Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 643: Black Tortoises Objective Judgment

Tonight was originally meant to mark a grand ceremony for the Four Idols Cult. But as dawn broke, it seemed the ceremony’s purpose needed revision.

It was supposed to be a ceremony for the ascension of a cult leader—yet now, that title felt woefully insufficient.

The Night Emperor had truly descended to the mortal realm...

No one needed to explain what this sword was. Every person who practiced the cultivation techniques of the Four Idols Cult could feel the potent energy radiating from it—a boundless aura encompassing all their individual cultivation. It embraced everything, vast and limitless.

This was undoubtedly the unfinished divine sword spoken of in the cult’s ancient texts—the one the Night Emperor once sought to forge. And now, it was complete.

This sword was not a mere symbol. It was a tangible, undeniable reality.

From the aura of the sword alone, it was evident that no one other than the Night Emperor could wield this sword—let alone forge it with their own hands. Even the Night Emperor himself had not managed to complete it. The records were clear: he had only crafted the sword blank and left it unfinished.

Yet now, before the gathered members who had come for the ceremony, they witnessed the sword’s completion with their own eyes.

No one needed to say a word. The disciples instinctively regarded Zhao Changhe as the incarnation of the Night Emperor.

Some of the more perceptive followers were already pondering the deeper meaning behind certain events.

No wonder the venerables always acted oddly around Zhao Changhe. If it had been anyone else entangled with the saintess, the venerables would have flayed him alive. Yet with Zhao Changhe, all they did was punish the saintess by making her copy some scriptures. Hell, the two venerables actually collaborated with Zhao Changhe when they fought Maitreya, and then the Sea Emperor... much like trusted allies, really.

Maybe they always suspected Zhao Changhe was the Night Emperor. If that’s the case, then the saintess has just been fulfilling her role as the servant of our god, so why would they punish her? The only reason they even punished her at all was because the identity of the Night Emperor was not yet certain, so they couldn’t just randomly throw around titles like that.

At the same time, the key players in this game knew the truth: Zhao Changhe was not the Night Emperor.

Their cultivation techniques were not merely divergent—they were wholly unrelated.

Even Vermillion Bird’s suggestion that Zhao Changhe revisit the Four Idols Cult’s cultivation techniques when he reached a bottleneck had never been acted upon. Beyond the foundational method of resonating with and igniting the stars, which he had learned early on, his cultivation had nothing to do with the Four Idols Cult.

In fact, his astral intent surpassed the Night Emperor’s. Choosing to forge the Milky Way before the four idols might have been a matter of direction, but when it came to uniting the sun, moon, and stars, his vision fundamentally diverged from that of the Night Emperor. The blazing sun had no place in the night. With this, he could no longer be called the Night Emperor.

And yet, the sword blank dictated that he must operate within its framework. If his astral intent actually contradicted the essence of the stars within the sword blank, the forging process would have failed—the sword spirit would never have been born. The fact that he succeeded proved that his vision was, in fact, aligned with the stars of heaven.

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In other words, there was no contradiction, and his path was valid.

It seemed that Zhao Changhe’s wild declaration had indeed come true. He would not follow in the steps of the Night Emperor, but neither would he head somewhere else entirely; rather, he would walk that path further than the Night Emperor ever did.

For a moment, the people in the underground chamber stared at each other in silence. This brought them to the very question Zhao Changhe had raised earlier: Did they worship the Night Emperor as a figure or the concept of the myriad stars? If it was the former, they had to rethink their ideas of heresy. If it was the latter... then perhaps it was time to kneel.

But it was bizarre. He did not practice a single cultivation technique from the Four Idols Cult. His martial arts had nothing to do with them. To call him the Night Emperor seemed as absurd as calling a random northern barbarian Qin Shi Huang[1].

Of course, everything came down to their decision. If the leadership figures of the Four Idols Cult recognized him as the Night Emperor, then he was the Night Emperor.

The three leaders of the cult exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of confusion and uncertainty. But then Xia Chichi suddenly smiled and gracefully knelt. “Greetings to the Night Emperor!”

With that, Vermillion Bird snapped out of her daze. “Who asked you to speak up? You’re just eager to warm his bed, aren’t you?”

“Nonsense,” said Xia Chichi calmly. “A saintess is not a concubine. That’s something you’ve told me countless times. This has nothing to do with that. As a saintess of two branches of the Four Idols Cult, with my mastery of the essence of the Azure Dragon nearing Profound Control, I was to be appointed cult leader tonight. On such matters, my judgment carries weight. I believe he is the Night Emperor. That is my position—nothing more.”

Her authority did more than carry weight—it overflowed. If this were a formal meeting, she would be the one presiding over it.

But what kind of meeting chair declares their stance before proceedings even begin? Was this “leading” a meeting or was it manipulating its outcome?

Vermillion Bird looked helplessly at Lady Three. Her own mind was in turmoil. She was not sure if her thoughts were objective or true to her faith. Xia Chichi, with her obvious bias, was unreliable. In her eyes, only Black Tortoise could truly offer a balanced perspective.

Black Tortoise had always served in this role. Detached and serene, free from worldly ambitions or personal agendas, she viewed everything in the cult with impartial eyes. Whenever Vermillion Bird faced uncertainty, her first instinct was to seek Black Tortoise’s counsel.

Lady Three met her gaze with a composed seriousness. After a moment of measured thought, she gave a small nod. “I believe that it is the essence of the myriad stars that creates the Night Emperor, not the Night Emperor who creates the stars. Therefore, whoever embodies that starry sky is the Night Emperor, regardless of the person.”

Vermillion Bird stammered, “But—but he hasn’t practiced a single cultivation technique related to the cult...”

Lady Three’s expression was grave, in complete contrast with her usual lackadaisical self. “That is putting the cart before the horse. The stars are the core; the cultivation techniques are merely derivations. How can you deny the trunk because of a branch?”

Vermillion Bird said heatedly, “Then why don’t you kneel and show me?”

Without hesitation, Lady Three knelt. “Greetings to the Night Emperor.”

Vermillion Bird’s mouth hung half-open, stunned into silence.

Aren’t you supposed to be Venerable Black Tortoise? Even if you’ve made up your mind, don’t you care about decorum or pride? Why does it seem like you’re even more willing to kneel than Chichi?

She had not caught the subtle glance that Lady Three and Xia Chichi exchanged, a glance layered with the understanding born of past camaraderie. This was not the first time they’d knelt side by side—though back then, Zhao Changhe had been behind them.

Vermillion Bird never imagined that even Black Tortoise, the most reliable and selfless figure, could be such a traitor. Regardless, she truly believed this to be Black Tortoise’s objective judgment—which, oddly enough, it was—and the realization left a complicated taste in her heart.

If Black Tortoise acknowledges him, and so decisively at that, then perhaps it really is true...

In a formal vote, two out of three leaders had already sided with him. That should have settled the matter. Yet, in truth, the Four Idols Cult had long been under Vermillion Bird’s control. She was the de facto cult leader—her word was final.

And her mind was still in disarray.

How did I end up being the one opposing him?

Deep down, she was happy, willing, and longing for this day. But somehow, the mask on her face trapped her pride. The words of submission caught in her throat, unable to pass that barrier of lifelong dignity.

Finally, Zhao Changhe’s voice broke the silence. “You two may rise. Venerable Vermillion Bird...”

She looked up at him.

“I have no desire to be the Night Emperor,” Zhao Changhe said. “I don’t want people to kneel or worship me—I’m not worthy of such faith. Venerable, forcing the completion of this sword took its toll on me. I risked plenty... and I’m not saying this because I want to boast. I simply want you to know that I did this so the Four Idols Cult and I can share aligned interests, that we may no longer clash. I do not wish to be at odds with the Four Idols Cult, nor... with you.”

Vermillion Bird forced a smile and said, “You make it sound noble, but isn’t this just a ploy to subjugate the Four Idols Cult?”

“Venerable, do you still see me as the same reckless youth who betrayed his master? A man who, just two years ago, was utterly powerless?”

Their eyes met, sparks flashing between them as memories of their first encounter surfaced.

Back then, they could never have imagined that a day like this would come.

It was as though another voice within Vermillion Bird’s soul compelled her to speak. “Indeed. Your strength still isn’t enough to earn my acknowledgement.”

Zhao Changhe raised his sword, pointing it at her. “Then... I challenge you, Venerable Vermillion Bird. If I lose, I’ll obediently become the Four Idols Cult’s Fire Pig of Shi.”

The offered path was too easy to refuse. Vermillion Bird accepted with satisfaction. “Agreed. If you can defeat me, I will willingly serve you from this day forward.”

Lady Three and Xia Chichi leaped to the side, eager to witness the fight.

Zhao Changhe glanced at them and smiled. “Let’s find a more fitting place.”

In perfect sync, the two of them left the Imperial Ancestral Temple, vanishing in an instant.

Lady Three stomped her foot. “Heartless bastard! After all my help with this performance, you don’t even let me watch the fun!”

Xia Chichi smirked. “Were you really just performing?”

Lady Three hesitated.

She had not just been performing.

In her heart, she truly believed Zhao Changhe should be this era’s Night Emperor. Whatever happened in the previous era had nothing to do with her.

Perhaps Vermillion Bird felt the same, but her prideful mask would not let her admit it. Zhao Changhe’s challenge gave her an excuse to yield, but... Would Vermillion Bird intentionally lose, allowing herself to kneel before him?

Lady Three suddenly wondered—perhaps Zhao Changhe did not need Vermillion Bird to throw the fight.

There was a real chance that he could win by his own strength.

And that... would be true conquest.

1. Qin Shi Huang was the founder of the Qin dynasty and the first emperor of China. Rather than maintain the title of “king” borne by the previous and current rulers of the Chinese states, he assumed the newly-invented title of “emperor,” which would see continuous use by monarchs in China for the next two millennia after him. ☜