Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 768 (2): Today, You and I

The next morning, Zhao Changhe awoke from a rare, deep slumber.

Beside him, the delicate warmth was already gone. Tang Wanzhuang had long since risen and left.

Of course, she had no time to indulge in the luxury of being helped up like some pampered concubine. After all, today’s morning court session awaited, and she was not just attending as an ordinary official. Today, she was going to be appointed prime minister.

Zhao Changhe could not help but smirk at the thought. I wonder what the mood will be like when she walks into court today after monopolizing me for an entire night. Chichi still has to hold her nose and formally grant her the title of prime minister.

That was a mental image he was not quite sure how to put into words. He could only imagine how Xia Chichi and Vermillion Bird would react when they saw her.

Shaking his head, he flipped out of bed and stepped outside. In the courtyard, Baoqin was sitting at the table, chin resting on her palm, waiting for him. The moment she saw him, she sprang to her feet, quickly bringing over a basin of water and a towel for his morning wash up.

In the past, this little maid would always greet him with a sharp tongue, her words as quick and prickly as a small mushroom spitting spores. But now, she hardly even dared to meet his eyes. Her gaze was lowered demurely as she murmured, “What would you like for breakfast? I’ll go prepare it for you.”

Zhao Changhe chuckled and reached out, gently pinching her soft cheek.

Baoqin puffed out her cheeks, trying to swat his hand away. “Don’t even think about saying you want to eat me.”

Zhao Changhe laughed. “You really get me. Been copying one too many books as of late, huh?”

“Hmph!” Baoqin took the towel he had used and picked up the washbasin, dashing away. “You’re getting two steamed buns, that’s it. I saw how much you enjoyed eating last night.”

“...At least make it stuffed buns.”

Baoqin really did return with stuffed buns. But as she handed them over, the memory of what she had seen last night made her cheeks flush again. Watching him grab the buns felt oddly similar to the way he had grabbed her young miss, and she quickly turned her head away, unable to meet his gaze. “I’ve got work to do for the Demon Suppression Bureau. The young miss said there’s a lot to hand over today, and I have tons of records to sort through. I don’t have time to sit here with you. If you need anything, say it now. Otherwise, I’m leaving.”

Zhao Changhe said nothing and merely pointed to his cheek.

Baoqin glanced around like a guilty thief, then swiftly leaned in and pecked him before scurrying away. Yet, despite her outward stubbornness, her lips curled up in undisguised joy. As she disappeared into the distance, she muttered under her breath, “Your face is as tough as ox hide, hard and gross. You’ve got some nerve asking me to kiss it.”

Zhao Changhe chuckled to himself, munching on his stuffed bun as he stepped out into the street.

With a bag of buns and a flask of soybean milk in hand, he looked just like any ordinary young man in the capital.

The streets were still littered with remnants of firecrackers, and workers were already sweeping away the scraps. The faint scent of smoke from the celebrations lingered in the air. Some businesses had already reopened, their doors welcoming the first customers of the day.

As he finished the last of the stuffed buns, Zhao Changhe suddenly flickered out of existence.

When he reappeared, he was deep beneath the earth, within the underground secret realm.

Yue Hongling had been meditating in seclusion the entire night. Sensing his arrival, she slowly opened her eyes. A sharp gleam flashed within them for a brief moment—evidence of yet another breakthrough in her swordsmanship.

She glanced at him and smirked. “Running around like this, tending to everyone in turn—aren’t you exhausted?”

Zhao Changhe set down the buns and soybean milk beside her, offering an apologetic grin. “Want some?”

Yue Hongling didn’t hesitate; she immediately grabbed a bun and took a bite. “No need to worry about me. I have no interest in getting caught up in the drama of your women.”

Zhao Changhe let out a small laugh.

Yue Hongling continued, “I gained quite a bit of insight last night. If possible, I’d like you to seal the entrance for a few days. A closed-off retreat for a few days might be exactly what I need.”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “What have you comprehended? Cutting down an enemy from a thousand miles away?”

Yue Hongling pondered aloud, “If the mind is boundless and unrestricted by time and space, then sword intent should be the same. Wherever my gaze lands, my sword should be able to reach. But first, how does one see across vast distances? I can’t always rely on this subterranean sky... I’ve been considering the methods used by Snow Owl and Shi Wuding. They control their sword slaves remotely via their sword qi. Perhaps there’s another layer to their technique... Do you think they used the lingering traces of their sword qi as extensions of their perception?”

Zhao Changhe mused, “You might be overthinking it. They weren’t anywhere near that level back then.”

“If they inherited ancient techniques, they wouldn’t need to understand them completely. They would just have to follow the steps as they were taught,” Yue Hongling countered. “If this theory holds, I should be able to use the subterranean sky to plant my sword qi in key locations. Then, in the future, I can use them as my eyes throughout the world. The only limitation is how much my soul is capable of handling; I can’t manage too many at once, so I have to be selective. You should give it some thought too. Where should I leave these markers? Chang’an?”

“If it’s Kunlun, Tngri’s Temple, or Timur’s command tent, will they notice?”

“They might,” Yue Hongling admitted. “So it shouldn’t be too close. The best option is a location with good concealment nearby. Kunlun should be fine. There’s so much chaotic energy there that one more strand of sword qi won’t be noticed. As for the other places... I’ll need to study them over the next few days.”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “Then add one more place.”

“Where?”

“Gusu. To keep an eye on the Sword Emperor’s movements. I have a strong feeling he’s going to emerge soon. The closer your cultivation aligns with his, the more inevitable it becomes. This is your karma. I can almost see the thread connecting the two of you.”

“Mm-hm,” Yue Hongling acknowledged. “I’ll keep that in mind... To be honest, I’ve long wanted to speak with him. There was too great a gap in our strength before, and I hesitated. But now, the time is almost right.”

Seeing that Yue Hongling had already made up her mind, Zhao Changhe did not press further. With most affairs now stabilizing, the responsibility for organizing and managing things fell to Chichi and Wanzhuang. His primary focus remained on cultivation. Without another word, he closed his eyes and sank into meditation.

This recent experience of teleportation had left a deep impression on him, especially after carrying Wanzhuang with him. It was like a crude, rudimentary version of what the blind woman had done when she brought him into this world.

Once, he had considered refining the subterranean sky into a smaller, portable form so he could use it freely. But now, he realized that was not necessary. The firmament here was merely a key—a tool to glimpse the mysteries of space and time. The true goal was not to make it more convenient but to transcend the need for it altogether. To be everywhere, without reliance on an external medium. That was the true level of the blind woman.

As he drifted deeper into meditation, she appeared before him once again. She walked toward him from the void, silent and ethereal, as if she had always been there.

Zhao Changhe remained seated in contemplation, his eyes closed. After a moment, he spoke, “Why are you suddenly seeking me out? Ever since the Papiyas and Jiuyou incident, you’ve been avoiding me.”

The blind woman responded coolly, “You have touched upon the transformations of time and space. Of course, I must observe. And more importantly, I came to inform you of the location of the next page of the Heavenly Tome.”

Zhao Changhe fell silent for a long moment before murmuring, “Is it because mastering the changes of space-time means I’m catching up to you? Or... is it because this path may eventually allow me to return home?”

She replied in the same even tone, “Both. Whether you wish to surpass me or return home, this is the path you must take. Which means you will stop at nothing to obtain this next page of the Heavenly Tome.”

Zhao Changhe let out a faint chuckle laced with irony. “Yeah. I want to surpass you.”

The blind woman coldly said, “I know.”

Zhao Changhe was stunned silent.

The blind woman sneered. “Even if that is what you desire... without this page of the Heavenly Tome, you will never achieve it.”

This time, Zhao Changhe refrained from crude remarks. “Let’s be clear. We’re still missing two pages. The page of time and space is definitely in Jiuyou’s hands. But what about the one in Tngri Temple? What aspect does it control?”

The blind woman replied, “Existence and nonexistence. More broadly, illusion and reality, truth and falsehood. All of these are encompassed within it.”

A flicker of realization stirred in Zhao Changhe’s mind.

The blind woman continued, “Papiyas had the Mirror of Illusion and Reality. It’s a powerful artifact, and it would be exceptionally useful in Jiuyou’s recovery. I strongly suspect it has already fallen into her hands. So you should understand: while you may think Jiuyou suffered a setback in Chang’an, your battle with Papiyas actually benefited her.”

Zhao Changhe frowned. “So the page in Tngri’s Temple... Jiuyou will want it just as much. It would greatly enhance her mastery of various laws.”

“Indeed. Returning all things to nothingness, this may very well be her ultimate goal.”

“In that case, Jiuyou’s stance on the northern campaign becomes uncertain. Originally, I thought she would cooperate with the northern barbarians, but now... even if she does, it would only be with the intent of betraying them in the end.”

“Do not let this lead you to consider working with her,” the blind woman’s voice was cold. “Setting aside my own irreconcilable enmity with her, the real issue is that you cannot coexist with her either. In the end, it would be like making a deal with a tiger. You will ultimately only be devoured.”

“Why are you suddenly willing to tell me all this?”

“Because today, you have shown that you can control your desires.” The blind woman let out a quiet sigh. “Do you know what I saw over the past few months? A rutting pig.”

“......”

“As long as you can control it... then desire itself is nothing unusual.” She suddenly smiled—a rare and indecipherable, almost seductive smile. “But those without ability can only fantasize.”

Zhao Changhe, still seated in a meditative posture, finally opened his eyes to look at her. “Should I take that to mean you believe only the incompetent need to suppress their desires?”

“Oh? Not happy with that answer?” The blind woman’s smile deepened. “You’re free to think of it that way.”

“You said I want to surpass you? Then let’s see if I have the ability to do so. I, however, believe that being capable of controlling one’s desires is in itself proof of one’s abilities.” Zhao Changhe continued calmly, “Blindie, actions matter more than thoughts. Our debate on this is meaningless. But since you are finally willing to have a real conversation, I’ll ask you something sincerely as well.”

The blind woman hesitated slightly, but then nodded. “Go on.”

“I’ve tested you in small ways more times than I can count. But this time, I’ll ask you formally, what is it that you want? Let’s put everything on the table and cooperate openly. As I stand here today, do I have the qualifications to be your equal?”

A long silence passed between them.

At last, the blind woman’s voice came, low and quiet, “When Tngri’s Temple has crumbled under your foot, then we shall discuss it.”