Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 489: Willing to Be A Maid

Actually, Zhao Changhe was only half correct. The one who initially entered his dream to remind him about the Heavenly Tome was indeed the real blind woman. She had already noticed disturbances at the nearby sacred mountain and, disregarding the fact that Zhao Changhe was pretty much a dying dog, intended to spur him into action.

In a way, the blind woman indeed did not care whether Zhao Changhe lived or died.

But after he ingested the Pain Transfer Gu, she realized there was no need to rush him further. She suspected they might start a dual cultivation healing process and did not want to be present for that, so she withdrew.

Though she left, Zhao Changhe’s confused state did not dissipate the dream. It continued with him worrying about whether Sisi would betray him after using him, and the dream carried on in the form of a conversation with the blind woman.

It was just a dream, but the blind woman never expected him to so literally fulfill his bold words from before: stuffing the sausage into...[1]

What made it worse was that outside the dream, Sisi was really eating the sausage.

Watching this surreal scene unfold, the blind woman did not even know how to feel. After knocking the pair out with anger and frustration, she panted in rage for some time, disgusted by what she saw. She made a cutting gesture with her hand, aiming for a while before finally deciding against it, storming away in a huff.

She could not take action without consequence.

Knocking out the pair was already the only intervention she had ever made outside of when she went against gods and demons, a moment of historical significance.

Similarly, this event also held great historical significance for the two idiots.

Because this was the first time they truly lay together, side by side, until dawn.

As dawn broke, Sisi woke up, feeling sore but relieved. She found herself nestled against Zhao Changhe’s shoulder, clinging to him like an octopus. He was still asleep, but his expression had softened significantly, no longer filled with the pain he had shown yesterday.

Sisi carefully tried to move away, but found his arm wrapped tightly around her waist, preventing her escape.

Not wanting to wake him, she sighed in resignation and settled back down.

Her body still felt weak, as if she had been through a long and severe illness, and she did not have the energy to move.

She didn’t want to move, either; resting against his shoulder felt quite comfortable.

His muscles were no longer rigid like yesterday, when his vicious qi had been so fierce it could kill a passing mosquito. Today, he was finally normal, and could even pass off as a pleasantly warm and comforting human pillow.

There was just one spot, though... Strange. The vicious qi hasn’t completely dispersed?

She curiously reached out and touched it, then gave it a squeeze.

Zhao Changhe opened his eyes.

Sisi: “...”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

“Um...” Sisi awkwardly retracted her hand. “I was just checking the vicious qi.”

Zhao Changhe looked at her with a strange expression. His mind had been very muddled last night, and now he was slightly dazed, struggling to distinguish between dream and reality.

Last night, that sensation felt so real... someone was doing that... Was the blind woman in the dream real or not?

Hmm... While the idea of pinning her down and having her give me a little something is pretty satisfying, I need to get a grip. There’s no way that could have actually happened. It must have been a dream.

But if it was a dream, then what about the sensations I felt?

Zhao Changhe looked down at Sisi, nestled close to him like a small bird, her cheeks flushed, and things started to come together. His eyes turned round.

No way... She did that, didn’t she...

Her clothes were still disheveled as if they had been roughly tugged and torn, revealing fair skin as smooth as jade and even more...

Zhao Changhe gulped.

Sisi started to squirm. “Now that you’re awake, let me go!”

Zhao Changhe leaned in, whispering in her ear, “You checked my vicious qi. Shouldn’t I check yours?”

Sisi let out a laugh, half in frustration and half in amusement. “So you’re finally showing your true nature, huh?”

“Well, who was secretly taking advantage of me last night?”

“I was helping you release the vicious qi!” Sisi’s face flushed even redder. “Do you have any idea how terrifying you looked yesterday?”

“Well... it doesn’t seem fully released, does it? How about helping me release a bit more?”

Sisi suddenly fell silent, pleading softly, “Master, the sun’s already up...”

It was not even a refusal; in fact, it was more of an invitation.

Here was a woman who had willingly helped him quietly release his vicious qi, who had spent the night in his arms, sharing a bed with him. Any man would know exactly what to do next...

Yet Zhao Changhe bit his lip, feeling a sudden hesitation.

The words from his dream last night had reflected his inner worries. Could he really trust Sisi? Was it wise to become too entangled with her? After all, the Spirit Tribe maids had once warned him that if he became too intimate with her, he might end up ingesting gu and losing control over his own will.

She was like a poppy flower, beautiful but dangerous.

Seeing his hesitation, Sisi, though not actually wanting to do anything at the moment, could not help but look a little hurt.

After a moment’s thought, she bit her lower lip, took his hand, and placed it on her chest.

Zhao Changhe: “?”

Sisi said softly, “Go ahead, you can play with them... Are you really so afraid of taking things any further?”

Zhao Changhe squeezed her chest a bit, then said, “You’re not playing games with me to keep me on edge anymore?”

Sisi let out a soft gasp from his touch and chuckled. “Aren’t I already in your hands?”

Zhao Changhe sighed and replied quietly, “Sisi, let’s talk openly, shall we?”

“Master, you’re welcome to lay my clothes open if you wish...”

“You know that’s not what I mean.”

The atmosphere grew quiet for a moment. Sisi smiled lightly. “Your concern isn’t really whether you can handle me. You’re worried that the Spirit Tribe’s rising power will sweep through Miaojiang, and in the midst of the turmoil, it will threaten Xia to the north.”

Zhao Changhe did not respond, but he did not deny it either.

This was not just a problem with Sisi but with the entire tribe, and it could potentially extend into future generations. One day, if it erupted into conflict, he, Zhao Changhe, would be blamed for it for centuries to come.

Perhaps, from the very beginning, this was more than a matter of simple attraction or conquest. It had deeper implications, and their relationship could never be as pure as others’.

There was only one solution: to make this tribe completely bow to him, regard him as divine, and embrace him as their faith.

Conquering Sisi alone would not be enough, though she was undeniably the key.

After a moment’s thought, Zhao Changhe suddenly said, “I want to truly be regarded as the sacred envoy.”

Sisi’s smile remained. “Isn’t the saintess already serving the sacred envoy right now...”

Zhao Changhe said, “You know what I mean.”

Sisi smiled. “Master, your ambitions are quite big... You’re not content with just a maid, are you?”

“You know I don’t wish to enslave anyone.”

“I believe you, but others may not.”

Just as Zhao Changhe was about to reply, he stopped and then asked, “You believe me?”

Sisi looked up at him, saying softly, “Changhe...”

Perhaps it was the first time she had ever addressed him this way.

“I’m not ungrateful,” Sisi said gently. “I’ve already told you... If you trust me, I won’t let you down.”

Before Zhao Changhe could respond, Sisi extended her small, delicate feet and lightly pressed them against the place where his vicious qi was still overflowing.

Zhao Changhe’s eyes widened.

“Master, you like my small feet, right? Let me use them to please you...” Sisi murmured, kissing his cheek softly. “I’m willing to serve you... but the Spirit Tribe is another matter. I’ve just led them to freedom. I can’t just turn it all into a joke. Let me serve you as your maid alone...”

She moved slightly, biting her lip and adding, “Besides, no one else is as easily tricked as I am.”

Zhao Changhe enjoyed the soft, springy sensation in his hand, and with Sisi’s feet massaging him, he felt pure bliss.

He sighed contentedly and said, “But, Sisi...”

“Hmm?” Sisi looked up at him, her eyes filled with alluring charm. “Do you really want to do it? I thought you might not dare to go that far.”

“What I’m trying to say is, as long as you trust me, that’s enough. I won’t enslave anyone, neither them nor you.” Zhao Changhe leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. “As for everyone else, when the time comes, they’ll willingly kneel before me.”

Sisi looked at him with sparkling eyes, clearly not believing his grand claim, but she replied, “I would quite like you to make me kneel, Master...”

Zhao Changhe leaned closer to her ear and whispered, “There will be a time for you to kneel.”

The blind woman: “Ugh...”

Good grief, why did I come over here so early? You’re still not done... and you’re still talking about kneeling!

As the blind woman bent over, pretending to vomit, Zhao Changhe’s vicious qi surged and squirted all over.

The blind woman: “???”

1. This is a reference to Chapter 1, when Zhao Changhe wanted to stuff a “sausage” in the witch’s mouth. ☜