the treasure and not for supporting the stronghold. Also, it is the job of the stronghold master to acquire riches for the cult rather than taking from it.”

Zhao Changhe narrowed his eyes.