Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 896: Life and Death

Zhao Changhe frowned as he studied the changes in the corpse puppet’s flesh, his thoughts churning in silence.

If the mysteries of the cosmic starry sky were the key to the latter half of his cultivation, then the essence of life and flesh had always been central to its early stages.

It was not as simple as saying the Ye sisters, taken together, represented his cultivation path. Something like creation, as a divine ability, could not be so easily generalized. It involved countless laws contained within the Heavenly Tome, potentially aligning with any kind of practice pursued by the living. And yet, it was not unlike the foundational skills laid down for him by Instructor Sun back at the beginning. No matter how much complexity followed, those early principles remained the foundation.

With such foundations, naturally, it was easier to find the key.

That did not mean Zhao Changhe himself had to walk the path of creation. This was merely Ye Jiuyou offering a reference point, an illustration of what the Other Shore might manifest as. Before now, he had no concept of what that expression looked like. But now, the gate had opened, and the idea was beginning to take shape.

As for what form his path would ultimately take, that was something he still had to find out for himself.

Maybe he really did need to ask Ye Wuming after all and compile all the perspectives. But how was he supposed to ask her for guidance now, after making it clear he intended to do indecent things to her? How did one shamelessly crawl back for mentorship after that?

What a headache.

Ye Jiuyou saw him fall into thought and, with a teasing smile, reached out and pinched his cheek. “You’ve already been doing amazing. There’s no need to rush. Haste will only slow you down.”

Zhao Changhe returned to the present and grinned. “What, now you’re the one babying me?”

Ye Jiuyou said, “Do you have any idea how ridiculous you looked back then? You were just a child yourself, trying so hard to act mature, insisting you’d take care of me, that you’d protect me... Honestly, it was ridiculous.”

Zhao Changhe snorted, “What do you mean that I was just a child? Want to test and see?”

Ye Jiuyou laughed gently. “But don’t you feel it? Since waking up this time... you’ve aged. Even though for you it was just a single sleep.”

Zhao Changhe paused, then nodded silently.

The things he had just witnessed—births, deaths, the rise and fall of kin and comrades—made the weight of the years press on him in a way nothing had before.

That was how a person grew old.

And Ye Jiuyou? How much more had she lived through? Looking back now, his early attempts to win her over must truly have seemed like a child’s tantrum.

“But I fell for it anyway,” Ye Jiuyou said softly, planting a kiss on his cheek. “None of the rest mattered... What mattered was that, even though you were just a boy, you kept saying you wanted to protect me. That you didn’t want me to be lonely anymore. That... was everything.”

Zhao Changhe scratched his head, a little sheepish. “I guess I didn’t do such a great job. I mean, I was asleep for thirty years.”

Ye Jiuyou chuckled. “The others complain about those thirty years. Me? I barely felt it. Thirty years is just a blink to me. And you were mine, hidden away. I could see you whenever I wanted. Not like them, always thirsting for a glimpse.”

Zhao Changhe tilted his head. “You seem strangely gentle now.”

“Gentle?” Ye Jiuyou tilted her head in thought. “Maybe. Or maybe I’ve simply walked free of my labels... and my cage. My mind is calmer now. After all, someone loves me. Even when I see Ye Wuming now, I no longer carry the hatred I once did, let alone when I’m alone with you.”

Zhao Changhe laughed and drew her into his arms, saying nothing.

But Ye Jiuyou pulled a stern face. “Don’t tell me... you actually preferred the way I used to be? Back when I was cold and fierce? Was I more fun to conquer? Like Ye Wuming is now?”

“What are you talking about...” Zhao Changhe sighed. “Isn’t it obvious? The greatest satisfaction comes from transforming the cold and fierce into a gentle, loving big sister. Like you.”

“Then doesn’t that mean Ye Wuming still owes you that transformation?”

“...Why do you always circle back to Ye Wuming?”

“Always? If anyone has the right to bring her up, it’s me,” Ye Jiuyou said mildly. “In truth, there’s already a perfect solution to this whole mess. It’s just that no one wants to say it aloud. Everyone’s avoiding it, aren’t they?”

Zhao Changhe was silent for a moment before he said softly, “There is no perfect solution. If it’s something I refuse to accept, then that is the worst solution.”

Ye Jiuyou laughed. “Very well, dear husband.”

Zhao Changhe asked, “Has Wanzhuang and Sisi’s backtracing begun yet?”

“Not yet,” Ye Jiuyou replied. “The preparations that have to be made for the witchcraft array in Miaojiang are rather complicated.”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “Then, my lady, will you come with me to visit an old friend? You surely know where he is buried.”

Ye Jiuyou paused briefly, then understood what he meant. She reached out and took his hand.

In the next instant, they appeared atop the summit of Cangshan.

Back when the Spirit Tribe’s secret realm had “stood up,” the original landscape within it had been entirely obliterated—its geography, its mountains, and its sacred temple all wiped clean. The realm itself had ceased to exist. But now, the Spirit Tribe’s sacred temple had been rebuilt atop Cangshan.

Lie had cleaved the Spirit Tribe’s land in Miaojiang, perishing along with it. The Spirit Tribe’s land had since been taken by Ye Jiuyou for research. As for Lie, his body and soul had been destroyed at the cost of the strike he unleashed. But the Blood God Saber and the shattered array plate had been preserved. The Spirit Tribe would never allow these items to fall into demonic hands. Under Sisi’s stewardship, they had been properly reinterred, laid to rest as ceremonial relics, serving as Lie’s cenotaph, enshrined within the rebuilt temple.

When the Spirit Tribe’s land awakened, it had triggered the gu insects within the bodies of those of the Spirit Tribe, causing their flesh to collapse. Had it not been for the preparations laid by Zhao Changhe and his allies, the Spirit Tribe might have perished entirely.

And in that desperate hour, Lie had truly scattered the gods and Buddhas.

If the Spirit Tribe could no longer revere the very land that had nearly destroyed them as their divine progenitor, then the ancestor truly worthy of their worship should be Lie.

After all, Lie was a pure-blooded human born from the Spirit Tribe’s land. And though in life, he had once been a slave, in death, he was a hero like no other.

“Back then, in the chaos of battle, I never had the chance to pay proper respects,” Zhao Changhe said, seated cross-legged in the temple, pouring wine onto the ground before the spirit tablet. “Since waking up this time, I’ve been faced with the deaths of many old friends. I haven’t visited any of their graves. It’s not because I don’t care, but because some part of me didn’t want to face it. But I had to visit you.

“No one has influenced me more than you, not even Ye Wuming, in a sense. Your will, your cultivation art, your saber techniques, those were what carried me through the storms of the jianghu and brought me to where I am now.

“Sometimes I wondered... Back then, did you believe that battle to be the end? That there could be no future, only mutual destruction? If you knew that I had interrupted it and that the fight had not reached its true conclusion, would you have resented me for meddling? For making your sacrifice seem... in vain?

“But later, I came to understand that you wouldn’t have blamed me. Because this is the Spirit Tribe. These people behind you are your kin. You didn’t die for the sake of Ye Wuming and her personal war; you died for them. Just like how, all those years ago, you carved an array plate amid thunder and flame while being hunted by your own people... and still refused to flee.

“It took me a long time to understand that. Your methods were fierce. You were called a devil, a butcher. But it was your unyielding and resolute will that allowed you, a mere mortal, to reach the third layer of the Profound Control Realm.

“I could have become another you. But I was luckier. I met them... from Hongling to Jiuyou. Thanks to them, I didn’t have to struggle through the torment of vicious qi or being regarded as demonic. I could walk my own path, stride forward with clarity.

“Our paths differ. But our spirit is the same. Rest easy, senior; your fire will be passed down. Gods and Buddhas may scatter, but the will of man will endure.”

He finished speaking and emptied the wine.

The Blood God Saber, resting before the spirit tablet, let out a low, resonant hum, almost as if in reply.

Zhao Changhe felt his Niwan Palace stir. The contemplation he had held earlier of life and death deepened and matured.

As they say in the Zhao Family Village, some people die, but they still live on. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

In a world where gods exist... perhaps the line between life and death was never meant to be clear.

Zhao Changhe took out the Blooddrink Stone he had acquired from another world and placed it before the shrine as well. “Since the Blood God Saber rests here and Cult Leader Xue didn’t take it, this stone belongs here too. I’ve imbued it with my power, and it is now the key to a trial. In the future, if any disciple of the Blood God Cult or the Spirit Tribe can pass the trial, they’ll be recognized as the rightful successor to this legacy.”

Behind him came a respectful chorus from the temple’s guardian elders, “Yes, King Zhao.”

Zhao Changhe turned and saw two elegant, middle-aged women. “You recognize me?”

One of them sighed. “Back then, we were personal guards to the saintess. We’re the ones who gave you the insect pastries, remember? Otherwise, how do you think we’d let someone sit here rambling in the sacred temple for this long?”

“So it was you, traitorous pair.”

“...”

He then asked, “Where’s Sisi now?”

“Right here.” Sisi’s voice came from right outside the temple as she strolled in.

Between the two elegantly aged former guards stood the same sharp, spirited little queen as ever. The visual contrast was as striking now as it had been in Gusu.

Sisi moved with quiet authority to the spirit tablet and offered a solemn, formal salute. Then, in a calm, poised tone, she said, “Relay the sacred envoy’s instructions regarding the trial. Spread it throughout the entire tribe.”

The elders bowed once more. “Yes.”

Sisi stood straight, gazing at the tablet. Her voice softened as she said, “For years, we worshipped an ancestral god, but we never knew who or what we were worshipping. It was little more than a vague idea. Now, at last, we have something real. We know who we honor.”

Zhao Changhe gave a quiet “Mm.”

Beside him, Ye Jiuyou was muttering under her breath, “Honestly, they could just worship me. I’d protect them.”

The Great Han Empire prayed to Piaomiao. The state religion revered Ye Wuming. The more Ye Jiuyou thought about it, the more she felt a twinge of jealousy.

Sisi glanced at her and smiled. “Big Sister, you and Sisi aren’t that close... but maybe next time we’re in bed together, we can do a little worship there.”

Ye Jiuyou’s eyes went wide.

They really were not familiar with each other, and she had not expected this kind of... flavor on behalf of one of Zhao Changhe’s wives. A moment ago, Sisi had stood there dignified and commanding, performing ancestral rites and giving orders. And now, in the blink of an eye, she had flipped the switch to full-on seductress?

Zhao Changhe, however, was entirely used to this side of Sisi. “Let’s go. Don’t say such things in front of Senior Lie. Shall we go and have a look at the site for the witchcraft array?”

“Sure,” Sisi replied sweetly, taking his arm as if it were the most natural thing in the world and walking out of the temple.

Ye Jiuyou followed, giving Sisi a once-over from head to toe, like a connoisseur examining a rare gem.

So this is what it means to be the embodiment of chaos in contrast to order... You’re clearly wasted on Lie’s legacy. You should’ve inherited mine.

They descended from the sacred temple to the mountain’s base. Sisi settled into a pavilion nestled at the foot of the slope, where attendants immediately appeared with wine and delicacies.

Then, it was the return of familiar comforts: flower cakes, insect pastries, and fragrant floral wine.

Amid the drunken blossoms and the gentle murmur of flowing water, the soft patter of wine pouring into cups added a tranquil rhythm to the setting.

After filling the cups, Sisi lifted her gaze and gave a brilliant smile. “Why so quiet? Are you feeling guilty? So much you want to say, yet don’t know where to begin?”

Zhao Changhe lowered his eyes and gave a soft “Mm.”

Between distant mountains and fleeting wars, Sisi was the one he had seen the least. Their last meeting had been on the battlefield, and after the fight, he fell into a long slumber.

He thought of that moment when the sly little witch had triggered a Heart-Bonding Gu by cleverly setting him up for a shared-mind trial. Sometimes Zhao Changhe wondered... Had she not tricked him into it, had they tried to accomplish it sincerely, would they have succeeded at all?

“You don’t really owe me anything. You’ve saved the Spirit Tribe from ruin more than once. You helped place me on the throne of Miaojiang. As for me, I had little to give you in return.” Sisi batted her lashes. “All I could offer you was longing. Does that count?”

Zhao Changhe gave the only answer he could, “It counts.”

“Which means my name wasn’t such a bad choice after all,” Sisi chuckled.[1] “But now, to you, distance no longer matters. And soon, neither will time. The countless obstacles that plague lovers in the mortal realm? They’re gone for us. Wouldn’t you call that a happy ending after hardship?”

Whatever gloom Zhao Changhe had carried began to ease, slowly uncoiling from his heart. “I would.”

“Then quit sulking.” Sisi glided from her seat to his lap, lifting a cup to his lips and smiling playfully. “Feed me.”

Ye Jiuyou tilted her head in confusion.

Aren’t you helping him drink right now? So why are you saying “feed me”? How exactly is he supposed to feed you?

Zhao Changhe took a sip of wine, then leaned down and kissed Sisi on the lips, transferring the wine directly to her.

Ye Jiuyou: “...”

Ah, so that’s what you meant. Wait a minute, are you two seriously doing this in front of me? Aren’t you a queen or something? Show some propriety.

As the wine passed from one mouth to the other, a blush bloomed on Sisi’s cheeks, radiant as spring blossoms. She smiled sweetly. “I was going to bring you back to the city to rest, but since Wanzhuang and Hongling are all there... let me steal you for just a little while longer. Is that alright?”

Ye Jiuyou tapped her own temple with a knuckle. That was basically a polite way of telling her to leave.

Fine, it hasn’t been easy for them either. With a faint smile, Ye Jiuyou rose and said, “I’ll go find the others.”

And with that, she slipped away. If she stayed here any longer, she feared Sisi’s smoldering longing would start overflowing.

Sisi nestled against Zhao Changhe’s shoulder, peeking in the direction Ye Jiuyou had gone. In a quiet voice, she murmured, “This Big Sister Jiuyou is more considerate than I imagined... Is she really the demon god Jiuyou?”

“Jiuyou, yes. Demon god, not so much. She’s pretty much human, for all intents and purposes.”

“So humans strive to become demon gods, while demon gods... long to be human?”

“Everyone seeks something different.”

Sisi nodded thoughtfully. “I don’t care whether I become a demon god or not. I just want the power of one. That way there will never again be mountains too high or rivers too wide, and there will never again be days that feel like years apart.”

Zhao Changhe gently kissed her warm cheek but said nothing.

Sisi’s voice grew even softer, “Actually, besides Senior Lie’s cenotaph in the temple, there’s another one... at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Can you guess who it’s for?”

A subtle shift crossed Zhao Changhe’s expression. “The Sword Emperor.”

Sisi beamed. “I knew you’d guess. I built it in secret. I didn’t want to upset the others. But for me... it marked our beginning.”

Zhao Changhe remembered that the Sword Emperor had deliberately constructed a false tomb, likely as both a smokescreen and a trap. Anyone who recklessly intruded would probably die horribly. Yet the ones who found it were Zhao Changhe, Sisi, and Tang Wanzhuang—one more clear-headed than the next. As a result, the trap never truly got set off.

Regardless of the Sword Emperor’s intentions, there was no denying it had been a turning point in his and Sisi’s bond.

Everyone else hated that man as a pawn of the Heavenly Dao, but Sisi had secretly built a tomb for him simply to honor her own private sorrow.

At that thought, Zhao Changhe scooped Sisi up into his arms. “Then let’s go pay our respects, not to him, but to the thread that bound us through him.”

1. Just a reminder that her name essentially means “late-late.” ☜