Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 578: Black Tortoise’s Fist vs. the Heavenly Sea-Suppressing Palm

As their conversation came to an apt end, the two powerhouses at the Profound Control Realm clashed once again.

Although the Sea Emperor was stronger, he was also much more grievously injured, making it so that the two of them were evenly matched. Now, it all came down to who could better exert whatever strength they had.

It could be said that Hai Pinglan’s strategy of pitting a tiger against a wolf, making Xia Longyuan and the Sea Emperor fight each other, had perfectly come to the result he desired. Had Xia Longyuan actually killed the Sea Emperor, Hai Pinglan might have been disappointed instead. Killing the Sea Emperor was something he wanted to do himself; he wanted nothing more than to send his enemy to the Yellow Springs with his own hands.

Zhao Changhe looked on, feeling a certain admiration for Hai Pinglan, the father-in-law he had never met. Even though some of his actions were undeniably questionable, he was a person like any other person, and people... are complex. Overall, Hai Pinglan could certainly be called a hero.

Every figure from the Ranking of Heaven he had come across had failed to disappoint. Even now, with ancient gods and demons rising from their slumber, during a time when the prestige of those on the Ranking of Heaven was not as high as it once was, all of those who were on the ranking proved just how remarkable they still were.

The eras were divided, and no matter how powerful the gods and demons of old had been, they belonged to a different era entirely. In this world, the pinnacle of cultivation was still considered to be the third layer of the Profound Mysteries. The Ranking of Heaven bore the strongest figures of the world in the current era; only those with great capabilities were worthy of great recognition.

The current situation involved many contenders rising to challenge Xia Longyuan, but Zhao Changhe saw it more as the heroes of this age challenging the ancient gods and demons, each for their own reasons.

Behind the scenes, hidden from the eyes of the masses, the struggle between the strongest of this age and the previous age had been ongoing for a long time... Xia Longyuan, Hai Pinglan, Ying Five were prime examples of this, and even Yuxu had been a part of this struggle, though back then, Zhao Changhe had been too weak to fully grasp the situation.

In fact, perhaps Wang Daoning was a part of this struggle as well...

When Hai Pinglan was feigning an alliance with the Sea Emperor, the Sea Emperor’s forces should have already moved into Langya, and Penglai and the Wang Clan were probably allies at that point. Now that Hai Pinglan has split from the Sea Emperor, where will Wang Daoning stand?

Would he join Hai Pinglan in opposing the Sea Emperor, or would he fall under the Sea Emperor’s control and turn against Penglai?

During the previous battle between the Cui and Wang Clans, both Wang Daoning and Cui Wenjing were badly injured and were forced to retreat to recover. But Wang Daoning’s injuries were less severe, so he should have been able to recover faster. I’ve been out at sea for quite some time now, so could he have fully recovered already? If he has, then would he choose to attack Puyang, or would he choose to take part in the battle here?

These thoughts flashed through Zhao Changhe’s mind, though his primary focus remained on observing the battle. He realized he could now clearly follow the details of the exchange between these figures at the top of the world and even withstand the waves of energy coming from them... In other words, both Hai Pinglan and the Sea Emperor were now weakened, no longer able to showcase power at the Profound Control Realm. Their power had been reduced to the general level of those on the Ranking of Heaven, the third layer of the Profound Mysteries.

Zhao Changhe’s hand rested on his saber’s hilt, thinking that, in a fight of this level, he might actually be able to make a difference. At the very least, he would not be blown away by a stray shockwave like before, when all he could do was stand by as a powerless observer.

But his supposed father-in-law did not know who he was, and it was unclear whether Hai Pinglan would appreciate anyone interfering at this point. The worst-case scenario would be him rushing in, only to find himself attacked by both Hai Pinglan and the Sea Emperor.

If that happened, then that would be absolutely miserable. The most ideal person to step in right now would be Lady Three... but where is she? It doesn’t make sense for her to not come out now and help finish off the Sea Emperor. Any of her grudges with her father can just be sorted out after...

As he pondered this, a sudden sense of danger struck him.

A streak of sword light shot down from the heavens like lightning. Even before it arrived, the sheer force behind it pressed down like a mountain, making it difficult to even breathe.

Zhao Changhe recognized the move. He had even learned a bit of it himself.

Heavenly Sea-Suppressing Sword!

It was Wang Daoning!

He had just been wondering what role Wang Daoning would play in this situation, and here he was! Unlike Xia Longyuan’s projection or the avatar of the barbarian god, Wang Daoning had come here himself!

Whose side is he taking?

For an onlooker, it might have been hard to tell, but for those in the midst of the battle, the killing intent was unmistakable. Hai Pinglan roared in fury, “Wang Daoning! Are you mad? If the Sea Emperor prevails, everyone in Langya will end up as his slaves!”

Wang Daoning’s sword was aimed at Hai Pinglan!

Not only had Wang Daoning decided against attacking Puyang, but he had traveled all the way out to sea to target Penglai!

Wang Daoning remained silent. The Sea Emperor laughed heartily and said, “He’s already provoked Xia Longyuan to the point of no return. Without a new backer, the Wang Clan will be annihilated. If not me, then who else would support him? Clearly, even if you all work together, you wouldn’t have a chance against Xia Longyuan. But once I’ve fully recovered my strength, I will be no weaker than Xia Longyuan!”

Hai Pinglan was consumed by rage. After over a decade of pretending to ally with the Sea Emperor and painstakingly accumulating power, he had finally succeeded in setting up the ultimate showdown, only for it all to come crashing down at this critical moment!

In the blink of an eye, Wang Daoning’s sword was upon him. Hai Pinglan was preparing for a desperate fight when suddenly, a massive wave surged from the sea, and a graceful figure burst forth, launching a punch straight at Wang Daoning’s side.

If Wang Daoning’s sword could suppress the sea, then the force behind this punch seemed powerful enough to tear open a trench on its bottom!

Wang Daoning’s heart tightened, and he dared not carry through with the strike. Instead, he swiftly redirected his sword to his side.

Clang!

The sound of impact echoed as the sea’s surface collapsed several li under the force of the blow. Towering waves rose like walls around the point of impact, forming a dome of water like the shell of a mysterious tortoise, encasing everything in its wake.

Wang Daoning’s sword was deflected by the barehanded strike, and the sword qi dispersed into the sea, vanishing without a trace.

Hai Pinglan pressed one palm against the flood dragon, then turned in delight and said, “Which hero of the sea has come to my aid? I offer you my deepest thanks!”

Lady Three turned her head, casting a calm gaze at Hai Pinglan.

At some point, she had donned the Black Tortoise’s mask. She now exuded an air of majesty, though with an undercurrent of ferocity.

This was the Black Tortoise as seen by the world.

Hai Pinglan’s joy froze on his face. In his moment of distraction, the flood dragon’s tail whipped at him, and he hastily raised his forearm to block. He was sent flying several li before he finally managed to stop himself.

Zhao Changhe imagined that Hai Pinglan’s mind had gone blank during those several li when he had been sent flying. But then his instinct must have kicked in, driving him to madly rush back to hold off the Sea Emperor, preventing the other party from attacking Lady Three.

It was clear that Lady Three donned the mask so as not to reveal her true identity to Hai Pinglan, but it was futile—a deception for herself more than anyone else. The Heavenly Origin Pirates was practically the royal pirate crew of Penglai, and Hai Pinglan had known all along who Venerable Black Tortoise of the Four Idols Cult was, ever since Lady Three sought them out to help fund Four Idols Cult’s maritime trade.

On the other hand, Wang Daoning was blissfully unaware of any connection between Lady Three and the masked figure. He now wore an extremely serious expression. “Venerable Black Tortoise?”

Lady Three replied coolly, “I, the Black Tortoise of the Four Idols Cult, have come seeking an exchange with you, Mister Wang.”

Wang Daoning spoke slowly, “The Four Idols Cult and my Wang Clan are allies. Our cooperation has been pretty smooth all this time. What is the meaning of your actions today?”

Lady Three sneered, “Aren’t you and Penglai supposed to be allies too? What, then, is the meaning of your actions today?”

Wang Daoning’s face remained expressionless.

Lady Three continued, “Although the Four Idols Cult is a demonic cult, it still has more credibility than certain aristocratic families. When we declare an alliance, we honor it. Acts of betrayal are something that the Four Idols Cult does not take lightly.”

Wang Daoning nearly laughed in disbelief. “Are you joking with me, Venerable Black Tortoise?”

Lady Three slowly removed her mask. “I’m participating in this battle in a personal capacity, just like when Vermillion Bird beat up Wang Daozhong out of personal grievances. This shouldn’t affect the alliance between our two factions, does it?”

In the midst of such a grim battlefield, Wang Daoning could not help but feel an odd mix of irritation and amusement.

Could the world’s perception of the Venerable Black Tortoise somehow be flawed?

Looking at Lady Three with her mask off, even Wang Daoning had to admit there was something uncanny about the Four Idols Cult. It was strange—unlike the Maitreya Cult, they had never used beauty to entice others, yet somehow their venerables and saintesses were all stunningly beautiful.

Are they really a demonic cult or some sort of... gathering of socialites?

“So, what exactly is the meaning of this personal capacity that you speak of?” Wang Daoning could not help but ask. “You’re throwing yourself at me as if I were fighting your father or something!”

Lady Three clenched her fist, then suddenly swung it once more. “That is correct. The person you are fighting is my father!”

In the midst of his fierce battle with the Sea Emperor, Hai Pinglan faltered slightly, but he said nothing.

Wang Daoning could not help but curse inwardly. The sheer absurdity of this revelation left him speechless.

He had wondered why Venerable Black Tortoise had suddenly turned against him. As it turned out, it would have been weird if she hadn’t!

Boom!

Wang Daoning’s left palm struck out, colliding heavily with Lady Three’s fist.

Back then, Xuan Chong had said that the strongest hand art in the world was Xia Longyuan’s “My Fist,” while the Black Tortoise’s Fist and the Wang Clan’s Heavenly Sea-Suppressing Palm were tied for second.

In truth, the ranking had never been tested—the so-called tie was merely to avoid offending anyone.

Now, the question of who truly held the second spot would finally be answered.

But Zhao Changhe was not about to just keep acting as a spectator. He drew Dragon Bird and quietly made his way over, approaching the battleground of the Sea Emperor and Hai Pinglan. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

With Wang Daoning’s surprise attack, even though Lady Three had intercepted him, Hai Pinglan’s attention had still been scattered, putting him at a significant disadvantage against the Sea Emperor.

So what if your side can carry out sneak attacks? So can we. It’s only fair to return the favor!

Meanwhile, Xia Chichi drew Iceheart and approached Lady Three and Wang Daoning. Originally, Venerable Black Tortoise had come to sea to help her, but now it seemed that she was the real protagonist... In any case, Xia Chichi figured that she probably did not need to get involved in the battle between Hai Pinglan and the Sea Emperor; that was for her husband to deal with. As for her, carrying out a sneak attack on Wang Daoning to help a sister from the Four Idols Cult made perfect sense.

If Aunt-Master Black Tortoise is pleased, she might even put in a good word for Changhe and me. Maybe that fierce woman will be more lenient with us in the future...

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