Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 656: Offense and Defense

Cui Wenjing did not immediately answer the question. For the first time, he shifted his gaze away from the flowing water and turned to look at Zhao Changhe.

Zhao Changhe said, “Uncle, when you watched the water a long time ago, I felt it was a tactic to put me in my place or intimidate me. But today, I sense something deeper in it. Could you explain?”

Cui Wenjing replied, “Why don’t you think that I’m also trying to intimidate you today?”

Zhao Changhe said, “Because, aside from unknown gods and demons, among the known humans on this land, no one can intimidate me anymore.”

Cui Wenjing’s mouth twitched. “I hope you haven’t become arrogant because of your progress these past two years.”

“I’ve always been arrogant. There’s no need to hide it. And I’m not just talking about you, Uncle. This includes everyone on the Ranking of Heaven, whether it’s the Great Shaman of Tngri or the Khagan of the Golden Horde. Sure, I may not be able to face them head-on just yet, but I can guarantee you they’d have to pay a significant price to kill me. It’s a risk they might not be willing to take.”

Cui Wenjing blinked, mouth half-open. He speaks of the Great Shaman and the khagan, but not of me. Does that mean he already considers me as his peer?

But he did not voice this thought. Instead, he said, “Even Xia Longyuan, as powerful as he was, could not withstand the joint hunt of the world’s strongest. Are you so confident you can?”

Zhao Changhe chuckled. “That’s precisely why I’m here. I intend to break the cycle of joint hunts. At the very least, I certainly don’t want you among my enemies.”

Cui Wenjing was momentarily taken aback before letting out a soft laugh.

Zhao Changhe continued, “What I’m about to say might sound unpleasant, but I still want you to hear it. Xia Longyuan’s target has always been the gods and demons, and so is mine. Uncle, you dismiss those speculating about Yuanyong’s marriage as having a narrow perspective. But, with all due respect, your focus on the Cui Clan’s tiny patch of land isn’t much broader.”

Behind them, Cui Yuanyang could not suppress a little chuckle.

Cui Wenjing turned to glance at her, and she hastily composed herself, wiping the smile off her face as she sat primly.

“Back then, when I faced you, my palms would sweat as you led me into your narrative, trapping me into that ridiculous three-year agreement. But things are different now. People only revere what is vastly beyond them, worshipping it from afar. Once they stand on the same level, that reverence fades. That’s why I’m puzzled. You’re nearly at the Profound Control Realm, so why would someone of your stature still buy into the allure of gods?”

Cui Wenjing was silent for a moment before speaking slowly, “If I were the type to buy into the gods’ promises, I wouldn’t have resisted the Sea Emperor so firmly and decisively back then.”

Zhao Changhe countered, “And now you believe other gods won’t be like the Sea Emperor? You believe they won’t pose the same threat to our survival?”

“So far, none have shown to pose the same threat.”

Zhao Changhe thought for a moment and pointed to an ant nest near the pavilion, turning to ask Cui Yuanyang, “Yangyang, if you heard those ants calling your name, asking for your help, would you help them?”

Cui Yuanyang smiled and replied, “If the ants called my name, I’d definitely want to see what they were saying, and if I could help, of course, I would. If a whole group of ants were calling for you, wouldn’t you be happy?”

“And if there was something you needed the ants to do, you’d pick one or two suitable ones to carry out your request, right?”

“Right! And I’d even reward them with a piece of candy!”

“But if your house was overrun with ants and they climbed onto your pastries, wouldn’t you throw in water laced with arsenic and destroy the nest?”[1]

“Of course.”

Zhao Changhe said, “That’s the relationship between gods and mortals.”

Cui Yuanyang: “...”

“You all felt that Old Xia was an evil dragon because his thinking was akin to these gods. He viewed every being in this world not as peers but as entities beneath him. When he struck, not caring if you got hurt, it was precisely because of such a mindset. After all his efforts, he finally fished out the ant he despised most and, with a single finger, crushed it without hesitation. Why would he care to recognize another ant that might have been closer to him?” said Zhao Changhe. “Personally, I feel a certain closeness to Xia Longyuan, but I understand why people rebelled against him, especially you, Uncle. In fact, I even warned him about it, and he failed to listen. I understand your anger and have no desire to debate it.”

Cui Wenjing remained silent, knowing what Zhao Changhe was leading to.

Zhao Changhe asked, “But the question is, given all this, why did you oppose Xia Longyuan only to welcome another who’s potentially more dangerous? You risked everything, even the threat of annihilation, to slay the dragon—and for what? To replace it with a tiger? Are you serious?”

Cui Wenjing smiled faintly but still said nothing.

Zhao Changhe continued, “Was it to restore your sword? Let’s not even discuss whether that god truly has the ability to do so or if they’re just stringing you along. Even if they could, have you not considered that the same being who helps ants build a nest can destroy it at will?”

Cui Wenjing finally laughed heartily. “Your barrage of questions is quite fierce... but it seems you’ve overlooked one crucial point.”

Zhao Changhe was taken aback. “What?”

“On what grounds can you guarantee that you’re any different from them?”

Zhao Changhe opened his mouth but was momentarily at a loss for words.

Cui Wenjing smiled. “From the current state of the Four Idols Cult, it’s clear that many already consider you the reincarnation of the Night Emperor. Even if they don’t, they see you as his earthly representative. You stand here, righteously speaking from our perspective about broader horizons, but have you considered that if anyone needs to be watched carefully, that would be Zhao Changhe himself? You say you’re not like the gods, but who would believe you? Your cultivation speed is unprecedented, save for the primordial gods and demons who claimed to be born alongside heaven and earth in the previous era. Even Xia Longyuan’s progression through cultivation wasn’t as extraordinary as yours.”

Zhao Changhe: “Fuck.”

“The current state of the world is nothing but the chaos following the absence of Xia Longyuan, with gods and demons extending their influence without wanting to be the first to draw all the attention. They seem reluctant to be the first to stand out and become the target of everyone’s ire, so they’re all operating through proxies,” Cui Wenjing explained. “For each family, the question isn’t one of principles but of which proxy to align with. The distinction you’re trying to make doesn’t exist.”

He took a deep breath, he added, “You might say it’s absurd that I opposed Xia Longyuan only to align with something similar. But humans have emotions. No one thinks as coldly as a blade. If, back then, Xia Longyuan had tried to kill you instead, I doubt you’d be so magnanimous. Hah, I bet you’d have fought back even harder than me. I know your temper. You wouldn’t have calmly swallowed your pride for the greater good. It’s ridiculous to urge generosity when the blow didn’t land on your head.”

“Uh...”

“Of course, you saved me back then,” said Cui Wenjing, his tone softening. “Whether it’s because of your feelings for Yangyang or the fact that you saved me, the entire Cui Clan leans toward you emotionally. Unfortunately, feelings can’t decide much in this situation. We know you dislike aristocratic families, so we’re inherently in conflict. You say others can build an ant nest and also destroy it at a whim, but Changhe, you’re already dismantling our nest. How do you think the Cui Clan feels about that? If you could promise that everything would remain as it was—even without the Qinghe Sword—the Cui Clan would follow you without hesitation. But I’ve waited all this time and seen no sign of such a promise, not even a hint.”

Zhao Changhe pondered for a long while before finally speaking up. “What I can promise is this: First, I can reforge the Qinghe Sword. While it’s impossible to restore the sword’s original connection to the land’s qi veins, it can still serve as a symbol of lineage and a powerful family heirloom. To be blunt, the god you’re trusting likely can’t do more than this either. They’re simply deceiving you.”

“What makes you so certain?”

“Uncle, you know better than anyone what kind of purple qi the Qinghe Sword had, and what kind of master it recognized. There is no such thing as the qi of the land itself, it’s always been the manifestation of the will of the people. No god or demon could forge such a sword. If there’s anyone in this world capable of recreating the original Qinghe Sword, it would be those of your family, specifically Yuanyong and Yangyang, who have fully earned the sword’s recognition. If your family can truly accomplish this, I’d be glad to see it and I would gladly provide the forging expertise necessary. I give you my word that the god you trust is unable to achieve more than this. And my word is much more reliable than theirs.”

Cui Wenjing’s heart stirred slightly.

Indeed, if Zhao Changhe was willing to make such a promise, it was enough to overshadow any other offer. Even if it was merely an optimistic vision, was the god’s promise not the same? The difference was that Zhao Changhe’s commitment was genuine. If there was any chance of success, he would not go back on his word.

Feigning indifference, Cui Wenjing asked, “Since you said that’s the first promise, is there another?”

“The second is this: I do not support the idea of eternal hereditary family dominance. Such a system would be a regression for the world as a whole. The Qinghe Sword itself wouldn’t approve either. Even if reforged, it would likely return to slumber. Watching you gaze at the water, I couldn’t help but think you were reflecting on the passing of time. What’s gone is gone. The water may look the same, but it’s no longer the same stream it once was.”

Zhao Changhe looked in Cui Wenjing’s eyes for a moment, then continued, “Uncle, deep down, you’ve already prepared yourself to embrace change. I suspect you had this thought even when you loaned out the Qinghe Sword. Why try to hide it from me?”

1. The original is literally “spray pesticides,” but the phrasing is modern and Cui Yuanyang has no way of knowing what sprays or pesticides are, so we replaced that with what the ancient Chinese would’ve done for pests. ☜