Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 895: Their Other Shore

Ye Wuming cast one last glance toward the southwest.

Zhao Changhe, having shooed Ling Ruoyu off to find her master, was now curled up beside Ye Jiuyou, both perched atop a cloud, whispering intimately as their legs dangled beyond its edge, mimicking all the syrupy romance he had just seen in the jianghu.

They were so close, so sweet, their legs swinging carefree over the edge of the cloud.... It was an infuriating sight.

Ye Wuming could not be bothered to listen to whatever nonsense they were murmuring. With a blur, she vanished and reappeared atop the Four Idols Cult’s altar.

Xia Chichi, who had just been reciting prayers in her role as cult leader, stopped in her tracks.

Lady Three, Huangfu Qing, and the entire Twenty-Eight Mansions froze in collective shock.

Most of the high-ranking members did not even recognize the stunning woman who had just appeared. She had a strikingly bold look none of them had ever seen, yet felt inexplicably fitting. She looked fierce and untouchable.

After a while, the realization hit them like a thunderclap. This was the Night Emperor. The essence of eternal night, the gaze that bore the moonlight of ages past, the divine impartiality that loomed over all things, who else could this be but the Night Emperor? Especially for those steeped in the Night Emperor’s system of cultivation, the resonance and oppressive pressure she exuded were undeniable. It was more overwhelming than even when they faced Zhao Changhe.

Wait, were we summoning her?

The ritual had always been a way to borrow power, to commune with the divine power of heaven and earth, and to summon the Night Emperor’s divine power and will. Even if they called upon the Night Emperor’s power, they did not mean to summon the literal Night Emperor!

Also, even if they were indeed trying to link up to the Night Emperor, was she still the Night Emperor now? This was a classic case of Lord Ye’s Love of Dragons.[1] And now that they were met with her presence, they had absolutely no idea how to proceed.

Um, hello... How are we even supposed to address you? Former Emperor? But she still has the title, otherwise she wouldn’t be connected to us. Late Emperor? But that implies she’s dead. Emperor Emeritus? That would make her sound old as hell. Well, she’s old as hell, but she doesn’t look like it. Emperor of the Previous Dynasty? But then should we offer her up to the current Emperor, as per custom?

The entire altar fell into utter silence. Everyone stared blankly at Ye Wuming for a moment before all eyes dropped instinctively.

The pressure coming from her was unbearable, especially since she was so beautiful. Just one look was enough to invoke crushing shame, compelling people to avert their gazes.

Only the three venerables of the Four Idols Cult dared meet her eyes. But whether their stares conveyed reverence for this former emperor or disdain for a remnant of the previous dynasty was impossible to say. Their emotions were too complex. Ye Wuming’s gaze, in turn, landed squarely on Xia Chichi, particularly her abdomen.

Xia Chichi instinctively stepped back and guarded her belly, wariness flaring in her eyes.

The others might not stoop to poisoning an unborn child, but this one just might.

Ye Wuming’s lips twitched. At last, she spoke, her tone cold and commanding, “I have heard your devout prayers. Why have you summoned me?”

Xia Chichi replied, “Scram.”

The entire altar lowered their heads even further. Someone was visibly suppressing laughter.

Ye Wuming flicked a jade-like finger. A breeze swept across the altar. In the blink of an eye, everyone on the altar vanished as they were transported outside. She ground her teeth and said coldly, “You people truly have no fear of death.”

Xia Chichi raised her chin. “Our man slept thirty years just to save you. If you’ve got the gall to kill us, go ahead. Don’t think that we’re scared of you!”

Ye Wuming’s voice turned colder. “Jiuyou and Piaomiao saying this would make sense, but you? You all walk the path of my legacy. What right do you have to speak to me this way? It was because of me that you gathered together. The fortune and insight I’ve granted you behind the scenes are too many to count. And now, you abandon me and turn to another’s banner? How dare you challenge me?”

Xia Chichi could not answer.

Ye Wuming grew more incensed with every word, “Xia Chichi is forgivable. After all, Zhao Changhe drew a card tied to her from the start. It was fated, perhaps. But the two of you? One stole her disciple’s man. The other snatched her best friend’s love. Two old cows fighting over tender grass! I couldn’t sever your red threads even if I wanted to. In the end, all for a man, you betrayed your faith. How do you even have the face to look me in the eye?”

Thus began the Night Emperor’s first encounter with the Four Idols.

The atmosphere was utterly harmonious.

Lady Three said leisurely, “But weren’t those arrangements made by Your Majesty? Why did we grow close to him? Wasn’t it because we mistakenly believed he was your reincarnation? That was especially the case for Qing’er. If not for that misunderstanding, she might’ve just killed him on sight. Later on, you let him forge River of Stars and even entrusted him with the Night Emperor’s mantle. If we’ve committed betrayal, then it’s only because we aligned ourselves with Your Majesty’s wishes.”

Her words were so painfully logical that even Huangfu Qing, who had felt uneasy before, suddenly felt absolved.

Back then, she had indeed hesitated. She truly loved that man but had struggled to accept that he was not the real Night Emperor. Only after the tortoise reinterpreted the doctrine did she reluctantly embrace him. It was not truly betrayal, as the Night Emperor’s own will had been involved.

Ye Wuming could not tell anymore whether Zhao Changhe having acquired insight into the essence of the cosmic starry sky was what led to such connections, or if it was their deepening connection that prompted her to orchestrate the aftermath. The cause and effect had become an inextricable knot.

Perhaps this was all Zhao Changhe’s own karma. After all, not every man from Earth would have insight into the starry sky. Once someone like Zhao Changhe entangled himself with Ye Wuming and the Four Idols system, it was bound to become a spiral of mutual ascension. That could explain why she could never cut his ties with Lady Three or Huangfu Qing.

Ye Wuming suddenly recalled the commentary she had once written for Zhao Changhe. A long river descends from the nine heavens, flowing into the jianghu.

Had she sensed it, even back then?

If his karmic ties to Vermillion Bird and Black Tortoise could not be undone, then what of his tie to the Night Emperor?

Ye Wuming drifted into thought. The trio from the Four Idols Cult glanced at one another, but none pressed the issue further. In truth, they bore her no real grudge. If anything, there was still incense smoke from old offerings between them, threads of faith and fate that could not be denied. If anything, it was they who had wronged the former Night Emperor. Their resentment came only from her manipulation of their lives. But if not for that manipulation, none of them would have ever met Zhao Changhe in the first place.

In that sense, perhaps they owed her gratitude.

Didn’t she even have Changhe bring us gifts before?

Huangfu Qing finally broke the silence. “Your Majesty, you descended today because of our ritual?”

Ye Wuming replied impassively, “What else? Aren’t you seeking the Heavenly Dao? Well, I’m also seeking it. Naturally, we ought to cooperate.”

Huangfu Qing asked, “But Your Majesty had just parted from our husband. Why not work with him directly instead of coming to us?”

Ye Wuming answered with perfect justification, “Why would you ask me that? You were the ones who sincerely invited me.”

Ah. Fair enough.

The three exchanged glances. A thought arose in unison, Isn’t this just being aggressive to hide one’s own desire? So the Night Emperor is like this too...

“Ahem,” Lady Three cleared her throat. “Your Majesty should already know our situation. There are... other women attempting to trace the location of the Heavenly Dao by using captured demonic souls. We find their witchcraft unreliable and wish to devise our own method. If Your Majesty could assist us...”

Ye Wuming said coolly, “To ask another for help is to pay a price. Even rituals require offerings.”

Still playing aloof, huh? Xia Chichi muttered, “Can you even do it? You’re the Night Emperor. You’re not just here to freeload, are you?”

Ye Wuming replied with composure, “What I can confirm is... they can.”

The three women instantly sat up straight. “Really?”

“They are in possession of the corpse puppet from the Spirit Tribe’s land, and they’ve gathered a large number of remnant demonic souls. With such complete vessels, both physical and spiritual, it is possible to trace the origin of flesh and blood. Though witchcraft draws from the Heavenly Dao, laws are laws. As long as they are complete and there’s enough of them, backtracing is inevitable. However, there is a caveat...”

“What caveat?”

“If the target has already taken precautions, such as creating clones in advance, then the tracking may be disrupted. They won’t be able to determine the true source, and you might just end up stepping right into a trap.”

“That won’t do at all then... What can we do to refine the method?”

Ye Wuming glanced over the trio and sighed inwardly.

They claimed to be fighting for credit, yet at the first mention of a potential trap, not one of them reacted with schadenfreude. Not one said, “Good, they’ll fail, and we’ll take the lead instead.” Their instinctive response was all the same: “How can we improve it? How do we help?”

So what was all this talk of contention? Was it just squabbling for amusement? When real matters arose, they stood united without hesitation.

Ye Wuming exhaled softly. “Perhaps this is where Jiuyou and I complement each other. She and I mutually disrupt each other’s divine sense. We’re each unable to track the other. But Jiuyou, through those puppets of flesh and blood, can trace someone’s location. As for me, though I cannot pinpoint someone through their flesh and blood, I can structure the ritual. Even if the target has splintered into thousands of clones across time and space, I can still locate the true self.”

She paused, then added, “Jiuyou will need help from Sisi and the others. And I... will need help from you three.”

Xia Chichi asked, “Do we need to gather in one place?”

In theory, no. For the Ye sisters, the entire world was but a single room, and their location within said room was irrelevant.

Still, Ye Wuming said, “Not for now. I’ll head to Miaojiang and oversee things there. When they begin the ritual, I’ll return to find you. And remember, you were the ones who summoned me to help.”

The trio from the Four Idols Cult collectively raised an eyebrow.

Something feels off...

Lady Three’s eyes sparkled mischievously, then she asked, “Your Majesty, you are helping us so earnestly... but we haven’t given you an offering yet, have we?”

“Oh,” Ye Wuming replied expressionlessly. “Offerings come in many forms. So long as there is a price paid, it counts as tribute. What are you willing to offer?”

Lady Three blinked her large eyes and said sweetly, “How about Your Majesty name one wish, and we’ll do our best to fulfill it...”

Ye Wuming had never actually intended to demand an offering. Her only aim was to solidify the pretense that she had been invited to help. In truth, she was already planning to leave without receiving a thing. Now, even less inclined to haggle, she waved them off. “The thought is enough. I’ll remember it. Be ready to honor it when the time comes.”

With that, she vanished.

Huangfu Qing leaned over and whispered into Lady Three’s ear, “What scheme are you plotting now?”

Lady Three replied via transmission, “She’s got no shortage of desires. Fulfilling any one of them would count, wouldn’t it? For instance... giving her and our husband a proper family.”

“You sure that’s what she wants?”

“Whether it is or not, if we’re right, we’re in the clear—karma repaid, virtue gained. If we’re wrong, what’s she going to do? Bite me? I’m Black Tortoise. I once goaded Vermillion Bird into defecting from the cult. Did you think I was some pillar of loyalty? Besides, isn’t the fall of the Night Emperor more entertaining than watching Vermillion Bird fight her own disciple over a man?”

Huangfu Qing flicked her sleeve and walked away.

Everyone loves drama, but did you have to bring up that part about the disciple and the man? Chichi’s right there!

* * *

In truth, while Zhao Changhe was curled up with Ye Jiuyou atop a drifting cloud, whispering in one another’s ear, they weren’t indulging in romantic banter. The conversation was entirely serious.

After all, Ye Jiuyou had had her fill over the past few days. She was not hungry at the moment.

Now that he had reached the peak of the third layer of the Profound Control Realm, the only path forward was the Other Shore. Zhao Changhe had no desire to consult Ye Wuming when it came to this; that would only feed her smug delusion that she had become his master after teaching him just a few things. No, he naturally came to ask his own wife first.

Ye Jiuyou, once suppressed by Ye Wuming for an entire era, now stood on equal footing. Both were close to reaching the Other Shore. If there remained a gap between them, it came down to two things.

First, Ye Wuming had roamed countless worlds, and her breadth of experience was incomparable. Though Ye Jiuyou had also ventured out in secret over the past thirty years, which explained her absence when Zhao Changhe first awakened, her journey paled in scope. She had not even found the Zhao Family Village yet.

Second, Ye Wuming was one with the Heavenly Tome. Within this world, no one could surpass her in raw power. But that was a matter of external advantage. In terms of cultivation alone, she and Ye Jiuyou were equals.

“If Ye Wuming calls this realm the Other Shore, I agree with her,” Ye Jiuyou said calmly. “For all her repulsive personality, her insight is beyond reproach.”

Zhao Changhe asked, “This realm is supposed to mark the transcendence beyond this world’s cage, but in theory at least, I was never part of that cage to begin with. Doesn’t that mean I was born standing on the other shore? Yet I’ve never found a path to break through.”

Ye Jiuyou replied, “Your uniqueness simply means there’s no barrier for you at this stage. There’s nothing to block you, nothing you must struggle to grasp like others do. But even so, progression still demands accumulated cultivation and, above all, the discovery of the key.”

“Accumulation... I fear there isn’t enough time left to accumulate anything. As for this key you’re talking about, how do I find it? What is the manifestation of this realm supposed to look like?” Zhao Changhe asked. “My greatest regret from thirty years ago was that I never got to face the Heavenly Dao directly. I still have no idea what this next realm is supposed to do.”

Ye Jiuyou said, “Ye Wuming folds the fabric of space and time, allowing her to travel freely across dimensions. Can you do that?”

“I can fold space and create bridges that cross beyond this world.”

“Do you know the difference between her method and yours?”

“There are two key points. First, range—I can’t travel as far. That’s a difference of degree and should close with further cultivation. Second, her folding includes time. She may be able to reach any moment on any timeline. I can only bridge space right now. That’s a difference of kind. Isn’t that it?”

As he spoke, Zhao Changhe thought to himself that this was, in fact, his ultimate goal in this world. Returning to Earth was not the hard part; if he could just locate its coordinates, he could likely make the journey already, even if it cost him great effort. But returning to the exact moment he left?

That, he still could not do.

If time could not be altered, then returning home after thirty-three years would mean his parents had endured thirty-three years of anguish over their missing son. Just thinking about it tightened Zhao Changhe’s chest.

To exist in all directions, to roam through any point in space or time, moving freely across all of existence—that was the hallmark of someone who had truly reached the Other Shore.

Zhao Changhe’s mind once again drifted to the experiences he had had since emerging from seclusion—Tang Buqi surrounded by descendants; Tang Wanzhuang, timeless and unchanging. That moment of realization still lingered in his heart.

So that was not just a revelation of the third layer of Profound Control. It was an insight that could carry me all the way into the Other Shore.

The journey he once took with Piaomiao through the ancient past was perhaps another part of this accumulation, something worth revisiting and reflecting upon again and again.

Noticing his introspection, Ye Jiuyou smiled faintly and added, “Mastery over space and time is indeed one expression of this realm, and in that aspect, I cannot compare with Ye Wuming. But there are other manifestations, ones that I possess and she does not. Would you like to see?”

Zhao Changhe returned to himself and smiled. “Of course I would.”

“Then come with me.” She took his hand, and in the blink of an eye, they descended into the Abyss of Jiuyou.

Within that boundless, shadowy void floated a colossal corpse. One could not even glimpse where the body ended. Its flesh had long since been cleaved away by Lie’s devastating strike, leaving behind only a desiccated, mummified form. The remains had hardened to steel—a textbook example of a corpse puppet.

This was what remained of the Spirit Tribe’s land.

Ye Jiuyou extended a finger and lightly touched the iron-like surface of the corpse puppet. Zhao Changhe focused his gaze on the point of contact. Astonishingly, the steel seemed to soften. Its surface no longer felt lifeless but began to exhibit a flesh-like pliancy once more.

“This is... returning life to the dead?”

“No,” Ye Jiuyou said gently. “I am not reviving it. I’m merely using it as material. Even if it were to awaken, it would no longer be what it once was. Just as the Void-Shattering Star Iron, once forged into Dragon Bird, ceased to be just ore.”

Zhao Changhe’s heart stirred. He seemed to grasp what she was trying to convey.

Ye Jiuyou said softly, “My path is to bring order from chaos, light from shadow, something from nothing. My path is not one of obliteration, but of birth. That is my truth.”

Zhao Changhe drew a deep breath. “So what are you doing here?”

“I’m creating life.” Ye Jiuyou smiled, serene and proud. “True gods are creators. Right now, I still require special materials like this to do it. It’s a little... inelegant. That is why I remain with one foot on this shore while reaching for the other. But if I one day reach the point where I can create life from void or craft beings from ordinary materials alone, then I will truly have reached the Other Shore.”

1. A classic Chinese folk story. Lord Ye is a young man who likes dragons more than anything; his house and clothes are decorated with dragon patterns and paintings, all that. A celestial dragon is so moved by this love that it decides to show itself to him, but when Lord Ye sees it descend, he runs away in fear. As it turned out, what he liked was not dragons, but his idea of a dragon. ☜