Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 913: Chaos and Annihilation

Atop the mist-shrouded summit of the guest peak, Zhao Changhe stood quietly, letting the clouds swirl past his legs. The spirit qi here was so dense it almost seemed to coalesce into form; it was richer than even that of Ye Wuming’s Night Palace.

Even the jade dew wine he had just sipped brimmed with potent essence, further reinforcing his grasp over the Other Shore. The effects were significant, and his cultivation had become noticeably more refined.

No wonder this place was counted among the most formidable forbidden zones of the main universe. This was the training ground of an Other Shore Emperor.

His divine sense spread outward, faintly perceiving that despite the surface calm, remnants of the mountain-guarding array still held lethal traps and lingering murderous intent. Certain paths practically screamed danger, radiating unease with just the lightest sweep of perception. The serenity here was no more than a facade.

It was just like Sovereign Withered Wood himself. He had not truly been bested in that single exchange earlier. He had simply chosen not to summon his magical treasures at the outset. Had the initiative been reversed, the outcome might have been far less certain.

Ye Jiuyou had been silently observing alongside him when she finally spoke in a soft voice, “Do you really believe this emperor can be trusted?”

“There’s a foundation for cooperation. Trust, though... that still needs work,” Zhao Changhe replied softly. “Today’s demonstration, the gift, the appeal to reason, I’ve done everything I could. Now it’s up to him to show what kind of man he really is.”

Ye Jiuyou said, “If it were up to me, I wouldn’t choose to cooperate at all. No matter who he is, he’s still an Emperor, someone who governs over an entire star system. You shouldn’t mistake him for a random reclusive hermit living in an immortal mountain. The mind of a ruler is inscrutable and filled with hidden traps. He makes a poor ally. In my view, the purpose of our visit has been fulfilled. We’ve mapped out the situation here, so there’s no reason to spend the night.”

Zhao Changhe replied, “Even if he were a hermit, you wouldn’t want to work with him either. You’ve changed on the surface, but your core hasn’t. You still don’t trust anyone outside your circle. The fact that you’re even willing to sit and drink with someone is already a big step.”

Ye Jiuyou smiled sweetly. “Sharing a drink isn’t giving him face. One, I wanted to assess the situation here myself. Two, I liked hearing how he referred to us.”

Zhao Changhe chuckled but said nothing.

Ye Jiuyou asked again, “So you’re still set on working with him?”

“This is Luo Chuan’s home turf. Without local support, if we end up fighting someone at the Other Shore level here, the number of uncertainties would make it impossible to predict the outcome.” Zhao Changhe said calmly, “This is something Ye Wuming should’ve done ages ago, but I understand why she didn’t. She’s cautious about inviting outsiders in. She didn’t even fully trust me, let alone a stranger. But I think I can take the gamble.”

Ye Jiuyou, like her sister, had never liked being entangled with outsiders. She feared it would only bring more trouble, more covetous eyes upon their world. Yet she also understood that Luo Chuan had not emerged from nowhere, and he almost certainly had backing. Backing meant that the moment he stepped beyond his well, there were already outsiders involved. Hoping to resolve everything behind closed doors was wishful thinking.

To eliminate the threat for good, one had to think holistically. In that sense, Zhao Changhe was right.

“His invitation for us to stay the night is the first test of mutual trust.” Zhao Changhe then continued with a smile, “As long as we’re willing to stay and we dare to stay, that’s already a beginning.”

Ye Jiuyou nodded. “That’s his test, but what about ours? Do you really think one night is enough to judge whether he’ll betray us later?”

Zhao Changhe reached over and gently pinched her cheek. “It’s just a start. There’s no need to rush. Honestly, I’m starting to wonder how you made it through the last couple million years.”

Ye Jiuyou pouted. “I wonder that too. You’ve already ruined my Dao heart. You better take responsibility.”

“Oh? And how exactly am I supposed to do that?”

Her eyes sparkled mischievously, then she sighed in frustration. “We can’t even get intimate with all these people spying on us. It’s torture.”

“...You’re hornier than I am now,” Zhao Changhe muttered, a bit speechless.

Ye Jiuyou giggled as she wrapped her arms around his. “My man’s not so fragile. What’s there to be afraid of?”

“Then sit tight, dear wife,” Zhao Changhe said with a grin, scooping her into his arms and placing her gently on a stone bench inside the mountain pavilion. With a flip of his palm, a guqin appeared on the table before her.

Moments later, soft notes drifted into the night air.

Ye Jiuyou rested her chin on her hand, gazing at Zhao Changhe as he played for her, the music wrapping around her like a lullaby. Her eyes grew warmer with every passing note.

For someone like Ye Jiuyou, who had always harbored wariness toward outsiders, the notion of an alliance naturally stirred some discomfort. But as the tranquil melody flowed through her, those ripples of unease slowly smoothed out. Peace quietly settled in her heart.

He was not just calming her with music; he was offering a little light-hearted joy for a night that otherwise held nothing to do but wait.

She had once wondered whether, after conquering her, he would treat her differently. Whether he would stop cherishing her once the pursuit was over. But now, the answer was clear. Aside from his time being stretched thin by the many women in his life, nothing else had changed. If anything, he had only grown more gentle.

As men age, they learn how to truly cherish the ones they love...

He was no longer a headstrong youth, but a peerless cultivator whose strength could stand alongside hers.

Unknowingly, Ye Jiuyou had long forgotten the world around her. At this moment, her heart was filled with nothing but the man beside her.

On a distant peak, Sovereign Withered Wood stood with his hands clasped behind his back, silently gazing toward their mountaintop. For as long as Zhao Changhe had been playing the guqin, he had stood there listening.

Only when the music finally tapered off did the Emperor let out a quiet sigh. “It’s been ages since I last heard anyone play like that... What did you think of his performance?”

The attendant who had been standing silently behind him all this time finally replied in a low voice, “A worldly style, unadorned by any celestial techniques. But with his cultivation, there are no technical flaws to speak of. It was, in a sense, flawless.”

“You know that’s not what I meant.”

“Speaking to its intent, the piece conveyed a heart open and unrestrained, yet bound by deep emotional ties. He’s a man of sentiment. Beneath it all, there were undercurrents of bloodshed. He’s taken many lives.”

“A contradiction?”

“Not at all.”

“Could it have been feigned?”

“It wasn’t an immortal technique. Before you and me, such sentiment is difficult to fake.”

“And what of his ambition?”

“Moderate, but present.”

Sovereign Withered Wood’s gaze lingered on the other peak. Zhao Changhe had since stopped playing and was now playing chess with Ye Jiuyou. Watching their match for a few moments, the Emperor could not help but laugh softly. “A master strategist, yet his chess skills are like those of a child. The same goes for his wife. Truly, a pair meant for each other.”

His attendant chuckled as well.

Beings like them had lived for untold millennia. Even without devoting themselves to the Dao of games, their analytical minds made them masters by default. It was rare to see cultivators of such caliber play so terribly. It was clear that the two were not even trying. They were simply having fun.

Sovereign Withered Wood turned away. “That’s enough. Staring at our guests like this is discourteous. As for those beauties we prepared to test him with, cancel that plan. It’s unnecessary.”

The attendant followed, still grinning. “I have a feeling that if we slipped a few in privately, he might actually enjoy it.”

“His wife is no weaker than he is,” Sovereign Withered Wood said mildly. “If anything, her foundations run even deeper. Provoking a lioness at home for the sake of a shallow ploy... that’s a mistake beyond redemption.”

“So we’re calling him an ally now?”

“If he comes without guile, then why not? As for what the future holds... who can say?”

* * *

The next morning, Sovereign Withered Wood descended on a cloud and hovered beside the pavilion where Zhao Changhe and Ye Jiuyou had spent the night. His expression was complicated.

Zhao Changhe was lounging against a pillar, sipping wine with easy contentment. His wife lay nestled in his lap, wrapped in his outer robe, sleeping like a peony in spring—peaceful, tender, and absolutely unguarded.

At their level of cultivation, it was one thing to play a game poorly... but to actually fall asleep? Sovereign Withered Wood was at a loss for words.

He hesitated. Was it even appropriate to speak? Would waking her be considered rude?

Zhao Changhe noticed and gave a quiet “shh” gesture, transmitting his voice, “Let’s talk by divine sense.”

This guy’s actually worried about waking his wife... Sovereign Withered Wood had a bellyful of unspoken thoughts but still replied via divine sense, “Does the lady require sleep?”

Zhao Changhe responded, “Require? No. She just enjoys the feeling of falling asleep against me.”

Sovereign Withered Wood’s gaze sharpened subtly. “Is it because with you beside her, she can rest easy no matter where she is?”

Zhao Changhe chuckled. “Seems you understand well. You sound like a man with a past... Hm, since there’s nothing pressing for now, care for a game of chess?”

Sovereign Withered Wood’s face remained blank. “Surely you wouldn’t enjoy matching wits with a child.”

“That’s where you’re wrong. I bully my own daughter all the time.”

This man truly is something else. Sovereign Withered Wood found himself genuinely amused. He chuckled. “You don’t sound like you actually like chess, so why do you carry a set with you?”

“No choice. I’ve got too many wives, and some of them enjoy it.”

Sovereign Withered Wood: “...”

It was not that Zhao Changhe carried a chess set around. He carried an entire world. If he wanted to pull something out, he could. Anything, really. He could even pull out a daughter to call someone uncle.

Come to think of it, when he played chess and music last night with Ye Jiuyou, the rest of his women were watching from within his embrace, each of them sulking visibly. Tang Wanzhuang, in particular, looked ready to kill.

The life she loved most—serenity, music, and chess—had been stolen and enjoyed by someone who could not care less for it. For Wanzhuang, it felt like raising a beautiful flower only to watch it get planted in a pile of cow dung.

Realistically, even if they did not have the power to cross realms on their own, as long as someone escorted them, they could be brought along. The only reason Zhao Changhe had not done so was the murky political terrain. Bringing Ye Jiuyou had a clear purpose: deterrence. A pair of Other Shore-level cultivators walking together was no joke. If Ye Wuming had already been won over, Zhao Changhe would have much preferred to show up with the twin sisters of destruction at his side—now that would have been a real flex.

Of course, Tang Wanzhuang now firmly believed that Ye Jiuyou had deliberately sabotaged the idea of bringing anyone else just to have him all to herself. Given her track record, it was a solid theory.

Zhao Changhe was just now mulling over when he might take Wanzhuang and the others out for some fun when he said aloud, “What plans do you have for today?”

Sovereign Withered Wood composed himself, smiling slightly. “As I said yesterday, why not take a stroll through the segmentum together and see what we can see?”

Zhao Changhe replied, “This segmentum is called Myriad Manifestations for a reason. There are countless realms and endless wonders. Normally, I’d be curious to explore. But today, I’m not really in the mood.”

Sovereign Withered Wood smiled faintly. “But what if familiarizing yourself with the segmentum is a prerequisite for our alliance?”

Zhao Changhe paused. “What do you mean by that?”

“If you’re unfamiliar with the area and its unique attributes, you’ll be at a major disadvantage should you ever face Luo Chuan here.”

By this point, the message was clear: the alliance was effectively agreed upon.

And yet Zhao Changhe was still somewhat surprised. “You’ve already decided after just one night?”

Sovereign Withered Wood gave a subtle smile. “Sometimes, all it takes is a single glance to judge a man.”

Just then, Ye Jiuyou stirred awake. Her lashes fluttered open, hazy with sleep until she sensed an unfamiliar presence nearby. In an instant, her eyes turned razor sharp, and a killing intent erupted that chilled the very heavens and earth.

But the next moment, she realized she was still lying in her husband’s lap, and he was simply chatting with someone nearby. The murderous aura vanished as quickly as it came, replaced by the lazy demeanor of a kitten unwilling to move.

Sovereign Withered Wood had the rare privilege of witnessing a supreme demon lioness morph into a pampered housecat. Even with his vast cultivation, that brief moment of cold and silent menace had made his heart skip a beat.

Zhao Changhe smiled wryly and asked, “What about that single glance?”

Sovereign Withered Wood burst into soft laughter. “If nothing else, I’m more certain now that the two of you are more than capable of standing against Luo Chuan.”

Zhao Changhe gently scooped up his wife, rubbing her cheek as if to help her wake up. “Time to rise, darling. We’ve got an Other Shore-level Emperor offering us a guided tour. You shouldn’t sleep through this.”

Speaking of traveling through the stars, Zhao Changhe still remembered the first time traversing the cosmos. Every step had covered tens of thousands of li, yet he had constantly felt like others were right on his heels. It was not just because his raw power had lagged at the time; more critically, he simply was not used to the cosmic environment.

Once acclimated, though, he had moved through the planetary systems with ease, his speed vastly surpassing what it had been at the start.

Back then, he also refrained from using space-folding techniques out of fear of having the folded space be turned against him. He had relied purely on flight. If space-folding had been in play, Ye Wuming could have probably reached Earth a long time ago. At the cosmic scale, distance was meaningless. What truly mattered was precision in navigation.

Now, Zhao Changhe had fully adapted. Even without spatial abilities, his flight alone allowed him to follow Sovereign Withered Wood through the vastness with no trouble at all.

Ye Jiuyou, if anything, was even more at ease than Zhao Changhe.

What startled Sovereign Withered Wood the most was that he could not even trace her flight path. It was as if wherever the darkness lay ahead, she would naturally appear, effortlessly and without a ripple.

At times, Sovereign Withered Wood could not help but feel this woman did not truly exist at all. It was like every shadow in the universe, every corner of the void, was merely an extension of her being.

That alone gave him a growing suspicion. He grew to suspect that the couple likely hailed from a subordinate plane or world. The air about them carried the primal flavor of chaos and oblivion that simply could not be found in the main universe. Just as a court noble who had lived their entire life in halls of power could never gain the worldly wisdom of someone who had climbed their way up from the bottom, to witness the birth and death of an entire world was often a critical step on the path to the Great Dao.

But self-contained worlds were not easy to come by. They were either too small, of such low level as to be functionally useless, or so rare and exceptional that they were coveted by all. Worlds of the right “weight class” were nearly impossible to find. This was why many cultivators were obsessed with locating lost cave abodes.

As the thought surfaced, Sovereign Withered Wood suddenly came to a halt, sending a message through divine sense, “Hold a moment, Fellow Daoist. There’s danger ahead.”

Zhao Changhe and Ye Jiuyou stopped immediately, spreading their senses. Far in the distance, they felt the presence of a terrifying black hole. Light-years of space around it had been devoured, leaving only endless void and silence. Chaos and death blanketed the entire region.

Where they stood now was just at the edge of the black hole’s gravitational pull. A step farther, and they would have entered its reach. Had they charged in without inspection, disaster might have struck before an enemy ever raised a hand.

“This is but one of the many danger zones scattered across the segmentum. Even cultivators of our level must tread carefully. Without knowledge of its existence, blundering in unprepared could be fatal.” Emperor Withered Woord cast a meaningful glance at Ye Jiuyou. “That said... for certain cultivators, danger can also become opportunity.”

Ye Jiuyou stared silently at the void ahead. She had seen something like this before, simulated in Zhao Changhe’s recreated cosmic realms and even hinted at in her own evolving divine powers. But to stand here, to feel it with her own body and spirit was something else entirely.

The annihilation here was not localized. It was a wide-area effect—a true domain.

No wonder Zhao Changhe had once laughed at her “chaos and annihilation” as being trifling, no more than child’s play compared to this.

Sovereign Withered Wood asked with a faint smile, “How is it?”

Zhao Changhe answered on her behalf, “A landscape unlike any other.”

Sovereign Withered Wood said, “We’ve spoken of cooperation, yet we have no trust, no contract to bind us. This zone doesn’t belong to me, but if offering it serves as a token of sincerity, would you say that it counts?”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “It does. What would you like in return?”

“I show you this face of death,” Sovereign Withered Wood replied, “and you, Fellow Daoist, if you can show me the face of life, then our alliance is sealed.”

His meaning was plain and clear. He wished to see the world they came from.

Zhao Changhe smiled slightly. “Perhaps we could structure the deal differently.”

“I’m listening.”

“You mentioned lost cave abodes before, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“If you help us achieve our goal, then I’ll take you to one. Is that not equivalent to seeing the face of life?”

A glint flashed in Sovereign Withered Wood’s eyes. “Deal.”

Zhao Changhe nodded with a smile. “Then, you may return. I’ll come find you again soon.”

Sovereign Withered Wood was taken aback. “You’re not coming with me?”

Zhao Changhe glanced at Ye Jiuyou, who was still staring into the void as if spellbound. He smiled. “Because we’re going in.”

“...For cultivation?”

“That’s right. For cultivation.” Zhao Changhe’s grin widened. “Didn’t you say it yourself? Danger holds opportunity.”

What I meant was the edge of the danger, not plunging straight into the core... Sovereign Withered Wood cursed silently. These two are lunatics. Still, he tried once more, “Under normal circumstances, perhaps it wouldn’t matter. But with war looming, is this really the best time to risk yourselves?”

Zhao Changhe chuckled. “It’s too late. My wife’s already mesmerized. And if she wants to go, then whether it’s a mountain of blades or a sea of flames, I will accompany her.”