Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 300: Fundamental Law-Level Magical Technique

Zhao Changhe felt a weight lift off his shoulders.

He had worried that when she asked if he wanted to check the coffin, she was implying he should find one to lie down and die in. It seemed that a charming and experienced woman did have her pros. She would not make a fuss over such a trivial matter as a young girl might. It was clear that the task at hand was more important.

However, his Back Eye had inadvertently caught a clear view of her.

So big and so white.

If she found out about this, she might really look for a coffin to dump him into.

Pretending as if nothing had happened, Zhao Changhe stepped closer to take a look at the coffin.

The coffin was made of jade and it was completely sealed, making it impossible to see inside or sense anything inside it. However, with how much certainty was in Lady Three’s voice, it seemed that she was sure that the person inside was dead. It seemed that her spiritual sense could detect the internal aura, and it was then easy for her to determine if what was within held any life left.

Lady Three sighed. “He might have set up many contingencies, including even moving the location of Beimang, but he still could not escape death in the end.”

Zhao Changhe realized that this might be a bit of a blow to the faith of the Four Idols Cult. In some sense, one of the gods they worshiped lay inside this coffin, and he was dead.

If the god you worshiped turned out to be truly dead, would that not shake your faith?

However, the ancient four idols were subordinates of the Night Emperor. Their deaths did not necessarily mean the Night Emperor was dead, so their faith would not just completely collapse. Additionally, Lady Three and her peers had essentially taken on the roles of the four idols themselves. In actuality, it would probably be more troubling if the original four idols were still alive.

Nevertheless, Lady Three’s expression still showed a bit of melancholy. Zhao Changhe did not know how to comfort her. He asked, “You don’t plan on opening the coffin, do you?”

Lady Three pondered for a moment. “It still needs to be opened...”

Zhao Changhe quickly advised, “Who knows what kind of traps or protective measures might be triggered by opening it? I suggest that you take the whole coffin back to your Four Idols Cult’s headquarters first. Once you’ve brought it back, you can use the collective power of your cult to study it slowly. Archaeological excavations can take decades, you know? There’s no need to be so hasty.”

Lady Three said, “I don’t plan to open it right now. Do you really think I’m that reckless?”

Zhao Changhe squinted at her. “I can’t tell. Who was the one who went down and fought a sword like an idiot just now?”

“Because this sword is something I wanted!” said Lady Three angrily. “How else could I get it without triggering the protective mechanism?”

Zhao Changhe said, “I thought it was for Chichi...”

Lady Three’s eyebrows shot up. She felt a surge of frustration.

I risked my life and you think it was all for your little sweetheart? Am I just a tool to you?

Zhao Changhe took half a step back and raised his hands to shield his face.

Peeking under the cover of his arms, he saw Lady Three wrapped in his large coat with just the tips of her fingers poking out of the sleeves. Her face was puffed up in annoyance and she looked unexpectedly cute, much like Yangyang.

Lady Three gritted her teeth as she considered the situation. Despite her irritation, she could not completely lose her temper; he had helped her earlier, after all. Forcing a smile, she said, “This sword is neither for Chichi nor for myself... Chichi has Iceheart, which is no less powerful than this sword. This sword is a significant treasure tied to our cult’s heritage. Whether Chichi becomes the cult leader or not, she will at least become Venerable White Tiger. The position of Venerable Azure Dragon will remain vacant and can be succeeded by the most deserving in our cult. This sword will be theirs in the future.”

Zhao Changhe had to admit that a large cult required a collection of treasures, especially those connected to its lineage.

Lady Three might claim to be hands-off, but she was always thinking about the cult’s future. Her efforts in securing funds and treasures had significantly contributed to the cult’s growth over the years.

Zhao Changhe said, “I feel like the Fire Serpent of Yi might be a good candidate. Dragons and serpents are quite similar, maybe she could become Venerable Azure Dragon?”

Lady Three gave him a strange look and said, “You’ll have to discuss that with Vermillion Bird. Fire Serpent of Yi is directly under her. Vermillion Bird would have to formally suggest a test at a high-level cult meeting.”

“Aren’t the highest-ranking members of the cult just you and Vermillion Bird?”

“Now, there’s Chichi as well,” Lady Three added with a mischievous smile. “Are you sure Chichi will support your other woman?”

Zhao Changhe’s face turned pale and he quickly changed the subject. “Vermillion Bird would not bring this up out of the blue. Can’t you help by suggesting it informally?”

“You want me to tell them ‘Zhao Changhe likes the Fire Serpent of Yi and strongly recommends her for the position’?” Lady Three smiled again. “Are you sure? Do you want Vermillion Bird to kill the Fire Serpent of Yi, or do you want to kill the Fire Serpent of Yi, or do you want Chichi to come after you?”

“Can’t you find another reason to recommend her? Like her strategic position or her strong cultivation...”

Seeing how seriously Zhao Changhe was considering how to support the Fire Serpent of Yi, Lady Three almost burst out laughing. “Alright, alright, I’ll help you talk to them.”

Zhao Changhe grinned. “You’re the best.”

Lady Three smiled playfully. “Speaking of which, how about letting you be Venerable Azure Dragon? Would you accept it?”

Although she said it in jest, there was a hint of sincerity in her words.

The only reason he did not want to join the cult was that he did not want to be subordinate to others. If his position was equal to the others’, he might be interested. Moreover, with Chichi being his lover, she likely would not mind and might even be happy about it.

The only issue was that the position of venerable could not be given out easily. Chichi had received the Azure Dragon’s legacy, so anyone else taking the position would require a reasonable explanation. They would have to first at least convince Vermillion Bird.

Zhao Changhe pointed at himself: “Me as Azure Dragon? What connection do I have with Azure Dragon? If you’re saying that because my little brother is quite similar to a...”

Lady Three’s expression suddenly turned serious.

Zhao Changhe instantly shut his mouth.

“The Azure Dragon corresponds to celestial phenomena and has specific attributes, but in the mortal world, he is generally regarded as the Human Emperor. As for you...” Lady Three sized him up for a moment, then said, “Come here.”

Zhao Changhe, puzzled, followed Lady Three to the foot of the coffin. The surface of the coffin was covered in intricate carvings that appeared incomprehensible.

In fact, the entire coffin was adorned with such carvings. Without knowing their significance, one might dismiss them as mere decoration.

“These carvings have a purpose,” Lady Three explained. “They are part of a spell meant to sustain the body inside and possibly even revive it one day. While it seems that he’s truly dead and the spell did not work, it does not mean that the spell itself is useless. Anyway, why don’t you try to understand it? Just see if you can.”

Zhao Changhe said, “These carvings are too abstract. They don’t even have a concrete form. How am I supposed to understand them? Can you give me any hints?”

Lady Three crossed her arms. “Just consider it a test to see if you’re truly destined for our cult. Learning this will help counteract the backlash of your vicious blood qi, heal your own hidden injuries, extend your lifespan, and even offer a glimpse of immortality. As a healing technique, it could be incorporated into your dual cultivation technique. Also, if you need to heal a man, you can’t exactly use dual cultivation, can you? Well, it’s up to you if you want to learn it.”

Putting aside the idea of healing men, the potential to extend one’s lifespan was enticing to anyone. Plus, it might be useful for Tang Wanzhuang.

Zhao Changhe could not decipher the abstract carvings, but he had a trick up his sleeve.

Feigning contemplation, he reached out and gently traced the carvings with his fingers.

At the same time, his mind connected with the golden foil. Soon, a VR-like scene emerged, and he could see large characters in his mind. “Rejuvenation Art[1]. Spring returns to the earth, flora grows once more, and everything is revived. Of the five elements, it belongs to wood, representing the Azure Dragon of the East. It is a fundamental law-level magical technique of the world and is currently beyond your comprehension. You can grasp the basics, but forcing a deeper understanding without having reached the third layer of the Profound Mysteries could harm your foundation.”

Zhao Changhe was speechless.

What a generic name. It sounds like something you’d find on the street. But it’s actually at the level of the fundamental laws of the world! Anyway, I’m actually not skilled enough to learn it...

The carvings were not explained in detail by the golden foil, it only provided him with an extremely profound translation of the consciousness. Information on the consciousness flooded his mind, and he seemed to understand something but could not truly grasp it. When he tried to capture it forcefully, it only caused his head to throb with a splitting pain.

Zhao Changhe staggered back a step, sweating profusely and panting heavily.

Lady Three immediately supported him and curiously asked, “What happened?”

“Well... It’s something called the Rejuvenation Art... This is the first time I’ve come across the concept of spells or magical techniques,” said Zhao Changhe while holding his head in discomfort. “But I can’t learn it. Well, I might have grasped the basics at least, I guess?”

Lady Three’s eyes widened in shock.

He actually understood it?

This was clearly something that would usually require at least a decade of meditation and research within a cult to figure out. It was much more difficult than normal archaeological decoding. She originally hoped that he might just have a vague sense of it, needing long-term research to properly understand it, and that would have already been impressive and comparable to her own progress.

But in the end, he actually just touched it a few times, and now he was telling her that he had already grasped the basics?

Lady Three did not believe him, so she rolled up her sleeves, revealing the tiny wounds that had been scratched by the sword energy of the ancient sword: “Don’t brag, if you’ve grasped the basics, you should be able to heal this small injury, right? Come and try.”

Zhao Changhe hesitated. “I can’t do it from a distance...”

Lady Three stared at him intently. “What’s the big fuss? Just touch it if you need to. Stop making excuses.”

“...I’ve never heard such a request.” Zhao Changhe sighed and placed his hand on the wound.

Her skin feels delicate, warm, and smooth... Wait, what am I thinking? I should focus on how to use the basics of the spell. Will true qi be compatible with magical techniques? Will I need to go to the Taiyi Sect and try to learn some of their Daoist scriptures?

As he tried to channel the true qi of the Six Harmonies Art inside his body, Zhao Changhe was pleasantly surprised to find that it worked.

The versatility and adaptability of the Six Harmonies Art shone through once again. It could convert into vicious blood qi needed for the Vicious Blood Art, and it could also transform into something resembling “magical energy,” specifically of the wood element.

Lady Three felt his rough hand rubbing her arm. Her face flushed red and she was just about to get angry, but then she felt a sudden itching sensation from the wound.

It was not the itch one would feel when being touched, but rather the characteristic itch when a wound was healing.

He really can heal such minor injuries! He’s really learned the basics of the Rejuvenation Art!

Lady Three forgot to pull her hand back, letting him continue to touch it. Her mind was filled with self-doubt. Does he really have no connection to the Night Emperor?

1. The word for rejuvenation used here is 回春, which literally translated to the return of spring. A more conventional term for revival/rejuvenation would be 复兴. ☜