Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 715: Shared Longing Beneath the Snow

“There’s no point telling me this,” Zhao Changhe said coldly, his mind racing as he maintained a calm exterior. “Xiang Simeng is of average strength, and the Spirit Tribe has no noteworthy experts. If Ye Wuzong is injured, then why has there not been any progress despite you infiltrating and bribing people for so long?”

The man, drenched in cold sweat, replied, “It’s because the Spirit Tribe has somehow rediscovered their ancient Spirit Control Technique, and they’ve also unearthed several ancient beast eggs. Over the past six months, there’s been a resurgence in exotic beasts and special gu. They have several beasts comparable to those on the Ranking of Earth or even the Ranking of Man. Combined with their secret techniques to fuse with beasts under her control, Xiang Simeng’s strength has become unfathomable. It is simply no longer possible to steal the axe through infiltration or bribery.”

Zhao Changhe was momentarily stunned.

The Spirit Tribe has gotten this strong?

Initially, he had assumed that Sisi’s side was weak, which explained the odd feeling he got about the tranquility of the region. But if they were not weak, there was nothing strange about the peace. No one would dare provoke a faction boasting Ranking of Earth and Ranking of Man-level beasts, along with a group of Spirit Tribe experts capable of fusing with these creatures, and a now “unfathomable” Saintess.

Of course. The Spirit Tribe’s strength had always been rooted in something different. They specialized in controlling beasts and cultivating gu, relying on external forces for power. With the Spirit Control Technique Zhao Changhe had given Sisi, their resurgence was inevitable.

Although Sisi once believed that relying on external tools was unwise and that cultivating her own martial arts was the true and proper path, it was clear that, in the short term, her tribe’s traditional methods were undeniably more effective. Even a single young Blood Ao, raised for just two months, could trample an army of ten thousand.

Snow Owl must have shared the same misconception, thinking Sisi’s side was weak. He probably believed that sending a few experts combined with infiltration and bribery would suffice. After all, previous encounters in Miaojiang suggested that the Snow-Listening Pavilion and the Bashan Sword Hut had deep roots in the region. Even after Shi Wuding’s death, it was unlikely their entire network had been eradicated. Their existing arrangements should have been enough to address any obstacles.

Now, it seemed they had run into an iron wall.

This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

But as Zhao Changhe considered this, something felt off.

Why did the Snow-Listening Pavilion and the Bashan Sword Hut invest so heavily in Miaojiang in the first place? Was it really just because Shi Wuding wanted to find the Spirit Tribe’s secret realm?

The Spirit Tribe did not practice the sword. For someone like Shi Wuding, who was utterly consumed by swordsmanship, the Spirit Tribe’s secret realm should not have been a priority. His obsession likely stemmed from his status as a sword slave, drawn to the realm by some inexplicable connection. In other words, it was likely not Shi Wuding’s own intention to seek out the Spirit Tribe but Snow Owl’s.

At that time, however, the Spirit Tribe did not have the divine axe. Snow Owl’s interest in the Spirit Tribe must have been for something else entirely.

This meant that the divine axe being there was merely a coincidence—an additional factor. There was another, deeper reason for Snow Owl’s actions.

Zhao Changhe pondered briefly before coldly bluffing, “I’m not here just for the divine axe.”

Whether or not a “master” had other motives was generally not for their subordinates to know, so bluffing was an easy gamble. At worst, these operatives were focused solely on the axe, while others were responsible for other tasks.

The man wiped his sweat nervously and replied, “We’re unsure of the progress of God Underworld Guide’s side... Our only mission is the divine axe, and we have nothing to do with their objective. All I can say is that God Underworld Guide has just recently finished dealing with all of their external matters. As for whether they’ve already entered the Spirit Tribe’s secret realm, we would not be informed of such details...”

Zhao Changhe’s heart skipped a beat. Another demon god. It was unsure what exactly the external matters being discussed were, but the implication was clear: it was likely that Underworld Guide had already entered the Spirit Tribe’s secret realm.

The heavily fortified guards outside might be effective against mortals, but they were effectively nothing against gods and demons. Even for someone like Zhao Changhe, infiltrating would be trivial with a combination of disguise and bewitchment techniques. How much easier would it then be for a demon god?

He took a deep breath and said, “If that’s the case, I’ll enter the secret realm myself to support Underworld Guide. Lead me inside. Don’t tell me you aren’t able to.”

“Of course, master. Please follow me.” The man quickly tossed a silver coin on the table to settle the bill, then led Zhao Changhe through the back of the tavern. After a short detour, they arrived at the side gate of the Spirit Tribe’s fortified settlement.

A group of heavily armed guards stood at the gate, but when they saw the man leading Zhao Changhe, they did not react at all.

The leader of the guards frowned and said, “Don’t make it so obvious. We’re still under watch.”

The man chuckled. “This should be the last time.”

The leader glanced at Zhao Changhe with surprise before nodding. “Be quick, and keep quiet.”

Zhao Changhe followed the man without a word, eventually reaching a cave entrance carved into the stone. The leader exchanged a quick look with the cave’s guards and said, “By order of the protector, returning to report to the tribe.”

The guards did not even bother to check and simply waved them through.

Just like that, Zhao Changhe entered the passageway connecting Taoyuan Town to the Spirit Tribe’s secret realm as if he were walking into his own home. It was so smooth and effortless that it made his heart sink.

The leader was Han, while the cave guards were members of the Spirit Tribe. The fact that these roles were fully infiltrated across ethnic lines suggested a level of systemic corruption. What appeared to be impenetrable defenses were riddled with holes, no more watertight than a sieve.

The Spirit Tribe had only begun its resurgence half a year ago, yet this was the state of their defenses already. While some of it could be attributed to Sisi’s divided attention, managing both internal and external affairs across two vast areas, the deeper issue lay in the long-standing infiltration by the Snow-Listening Pavilion. Their meticulous planning, combined with targeted corruption, would have left even the most robust force with vulnerabilities.

The man’s earlier comment about this supposedly being the last time hinted at just how many infiltrators had already passed through. It was impossible to say how many agents had slipped into the secret realm unnoticed.

As Zhao Changhe mulled over these unsettling thoughts, the scenery around him abruptly shifted. The next moment, he found himself inside the Spirit Tribe’s secret realm.

The entrance was different from the one he had used before, which had been through the snowy mountains. Now, he was in the valley at the base of the Spirit Tribe’s sacred mountain.

The first thing he took notice of was the cold—an unnatural, bone-chilling cold that should not have been present in this region.

From what he knew, the Spirit Tribe’s secret realm did not experience seasons. The secret realm had its own artificial sky. Yet now, it felt as cold as the northern regions when it was in the depth of winter.

He looked up to the sky. The sky was covered in dense, dark clouds, making it look like heavy snowfall was imminent. But for the time being, no flakes had begun falling. Regardless, seeing this kind of weather, Zhao Changhe immediately knew that something was wrong.

At the valley entrance, there were internal guards stationed, but in such an open area, their presence was almost negligible. Zhao Changhe didn’t bother keeping up appearances. With a flicker of movement, he vanished into the mountain terrain, heading straight for the sacred temple atop the mountain, where Sisi’s residence was located behind it.

There were guards stationed at the entrance, which was at the saddle of a mountain ridge, but in such an open area, their presence was almost negligible. Zhao Changhe did not bother keeping up appearances. With a flicker of movement, he vanished into the mountain terrain, heading straight for the rear of the sacred temple atop the mountain, which was where Sisi’s residence was.

However, as he approached the temple, he did not even need to circle to the back. The temple doors were already opening.

From within, Zhao Changhe could feel the familiar blood qi of the Heavenly Blood Jade, accompanied by another power—less familiar but still recognizable. It was wild, destructive, and crackling with thunderous energy, as if lightning itself were splitting the heavens with its fury.

The Axe of Tngri!

It seemed the axe had been enshrined in the Spirit Tribe’s sacred temple, further confirming their belief that the artifact was deeply connected to their lineage.

As the doors fully opened, Sisi emerged, clad in her tribal ceremonial attire—a beaded crown on her head, a short skirt, and bare feet. She moved with deliberate grace, her presence commanding.

The guards on either side bowed deeply. “Saintess.”

Sisi waved them off and looked up at the sky. “Strange... It looks like it’s going to snow.”

The guards exchanged glances before one ventured, “Could it be caused by the divine axe?”

Sisi nodded slightly. “Perhaps. Given that it can tear through lightning and disrupt the heavens, being able to influence the weather would not be surprising...”

Her tone was soft, tinged with melancholy. The guards, sensing her mood, seemed uncertain. After a brief pause, one of them spoke hesitantly, “If that’s the case, you should return to rest, saintess. You’ve only just recovered from an illness. It would be best not to catch a chill...”

Zhao Changhe was taken aback.

Recovered from an illness?

That doesn’t make sense. Even cultivators who were at the later stages of the Profound Gate hardly ever got sick; the only exceptions were in situations like Tang Wanzhuang’s, where she sustained injuries from her cultivation. For someone like Sisi, who was already at the first layer of the Profound Mysteries and even comparable to those on the Ranking of Heaven when using her Spirit-Controlling Secret Technique, falling ill should be nearly impossible.

Sisi turned to the guard with a faint smile. “I wouldn’t call it an illness...”

One of the younger female guards stomped her foot and exclaimed, “How can you say that? You were sweating and writhing in pain out of nowhere, completely curled up! And it kept happening every few days! No one knows when it’ll strike again!”

Sisi’s gaze turned sharp as she glared at the girl. “Silence. My condition is classified. Do you think you can casually talk about it?”

The young guard flinched under her gaze but muttered under her breath, “But we’re all your people here...”

“That only proves how often he finds himself in danger, battered and scarred...” Sisi murmured softly to herself, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “It’s nice, though. This way, I feel... close to him.”

The young guards stared at her, dumbfounded. What are you even talking about, Saintess?

Zhao Changhe stood in the shadows, frozen in place, his gaze fixed on Sisi’s delicate face. His thoughts were completely scrambled.

The first flakes of snow began to fall from the heavy sky. Sisi, delighted, reached out to catch them. The tiny snowflakes melted almost immediately upon touching her palm.

The young guards, equally enchanted, broke into laughter and began hopping around in excitement. “It’s so pretty!”

They rarely saw snow, except on the distant mountains outside. Snowfall within the Spirit Tribe’s secret realm was a rarity.

Sisi gazed at the steadily thickening snowfall, her expression soft and distant. A small smile graced her lips. “He should be in the capital right now. It’s the twelfth lunar month—snow must be blanketing the capital. I never imagined I could experience something like this here, sharing his experience.”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

When we studied poetry back in the day, you were supposed to be Zhuge Liang, not... this. What happened in just a few months? When did you become this sentimental?

The young guards were equally baffled. “Saintess, you said you weren’t sick, but honestly, we believe that this is definitely a serious illness. You’re not well.”

“What can I do?” Sisi chuckled faintly. “He’s got so much on his shoulders. He wouldn’t spare a glance toward this remote corner of Miaojiang without a reason. With the distance between us, who knows when we’ll meet again? Finding small connections like this is all I have.”

She spread her arms wide, letting the growing snowfall cascade over her, and smiled softly. “Recently, I came across a poem that went like this: Apart we stand, yet snow we share, its whispers weave a bond so rare; each flake a year, each drift a sign, as if we’ve grown hold, your hand in mine[1]. What do you think?”

The young guards tilted their heads, pondering the sentiment, before shaking their heads in unison. “That only works if the longing is mutual! If it’s one-sided, what’s it worth? He’s just a heartless scoundrel if he doesn’t think of you!”

Sisi: “...”

The girls sighed dramatically. “Our ancestors were absolutely right. If you like him, you should plant a gu on him. If you’re too soft-hearted to do it, then it’s your own fault for being foolish!”

1. The original poem was taken from the internet, and it is uncertain who the original author was. Do note that I did add some extra words to the poem to make things rhyme a bit better. ☜