Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 889 (1): With Irresistible Force

Ye Wuming gave a sharp, dismissive tut.

As if you haven’t used it before... No, wait, that came out wrong.

This bastard has been irreverent from the very beginning. And ever since those desires of his were laid bare, he’s only become worse. He’s become completely unfiltered, saying whatever half-flirtatious nonsense came to mind. Is he trying to use the Heavenly Tome, or trying to use me? Does he really think that I won’t beat him into the dirt?

Setting aside the teasing, though... letting him use the Heavenly Tome was not the worst idea. Just like Dragon Bird and River of Stars, a divine weapon in the hands of a master far outperformed one left to act on its own.

But that required one thing above all else: the wielder had to be strong enough. At a minimum, he would have to rival Ye Wuming herself. Only at that level, hovering at the edge of the so-called Other Shore Realm, having broken free of the Tome’s confines and gaining the power to wield it, could it be used effectively. And he would need to be well-practiced in the manipulation of such artifacts. If there truly was someone capable of wielding the Heavenly Tome while she herself joined the fray... it would be the equivalent of doubling her own strength.

Truth be told, bringing Zhao Changhe and their daughter to this world had not been just about some inter-realm “family vacation.” The real purpose had always been this.

She wanted Zhao Changhe to experience firsthand what battle looked like in other worlds similar to the Heavenly Dao’s own. After all, when the time came, the Heavenly Dao would very likely unleash a barrage of bizarre artifacts and techniques. If they were not prepared, they would be at a serious disadvantage. But if they could gather their own suitable tools, they might even the playing field.

Zhao Changhe, ever the perfect partner, had grasped her intentions at once. Well, of course he had. That came as no surprise. What surprised her was that the first artifact he thought to wield was the Heavenly Tome itself rather than seeking out some lesser treasure here.

She remained silent for a moment before finally answering, “The point of this trip is to help you find a compatible treasure or artifact for battle support. These things run on mana, not internal energy; they’re built on a different system. Without adaptation, even the best artifact will be useless in your hands.”

She did not say whether she would let him use the Heavenly Tome or not. Zhao Changhe gave her an amused look, smiled faintly, and said nothing.

Meanwhile, Ling Ruoyu had already engaged the second-floor guardian.

This level featured talismans.

It was something that Zhao Changhe had seen before in the Heavenly Tome’s world, but only in extremely diluted forms. He remembered seeing Daoist Gui Chen using a sealing bag once, but beyond that, the art was practically nonexistent. Talismans here could do everything from enhancement and elemental attacks to spatial disruption. At lower levels, they were simply very efficient ways to do ordinary things; at higher levels, they became a way to conserve energy while achieving devastating effects.

Once alchemy, talismans, and magical treasures were all systematically erased from Heavenly Tome’s paradigm, its world ceased to resemble the immortal cultivation system at all. It had become purely martial arts against gods and demons.

Zhao Changhe sighed. “Even as an immortal, I have to say that the Heavenly Dao of our world is embarrassingly low-quality.”

Ye Wuming gave a small nod of agreement.

Afraid the Heavenly Tome’s lifeforms might escape the cage, the Heavenly Dao had not only split the original spirit in half and manipulated the world’s direction, but also actively suppressed entire branches of cultivation just to ensure that no one could surpass Him. And yet, despite His efforts, heroes still rose, seers still saw through the illusion, and someone would always point a furious finger at the heavens.

...Well, surely calling myself a hero isn’t too narcissistic?

Ye Wuming snuck a glance at Zhao Changhe. He was wholly absorbed in watching his daughter fight, completely unaware that the not-blind woman next to him was quietly praising herself.

Ling Ruoyu’s opponent was a tall, thin Daoist murmuring incantations under his breath, flourishing a peachwood sword as bursts of talismanic light danced in every direction. His left hand hurled talismans like a snowstorm.

The scene was spectacular—fireballs, thunderbolts, frost blasts, all roaring to life one after the other. Slowing spells, binding spells, paralysis spells... each came at the exact precise moment it was needed, keeping Ling Ruoyu permanently pinned at range. The poor girl, trained in the sword and brawling across the jianghu, had never seen such an approach. Not long into the fight, she was already a mess, and she was unable to even graze her opponent’s robes.

Her attempts at countering from a distance, be it throwing knives or sword qi, were blocked outright by ice mirrors, ice walls, and other conjured defenses. Everything she did was utterly ineffective.

Zhao Changhe continued watching intently, absorbing everything like a dry sponge.

It was just as Ye Wuming had said: At their current level, one did not always need firsthand experience to learn. Observation alone was enough to gain full insight.

Ling Ruoyu clearly could not break the deadlock right away. Her initial plan had been to simply wait out her opponent’s talismans, prance around until his supply ran dry. But after half a stick of incense or so, she was the one who ended up scorched and panting, while the talismans kept coming endlessly. She had finally had enough. Hands on her hips, she was about to call for Dragon Bird.

But just then, her father’s voice came through via sound transmission, steady and calm, “Between the moment a talisman is cast and when the spell fully takes form, there’s always a brief window. He’s linking them well, but there’s still an opening. Look out for it. Beyond the talisman’s raw power, that’s this system’s biggest vulnerability. Focus and wait. One good Sunset Divine Sword is all you need.”

Ling Ruoyu’s eyes narrowed. Her expression turned cold, solemn.

The Daoist flicked out another talisman.

In that instant, her sword flared into motion. Blinding sword light surged across the floor like a sunset devouring the sky. Everything was bathed in the glow of a setting sun.

The Daoist’s heart clenched with a sudden, bitter premonition. So this is the end of the road? Before the thought could finish, the tip of her sword was already resting at his throat.

He exhaled. “To have one’s martial arts reach the Dao, to shatter myriad spells with one sword... You have my respect. Please, ascend to the next floor.”

Ling Ruoyu bowed slightly, though a tinge of guilt colored her cheeks. He was right. The intent and move had been hers, but the victory had come from her father’s insight and timing.

Still, soon, she would accomplish it on her own.

She swallowed a pill to recover her energy, then straightened up and headed up to the third floor.

Another Daoist awaited her there, this one bringing out a small bronze bell.

The bell spun rapidly in midair, expanding as it moved, aiming to trap her underneath. Ling Ruoyu did not hesitate. She slapped her back, and Dragon Bird sprang into the air with a clang, slicing the bell in half like a guillotine.

The Daoist’s jaw dropped.

Ling Ruoyu stood tall, utterly unapologetic. “Why can’t I use my own magical treasure?”

“Who are you calling your magical treasure?!”

She felt the saber instantly weigh seven times more. She hurried to stroke the blade’s spine like pacifying a mildly irritated puppy. “Alright, alright, you’re my baby.”

...Get lost.”

Whether or not Dragon Bird was willing to admit it, the fact remained that Ling Ruoyu had hit the ceiling of her own strength. That bell had already demonstrated a clear gap in power. Without the saber, she would not have had a chance.

So this was where her limits stood. The young prodigy who had held her own against top names in the Ranking of Man could not even clear the third floor of this other world’s Hall of Heroes unaided.

However, Ling Ruoyu was not discouraged. Clutching Dragon Bird tightly, she raced eagerly up to the fourth floor.

After all, they came here to learn and for the experience, not to win. Her mother had even referred to this place as a “theme park”...

Ye Wuming had mentioned that the Heavenly Sword Venerable, the one behind this whole place, was only slightly weaker than her father, meaning that he was likely half a step into the third layer of the Profound Control. Someone at that level would surely only take interest in challengers of matching power.

So when the doors opened and out stepped a first-layer Profound Mysteries shrimp, he was probably going to be... surprised.

The thought made Ling Ruoyu giggle.

She stepped into the fourth floor, put away her sword, and lifted Dragon Bird overhead like an executioner’s axe. With both hands, she brought it down toward her opponent with joyful ferocity.

Everyone present froze.

Even Zhao Changhe blinked.

The stance was there—Scattering the Gods and Buddhas in form—but where one expected raw, apocalyptic rage, there was only... cuteness.

Pfff!

The saber slammed downward like a meteorite entering the atmosphere, but instead of destruction, it was like chopping into cotton. Her opponent stood inside a defensive array. Dragon Bird’s force was completely absorbed, swallowed by the array like water into sand.

At that moment, thunder crackled in the Daoist’s palm. It was a classic Palm Lightning move.

There were no more exploitable gaps in the activation of talismans. Instead, it was an array and direct magic, both of which were instantaneous.

Ling Ruoyu sidestepped, her foot stamping down on the corner of the array. In an instant, she severed a key channel of energy circulation.

As River of Stars, even without invoking its full might, she innately sensed the flow of energy within a space. She could sense it so clearly that arrays were, to her, little more than toys. Dragon Bird swept across the field in a horizontal slash, cleaving through thunderbolts and scattering defensive barriers. The guardian let out a pained grunt as he was blasted backward. “I concede!”

Ling Ruoyu slung the massive saber over her shoulder and bounded toward the fifth floor with heavy, jubilant steps.

“She’s completely fired up,” Zhao Changhe remarked, hands clasped behind his back as he followed. To the child’s mother, he commented, “She’s finding the higher floors easier than the lower ones... and not just because of Dragon Bird.”

Ye Wuming had been watching her daughter’s brawls with a serene smile. Only now did she reply, “She was simply unaccustomed to this type of combat at first. Once she got used to it, it’s nothing. As long as she’s enjoying herself, that’s all that matters.”

Just as she finished speaking, at the entrance to the fifth floor, Ling Ruoyu abruptly transformed into a fluffy little rabbit. She didn’t even have time to blink before the massively heavy Dragon Bird fell on her, nearly flattening her entirely.