Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 842: Severed Arm

Whatever the Sword Emperor truly intended remained unclear for now. But with his carefree departure, the chaotic struggle for White Tiger had at last subsided into something simpler. Now, it was only an “internal conflict.”

Ye Jiuyou stood with her arms crossed, sneering coldly at Zhao Changhe. Han Wubing remained silent, motionless, his thoughts unreadable.

But Zhao Changhe did not spare either of them so much as a glance. Instead, he focused wholly on Yue Hongling, cradling her carefully as he activated the Rejuvenation Art to heal her wounds.

Compared to the so-called core of all these disputes, White Tiger, Yue Hongling’s injuries were infinitely more important to Zhao Changhe.

Ye Jiuyou’s face darkened further. frёewebηovel.cѳm

“Just a single strike, and the damage is already this troublesome...” Sensing the chaotic sword qi churning within Yue Hongling’s body, Zhao Changhe’s expression grew grim. “That old man calls this showing proper restraint? It feels more like he knew he couldn’t win cleanly with so many people around, so he made a show of being magnanimous.”

Yue Hongling gave a soft laugh. “He’s technically your distant master. You learned quite a bit from him. Do you really have to speak so poorly of him?”

Zhao Changhe scowled. “I never formally acknowledged him as my master, nor did he willingly teach us anything. Everything we gained, we bled and fought for in the secret realm. If it weren’t for Little Bird’s help back then, we and the entire Tang Clan would’ve been slaughtered by that vicious sword he left behind. I’m supposed to thank him for that?”

In truth, few among the current generation viewed ancient legacies with the reverence of a true apprentice. Most considered them fortunes seized by blood and grit, no different from claiming a rare heavenly treasure. At best, they might acknowledge a sense of karmic debt or vow to honor the legacy left behind, but few would bow their heads and truly call the dead “Master.”

Thus, when Azure Dragon left his seal without any traps or barriers, it was because he understood that his time was truly over and wished to leave behind a final act of goodwill. In return, the Four Idols Cult had indeed honored him with a proper burial. They just had not expected Jiuyou to later desecrate his remains and turn him into a puppet.

Zhao Changhe muttered, “If we’d met under normal circumstances, maybe I would respect him somewhat. But he hurt you—”

Yue Hongling smiled gently. “Sharp sword qi always causes such wounds. It’s different from your mystical arts. It wasn’t deliberate. Don’t sulk over it. Truthfully, I gleaned much from his sword intent today. Things that had long been hazy in my heart are now clear.”

Zhao Changhe’s brow furrowed. “Then... what was his final meaning?”

“The Sword Emperor embodies the collective culmination of swordsmanship across eras. He and White Tiger seem close, but the idea of the White Tiger represents more than just the sword. It encompasses many paths. If the Sword Emperor sought to break through his final shackles, then assimilating White Tiger’s intent would have been the perfect way to do so.” She smiled slightly and continued, “Earlier, when he urged me to take White Tiger’s place, none of us realized it. But without even trying, I accomplished something he had been pursuing since the last era. Something he failed to achieve. During today’s battle, perhaps the one feeling the most conflicted... was the Sword Emperor himself.”

Zhao Changhe mused, “But he’s already at the third layer of the Profound Control Realm, the pinnacle of the mortal realm. Is there even any further to go beyond that? Something like the Heavenly Dao?”

Saying this, he finally turned his gaze toward Ye Jiuyou. Ye Jiuyou simply sneered and said nothing.

In these few brief exchanges, Zhao Changhe had already dissipated the chaotic sword qi within Yue Hongling’s body. He bent down, gently kissing her pale lips, then helped her lean against a nearby stone to rest. “The sword qi is gone, but the damage to your meridians and internal organs won’t heal so quickly. Rest for now. Don’t recklessly move your true qi.”

From nowhere, Cui Yuanyang appeared, hopping lightly over. “I’ll take care of Big Sis Yue!”

“Thank you, Yangyang,” Yue Hongling said, her eyes flickering toward Ye Jiuyou and Han Wubing. “You really don’t need my help dealing with them? They are no simpletons.”

Zhao Changhe shook his head. He rose, walking forward until he stood face-to-face with Han Wubing.

At that moment, Han Wubing no longer resembled the calm, aloof swordsman he once was. There was a slight madness in his gaze, a turbulent surge boiling within his soul sea—obvious signs of merging with the maddened White Tiger. Though he could suppress the madness for now, it was clearly a struggle.

His outward appearance remained Han Wubing’s. The White Tiger had fused into him, but it was Han Wubing who remained dominant, not the other way around.

The two stared at each other in silence for a long moment. At last, Zhao Changhe spoke quietly, “In all that chaos just now, you could’ve fled easily. Why didn’t you?”

Han Wubing answered, “I must face it.”

“Face the conflict between us and White Tiger? Or face the moment when you watched me flee for my life and did nothing? Or face the fact that you raised your sword against Chichi?”

Han Wubing paused, then said slowly, “I must face all of it.”

“Recently, the most pressing thing on my mind was separating Yangyang and Piaomiao into two independent people,” Zhao Changhe said. “I didn’t expect that today, I’d encounter someone else who instead chose to willingly merge with another.”

“It’s different.” Han Wubing sighed. “I was always part of White Tiger. Without each other, neither of us is complete. Without me, White Tiger has no sword bone; he’d be little more than a mad beast, fleeing and hiding. Without him, I had an incomplete soul, leaving me vulnerable to soul and spiritual invasions. You’ve seen it yourself; I was even reduced to a sword slave. We must become one. It was always necessary.”

“So... the things White Tiger sought to do, you intend to do as well.”

“Yes.”

“So you’re no longer the Han Wubing I once knew, you’re simply White Tiger now, aren’t you?”

“Not entirely. Aside from White Tiger’s goals, it is still my will that remains dominant.”

“And what are White Tiger’s goals?”

Han Wubing fell silent. After a long pause, he finally said, “First, I would never willingly become part of the Four Idols Formation. I would rather destroy it. Therefore, I will not submit to the Four Idols Cult, which means... I will not follow you.”

“Is that why you raised your sword against Chichi? You’ve come to despise the Four Idols, especially those who have taken your place.”

“Yes.”

Xia Chichi smiled coldly.

Zhao Changhe continued, “And your failure to aid me when I was in mortal danger, was that related?”

Han Wubing sighed. “That was because I had faith in you. I believed Papiyas couldn’t kill you.”

“That faith might have been misplaced,” Zhao Changhe said coldly. “I am the new Night Emperor, and you cannot stand this system. You may not have intended to kill me yourself, but if others struck the blow, it wouldn’t have been your concern, would it?”

Han Wubing lowered his gaze. “I won’t lie. At the time, I didn’t consciously think that way. But as for whether some subconscious part of me felt so... I can’t be sure.”

But it was clear enough.

Had there been no such resentment, no such subconscious darkness, he would have acted instinctively to help a friend in peril without a second thought.

It would be exactly what Zhao Changhe would have done for him. Even now, despite everything between them, Zhao Changhe had decisively ordered Piaomiao to prevent Ye Jiuyou from seizing White Tiger. He did so not because he wished to save Ye Jiuyou but because he did not want Han Wubing to be turned into a corpse puppet.

Between grievous injury and soul enslavement, the choice was obvious.

Han Wubing understood this well. That was why he had not fled amidst the chaos. Even knowing the danger of staying, even knowing he was no match for the gathering of forces here, he had remained. He had to face this reckoning.

Zhao Changhe spoke slowly, “I understand the root of White Tiger’s madness. His hatred of the Night Emperor’s system, of the Four Idols, even of the world itself, is not baseless. From his perspective, he’s not wrong. He’s a tragic figure, and I don’t blame him.”

Han Wubing lifted his head, meeting Zhao Changhe’s gaze.

Zhao Changhe said, “But I do blame you. No matter the reasons, even if we stood on opposite sides, as my friend, you should have told me. We could have found a way, a solution we both could live with. Instead, you chose silence. You let what could have been resolved through words rot into what we have now. Do you know how much strength I expended, how many strings I pulled behind the scenes, just trying to find you? Did you think I was hunting you to kill you? Is that why you hid even deeper, choosing to conspire with the likes of Papiyas and Snow Owl rather than speak a single word to me?”

Han Wubing sighed heavily. “You’ve got it wrong. I only wanted to spare you the pain. The Four Idols are your women.”

“And now you think I am spared?” Zhao Changhe’s voice was icy. “The conflict you had with the Four Idols was once only a matter of principle. It could have been solved. But from the moment you pointed your sword at Chichi, you made it real.”

Han Wubing remained silent.

Zhao Changhe’s voice dropped to a low, dangerous tone. “You and I once agreed to duel one day, but back then, Chichi and the others interrupted us. The fight became nothing more than a playful sparring match, and in the end, neither of us was satisfied. As our bond grew deeper, we found it even harder to truly fight.”

Han Wubing said lightly, “Another reason we never fought... was because you advanced too quickly. I was no longer your match.”

Zhao Changhe slowly drew Dragon Bird, pointing the broad saber straight at him. “Now, you’re at the third layer of the Profound Control Realm, unstable as it may be. And I am at the peak of the second layer. Would you say it’s a fair match?”

Han Wubing did not draw his sword. He stood there, staring at the familiar saber without speaking.

To call this a duel would be a lie. This was a severance.

When bonds are strong, true fighting is impossible. One holds back instinctively, unwilling to cause harm. But this time, every strike could wound, every strike could maim, because there was no holding back anymore.

Compared to the wrath that should have fallen upon White Tiger, this was merciful. Only Zhao Changhe would stand against him, not the full might of the Four Idols Formation. Yet Han Wubing showed no joy. He felt only a deep, hollow ache.

After a long silence, he suddenly drew his sword and chopped it down onto his own forearm.

The severed limb flew through the air, blood splattering.

All of the women stared in shock. The severed arm arced precisely toward Xia Chichi. Instinctively, she reached out and caught it, her hands hesitating slightly.

Is this... an apology?

But Han Wubing said no words of repentance. His face paled from blood loss, but he showed no emotion. His voice remained as cold and flat as ever as he said, “Truthfully, today’s so-called chaotic battle was not entirely chaotic. On the surface, the Sword Emperor wanted to kill me, but we had actually conspired together, staging a drama aimed at Ye Jiuyou. It was you who disrupted it, so... I do not owe you entirely.”

Ye Jiuyou stared at Han Wubing, a strange look flashing across her face.

Zhao Changhe turned his gaze toward the severed arm lying in Xia Chichi’s hands but said nothing.

Han Wubing spoke calmly, “Of course, Ye Jiuyou is not someone so easily dealt with. No matter what we plotted, success was never guaranteed. In any case, the plan was disrupted midway, so the result now is no longer important. What matters is this: with that severed arm, you now possess the complete White Tiger inheritance. What you sought, you have already obtained. Whether you kill me or not, Ye Jiuyou will not get me.”

Zhao Changhe was silent for a long moment before finally answering, “True.”

“Then will you kill me?”

Zhao Changhe gave no reply.

Han Wubing chuckled quietly, turned, and walked away. “Our duel still hasn’t happened. Perhaps the next time we meet, it will.”

Zhao Changhe suddenly tossed two bottles toward him. “One is for stopping the bleeding, and the other is for calming the soul. White Tiger’s madness may be incurable, but at least you can stabilize your soul sea without forcing yourself to suppress it. Next time we meet, I expect you to have fully stabilized yourself at the third layer.”

Han Wubing caught the bottles in one hand and left without another word.

Ye Jiuyou made a slight movement as if to give chase, but Zhao Changhe, still turned away, casually swept his blade to the right, barring her path.

Ye Jiuyou halted, her face cold. “So the Sword Emperor is a magnanimous senior, while Han Wubing is a former friend. Only I, Ye Jiuyou, am your enemy?”

Zhao Changhe sighed. “Did you not hear what Han Wubing said? They plotted to kill you, and it was us who ruined it. We saved you.”

Ye Jiuyou sneered and said, “And did you not hear him say their plan wasn’t certain to succeed? Besides, I would never have died. From my perspective, you simply meddled where you shouldn’t have.”

“Is that so?” Zhao Changhe finally turned to look at her. “Beyond meddling, don’t you realize we had another choice?”

Everyone knew it well. The Four Idols Cult and Ye Jiuyou were natural enemies. Even the unification of the divine land remained stalled because Ye Jiuyou supported Guanlong. The “other choice” was simple. If they had taken advantage of the Sword Emperor and Han Wubing’s assault to join in and strike Ye Jiuyou together, no matter what contingencies she had prepared, she would have died without question.

However, they had not done so. They had stepped into the open, fighting to save her, and even later, when Zhao Changhe and Piaomiao appeared, it was to prevent a tragic outcome between her and Han Wubing.

“And what, am I supposed to be grateful you spared my life?” Ye Jiuyou said coldly. “Now that you have barred my pursuit of White Tiger, you have made yourself my enemy. You are not just a rival. This is a blood feud. Do you understand?”

“I understand,” Zhao Changhe said calmly. “But I also think that you’re walking down a path even you are not truly certain of. When you do these things, are you truly resolute and without hesitation?”

Ye Jiuyou sneered. “You think you know everything?”

“I know enough, and I know that the thing you’re chasing is garbage that even Ye Wuming discarded. Not just garbage, but dead garbage.”

Ye Jiuyou stiffened slightly.

“No matter how you spin it, this path cannot be right... Unless you’re not seeking the ’right’ path at all. Perhaps you’re seeking only knowledge or a reference point. But even if that’s the case, there are better ways.” He pointed lightly toward himself and the others. “For instance, the living Four Idols stand right before you. Isn’t that a better reference?”

Ye Jiuyou blinked, a flicker of emotion flashing across her face.

“I’ve told you that I would help you, it’s just that you didn’t believe in me.” He paused, then looked at the severed arm with a hint of sorrow. “I said the same to Wubing. If he had come to me sooner, we could have found a way before everything became irreconcilable. It’s the same with you. Once you give up slaughter and annihilation, there is no more enmity between us. If you are willing to lay your heart bare, there’s nothing that can’t be solved.”

He exhaled lightly, then added with a sudden harshness, “But some people are blind, and it’s not just with their eyes but their mouths too. Their mouths are stitched even tighter than their asses. At least an ass can let out a fart. What’s the point of a mouth if you never use it properly?”

Ye Wuming: “...”

Ye Jiuyou thought he was cursing her. So, furious, she snapped, “Your mouth is the asshole! You dare pretend righteousness now? If I had asked your wives to assist me in my research, you would never have agreed. Don’t act so noble!”

“And why wouldn’t I agree? You didn’t try to capture them. You chose instead to target the ancient corpses of the Four Idols. Wasn’t that already an act of good faith?” Zhao Changhe said. “To be honest, I had always suspected your plan was aimed at Lady Three and Qing’er. It surprised me that you never acted against them.”

“You guessed right,” Ye Jiuyou said with a cold smile. “Why do you think I tried to trap you in the abyss? Of course it was because I thought that if the opportunity arose, then I could simply capture your women.”

Her tone was harsh, but the women nearby merely smiled faintly, saying nothing.

Perhaps Ye Jiuyou had indeed once entertained such thoughts. But judging from her actions today, she had not pursued them. Or perhaps, seeing that they had risked themselves to save her, she could no longer bring herself to repay kindness with treachery.

Either way, Ye Jiuyou’s attitude was far different from what everyone had imagined of an ultimate villainess.

Had she truly been like the ancient Jiuyou—cold, ruthless, and cruel—she would never have hesitated over matters like gratitude or betrayal.

“Was it just that?” Zhao Changhe pressed calmly. “The Azure Dragon corpse puppet you awakened in the capital could have caused chaos on an unimaginable scale. You had the chance, but you chose not to. Why?”

Ye Jiuyou’s sneer remained. “Because, I took you as an ally. At least for now, I had no intention of turning against you.”

“Perhaps,” Zhao Changhe said softly. “But no matter your intentions, the actions you took were enough for me to acknowledge a debt. And if there’s a debt, then there’s room for negotiation. Now, the only question is... Are you willing to lay your cards on the table?”

This 𝓬ontent is taken from f(r)eeweb(n)ovel.𝒄𝒐𝙢