Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 500: Tell Him Later

Zhao Changhe got up from the pool and directly used the Six Harmonies Art to dry his clothes.

With a loud boom, his clothes were almost turned to ash by his true qi.

Even Zhao Changhe was startled. Upon inspecting himself internally, he saw vast and boundless true qi surging like a rushing river, almost creating an illusion of roaring waves.

He had grown several times stronger than before!

The once weak and secondary Six Harmonies Art had now risen fully, standing toe to toe with the power of the Blood Asura Body.

He had already cultivated the Blood Asura Body to the second stage, yet it could not suppress the Six Harmonies Art. The intent to break free and claim dominance over the vicious blood qi was apparent.

But for now, neither could fully suppress the other. They were evenly matched, caught in a stalemate, intertwining and even beginning to spiral together.

Zhao Changhe clenched his fist and then opened it, staring at his palm in a daze. He could feel the surging power within himself. He had never felt this strong before.

In terms of sheer power, he was likely already comparable to those at the second layer of the Profound Mysteries, or at least very close.

All that was left was that final insight, the last step before breaking through to the second layer. His current state was similar to Yue Hongling’s before she defeated Shi Wuding.

Previously, the gap had seemed immense, but in just two days, he had reached this point.

I should be half a step into the Ranking of Earth now, right?

If Wang Daozhong were to come now, Zhao Changhe felt that he could take him on even without relying on Dragon Bird’s power, though whether he could kill him was another matter.

He let out a long sigh and began descending the mountain.

Figuring out how to take that final step was not something to worry about now. For the moment, he needed to find Yue Hongling. What happened last night? Why did she leave like that?

* * *

Yue Hongling was not resting in her room.

After Zhao Changhe had completely reshaped his meridians and fallen asleep in exhaustion, Sisi quietly left. Halfway down the mountain, she saw a figure in a red dress standing silently, as if waiting for her.

The guards at the foot of the mountain had been ordered not to let anyone up, but that meant nothing to Yue Hongling.

However, she had stopped halfway up the mountain, not proceeding further. It was as if she understood what was happening above and chose not to interfere, choosing instead to stay and keep watch.

Sisi hesitated slightly, then eventually lowered her head and walked over. “Big Sis Yue... I didn’t use any gu.”

Yue Hongling felt a pang of heartache upon hearing this. She looked at Sisi for a while. There were a thousand things she wanted to say but found herself unable to voice them out. Finally, it all condensed into two words, “Thank you...”

Sisi was surprised. “You’re thanking me? Does disguising myself as you give you some sense of participation? Is that really fine with you? Well, I guess you once pretended to be me and, well, hmm-hmm-hmm with him.”

“...” Yue Hongling’s sympathy almost vanished at that moment. She did not know whether to laugh or cry. Even now, Sisi could not help but be provocative.

Nonetheless, it did not change the fact that the first time she gave herself to him, Zhao Changhe did not even know it was her.

She could have taken the opportunity to use a gu to control him, but she did not do anything of the sort—she gave up her purity for practically nothing.

Watching Sisi remove her disguise, Yue Hongling sighed. “When he wakes up, should we tell him?”

Sisi looked up, considering it. “Can you do me a small favor?”

“What is it?”

“Tell him after you two leave.”

Yue Hongling was puzzled. “Why? We’re clearly going to stay here for some time. Do you really want to remain in a position where he hesitates and only sees you as a servant?”

“I’m fine with it.”

“...”

Sisi pouted. “It’s not like I’m asking you to lie to him forever, just tell him a few days later. Can you do me this favor?”

Yue Hongling felt that even if Sisi were to make a mistake in front of her at this point, she would still indulge her. This small request seemed harmless, so she nodded.

Sisi smiled and finally changed back into her royal attire, gracefully passing by Yue Hongling as she descended the mountain. “It’s settled then—don’t spill the secret just yet... Ah!”

Perhaps a sudden movement caused her some pain—Sisi nearly stumbled, then quickly ran away, embarrassed, while avoiding looking at Yue Hongling, lifting her skirt as she dashed off.

Yue Hongling was both amused and angry, unsure of what that little enchantress was thinking.

The mischievous girl hurried back to her own sacred temple, recalled Yue Hongling’s bewildered expression, and muttered quietly, “Because that way, he’ll think of me more often. My dear Big Sis Yue, you’re so straightforward—how will you ever compete with those crafty witches who are also after him?”

Meanwhile, Yue Hongling climbed back up the mountain to check on Zhao Changhe. As she reached the summit, she saw Zhao Changhe coming down. The two stared at each other for a moment and then they both smiled.

“Did it work?” Yue Hongling asked.

“It did.” Since Yue Hongling was here, Zhao Changhe did not ask where she had disappeared to earlier. He strode forward and hugged her tightly, giving her a fierce kiss. “My dear big sister, you truly are my goddess.”

Yue Hongling felt extremely conflicted. She had not realized when she agreed to Sisi’s request that taking credit for someone else’s deeds would feel so uncomfortable. She had no idea how she was supposed to respond to him.

As she struggled with her thoughts, she noticed Zhao Changhe’s muscles stiffen slightly.

She quickly changed the topic. “What’s wrong? Is there still some misalignment? Do you need to inspect your body and make some adjustments?”

“No...” Zhao Changhe hesitated. He felt that her scent did not quite match the one from last night. But since he had been in a daze, he could not trust his perception entirely.

He did not think much of it, and he just took Yue Hongling’s hand and led her down the mountain. “It’s already dawn, let’s go. I want to check on Wubing’s condition to see if I can help him with my current abilities. Also, today should be a key day for Sisi in establishing her new kingdom’s structure. I want to observe and maybe provide some suggestions. Would you like to come along? Watching a queen hold court could be quite an experience.”

Yue Hongling did not refuse, even though she knew nothing of these sorts of matters and was not particularly interested either. After this recent experience, she felt that she needed a broader perspective, and that she should learn when given the opportunity.

Hm, it’s strange. How come Zhao Changhe has such a broad perspective? Is he really the same person I rescued from Zhao Family Village...

After searching around for some time, the two of them failed to find Han Wubing. It was only after searching around that they came to be informed that he had already left the previous night, departing the secret realm with the Xia soldiers who entered.

However, he left a note for Zhao Changhe, which a maid handed over.

My sword qi is already recovering and should be back to normal in a few days. There’s no need for you to worry about me.

The Sword Hut is where I come from, and no matter how things end, the past ties remain. Now, with the Snow-Listening Pavilion’s involvement in the background, I’m uneasy and can’t bear to stay here and heal, so I’m leaving to investigate.

I wanted to say goodbye to you, but they said you were in the sacred temple. Receiving the Spirit Tribe and stabilizing Miaojiang are indeed important matters for the world. I don’t understand these kinds of things, so I won’t disturb you. The Xia soldiers are leaving, and I’m going to be heading out with them. Once I’m out, I’ll stay in Taoyuan Town for a while. Perhaps I can help the Spirit Tribe in Miaojiang as a show of support.

As for encountering some exotic girl here, I gave it some serious thought and realized I can’t do it. It would just interfere with my sword. Everyone has their own path, so just forget it.

Once my sword has improved, I want to fight you again. Just how are you progressing so fast, damn it.

Anyway, that’s all. Goodbye.

Zhao Changhe: “...”

He turned the note over and read it several times, quite surprised. “Putting aside the arrogance in his words, I’m honestly quite surprised that he actually wrote a letter to say goodbye... The old Han Wubing would have just left without a word. He’s really changed a lot...”

Yue Hongling said, “The whole incident with Shi Wuding would have been impactful to anyone, and all the more to someone like him. Han Wubing has always been solitary. It’s always been hard for him to make friends. You are an exception to him, so of course, he cherishes your friendship.”

Zhao Changhe nodded, his gaze lingering on the words “I want to fight you again” for a long time, a smile forming on his face.

It seemed the hearts of warriors were all like this—truth be told, he also wanted to fight again but was just too embarrassed to say it.

Back then, the duel they had agreed upon at Sword Lake had too many interruptions, and the fight had been far from satisfying.

Hopefully, when they fought again, they would both be at the pinnacle of this world, creating a tale worth remembering.

In good spirits, Zhao Changhe put the note away, gently swinging Yue Hongling’s hand as they walked together to the sacred temple.

Before they even entered, they heard Sisi’s cold, dignified voice inside: “...Establish a Bureau of Beast Control. We shall be appointing Mu En, the former sacred mountain guardian elder, as the temple minister. He will be tasked with organizing the secret arts of various tribes and searching for the texts taken by Duoluo, focusing on the ancient spirit-taming techniques of our tribe.”

“Tiger Roar Village holds the merit of guiding the sacred envoy. They are hereby promoted to a protectorate tribe of the sacred temple and are granted mountain forest lands...”

“Thousand Snakes Village holds the merit of slaying Shi Wuding. They are granted...”

It was unclear how many other changes had already been made, but it was evident that Sisi had been deliberately collecting references from the Great Xia Empire’s governance and the former Black Hmong Kingdom’s system during her time outside. Before their eyes, an amalgamation of the ancestral sacred temple and a governing structure was taking shape for an exotic nation.

But Zhao Changhe found himself unable to pay any attention to her words. He stood there, staring at Sisi on the throne, his expression gradually becoming dazed.

The Pure Bliss Art included a technique for observing women. In the past, he could tell that although Huangfu Qing was a concubine, she was still a virgin.

And at this moment, he noticed that the imposing Sisi on the throne... was no longer one.

Am I seeing something wrong?

Wait... Last night... Maybe that really wasn’t Hongling?

—————

Overview of Zhao Changhe’s current state and abilities:

Overall Cultivation Level: Half a step into the second layer of the Profound Mysteries, just one final push away from breaking through.

External Arts: Vicious Blood Art and Blood Asura Body (second stage) External Traits: Greatly enhanced strength and slight improvement in durability. High offense, moderate defense. The previous focus on raw destructive power has been refined into a sharper, more concentrated force (related to mastery of the sword). Recently, after integrating the Eternal Blood Demon Body, Zhao Changhe has also gained a much faster recovery speed.

Internal Arts: Six Harmonies Art (second layer of the Profound Mysteries) Internal Traits: High compatibility with other energies, strong ability to simulate various energy types, great endurance, and strong resistance to abnormal states (such as poisons). The simulation and endurance traits, previously underdeveloped, are now beginning to show their full potential.

Skills:

Saber Arts: Vicious Blood Saber Art (Second Layer of the Profound Mysteries)

Scattering the Gods and Buddhas A jumping chop. High power burst with a fear effect. This move has gone from having to be carried out with a “frog jump” to being usable in normal attacks, though the jumping strike is still the most powerful form. A con: Dragon Bird complains that it makes Zhao Changhe look like he has pink eye.

No Man’s Land A power-boosting buff that enhances all stats and greatly reduces pain sensitivity. Previously, it caused Zhao Changhe to lose control of his mind, but now he is able to retain full clarity while using it. At the second layer of the Profound Mysteries, it can even affect the opponent, causing them to lose focus. Zhao Changhe often feels weak and fatigued afterward, and it makes him susceptible to backlash from vicious qi. Dragon Bird mocks him for looking bloated and paralyzed after using it.

Hell on Earth A horizontal slash. A surprise attack skill, fast and silent. When combined with the Spring Water Sword Intent, Zhao Changhe unleashes his self-created move, humorously named Listening to the Spring Rain in a Little Pavilion at Night, though it’s essentially just a variant of Hell on Earth with the brutal nature concealed, allowing him to launch stealthy attacks.

Bloodied Mountains and Rivers An area-of-effect attack that manipulates surrounding vicious qi to form a mountain of blades and a sea of blood. The more hostile the environment, the greater the power that’s unleashed. It can also be used to target a single individual and force their internal blood and qi to violently rupture, displaying better effects on those filled with intense hostility.

Army Breaker A technique taught by Dragon Bird. It involves a crescent-shaped saber slash with immense power, requiring the support of Dragon Bird to be effective.

Yellow Sand Saber Art and Spirit Fox Saber Art Only the intents of these saber arts were taken, learned through the Heavenly Tome by secretly observing Hu Lie and Chi Li.

Sword Arts: His sword arts mainly come from the Sword Emperor’s legacy.

Underworld River Surges Each strike drains part of the opponent’s energy. The longer the fight lasts, the more Zhao Changhe's power builds up like a raging river.

Sword of Primal Slaughter A focused, high-speed thrust that is nearly unstoppable. Note: Zhao Changhe has distilled three techniques from this legacy. Tang Wanzhuang incorporated them into her saber techniques, leaving only two sword moves. These have been passed on to Yue Hongling.

Spring Water Sword Art A technique learned through the Heavenly Tome and taught by Tang Wanzhuang. He hasn’t learned the sword moves themselves, only the sword intent, particularly the reflective and refractive nature of water. This intent is now infused into Listening to the Spring Rain in a Little Pavilion at Night.

Sunset Divine Sword Taught by Yue Hongling during their dual cultivation in Miaojiang, though Zhao Changhe hasn’t used it yet. It is believed to be part of the Sword Emperor’s later legacy. Additionally, Yue Hongling passed down a large collection of basic sword arts from Luo Family Village, which Zhao Changhe has mostly learned.

Sea-Suppressing Sword Art A technique stolen from the Wang family via the Heavenly Tome. Zhao Changhe has only grasped the basics, primarily using it when impersonating Wang Daozhong.

Fist and Palm Arts: These are rarely used due to him always having a weapon

Azure Waves Clear Ripples A graceful grappling technique taught by Tang Wanzhuang. It's difficult to defend against but comes across as somewhat feminine.

Divine Brilliance Wind and Lightning Palm A defensive palm technique taught by Situ Xiao, capable of generating a mighty thunderous burst upon impact.

Heavenly Sea-Suppressing Palm The Wang Clan’s palm art, said to rival the ferocity of the Black Tortoise’s fist art. Unfortunately, Zhao Changhe only knows the basics and uses it when impersonating Wang Daozhong.

Crane Controlling Art A method of manipulating objects from a distance, taught to Zhao Changhe by the Thief Saint.

Movement Arts: Zhao Changhe makes use of all three of the below movement art, though he has yet to develop his own unique style.

Blood God Cult’s Traceless Soaring Blood

Tang Clan’s Water Treading Art

Thief Saint’s movement art

Special Abilities:

Rejuvenation Art A healing art originally belonging to the Azure Dragon. It makes use of the fundamental principles of the world. Zhao Changhe’s recent improvements, especially after integrating the Eternal Blood Demon Body, have significantly advanced his mastery of this art.

Astral Resonance Art A secret method from the Four Idols Cult, passed down by Vermillion Bird. It involves harmonizing all the body’s acupuncture points. It was initially used to break through bottlenecks but may have other future applications.

Disguise Art Taught by the Thief Saint

Pure Bliss Art’s Dual Cultivation Technique: Self-explanatory

Pure Bliss Art’s Women Observation Technique: Self-explanatory

Pure Bliss Art’s Bewitchment Technique: Self-explanatory

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