Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 832: Catching Adulterers in the Long River of Time

Both Zhao Changhe and Piaomiao were certain this was precisely the time they had sought. Aside from feeling utterly drained, everything had gone perfectly. No harm had befallen their souls. Only some slight tremors remained.

Piaomiao bit her lower lip softly, her soul flushed with anticipation. “Should we... forge my physical body now?”

Her intent was clear. She wanted to indulge openly in pleasures she had long suppressed, offering herself willingly.

On the day of the heavens’ collapse, Zhao Changhe had abandoned all quests for ancient secrets, dedicating himself entirely to her happiness. Amidst ten li of blooming flowers, Piaomiao realized her feelings were no longer simply affection. She could not bear to leave him. The doubts regarding his heart matching hers vanished as he had already proven the truth in his words.

Zhao Changhe said, “From what I saw, we created your body within the Abyss of Jiuyou. I don’t know exactly why it had to be there, especially seeing as it was so dark, cold, and lifeless. I mean, even the lotus platform’s breath of life couldn’t dispel the chill.”

Resting in his embrace, Piaomiao pondered quietly. “Perhaps it’s because the Abyss of Jiuyou marks the boundary between life and death. It is the Underworld, in a sense. My rebirth likely requires the essence of that place.”

“Perhaps,” Zhao Changhe murmured, drawing her closer and kissing her softly. “Following the signs I’ve seen can’t be wrong, but there’s no rush. We’re both exhausted. We should rest and recover first.”

Recovery, naturally, meant dual cultivation.

Piaomiao closed her eyes submissively, allowing him to loosen her robes once again, exploring her soul intimately. The touch of souls surpassed physical sensation, and soon enough, she was lost in intoxicating euphoria.

Floating on clouds of pleasure, Piaomiao had never imagined herself surrendering so willingly to a man’s desires. She expressed no bashfulness, no coy resistance, just pure joy at his fervent attention. She wanted to craft a body not because she needed one to exist, but solely to enjoy this.

The emotions of the mortal realm were truly curious.

* * *

While Zhao Changhe and Piaomiao embraced passionately within the Heavenly Demon Illusion Realm, Ying Five was launching fierce attacks across the Western Regions.

As he had declared, he could transform from a mere bandit to a ruler whenever he wished. Since Zhao Changhe desired this, Ying Five had made it a reality.

Days later, amidst the turmoil of a war-torn Western Regions, a peculiar group of visitors arrived, scratching their heads at the distant battle.

They had come specifically to seek Ying Five’s assistance but had not expected to find him reveling in an all-out assault. It was, after all, a high-level cultivator that was bullying common soldiers with gleeful abandon.

“Is that Ying Five leading the charge?”

“Looks like it...”

“An expert at the Profound Control Realm is actually slaughtering ordinary soldiers? Does your Mounted Brigand Brotherhood have no shame?”

“What do you mean ’your’? How about returning all that money Ying Five and I earned through our private trades over the years? I didn’t eat sand in Huangsha Market all those years for nothing!”

“You were in Huangsha Market waiting to seduce my man, weren’t you?”

“Your man? He wasn’t yours back then. Zhao Changhe was my trusted subordinate, my Fire Pig of Shi! Don’t you have your own followers, Venerable Vermillion Bird? Must you steal from mine?”

The distant mortal battlefield was forgotten as divine powers erupted here.

“Stop fighting!” someone shouted, stamping their feet impatiently. “Ying Five’s involvement in the Western Region’s politics might disadvantage our Great Han Empire. How can you be fooling around at a time like this?”

The fighting duo twisted around simultaneously, snapping irritably, “That’s for you to worry about, Your Majesty, not us!”

Yue Hongling retreated a safe distance away, shaking her head silently. This was why she preferred to travel alone. Such a leaderless, chaotic group was destined for trouble. So much for the Empress’ personal campaign. It resembled more a casual undercover trip than an imperial march.

Xia Chichi seemed rather pleased, eager to fight after being confined too long in the palace. Even so, this was hardly the appropriate time. With the situation uncertain, staying hidden would have been wiser. Now, there was nowhere left to hide. Ying Five had already abandoned his own battle and swiftly approached them.

Yue Hongling and Xia Chichi both drew their swords defensively.

Sensing their hostility from afar, Ying Five halted abruptly, raising his hands in peace. “Relax.”

Xia Chichi narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“Would Your Majesty believe me if I said I was conquering the Western Regions as a gift to the empire?” Ying Five shrugged lazily. “Lady Three, quit fighting already. How about some wine instead?”

Lady Three promptly abandoned Huangfu Qing, eagerly joining Ying Five. “Wine? What kind?”

“Some exquisite wine plundered from a defeated king’s private collection.”

“Lead the way!”

Xia Chichi exploded furiously, “Aunt-Master! We’re here to find the ancient White Tiger, not for leisure!”

Ying Five chuckled dryly. “You didn’t head straight to Kunlun but sought me out first. Isn’t that because you need my help finding the place? There’s no need for such hostility. Truthfully, Zhao Changhe left here just days ago. I even guided him myself.”

The four women asked simultaneously, “Where is he now?”

Seeing the four women suddenly in unity, Ying Five softly sighed and waved his hand. “Zhao Changhe already told me why you’d come here. I’ve had people investigating the matter these past few days, and we’ve found some leads. Come with me.”

As his hand moved, space twisted. In the blink of an eye, they had all been transported to his stronghold, the same place Zhao Changhe had visited before.

Xia Chichi hesitated. “You and Zhao Changhe...”

“What do you think our relationship is?” Ying Five said flatly. “In any case, I’m not competing with you over a man, so relax.”

“...”

“If you’re curious, ask him yourself. Even if you don’t trust me, surely you trust Lady Three, even if she doesn’t look all that reliable.” Ying Five picked up a nearby booklet and tossed it to Xia Chichi. “Here.”

Xia Chichi opened it and stared, dumbfounded. It was a declaration of surrender.

Wait, what? This is how you hand that over? Anyone who doesn’t know better might think that this was a challenge to a duel.

“I’m surrendering my brother to you. That makes you my sister-in-law,” Ying Five said offhandedly, not bothering to explain further. He stood up and poured another round of wine for the group. “The worldly matters are settled. Aside from Jiuyou still stirring unrest, the tide of unity is inevitable. Focus on subduing Jiuyou and govern the rest well.”

The women exchanged glances, bewildered. What on earth had their husband gotten up to while out and about? Why did everything suddenly seem so simple?

Before they could snap out of it, Ying Five had already cut to the heart of the matter. “I’ve gone through the ancient records for you. According to the texts, at the end of the last era, the White Tiger disappeared under mysterious circumstances. The Night Emperor even issued an imperial edict to search for him but apparently could not find him.”

Lady Three said, “I’ve heard the White Tiger went mad and vanished. Did you discover anything more, Fifth Brother?”

“Judging by the state of the various spaces of the heavenly realm, if even the Night Emperor could not find him, there are only a few possibilities as to where he might have been. Either he was hidden away by Ye Jiuyou in the Abyss of Jiuyou, because that chaotic place defies all tracking, or he’s somewhere extremely unusual, where space and time flow erratically... like the Heavenly River, for example.”

Huangfu Qing nodded. “We’ve also suspected that he might be at the Heavenly River. Even the Night Emperor likely considered it, but it’s the kind of place where, even if you reach it, you may not find anyone hiding there. Forget about us; back then, even she was racing against time and came up empty-handed. We can’t even find the Heavenly River.”

“If things went as expected, the Heavenly River should still exist in this world,” Ying Five said, handing over a jade slip. “A place like that is too unique to vanish completely. Take a look at this.”

Huangfu Qing accepted the jade slip. “What is it?”

“It’s a personal imprint record from one of the Night Palace guards. It says that two nights before the upheaval, the Night Palace was robbed...”

“The Night Palace was robbed?”

“Not only robbed, but the Night Emperor was even there at the time. Word is, a very important lotus platform was stolen. The guards thought they were all going to be executed, but strangely, the Night Emperor never punished anyone.”

Everyone stared, stunned. Xia Chichi said, “Could it be the Night Emperor had a lover? Maybe she gave it to him and pretended it was stolen.”

Yue Hongling rolled her eyes. “Do you seriously think that the Night Emperor’s just another empress like you?”

“Well, you never know...” Xia Chichi raised her chin. “And what’s wrong with being an empress like me? I didn’t even lift a finger on the way here and my consort already took the Western Regions for me.”

Yue Hongling could not be bothered to respond. Your consort, huh? You’re the only one among us who hasn’t even held a proper wedding. You’re on the same level as Baoqin.

Ying Five chuckled. “After the thief stole the lotus platform, they vanished. A whole day passed before the upheaval of the heavens took place. During that day, one of the palace guards went out to investigate and discovered a strange stretch of riverbank where flowers had suddenly bloomed. He was on his way back to report it to the Night Emperor when the heavens collapsed. In a way, it was lucky. Had he returned, we would never have gotten this record. It only ended up in our hands because he died en route.”

Xia Chichi shot to her feet. “Whether or not this has anything to do with the White Tiger, we can trace that riverbank! At the very least, we can find one stretch of the Heavenly River!”

“Exactly...” Ying Five smiled. “With my treasure-hunting experience, we might even find the thief’s hideout. We might even be able to recover the lotus platform. As for the White Tiger, we’ll need to move along the river to reach other segments where he might be hiding.”

“There’s no time to lose. Let’s go now.” Huangfu Qing snatched Lady Three’s wine cup. “Put that down. We’ll drink water from the Heavenly River instead.”

“Gods know whose bathwater that is... You drink it if you love it so much,” Lady Three grumbled as she rose. “I thought I could get some sleep... Whatever, let’s go.”

They followed Ying Five to the place marked by the jade slip. He extended his senses, then began warping space as they traveled toward the Heavenly River.

When they reached the edge of the spatial barrier, Ying Five pressed his hand against it and paused in contemplation. “There’s a reaction inside. There might be an ancient remnant soul. Be cautious if you go in.”

“It could be the White Tiger,” Huangfu Qing said, bowing slightly. “Many thanks for your help, Lord Fifth. The White Tiger’s madness may cause trouble. We wouldn’t want to drag you into this.”

Ying Five smiled faintly. It was apparent to him that the Four Idols Cult had its secrets, and they were not keen on letting outsiders see one of their ancient gods in a crazed state. Too many secrets might be exposed. He did not press the issue and simply withdrew with a carefree wave. “Call me if you need anything. I’m off to war or something like that.”

Huangfu Qing watched as Ying Five departed, then turned to Lady Three with a puzzled expression. “Ying Five wasn’t this close to us before, was he? Even with you being a member of the brotherhood, it always felt like you were still a bit... distant.”

“Well, of course. My heart’s always been with the Four Idols Cult,” Lady Three said, scratching her head. “I’m not sure why he’s being so friendly this time either. He’s really treating us like his own.”

“You don’t think there’s some trap hidden in this space, do you?” Huangfu Qing murmured. “Something just feels... off.”

“Eh, Fifth Brother’s at least not that kind of person,” Lady Three replied, though she too let out a sigh. “But I admit, I’m also feeling a little uneasy. I can’t explain why. Maybe it’s just the discomfort of facing the unknown behind this barrier...”

Yue Hongling said, “We’re still better off. At most, we’re facing the White Tiger. It’s Changhe I’m worried about. He went alone to face Jiuyou and Piaomiao. Who knows how he’s doing now...”

Xia Chichi added, “Maybe all this unease is just our anxiety for Changhe. It’s fine. The Tome of Troubled Times hasn’t announced anything. That means he’s safe, at least. Let’s focus on our task first. We’ll go help him afterward.”

The four women exchanged looks and nodded in unison. “We go in together. No splitting up.”

With the strength they now possessed, there was little to fear when they formed up into a formation. Even if there was a trap inside, unless the Night Emperor descended personally, they had little to worry about.

The four of them gathered their strength, fully alert, and broke through the barrier as one.

Oddly, there was no trap... Rather, the sheer force of their combined energy triggered a latent remnant soul within the river, causing it to react in aggression.

A wisp of faint purple aura surged forth, accompanied by a spiritual attack that seemed to accelerate life itself, sending one rushing straight toward death.

The four of them struck out in unison while maintaining formation. “Which ancient senior dwells here? We mean no harm—”

A surprised female voice rose from within the river. “Hmm... the Four Idols Formation?”

The voice was melodious, but with it came a flurry of chaos. The force that had been accelerating time suddenly turned to block the purple qi in panic. Clearly, the presence of the Four Idols Formation had thrown the attacker into disarray—perhaps even fear—causing internal conflict.

So, the Four Idols Formation truly is formidable.

Then the voice came again from within the waters, “What’s with you, Changhe... Why are you blocking me...”

The four women, still maintaining the formation, froze in stunned confusion. Then, as one, they frantically shifted the formation’s force to redirect the full blast away from the source, slamming it into the river instead, sending up a massive spray.

With a great rush of water and mist, their husband came into view, frantically trying to conjure clothes out of thin air as he fled, clutching a completely naked woman in his arms.

“Zhao Changhe, get your ass back here!” The Four Idols Formation roared to life, unleashing a storm of force at the level of the third layer of Profound Control, smashing down on the man’s path without mercy.

Zhao Changhe skidded to a halt midair, retreating in a panic.

“We’re out here worried sick about you, thinking of ways to help you, and you’re in here hooking up with some random vixen! Say it, who the hell is she?!”

BOOM!

The power of the formation exploded all around him. Zhao Changhe curled up in the center, arms over his head, taking cover like a cornered criminal.

Piaomiao finally registered what was happening and folded her arms wordlessly, brooding. A moment of passion and affection... and she had forgotten the man had not just a wife, but a whole collection of them.

What kind of twisted fate was this? Of all places, even in a secret realm she couldn’t avoid getting caught mid-tryst.

Amid the spray of water and swirling mist, four stunning women descended like immortal fairies, surrounding Piaomiao with extremely unfriendly expressions.

Xia Chichi blinked. “She kind of... looks like a grown-up Yang... Oh.”

The four said in unison, “Piaomiao!”

Piaomiao sighed. “So this is what it feels like to be caught in a secret realm and mistaken for some ancient demon god. How does that feel? Feel good?”

With a poof, Zhao Changhe lost his humanoid form, turning into a white orb that floated pitifully away.

Lady Three plucked him right out of the air, tossed him up, and gave him a spinning kick that sent him flying into the horizon.

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