Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 887: A Family of Three

The atmosphere had turned strangely awkward. Ye Wuming herself could not quite figure out how things had ended up like this. She and Zhao Changhe had never really done anything, yet they had somehow fallen into an absurd dynamic of a dysfunctional family of three, like estranged parents entangled in past grudges.

There was no doubt in Ye Wuming’s mind that this was Piaomiao and Jiuyou’s fault. What a vicious trick, bringing a child into this mess.

That said, to claim that “nothing” had happened would not be entirely honest. It was not all that clean between them either. He had smeared the Heavenly Tome white more than once or twice. Meanwhile, she had seen every part of his body, knew exactly where every mole was, and could even name his preferred sleeping postures. Nothing was a mystery to her anymore.

And this was not because she was omniscient. She neither knew nor cared to find out about other people. No, this was entirely because Zhao Changhe was a madman unlike any other. Take Xia Longyuan, for example—after obtaining the Heavenly Tome, would he even think to smear something like that all over it? The reason the Heavenly Tome revealed her image in the first place was purely because of Zhao Changhe’s own ridiculous luck. She would never have been tailing any other transmigrator like this. Where would she find the time?

As for what Zhao Changhe truly intended toward her, Ye Wuming knew full well.

And now, the two sat across from each other with all that history between them, the silence between them laced with tension.

A long while passed before Ye Wuming finally spoke stiffly, “In the battle against the Heavenly Dao, River of Stars is still a critical element. Ruoyu needs a rapid breakthrough. The sword art Yue Hongling gave Ruoyu is suitable for building her foundation. After all, she is essentially a sword. But for her to truly advance, Yue Hongling’s method won’t be enough. Ruoyu is River of Stars, and that path requires its own insight. No one is more suited than me to guide her.”

Zhao Changhe’s face remained hard. “So you’re saying Ruoyu should study under you for a while?”

Ye Wuming did not meet Ling Ruoyu’s eyes. Her neck stiffened as she replied, “Of course.”

Zhao Changhe tapped his fingers against the table. “I was the one who completed River of Stars’ essence. The piece you failed to finish, I perfected. Whatever you can teach, I can teach. And our side has far more to offer. Do you know Piaomiao’s techniques? Can you wield Jiuyou’s primordial chaos? What makes you think Ruoyu has to train under you?”

Ye Wuming scoffed. “You? You’re still weaker than I am. Let’s not even get into the big stuff. Take something minor: She can’t even bring her clothing into the sword realm. How are you going to teach her that? Don’t ruin my daught—don’t ruin Ruoyu.”

Zhao Changhe felt like he had wandered into a soap opera, the kind where the domineering CEO tries to snatch a kid from his ex. What can you offer her, huh? A life in a rental flat? If he were the female lead, this would be the part where he would say, “She’s my life. If you want to take her from me, I’ll fight you for her.”

But he was not some soft-spoken heroine. He had options. “I just haven’t asked Jiuyou yet. She could probably solve it in five minutes.”

Ye Wuming pursed her lips. That was probably true. Jiuyou could solve it. Everything Zhao Changhe said was, in its own maddening way, reasonable. She might be stronger than any one of them individually, but as a collective, Zhao Changhe’s camp far surpassed her. That man had somehow wrangled all three realms into following him. How was anyone supposed to compete with that?

Still, she could not just roll over now. She pressed on stubbornly, “Ye Jiuyou still isn’t stronger than me. Why don’t you have her fight me and find out?”

“Being strong doesn’t mean you’re a good teacher.”

“I am a good teacher. I’ve proven it.”

“Where’s your proof?”

“In front of me.”

Zhao Changhe almost choked. “You have the nerve to say that? You’ve provided me with maybe three lines of guidance in total. I’ve never seen a lazier, more shameless teacher in my life.”

Ye Wuming countered smoothly, “Lazy? I gave you exactly what you needed, no more and no less. Those three lines were enough to let you reach the third layer of the Profound Control Realm. Ever seen a more efficient teacher?”

Ling Ruoyu sat quietly nearby, face cupped in her hands, watching her “parents” bicker. She already knew her dad had no sense of shame, but to find out that her mom was just as bad... Truly, birds of a feather.

Zhao Changhe was both annoyed and amused. “Fine, fine, I won’t argue with you. But if you want to spend time with Ruoyu, you could just go down to the mortal realm. Why have her come up here instead?”

Ye Wuming blinked, caught off guard.

Right, why can’t I just descend to the mortal realm instead? Is it... is it because I’m afraid of getting ganged up on?

“Are you afraid you’ll be ganged up on if you go down there?” Zhao Changhe echoed her thoughts with a cold laugh. “The ancient Night Emperor, the current contender against the Heavenly Dao, and this is all you’ve got?”

Ye Wuming stared at him expressionlessly.

“What are you looking at me for?” Zhao Changhe said calmly. “Do you even know the circumstances under which I came to the Night Palace?”

“What circumstances?”

“I came here alone, without telling the others, just to speak with you face to face. I’ll probably get an earful when I return.” He sneered. “I could’ve rallied the whole gang and stormed this place, but I didn’t. I came here alone, putting myself at the mercy of your whims. If I dare to come here like this... why don’t you dare to go down?”

Ye Wuming’s voice was frigid as she replied, “What danger were you really in? You think I’d just kill you for no reason?”

“That’s hard to say. If you won’t kill me, it’s not because you have any sentimental attachment to me. It’s because you’ve calculated that it’s unwise to burn bridges before the bigger picture is settled. But you could control me, and you could use me as a bargaining chip to subdue my allies.”

That hit a nerve. A twinge of suffocation welled up in Ye Wuming’s chest.

It was not an unfair judgment of her methods. In fact, it was entirely accurate... and yet, she had not thought that way. Even during the years Zhao Changhe lay dormant, she never once tried to pick off the women at his side, let alone now that he was awake.

But how was she supposed to explain that? Was she supposed to say it was out of sentiment?

Before she could reply, Zhao Changhe continued, “Of course, I still believe you wouldn’t actually do it. That’s why I dared to come. So, Ye Wuming, do you dare descend?”

Ye Wuming fell silent.

She knew full well that there was something else that Zhao Changhe had not said aloud. If you really want what’s best for the child, the best answer is to give her a real home and family.

Zhao Changhe waited, but no answer came. So he said mildly, “Forget it. I didn’t come here to debate custody arrangements. That’s your decision to make. I won’t interfere. I came to talk about the Heavenly Dao. We can’t keep relying on guesswork and unspoken understanding. Last time, I managed to stop you from dragging us into mutual destruction only because I understand you too well, but that’s not a reliable strategy.”

Ye Wuming finally murmured, “Go on.”

Ling Ruoyu sat nearby, propping her cheek in her hand, quietly observing. She felt that her mother was not quite her father’s match. Ever since she appeared, her mother had seemed distracted. Had she always been like that? Clearly not.

Zhao Changhe said, “Last time I asked about your cultivation in relation to the Heavenly Dao, you only talked about yourself. But what about Him? If the Heavenly Dao had a path of cultivation, what would it be called?”

Ye Wuming finally regained her composure a little. “Our so-called cultivation levels are merely classifications within the Heavenly Tome’s world. The Heavenly Dao is a being from beyond this world, so His cultivation doesn’t follow our system. In my view, whether it’s opening the Profound Gate, unlocking the Profound Mysteries, or mastering the laws of heaven and earth, those are all things within this world. If one can truly transcend all that, then perhaps we can borrow a term from the Buddhists and call it the Other Shore.”

The Other Shore Realm... It might not be the formal name for that cultivation level, but it was fitting.

By that standard, Ye Wuming might have partially crossed the river, but her physical form was still bound within the Heavenly Tome. She had not truly escaped and thus had not reached the Other Shore. Ye Jiuyou was even further behind.

On the surface, Ling Ruoyu’s state was not far off from Ye Wuming’s. She had broken free of River of Stars, but she could not exist without it. In many ways, she and Ye Wuming were mirrors of each other.

Ye Wuming had said before that her confidence in being able to threaten the Heavenly Dao stemmed from the Heavenly Tome itself, from the power of the artifact. By her own power alone, she could not pose a threat.

So how was this to be solved?

Zhao Changhe still believed that neither Jiuyou nor the blind woman was truly complete. They were forcibly split halves of the same being. If they could somehow merge, that might just be the key to reaching the Other Shore. However, he was not stupid enough to say that aloud. These were the Ye sisters, after all. They were not the type to listen to anyone’s suggestions in this respect, least of all his. And truth be told, he was not keen on the idea either. Two perfectly fine women fusing into one and vanishing in the process? Who would they even become? And would that person be positively inclined toward him?

Not that the thought had not been raised before. Thirty years ago, during the great battle, someone had already mentioned something along these lines. The Ye sisters likely remembered it well. But which one of them would ever agree to such a thing?

Zhao Changhe fell into silence. After a long moment, he dropped the subject altogether and changed the topic, “I want to reforge Dragon Bird. To do that, I’m looking for materials beyond the scope of this world. Since you’ve even been to Earth, surely you’ve got something.”

Ye Wuming rolled her eyes. “And why should I give you anything?”

“...I’m reforging Dragon Bird to fight the Heavenly Dao. Don’t act like it has nothing to do with you. Besides, for the record, that eye-roll just now was really cute. It’s much better than that smug, eyes-closed posturing you usually go for.”

Ye Wuming: “...”

“Come on, quit stalling and cough up some cash,” Zhao Changhe reached out a hand. “Or better yet, give me a fresh batch of summon tickets and let me do a few pulls.”

Ye Wuming looked like she could not decide whether to laugh or scold him. “Back then, I had you draw lots to read your fate, but it was for strategy and planning. What are you pulling for now? RNG blessings? Well, I do have some artifacts from other realms, but none that are quite suited for reforging Dragon Bird. Still, I do have a suggestion.”

Zhao Changhe perked up. “Let’s hear it.”

Ye Wuming glanced at Ling Ruoyu, then blinked coquettishly. “How about... taking the kid to an amusement park with me?”

“...What?”

Ye Wuming stood and stretched. “Come, let me show you what other realms are like. For example, some places where magical treasures and not martial arts cultivation are the main path to power.”

Zhao Changhe felt a jolt in his chest.

The Heavenly Tome itself was a magical treasure. It must have originated from a realm where artifacts reigned supreme. Yet, in this world, such things were virtually nonexistent. The only exceptions were artifacts like Papiyas’ Soul-Capturing Mirror or Yuxu’s Taiji Diagram, and even those were symbolic at best. They had limited practical use. Clearly, this was the Heavenly Dao’s doing: suppressing such evolutionary paths by design.

Ye Wuming had spent years exploring the heavens, investigating these very questions. She must have found a realm worth referencing.

Seeing the obvious spark of interest in Zhao Changhe’s eyes, Ye Wuming felt a rare sense of regained control. “Well? Interested?”

Zhao Changhe answered honestly, “Very.”

Ye Wuming took Ling Ruoyu by the hand, her gaze flicking to Zhao Changhe’s palm.

Without hesitation, Zhao Changhe reached out and clasped hers.

She smiled faintly without saying a word. In the next instant, space twisted, and the world before their eyes changed.

* * *

Somewhere on a continent in an immortal cultivation world, perhaps nothing more than a lone speck in the boundless sea of stars.

Ling Ruoyu stood with her mouth slightly open, gazing skyward.

Above her, immortals soared by, riding flying swords in elegant arcs across the clouds. Others reclined atop drifting white clouds, sipping wine with languid grace.

Their auras were not particularly powerful; in any case, none of them was stronger than her own parents. That swordsman overhead did not seem any stronger than she was. But their way of travel? That, she had never seen before.

The family of three hovered mid-air as well, though only at a low altitude. Just below them lay a sprawling city shrouded in cloud and mist, steeped in a distinctly celestial charm.

This was a market city of cultivators, where immortals came and went.

In their own world, such a scene might have existed during the era of gods and demons, but even then, the nature of cultivation had been completely different. The fundamental paths were simply not the same.

Ling Ruoyu, lacking context, could not grasp the distinction, but Zhao Changhe had a simple way to sum it up: this world was xianxia while their own was xuanhuan.

“Come on, let’s go check it out.” Both father and daughter were clearly excited. They did not even bother holding Ye Wuming’s hand anymore as they dove eagerly toward the city.

Ye Wuming looked at her now-empty hands and sighed.

These two blockheads... They’re truly cut from the same cloth. River of Stars should’ve been steady and cunning, but now look at her. She’s clearly been corrupted by Yue Hongling’s influence...

Oh well. Given Zhao Changhe’s level of strength, he’s already in the upper echelon of the myriad realms’ power hierarchy. Unless something truly outlandish happens, they should be fine.

From Ye Wuming’s experience, cultivation worlds tended to fall into two broad categories: the tranquil and the brutal. Some worlds operated with relative harmony and structured rules; others were no better than naked, lawless iterations of the dark forest theory. And since she was taking her fresh-faced daughter out for what was essentially a theme park stroll, naturally, she chose the more peaceful kind.

Given that they were here to seek materials for reforging Dragon Bird, the first place father and daughter stopped at was the local equivalent of a divine weapon emporium. The storefront was filled with a dazzling array of swords and sabers, alongside various rare and exotic metals.

Zhao Changhe examined the sabers while Ling Ruoyu, naturally, went to inspect the swords.

Then, in perfect sync, the two of them shook their heads.

What junk. These sabers aren’t even worthy of carrying Dragon Bird’s scabbard.

The shopkeeper, noticing their unimpressed expressions, quickly approached with an eager smile. “Esteemed customers, looking for weapons? If the selection outside isn’t to your liking, may I invite you into the inner hall? What you see here are just seventh and eighth-grade weapons. Our finest divine weapons, reaching up to the fifth grade in quality, are displayed within. Your satisfaction is guaranteed.”

Zhao Changhe blinked, surprised that the man had spoken in normal Chinese. A nine-grade ranking system? He turned to glance at Ye Wuming, who had just stepped inside. Ah, so this is a world built on a Chinese framework. That makes sense. Of course, a xianxia world would be part of the Chinese cluster.

Ye Wuming caught his glance and nodded slightly, then turned back to the shopkeeper. “We’re not here for weapons. We’re looking for materials.”

The shopkeeper gave her a good look, then turned to Ling Ruoyu and smiled flatteringly. “Ah, you two must be sisters. Such beauty, truly a rare sight.”

Ye Wuming: “...”

Ling Ruoyu: “...That’s my mother.”

The shopkeeper thought back to the scene of Zhao Changhe walking in, hand-in-hand with the girl... and quickly caught on. Ah, a family outing. He turned to Zhao Changhe, grinning broadly. “Such a lovely wife and adorable daughter. You truly are a man of great fortune. With a destiny like yours, your cultivation is sure to prosper.”

Ye Wuming: “?”

Zhao Changhe coughed. “Enough flattery. That black metal over there with the blood-colored veining, what is it? Let me take a look.”

The shopkeeper brought it over reverently. “Excellent eye, sir. This is Blooddrink Stone. When forged into a saber, it can draw an opponent’s blood with each strike. If properly refined and paired with the right techniques, it might even absorb their life force to nourish the wielder.”

Zhao Changhe weighed the metal in his hand. The effect was genuine enough. At its core, it accelerated blood loss, effectively turning enemies into dry husks. As for the part about absorbing life force to heal the wielder... that was likely just sales talk. In practical terms, it would pair decently with the Vicious Blood Art, and it might make for a fine upgrade to the Blood God Saber. But for Dragon Bird? It fell short.

Still, since it held some value for Blood God Saber, Zhao Changhe figured it might make a nice gift for the Blood God Cult’s illustrious leader. So he asked, “How much?”

The shopkeeper grinned and held up five fingers. “A bargain. Just fifty high-grade spirit stones.”

The good old spirit stone economy... Zhao Changhe turned and muttered under his breath to Ye Wuming, “You’ve got money, right? Give me fifty.”

Ye Wuming’s expression did not even twitch. “Did I hear that right? A grown man begging me to pay for his shopping?”

“I don’t have any spirit stones,” Zhao Changhe replied, perfectly unashamed. “Besides, I’ve always lived off Yangyang’s and Wanzhuang’s money. Then, it was Chichi’s imperial vault. I’ve never actually earned a cent.”

Ye Wuming gave an exasperated laugh. “You really are the most shameless freeloader in history.”

Neither of them had bothered lowering their voices too much. The shopkeeper, listening in, continued smiling as though this were all the most natural thing in the world. “What a loving couple...”

Of course they were. Here they were, openly discussing mooching off the wife, and no one was angry. It was clearly flirtation.

Ye Wuming flared up. “Loving couple, your ass! If he wants to buy something, let him pay for it himself. Why are you all looking at me?”

Just then, Ling Ruoyu tugged gently at her sleeve. “Mom... I want to buy something too.”

Ye Wuming’s voice caught in her throat. A moment later, she silently took out fifty spirit stones.