Tome of Troubled Times
Chapter 825 (1): The Beginning of Separation

Chapter 825 (1): The Beginning of Separation

This was not the first time Piaomiao had noticed Zhao Changhe’s appearance. In truth, he had always been pleasing to the eye, perhaps due to Cui Yuanyang’s lingering memories.

But at this moment, he looked especially striking. For reasons she could not quite explain, her heartbeat quickened, beyond the control of even the most disciplined cultivation.

Perhaps it was the first time she had felt such tenderness from him—the same tenderness he showed Cui Yuanyang. Only this time, it wasn’t for Yuanyang. It was for Piaomiao.

Zhao Changhe had spoken with what seemed like sincerity, and yet she felt a strange sense of emptiness, as if it lacked all foundation. She could not believe he had any real reason to love Piaomiao, that he did not mind her temper, her irrationality, or the burden she brought was already a miracle in itself. As for lust? He was right; that hypothesis seemed even less convincing. Zhao Changhe was barely familiar with her appearance, so what desire could there possibly be?

Piaomiao could not understand why.

If anything, it was she who had more reason to fall for him.

All the hatred she bore him stemmed from those karmic debts that should not have existed in the first place. But if she admitted to having fallen for him, then all of that would become voluntary. There would be no hatred left to speak of. And at this very moment, Piaomiao truly could not summon even a trace of resentment.

Perhaps this was all Zhao Changhe had wanted?

She did not know. Her mind was a chaotic mess. Her mind was so muddled that even after he gently wiped her clean and helped her dress, she remained dazed and distracted.

Zhao Changhe helped her to her feet and murmured, “Come on, let’s go. Don’t think about it for now. You may claim to be rational, but no one in a corrupted state can truly remain as clear-headed as before. Overthinking will only drag you down. Let’s deal with Papiyas first, then we’ll deal with ourselves.”

Piaomiao gave a quiet “Mm,” and followed him wordlessly out the door.

* * *

The place where the Buddhists had sealed Papiyas was a pagoda.

When they arrived, Yuan Cheng was already standing guard outside. Seeing the two approach, he pressed his palms together and greeted them with a bow. “King Zhao, your demonic qi has been dispelled. This is a cause for celebration.”

As he spoke, his eyes darted in a quick circle around Piaomiao, full of ambiguous meaning.

So there really is someone in this world who can seduce even the god of the land... even though it might be a corrupted version.

Naturally, he did not dare be too blatant about his thoughts. He continued to observe proper etiquette as he bowed again. “Greetings, queen consort.”

Piaomiao replied coolly, “Who said I’m a queen consort?”

Yuan Cheng chuckled with good-natured honesty and did not argue. Last night, you were called that several times and did not say a word. Now, you've suddenly decided to play coy?

The look on his face told Piaomiao exactly what he was thinking. And indeed, she had not refuted it last night. But that was simply because the situation had been too urgent for her to waste time quibbling over a title.

Just as Piaomiao was about to speak, Zhao Changhe cut in, “Enough chatter. What’s the situation with Papiyas? Are you certain you can keep it sealed without the Soul-Shackling Chain?”

Piaomiao shot him a glance. He's always so good at diverting the topic... Fine, so be it.

Yuan Cheng replied, “Our Buddhist pagoda should, in theory, be more effective than the chain. After all, the chain merely restrains, whereas the pagoda suppresses entirely. Of course, using both together would yield the best result. But since the chain ultimately belongs to you, we dared not presume. It’s only right to return it to you first.”

Zhao Changhe nodded, thinking to himself, Good thing you people know your place. Otherwise, I would've died at Piaomiao’s hands this morning. Courting an ancient demon god really is a game played while walking on a tightrope...

The group entered the pagoda together. As they ascended, Zhao Changhe asked offhandedly, “If I’m not mistaken, Papiyas originates from your Buddhist canon, no? That would make you the most fitting sect to deal with it. I’m curious... if Papiyas still exists, then what about your Buddha or the ancient Buddhist sects?”

“They... are no more. The only trace left of the ancient faith is the vajra statue that you may remember Papiyas tried to corrupt.”

“I remember. That’s actually why I came to you this time...” Zhao Changhe mused. “But if Papiyas could survive all this time, why couldn’t your Buddha?”

Yuan Cheng looked a little awkward. “Well... technically, the Buddha did survive for a while... but not long after, he was destroyed by the late emperor.”

Zhao Changhe slapped his forehead in frustration, recalling that Xia Longyuan had once waged a campaign to annihilate the Buddhist sects. So it had been the Buddha himself who stood in opposition at that time... Whether Xia Longyuan simply despised the Buddhists or whether Ye Wuming had a guiding hand behind the scenes, it now seemed like two generations had labored in succession to wipe out all remnants of the ancient demon gods in a long and arduous campaign.

And now, that campaign seemed to be nearing its end. If Papiyas was dealt with, there would be very few ancient demon gods left... Perhaps the new Ranking of Demon Gods was, in essence, a guide, one that told him who or what remained to be hunted down.

While they spoke, the group reached the top of the pagoda. Surprisingly, the place of suppression was not underground but at the summit, which caught Zhao Changhe slightly off guard. But as they arrived, he immediately sensed the blazing presence of a resplendent sun radiating through the entirety of the confined space. The evil entity within was slowly being eroded under its relentless brilliance, dissolving into wisps of black mist.

Piaomiao let out a muffled groan and instinctively staggered back from the range, her body wracked with searing pain.

Zhao Changhe reached out and took her hand, enclosing her in a protective space that shielded her, however briefly, from the overwhelming suppression.

Piaomiao glanced at him once more, then turned her gaze away, letting it fall on the swirling black mass at the center of the pagoda’s summit.

This was Papiyas' main body. His breath was now weak as he was on the verge of collapse, yet he still exuded a menacing aura of demonic madness.

A grating voice echoed straight into their souls, a sinister chuckle laced through its words, “You... cannot kill me... I am nothing more than the manifestation of the human heart, born within, not without. Strip away this external demonic qi, and I shall still be reborn from your own desires. You know this better than anyone. What haunts you wasn’t given by me. It was already within you.”

Zhao Changhe rubbed his chin. “That’s quite a mouthful of crap. Are you scared?”

Papiyas let out a cold laugh. “You might believe yourself to be capable of slaying any god, Zhao Changhe. But when it comes to me, you cannot.”

Zhao Changhe replied, “So what you’re saying is... you’re worried I can, and you’re trying to psych yourself up?”

Papiyas: “...”

Zhao Changhe produced the golden arrow that once carried the blood of a demon god, pressing it slowly toward the mist. “Words are meaningless. We’ll find out soon enough. I really can’t guarantee I will kill you, but I can make sure you fall into a deep slumber again. There will be no telling when you’ll wake. Of that, I’m quite confident. What do you think?”

The black mist that was Papiyas began to ripple, clearly having arrived at the same conclusion. “You’re not the kind to waste your breath, Zhao Changhe. The fact that you’re talking this much... You must want something. Say it.”

“Tch... As expected of the demon of the human heart, you've got quite a sharp instinct when it comes to the minds of men,” Zhao Changhe said casually. “I just want to ask you a few questions. Answer them, and maybe I won’t kill you. Hell, maybe I’ll even let you return.”

Papiyas scoffed. “You’d let me go? Don’t be ridiculous.”

Even Piaomiao looked skeptical. They had just discussed how killing Papiyas was the key to dispelling her corrupted state. Now Zhao Changhe was saying that he might not kill the other party? Could it be that he... actually thinks my corrupted self is cuter?

Zhao Changhe sneered. “I just praised your insight, and now you can’t tell if I’m joking?”

Papiyas responded, “Because it sounds too absurd.”

“What’s absurd about it?” Zhao Changhe said. “So far, I’ve no personal grudge against you that can’t be let go. In fact, you could argue you were quite the matchmaker between Piaomiao and me. There's hardly a reason to insist on your death then.”

Papiyas: “?”

Piaomiao: “...”

“More importantly, Ye Jiuyou once told me that if she kills you, she’ll inherit your will and become the next Papiyas. You’re far too unique in nature. Even if I do kill you, someone else may simply take your place. And odds are, it’ll be Snow Owl. Killing you would just gift him a divine upgrade. I already handed him Dark Oblivion... You think I’m some kind of divine Santa Claus here to just randomly give away treasures?”

Papiyas let out a thoughtful grunt, ignoring Zhao Changhe’s weird dialect, then fell silent.

“Of course, even if Snow Owl does end up devouring you, at least he has a physical form. He's much easier to deal with than you. So, it all depends on whether your answers are of value to me. If you won’t cooperate...” He brought the golden arrow close enough for its tip to pierce the edge of the black mist.

Finally, Papiyas spoke up. “What do you want to know?”

Zhao Changhe said, “First, the entity sealed within the Abyss of the Frost Chi. It seems to be a spiritual entity similar to yourself. Do you know what it is?”

Papiyas countered with a question of his own, “The Frost Chi sealed something? Never heard of it.”

Zhao Changhe had not held out much hope to begin with. If even Papiyas did not know that something was sealed there, then there was no use expecting answers on deeper matters. So, he moved on directly to his next question. “Second, the Mirror of Illusion and Reality you gave Ye Jiuyou. Is it real? If not, where’s the real one?”

Papiyas burst out laughing. “While there's a page of illusion and reality, there was never such thing as a Mirror of Illusion and Reality. That’s always been fake. What does exist, however, is the Soul-Capturing Mirror. You’ve all had a taste of its effects. What it reveals are your soul’s most fragile truths. Well, in a sense, I suppose calling it the Mirror of Illusion and Reality wouldn't exactly be wrong.”

“Are you talking about that stone wall on the mountain?”

“Exactly. What Ye Jiuyou has is only a fragment. And I must admit that she truly is terrifyingly powerful. The Soul-Capturing Mirror has been reflecting her daily, and yet she hasn’t felt a thing. No, worse, she seems to be completely unaware that it’s harmful at all. She thinks it’s just a mirror for amusement. That is what’s truly frightening. Someone weaker would have at least felt its pull on the soul and reject it. Someone even weaker would've been long dead.”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

So, Ye Jiuyou has been eating poison like it’s candy. And not only is she fine, she doesn’t even suspect it’s poison. She only doubts that the candy might be fake. It seems that being too strong can mess with your judgment too...

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