Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 910: Embarking On Another Journey

By returning the role of “tome spirit” to Ye Wuming, Ye Jiuyou committed the same mistake Ye Wuming once had when she abandoned it.

Back then, Ye Wuming had nearly dissipated her own soul, handing over all control to Ye Jiuyou, and she ended up being toyed with so thoroughly that she might as well have died. Death, at least, would have been cleaner.

Now, it was Ye Jiuyou’s turn. By returning everything, she made Ye Wuming once again the Heavenly Dao.

With the world’s power at her back and the full support of the Night Palace’s restrictions, she was now inseparable from this world’s very laws. So long as the others remained within this world, they were utterly powerless against her.

When the rain cleared and the clouds scattered, the shameless trio had not even managed to put their clothes back on before they were all unceremoniously thrown out, effectively ending their weeks-long debaucherous occupation of her palace.

Zhao Changhe sat cross-legged midair, arms folded as he tried to process the final insights from his breakthrough, only to look up and realize that he had been booted out of the heavenly realm entirely. On either side of him, Ye Jiuyou and Piaomiao hovered in similar poses, blank-faced and mildly traumatized.

The reversal had come so fast that none of them had fully processed it. They had barely begun to savor the smug pleasure of tormenting Ye Wuming when it was suddenly over.

“Where’s Ruoyu?” Zhao Changhe asked, glancing to either side.

Before the words had even left his mouth, a massive saber was flung toward him like a piece of garbage. Ye Wuming's cold voice echoed after it. “Ruoyu’s been detained. You can have your crappy saber back.”

Dragon Bird wailed in grief.

Zhao Changhe caught Dragon Bird with a snort of laughter and barely contained fury. “All right, Your Majesty. You just wait.”

The sky flashed with golden light.

On the sixth day of the sixth month, Zhao Changhe, along with Ye Jiuyou and Piaomiao, unlawfully invaded the Night Palace. The Night Emperor repelled them and swept them all out like trash. Ling Ruoyu has been captured and placed under her personal tutelage.

And beneath that, a footnote in disdainful script:

Ants trying to shake a giant tree, utterly unaware of their own limitations.

Zhao Changhe: “?”

Ye Jiuyou and Piaomiao: “¿”

“The Heavenly Tome can be used like that now?” Ye Jiuyou said in disbelief.

Zhao Changhe could not believe it either.

The world had its rules. The Heavenly Tome was the world’s true body, its foundational law. Its recorded manifestations had always adhered strictly to those rules, like the rising of the sun in the east and the flow of water downhill. When not operated by a spirit, the Heavenly Tome’s entries appeared passively and objectively, without bias or embellishment.

When Ye Wuming was actively operating as the tome spirit, there was some subjectivity and certainly some embellishment, but even then, it was within certain limits. She could stylize the truth but never fabricate it. A false statement simply would not appear, and trying to force one would backfire and cause injury.

Ye Jiuyou had tested that herself during her short stint as a substitute tome spirit. Neither fabrications nor distortions worked, and such text would not manifest. In the worst cases, the Heavenly Tome would even retaliate.

So, when Ye Wuming once claimed she could not control what the Tome wrote—that had been, for the most part, not a lie.

But this latest entry?

It was completely made-up nonsense.

Even if there was a sliver of truth buried in there, it did not exceed one-tenth. The rest was outright fiction.

And it revealed, with alarming clarity, just what level the Heavenly Dao had reached.

Indeed, Ye Wuming no longer obeyed the rules. She defined them.

A single line like “None may enter without my permission” had sealed the entire Night Palace. No one had noticed how they were kicked out because it was not an act of force. It was the execution of a natural law, as pure and absolute as gravity itself.

On another level, Ye Wuming had always represented the world’s order—the Four Idols, the celestial mechanisms, the framework of the stars. She was the embodiment of structure, while Ye Jiuyou represented chaos and annihilation. So even if it were possible to abuse the Heavenly Tome, Ye Wuming’s nature would have made her the last person to do it. She was the one who was supposed to uphold order, after all.

And yet here she was, casually dragging the credibility of the Heavenly Tome through the mud just for her own amusement.

This was her Other Shore. She had broken out of the framework she once lived within and now acted as she pleased.

Ye Wuming sat atop the astronomical observatory, one hand on her chin, calmly watching the flustered trio floating midair below, bickering in disbelief.

A single thought stirred in her mind, and then she created a new rule.

Henceforth, those named Zhao Changhe, Ye Jiuyou, or Piaomiao shall not wear a single scrap of clothing.

The trio suddenly felt a chill, as if the garments they had just put on were now slipping off by their own accord.

The rule was being enforced.

This time, the sensation was unmistakable. It was a targeted, effect, and they could feel the boundary of it. In fact, Zhao Changhe and Ye Jiuyou had already transcended the definitions of this world; they were no longer bound by its rules. Their divine sense flared instinctively, and with a single pulse, the decree was nullified. By extension, they also shielded Piaomiao alongside them.

“So she wants to play like this now, huh?” Zhao Changhe blinked, then suddenly grinned. He extended his divine sense, scanning the world from above, and sure enough, he spotted a few poor souls named Zhao Changhe who had been hit by collateral damage. One stood frozen in place, bewildered and stark naked, before bolting for home in a panic.

Apparently, Zhao Changhe was not such a rare name after all. There were several of them, and right now, they were all sprinting in various states of undress.

Ye Jiuyou and Piaomiao did not have such issues; thankfully, their names were unique. But the Zhao Changhes? Every last one of them was in tears.

Zhao Changhe burst out laughing.

“You think this is funny?!” Piaomiao snapped, clutching her robe tight, face flushed with embarrassment. “Are we supposed to live like this now? Are we supposed to just hope that she doesn’t randomly rewrite the rules of the world every time we step outside?”

Zhao Changhe scratched his chin thoughtfully. The more he thought about it, the more adorable Ye Wuming seemed. After all that torment she’s endured these past two weeks, this is the revenge she chooses? Compared to the old Ye Wuming, this was practically a playful tease. The contrast was absurd and charming.

“Don’t worry,” he said with a smile, glancing up toward the vague shimmer of the Night Palace in the sky. “Ruoyu’s still in there, isn’t she? Sooner or later, I’ll be dropping by for a visit...”

“So we’re just taking turns stabbing each other now?” Ye Jiuyou muttered, then turned to Piaomiao. “You didn’t reach the Other Shore this time... but you did gain something, didn’t you?”

She had, of course. Piaomiao had cultivated alongside three Other Shore-level souls. It would have been impossible not to progress. Her path was unique; theoretically, she did not need to cultivate in the conventional sense. Her strength was tied to two main sources: first, the ascension of the world itself, and second, the flourishing of the mountains and rivers’ qi veins. The moment the Ye sisters achieved their breakthrough, the Heavenly Tome’s world ascended with them. Naturally, Piaomiao was bound to rise as well. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

If her qi veins could extend beyond this world’s limitations—say, if it encompassed the entire cultivation segmentum—then she too could reach the Other Shore. But that would require the entire segmentum to be unified under a single dominion... specifically, the dominion of Zhao Changhe, to whom she was now bound.

Piaomiao had never expected her cultivation to be tied so directly to her man’s sphere of influence. As a god representing the mountains and rivers of the mortal realm, it felt way too personal to be thus bound.

And yet, she did not regret it.

They were all pursuing the shattering of their original design anyway. What difference did it make? Once one had grown used to living for one person and one person alone, the old templates of divinity felt irrelevant and forgettable.

But that was wandering too far afield. As for her concrete progress this time, Piaomiao had noticed one very real shift.

In the past, fragments of the heavenly realm were scattered across the void, floating as differently-sized secret realms. People like Ying Five had spent their lifetime hunting them, and even then, only recovered a few. The Night Palace, in particular, was so elusive that without River of Stars, no one could find it.

But now, Piaomiao could feel every fragment’s location. She could clearly sense where the Night Palace was.

It was as if the entire heavenly realm, including the Night Palace itself, had been incorporated into the world’s mountains and rivers. Its qi veins were now entwined with those of the world below.

This kind of makes it feel as if Zhao Changhe conquered the Night Palace...

Piaomiao frowned slightly. But if he really conquered it, then shouldn’t we have not been kicked out like garbage?

Clearly, they were still a long way off. More likely, this signaled nothing more than a tenuous alliance.

When time came to face Luo Chuan, Ye Wuming would likely cooperate. Harsh as it sounded, she might even follow Zhao Changhe’s lead. After all, she had acknowledged that his breakthrough held tremendous significance.

If they were now of one mind, aligned in purpose, then perhaps the unification of heaven and earth was not far off.

And if the world’s qi veins had become one... then Piaomiao was now omnipresent. She could reorganize the heavenly realm’s fragments into a single plane. She could even extend her awareness into the Night Palace itself.

And with that power in hand, Piaomiao, this world’s goddess of all creation, chose not to perform some grand feat of genesis. Instead, she chose to mess around.

Ye Wuming was lounging leisurely atop the astronomical observatory, gazing out at the stars. The segmentum was spread before her, and the sheer scale of it was mesmerizing. She could not be bothered to think about what those shameless couples were doing behind her.

But just as she was losing herself in the stars, the clouds before her began to swirl, forming into a thick mist until a bright screen slowly emerged in front of her.

The screen was crystal-clear, and what was being shown through it was something like a live-action drama marathon, a four to five-hour highlight reel of sorts. It began with Ye Wuming’s limp, unconscious body, then her awakening, being used as a 3D nude model, and then being used as a mattress in an array of shameful poses. Every facial close-up was vivid and in high definition, and her disheveled hair, defiant eyes, and flushed cheeks were given special attention.

There were even scene cuts. One showed Ye Jiuyou’s spiritual sea, where their two souls were intertwined. Ye Wuming’s soul face was mid-orgasmic eye-roll, utterly senseless.

Then came the separation of the souls itself. The process was absurdly picturesque, dreamlike, and provocative. The further the cut went, the clearer it became that Zhao Changhe was wedged between the sisters’ bodies like a slab of meat in a steamed bun. Facing forward, he was pressed tightly against Ye Wuming. Their skin contact was unmistakably intimate.

Ye Wuming’s eyes flew wide open.

Was that really me? When did this happen?

She had no recollection of that particular moment. How did my hand end up there, wrapped so tenderly around him? Why am I kissing him? Did I really... What the hell? This part has to be edited, right? Can videos even be edited... in the heavenly realm?

The perspective switched to her outer body, which was still in use as a mattress. Ye Jiuyou had been sprawled across her, and as it turned out, the hand she had felt back then was not Ye Jiuyou’s but Zhao Changhe’s.

And where exactly do you think you’re touching...

On screen, both sisters twitched at the same time. One was flat on her back, the other limp on top. Watching from outside the screen, Ye Wuming also twitched, and her muscles clenched hard.

Then came the gasping, shaky breaths. She darted a look around the observatory... Thankfully, Yu’er isn’t here right now and she’s still sulking indoors over having lost Dragon Bird.

But the screen... the screen had started looping again.

Is this going to be a 24-hour broadcast?

Face burning, Ye Wuming clenched her jaw and sent a voice transmission, “Piaomiao, are you done yet?”

Piaomiao’s lazy voice drifted from the clouds surrounding her, “I’m just helping Her Majesty the Night Emperor review key moments of the dual cultivation session. I wouldn’t want you to miss any details. There’s no need to thank me, but I’ll take the thanks anyway.”

Ye Wuming ignored the snide tone. “If you dare show this to anyone else, I’ll make sure neither of us leaves this cycle alive.”

“Too late,” Piaomiao replied with a soft hum. “Everyone already watched it live, remember? Don’t act like we weren’t already in a relationship where neither of us would rest until the other is dead.”

Ye Wuming: “...”

Piaomiao yawned. “Relax. Changhe won’t let anyone else see it. So long as you don’t use your Heavenly Dao authority to mess with my clothing, I’ll keep your reputation intact in the eyes of the world.”

Just like that, the euphoric rush of reaching the Other Shore and acquiring command over the rules of the Heavenly Dao was completely obliterated.

Ye Wuming slumped back. For countless years, she had floated high above the mortal realm, observing all from on high, treating the world like a story and its people like characters on a stage. Now, the playwright had become a character herself. Karma truly did not miss.

* * *

“Back from the campaign?”

Zhao Changhe descended once more to the mortal realm, landing directly at Miaojiang. If he was to continue tracing Luo Chuan’s whereabouts, he had to return to where the witchcraft was being carried out.

It was early morning when they arrived. Sisi was in court. Tang Wanzhuang lay reclined on a garden chaise in the palace courtyard, sipping floral wine, a wry smile playing on her lips as she looked up at the trio descending from the skies.

The whole world had seen the report of the Tome of Troubled Times. The Night Emperor expelled Zhao Changhe and his companions from the Night Palace like trash. Their reputations were thoroughly dragged through the mud. Only those who had watched the “live broadcast” knew how complete a victory it had truly been—against her.

Still, calling it a “campaign” was a bit much.

The weapon used had not even been Dragon Bird, but a different kind of Dragon Bird... and victory had not truly been all that complete, which made the triumph feel just a bit ironic.

Hearing Tang Wanzhuang’s tease, Zhao Changhe gave a polite cough, settling into the seat across from her. He grabbed a cup of wine from the stone table and took a sip. “Campaign? Hardly. It was just some... recovery therapy.”

Tang Wanzhuang’s smile faded. Her gaze swept across him once, and then it lingered on his hair.

She had seen how his hair looked before. It had been stark white. It had tugged at everyone’s hearts. Now, his hair had returned to black.

“You’ve recovered?”

“Mm-hm... It took less time than I expected, just over two weeks. Luo Chuan should not have recovered as fast as I have. That means that now is our best window to strike first.”

Tang Wanzhuang’s expression darkened. “You know that’s not what I was asking.”

Zhao Changhe scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed. “If I told you I took that hit on purpose so that I could experience the nature of the Other Shore’s damage firsthand, would you maybe hold off on yelling at me?”

Tang Wanzhuang paused. Ye Jiuyou and Piaomiao, standing nearby, also stilled. Then, they slowly nodded.

They understood. Without taking that blow, Zhao Changhe might not have reached the Other Shore through dual cultivation alone. Dual cultivation was, after all, merely a catalyst and not the key itself. The key had to be found through one’s own trials.

He had risked everything to seek it out. And in the end, he had not squandered that chance.

Most people only ever saw how fast Zhao Changhe’s cultivation progressed. Few understood how much he gambled to get there.

Tang Wanzhuang finally said, “If we’re taking the initiative, then it’s not enough to just trace Luo Chuan’s location. We need to consider every factor. This must be the final blow.”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “That’s exactly my thought as well. If an opponent of this caliber escapes us again, it’ll be like living with a sword hanging over our heads every day. We have to prepare everything in advance. We have to do everything we can to make this one strike count. Until then, no premature moves, no divinations, no ripples.”

Tang Wanzhuang asked, “What are you planning?”

Zhao Changhe replied, “I need to see someone. I want to understand the segmentum’s current situation and settle some karma.”

“Who?”

“I used their mountain-guarding array to trap Luo Chuan, and in retaliation, the old man nearly slapped me into paste. The blame lies with me, but the grudge is real. I need to resolve it. They also must have their own scores with Luo Chuan. I want to assess the field and see who stands where and why. Only then can I plan the next stage.”

Tang Wanzhuang frowned. “It’s too dangerous for you to go alone.”

Zhao Changhe caught Ye Jiuyou’s hand and smiled. “I’m never alone.”

Ye Jiuyou returned his smile with a calm one of her own.

“Besides, I have other allies too.” Zhao Changhe added, pausing with a gleam in his eye. “This will be our first step out of the secluded mountain valley known as the Heavenly Tome’s world... If we can open the way, then the starry river will stretch endless before us, and we can then roam it freely.”

In the Night Palace, Ye Wuming was listening. And hearing his words, she let out a soft sigh.

Ruoyu had once said she placed all her hopes on him to do what she could not.

It turned out that he had not needed anyone to say it. He was already doing it.

In the past, resolving matters of the Heavenly Dao was the prerequisite to any action. No one dared reveal they were a Heavenly Dao from another world when visiting foreign worlds or planes. The risks were too great. You never knew if you would invite tigers to drive away wolves.

But now there was Zhao Changhe. With his own power, he could act freely and boldly. He could turn this segmentum into the stage for the final act and lay the killing field exactly where he wanted.

Comparing what he was doing to the old strategies where she played chess with all beings of the three realms as pawns, everything she did suddenly seemed so small. Those desperate plans were always aimed at mutual destruction at best.

Back then, when she summoned help from Earth, if she had seen him as an ally and not a pawn, would this step have already been taken?

Her gaze drifted almost idly to the still-looping video compilation nearby.

The pawn had flipped the chessboard over and then grabbed her by the hair and kissed her like he was conquering a kingdom. The invasion and the suppression still burned vividly in her memory.

Other allies, huh? He must be referring to me, to my role as the spirit of the Heavenly Tome, and in that a magical treasure will respond to its master’s call. So in his mind, I’m already in such a position...