Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 647: A Complete Blunder

At the end of the day, Lady Three was getting beaten up for defending him, so Zhao Changhe could not just stand by the side and watch. Steeling himself, he flew over, planning to mediate.

As he got closer, the fiery chaos of the battle had already dissipated. Instead, the scene had devolved into two women wrestling on the grass. Vermillion Bird was straddling Lady Three, slapping her backside with resounding smacks that sent ripples through her flesh. “You think you’re above it all, indifferent to the world, and yet you... steal, steal, steal my man?!”

Xia Chichi peeked over Zhao Changhe’s shoulder, watching Vermillion Bird in silence. Well, ain’t that the truth, Master. You make yourself look so proud and dignified, and yet you... steal, steal, steal my man?

Zhao Changhe hesitated, then reached out to pull Vermillion Bird away. “Uh... actually, what Lady Three said does make sense...”

Vermillion Bird glared daggers at him. “You have no place to speak here! Is this about logic? I told you to have her help you forge the Night Emperor’s sword, not polish your sword!”

Lady Three squirmed and shouted, “Hey, we didn’t do anything while I taught him how to forge! We did it after!”

Vermillion Bird: “...”

How are you able to say that so righteously? Do you really feel no shame?!

Lady Three shouted again, “Xia Chichi, you’re the real traitor! I helped you fight the dumb bird, so how can you just sell me out like this for no reason?!”

Xia Chichi tilted her head.

It wasn’t for no reason. I was feeling cornered by Changhe’s persuasion, so I dragged you in to deflect the heat. Also, weren’t you the one who stole my man? You’re not innocent either.

Lady Three said, “What’s so special about a flat-chested little girl like you? If you hadn’t known him for so long, who would even look at you? You really think you’re all that?”

Vermillion Bird blinked a few times, then her spanking grew noticeably lighter.

Ah, that feels so good to hear. Black Tortoise really is the most objective!

Xia Chichi stomped her foot. “You old hag! I’ve had enough of you! Do you think you’re so irresistible just because you’re lazy and fat?”

Vermillion Bird felt even better. Well said! My teaching you hasn’t been in vain!

Zhao Changhe was dumbfounded. Once the argument reached this level, he really did not know how to interject.

Lady Three snorted, “Why don’t you ask Changhe who he thinks is prettier?”

All three women turned to look at Zhao Changhe, who took a step back, instinctively raising a hand to cover his face.

This was the ultimate level when it came to battles between women.

Zhao Changhe could only smile awkwardly as he said, “You’re all equally pretty, really!”

“Really?” Lady Three snapped her fingers.

Using the Water Mirror Technique, she cast a shimmering curtain of water before everyone. On the curtain, Lady Three was nestled against Zhao Changhe, holding his sleeve and asking, “Hey, tell me, was it better with me or with your Qing’er?”

Zhao Changhe groaned, covering his face. “Why don’t you ask who’s prettier? Who even asks that kind of question?”

The curtain rippled, and the edited image reappeared, showing Zhao Changhe saying, “You’re the dignified Venerable Black Tortoise. Why would you bother comparing yourself with a subordinate...”

Lady Three replied, “You’re right. That girl is ugly, weak, and dumb. There’s really nothing to compare.”

The Zhao Changhe on the water curtain did not reply to that statement.

At this moment, Lady Three provided commentary, “He tacitly agreed back then.”

Vermillion Bird’s hair began to ignite into flames.

Zhao Changhe took another step back, drenched in cold sweat: “She... she took it out of context, edited it... I... I...”

Before he could finish, the Lady Three on the water curtain asked again, “Between me and the saintess, who’s more beautiful?”

The Xia Chichi outside the screen instantly turned her head, glaring fiercely at Zhao Changhe’s profile.

Zhao Changhe took three more steps back.

On the water curtain, he had already started speaking: “Chichi is young, but she doesn’t have the same allure that you do...”

It was as though crows flew ominously overhead, the wind howled, and snow drifted through the air.

Lady Three was still pinned beneath Vermillion Bird, her head slightly raised, eyes glinting mischievously. Vermillion Bird and Xia Chichi’s faces were dangerously grim, their gaze locked onto Zhao Changhe. He continued to back away cautiously.

Suddenly, he turned and bolted, but the master-disciple pair had already pounced. Zhao Changhe crouched down, hands covering his head. “She took it out of context! You’ve got to believe me~”

Bang, bang, bang!

The ground shook as blows rained down upon Zhao Changhe.

The Four Idols Cult’s new Night Emperor, the one yet to be officially introduced to the followers, was gone.

The unexpected silver lining? The awkwardness between the three women vanished as they united against a common target.

Victory for the tortoise.

* * *

Afternoon, at the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Zhao Changhe sat before the forge, his face bruised and swollen, his hands tucked into his sleeves, all the while his Blood Asura Body worked on healing his wounds.

The three women sat beside him, faces stern as they watched the furnace.

Whether Lady Three’s words had been objective or a self-serving defense, after Vermillion Bird revealed her identity and endured the humiliation, their loyalty had realigned, and the cult’s doctrine had taken on new interpretations. They beat him as they pleased, but in the end, their man was now the new Night Emperor.

When everyone became a traitor together, it ceased to be betrayal. Instead, it was destiny fulfilled.

Besides, Lady Three’s arguments actually made sense. They themselves could replace the ancient four idols. Their faith was not in a specific person but in the symbols pertaining to the stars in the sky. When every attribute of the sky could be applied to their man, then he could naturally become the object of their faith.

However, there were still differences. The first one was reconciling the sun with the night sky. This would require a fundamental change to the doctrine. Of everyone present, only Vermillion Bird had ever truly considered these matters for the cult. The other two were complete slackers. Now that Vermillion Bird was on board, the focus was on figuring out how to revise and adapt the doctrine, and they had to force themselves to believe it as well.

“In theory...” Vermillion Bird finally spoke. “The sun is indeed one of the stars, it’s just that it appears at a different time from the four idols. But in Changhe’s imagery, he emphasized that the sun, moon, and stars can coexist in the sky, and that is undeniably true. So, the doctrine can simply be revised in that direction. When the sun, moon, and stars are all included, it represents the complete sky. Anyway, focusing solely on the night is too narrow.”

“As for the Milky Way predating the four idols... Since this swollen-faced bastard is our central figure, his beliefs should naturally come first. Theoretically, there’s no issue with this, but it won’t be easy to have everyone in our cult emotionally accept it. Our cult is named after the four idols and not the Milky Way, after all...”

Lady Three said, “If we need to modify it, it should be done gradually and subtly. We can tie it to the name of Chichi’s new dynasty and position ourselves as the state religion representing the starry sky. This way, everything aligns in both doctrine and practice. The followers will accept it more easily, and we won’t need to change the cult’s name.”

Xia Chichi said, “It’s not impossible to change the name of the cult either. The Four Idols Cult was just a name coined in this era. There was no Four Idols Cult in the previous era; the four idols were merely subordinates to the Night Emperor... But there’s no need to stir things up; stability is better.”

Vermillion Bird nodded and said, “There’s no need for a name change. This situation matches the previous era. The four idols were the Night Emperor’s arms, with the Azure Dragon acting as the human emperor. The beauty of the current situation is that Tang Wanzhuang and her people may not fully recognize Chichi, but they do recognize Changhe. As long as we acknowledge that Chichi is merely executing Changhe’s will, there won’t be a conflict of interest. Between us and them, it’s merely a matter of...”

Vermillion Bird paused.

Merely a matter of what? Political infighting?

No, palace intrigue...

But whether it was political or palace intrigue, the new dynasty, born from chaos, had just resolved its foundational instability.

With the Four Idols Cult and the Demon Suppression Bureau truly aligned, the foundation of power was secure. Zhao Changhe no longer needed to worry about the upcoming ceremonies. Having managed the Four Idols Cult for a lifetime, Vermillion Bird would be able to seamlessly adapt the doctrine to align with their new role as the state religion.

His task now was to shift his gaze beyond the capital, to the shattered, chaotic lands — and figure out how to restore them.

“Hey, say something. Why are you playing dumb?” Vermillion Bird kicked Zhao Changhe.

If there was one key thing that made the Four Idols Cult different from what it used to be, it was that the most devout leaders no longer held any fear of the Night Emperor...

Zhao Changhe replied, “I was thinking about how you can break through.”

Vermillion Bird froze.

Of course. When he mentioned this before, it could have been an empty promise to Venerable Vermillion Bird. But if, at that moment, he already knew Huangfu Qing was Vermillion Bird, then it would mean that it had not been an empty promise.

“Can you really? With that mysterious Southern Li Fire?” Vermillion Bird asked. “That fire is powerful, but its source is elsewhere. And even if we do find it, there’s no guarantee I can tame it. Besides, my cultivation isn’t simply about directly absorbing flames...”

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Zhao Changhe clasped his hands and said, “There’s something we haven’t done before. Want to give it a try?”

Vermillion Bird’s brows shot up.

Here I am, diligently contemplating how to elevate you to godhood and adapt the doctrine for your sake, yet all you’re thinking about is how to get me into bed?!