Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 808: No Avatar Required

The Frost Chi, the tangible manifestation of the world’s very essence of ice and frost, stood at the second layer of the Profound Control Realm.

Once, it had reigned supreme at the peak of the second layer, and even the ancient Black Tortoise had failed to kill it, able only to seal it away. That very battle likely caused grievous injuries to the ancient Black Tortoise, ultimately leading to its death amidst the collapse of the era.

In other words, the Frost Chi was by no means weaker than the ancient Black Tortoise. They were essentially equals.

Yet it had been sealed away for an entire era, its icy essence continually drained in order to keep something suppressed. Currently, its power hovered somewhere between the initial and middle stages of the second layer, though closer to the lower end. Thus, it occupied only the eighth and final rank on the Ranking of Demon Gods.

Even in his No Man’s Land state, Zhao Changhe maintained clear combat awareness. In their violent clash of energies, a realization crystallized clearly within his mind. This was the absolute peak Tngri could achieve as a representative of the tngri, a power that matched Xia Longyuan at his strongest.

To defeat Tngri, they needed the mortal battles to disrupt the qi veins directed toward him and suppress his power. They had joined forces, forming an intricate formation, wielding divine artifacts, and despite everything, they ended up heavily wounded, only narrowly grasping a miserable victory.

Yet now, Zhao Changhe realized that if he no longer held back, his strength was nearly on par with Tngri’s. He might be slightly weaker, but with Ying Five’s intervention, it would become a stalemate.

It was astonishing to think that before he realized it, he had already reached such heights.

Having forsaken spatial defenses, Zhao Changhe knew that although spiritual attacks were ineffective against him in his No Man’s Land state, the extreme cold of the surroundings was beginning to inflict frostbite on his body. The longer this dragged on, the worse off he would be. He had to end this swiftly, but could he truly finish a fight quickly against an opponent of this caliber?

Actually, there was a possibility.

After all, he had only just broken through to the second layer of the Profound Control Realm a mere two days prior during his study of the Four Idols Formation. No one in the world was aware of it yet. Judging from the battle reports on the Rankings of Troubled Times, everyone believed Zhao Changhe still remained at the first layer, and he had suppressed his power on the way here. There was absolutely no way the Frost Chi knew that he was at the second layer.

This gap in information was the key to victory.

Clang!

The Frost Chi’s arm of ice parried Dragon Bird, a rush of extreme frost and terrible strength surging forth. Zhao Changhe’s face was instantly covered with frost and he instinctively bent backward under the unbearable pressure, seemingly overwhelmed and unable to move.

With its other hand, the Frost Chi deflected Ying Five’s copper-coin attack, a savage sneer crossing its glacial features. “So this is all that the number one on the Ranking of Heaven can muster. Just another successor of Lie... Even if Lie himself appeared here today, he would still taste defeat, so what chance could you possibly have? Your flesh and blood shall become the final bit of nourishment I need, and I will finally escape this abyss!”

Unbearably cold energy gathered behind Zhao Changhe, swiftly creeping toward his heart from behind, attempting to bypass his flesh and freeze his very internal organs solid.

An assault from behind, relentless oppression from the front. Zhao Changhe appeared immobilized, seemingly about to become a lifeless ice sculpture.

Ying Five was greatly alarmed. With a wave of his hand, countless coins cascaded across the sky. Some of the coins shielded Zhao Changhe from the icy chill, while the others restrained the Frost Chi’s power.

“This Ying Five is quite impressive. He’s hid his strength quite deeply,” Ye Jiuyou casually commented from afar. “The kind of spatial techniques he’s grasped allows him to direct a single strike toward multiple different spaces. Unfortunately, he needs a medium, and that delays the attack’s effect by a moment. The Frost Chi can easily afford to take a strike like that directly. As long as it manages to kill Zhao Changhe, it can then easily deal with Ying Five later.”

Their exchange was not through words, but through instant communication between divine souls, thus lasting only a fleeting instant.

Yet in that brief instant, even before Piaomiao could respond, the battlefield underwent an abrupt shift.

Zhao Changhe suddenly abandoned his saber, twisted his body, and stepped away.

Who would dare let go of their weapon while locked in a contest of strength? The opponent’s strike would surely follow through, cleaving down to sever head from body.

However, the Frost Chi was bewildered to realize that it was stopped firmly by the saber, unable to push it down even an inch. The weapon had a spirit and it was wielding itself, needing no strength from Zhao Changhe. Meanwhile, Zhao Changhe had already slipped away and a black sword inexplicably materialized in his grasp.

A familiar aura from the sword sparked instinctive terror within the Frost Chi. “Ye Wu—”

The last syllable had not even left its lips when the black sword was already at his throat.

That was no longer speed; it was teleportation. From where it was initially to the Frost Chi’s throat, there had been no transition, no movement through the air. It had simply been a frame-skipping leap through space.

Teleportation!

The Frost Chi had no time to evade. It hurriedly conjured a protective barrier of profound ice over its throat. Based on the power Zhao Changhe had previously displayed, this sword strike was incapable of piercing its defenses.

Yet once again, Zhao Changhe surpassed the Frost Chi’s expectations. This strike erupted with more than double his previous strength, effortlessly shattering this profound ice, tough as metal, as though it were a hot knife slicing through butter. It then cut into the Frost Chi’s neck, sending its head spinning into the air.

Ye Jiuyou: “...”

Piaomiao: “...”

He hid his true strength. He’s already reached the second layer of the Profound Control Realm... and he has even mastered spatial techniques. That sword strike was actually based on two different things. The first was teleportation, while the second was a spatial rupture at the moment of contact. The Frost Chi’s head was separated from its body by the collapse and separation of space itself, not by sword qi. Mere sword qi could never achieve such an effect.

These were the killing techniques lovingly taught by Little Starry to her father.

Piaomiao’s lips twitched slightly, realizing that if Zhao Changhe had hidden his strength to launch such a sudden strike against her, even she might have fallen into the trap. Of course, she was far stronger than the Frost Chi and had countless means at her disposal, so she would be able to deal with it. But the Frost Chi was not she. For the Frost Chi, this strike was decisively, lethally, and devastatingly perfect.

She softly sighed and said, “The Frost Chi isn’t dead. As the embodiment of cold itself, it will never perish so long as the concept of cold persists in the world. Can Zhao Changhe truly resolve such an existence?”

At that moment, the Frost Chi’s flying head coincidentally collided with Ying Five’s copper coins and shattered on impact. There was no blood spilled, only shards of ice scattered, along with a pair of eyeballs bouncing chaotically in different directions.

Even Ying Five himself had not anticipated this outcome. Staring blankly, he watched the Frost Chi’s headless body stand stiffly in place.

Could victory truly have been this simple?

But Zhao Changhe swiftly grabbed Dragon Bird, unleashing sword and saber in tandem, slashing the headless body into small chunks.

Realizing the truth, Ying Five shouted, “Its presence still lingers! It’s not truly dead!”

Two copper coins accurately smashed the bouncing eyeballs to pieces, but the Frost Chi’s essence persisted in the air, undiminished and indestructible.

The Frost Chi’s chilling voice echoed from all directions, “Where did you get that sword?”

Zhao Changhe replied indifferently, “I told you, Ye Wuming has nothing but looks. Only a fool would tremble at the mere mention of her name.”

Denied the answer he sought, the Frost Chi remained silent for a moment, then slowly spoke, “You...are indeed powerful. But what if you are? Even the Black Tortoise could not kill me, do you believe yourselves superior? Leave this place immediately, and I will pretend this never happened. Stay, and you will freeze to death. In the end, I win.”

Zhao Changhe’s entire body was already covered in layers of frost, severe frostbite spreading rapidly across his skin. Ying Five fared somewhat better, but his prolonged spatial isolation had greatly drained him, and the protective barrier of space around him teetered precariously. Zhao Changhe had endured immense torment for physical cultivation, and his body was tough, but once Ying Five’s defenses were shattered, he would die instantly.

Zhao Changhe’s brow furrowed as he carefully assessed his surroundings. This truly was a troublesome situation. Even if they wished to emulate the Black Tortoise’s sealing methods, no one present knew such ancient sealing techniques. Even Lady Three herself would be at a loss. Too many ancient secrets had vanished into oblivion. Could Lady Three improvise a sealing method from her knowledge alone? And even if she could, how long would it take?

Oh, right. Maybe the Heavenly Tome can deduce such a method?

Ying Five smiled faintly and said, “I planned my vengeance for thirty years. What makes you think I have not foreseen something like this?”

He gently unfolded his palm. A peculiar energy bloomed in his hand, unfolding gracefully like petals.

The Frost Chi’s voice resounded, startled and alarmed, “A single flower, a whole world...”

Ying Five murmured quietly, dreamily, “I expected to be unable to kill you for whatever reason, so it’s fine if you live. Instead, I will create an isolated realm, trapping your entire consciousness within it forever. No matter how many eras pass, you will remain confined, eternally imprisoned in darkness, never again to see the light of day.”

As Ying Five’s words faded, the blossoming flower expanded magnificently, gradually flooding the entire abyss.

The Frost Chi sneered mockingly, “Your power is insufficient for such a feat! How could you possibly be capable of creating and controlling an entirely new, independent dimension from nothing?”

“Who said anything about creating it from nothing?” Ying Five calmly smiled. “Is my body not an independent realm completely under my own control?”

Genuine shock now overtook the Frost Chi. “You’re insane!”

“My entire existence has been for this day. Where’s the madness in that?” Ying Five’s figure began to swell, making him look more and more like the indulgent merchant he purported himself to be. He turned to Zhao Changhe with a gentle smile. “Forget about being Zhao Four, lest Sian cry his eyes out... How about I offer you my spot as the fifth? The Mounted Brigand Brotherhood will be yours from now on.”

A single flower petal gently brushed Zhao Changhe’s shoulder, and with a distortion of space, Zhao Changhe instantly vanished, reappearing safely beyond the ice abyss.

Teleportation.

Piaomiao sighed softly. “Eras come and go, yet heroes remain. This matter has reached its conclusion...”

Ye Jiuyou, however, just smirked. “I think not. Zhao Changhe would never just stand idly by.”

Before her voice even settled, a tremendous explosion rocked the depths of the icy abyss.

It was not Ying Five detonating himself but the Frost Chi gathering every ounce of frost it could muster, aiming to kill Ying Five before the sealing was complete.

Yet Ying Five smiled calmly, not even trying to stop it. This was precisely the moment he had anticipated. Though he claimed he would self-destruct, his bloated appearance was merely a facade. He did not know any self-detonation techniques. He had been baiting the Frost Chi into doing the job for him. Once his physical form exploded, his flesh and blood would saturate the space, permanently constructing a prison dimension from his own essence. Neither the Frost Chi nor whatever hidden menace it was suppressing could ever escape again.

But suddenly, space warped around him, and Ying Five found himself inexplicably standing outside the icy abyss. Behind him stood colossal ice beasts, all staring at him dumbfounded.

The ground trembled violently beneath his feet, and the thousand-zhang-deep abyss erupted wildly. Even from where he stood, he could clearly feel the aftershocks.

Ying Five’s heart filled with dread. Substitution! Zhao Changhe had swapped places with him, bearing the full brunt of the blast in his stead!

Madness overtaking him, Ying Five charged frantically back into the shattered abyss, only to be met with a gruesome sight.

Amidst the devastation, Zhao Changhe stood blood-soaked yet straight as an arrow, holding both sword and saber crossed before him.

No defense could withstand the sheer scale of an explosion from the frost energy saturating the abyss. He had, at best, shielded his vital organs, yet his body was a gruesome sight. His flesh was shredded, and his bones were exposed. Yet, Zhao Changhe still stood unwavering. Slowly, he relaxed his grip on his sword and saber, reaching out with a trembling hand. The blast had vastly depleted the frosty energy in the area, reducing it significantly. With this simple grasp, Zhao Changhe captured the remaining cold within his palm, where it coalesced into a tiny, hornless ice dragon that squirmed desperately to escape his grasp.

He had manifested the intangible!

In essence, Zhao Changhe had used the residual cold lingering here to “create” a miniature Frost Chi. He had just transformed the conceptual embodiment of cold back into a tangible, concrete existence.

“Earlier, the frost was too overwhelming for me to attempt this. But since you chose to blow yourself up, I’ll graciously accept the gift.” Zhao Changhe clutched the tiny Frost Chi in his right hand, while his left slowly drew out a golden arrow. “I don’t know and don’t care about how the Black Tortoise once sealed you, nor do I intend to seal you again. The world’s cold doesn’t need a demon god as its avatar; cold should be nothing but normal cold. You don’t need form or consciousness. What is passive should return to passivity. Stop putting on airs.”

The Frost Chi, sensing the deadly threat of the golden arrow, frantically twisted and writhed. “Stop! You’re insane! This defies the Heavenly Dao itself! Even Ye Wuming merely dared to seal me. You defy the order of the world? The era will collapse once more!”

The golden arrow hovered menacingly over the Frost Chi’s head. Zhao Changhe’s voice dropped dangerously low, “One final question: What exactly did she seal here with you?”

“How would I know?!” The Frost Chi struggled desperately. “It’s a fragment of hatred, hatred strong enough to overturn the entire world! I don’t know whose it is! But listen, you cannot kill me! Only my extreme frost can suppress it. If you kill me, whatever was suppressed here will escape! And if it escapes, you’re all doomed!”

“That’s Ye Wuming’s problem. She stirred up this karma, she guided me here. Naturally, she’ll resolve what follows. My only job is ensuring a demon god like you disappears for good.”

As he spoke, Zhao Changhe ruthlessly plunged the golden arrow straight through the Frost Chi’s body, impaling it from head to tail like skewering a small fish.

The Frost Chi let out a painful, despairing scream, twisting and thrashing until it gradually fell silent.

The miniature ice dragon shattered into countless crystalline sparks, drifting softly into the void. It was a dazzling and breathtaking scene.

The cold lingered in the air, yet the presence of the demon god had utterly vanished. Only that maddening whispering intensified, echoing ever louder.

Exhausted, Zhao Changhe sank to one knee, sword and saber propped shakily against the ground. “Fifth Brother... If you keep standing there watching dumbly, I’m seriously going to go mad from these whispers. Help me shield myself. I’ve got nothing left...”

Ying Five pursed his lips and approached slowly, eyes filled with complicated emotions. “Do you realize how severely wounded you are? One misstep now, and it won’t just be an injury. You’ll drop dead right here.”

“Cut the crap. If I didn’t know that already, why would I ask you to shield me?”

“No, I mean the blast you took earlier. You should’ve died.”

“If I took that hit, I might’ve died or might’ve survived. If you took it, you would’ve died without a doubt.”

“That was the whole point. I was ready for that.”

“I knew you were ready before we even entered. Like I said, too many who’ve partnered with me have fallen already. I refuse to let that happen again.”

“...”

“Now quit wasting time. I’m about to lose it, damn it!”

Without another word, Ying Five grasped Zhao Changhe’s shoulder, and both of them instantly vanished from sight.

A graceful figure quietly emerged, a slender hand waving gently to block Ye Jiuyou’s intrusive gaze. “What are you staring at?”

Ye Jiuyou sneered, “Behaving like this will only make Zhao Changhe despise you. He has the right to know everything clearly.”

Ye Wuming replied indifferently, “Indeed he does.”

Ye Jiuyou asked with narrowed eyes, “What exactly was sealed there? Why didn’t I ever know about it?”

“There are many things you don’t know...” Ye Wuming ceased responding to her sister, slowly approaching the original site where the Frost Chi had been sealed. She reached out her hand, placing it gently on the center of the now-empty seal.

Golden light flashed across the heavens, but the subsequent record contained only a few short sentences, completely belying the magnitude of the battle.

The fourth month, Pure Brightness[1], Ying Five invited Zhao Changhe to slay the Frost Chi in the Abyss of Extreme Frost and avenge his old friends.

The Frost Chi, 8th on the Ranking of Demon Gods, has been destroyed in body and soul, thereby permanently ceasing to exist. It shall thus be removed from the rankings.

The cold of the world will no longer have an avatar.

1. This is the 5th of the 24 solar terms. ☜

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