Tome of Troubled Times
Chapter 809 (2): Spectators

Chapter 809 (2): Spectators

Zhao Changhe lay unconscious.

Well, more accurately, he was partially in a meditative trance. Deep within, his soul clearly perceived the intricate details of his body’s gradual recovery. Beyond mere healing, he felt something else—an insight subtly forming at the edge of his consciousness.

The Dao of ice was not unfamiliar territory for him. After all, he had long since acquired the Heavenly Tome page related to the five elements, with ice being an element he had once studied more thoroughly, partly due to his earlier experience healing Wanzhuang. Moreover, his extended dual cultivation with Lady Three had further deepened his affinity with water and ice. However, since the techniques of the five elements seldom complemented his combat style, Zhao Changhe had never seriously practiced its practical applications. Time and energy were finite, and it was impossible to master everything.

Yet what Zhao Changhe sensed now was not merely ice but cold itself.

Cold and heat.

The formation of ice is simply a phenomenon that occurs once temperature drops low enough. But no matter how cold it gets, it doesn’t necessarily result in the formation of ice. After all, if there’s no moisture, it’s simply not possible for ice to form.

When an utterly dry space grows cold to an extreme degree, it might be better described with another word entirely...

The Underworld, for instance.

Jiuyou’s power clearly surpassed the Frost Chi, and such methods were undoubtedly available to her. If he was to face Jiuyou sooner rather than later, becoming familiar with this type of cold would be absolutely essential. Understanding it thoroughly was the only way he could hope to mount any meaningful defense, just as Ye Wuming had once forced him to grasp the subtleties of life and death. Otherwise, if even the Frost Chi could leave him in such a battered state, recklessly confronting Jiuyou would spell certain doom.

Perhaps the Taiji Diagram that Yuxu had given him could assist in comprehending this aspect.

He could not help but wonder just how much Ye Wuming had shielded him before, causing him to severely underestimate Jiuyou’s true strength. Only now, at this very moment, did Zhao Changhe deeply realize just how wide the gulf was between him and Jiuyou. It was no wonder Ye Wuming had only ever shown genuine wariness toward one opponent: her own sister.

And yet, Zhao Changhe mused somewhat bitterly, this same fearsome character had once helplessly allowed him to kiss her hand...

Truthfully speaking, if Zhao Changhe were to face Ye Jiuyou right now, survival would be an uncertain prospect. Ye Wuming had severed direct contact without warning, which caused certain questions to arise. Did she really have no concern about him falling to Jiuyou and thus handing over the entire Heavenly Tome to her sister? Or was she simply observing from afar, choosing not to intervene directly? Perhaps even this latest manipulation of fate had served two purposes: eliminating the Frost Chi, who had nearly broken free of its seal, and forcing Zhao Changhe to confront and master the cold.

What a ruthless woman...

And then, another troubling mystery lingered: Who or what was behind the maddening, spirit-invading whispers he had encountered within the Abyss of the Frost Chi? Even the Frost Chi, an ancient primordial demon god, had no idea what that entity was. That was truly bizarre.

Given the Frost Chi’s ancient origins, its knowledge and experience should have rivaled that of the Ye sisters. Yet, despite personally sealing and suppressing this unknown presence for so long, it remained clueless about its identity. It seemed utterly absurd. Could it then mean that this entity was something from beyond this world itself?

It was not impossible, actually. When it came to entities not of this world, Zhao Changhe was aware of two other examples.

The first was the ancestor of the Spirit Tribe, who had transformed into the very land of the Spirit Tribe’s secret realm itself. Zhao Changhe had long since speculated that this ancestor did not originate from this world’s Heavenly Dao. But that, for now, remained merely conjecture. It was likely, but still unproven.

The second example was... himself.

And this was an absolute certainty.

Is this a key reason Ye Wuming had specifically reached beyond this world to fetch me?

Forget it. Why should I even bother wasting time thinking about Ye Wuming right now? Even if I was going to fantasize, this isn’t the right time for that. I should ensure my body remains functional first.

Zhao Changhe briefly checked on his overlord spear and softly exhaled with relief.

During his enlightenment at the Spirit Tribe, he had learned how to alter the fundamental makeup of certain parts of his body to greatly enhance their defenses. Throughout this battle, he had instinctively applied this technique exclusively to protect his nether dragon. Every other part of his body could freeze, rot, explode, or be chopped off and regenerated, but he never allowed that part of him to suffer. He’d never imagined using this skill for something so absurd, yet destiny seemed determined to force his hand.

If this technique could protect that specific area, expanding it across his entire body would naturally offer a tremendous advantage. It would be especially crucial if he were ever to face Ye Jiuyou. Coincidentally, Li Shentong had provided him with a formidable body cultivation technique before this journey. Now, he had both profound insight into extreme cold and a powerful new method to protect his body.

He slowly opened his eyes and saw Ying Five sitting cross-legged nearby, quietly guarding him.

Seemingly sensing Zhao Changhe waking, Ying Five opened his eyes at the same moment. “It’s one thing for your injuries to recover quickly, but why do I get the impression you’ve somehow gotten slightly stronger?”

Zhao Changhe laughed softly. “Ever heard of Saiyans[1]?”

“Who are those? Are they some kind of foreign tribe? Never heard of them.”

“...Did I say anything? It’s just your imagination. Anyway, first, I’m nowhere near fully healed yet; I only look better superficially. Second, my cultivation hasn’t improved at all. It’s just that I realized something new. Well, it’s kind of a supplementary insight, nothing more.” Zhao Changhe extended his hand impatiently. “And speaking of healing, hand over the medicine.”

Without hesitation, Ying Five took out a jade bottle. “I figured you don’t need ordinary herbs, just pure nourishment, as long as it’s potent enough.”

Zhao Changhe quickly popped open the bottle and swallowed one pill without a second thought. Instantly, his eyes lit up.

An overwhelming surge of vitality and energy flooded his limbs, muscles, and internal organs. Even the qi in his dantian, which had suffered minimal loss, was instantly elevated to a higher level, and his already impressive physique grew noticeably stronger.

“What kind of immortal pill is this?” Zhao Changhe asked in surprise and delight. “I’ve visited the origin of the Azure Dragon, Skyrim Island, yet even the finest herbs there didn’t pack this kind of punch!”

Ying Five sighed regretfully. “Well... the herbs from the origin of the Azure Dragon are undoubtedly top-tier, but you do know that the skill of the alchemist or pill refiner matters greatly, too, right? It’s a pity your Four Idols Cult put someone most suitable for this craft onto the imperial throne, leaving you severely lacking in that department... Perhaps one day, if the empress starts refining pills, it’ll feel somewhat fated, won't it?”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

Ying Five continued with a faint smile, “And of course, supreme ingredients aren’t found only at Skyrim Island. The mountains surrounding the Night Emperor’s Night Palace were overflowing with divine herbs. I was fortunate enough to discover a small medicinal pool there long ago...”

Ying Five sighed wistfully, growing more melancholy as he spoke, “People say I’m wealthy enough to rival nations, but compared to the Night Emperor... what’s rivaling a nation? Across heaven and earth, the richest person could only have been the Night Emperor.”

Zhao Changhe: “Ummm...”

Ying Five lowered his voice conspiratorially, “I have an unconfirmed rumor suggesting the Night Emperor was actually the Night Empress. I wonder if she had an emperor consort? If so, that man was truly a winner in life.”

Zhao Changhe said, “What kind of backwater rumor is that? Don’t you know I’m the current Night Emperor? Who could possibly know her better than me?”

“Oh, right...” Ying Five paused awkwardly. “Then, is my information accurate?”

“Uh... I hate to say this, but your sources are surprisingly accurate. Also, I can confirm she definitely did not have any emperor consort in her time.”

Ying Five looked puzzled. “What do you mean, in her time? Does she have one now?”

Zhao Changhe silently looked up at the ceiling, declining to answer.

Elsewhere, Piaomiao shot a sideways glance at Ye Jiuyou, who was smirking mischievously.

Meeting Ying Five’s suspicious gaze, Zhao Changhe quickly changed the subject, “How come you have time to waste chatting with me? Have you found the place yet?”

Ying Five smiled lightly. “If I dare waste time here talking nonsense with you, of course I’m already confident. According to my investigation, the Abyss of the Frost Chi was relocated here due to spatial turbulence. By tracing the source of this disruption, I can pinpoint the original location. If I haven’t misunderstood, you’re seeking Jiuyou, who just so happens to embody chaos and annihilation itself.”

Zhao Changhe’s eyes lit up. “Can you really track her down?”

Ying Five patted Zhao Changhe’s shoulder reassuringly. “Give me a few more days, and our chances are excellent. That medicine just now was purely nourishment, not healing. Your wounds aren’t fully recovered yet. Rest more and wait for my news.”

Ye Jiuyou, who had smugly declared “I really have no idea how he’ll get here in time” just a few days earlier, found her smile instantly wiped from her face.

Piaomiao shot her another look.

Despite also having a one-month wager with Cui Yuanyang, Piaomiao hardly wished Zhao Changhe would actually find their secret realm so quickly. Yet watching Ye Jiuyou’s sudden, unhappy realization caused the corners of Piaomiao’s lips to curl subtly upward. Whether in ridicule or something else entirely, her faint smile remained enigmatic.

Hugging her knees in the corner, Cui Yuanyang stared at this big sister of hers with surprise. She had never seen Piaomiao smile before. The smile was incredibly beautiful... Wait, that’s my own face!

Ye Jiuyou lazily reclined, muttering softly to herself. “Ying Five certainly has no idea we’ve been spying on him this whole time... Since he’s put his intentions right in front of me, a little interference will ensure he won’t find this place at all...”

Cui Yuanyang anxiously protested, “That’s cheating! How is that any different from running away after being found? You might as well keep running forever, playing hide-and-seek for eternity. That way, no one will ever find you!”

Ye Jiuyou laughed playfully. “Little sister, don’t you know I’m the bad guy? Yet you expect me to play fair?”

Cui Yuanyang: “...”

Ye Jiuyou’s divine sense had just begun extending to disrupt Ying Five’s search when it was abruptly cut off.

Startled, she asked incredulously, “Piaomiao, do you realize what you’re doing?”

Piaomiao calmly replied, “You might be shameless enough, but I am not. Don’t drag down my integrity with yours. Otherwise, I won’t hesitate to fight you first.”

Rather than growing angry, Ye Jiuyou laughed delightedly, intrigued by Piaomiao’s stubbornness. “Fine, fine. I’ll wait and see which you value more—your dignity or your chastity.”

Piaomiao remained expressionless. “I hardly think a mere meeting implies losing my chastity. I’m not the young lady of the Li Clan.”

1. Yes, he really makes a reference to Dragon Ball. The last character of the Chinese word is the character for “person” that is attached to the name of a country/tribe etc. to mean the people of said group, so to Ying Five, it sounds like Zhao Changhe is saying “the Saiya people,” which explains his response. ☜