Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 723 (1): Why Lie Must Be

Boom!

In Zhao Changhe's spiritual sea, Lie stretched out his hand and caught Zhao Changhe's full-force punch.

Zhao Changhe was already a towering figure, yet Lie was even larger, making it seem as if he were catching the fist of a child. But the struggle was far from one-sided; even Lie found Zhao Changhe's fist to be far from easy to deal with.

Although clearly in a purely spiritual form, Lie still instinctively adjusted his stance, sinking into a solid defensive stance to anchor himself to the ground and better brace himself. Yet even having done so, his hand showed faint signs of flickering and blurring under the impact of Zhao Changhe’s strike, indicating that his soul energy had been partially dispersed.

Of course, Zhao Changhe was not faring much better. His spiritual body felt as if it were being shredded into a thousand pieces, and the vicious blood qi within him was completely out of control.

Moments earlier, he had been musing about how ridiculous it was to still be dealing with a backlash of vicious blood qi at this stage of his journey. But now he understood: when faced with a stronger master of vicious blood qi, control was an illusion. It simply did not listen to him anymore.

Fortunately, Zhao Changhe had long since chosen to diverge from Lie’s path, studying other martial arts to balance his growth. If he had relied solely on the Vicious Blood Saber Art in this confrontation, he would have been utterly outmatched. No matter how proficient he was, how could anyone compete with the very creator of the technique?

It was lucky, too, that his connection to vicious blood qi was not particularly deep. This meant that Lie’s partial resurrection was incomplete—a mere shadow of his former self. If someone like Xue Canghai had been the vessel instead, the result would have been catastrophic. In truth, despite being seen as the foremost representative of the Vicious Blood Saber Art, Zhao Changhe was only a second-rate practitioner. The true inheritor of the Blood God’s legacy was Old Xue.

The clash of their fists resounded in the air, and Lie finally spoke, “For Underworld Guide, that old schemer, to deem you the most suitable candidate for my awakening, you must possess the strongest vicious blood qi of this era. Your strength is indeed remarkable, and the Vicious Blood Art is clearly your foundation. By all rights, you should be worthy. But why is your mastery so... not there?”

Here we go again... Both Old Xue and Instructor Sun berated me for my mediocre grasp of vicious blood. And now you too?

Through the searing pain in his spiritual form, Zhao Changhe managed a grin. “Because I knew this day would come. I’d rather endure years of confusion and doubt on my martial path than continue down the road you paved.”

Lie paused, his gaze thoughtful, then nodded. “I underestimated the wisdom of the later generation.”

“And yet, isn’t it you who’s lost face, Lie?” Zhao Changhe retorted coldly. “Once, you defied the gods and Buddhas, inspiring generations with your defiance and wrath. But now, you’ve become the very thing you hated most. I once admired your ambition to restart creation—I thought it was the lofty dream of someone who sought to reshape an era. But now I see that your so-called restarting creation is... just this?”

Lie laughed, a deep, resonant sound. “I’m a demon. Did you mistake me for a saint?”

Zhao Changhe was silent.

Lie continued with a sardonic smile, “Of those who learned my techniques, how many did so to channel righteous fury, to shatter the chains of gods and Buddhas? How many sought merely to pursue power, to satisfy their bloodlust? And how many, do you think, wanted to ascend to become the Blood God themselves? Can you tell me that, o wise one?”

Zhao Changhe knew full well that the followers of the Blood God Cult fell squarely into the latter two categories: those driven by bloodlust or those desiring godhood. But did he belong to the first? Perhaps not entirely. At the time, he had chosen the Vicious Blood Saber Art out of necessity—there simply was not another viable option. On several occasions, he had even thought of abandoning it due to the unbearable backlash of vicious blood qi. Ultimately, though, the strength of the technique and the advice of mentors persuaded him to stick with it. Of course, his personal enjoyment of its ethos also played a role. The grandeur of Scattering Gods and Buddhas, as well as Bloodied Mountains and Rivers, resonated with him deeply. If it had not, no one could have convinced him otherwise.

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He spoke slowly. “So when you talk about restarting creation, do you mean to say there’s a choice involved?”

“There isn’t usually a choice,” Lie replied. “When someone masters Annihilation of All Life or even Shattering Heaven and Earth, my awakening is inevitable. Whether they pursue this power out of rage, ambition, or bloodlust doesn’t matter. If they’ve become a demon of slaughter, what problem is there if I replace them?”

“...”

“But being awakened prematurely by Underworld Guide has given me an unexpected choice.” Lie scrutinized Zhao Changhe for a long moment, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. “How interesting... I never imagined one of my inheritors would turn out like you. A heart of chivalry, a rebellious spirit, yet you wield my techniques so naturally... It’s quite remarkable.”

As the conversation continued, Zhao Changhe silently fought to regain control over the vicious blood qi running rampant in his body. At the very least, he wanted to calm it, but the attempt proved futile. Lie was not even actively interfering, yet Zhao Changhe found himself powerless.

If every power in the world had a master, then vicious blood qi unquestionably belonged to Lie. As long as Lie existed, no one else could claim authority over it.

Still, Zhao Changhe did not give up. This was a battle of souls, not just physical strength. His soul had been honed through dual cultivation with Shelly, and it had little connection to vicious blood qi. Lie clearly feared his fists. All he needed was another opportunity, one more strike...

Lie chuckled, noticing Zhao Changhe’s defiant gaze. “That look in your eyes... Tell me, have you ever truly been oppressed?”

The question caught Zhao Changhe off guard. “Not much. A little, in the beginning. That’s when my bloodthirst was strongest. But I guess I’ve been lucky. The few people I’ve met who could’ve oppressed me... chose not to.”

Cui Wenzheng, Tang Wanzhuang... The so-called senior experts he had encountered on his journey all treated him oddly due to his tenuous connection to the late emperor. Even those he clashed with, such as those from the Maitreya Cult, ended up being targets for his own schemes rather than oppressors. The only person who had truly “bullied” him was Vermillion Bird—but even she had, in her way, allowed him to turn the tables occasionally.

Lie nodded thoughtfully, sighing. “If a soul like yours had grown up in an environment of constant oppression, you would’ve become a second version of me. But fate led you down a different path. Your rebellious nature remains, as does your disdain for gods and demons. But instead of destruction, you’ve chosen to protect the weak and defend the land.”

Zhao Changhe’s unease grew as he listened. “Are we fighting or not?”

Lie suddenly said, “You’re trying to wrest control of the vicious blood qi, but it’s obvious your understanding is shallow. You haven’t realized, have you? Blood qi and vicious qi are meant to be regarded separately.”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

“To kill and nurture vicious qi is to shed blood, yes, but that is merely a superficial manifestation. Blood itself is neither inherently good nor evil. It is a tangible thing, an objective force. If you're brimming with vitality, then you may use blood qi to nourish yourself, while vicious qi to sharpen your blade. I, on the other hand, am the opposite.” Lie laughed. “Shall we go again?”

Regard blood qi as separate from vicious qi?

The realization hit Zhao Changhe like a thunderclap. For a wannabe genius immersed in this path for so long, it was in fact rather shameful not to have realized it earlier. Now, it all made sense in an instant. Letting out a resounding shout, he unleashed another punch!

Though it appeared as if only his spiritual form was moving, his physical body stirred, too.

After an intense, nearly insurmountable internal struggle, Zhao Changhe regained a tenuous connection to his physical form. The excruciating sensation of being torn apart still lingered, but what of it?

Outside, Underworld Guide, holding his white banner and performing his ritual, suddenly froze.

The unexpected punch struck him with such ferocity that he was momentarily overwhelmed as if his organs had been jolted loose.

Within Zhao Changhe’s spiritual sea, Lie also caught the punch. He staggered, letting out a muffled grunt before breaking into laughter. Turning on his heel, he strode away.

Zhao Changhe, panting heavily, called out, “You...”

“You spoke well,” Lie interrupted. “I once swore to scatter the gods and buddhas—why should I become one myself? If Zhao Changhe can ascend to the pinnacle of vicious blood and cut down the injustices of the world, then why must I still be?”

As his image began to fade, Lie’s voice echoed faintly. “Underworld Guide isn’t easy to deal with. He summoned my soul for a specific purpose, so don’t die, my successor. When the Blood God Array Plate awakens, we will meet again, and then... we’ll see.”

What they would see was left unsaid. As Zhao Changhe opened his eyes to find Underworld Guide bearing down on him, banner raised for a crushing blow.

His vicious qi was still beyond his control, his body wracked with pain. Worse, Underworld Guide’s techniques seemed to amplify the turmoil of the vicious qi, slowing Zhao Changhe’s movements. Blocking with his saber in time was impossible.

But then, Zhao Changhe’s left hand twitched.

From the soil behind Underworld Guide, a pitch-black divine sword silently emerged, streaking toward Underworld Guide’s vulnerable back with deadly precision.

Earlier, during his initial exchange with Underworld Guide using the Vicious Blood Saber Art, Zhao Changhe had surreptitiously buried River of Stars behind him. Though River of Stars, a divine weapon of the starry sky, deserved a more dignified use, Zhao Changhe had always found it best suited for ambushes.

It doesn’t matter what it was designed for, it matters what it can do!

Underworld Guide, startled by the sudden attack from behind, instinctively shifted, and the force of his banner strike weakened. Zhao Changhe barely managed to intercept the blow with his left hand, gritting his teeth against the pain of a probable fracture. In the same motion, his right hand swung Dragon Bird in a deadly arc toward Underworld Guide’s waist.

But Underworld Guide was no ordinary opponent. With an uncanny flicker, his body vanished, and both the saber and sword struck nothing but air.

His movement was ghostly.

Zhao Changhe’s peripheral vision caught the blur of a shadowy attack aimed at the back of his head. Spinning swiftly, he brought his saber up just in time to meet Underworld Guide’s banner. The clash unleashed a burst of powerful energy, scattering the surrounding soil into a choking, brown haze. The ground beneath them cracked and began to sink under the weight of their exchange.

At that moment, Zhao Changhe was in terrible shape. Though Lie had stopped his assault and even offered guidance, the pain from the vicious blood qi's backlash and the toll of his desperate struggle were undeniable. Underworld Guide’s power, on top of that, was no small thing. If not for the unexpected punch Zhao Changhe had landed earlier, he would have already been defeated.

Even now, as their battle raged, every clash took everything Zhao Changhe had. The white banner Underworld Guide wielded suppressed him relentlessly, while gusts of eerie wind invaded his spiritual sea, exacerbating the damage from his earlier clash with Lie. It felt like too much to endure.

If only someone could ambush him...

The thought crossed Zhao Changhe’s mind again, just as a brilliant sword light streaked from the west like a setting sun reflected on a river. The Spirit Tribe’s burial ground was bathed in radiant light as Yue Hongling arrived, unleashing her most powerful technique. Her sword plunged straight for Underworld Guide’s Tianling point, targeting his soul fire!

Zhao Changhe’s heart surged with joy, while Underworld Guide cursed inwardly.

What the hell's going on?! I only stopped controlling the Black Hmong King for a moment and somehow, everything has fallen apart! How did a Ranking of Heaven corpse puppet with a body that's immune to most attacks and strength rivaling the Profound Control Realm get destroyed without even so much as a ripple?!

And now, Yue Hongling’s surprise attack was coming at the worst possible moment—when the battle with Zhao Changhe had reached boiling point. Any disruption, no matter how small, could tilt the scales.