Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 623: I Alone Am Enough to Kill You

Everyone stared at Xia Longyuan, seated motionless on the high platform, each lost in silence.

The man who had once seemed invincible, whose shadow loomed so large that hatred of him had to be swallowed in silence, was gone. His death felt surreal.

Before he shattered the sword spirits, his wounds had not been severe.

That single slash from Bo’e’s curved blade—perhaps because it was a Profound Control Realm strike—might have resulted in lingering damage that was hard to heal. But it should not have been fatal. Once the burst of borrowed power faded, at worst, he would have become a frail old man, still possessing cultivation of the Profound Mysteries Realm, with a few good years left to live.

Yet everyone present understood Xia Longyuan’s choice.

After decades of ruling with an iron fist, would he accept a life of frailty, incapable of defeating those around him? Would he choose to live out his days under the protection of his well-connected son-in-law?

A life of constant reproach, scorned by all, living in someone else’s shadow.

It was inconceivable for someone as proud as Xia Longyuan. People like Li Shentong, Ying Five, or Vermillion Bird could not imagine accepting such a fate.

Death was preferable. After a lifetime in the martial world, who among them had not come to terms with the inevitability of death? Better to go out with a bang, to complete unfinished business, and leave an indelible mark on the world.

Had he merely killed Wang Daoning and exterminated his clan, others could rise in their place. If not the Wang Clan of Langya, then perhaps the Lang Clan of Wangya. But by destroying the four divine swords, he ensured that such a resurgence would never come.

You plotted my downfall; I destroyed your roots.

No one knew how to feel. Their emotions were a mess.

Even those who loathed him most, like Li Shentong and Vermillion Bird, had to admit there was something compelling about him. At the very least, he had died like a true man, refusing to bow until the very end.

To Zhao Changhe, things were even more complicated. He had always opposed Xia Longyuan’s actions, yet on a personal level, Xia Longyuan was his fellow countryman and, ultimately, his father-in-law. The man had shown him respect, offering him precious items, accepting his relationship with Chichi without interference, and even responding to his opposition with magnanimity. “If you oppose me, then you can come and kill me yourself,” he had said. For someone who was practically a stranger, that was no small gesture.

Zhao Changhe knew others had every right to rebel, but he could not bring himself to deliver the killing blow. He had even tried, on multiple occasions, to reconcile Chichi and her father. Despite the larger political stakes, his actions were still driven by genuine sentiment.

Yet, he had long foreseen this outcome. Xia Longyuan was obsessed with the gods and demons while indifferent to the people. If he were to fall, it would be because of the backlash from his own misdeeds. No divine intervention was necessary. He had warned Xia Longyuan—more than once, in fact. The last time, he had risked his own life to plead with him. But the emperor’s stubborn pride did not allow him to listen.

Now, in the end, Zhao Changhe’s heart was a storm of conflicted emotions.

Zhao Changhe lifted his gaze to Xia Chichi. She did not say a word, her eyes distant, as though her focus was lost somewhere beyond the present.

A faint light filtered down from the sky. The Tome of Troubled Times remained unlit.

Unless hidden from view, the Tome of Troubled Times only stayed dark for two reasons: either the person was still alive, or the tome considered the conflict unresolved. It typically recorded events only once they had fully concluded.

With Ying Five’s spatial powers exposing everything and everyone within this area, there was no concealment. So which was it?

All eyes turned to Wang Daoning.

He stepped back half a pace, weighing his options for escape.

He was still the only Profound Control Realm cultivator present. If he chose to flee, he had a decent chance. Besides, did Li Shentong or Ying Five even have a reason to stop him? The one who conspired with the barbarians was Li Gongsi, not him. Until moments ago, he had not known about the betrayal either. He had been played just like the others. Without this fiasco, their dragon-slaying attempt might have succeeded. Why should anyone pursue him now? To avenge Xia Longyuan? Zhao Changhe and Xia Chichi themselves might not be inclined to hold him accountable.

All he had to do was get past Zhao Changhe and his family, and this was something that should not prove impossible for him.

Just as these thoughts settled in his mind, Li Shentong and Ying Five exchanged a glance, their eyes glinting with a touch of derisive disdain. Without a word, they turned and soared away, each offering a subtle bow as they passed Xia Chichi.

Xia Chichi returned the gesture, giving a slight nod to Li Shentong in particular. She said nothing.

Until now, few people had been certain that Xia Chichi was Xia Longyuan’s daughter. Many had speculated but without solid proof. Most still believed Zhao Changhe was the rightful heir to the throne. But Xia Longyuan’s conversation with Zhao Changhe had laid everything bare: Xia Chichi was the true heir, and Zhao Changhe was the acknowledged son-in-law.

The silent exchange from these two Ranking of Heaven powerhouses seemed to say, “If you wish to hold us responsible for your father’s death, so be it. If you seek vengeance, we’ll face it.” But voicing such sentiments outright would have been absurd. After all, Xia Chichi herself sought vengeance for her mother, and Vermillion Bird was one of her allies. What private grudges could there be?

Thus, they merely bowed in acknowledgment, waiting for Xia Chichi’s response.

Her return gesture made her stance clear: there was no personal vendetta—perhaps even the opposite. They were allies, at least for now.

Ying Five was a wanderer of the jianghu, uninvolved in struggles for power. Li Shentong, however, was a leader of one faction. With Xia Longyuan’s fall, the era of a fractured empire had begun. Whether or not Xia Chichi accepted the throne of Great Xia, the Four Idols Cult still commanded the forces behind the Cao Gang of Jianghuai. They would inevitably clash with Li Shentong’s faction in the future.

Her nod conveyed one more message: If we become enemies in the future, it will be due to circumstance, not personal grudges.

Both men understood. They nodded in return, then departed without a sound, their figures vanishing into the distance.

Wang Daoning hesitated for a moment before preparing to leave. With Li Shentong and Ying Five gone, he felt there was no one left who could stop him.

Clang!

Iceheart slid from its sheath, its icy sword aura sharp as frost.

Xia Chichi blocked the path out of the sanctuary, her eyes cold. “The battle at sea had its reasons. I can let that go. But this time, you conspired with Venerable Vermillion Bird to slay the dragon, and before that, you murdered one of our key generals. Don’t you owe me an explanation?”

Wang Daoning barely took her challenge seriously. With a casual swipe of his hand, he knocked Iceheart aside and smirked. “Little girl, you’re just looking for an excuse to vent your grief over your father’s death. But I’m afraid you can’t stop me.”

Yet, as his hand brushed the sword aside, he felt a strange resonance within the sword qi—power of the water element echoed through his own meridians. For a brief moment, his body froze, the path before him blocked.

Strangely, the couple he had expected to join the fight didn’t move. Instead, Vermillion Bird’s calm voice echoed through the air.

“Do you want to handle it, or shall I?”

Xia Chichi stepped back a few paces, her lips pressed together in hesitation. “I can’t defeat him. I’ll support from the side. Please help me handle this, venerable.”

Wang Daoning froze, bewildered. What is this nonsense? Are they actually choosing who would duel me? Did they seriously just consider letting Xia Chichi take me on?

His gaze flicked to Zhao Changhe. He stood not far from Xia Chichi, ready to support her, but made no move to join the fight.

Vermillion Bird’s voice remained cold and detached. “From our earlier exchange, we’ve seen enough... Your cultivation of the Profound Control Realm is hollow, just like your family’s sword spirits. You patched your strength with the yin qi of the Sea Tribe, lacking your own insight. The Wang Clan’s ambition was to suppress the seas, yet you relied on the essence of the sea to empower your soul. Is this your path to profound control? It’s no different from Li Gongsi inviting barbarians across the border. Truly laughable.” @@novelbin@@

Wang Daoning’s voice was icy. “So what are you implying, venerable?”

“There’s no need for a group assault to kill you. I alone am enough!” Flames flickered in the Vermillion Bird’s hands, reflecting off her lower face, where traces of blood still clung to her lips. The fiery glow made her look both bewitching and lethal.

Wang Daoning’s expression hardened. His desire to flee evaporated. A cold smile curled his lips. “So, venerable, are you saying you were dragged down by your man during the group fight and got yourself injured?”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

Vermillion Bird: “?”

A swirling mist gathered in Wang Daoning’s palms. “Then let me see just how extraordinary Venerable Vermillion Bird, at the third layer of the Profound Mysteries, truly is!”