Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 688: Gazing North at the Mountains and Rivers

Zhao Changhe felt a strange mix of emotions. Unbeknownst to the blind woman, one of his reasons for entering this secret realm was, in fact, to deal with her.

Given the current situation, it seemed nearly impossible to completely avoid using the Back Eye. Even if he did not fully activate its abilities as he had this time, it was hard to say how much of its influence permeated his daily senses—night vision, far sight, even qi perception. It had become so deeply intertwined with his five senses that trying to avoid it entirely was like trying to avoid using his own body. Unless he cut off his own head, it was not going anywhere.

To have something that did not truly belong to him embedded within him, yet functioning seamlessly as if it were his own... It gave a deeply unsettling feeling.

Zhao Changhe had harbored concerns about this long before Xia Longyuan even brought it up. It was a problem that he long wanted to address, one that he felt needed to be addressed. He feared that if he did not do so, he might one day find himself controlled by the blind woman without even realizing it. Despite the seemingly open banter between them, this was a forbidden topic—an untouchable fault line. Bringing it up could irreparably damage their tenuous relationship.

Thus, he secretly prepared to disconnect from her.

Doing so without her noticing was an immense challenge. The blind woman shadowed him like a ghost, ever-present. She probably even watched him while he relieved himself. If she could monitor something as mundane as that, then attempting anything significant, especially something as crucial as severing the connection between them, seemed almost impossible.

However, Xia Longyuan’s message to him, which had been transmitted directly into his soul, offered a way around her constant surveillance. The message had suggested that he study the Heavenly Sea-Suppressing Art, hinting that its ability to neutralize foreign influences might be the key to addressing this matter.

The cultivation technique’s subtle nature made it perfect for covert preparation. Everyone knew he had impersonated Wang Daozhong for a long time, even to the point of developing some affinity for the Wang Clan. Studying their main cultivation techniques would not arouse suspicion—it was entirely expected. The blind woman would not think twice about it. In fact, she even seemed to encourage it, believing it was uniquely suited for him.

This realization made Zhao Changhe’s feelings even more complicated. Still, no matter how strange it felt, he firmly believed it had to be done, as it had to do with his very survival. At the end of the day, his relationship with the blind woman was akin to the comparison he had once made to Yangyang: that of a god and an ant. He could not afford to delude himself into thinking she saw him as anything more than a tool.

Clenching his fist, Zhao Changhe tried it out.

He circulated his energy according to the cultivation technique, targeting all the foreign energies in his body. With that, he expelled every trace of the moisture and water qi that had seeped into his body during the flood. Even minute traces of toxins from medicines and food that had accumulated over time were thoroughly purged.

For a moment, he marveled at the secondary benefit of the cultivation technique.

I didn’t know that this cultivation technique actually had detoxification and cosmetic value. Eh, but then why wasn’t Wang Daozhong as handsome as me?

But he quickly refocused. While the purification ability of the technique was impressive, it was nowhere near powerful enough to expel the Back Eye. It still required much more refinement before it could handle something so deeply integrated into his being.

And, of course, confronting the blind woman about it now was out of the question.

For now, Zhao Changhe simply continued to hone the cultivation technique, even as the unease lingered at the edge of his thoughts.

Zhao Changhe took a deep breath, pulling his fist back before launching it forward with explosive force.

Boom!

A surge of intensely compressed energy shot forward, combining the essence of the Black Tortoise’s Fist and the Heavenly Sea-Suppressing Palm, as well as elements of the Wind and Lightning Palm, into a single devastating strike.

The impact smashed into a distant rock, shattering it into fragments. Waves surged violently, wind and thunder roared, and the earth seemed to split apart. The spectacle was awe-inspiring. It was as if nature itself had responded to the strike.

With this, a new fist art was born—Zhao Changhe’s version of My Fist.

Zhao Changhe called out, “Hey, blindie! You’re the writer. How about giving it a name?”

He received no reply.

She’s probably too embarrassed. She couldn’t even come up with a poem during the latest announcement, so I guess naming a technique is out of the question.

“If you won’t do it, I’ll ask Tang Wanzhuang. She’s more cultured than you,” Zhao Changhe muttered, then froze. Wait... how am I going to get back? I’m out at sea, and Snow-Treading Crow didn’t come with me.

The blind woman’s voice floated in, full of schadenfreude. “Why not try flying? You have control over qi now, don’t you?”

Zhao Changhe’s face turned red as he stomped hard on the water’s surface, causing a massive explosion. Like a cannonball, he shot toward the distant shore.

The takeoff was pure brute force, but during the flight, he experimented with balancing air currents and gravity, extending his air time further than his initial burst would have warranted. Unfortunately, his awkward wobbling in the air was far from the graceful flight of Hidden Wind.

As his momentum waned, Zhao Changhe scanned the surroundings, hoping to find something to push off for another boost, but there was nothing in sight.

Thud!

A jade foot stepped firmly onto his head, using him as a springboard. The blind woman sped past him, laughing as she passed by. “See you later!”

Splash!

Zhao Changhe plunged headfirst into the water. Emerging with a splutter, he pointed upward and cursed, “You...!”

But mid-sentence, he hesitated, his tone shifting. “White.”

The blind woman: “?”

Bang!

A massive wave of qi smacked Zhao Changhe back into the water, sending him tumbling to the seafloor.

He did not actually see anything—she was wearing pants. Black martial trousers, neatly tied at the ankles, emphasizing her long, straight legs.

As Zhao Changhe surfaced again, still grumbling, a thought occurred to him. “Hey, Dragon Bird, where do your clothes come from? Ack—”

* * *

Somewhere out at sea, a strange scene occurred. A large saber chased after a man across the waves, taking wild swings at him.

The man fled at top speed, leaping from wave to wave, the erratic flight only making him look more ridiculous.

* * *

By the time Zhao Changhe returned to the shore, the commanderies and counties from Langya to the eastern shore had already submitted to the new dynasty, hoisting the dragon flag of the Han.

The sight was not uplifting, though. For now, chaos reigned, with purges and executions casting a grim shadow over the land. Although it weighed on him, Zhao Changhe understood that this was not the time for mercy. To build the new, the old had to be torn apart.

Returning to Langya, he found Cui Yuanyong still occupied with administrative work. Outside the secret realm, Cui Yuanyang stood guard, her round face lighting up with surprise as Zhao Changhe descended from the sky.

Her expression was so adorably stunned that it washed away the heaviness in his heart. Grinning, Zhao Changhe pulled her into a hug. “How long have you been standing here?”

Cui Yuanyang replied, “Oh, just half a day. They’re setting up a victory feast. It hasn’t started yet. Want to join them?”

For a moment, Zhao Changhe was tempted. The thought of singing and drinking with his friends was deeply appealing. But the weight of his responsibilities quickly grounded him. There was no time for indulgence.

He sighed, murmuring under his breath, “When will it ever end?”

Cui Yuanyang’s eyes sparkled as she looked at him. “Are you thinking of leaving again?”

Zhao Changhe cupped her cheeks and gently rubbed her face. “You have to come with me this time.”

Her heart leaped with joy, though she was also a bit surprised. “Oh, I have to? Well, if duty calls... Hehe.”

“Hehe, it sure does. At the very least, you need to visit the secret realms tied to the four divine swords of the mountains and rivers,” Zhao Changhe said, handing her a page of the tome. “Here, take this first.”

Cui Yuanyang’s heart fluttered as she took the page.

How could she not know what it was? It was a part of the Heavenly Tome. Yet he handed it over to her as casually as if it were a piece of candy.

“This contains the insights from the Wang Clan’s secret realm. If you want to explore the memories of the previous era, this will be crucial for you. It would be best for you to visit the Yang and Li clans as well. When it comes to the Yang Clan... Well, I’m not sure if your father can convince Yang Jingxiu to surrender, but even if he can’t, they aren’t a reckless bunch. For now, they’re manageable. The Li Clan, however, is a much greater problem, because their issues are directly tied to the northern barbarians. If there’s any defining battle for the establishment of the dynasty, the pressure from the barbarians will be the true test.”

Cui Yuanyang sighed. “I figured. You must already be thinking about heading north, aren’t you? But that’s not a war you can resolve in one battle. It’s going to take a long, drawn-out campaign.”

“Not necessarily,” Zhao Changhe replied. “It’s not about me rushing things, they’re the ones attacking us now. Besides, even though Tngri was severely injured at sea, he has been recovering for some time. He might be close to returning to full strength, and he’s far more dangerous than the likes of Desolate Calamity or Hidden Wind. He’s probably at the second layer of the Profound Control Realm.”

Cui Yuanyang could feel the weight of his anxieties and responsibilities. The best comfort she could offer was her quiet agreement. “I understand. I’ll focus on studying the Heavenly Tome. You take care of everything else, Big Brother Zhao.”

“Mm-hm.” Zhao Changhe patted her head affectionately before turning to leave.

Stepping into the courtyard, he saw Xue Canghai and Wan Dongliu drinking together. He paused in surprise. “Just the two of you? Where are Gui Chen and Xuan Chong?”

“They’ve returned to Mount Tai,” Xue Canghai said, clicking his tongue. “They said that as people from beyond the mundane world, they shouldn’t meddle in worldly affairs anymore. But I’m pretty sure they’re just making their stance clear. They don’t plan to compete with the Four Idols Cult for the position of state religion.”

Zhao Changhe asked, “And what about you? What about the Blood God Cult?”

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Xue Canghai chuckled. “Don’t joke with me like that. The Blood God Cult’s doctrine involves killing others to grow stronger. How can we be the state religion? If the world achieves peace, we’d just become a source of chaos. When that time comes, you yourself might be the one trying to eliminate us.”

Zhao Changhe snorted. “You can’t kill everyone. There will always be a need for your kind of work. If being a state religion is off the table, why not change your banner?”

Xue Canghai raised an eyebrow. “Change it to what?”

“The Crimson Crusaders.[1]”

“...The what now?”

Zhao Changhe laughed heartily, tilting his head to the sky. “Carve a stone on Yanran and seal Langjuxu; countless heads await you at Saibei.[2]”

Xue Canghai’s eyes flashed with bloodlust, a fervent gleam filling up his face.

1. The word used by Zhao Changhe literally means “crusaders,” as in “army of the Cross.” Naturally, Xue Canghai has no way of knowing what that means. ☜

2. The first phrase contains two poetic lines “勒石燕然” and “封狼居胥.” Yanran (燕然) and Langjuxu (狼居胥) are respectively referring to the Khangai Mountains and Khentii Mountains in Mongolia. In this case, the phrases are being used as encouragement to accomplish monumental achievements. ☜