Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 638: Practice

Did he really want Venerable Vermillion Bird to kneel before him?

Yes.

He always had.

The figure that emerged from the blazing inferno—blood dripping from her talons, screams of anguish filling the air, severed heads rolling on the ground as martial artists knelt, trembling in terror. That cruel, macabre beauty... Zhao Changhe had once told Vermillion Bird directly, without hesitation, that she was breathtaking. And that was the pure truth.

Even without glimpsing the face behind the mask, she was stunning.

On the surface, his words seemed a simple, candid compliment, pure admiration untainted by hidden motives. But deep within, it was the most primal desire—a man’s lust and hunger for dominance, buried where even he rarely dared to look. He could deceive anyone but his own heart.

It was just something he had never dared to hope for.

Even two days ago, the most he wished for was to someday defeat her—to stop her from obstructing his relationship with Chichi. That modest goal was galaxies away from the deeper fantasy lurking in the shadows of his mind. He had not expected to ever get close to it.

Yet here she was—Huangfu Qing.

Zhao Changhe struggled to comprehend his feelings as he gazed at Huangfu Qing, half-mask in place, serving him with a devotion that felt surreal.

To indulge in a desire he would not have dared to dream of, to possess the mythical Vermillion Bird, to have those lips, once so sinister and untouchable, now yielding to him. Her demeanor had softened, her sultry menace tempered, but it was undeniably her. No shift in aura or appearance could change that.

In that instant, any lingering resentment toward Vermillion Bird dissolved like smoke.

For at this moment, Huangfu Qing—the woman—had humbled Vermillion Bird, the symbol. She placed her love for him above her duty to the cult, even if just for now.

He wanted Vermillion Bird? Then she would let him have Vermillion Bird.

Her devotion ran so deep that even if, in the end, her loyalty to the cult surpassed everything else, he could not fault her. She had given him all she could.

Any indecision about Vermillion Bird or hesitation about forging the Night Emperor’s sword melted away. If unity was what she sought, the only path forward was for him to become what the Night Emperor had once been. No matter the doubts, no matter the difficulty—he owed her that much. @@novelbin@@

If fate wove a web of consequences, he would bear them. Prepared and resolute, there might be no doom waiting after all.

* * *

“Are you satisfied now?” Huangfu Qing murmured, wiping her lips, a hint of grievance in her eyes as she leaned against him. Her hand continued its tender ministrations. “I’ve really outdone myself... dressing up as another woman just to amuse you. I’ve thrown my pride away.”

Uh... well...

Zhao Changhe coughed awkwardly. “Would you pass a message to the venerable for me?”

Her eyes narrowed. “What is it?”

“First, ask her this: Does she worship the Night Emperor as a figure, or does she revere the concept of the myriad stars as the ultimate unity of martial and human destiny?”

“Is there really a difference?”

“If it’s the former, then any so-called legacy of the Night Emperor is ultimately false. The moment the true Night Emperor returns, she would be bound to obey his will. But if it’s the latter—that is, an abstract concept—then whoever advances beyond the ancient Night Emperor, whoever best embodies the principles of the stars, is the true Night Emperor. It’s like Tang Wanzhuang: does she serve the emperor or the land itself? For her, it’s the land. What about Vermillion Bird? Would she reject the latter as heresy, simply because it deviates from the original Night Emperor’s vision?”

Huangfu Qing stared blankly for a while, grappling with this new perspective. She had never considered the distinction before. Now that it was laid bare, she could not help but feel unsettled. After a moment, she nodded slightly. “I’ll relay that to her.”

“Second, regardless of what she believes, it comes down to what’s in it for her. Someone like Vermillion Bird doesn’t cling to faith merely for solace or peace of mind. I’m confident that she needs tangible results to believe in something, isn’t that right?”

“Yes. For us, our martial arts cultivation is proof. When we attune ourselves to the stars, the results are undeniable. Once you find your constellation, you can break through to the Profound Mysteries. These are concrete truths that form the bedrock of our faith. We’re not charlatans peddling empty promises like other cults.”

Huangfu Qing’s expression turned serious. “You have used the venerables Astral Resonance Art to break through your bottlenecks. You gained real benefits, didn’t you?”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “So... if I can help her break through the barrier of the Profound Control Realm, what do you think she’d say? Hey, wait, wait—ow! Easy there, you’re gonna—”

Huangfu Qing jerked her hand away as if burnt, realizing she’d almost inflicted some very permanent damage.

She stared at Zhao Changhe, who was doubled over in pain, struggling for breath. The words lingered between them.

For someone like her—one of the most formidable mortals, teetering on the brink of divinity—the notion of someone guiding her through the threshold of the Profound Control Realm was unfathomable. Who but a god could offer such insight?

Especially if it came from a martial artist who had not even broken through to the third layer of the Profound Mysteries. What else could he be if not a divine incarnation?

Her voice turned grave as she asked, “Are you sure? That’s a claim you can’t afford to make lightly.”

“All I can promise is that I’ll try.”

Huangfu Qing fell silent for a long moment, then murmured, “The venerable has summoned the cult’s high-ranking members to the capital within three days for an important ceremony. During that time, she’ll seek you out.”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “Alright, I’ll need a day or two to prepare.”

Huangfu Qing rose to her feet, hesitated for a moment, then leaned down to kiss his cheek. “I still have a lot to handle. I hope your conversation with the venerable goes well. I’d like to see you at the ceremony in three days.”

She turned and left, glancing back repeatedly as she walked away. If it was not for the mountain of tasks ahead of her, she would have stayed to see just what Zhao Changhe was up to, and what gave him the confidence to say those things.

As she departed, Huangfu Qing lifted her gaze toward the subterranean sky, a spark of anticipation in her heart.

Zhao Changhe often came across as arrogant, throwing out claims like “I can kill you with a single strike,” but now that she thought about it, these bold claims had come true one after the other. Now, this latest declaration seemed similarly absurd, and yet....

Although this celestial canopy was different from the beliefs pertaining to the four idols—and to her, it verged on heresy—perhaps in his hands, it held some real potential.

“Guard this place well,” she ordered the sentries. “No one is to disturb King Zhao. If he needs anything, see to it immediately.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The response came swiftly, followed by a hushed silence.

Zhao Changhe lingered on the high platform for a while longer, then descended into the underground chamber once again.

His first task was to retrieve the Sea Emperor’s Trident and begin the process of smelting it down.

His knowledge of forging came from Lady Three’s instruction. He had the theory but lacked practical experience. This smelting and refining exercise was a perfect way to hone his skills. Compared to beginners practicing with crude copper ore, he was leveling up with top-tier materials.

This was a divine weapon. No matter how it was refined, the resulting materials would be of the highest quality. There was more than enough to forge two extraordinary swords.

However, Zhao Changhe was only interested in extracting specific properties.

First, self-repairing divine material. He wanted to fuse this into Dragon Bird, ensuring that even in fierce battles where it might chip or crack, it could restore itself. He could not bear to part with Dragon Bird, just as he could not bear to part with Snow-Treading Crow. He wanted these companions to be with him to the very end.

Second, materials related to soul energy. He hoped to enhance Dragon Bird so he could harm souls even without the Dragon Soul Bow. Strengthening the spirit within Dragon Bird would also help the saber’s nascent consciousness grow faster. That little spirit—so stubborn and sharp-tongued—often seemed like a defiant, hands-on-hips little girl in his imagination. Though, in reality, who knew what she looked like? Maybe she resembled Xia Longyuan. Regardless, enhancing her would allow her to manifest fully, and then he’d finally know her true form.

Third, energy of the water element. Lady Three did not have a weapon suited to her abilities, apart from her whip. It was time to craft something for her.

He placed the trident into the forge. The Southern Li Fire roared to life, its flames consuming the metal with an intense glow. Zhao Changhe settled into a seated position, eyes fixed on the furnace, feeling the material’s transformation through the heat and energy.

From dawn until nightfall, he remained still, lost in the quiet focus of the forge.