Tome of Troubled Times
Chapter 837: Pool of Life and False Graves

Chapter 837: Pool of Life and False Graves

Piaomiao, overwhelmed by passion, had forgotten one very important thing...

Yangyang did not need to see.

The little girl was still happily humming to herself as she bathed, not paying much mind to the splashes coming from the other end of the pool until a sudden, stabbing pain shot through her. She jolted, dazed and confused.

What’s going on? This water is clearly clean, and nothing should have touched me. Why did I suddenly feel some pain just now then? And why did it feel so familiar... Oh, right, it was the same feeling as back during my wedding night in Qinghe.

What followed made it unmistakable. She curled up with her arms over her abdomen, her face flushed as red as a cherry.

What kind of cruel fate is this? I only just woke up from passing out and finally got a moment to relax in a warm bath, and now this?

Unfortunately, she could not see what was happening. Gritting her teeth, Cui Yuanyang swam around and perked up her ears. Only then, through the sound of splashing, did she faintly catch the suppressed noises coming from the other side.

A pair of shameless lovers was whispering to one another.

“Turn around. Place your hands on the edge there...”

“Mn... Be, be gentle... Yangyang might h-hear...”

Oh, they’re really taking advantage of my blindness and sneaking around in the dark, huh? And here I thought Big Sister Piaomiao was all divine and untouchable. It turns out she’s already quite the sneak!

No, wait. What part of this is even sneaky? She’s practically broadcasting the experience to my body. Is this even fair?

At this moment, Piaomiao suddenly froze and whispered, “Wait... do you think Yangyang might experience the same sensations as me...?”

Zhao Changhe paused mid-motion. His gaze darted behind him, and sure enough, there was a little bunny rabbit lurking just a bit too close.

“Well, we’re already in the middle of things. We can’t really stop now...” he resumed, no longer even trying to keep his voice down. The sounds of movement swelled, echoing louder across the water.

Cui Yuanyang trembled, wanting to kick him, only for her body to betray her and collapse backward, her eyes rolling up helplessly.

Zhao Changhe had not paid attention before, but now, watching up close, he found it fascinating. It really was like being with two people at once. Move one, the other flinches. At this moment, the stubborn little rabbit was even still trying to cover her mouth and stay quiet...

But no amount of self-deception could change reality. After a moment, Zhao Changhe’s hand shot out, grabbed her, and pulled her over with a kiss. “Since you’re already here...”

So he knew all along.

Cui Yuanyang struggled weakly. “You adulterous pair... Mmph!”

Piaomiao was mortified, scrambling to flee, but Zhao Changhe caught her by the waist, and she was left with no way to escape. Her only choice was to bury her face against the edge of the pool, refusing to look.

Moments later, she felt Yangyang’s familiar, delicate body being laid across her back.

It’s just like what was on the Soul-Capturing Mirror... Seriously now? It’s barely been a few minutes!

Piaomiao could not even summon the strength to resist. Her mind was utterly in a daze. If that really is the Mirror of Illusion and Reality, then is this manifesting a dream into reality?

No one knew how long it went on for. Eventually, the water stilled and silence returned. The madness had passed. Zhao Changhe leaned against the pool’s edge, arms draped over both women resting on his shoulders. Both of them were gasping for breath, completely limp, unable to lift even a finger.

At least when others took turns, one could rest while the other worked. Unfortunately for these two women, that was not true. It did not matter which one he was with, the other felt everything just as clearly, and that might even be the reason for him being especially excited. From the sounds they made earlier, one might wonder if the corpses outside the barrier had picked up on it through the warped space.

After a long while, Piaomiao finally regained a hint of strength and muttered with half-lidded eyes, “I didn’t expect you to be such a degenerate tyrant....”

“How am I a tyrant? Isn’t it but the natural order for there to be love between man and woman.”

“Yes, but the natural order doesn’t refer to one man being with two women.” Piaomiao flushed. She wanted to say more, but the words were simply too shameful. Moreover, what good would saying anything more even do? In the end, she only managed to say, “There are enemies everywhere right outside this place. We haven’t even found out much about Jiuyou yet, yet you just...”

“Doing this in any other place might not matter much to Jiuyou. But with us doing this right in her bath? Well, that changes a lot. Imagine her returning in a few days to wash up, and everything inside’s been... flavored. Hah, some of the water might even end up in her mouth while she’s bathing...”

Piaomiao glared, half amused and half scandalized. “I may not fully understand humans, but I’m quite sure you’re the most childish one among them.”

Zhao Changhe replied, “Well, her big sister has already gotten a taste... and Jiuyou’s always been competitive. Since she wants everything her big sister has, it only makes sense that I help even the score.”

Piaomiao: “?”

Cui Yuanyang: “?”

What exactly is your relationship with Ye Wuming?

“Huh?” Zhao Changhe suddenly rubbed his eyes. “Do you two see that light?”

“Haven’t we been able to see the whole time? We’re sharing your vision, aren’t we?”

“Who the heck keeps abilities like that active while doing that?” Zhao Changhe sat up straight and stared into the pool. The surface shimmered, glittering faintly.

“...Strange.” He looked closely and found faint traces of blood drifting in the water. “Why’s there blood...?”

Ah, right... I almost forgot that this was Piaomiao’s first time in her newly created body. She really took recreating her body seriously. She did everything perfectly down to the smallest detail.... Could the change in the pool be because of this blood?

Zhao Changhe had encountered something like this before. Back in Beimang, it was his blood that had triggered the hidden mechanism behind the waterfall in the Azure Dragon Pool. Could this be another such blood-based seal? He had not expected that his moment of indulgence with Piaomiao’s new body would accidentally lead to a fresh discovery. Just moments ago, he was still marveling at Yangyang’s good fortune, but perhaps his own luck had not quite run out after all.

Yet, despite his worldly experience, he could not quite discern what had changed in the water. There was no obvious reaction nor any perceptible shift in energy.

Piaomiao was surveying the water nearby, her expression subtly strange. “It’s not a blood seal or anything like that. It’s my body. Because it’s formed from the lotus platform, it carries immense vitality. And then, there’s your... essence, as the source of life. The two combined, as yin and yang, have triggered a spontaneous evolution of life.”

Cui Yuanyang was stunned. “Big sister, are you saying... this water is going to have a baby?”

Piaomiao looked at her as if she’d grown an extra head. “Of course not. But the pool has gained a new property. No matter how severe the injury, possibly even when one has just died, as long as their body has not yet begun to decay, then immersion in this water will incite revival. Though... this alone isn’t enough. If we were to merge it with the lotus pool we cultivated outside, the effect would be complete.”

Zhao Changhe and Cui Yuanyang exchanged a look, a shiver running through them. Saving someone on the brink of death was one thing, but reviving the recently dead? That was already in the realm of the miraculous.

Zhao Changhe asked, “Could this be replicated in any ordinary pool outside?”

“No,” Piaomiao shook her head. “Other pools lack the pure, concentrated spirit qi that exists here. More importantly...” She paused, sighing. “We have to acknowledge that the primordial state of all things is darkness and chaos. Only a water source at the heart of darkness could nurture such genesis. Not even the Heavenly River could match it.”

Zhao Changhe felt his heart stir.

Darkness and chaos are the beginning of all things... Then by that logic, could Ye Jiuyou actually be Ye Wuming’s elder sister? Has anyone ever truly entertained that possibility? That might explain why all attempts to trace Ye Jiuyou’s origin had failed... because she came before all.

This reckless attempt to make a mess at the Heavenly Palace within Ye Jiuyou’s domain had not yielded the results he had hoped for. He had intended to unearth some secret she might be hiding, but instead, he seemed to have uncovered something entirely different. As for whether it was a valuable discovery, and how valuable exactly, that remained to be seen.

Zhao Changhe stepped out of the water, lost in thought as he got dressed. This time, he truly had no mood for further indulgence. After some deliberation, he opted for the simplest, crudest approach. Ye Jiuyou had once said that “other activities” often occurred here during bathing. So, why not retrace that line and see what might be revealed?

He returned to the stone engraved with Heavenly Dao inscriptions. Reaching out, he gently brushed the carvings, silently opening his senses to the past.

Space and time rippled before his eyes. Amidst the blurred visions, he saw Ye Jiuyou draped in black, standing silently before the Soul-Capturing Mirror, staring at her reflection.

The image was indistinct. He could not tell what she was seeing in the mirror. But her cold and desolate expression was unmistakable. This was the true Jiuyou.

The scene was one of endless darkness, containing within it a spartan boudoir devoid of any ornamentation. There was only a silent pool, and a lone, jarring mirror, as well as a pale and distant face.

This setting should have been eerie, frightening even, but somehow Zhao Changhe felt something else emanating from the woman in the scene: a profound and crushing loneliness. Maybe it was due to the stark contrast from how she normally behaved since he had met her?

“The capital plan must change,” she said suddenly. Her voice echoed in the hollow space, amplifying the deathly silence around her.

A distant transmission replied from nowhere, “How shall it change? Please provide your instructions, revered master.”

“Send someone to Kunlun. I have something for them to carry out.”

“But the Four Idols have already left the capital. This is the perfect opportunity. Why...”

“I said Kunlun. Did you not understand me?”

“...Yes.”

A stillness fell once more, and then Ye Jiuyou asked, “What of the Tang Clan of Gusu? Any recent movements from them?”

“They have been increasingly active around the Sword Emperor’s tomb,” the voice replied. “Less cautious than before, though. It seems their vigilance has waned over time. This may be our chance.”

“No. Tang Buqi may grow lax, but Tang Wanzhuang will not. This move is either a rogue initiative or sanctioned by her directly.” Ye Jiuyou paused again. “Cancel the plan in the southeast. Withdraw our men.”

“Why? We’ve been preparing for this for so long. We were poised to strike.”

“It’s likely just an empty tomb. It will only be a waste of effort.”

“An empty tomb? Apart from Zhao Changhe’s minor scouting on the periphery, the tomb’s core remains untouched. Nothing, not even a mosquito, has made it inside.”

“That’s because it was a decoy from the start,” Ye Jiuyou spoke lightly. “With the Heavenly Tome soon to be complete, and gods and demons reemerging into the world, how could the Sword Emperor remain completely silent? The only explanation is that the tomb is a fake, and that he was never there. The Tang Clan’s recent moves are most likely Tang Wanzhuang probing us. And if I’m not wrong, the elites of the Demon Suppression Bureau are already lying in ambush, waiting for you.”

“But if she knows it’s you behind all this, how could she dare? And Zhao Changhe hasn’t even issued a directive—”

“Because Zhao Changhe and the Four Idols are all in Kunlun. She knows I’m tied down here. If she doesn’t fish now, then when will she?” Ye Jiuyou’s voice turned frosty. “Tang Wanzhuang has wielded the power of the Demon Suppression Bureau for over a decade. Now, she holds the reins of government. With the Empress away from the capital, she commands in her stead. Do you really think she’s just some concubine waiting for Zhao Changhe’s word to act?”

“...Understood.” The subordinate hesitated for a moment, then asked, “If it is indeed a false tomb, then where is the Sword Emperor?”

“His reemergence must be near. If I can guess this, then Tang Wanzhuang and others should be able to guess this as well,” said Ye Jiuyou with a calm and detached voice. “He crafted that decoy tomb... but who exactly was he hoping to fool? At this rate, it seems the only one still in the dark is Zhao Changhe, who’s still strutting around like he’s the smartest man alive.”

Zhao Changhe almost facepalmed. “What the fuck?”

“Revered master,” the subordinate ventured cautiously, even more confused than Zhao Changhe himself, “you seem to hold a particular... attitude toward him? Apart from Ye Wuming, we’ve never seen you mock anyone like this.”

Ye Jiuyou responded lightly, “Go administer the tongue-rending and bone-eating punishment on yourself. Three days.”

“...Yes.”

She turned away, her delicate fingers reaching for her waistband, as if preparing to undress and bathe, but her motion froze mid-gesture. Something had clearly come to mind. With a scoff, she gave up, flung her sleeve in annoyance, and left.

Hm? Has she been holding off on bathing for days? She’s afraid of being traced while bathing... but not when laying out her plans?

Zhao Changhe scratched his head. Aside from the abrupt cancellations of one plot after another, she had not actually enacted anything concrete. But even from this, it was evident that she had orchestrated countless schemes behind the scenes—none of which had shown on the surface in her day-to-day interactions.

And she still has the gall to say that I’m the only one who hasn’t seen through the Sword Emperor’s tomb? At the very least, I sensed that she was scheming something behind the curtain. I haven’t been sitting around like a fool. Hmph.

Come to think of it, her interest in the tomb can only be because she’s after the Sword Emperor’s corpse. It’s only because she’s deemed the tomb a decoy and suspects that Tang Wanzhuang has laid a trap that she’s pulling back. But what’s the so-called “capital plan”? And why’s that being changed as well?

It was a shame that each time he peered through time, he was drained of way too much energy. He could not afford another glimpse today. Resigned, Zhao Changhe let the connection fade and slumped back against the stone, exhausted.

Two delicate hands reached out, gently massaging his temples. Cui Yuanyang’s soft voice came from behind him, “Did you find anything?”

Zhao Changhe gave a tired nod, but his tone was sheepish. “It looks like she’s already on guard. Hell, she won’t even bathe anymore. I must’ve spooked her last time...”

Piaomiao: “...”

“It looks like when it comes to whatever truly matters, she’ll relocate elsewhere to plan in private. There’s nothing more to see here. Unless I want to dig even further back to events from the last era, maybe. I might find something relevant then.”

Piaomiao asked, “How long do you need to rest in between?”

“At least a day... I’m completely drained.” Zhao Changhe paused, then shook his head. “But even then, there’s too much from the previous era. I’d have to sift through countless scenes to find anything useful for now. It really doesn’t seem worth it.”

“Big Brother Zhao, do you want to leave this place?” Cui Yuanyang then continued in a low voice, “Honestly, I really don’t like it here. It’s too dark. The death qi is really overwhelming as well. If it weren’t for you both being here with me, I would’ve gone mad long ago. When are we leaving?”

Zhao Changhe pressed his palm lightly against the Soul-Capturing Mirror, sensing briefly. Then, he smiled and said, “Well, I guess it’s about time. Let me rest a bit... The real show’s just about to begin.”