Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 98: The Heavenly Tome

At the bottom of Ancient Sword Lake, in the dimensional fragment.

When the era collapsed, the divine sword used its power to protect its master, maintaining a small separate space that was isolated from the world. It would not be entirely accurate to call this space a completely different realm as it still depended on the main plane for its existence. Due to incomplete isolation, it was still possible to communicate with the space from the surface of the lake. However, it was impossible to perceive this space with the naked eye. Strictly speaking, it was best to refer to it as a subsidiary plane.

The reason Zhao Changhe thought of telling Xia Chichi about the Azure Dragon Seal was that the actions of the divine sword in chasing after Xia Chichi made no sense at all. Xia Chichi had done nothing to provoke the ire of the divine sword to the point where it would chase after her, much less attempt to kill her. If he had to think of a connection that the sword might have with Xia Chichi, the only link he had in mind was the Azure Dragon Seal, which also originated from the previous era.

And that turned out to be exactly the case.

When the divine sword came into contact with the Azure Dragon Seal, there was an immediate reaction.

Zhao Changhe, Xia Chichi, and Han Wubing felt as if they were witnessing traces of ancient times. It felt as if they had returned to the past and glimpsed fleeting memories.

A man in imperial robes said, “The sky is filled with murderous intent, and the stars are shifting. I am afraid that the Heavenly Dao is changing, heralding the beginning of countless catastrophes. I must return and make preparations... If I can make it through this great calamity, I will come to find you again.”

The woman sighed. “Why hide it from me... The Night Emperor has fallen, and what you desire is nothing more than his position and that page of the Heavenly Tome. You fear my old relationship with them, and you’re just leaving me here so that I have no chance of interfering.”

The man in imperial robes was silent for a moment. “You can see it that way.”

“No matter what you are going to do... I can wait for you, no matter how long it takes, even if I have to wait until a new era begins.” The woman’s voice gradually grew fainter and fainter. “I’m just afraid that you won’t come back...”

The man promised, “Rest assured, I will definitely come back.”

“Okay, I believe you. If you truly do come back, I have something to give to you.”

The man’s destination was not visible in the projection, but Zhao Changhe and Xia Chichi knew that the man had prepared everything upon returning to Beimang, including the tomb and the inheritance that was the Azure Dragon Seal. He had meticulously settled and arranged all of his affairs, but he had no intention of going back to look for that woman.

Zhao Changhe suddenly thought that the bizarre relocation of Beimang might have been the result of this emperor’s contingency plan. After all, he was already in contention for the Heavenly Tome. He had to be more powerful than the average human emperor.

Looking at it from this point of view, it was clear that this man had never really cared about this woman.

As the era came to its end, the woman knew that she did not have the strength to escape. With her heart withered and as lifeless as ashes, she chose to take her own life, and when she made that decision, she did not hesitate to carry it out. Her only thoughts before her death were the promises that the man had made before their parting.

The projection faded.

As soon as Zhao Changhe and the other two opened their eyes, they found themselves in a chamber filled with swords. Several swords hung on the walls, and an ancient corpse had long since decayed into dust, leaving behind nothing but a skeleton seated with its legs crossed peacefully, devoid of any signs of life.

The divine sword left Han Wubing’s hand and circled around the skeleton, as if mourning and asking “the one who betrayed you has come back; do you want to meet him?”

However, its master would never respond again.

Xia Chichi felt a deep sense of sorrow as she took off the Azure Dragon Seal and placed it in front of the skeleton. She paid her respects and said, “Senior, this junior has indeed inherited this seal and its techniques, but I am not its original master... Furthermore, I am a woman.”

The divine sword: “...”

In principle, those who bore an inheritance were to similarly bear the karma that came with it, whether it was favor or hatred. The divine sword had never considered the gender or identity of those it had slayed. Its continuous purpose was to kill, regardless of who bore the seal. However, it had been put off by Xia Chichi and Zhao Changhe’s actions of protecting each other. It hated those who were unfaithful and naturally appreciated those who were faithful. It thus faced a dilemma—should it kill or spare them?

Originally, its intent to kill was prevailing. Xia Chichi’s aura was infused with that of the Azure Dragon Seal, suggesting that she had a deep bond with the original master of the seal. However, their self-sacrificing act disoriented the sword as it also held favor for those who were faithful. And just when it decided to simply kill both of them, another young person, whom it instantly recognized as a worthy master, gripped its hilt.

The divine sword’s intent to kill was instantly dispelled, overwhelmed by the three individuals united by bonds of loyalty and love.

Xia Chichi was equally perplexed because the man in the imperial robes was undoubtedly a bearer of the Azure Dragon’s inheritance, possibly even an incarnation of the Azure Dragon itself. This was a part of the Four Idols Cult’s faith, and now it appeared that the unfaithful had been one of their own. It was an ironic reversal of Xia Chichi’s situation with Xia Longyuan. If she were in the shoes of the heroine, she would definitely kill the heir, but now, that heir was none other than herself.

Xia Chichi sighed in exasperation and whispered, “Senior, I have absorbed the inheritance and blessings within the Azure Dragon Seal. I do not believe it serves any purpose now; it is merely a symbol of the Azure Dragon Saintess. If you really still harbor hatred, then I am willing to destroy it. However, I just wonder whether you would find that meaningful.”

Even though she said that, when Xia Chichi thought of her mother, she clenched her teeth and resolutely attempted to break the Azure Dragon Seal apart by smashing it fiercely on the ground.

However, it sustained no damage.

Without hesitation, Xia Chichi grabbed the divine sword, which had been circling around its master, and swung it at the Azure Dragon Seal with all her might.

In the end, the Azure Dragon Seal, this cherished artifact that transcended eras, was split cleanly in half.

The divine sword, which had personally sliced the Azure Dragon Seal apart, emitted an extremely joyful and triumphant hum. One could almost sense its elation and jubilation. It was as if it had finally put an end to the hatred that had transpired across eras.

Han Wubing, who had been observing from the side, watched Xia Chichi’s actions in a different light. He could not help but think that Xia Chichi was truly quite ruthless. He wondered how she was able to bring herself to do such a thing. He now felt that it would be wise for him not to oppose her in the future.

It was only Zhao Changhe who understood what Xia Chichi was feeling at that moment. He embraced her gently and whispered, “It’s okay. The senior will calm down eventually.”

As if to confirm his words, the skeleton that had been sitting cross-legged seemed to give them a faint smile. Following that, its bones began to disintegrate into wisps of smoke, as if it had never even existed.

Han Wubing finally broke his silence and said, “This should be due to its lingering attachments having been released. I once heard a similar story from an elder in the Sword Hut. I never thought that something from legends would happen right before my eyes... The previous era... The previous era...”

His words seemed to take him to a distant past, recalling memories that weren’t his. It was as if he was wandering for eternity, admiring countless stories and romances.

Zhao Changhe glanced at him. Shouldn’t you be feeling like a third wheel right now? Can’t you see I am holding a girl in my arms, bro? Forget it. I should just ignore him.

Zhao Changhe continued to embrace Xia Chichi, who was still dejected, and asked, “Now that you’ve broken the Azure Dragon Seal, can you still fulfill your mission when you return?”

Xia Chichi shook her head and replied, “It’s fine. Nobody would ask to inspect my Azure Dragon Seal. If anything happens, I can always just say that the Maitreya Cult stole it and have our cult go after them.”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

Xia Chichi sighed and said, “As I said earlier, the Azure Dragon Seal itself is no longer useful, it is merely a symbol. Whether I can establish myself as the saintess of the cult depends not on a symbolic treasure but on something else. But now, my first important mission has ended in a complete mess...”

Han Wubing, who seemed to be lost in thought, suddenly spoke up. “Is your mission to retrieve this sword?”

“Yes,” confirmed Xia Chichi.

Han Wubing said, “Then isn’t your mission already complete.”

Zhao Changhe and Xia Chichi said in unison, “Isn’t it yours?”

Han Wubing said, feeling somewhat speechless, “Look at how the sword is sticking to your hand. You’re still saying that it belongs to me?”

Xia Chichi lowered her head to look at the sword and noticed that the divine sword seemed to exhibit a sense of attachment to her, like a cat clinging to its owner.

She quickly realized that with its old master’s lingering attachments now fulfilled, the sword was undergoing a rebirth, in a sense. If it were to acknowledge anyone as its new master, then it would naturally be her, the one who had destroyed the Azure Dragon Seal. It might be able to find other suitable candidates who share its sentiments and consider them partners, but it would be difficult for them to become recognized as its master. This was similar to how Dragon Bird regarded Zhao Changhe.

In this light, with the sword now belonging to her, her mission had indeed ended in success.

Zhao Changhe also realized this and suddenly felt a little apologetic. “Brother Han, this...”

Han Wubing was even more speechless. “I know your intentions, and I know that you thought that this sword was perfect for me, so you wanted it to be mine. However, I don’t really like it. Have you ever seen a sword so involved in the affairs between men and women? It would only be a hindrance for a swordsman like me. Besides, it’s too flashy. I’m a bounty hunter, I prefer weapons that are simple and low-key.”

Zhao Changhe was speechless. “Even if you say that... What sword are you going to...”

Han Wubing pointed at the swords scattered around the Sword Chamber and said, “What do you mean? Aren’t there a lot of them here? If the owner of such a divine sword bothered to pick them up, then they’re clearly good quality. Personally, I’ve never looked for whatever heavenly treasure of a sword. I believe that that would only lead to dependence and hinder my own swordsmanship. As long as it cuts, it’s good enough for me. Speaking of which, I also want to advise you both not to rely too much on your divine weapons. Winning battles against stronger opponents in the short term might seem good, but it may be a problem for your development in the long run.”

Zhao Changhe took a step back and bowed respectfully. “Thank you for your guidance, Brother Han.”

As he took a step back, he accidentally stepped on something. He looked down and saw that it was the cushion the skeleton had been sitting on earlier.

Zhao Changhe was puzzled. The skeleton has already completely dissolved into dust, and its clothes have long since turned to ashes, so how has this cushion remained intact?

Upon closer inspection, Zhao Changhe discovered that the cushion seemed to be made of woven golden threads. When he parted the seams, he noticed a glimmer of gold inside, resembling a page of a book.

Zhao Changhe’s eyes narrowed.

The words of the woman in the projection flashed through his mind. “The Night Emperor has fallen, and what you desire is nothing more than his position and that page of the Heavenly Tome. You fear my old relationship with them...”

To Xia Chichi and Han Wubing, this statement may not have held much meaning, as they were likely unfamiliar with the Heavenly Tome. They might have regarded it as some kind of token. However, when Zhao Changhe heard these words, it was as if a bell had rung in his ears, and it was impossible for him to forget.

The flicker of golden light from the Tome of Troubled Times...

If... this gold sheet is that page of the Heavenly Tome...

“If you truly do come back, I have something to give to you.”

If that man had come back, he would have gotten it.