Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 433: Goal, Bashan Sword Hut

Zhao Changhe held the saber, feeling like he was in a dream.

He could now distinctly sense a direct spiritual connection with the saber. His thoughts could easily be conveyed to the saber spirit, and he could easily perceive all its thoughts, including a very clear sense of its obedience and its desire to kill enemies for its master. Although it remained pridefully silent, its inner loyalty and willingness to serve were laid bare through this unique master-servant bond.

So that’s it? You always acted so dominant, but it turns out you’re really quite submissive.

Previously, he could not even glimpse the saber spirit’s form, but now it revealed itself to him without reservation. It appeared as a phantom in the form of a Dragon Bird, not hidden anywhere in the saber but intrinsically linked to it, present in every part. The “pigtail girl” imagery he had joked about was gone, replaced by what seemed to be a fierce spirit.

I wonder if it’ll ever take human form... Eh, that’s not important.

What mattered most at the moment was figuring out what changes came with the saber’s acknowledgment of him as its master.

The previously hefty saber, which was somewhat cumbersome even with his high cultivation, now felt perfectly balanced. It was neither too light to lack heft nor too heavy to be cumbersome.

Before, his strikes only utilized the sharpness and toughness of the saber, and even when he unleashed saber energy, it was rather weak, since every strike relied solely on his own true qi. But now, he could feel that with just a thought, he could unleash the full force of the saber’s power, power that far exceeded his own capabilities.

Swish!

Zhao Changhe gave the saber a test swing.

A massive crescent-shaped blade of energy shot out, cutting through the courtyard wall ten zhang away as if it were made of tofu, leaving the structure crumbling in its wake.

The attack had not even consumed much of his true qi. It had been Dragon Bird’s power at work.

Zhao Changhe stood there, slack-jawed, with only one thought: I’m invincible.

At least at his level, he was. Who at his level could compete with this kind of power?

Unfortunately, energy conservation was a universal principle. Dragon Bird’s power was not limitless but came from the energy stored in the saber and the saber spirit’s soul energy. Unleashing such a terrifying attack consumed a significant amount of energy, and it would take days, if not weeks, to recover enough for another strike like that.

The saber spirit’s true strength lay in its ability to absorb energy from the world around it to replenish itself over time. But if the saber spirit fell into dormancy, relying solely on passive recovery, the saber would become little more than an ordinary weapon.

So it was best to use the saber wisely, just like his own true qi. He had to control how much power to unleash and when to do so. It was still best to use Dragon Bird as a regular saber most of the time, keeping its true power as a trump card for life-or-death situations.

As Han Wubing had said, he should not overly rely on divine weapons. Chichi’s Iceheart also had a spirit, likely with similar powers, but even when she was at a disadvantage against Tarantule, she never relied on it. Instead, she sought to break through on her own.

The purpose of divine weapons was not to help the user skip levels in battle on the regular. These weapons were forged by people far more powerful than the ones wielding them now. For their original owners, they were simply a weapon that complemented their abilities, nothing more.

For example, the energy blades that Dragon Bird could unleash would be ideally driven by its wielder’s true qi, with the saber’s energy enhancing them. With man and weapon working together, they would achieve a result far greater than the sum of their parts, at the same time allowing for sustained combat.

Despite the bloodshed that divine weapons could cause in the world, the true elites understood that the key always lay in their own strength.

As Zhao Changhe seemed to be deep in thought, Dragon Bird transmitted a thought. “I have a saber art. Would you like to learn it, Master?”

“Uh...” Zhao Changhe suddenly felt awkward being addressed as “master” by a loli. Wait, it’s a saber, not a loli... What the fuck am I even thinking?

Zhao Changhe shook his head. “Is it Old Xia’s saber art?”

“No, not his, but it does contain his saber intent. I was born naturally. He did not train me intentionally or pass down any techniques. But after following him through many battles, I developed my own saber art based on his intent,” Dragon Bird replied proudly. “When it comes to saber arts, Xia Longyuan can’t compare to me!”

“Alright, alright,” said Zhao Changhe, his excitement growing. Although he was hesitant to learn Xia Longyuan’s techniques, given his own limited repertoire of saber arts, it would benefit him considerably to learn an advanced saber art.

Dragon Bird began, “Your Vicious Blood Saber Art is powerful, but it makes you look ridiculous. One moment, you’re hopping like a toad; the next, you’re glaring like you have an eye infection, and then your limbs swell, and afterward, you lie there like a vegetable. The whole thing makes you look like an absolute idiot. If it wasn’t for its decent power, who would want to watch you go crazy...”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

This damn saber is too much. Maybe it’s time to switch to a different weapon... Or maybe have it sit at the table with Baoqin...

“My wielder should not only be powerful but also look imposing and majestic! Now, watch carefully!” Dragon Bird, oblivious to the fact that it had just been relegated to the “annoying” table by its master, soared into the air, eagerly demonstrating its saber art.

Zhao Changhe immediately forgot all his complaints, his mind deeply captivated.

When Dragon Bird mentioned things like being long accustomed to war and imperial dominance, Zhao Changhe was led to conjure up images of an imposing, powerful saber art—a wide, sweeping style that could decimate entire armies, reminiscent of his own Vicious Blood Saber Art. He thought it could be something similar to Lie’s style, which he had encountered in the vision earlier on, appearing serene but capable of devastating foes.[1]

However, what Dragon Bird demonstrated was starkly different from the Vicious Blood Saber Art. There was no overwhelming bloodthirstiness but rather a palpable sense of power. It was like a towering giant looking down upon an army of ants, filled with disdain. The blade descended from the heavens, and the world itself seemed to tremble, mountains and rivers breaking as if they were nothing but paintings on a paper screen.

The feeling was one of complete, unassailable dominance, as though everything under the blade’s shadow was insignificant. It was a technique that made all who witnessed it want to bow their heads and submit. Yet, there was an odd sense of contradiction. It felt like this power was not divine but aimed at cutting down even gods.

Could a wild, rebellious spirit like his be merged with the imperial dominance that Dragon Bird represented?

Zhao Changhe mused that he was not as much of a rebel as he once was, and perhaps that was even why Dragon Bird had begun to acknowledge him. But did that mean that the Vicious Blood Saber Art was nearing its end for him? This was difficult for him to accept. He had invested so much into it, and he had just recently achieved a breakthrough in it.

Dragon Bird came to rest and floated before him. “Well, how is it?”

Zhao Changhe snapped back to reality and smiled, “Great saber, great saber art. What is the saber art called?”

Dragon Bird vibrated with excitement. “How about calling it Dragon Bird Saber Art? That move just now can be called... uh, Army Breaker.”

“Sure,” Zhao Changhe chuckled, not bothering to argue over the name. He would let the saber name its own technique whatever it wanted.

He grabbed the saber’s handle and, in one swift motion, slashed through the air.

The blood-red saber energy that flew forward carried the will of making all beings bow.

Boom!

The force was not nearly as great as Dragon Bird’s earlier demonstration, but the stone table in front of him was still shattered to pieces.

If Dragon Bird could take human form, it might be scratching its head and frowning now.

Its master had potential—great potential, even. His fundamentals were solid, and his understanding of the saber was clear, which was why he had picked up the technique so quickly.

It should have been pleased, but that slash... Did it look right?

It sort of did... but also not quite. Was that supposed to be the imposing aura of an emperor? It felt more like the rebellious spirit of an upstart king... Oh well, it was close enough. I’m not some meddlesome teacher like that old woman. I’ve already acknowledged him as my master. How he uses me is his business.

Dragon Bird quieted down, seemingly acknowledging the slash. Zhao Changhe realized that despite the blade’s unruly nature, it was surprisingly obedient now that it had accepted him as its master.

It really does belong in the same category as Baoqin... obedient, yet with a mischievous streak.

As for the saber intent... Zhao Changhe looked at his hand, feeling that this path was not his ultimate destination.

“Let’s go,” he said as he strapped Dragon Bird onto his back for the first time in a while. “The wound on my chest is almost healed. I didn’t feel much pain when swinging you just now, so it shouldn’t affect our travels. If we run into any trouble along the way, we’ll be able to handle it.”

Dragon Bird seemed excited, chiming in, “If we encounter any small fry, I’ll cut them down! Are we heading straight to the southwest?”

Zhao Changhe headed to the stables to find his horse, Snow-Treading Crow. “We could take the river route, passing through Wu Gorge[2] on the way.”

“To check on the Blood God Array Plate?”

“No, to Bashan.”

Dragon Bird perked up. “I’ve heard the Bashan Sword Hut’s leader, Shi Wuding, is high on the Ranking of Earth... and he wields a sword! I want to cut him!”

“I’ve heard Bashan Sword Hut has Sharp Blade Grass, a key material I need to further refine my Blood Asura Body. Although I’m close with Han Wubing, and he has grievances with the Sword Hut, I have no part in that conflict. I should be able to pay them a proper visit and perhaps even trade for Sharp Blade Grass.”

Dragon Bird lost interest immediately. “So, no fight?”

“And also...” Zhao Changhe grinned. “I want to request a few pointers from them.”

That set Dragon Bird trembling with excitement again.

Zhao Changhe almost did not want to admit his true intent. He wanted to use the Heavenly Tome to study and steal some of their techniques and sword intent, both to verify against what he learned from the Sword Emperor and to consider learning how to wield a sword himself.

He had tried it briefly in Kunlun, and it worked well enough... but with the ongoing battles, he had not had much opportunity to keep practicing. This upcoming journey would give him a chance to do so.

After all, he had felt a strong pull just moments ago—while the path of the saber had served him well, it didn’t feel like his ultimate destination.

With the Dragon Emperor in hand and the Night Emperor’s sword waiting to be forged, perhaps the future lay in mastering both the sword and the saber. He wondered what new path would emerge if these two powers were united?

1. Just a reminder that the Lie being referred to here is the Blood God. ☜

2. Wu Gorge, sometimes called Great Gorge, is the second gorge of the Three Gorges system on the Yangtze River. ☜