Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 492: You Are Already Dead

Yue Hongling knew that while Shi Wuding appeared much stronger than that blood bubble—after all, what could a bubble possibly do?—Shi Wuding’s so-called Eternal Sword Body was not perfect.

At this point, Shi Wuding was still in a severely injured state. His body was in such a mess that his face was unrecognizable. Meanwhile, although she had been injured the day before, her wounds were far lighter than Zhao Changhe’s, and after a night’s rest, she was at least capable of fighting. At this moment, their strengths were relatively comparable.

On the other hand, the blood bubble posed a much more severe threat to her in particular. When Yue Hongling was touched by its blood qi, it felt like her life was withering away—a crushing, overwhelming power that was simply on a different level altogether.

This was not merely the power of something at the third layer of the Profound Mysteries; it was the power of a god or demon at the Profound Control Realm. Even if it was severely injured or damaged, it was still far stronger than them.

Yesterday, they had the corpse demon to hold it back, but today? How was Zhao Changhe planning to handle it?

Initially, Zhao Changhe thought that dealing with this blood bubble would be rather straightforward. Yesterday, they relied on the corpse demon; today, they were fighting over the Heavenly Tome with the blind woman by their side. Was that not enough to absolutely crush this thing? He figured that if Yue Hongling could hold off Shi Wuding for a while, he would be able to pierce through the blood bubble quickly.

So he boasted to the Spirit Tribe members outside that it would only take one incense stick’s time to settle the problem inside the blood moon.

However, as he approached the blood bubble, he had not even raised Dragon Bird when he suddenly felt his body go weak, and he nearly stumbled and fell face-first onto the blood bubble.

The blind woman remained silent, watching coldly, barely resisting the urge to kick him forward to make him truly eat it.

“Damn,” Zhao Changhe muttered. “It seems I won’t be able to rely on the blind woman.”

He steadied himself, not bothering to question why she was not helping. After all, since transmigrating to this world, he had never relied on the blind woman to intervene in his fights. Swiftly, he pulled out something from his ring.

It was the Cui Clan’s Qinghe Mirror.

The moment that Zhao Changhe felt the sensation of death and decay, he immediately noticed that it was much like a curse. Curses were very peculiar; their effects were often undetectable through conventional introspection. Right now, there was even a powerful figure from the Ranking of Earth running for his life, his organs ravaged by a curse, unable to identify its cause.

Zhao Changhe had confirmed, during his impersonation of Old Wang by the lakeside to counter Lei Ao’s assassination attempt, that while he could not detect curses that were affecting him through inner sight, the Qinghe Mirror could reveal them.

Sure enough, upon using the mirror, he saw a peculiar foreign power entangling his body, relentlessly absorbing his life force.

This was not some curse of death and decay, but rather the blood bubble was directly absorbing his and Yue Hongling’s life force to nourish itself!

In just a short moment, the blood bubble had visibly sprouted arms and legs, taking on the form of a small figure, albeit headless. When it was possessing the envoy earlier, it could not really use this technique, but now, near the Heavenly Tome, it was maximizing this ability, able to regenerate with even a single drop of blood.

And this time, the blood it was using was from Shi Wuding.

This collaboration was indeed far from sincere or altruistic. Duoluo was still exploiting Shi Wuding... His so-called eternal body relied on drawing the life force of others, and he was thereby leaving Shi Wuding incomplete.

But that doesn’t matter. Shi Wuding being used has nothing to do with us. But if you think you can just drain my and Hongling’s life force, dream on.

He quietly activated the Rejuvenation Art, allowing him to barely resist the siphoning force acting on his body while also preventing the blood bubble from siphoning any more life force from Yue Hongling.

No matter the kind of foreign energy, when it came to defending against bodily harm, the Rejuvenation Art operated at the level of the principles of the world. It did not matter what it was, it was all treated the same.

The siphoning of their vitality was instantly stopped.

From within the blood bubble came a startled “Huh?” which then turned into a spiteful, ghostly voice, “Zhao Changhe... Yesterday, you broke my heavenly spirit and ruined my plans. And today, you break my Eternal Divine Art? You ignorant swine and dogs of this world will never understand the secrets held within the Heavenly Tome!”

The blood bubble rapidly expanded, transforming in an instant from a figure with small stubby limbs to a blood figure several chi tall and still growing, a vortex forming in its hands, gathering a destructive force that could annihilate all life present.

“You’re lacking the page of nature. With only the page of life of the Heavenly Tome, you’re not regenerating or achieving some undying effect. At best, you’re completing a transfer of life, a blood and qi siphon... In other words, your soul energy has yet to recover. All these phenomena you’re displaying depend entirely on the Heavenly Tome. So what are you being so arrogant for?” Zhao Changhe paid it no mind, and instead did something very simple.

He reached out and grabbed the Heavenly Tome page.

Venerable Duoluo, inside the blood bubble, stared in shock. “?”

The so-called resistance of the Heavenly Tome, which was supposed to make people monstrous and ghostly, had no ill effect whatsoever on Zhao Changhe. Instead, it seemed to burst into radiant colors in his grasp, almost joyfully.

The power that Venerable Duoluo was gathering in his hands suddenly dissipated with a puff, as if it were nothing more than air.

As expected, it had never truly belonged to him.

* * *

Although it seemed as if a lot had happened, only a moment had passed since Zhao Changhe had severed the life siphoning of the blood bubble. With the burden on her lightened, Yue Hongling instantly unleashed an attack. Dragon Emperor whistled through the air as it flew straight for Shi Wuding’s forehead.

Obviously, Zhao Changhe was the key here, and she needed to keep Shi Wuding occupied to prevent him from interfering with Zhao Changhe!

Shi Wuding was poised to strike Zhao Changhe, but suddenly, a chilling sensation overwhelmed him. He quickly redirected his sword qi to deflect Yue Hongling’s incoming blow, shocked at her strength. “The second layer of the Profound Mysteries? No, you’re still a hair’s breadth away... How did you advance so quickly...?”

Yue Hongling remained silent and Dragon Emperor continued to strike Shi Wuding relentlessly.

While others might see her being a hair’s breadth away from the second layer as impressive, she felt dissatisfied, as if she had not contributed enough in this battle from beginning to end.

Moreover, there was something strange about this place.

It seemed like there was something about that golden page... By being here in this place, she could feel her sword art on the verge of breaking through, just a tiny step away from complete understanding.

The door for her to reach the second layer of the Profound Mysteries was here.

It was no longer merely “within reach”!

This was where and when she would break through!

“Even if you reach the second layer of the Profound Mysteries, you will die here today,” Shi Wuding said coldly, sword qi surging throughout his body, sword glints filling the air. “You came too late. I will break through to the third layer of the Profound Mysteries here!”

Yue Hongling’s sword split into thousands, her gaze fixed tightly on Shi Wuding amidst the endless storm of sword light. Behind him, she could faintly see a blood-red sword shadow.

Is that a manifestation? No... The Eternal Sword Body, just what is it?

Is it the body becoming a sword, or perhaps the soul becoming a sword? Is it a single strand of sword intent within the body becoming eternal? Perhaps this was the way of the Sword Emperor... But why does Shi Wuding’s sword feel so fleeting, like a mirage?

Boom!

The blood-red sword shadow soared into the heavens.

Outside, the Spirit Tribe members looked up in astonishment.

The third layer of the Profound Mysteries? The power of those on the Ranking of Heaven?

Tap.

A thin, frail figure with a pale face was slowly making his way up the mountain, one laborious step at a time.

He lacked even the strength of an ordinary person, and climbing the towering sacred mountain was a massive effort. He was panting heavily, drenched in sweat even before making it halfway up.

The Spirit Tribe guards rushed to block him. “Where did you come from? This is the Spirit Tribe’s sacred mountain! The Xia people’s camp is at the foot of the mountain!”

Han Wubing took a few breaths, looking up at the blood sword piercing the heavens, and said calmly, “He can’t break through. He never will.”

The guards: “?”

Inside the blood moon, Shi Wuding seemed to hear Han Wubing’s faint words from far down the mountainside.

It was as if a hammer struck his heart, filling him with agitation.

Han Wubing sat cross-legged on a rock halfway up the mountain and closed his eyes. “You’re destined to lose this battle... I’ll be waiting.”

Boom!

Thousands of strands of sword qi merged into one, rushing straight toward Yue Hongling.

Unable to withstand the intense pressure of the sword qi, Yue Hongling retreated a step, bracing herself with one hand on the ground as she looked up.

Meanwhile, Zhao Changhe had taken the Heavenly Tome.

Rays of light burst forth, illuminating the blood sword in the sky, revealing every detail within, laying it all bare before Yue Hongling.

This sword... though it seems fierce, but why does it seem to have significant flaws?

That page... it seems to be whispering to me that this person’s life is extremely incomplete?

Ugh... Why is that page growing brighter, and why do I feel like I can sense some kind of sword intent resonating with me... A swift soaring swan darting toward the blazing sun... What has Zhao Changhe done?

Shi Wuding was roaring, “Han Wubing, what have you done?!”

Now!

Yue Hongling became one with her sword and shot toward Shi Wuding like a lightning bolt, her eyes filled with determination and unwavering resolve!

She was rushing toward the terrifying sword shadow, which seemed much more formidable than the one that Zhao Changhe had seen in the Sword Emperor’s tomb. It seemed to be an all-out suicidal strike, like a moth flying into fire. But the outcome was quite the opposite—her sword shattered the shadow, scattering it to pieces.

There was now nothing separating her from a breakthrough.

Back when she attempted to assassinate Lan Tiankuo, the pronouncement of the Tome of Troubled Times revealed her path. The so-called setting sun could describe both time and imagery, and it could also be a verb.

A rainbow piercing the sun and descending from the nine heavens!

Bound by the imagery of a lone traveler tethered to the ends of the world—too small, too limited. The path of life is about vitality, but why could it not also be about destruction?

This blood moon at sunset, how can it restrain me?

Yue Hongling broke through to the second layer of the Profound Mysteries.

Her divine sword charged onward, cutting through all the sword qi blocking its path, and plunged heavily into Shi Wuding’s forehead.

Roar!

Shi Wuding let out an enraged roar, somehow summoning power far beyond his current abilities. He repelled Yue Hongling away and transformed into a streak of light rushing out of the blood moon, heading straight for Han Wubing.

Yue Hongling withdrew her sword and looked back, choosing not to pursue.

“I didn’t do anything.” As Shi Wuding charged furiously toward him, Han Wubing, though entirely powerless, remained unfazed. “I’ve just come to understand a lot of things over the past two days...”

Shi Wuding stopped right in front of him, raising his hand to strike.

Han Wubing continued slowly, “The other day, when Snow Owl appeared to pursue Senior Thief Saint, you acted as if you were oblivious... I found that odd. If the Bashan Sword Hut was actually the Snow-Listening Pavilion, and if you’re not Snow Owl, then you should be acting under their orders, right? Yet everything you’ve done seems detached from any command, as if you’re only seeking your own sword path. Isn’t that strange?”

Shi Wuding’s hand froze in midair.

“I’ve come to realize... it’s because you’re incomplete.” Han Wubing smiled slightly. “You’ve been using sword slaves to comprehend the myriad sword intents of others. But have you ever considered that you might be one such slave too?”

Shi Wuding’s hands suddenly clutched his head as he let out a pained groan.

“I didn’t realize I was your sword slave, and you didn’t realize you were someone else’s.” Han Wubing’s voice took on a tone of pity. “But now I have found myself, and you still haven’t...”

“Swords are born from the self. What use is there in sensing the intent of others? Look at Heroine Yue; she has always been true to herself. Even if that path was narrow, it eventually led to something greater.”

He reached out lightly, touching Shi Wuding’s forehead. “Your body is severely damaged, and half your life force has been taken by another... Sword qi will seek a more suitable host, and when I came near, I became its ideal vessel, because, in its mind, you and I are the same. So your sword qi scattered—not because of anything I did...”

As he spoke, a strand of sword qi entered his body.

Shi Wuding’s groans ceased, and the light in his eyes dimmed even further.

“Without this sword qi to support you, your body is already dead, master... It’s the sword qi that’s eternal, not you.” Han Wubing suddenly waved his hand, discarding the sword qi he had just drawn into his body as if it were worthless, flinging it into the mountainside, where it exploded with a resounding blast.

Amidst the explosion, Shi Wuding fell backward, gazing skyward, never to move again.

Han Wubing looked up at the radiance of the Heavenly Tome, as new sword qi slowly grew within him—weak, but unyieldingly resilient.

He comprehended the Eternal Sword Body and was fully revived under the radiance of the Heavenly Tome.