Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 753 (2): Becoming a Bridge

Of course, what he said made sense. The best way to refine their new synergy was to train together.

The actual problem is that you’ve been spoiled rotten by Xia Chichi and Sisi. You’ve been getting way too comfortable with stacking people like toys. Who wouldn’t be wary of you? Hey, we just met today! Even if we’re getting along, isn’t this a bit too fast?!

And worst of all, pulling them in this way really did not do their reputations any favors.

“This is a bedroom! How the hell is this your idea of seclusion?!”

“Of course it is,” Zhao Changhe said matter-of-factly. “This is the embassy. We don’t have a proper meditation chamber. The most private space here is the bedroom.”

“Oh, so you’re aware that this is someone else’s territory!”

Bang!

The door to the bedroom swung shut, and the plush bed came into view.

Then, silence. The atmosphere turned awkward as all three of them stared at each other.

The two women crossed their arms, one on either side, looking at Zhao Changhe with skeptical expressions that practically screamed “Let’s see what excuse you come up with now!”

But Zhao Changhe’s reaction was even stranger. He glanced left, then right, sweeping his gaze over their faces. “I say... You two are way too perverted. What exactly are you envisioning? We’re forming a Heaven, Earth, and Man Formation, obviously we’re going to be sitting cross-legged and cultivating.”

“?”

Without another word, Zhao Changhe climbed onto the bed and sat down cross-legged. “What are you two thinking? We’ve got a battle coming up. Who has time for nonsense? I’m a righteous man, and now you’re out here corrupting me—ow, what the fuck?!”

Two long legs had struck out simultaneously, kicking him right off the bed.

Then, just as neatly, both women retracted their legs and exchanged glances, both of them looking equally indignant.

We’re the ones who are perverted? You dare play the victim? Do you even realize why we assumed the worst?

...Forget it.

Zhao Changhe rolled right back onto the bed, this time without complaint.

The three of them settled into a triangle, sitting cross-legged. Each extended their hands, palms meeting.

Their breaths synchronized. Energy flowed between them, generating a current that cycled through them. Within moments, all stray thoughts and nonsense dissipated. Each of them entered a state of pure focus.

They had used the excuse of making Zhao Changhe consolidate his breakthrough to drive him away, but that did not mean that they were just spouting nonsense; it truly was important to consolidate one’s cultivation after a breakthrough. No one simply broke through without properly understanding their newfound power. He needed to analyze the differences between his current and past states in order to understand the level he had now attained.

And, of course, doing so alone would have been far less effective than having both of his “wings” reinforcing his understanding. Previously, he had only observed their techniques. Now, their essences were converging directly into him, making the experience even more tangible.

The most immediate change was the way he engaged in battle. Before, he relied primarily on his own strength. Now, every movement seemed to stir a resonance with heaven and earth. His body was merely the conduit, his foundation. The power of the stars returned to him, reinforcing the strength of his physical body.

Referring to it as “controlling the galaxy” was still an exaggeration. He was not truly capable of tearing planets apart or sending meteor storms crashing down. Right now, it was more of a conceptual simulation—an approximation of such power rather than the real thing. But in practical terms, the changes to his blood and qi, or simply his overall power, were immense. Before, if he said he could punch through a tsunami, it would have been metaphorical—what he really meant was that he could stop a single cresting wave, not the entire force of the ocean. Even that had been an impressive feat.

But now?

Now, punching through a mountain seemed entirely within reason.

Shattering mountains and filling seas—this was already the power of an immortal.

This was what it meant to wield profound control, to embody a principle, to become a representation of its laws, and to access the true might of gods and demons.

Before now, Zhao Changhe had managed to fight on equal footing with Profound Control Realm opponents—or even emerge victorious—not because he had truly reached that level himself, but because his enemies had not regained their full strength. More importantly, he had relied heavily on the powers of Dragon Bird and River of Stars as divine weapons to barely hold his ground. But now, for the first time, he could stand on his own. And with his newfound power, wielding Dragon Bird and River of Stars would allow him to maximize their potential. The overall force he could unleash was now more than twice what it had been before.

Zhao Changhe had no doubt that if he encountered Desolate Calamity and Hidden Wind again while they remained at their previous levels, he could take their heads within three strikes.

The battles within Chang’an had been deliberately restrained. Everyone had focused their power rather than unleashing it indiscriminately. If they had fought at full strength, that Profound Control Realm clash could have reduced the entire city to ruins. Everything within a range of a hundred li would have been annihilated, with no living being left to tell the tale.

But at the moment, Zhao Changhe was more focused on his senses, particularly his Back Eye.

His relationship with Blindie remained a thorn lodged in his throat.

Testing his perception, he was shocked to discover just how far his Overlooking Eye had expanded. Before, he had been able to shoot Papiyas from over ten li away, and that alone had been terrifying. But that was not even his limit. If he fully extended his senses now, he could perceive nearly the entire Guanzhong Basin.

Yes, not just Chang’an but the entirety of Guanzhong. freёweɓnovel.com

No wonder the blind woman could claim to observe the world. He was finally experiencing a fraction of her ability for himself. Ordinarily, no Profound Control Realm cultivator should have perception this absurdly vast. How much of this was thanks to the Back Eye?

“Blindie...” Zhao Changhe called out instinctively, though he did not even know what he wanted to ask.

This time, there was no response.

Is it because, as she said, she's not here right now? Or is she simply ignoring me?

Zhao Changhe shook his head, dismissing the thought. There was no use dwelling on it now. He refocused on the formation.

If Huangfu Qing and Yue Hongling were to form a proper battle formation, they still had much to learn about each other. Their understanding and synchronization were lacking, and their techniques remained incompatible. That was where he came in—he was the ideal link to bridge the gap.

A true twin-headed dragon.

If Yue Hongling represented the sun and Huangfu Qing the stars, then the two rarely coexisted in the sky. But with the moon present, the three could illuminate the heavens together. At this moment, Zhao Changhe became that moon, binding them into a unified force.

He could clearly feel two entirely different streams of true qi circulating through his hands, clashing, resisting each other, each refusing to yield. He was struggling to mediate between them, smoothing the edges, carefully drawing them into harmony.

In truth, combining Huangfu Qing and Yue Hongling’s cultivation techniques was easier compared to other potential pairings. After all, Vermillion Bird was of fire, inherently tied to light and heat. If it had been Shelly or Chichi trying to align their cultivation techniques with Yue Hongling, the conflict would have been even greater.

Yet, even this relatively “easier” fusion was pushing him to his limits. Their cultivation techniques belonged to completely different systems, and their energies naturally repelled each other. It felt as if tiny versions of Huangfu Qing and Yue Hongling had materialized within him, kicking at each other furiously. And here he was, holding them apart, gripping their little hands, and carefully guiding them together.

And then the struggle escalated. The two little figures started flailing again, kicking at him in unison, each declaring, “I don’t want to work with her!”

Zhao Changhe sighed in exasperation. He tried separating them a bit, pressing a hand down on each one to keep them still, but that only resulted in them kicking toward each other through him. Neither of them landed a hit but they both still refused to stop.

At this rate, it’s going to take a damn century before they sync up.

Grinding his teeth, the tiny Zhao Changhe grabbed the tiny Yue Hongling on his right and kissed her.

Compared to Huangfu Qing, Yue Hongling was even more resistant. She was kicking and thrashing far more as if she were even more unwilling.

...Not that it had anything to do with personality. Zhao Changhe was completely making up narratives in his head. The reality was that Huangfu Qing had already been consciously trying to align with his Night Emperor philosophy, whereas Yue Hongling had no such framework. She was thus naturally more disconnected.

Still, with her cultivation forcefully kissed into submission, Yue Hongling had no choice but to yield. She did not want to struggle too much for fear of harming him, so she begrudgingly let his dual cultivation technique merge with hers.

In the physical world, Yue Hongling sat there cross-legged, her face burning.

Why does it feel like I’m being stripped bare in front of both of them?!

This was clearly supposed to be a perfectly righteous meditation session, a simple hand-to-hand cultivation exchange, so why did this bastard manage to twist the entire imagery into something so indecent?

I should never have agreed to this!

And yet, she was not alone in her suffering. Zhao Changhe, now emboldened, turned his attention to Huangfu Qing and did the same to her. What followed was a truly outrageous sight.

Inside the spiritual sea, three souls, stripped bare, were entangled in a chaotic roll as if three people were having the same incredibly inappropriate dream together.

Huangfu Qing’s face was just as red as Yue Hongling’s.

Your dual cultivation technique is way too damn effective... Even the founder of the Maitreya Cult probably didn’t have your level of talent for spiritual intercourse!

Disgusting as Zhao Changhe was, the results spoke for themselves. Before long, their energies merged into perfect harmony. Their cultivation techniques no longer clashed. Instead, they flowed together seamlessly, exchanging and refining each other. In the vast sky of their shared consciousness, the sun, moon, and stars illuminated the heavens as one.

The Heaven, Earth, and Man were now whole.

Ziiiiing!

A sword intent burst into the air. It manifested as a sky ablaze with sunset hues, forming the shape of a Vermillion Bird with wings outstretched. Its eyes gleamed—one like the sun, the other like the moon.

The Vermillion Bird flapped its wings and fire engulfed the world. The flames scattered into the void, transforming into a rain of ten thousand swords.

Huangfu Qing and Yue Hongling opened their eyes at the same time, faces flushed. And when they turned to each other, they saw the same look mirrored in the other’s expression—shame, indignation... and an undeniable hint of satisfaction. They could not deny... that it had actually felt really good... They had not even truly done it, and yet it somehow felt exactly like they had. The two women shifted uncomfortably, subtly adjusting their seated positions...Was it just their imagination, or was there actually something... sticky?

Meanwhile, the blind woman, who had been secretly observing the entire process, quietly withdrew from Zhao Changhe’s spiritual sea. This was clearly supposed to be an incredibly profound and enlightening martial cultivation experience—something so high-level that even the ancient Night Emperor and the Heavenly Tome itself could use it as a reference...

So why did it turn into this kind of disgraceful farce in the hands of this pervert?

“Ahem.” Zhao Changhe, the only one who remained completely unfazed, finally broke the silence. “If I’m not mistaken, it should be midnight now. Shall we set off?”

The two women exchanged a glance. Then, without hesitation, they both struck out, pressing their palms against his shoulders.

Bang!

Zhao Changhe was sent flying straight out of the window.

“You can go die first, then we’ll talk about setting off!”