Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 531: Zhao Changhe Sets Sail

Zhao Changhe stayed in the capital for about three days.

There was nothing urgent to do, and Tang Wanzhuang had sent a petal of the Transformative Lotus to Puyang. Thus, Zhao Changhe was merely waiting to see how Cui Wenjing would recover before making his next move.

In the meantime, he stayed at the Tang residence, going through the information that the Demon Suppression Bureau had on overseas territories and the nautical maps from previous surveys to gain a general understanding of the situation in the Eastern Sea.

He compared the information he received with that of the Atlas of Mountains and Rivers, which also contained records of some islands overseas. He didn’t know whether some of the islands in the atlas still existed in this era, but it seemed likely that they could have turned into secret realms.

Some of the recorded resources on these islands were quite valuable, whether for cultivation, treatment, or forging, and they were distinct from what could be found on land.

For instance, there was a type of black alga known as Mysterious Water Black Alga that could prove highly beneficial in treating Tang Wanzhuang’s condition.

There were also dragon-like creatures, such as flood dragons, whose tendons could be used to make bows of a quality comparable to the ancient sword Dragon Emperor. Additionally, some unique marine minerals were also mentioned, including the primary material used to forge Iceheart.

Many of these items were especially beneficial for those cultivating water-related techniques. However, this type of water was not quite the same as that of Tang Wanzhuang’s Spring Water Sword Intent. It was more aligned with the five elements of the Four Idols Cult.

It seems like Shelly might shine here. Hm, she probably even spent a lot of time out there when she was younger.

Moreover, considering the secret realms scattered around on land, it was apparent that there would be plenty of them in the ocean as well. For martial artists seeking to elevate themselves, going out to sea could be quite meaningful—the farther and deeper, the more significant it would be. But the ocean was perilous, its waves more merciless than any blade could ever be. Thus, few dared venture out.

Zhao Changhe initially would not have dared either. It was already dangerous enough without the Sea Tribe around. Back when he was at the first layer of the Profound Mysteries, there was no way he would have even considered it. But now, with his increased strength, he felt much more confident. The most dangerous entity at sea, the Sea Emperor, would undoubtedly be under Xia Longyuan’s watch. And when it came to the rest of the Sea Tribe, he did not fear them in the slightest.

“Hey, blind woman.”

The blind woman: “...”

“There’s definitely a page of the Heavenly Tome in the sea, right? There might even be more than one page. After all, the sea is bigger than the land...”

“In this world, you shouldn’t immediately assume that the sea is larger than the land as it was in your original world. Wang Daoning might make such bold claims, but in reality, it might not be true.”

Zhao Changhe was momentarily stunned. Right, this world most likely conforms to the concept of a round heaven and square earth. In that case, the sea might not actually be larger than the land, and there might even be a limit to the ends of the world.

“The Heavenly Tome can indeed be found in the sea,” the blind woman finally said. “In fact, there are two pages at sea. I can’t sense one of them anymore, so it’s likely in the hands of the Sea Emperor, which is why the Sword Emperor is still in slumber while the Sea Emperor has begun stirring up trouble.”

“Does that mean the Sword Emperor and the Sea Emperor are on the same level?”

“More or less, they’re both at the level of the ancient four idols,” the blind woman explained. “The other page is precisely where Xia Chichi is headed. I can’t say for sure whether Xia Longyuan is sending Xia Chichi there with benevolent or malicious intentions.”

Zhao Changhe frowned.

Even though he had mentally prepared himself, it was still difficult for him to comprehend such a mindset.

“By the way, can you elaborate on the subsequent realms of cultivation? I assume it’s not exactly a secret?”

“In essence, they’re all in the Profound Control Realm, and it’s much like the Profound Mysteries in that it also has three layers,” the blind woman replied. “In fact, those in the Profound Control Realm can already be considered divine beings. After all, they are capable of riding the wind and clouds, moving mountains, shifting seas, and projecting their yin spirit. In many senses, these are divine powers. Of course, there are still varying degrees of power between them, hence the need for further distinctions. However, most ancient texts that people have access to today wouldn’t delve into such details. Even the mention of the Profound Control Realm is already a rarity.”

Zhao Changhe found himself a bit surprised by the blind woman’s compliance.

The progression of their relationship was similar to that of a frog being slowly boiled. The blind woman had now properly settled into the role of a constantly present guide. The lack of her usual sarcasm or haughty reluctance was rather rare. Although she still managed to disdain contemporary knowledge, she seemed much more affable. It was likely that with the next page of the Heavenly Tome directly ahead and Zhao Changhe intent on pursuing it, the blind woman’s mood had improved, and she had become more amiable... Having a vested interest did that—whether one was mortal or divine.

He could not help but wonder what her reaction would be if he said, “Hey, blind woman, you don’t want to miss out on the next page of the Heavenly Book, do you?”

Of course, these thoughts remained solely in his mind. Instead, he continued the conversation earnestly, “How exactly do these realms come to be further distinguished?”

The blind woman, unaware of his mischievous thoughts, continued explaining carefully, “The first layer involves the initial condensation of the yin spirit, enabling flight and ease of escape. You can think of this as harnessing the wind and clouds. The second layer is about becoming the sovereign of the specific laws you’ve cultivated, no longer just using wind, rain, thunder, and lightning but actively controlling them. The third layer is achieving dominion over all things, where the yin spirit transforms into the yang spirit, achieving immortality. The essence of profound control is simply achieving dominion over something. To what extent and over what domain you can exercise mastery, that is the distinction.”

Zhao Changhe pondered and commented, “So essentially, it’s the journey of cultivation progressing from the physical body to the spirit, with the spirit transitioning from yin to yang. The Night Emperor should be in the third layer, but has yet to reach complete mastery. Does that mean he still needs to perfect it, or are you suggesting there’s still a realm beyond that?”

In the air, the blind woman crossed her arms. “There is.”

“What?”

“The Heavenly Dao. To replace it. That would be the ultimate dominion, true sovereignty over everything.”

The blind woman actually made such a grandiose statement, leaving Zhao Changhe utterly astonished. It took him a while to gather himself and reply, “Sovereignty over everything would only bring about one’s own ruin.”

The blind woman: “?”

Zhao Changhe explained, “Even the Heavenly Dao can die. Isn’t the yang spirit supposed to be immortal?”

“Life and death are always relative concepts. Absolute immortality doesn’t exist. Is your materialist education all in vain?”

“Damn... Are you somehow projecting your spirit in this world while constantly learning new things? Are you seriously talking about materialism in this fantastical world? Newton must be rolling in his grave right now!”

The blind woman fell silent.

Zhao Changhe took the opportunity to ask, “So how can I cultivate to reach that level?”

The blind woman interrupted, “It’s one thing to ask about concepts, but if you think I’m actually going to teach you how to cultivate, then keep dreaming.”

“Is it that you don’t want to, or that you can’t?”

The blind woman remained silent.

Zhao Changhe suddenly said, “All these self-imposed restrictions... Who is it that’s truly controlling you?”

The blind woman coldly replied, “It’s definitely not you.”

Zhao Changhe did not respond.

* * * Nôv(el)B\\jnn

After two days of poring over the materials on overseas locations, news came from Puyang that Cui Wenjing had regained consciousness and had been moved back to Qinghe, where numerous renowned doctors and physicians were now attending to his treatment. With the arrival of the Transformative Lotus, his condition was steadily improving.

Zhao Changhe sighed in relief. For the continued convalescence, there was not much he could offer beyond what the renowned physicians were doing. He was also still unable to truly cure Tang Wanzhuang’s condition either, so it seemed that it was time to venture out and seek new solutions.

In recent days, Tang Wanzhuang was occupied with overseeing the reshuffling of power in the capital. Although she did not need to personally step in as before, there were still many affairs to handle, and she did not even have time to join Zhao Changhe for meals. In her stead, it was Baoqin who had been delivering food and tea to Zhao Changhe, and she was increasingly seeing herself as nothing less than the maid of her young mistress’ future husband.

“Baoqin.”

Baoqin, who was boiling water to make tea, turned around. “Yes?”

“Are the Tang Clan’s ship and sailors ready?”

“They’ve arrived, but they couldn’t anchor directly at a northern port. You’ll need to head south first...”

“I figured as much.” Zhao Changhe got up, walked over, and ruffled her hair. “Take good care of your young miss... I won’t bid her farewell. Parting tends to bring too much sorrow, and I don’t want to affect her mood and worsen her condition.”

Baoqin hesitated, then quipped, “You’re like that dog outside the door, licking my boots only to get kicked.”

Zhao Changhe raised an eyebrow “?”

Moments later, her hair had been thoroughly tousled into a bird’s nest, and Zhao Changhe turned away. “Wanzhuang hasn’t come to see me in these last couple of days either. It’s for the same reason—our bond is something you, as a young girl, wouldn’t understand.”

Baoqin playfully shook her small fist in protest. I’m not some young girl—I know full well you only last half a cup of tea...

As if to confirm Zhao Changhe’s sentiment, not long after he left, the supposedly “too busy to see anyone” Tang Wanzhuang appeared beside Baoqin. “Has he left?”

Baoqin, looking a bit dazed, nodded. “Yes. Young miss, he’s become so composed now... Well, except for how he loves to turn people’s hair into bird nests.”

Tang Wanzhuang turned to gaze at the horizon beyond the doorway, murmuring, “In many ways... he truly has grown.”

She lowered her gaze to a report she had just received. It matched Zhao Changhe’s predictions from the previous day exactly. “An urgent request from King Batu of Mobei—autumn’s chill has set in, and the steeds are well-fed. It appears Timur may be preparing for a resurgence. They request support from the Great Xia.”

In the seventh month, the Wang Clan of Langya marched their troops into the capital, only to be blocked at Puyang by the Cui Clan of Qinghe. The Cao Gang incited chaos in Jianghuai, the aristocratic families of Jiangnan began to carve out their own territories, Li Shentong firmly held power in Shu, and the Guanzhong region was in turmoil. The barbarians of Mobei were rising yet again, the Sea Tribe’s gods and demons began to emerge from the shadows, and Xia Longyuan faced off against the Sea Emperor.

Amidst this chaos, Zhao Changhe boarded a ship and set off for the Eastern Sea.