Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 725 (1): Before Controlling the Galaxy, Control Yourself

Sisi claimed that the Heart-Bonding Gu could make his recovery through dual cultivation just as effective as if he had taken a pure maiden’s blood essence, but Zhao Changhe felt that was probably an exaggeration. He did not expect it to actually be the case.

And he was wrong.

The Heart-Bonding Gu truly amplified the effects of dual cultivation, significantly enhancing both the healing efficiency and the cultivation progress. The energy exchanged between their bodies created an intoxicating sensation, akin to being drunk on oxygen.

Even the pleasure of the act itself was intensified.

For that matter, the healing part was actually set aside. The heightened pleasure took center stage, and it made Zhao Changhe feel alarmed. He worried that his threshold for satisfaction might be permanently raised, leaving all future encounters lacking.

“This... This king of gu isn’t just some... silly thing made to kill people who... who fall out of love...” Sisi stammered breathlessly, her face flushed as she straddled him. She was so overwhelmed with pleasure that her body collapsed onto his chest, unable to stay upright. Lying there, she flicked her tongue like a kitten, softly licking his chest.

Sensing Zhao Changhe’s confusion, she whispered, “Our Spirit Tribe is... practical. Those... those kinds of gu that just punish people for changing their hearts are... pointless.”

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Zhao Changhe gently ran his hand through her silky hair, the satisfaction of body and soul washing over him like a tide. “Does this gu have any uses beyond enhancing dual cultivation?”

“Heart-bonding[1] means shared thoughts and feelings,” Sisi replied softly. “In theory, it lets both parties know each other’s thoughts. But in practice, it’s not that exact. It usually only works when emotions are intense, creating shared sensations or insights. It’s something that can be trained. Eventually, even from thousands of li away, you could send commands to Sisi, Master.”

“I don’t want to send you commands,” Zhao Changhe replied, his voice teasing. “If I had to, it’d be asking you to move a little more right now.”

Sisi, who had been taking a break while talking, bit her lip with a mix of embarrassment and lingering ecstasy in her eyes. “I... I can’t. I’m too weak...”

“Then let me.” Injured to the point of helplessness only moments ago, Zhao Changhe found his strength returning rapidly thanks to the dual cultivation. Flipping Sisi beneath him, he launched a sudden, vigorous assault.

Sisi nearly fainted on the spot and quickly begged for mercy, “Stop... stop... It’s doubled! It’s all doubled!”

Zhao Changhe slow down, leaning in to kiss her gently.

Feeling his tenderness, Sisi’s heart swelled with joy. She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered between ragged breaths, “The Heart-Bonding Gu has more secrets... Stop bullying me and let me show you.”

At her words, Zhao Changhe suddenly felt a surge of energy flood through his body, propelling him to the cusp of the Profound Control Realm. He was held back by the hard threshold, but he could feel there was even more potential waiting to be unleashed.

His heart trembled. “This is... perfect energy transmission!”

“Yes, and it can be done through more than just dual cultivation,” Sisi said with a weak but mischievous smile. “As long as we’re in contact, I can transfer my energy to you. It’s more efficient than any array. Imagine how much chaos we could cause if we fought side by side.”

The pair exchanged gleeful glances, their minds already envisioning countless scenarios for exploiting this newfound ability.

The Spirit Tribe’s gu were indeed extraordinary, capable of achieving feats far beyond ordinary comprehension. The possibilities of the Heart-Bonding Gu were not limited to enhancing cultivation—they opened doors to countless new tactics.

But Zhao Changhe now faced a new problem. With his breakthrough halted just shy of the Profound Control Realm, the additional energy provided no substantial progress. If only he could break through first and then utilize the incoming energy...

Wait... Since I’m right on the threshold, can’t I take this moment to try and get glimpse of the key to breaking through?

“Sisi, hold on a moment... I’m going to try something,” he said.

Sisi blinked up at him, her voice barely a whisper as she moaned, “Are you... Are you saying that... you weren’t even trying until now? It’s okay, you’re already doing great...”

Zhao Changhe chuckled helplessly, lowering his head to kiss her lips. “Be good. Give me half an hour.”

Sisi whimpered, “What are you saying??? Half an hour will kill me...”

But Zhao Changhe did not hear her anymore. He had turned his focus inward, assessing his state and attempting to breach the barrier. While his injuries had not fully healed and some of the energy circulating within his body was borrowed from Sisi, making a breakthrough seemed impossible, but experiencing the sensation of breaking through and gaining insight into the Profound Control Realm was not beyond the realm of possibility. Once he truly crossed the threshold in the future, it would become much easier.

He began by stabilizing his core cultivation technique, the Vicious Blood Art.

His earlier reservations about the Vicious Blood Art had proven wise. Lie’s desire for resurrection was no idle threat. If Zhao Changhe had blindly charged ahead with the cultivation technique, he would not have gained the clarity to resist Lie’s pull or earn his begrudging respect. He would have been consumed entirely.

Unexpectedly, Lie turned out to be an intriguing figure. Demon or god, his grandeur and charisma marked him as one of the most remarkable ancient beings Zhao Changhe had encountered. That respect quelled much of Zhao Changhe’s resistance toward the Vicious Blood Art. If the cultivation technique still showed promise for breakthroughs, Zhao Changhe felt confident he could carve his own path.

Lie had told him “Use blood qi to nourish yourself, and vicious qi to sharpen your blade.” The confrontation with Lie had proven the wisdom of this approach. While Zhao Changhe could not contest Lie’s control over vicious qi, he could reclaim his own blood qi, regaining control of his body. It was this control that had allowed him to land the devastating blow on Underworld Guide.

By focusing on blood qi as his foundation, Zhao Changhe returned to the core principles he had learned in the early days of his training. This gave him a steady, confident footing. The next step was to push his Blood Asura Body to a higher level, elevating his physical limits. If he could truly control his blood qi at this level, it would lay the groundwork for breaking into the Profound Control Realm.

The subsequent goal—claiming control of the galaxy—was mere bravado without a solid foundation. How could one claim to become the master of the stars if they could not even become the master of their own body?

Fortunately, the teachings of the Four Idols Cult had already laid the groundwork for such mastery. Their methods of allowing oneself to resonate with the heavens and stars had long established a connection. Every acupuncture point in the body could resonate with a corresponding star. Man and heaven were fundamentally intertwined. With this newfound clarity, he envisioned the intricate connections between his body and the stars above, aligning each acupuncture point with the constellations.

His body itself became the firmament, his blood and qi flowing like the starry rivers of the universe itself. His acupoints became the stars, and his meridians connecting them formed the constellations. His dantian was the sun, and his spiritual platform the moon.

To master the galaxy, one must first master one’s own body. The teachings of martial arts often claim that the self is a universe unto itself, but Zhao Changhe realized he had neglected this principle for a long time.

And then... the four idols, the five elements, wind, rain, thunder, lightning, all the forces of the natural world... mountains and rivers, heaven and earth—all of these could be wielded.

At last, he had a clear direction.

Zhao Changhe could feel it now: As his body surged with power, the stars in the sky lit up shone brightly, reflected in his spiritual sea. Heaven and earth resonated with his essence, and the sun and moon shone together.

A slight movement of his will unleashed the Milky Way, a torrent cascading downward. The overwhelming force was enough to annihilate anything in its path.

When Zhao Changhe opened his eyes, he found that Sisi had been knocked unconscious.

Zhao Changhe chuckled helplessly. He pulled a blanket over her, then slipped on his robe and stepped outside.

A few young maids stood guard outside the door, their faces flushed as they strained to ignore the sounds that had earlier escaped from within. But their attention had been drawn upward, their gazes fixed on the sky.

“So beautiful...” one whispered.

Hearing the door open, the maids jumped in surprise, quickly bowing. “Sacred envoy!”

Zhao Changhe looked up at the night sky. The stars glittered brilliantly, but he waved his hand dismissively. “There’s no need to be so formal. What were you just saying? What looked so beautiful?”

“There were so many meteors just now!” one of the girls exclaimed, spreading her arms wide to emphasize the scale. “They were all streaking across the sky, heading east! It was breathtaking!”

Zhao Changhe gazed in the direction they pointed, though the meteor trails had already faded. He understood what had happened—confirmation of his earlier insights. He smiled and nodded. “Thank you. Oh, and you don’t need to keep watch anymore. It’s late. Go get some rest.”

The maids exchanged hesitant glances, clearly wanting to say something but holding back.

“It’s fine. Sisi won’t punish you. Now that I’m awake, your presence here won’t make much difference. Go on, get some sleep.”

Relieved, the maids bowed again before retreating. “We’ll return in the morning to attend to the saintess.”

So they all know who’ll need the attending tomorrow...

Zhao Changhe chuckled softly as he reentered the room. Sisi was still sprawled in deep sleep, her body limp from exhaustion.

Climbing back into bed, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her lightly on the forehead. This time, he let his mind drift peacefully, holding her close as he fell into a restful sleep.

1. Just a note that the word for “heart” here can also mean “mind.” ☜