Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 712: When a Small Scheme Meets a Greater One

Zhao Changhe was utterly unprepared for this, and Yue Hongling was equally caught off guard.

Just the day before, they had fought Snow Owl, and his abilities were consistent with their prior impressions: a Ranking of Heaven assassin who was at the third layer of the Profound Mysteries. He was incredibly fast and precise, striking with unmatched ferocity before vanishing into the distance, never engaging in prolonged combat.

He was undeniably formidable. Being hunted by such an assassin was enough to make anyone’s scalp tingle. After all, no one could guard against an assassin forever, and falling to such a foe was far from uncommon. However, if forced into direct confrontation, Snow Owl’s combat prowess was relatively mediocre, especially compared to his exceptional assassination skills.

In their last encounter, when Yue Hongling and Zhao Changhe joined forces, combining sword and saber, Snow Owl had been clearly overpowered and forced to retreat. That was why this time, he relied on trailing them stealthily, waiting for the perfect moment to catch them off guard and strike in silence.

Everything about his approach was logical.

But who could have predicted that in just one day, Snow Owl’s cultivation would skyrocket in a way that defied reason—even more absurd than Zhao Changhe’s cheat-like progress!

Of course, such sudden growth was not entirely unheard of. A cultivator might experience enlightenment one day and become vastly stronger the next. This kind of leap was rarely anticipated and often led to devastating surprises, a reversal of fortune born from the disparity in information. But usually, this kind of dramatic twist was reserved for protagonists. Zhao Changhe, deeply shocked, could not help but wonder. Is this guy actually the MC?

Yet the one most shocked after the exchange was Snow Owl himself.

When his sword sliced Zhao Changhe’s throat, he felt a fleeting moment of triumph, but it was quickly replaced by dread. The sword encountered no resistance, passing through as if slicing through an illusion. The Zhao Changhe before him shimmered like a mirage, and the real Zhao Changhe’s broad saber was already descending toward him with deadly precision.

This was no longer a game of stealth and evasion. The two combatants were now locked in brutal close combat, their proximity closer than ever before.

Snow Owl was utterly bewildered.

His recent breakthrough was extraordinary, born from absorbing the essence and intent of Dark Oblivion’s power—a feat as peculiar as it was dangerous. Unlike Wang Daoning, who had recklessly tried to assimilate the essence of the Sea Emperor and destroyed himself in the process, Snow Owl’s success lay in the unique nature of Dark Oblivion’s energy.

Dark Oblivion was essentially an avatar of the Primordial Demon God, a congregation of the world’s corrosive and shadowy intent. At its core, it functioned like a natural treasure—its essence could be absorbed and utilized by others. The only reason most people had not attempted it was a lack of knowledge and, more critically, a lack of suitable techniques.

But Snow Owl’s technique, which involved siphoning and assimilating others’ energy, was perfect for this situation. Armed with prior information about Dark Oblivion’s nature, he had managed a breakthrough that seemed like an act of providence.

His newfound strength made sense. But what completely baffled him was how Zhao Changhe appeared to have learned his own Shadow-Splitting Technique.

Did I barely survive death, only to discover... that I’m the treasure after all?

Despite facing an opponent who was at the Profound Control Realm, Zhao Changhe showed neither fear nor hesitation. His broad saber swung with unrelenting ferocity, and Snow Owl, despite his newfound Profound Control Realm-level power, could only just match him blow for blow. At least this time, he did not end up nearly crushed as he did the day before.

Meanwhile, Yue Hongling became one with her sword, soaring upward with fluid grace. Her longsword aimed straight at Snow Owl’s back—a two-pronged assault.

Snow Owl’s expression darkened as his figure blurred and multiplied.

Suddenly, seven or eight shadow clones of Snow Owl emerged, half attacking Zhao Changhe and half targeting Yue Hongling. This was no longer the same Shadow-Splitting Technique as before but an evolved version that had come to be after having incorporated Dark Oblivion’s profound control over shadows. While the clones were not truly corporeal, they were not harmless either. Identifying the real Snow Owl among them was a daunting task.

Zhao Changhe, however, responded with a horizontal slash. A surge of vicious blood qi surged outward, ensnaring every Snow Owl clone in its grasp.

Bloodied Mountains and Rivers rendered the duplicates incapable of concealing themselves. It could manipulate the vicious blood qi within all living things nearby. Those without it? Obvious fakes. This made it so that no guessing was required.

Yue Hongling, naturally attuned to Zhao Changhe’s vicious blood qi, felt the surge of energy and instantly understood. She adjusted her strikes accordingly, sending seven or eight blades of sword qi spiraling toward the shadows, with her strongest strike targeting Snow Owl’s real body.

The couple’s seamless coordination completely dismantled Snow Owl’s strategy.

Instinctively, Snow Owl reverted to his habitual avoidance of direct combat. He swiftly redirected Zhao Changhe’s Dragon Bird, deliberately ignored Yue Hongling’s piercing thrust aimed at his back, and dissolved into a shadowy afterimage. Yue Hongling’s sword struck only air as Snow Owl’s real body shot into the sky, retreating at high speed.

Yet, this time, his tried-and-true escape technique faltered.

To most who witnessed Snow Owl’s escape technique, it seemed like teleportation—an incomprehensible direct shift to a faraway point, nearly impossible to predict. But Zhao Changhe had studied the technique through the Heavenly Tome, even mimicking it earlier to dodge a fatal strike. He knew the so-called teleportation was in fact a normal movement through space and it followed a certain set trajectory. It was subtle... but the pattern was there.

As Snow Owl reappeared at his escape point, he found himself facing the tip of a sword.

River of Stars, seamlessly blending into the darkness of the night, was already waiting for him.

It was as if Snow Owl impaled himself on the sword. He barely managed to twist his body, causing the divine sword to graze his side instead of piercing through him. Even so, a trail of blood streamed from the wound.

“Zhao Changhe, you truly are not to be trifled with,” Snow Owl’s raspy voice echoed faintly before fading into the night. His pained breaths carried the sound of gritted endurance, and it was clear that he would not be able to recover to peak condition for some time.

Zhao Changhe and Yue Hongling exchanged a look and sighed in unison, shaking their heads.

Speed was still their greatest shortcoming—no matter how strong they became, catching up to someone like Snow Owl remained an unsolved problem.

“Forget it. Assassins like him rely entirely on speed and evasiveness. Back in Bashu, even Li Shentong couldn’t pin him down, and in the imperial palace, not even Xia Longyuan managed to force him to stay. As long as we’ve wounded him enough to keep him from causing trouble for a while, it’s enough. We’ve got room to grow, and next time, we’ll be able to deal with him properly.” Zhao Changhe, still rattled by the encounter, continued, “Damn it, though. I almost fell for his tricks. These assassins are seriously a pain to deal with.”

Yue Hongling nodded and said, “The fact that you managed to injure him this badly is already something to be proud of... And he’ll probably be less of a pain in the future.”

“What do you mean?”

“I left a trace of my Lingering Sunset Sword Qi in his body. It’s incredibly subtle. If he doesn’t notice it, we can use it to set a more targeted trap next time.”

Zhao Changhe was thrilled. “I knew that last strike of yours seemed a bit underwhelming. So that’s what you were up to!”

“With his ghostly speed, even an all-out strike wouldn’t have done much better. A little scheming seemed more practical,” Yue Hongling said with a smirk. “I guess your evil ways really are rubbing off on me. But still, since when does a hero get so excited about scheming? You’re ruining the reputation of the heroes of the jianghu.”

“Well, there’s a scheming heroine standing right next to me,” Zhao Changhe retorted, though he was not in the mood for too much humor. His tone grew serious. “But what really bothers me is how he suddenly seemed like he’d fused with Dark Oblivion itself. He’s never really manipulated shadows before, let alone have this level of control over them.”

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Yue Hongling tilted her head in thought, then said, “Could he have actually absorbed Dark Oblivion? I’ve heard stories about Wang Daoning absorbing the Sea Emperor’s yin qi, though it had flaws... But think about it—Shi Wuding was essentially Snow Owl’s sword slave, and Snow Owl has always specialized in those cultivation techniques that involve siphoning energy from others.”

“You... might actually be spot on,” said Zhao Changhe with a frown. “If that’s the case, then it might be possible for the same to happen to Desolate Calamity and the others or for them to do the same...”

Yue Hongling’s expression grew grim.

If it was only Snow Owl absorbing the power of a single demon god with a similar nature, it would not cause too much alarm. His cultivation technique had inherent limits, forcing him to remain specialized. The real concern lay in the possibility of a more compatible, immensely powerful demon god—one that could embody multiple attributes simultaneously.

For instance, within Kunlun, there were traces of chaos energy. Judging from Snow Owl’s abilities, the chaos attribute was not a good match for him. But was this chaos merely one aspect of various demon gods, or did it belong to a higher, more universal force? If all attributes could be subsumed into chaos and destruction, who could possibly resist a being that had absorbed multiple other demon gods?

Zhao Changhe muttered, “We may have stumbled upon the core issue here... I need to discuss this with Yuxu.”

Yue Hongling asked, “So, are we still heading to Miaojiang first?”

“Yes. I’ve got a bad feeling. With demon gods descending everywhere and dragons and serpents rising, who’s to say Miaojiang and the Spirit Tribe’s secret realms remain untouched? It’s been too long since we’ve last been there. I need to see the situation there myself to feel at ease.”

As they spoke, Snow-Treading Crow reappeared, cautiously peeking out from behind the clouds before gliding toward them.

“This guy... He’s really gotten the hang of hiding around and spectating, hasn’t he?” Zhao Changhe chuckled, his spirits inexplicably lifted. He swept Yue Hongling into his arms and leaped onto Snow-Treading Crow’s back. “To Miaojiang!”