Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 705: Big Sister Will Help You

Fresh from her bath, Yue Hongling strode confidently into the hall, naturally taking a seat beside Zhao Changhe.

Despite the lack of modern soaps, shampoos, or fragrant bath products, the subtle freshness she carried was enough to stir anyone’s heart. Her heroic posture, long and graceful legs, and strikingly beautiful face made her undeniably dazzling. Even some of the old monks quietly chanted under their breath to refocus their thoughts.

Yet Zhao Changhe, with his peculiar preferences, always felt that Yue Hongling was at her most captivating when her body was streaked with blood, and her face smudged with soot, her gaze still sharp and fierce.

“Go on, continue your conversation,” Yue Hongling said with a smile, her voice teasing yet warm. “I was enjoying your discussion about taxes and labor. It was really educational.”

“Ahem.” Zhao Changhe cleared his throat awkwardly. “There’s really nothing more to say... If I wanted to sound pretentious, I’d say it’s enough for me to set the tone; a competent minister can handle the details.”

Yue Hongling’s eyes sparkled with amusement as they traced over his face. She lowered her gaze, sipping her tea. “Oh? Then do you have any truly important matters to share?”

“Of course. It’s about the gods and demons.” Zhao Changhe said. “Do you know where we are?”

“I asked one of the monks on the way here. He said it’s Xiangyang.” Yue Hongling frowned slightly, puzzled. “But that makes no sense. I was far to the west of Kunlun. I was incredibly far from Xiangyang.”

While someone with a romantic mindset might interpret this as fate bringing lovers together across thousands of li, the monks of Yuan Cheng’s temple were far from feeling such sentiment. They instead turned pale, their hair standing on end.

No wonder their secret realm had started feeling like an open thoroughfare. It was because people from as far as the west of Kunlun were appearing inside! What secrets could it possibly hold anymore? Forget the secret realm, even the temple itself could be infiltrated at any time. How could any of them sleep soundly under such conditions?

Zhao Changhe, however, understood this phenomenon more readily and was thus less alarmed. Having been plucked from his modern world into this one, he was no stranger to the idea of spatial disruption and interconnectivity. After all, even Skyrim Island in the extreme east was pretty much only accessible by teleportation—no one could physically traverse to the edge of the world by conventional means. This situation seemed similar. If their enemy embodied chaos, spatial disturbances such as this one would no longer seem as odd.

Moreover, the secret realms were essentially fragments of the so-called “heavenly realm” scattered across the world. It was entirely possible that these fragments, though separated in appearance, were originally part of a single entity. In that case, such connections were even less surprising.

The real question now was whether the connection went both ways—could those here in Xiangyang traverse to the west of Kunlun? And was this spatial connection a natural phenomenon, or something deliberately engineered by someone?

These distinctions carried significant implications for understanding the situation and planning a response.

Noticing the grim expressions of Yuan Cheng and the others, Zhao Changhe spoke slowly, “How much do you truly know about this secret realm?”

Yuan Cheng hesitated before answering, “Our knowledge about it is actually quite limited. This wasn’t originally our main temple, after all. It’s been passed down by word of mouth that this place was once a sacred land, but it was largely ignored in past generations. After the late emperor’s death, well, you understand... We’ve only established ourselves here for a month or two, and we’ve focused most of our efforts on repairing the temple and recruiting followers. We’ve had little opportunity to explore the secret realm extensively. From what we could see, it was far too vast, and we simply lacked the manpower to carry out a proper exploration of it. So far, we’ve only been guarding the ancient temple and the vajra body within, hoping to gradually explore the surrounding areas in the future.”

Zhao Changhe asked, “I know that Master Yuan Xing was originally from Huayan Temple on Mount Wutai[1]. Where were you based before coming here?”

“To be frank, I was originally from Chang’an.” Yuan Cheng hesitated before continuing in a low voice, “The Li Clan initially supported our development. Truth be told, coming to Xiangyang was partly to act as their vanguard.”

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Zhao Changhe’s gaze turned sharp. “Chang’an... How many barbarians reside there now?”

Yuan Cheng fell silent, unwilling to answer.

Zhao Changhe did not bother pressing him further. Religious sects often transcended borders, sharing a similarity with aristocratic families in that they were primarily loyal to their own survival and expansion. As long as someone allowed them to preach and grow, it did not matter who ruled the land. That said, the northern barbarians had their own shamanistic traditions, which naturally clashed with Buddhism. While the monks were unlikely to pledge blind loyalty to the Li Clan, their move to Xiangyang was clearly an attempt to establish a secondary base and play both sides.

Yuan Cheng knew Zhao Changhe saw through everything and finally spoke, somewhat embarrassed, “Recently, news about what happened between Gui Chen and the Wang Clan reached Chang’an, and as a result, more suspicion was directed toward us. After all, Master Yuan Xing had dealings with you, and I fought alongside you against Maitreya. So...”

Zhao Changhe laughed out loud. No wonder! It was like Gui Chen all over again, and now the Li Clan doesn’t trust them. Who’d have thought that Gui Chen’s actions would lead to such a chain reaction?

He leaned forward slightly, his tone turning serious, “If you really want to develop here, stop trying to play both sides. I suggest you have your people withdraw from Chang’an entirely. Don’t worry. I won’t use you the same way I did Gui Chen. In return, provide me with intelligence from Chang’an. Not directly, though. Pass it to the Demon Suppression Bureau in the capital.”

Yuancheng readily agreed, “Very well.”

Satisfied, Zhao Changhe nodded. “Since you’re as clueless about this secret realm as I am, your top priority should be exploring it. At this point, speculation is meaningless. Redirect your resources from other activities. The temple fair is over, and preaching can wait. Dedicate all your manpower to investigating the secret realm. I’ll stay here for a few days. Once you uncover anything, we’ll discuss it further.”

The monks bowed deeply. “We shall make the arrangements immediately. Please enjoy your rest, King Zhao.”

Yue Hongling found that she had only spoken a single sentence since she arrived. She thought there would be much for her to contribute to the discussion, but it seemed she was not needed.

Watching Zhao Changhe wrap things up and send the monks on their way, Yue Hongling suddenly found him to be quite unfamiliar...

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Zhao Changhe turned and grinned at her. “Isn’t this just basic leadership? The mountain stronghold’s grown larger, that’s all. What’s wrong, mistress? Do you feel I’ve outgrown you?”

“Bah!” Yue Hongling shot him a glare, then watched the monks leave before closing the door behind them. Turning back, she said, “I knew you would change like this. I realized it during our time with the Spirit Tribe. Your vision was always set on the entire world, and the jianghu was already too small for you. Your insights back then were even quite enlightening for my sword intent. I just didn’t expect this transformation to happen so quickly. It feels like it’s been no time at all, yet the young man I knew has become someone I barely recognize.”

“People grow up,” Zhao Changhe replied. “Even Yangyang isn’t a loli anymore.”

Yue Hongling did not understand the term loli, nor did she care. Instead, she sat beside him, propping her chin on her hand, studying him intently.

Zhao Changhe was no longer a youth. She could see the traces of hardship and weariness etched into his face, as well as the composed demeanor of someone accustomed to leadership. He was only twenty-three, yet he commanded authority in the presence of old monks without seeming out of place. It made him seem much older.

Perhaps he thought too much, worried too much.

But his aura remained strong and his edge sharp, making Yue Hongling feel as though he had not truly changed and was still the same young man from before.

In a soft voice, she asked, “Do I look old?”

This question, from a heroine who had never cared much about her appearance, carried an unexpected tinge of insecurity.

If he had aged, what about her?

Wandering the world alone, facing the relentless sands, the biting winds, and the blades of her enemies—had these left marks on her face or calloused her hands and feet?

Zhao Changhe replied, “I’m disappointed.”

Her heart skipped a beat, and her face tightened.

He continued, “You haven’t aged at all.”

Yue Hongling blinked. “What?”

“I was hoping you’d look a bit older...” Zhao Changhe reached out, his hand brushing against her cheek. “Then I could keep calling you Big Sister.”

Her heart raced, but not in the same frantic way it had before. This time, it was slow, steady, rippling like a stone dropped into a still pond, its waves spreading endlessly.

With some difficulty, she managed to say, “Weren’t you always the one reluctant to call me Big Sister? Acting like you wanted to conquer me? It was so irritating.”

Zhao Changhe whispered, “But after all the glories and trials, I’ve realized... I really do want a big sister.”

His rough, calloused hand lingered on her face, her skin still as soft and smooth as ever.

But Yue Hongling saw something in Zhao Changhe’s eyes—weariness.

The iron-willed man was, after all, just a man. He could grow tired.

And it seemed this exhaustion was something he showed only to her. Not even Vermilion Bird or Tang Wanzhuang, those “older women,” had gotten this privilege.

Before, he was always trying to prove something to her, prove that he could help her, prove that he could fight by her side. But for the first time, he was saying that he wanted her to help him and that he needed a big sister

It reminded her of that stubborn, lost young man standing amid the corpses at Zhao Family Village, confused and unsure, yet forcing himself to stand tall. A far cry from the commanding King Zhao who had just directed monks and strategized with ease. It was as if he had two entirely different personas.

“I am your big sister,” Yue Hongling whispered, gently pulling him into her embrace. Her voice was soft and comforting as she continued, “The stronghold might be a bit bigger now, the troubles might have grown, but that’s alright... This time, your big sister won’t leave you. Big Sister will help you.”

1. Mount Wutai is on the UNESCO World Heritage List and is a sacred Buddhist mountain. The cultural landscape is home to forty-one monasteries and includes the East Main Hall of Foguang Temple. ☜