Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 557: Hai Changkong

Back in the room, Lady Three tried to keep her serene and composed demeanor, sitting cross-legged as if she were deep in meditation. She certainly could not let anyone know just how flustered she was feeling.

Zhao Changhe, drying his hair in front of her, casually asked, “Have your bones healed?”

Lady Three huffed, annoyed, “Can’t you let a person meditate in peace? Walking around like that, saying so much nonsense, your wet hair splashing water everywhere... You’ve got me all wet.”

Zhao Changhe gave her a puzzled look. She doesn’t seem wet at all.

He looked down, then up again. Could it be... that time of the month?

Lady Three flushed with embarrassment, quickly covering herself. “Where are you looking?”

Zhao Changhe coughed, “Uh, I was just asking about your rib.”

“It hasn’t fully healed yet. If I exert myself too much, it still aches a little. It doesn’t affect me in normal situations, but it could be a burden in an intense fight.” She glanced at him curiously. “What’s with the sudden concern? Think you’re strong enough now to try and challenge me?”

Zhao Changhe replied, “We’re out of medicine. I didn’t think about it until now, but I just asked Lai Qi, and they actually have some medicine on board.”

Lady Three blinked. Right... I hadn’t even thought of that.

Zhao Changhe sat beside her with a jar of ointment, “I checked it out. It seems effective enough. Want me to help you apply it? Since a big fight might be coming, it’s for the best if we can recover as much as we can.”

“Oh.” Lady Three obediently began to loosen her clothing, “Go ahead.”

Zhao Changhe took some ointment and began applying it, this time without any of the previous “accidental” moments like when his hands “slipped” in the direction of her chest. Now, as he rubbed the ointment in, his hands roamed quite freely. Lady Three shot him a glare, “Focus on what you’re doing! If you keep fooling around, I’ll choke you.”

“...” Zhao Changhe focused on the task and continued to silently apply the ointment.

Lady Three gave him an amused look before flicking his forehead, causing him to finally pull his gaze away, albeit reluctantly.

To the sailors and crew on the ship, who had heard nothing from the cabin over the past few days, everything had gone as it usually did. They slept fully dressed in the same bed, just as before, and acted quite normally around each other.

Their closeness had become so routine that touching places that once seemed off-limits was now completely normal.

Several times, Zhao Changhe even woke up with his face smushed against Lady Three’s chest, blissfully comfortable. When she discovered this, Lady Three had not punished him, as might be expected. Instead, she decided to playfully pin him down for a bit.

By nightfall, any frustration she displayed in the morning seemed to have been completely forgotten as they continued to sleep together as usual.

If, during the time on the island, it had all been about the necessity of survival—where no matter how bare they held each other, it could be dismissed or forgotten—then these past few days were different. There was no justification.

Feelings had sprouted, and that was that. Attraction was attraction.

Now, rubbing the ointment on her ribs did not evoke any of that earlier sense of urgency. It was simply routine, no different from touching one’s own hand.

As Zhao Changhe rubbed in the ointment, he found himself sighing softly. His gaze drifted downward, and curiosity got the better of him. “Hey, I’m seriously curious... Do you get periods[1]?”

Lady Three did not find the question inappropriate in the slightest. Instead, she seemed just as curious. “What’s that? My mother didn’t have sisters, and I grew up around Ying Five’s brothers.”

“Uh... I meant menstruation,” Zhao Changhe clarified. “We’ve been together for quite a while now, and I’ve never seen any signs of it.”

“That?” Lady Three replied nonchalantly, “When I reached the second layer of the Profound Mysteries, I stopped having that...” Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Zhao Changhe’s curiosity deepened. “Is that what’s meant when it’s said that someone’s slain the crimson dragon[2]?”

“I guess?” Lady Three sounded uncertain. “I heard it might affect fertility, but there’s no precedent, so it’s unclear. If you’re interested, you could try with Ver—oh, right, you’re the pig.”

She glanced at Zhao Changhe, and when she saw he was still focused on applying the ointment, seemingly not catching her slip, she let out a quiet sigh of relief and continued, “I heard Yue Hongling also reached the second layer of the Profound Mysteries, right? She’s probably refined some kind of sword physique, so she should be in a somewhat similar state. Why not try and see if you can have kids with her?”

Zhao Changhe shamelessly leaned in closer and hugged her. “Why can’t I try with you?”

Lady Three’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “Do you really want to try with me?”

“I do. I think about it all the time.”

Lady Three looked up, her gaze distant. “Alright... maybe we can give it a try later.”

Zhao Changhe blinked, momentarily stunned. “Huh?”

Lady Three sighed and said, “Once we return, I’ll ask the experts of the Azure Dragon Hall if they have any remedy for your... um, issues. Don’t worry, I won’t tell Chichi.”

Zhao Changhe: “?”

Lady Three gently caressed his cheek, full of sympathy. “Poor thing, you must’ve been so frustrated these past few days. Don’t worry, big sister doesn’t mind.”

Zhao Changhe: “???”

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Lai Qi’s voice called from outside, “Sir, Madam, we estimated that we’ll reach Dongan Island by tonight.”

Zhao Changhe’s thoughts immediately shifted, and he asked, “So soon? Didn’t you say it was a seven-day journey? Today is only the fourth day. Doesn’t that mean it only took five days to get to Dongan Island?”

Lai Qi replied, “The alliance set the gathering date for seven days from departure. Initially, we accounted for uncertainties, especially when navigating unfamiliar waters after we picked you two up, so we allowed for extra time. But with the calm weather, and since we’re familiar with this area, it looks like we’ll arrive by tonight.”

“I see...” Zhao Changhe thought to himself that it was lucky he had not slacked off these past few days. He had just managed to master the Black Tortoise’s Fist today, right before they might face battle.

It was not just about mastering a particular martial art. His advancement signified a deeper understanding of the sea and its nature. It marked a step forward in comprehending and controlling power, a further step toward the third layer of the Profound Mysteries, a substantial leap in overall strength.

It also brought him closer to mastering the concept of “control.” In essence, every step now was about researching and understanding that concept. When he truly grasped it, that would be the day he reached the realm of gods and demons.

“The question now is whether we should anchor for the night or proceed directly to the meeting,” Lai Qi added. “We’re part of an allied force made up of different nations, so arriving at night could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings. I thought I should ask for the venerable’s opinion first.”

Inside the cabin, Zhao Changhe and Lady Three exchanged glances, both feeling a strong reluctance to face such mundane matters. But they knew this mindset was not right. After a shared sigh, they spoke at the exact same time, “We go straight in. No need to stop. We’ll disguise ourselves as your crew. Just keep quiet about it.”

Lai Qi nodded, his expression bewildered as he left the room.

It was not every day that you witnessed two people say something simultaneously—and a relatively long statement at that—completely in sync. It was uncanny.

The two of them also found it amusing. They blinked at each other in surprise, then broke into identical, radiant smiles.

Zhao Changhe took a clean bandage and wrapped it around Lady Three’s injury, smiling as he spoke. “I used to think that the further we got from the deserted island and the more supplies we had, the farther I’d be from you. But it turns out that worry was unfounded. We’re still this close. I have no regrets.”

He paused before standing up and stretching, and then he said, “Not being able to do more isn’t so bad...”

Indeed, it was not bad at all. Otherwise, who knew if it was love or simply desire?

These days together had made everything clear.

Lady Three closed her eyes, focusing on recovering from the last traces of her injuries, not saying another word.

* * *

The wind blew cold on the moonless night.

Lai Qi’s fleet arrived at Dongan Island.

The concerns Lai Qi had about potential safety issues turned out to be unwarranted. They were the first to arrive after the Penglai forces. The seas around the island were still quiet, with few other ships in sight. The island itself, however, was brightly lit. Penglai soldiers could be sighted celebrating and feasting.

The patrol fleet from Penglai greeted them politely, guiding them to the shore. “General Lai, our commander is waiting for you at the camp.”

Although Lai Qi, as a representative of his nation, was inwardly intimidated by the sight of Penglai’s military might, he maintained a composed expression and nodded. “Lead the way.”

Zhao Changhe and Lady Three, having done a little disguise work and dressed in the uniforms of the crew from Java, followed behind Lai Qi. As they walked, Lai Qi glanced back at them and spoke to the Penglai soldiers, “These are my personal guards. May they come with me?”

The other party showed no hint of disdain and courteously saluted. “Of course. Please follow me...”

Dongan Island was clearly a military port under Penglai’s control. It featured facilities similar to those on Taiping Island, including supplies and recreational amenities, all officially run by Penglai.

Following behind Lai Qi, Lady Three remained silent, her face tense, while Zhao Changhe felt a creeping sense of surprise.

The naval force of Java, which they could have easily taken down themselves, gave the impression that the maritime power of the sea nations was not much to worry about. But seeing the Penglai naval base here changed that perception. The military strength of Penglai was no joke.

While their ships might not rival those of the Tang Clan, they were certainly superior to those of the pirates—both in terms of the quality of the vessels and their numbers. The fleet was well-organized, well-equipped, and manned with more soldiers. In sheer force alone, Penglai’s navy was stronger than the pirates’ and absolutely outclassed Java’s; they belonged to a completely different league.

It seemed Penglai was not keen to take on the pirates on their own for two reasons: potential high casualties and the advantage the pirates had in knowing the territory. Bringing in an allied fleet from various nations was more like using a bunch of pawns to probe the unknown, bearing the risks for them.

“General Lai has arrived? Please, come in!” a hearty voice called from above as they approached a tavern. “It’s been years since we last saw each other—do you still have that same heroic demeanor?”

As they ascended the stairs, a spacious hall opened up before them. Several generals were drinking and feasting, though there were no women in sight.

A broad-shouldered, middle-aged man sat at the head of the table, his grin wide, his voice deep and resonant.

This was Hai Changkong, one of Hai Pinglan’s adopted sons, as well as one of Lady Three’s former enemies who had been most relentless in hunting her down. He was now the commander of the Penglai forces.

The Tome of Troubled Times might not acknowledge the heroes of the sea, but there were certainly formidable figures among them. Hai Qianfan, who had been acting as the leader of the pirates while Lady Three was gone, was a formidable expert at the second layer of the Profound Mysteries, and whoever was chosen to oppose him would naturally be of similar caliber.

In other words, there was a good chance that Hai Changkong was also an expert at the second layer of the Profound Mysteries.

1. Note that this is said using the term “大姨妈,” which literally translates to aunt. This term has also taken on the meaning of menstruation, though. ☜

2. ”Slain the crimson dragon” here is a literal translation of “斩赤龙.” This is a specialized metaphor referring to the severing or halting of the menstrual cycle. ☜