Tome of Troubled Times-Chapter 728 (2): Yin Fire and Karma

Thinking back, it was no wonder Jiuyou had clashed with the Night Emperor. Death, yin corpses, and flames—all these fell under the Vermilion Bird in the Night Emperor’s system. Before Zhao Changhe had left the capital, Vermillion Bird had been delving into similar fields. The conflict between Jiuyou and the Night Emperor was a competition for divine authority. In a world governed by overarching powers, there could only be one ultimate master.

Ye Wuzong had wanted to compare his mastery of wind with Hidden Wind. Zhao Changhe was locked in a contest over vicious blood with Lie. Why would the Night Emperor tolerate Jiuyou?

Of course, while their domains overlapped, they also diverged—Jiuyou’s sphere encompassed annihilation and chaos, areas not entirely within the Night Emperor’s purview. Still, when it came to facing Jiuyou, Vermillion Bird might ultimately be the better match. Regardless, when the time came that he had to face Jiuyou, Zhao Changhe would likely call on reinforcements.

“How is it? Any discoveries?” Yue Hongling crouched nearby, her voice soft yet steady.

Zhao Changhe felt a warm surge of gratitude. The eerie atmosphere of the burial ground was oppressive, and he could tell Yue Hongling was uneasy. Yet she remained by his side, offering her thoughts and support to bolster his resolve. He reached out, clasping her slightly cool hand. “If I combine the Heavenly Tome’s analysis with your observations, I believe you’re almost entirely correct. Our next step is to understand yin qi. If we can at least perceive it clearly, we’ll be better prepared for what’s to come.”

“Yin qi is cold and chilling, yet it manifests as fire,” Yue Hongling mused. “A flame beneath the earth draws snow from the skies. It’s truly fascinating. So... would this fire count as a fire of the five elements?”

Zhao Changhe’s mind delved into the page of the Heavenly Tome concerned with nature and the five elements. A realization struck him, and he nodded. “Yes, it’s considered a fire of the five elements—it’s classified as yin fire. But there’s also another connection, one that relates to your earlier question.”

Yue Hongling paused, momentarily confused. “My earlier question... You mean about their steel-like bodies and immense strength?”

“Exactly. That phenomenon isn’t purely a result of corpse puppet techniques. Over the years, these corpses absorbed metal qi from the earth, hardening their bodies into steel. They also drew strength from the soil, gaining weight and density. The corpse puppet techniques merely refined and solidified these traits, like pouring molten metal into a mold. That’s why Underworld Guide could animate countless skeletons with such ease—most of their strength wasn’t even his doing.”

Yue Hongling hesitated, her expression slightly conflicted.

Zhao Changhe turned to look at her, noticing her unspoken struggle. With a gentle smile, he asked, “Were you thinking that their enhancement methods might be worth studying to strengthen your sword body? But now that you realize it’s got to do with being dead, you feel conflicted, don’t you?”

Yue Hongling shook her head. “What does this have to do with my sword body? I was thinking it might suit you. Your body cultivation has always lacked defensive capabilities, and you’re constantly getting injured...”

Zhao Changhe stared at her, momentarily speechless.

“Don’t get all emotional about it,” Yue Hongling huffed, a faint blush creeping into her cheeks. “Since it’s meant for corpses. Then...”

Zhao Changhe beamed brightly. “Then we won’t use it.”

Though Yue Hongling had felt uneasy about the concept earlier, Zhao Changhe’s decisive response softened her heart. She realized that letting him continue with his defensive weaknesses over a minor discomfort would be foolish.

Zhao Changhe had already determined his next steps: to strengthen his Blood Asura Body in preparation for breaking into the Profound Control Realm. But the key to that was addressing his lack of defensive capabilities—something essential to his advancement. How could he allow himself to stagnate over such a trivial concern?

Yue Hongling, determined to help him, quickly came up with an idea. “The concept of drawing the Five Elemental Energies into the body isn’t unique to corpse techniques. There must be other systems based on similar principles. You could probably take some inspiration from the Golden Bell Barrier or the body cultivation techniques of the Divine Brilliance Sect. You have the Heavenly Tome—why not create your own body cultivation technique?”

Zhao Changhe was about to dismiss the idea when a sudden thought struck him. His expression lit up with joy, and he stood abruptly. “Big Sister Yue, you really are my lucky star!”

Before Yue Hongling could respond, she found herself pulled to her feet and swept into a tight embrace as Zhao Changhe spun her in a circle.

“Alright, alright, stop acting like a child. What’s gotten you so excited? Tell me!” Yue Hongling laughed, caught up in his infectious joy.

Zhao Changhe grinned but did not explain. “Since we’ve already gotten an understanding of yin corpse qi and metal qi, let’s leave. This place is unsettling. We should head back and rest. Your injuries still need to be properly tended to.”

Yue Hongling, having spent the day practicing wind control, could feel the strain on her bones as the night wore on. She did not argue, instead wrapping her arms around Zhao Changhe’s neck. “Carry me.”

Without hesitation, Zhao Changhe knelt to let her climb onto his back. Together, they descended the hill they were on, their peals of merry laughter resounding throughout the burial ground.

The blind woman pursed her lips, watching the two of them stroll off with the ease of an old married couple but the energy of youth. An idle, mischievous thought crossed her mind: Did they even clean up afterward? Don’t you feel sticky after doing all that?

She quickly shook the thought away. Better not ask. Knowing Zhao Changhe, the method he’d use to “clean up” is probably something I’d rather not know.

* * *

“Have you mastered yin corpse qi or figured out how to improve your Blood Asura Body? You’re grinning like an idiot, and you didn’t even finish examining the graves.”

In the small, secluded hut where they had taken shelter, a fire crackled in the brazier, filling the room with warmth. Yue Hongling was already asleep on the bed, while Zhao Changhe sat by the window, roasting a jug of wine over the fire and seemingly savoring his solitude.

The blind woman’s voice interrupted his reverie.

Looking up, Zhao Changhe saw her standing before him with her arms crossed. He raised an eyebrow, amused. “Tell me, when you appear like this, am I the only one who can see you?”

The blind woman replied evenly, “Whoever I want to see me will see me. If I don’t want to be seen, then no one can see me.”

“Tsk, how rigid.” Zhao Changhe held out a flagon of warm wine toward her. “So, can you drink as a spirit?”

The blind woman blinked, momentarily caught off guard. “What are you doing?”

“Chatting,” Zhao Changhe said with a grin. “Warm wine can be broken down into energy, right? I figure you could drink it. Here.”

With a casual flick of his wrist, the flagon floated through the air, landing steadily in front of her.

The blind woman caught it effortlessly. After a moment’s thought, she decided to indulge and sat across from him, separated by a small table. The both of them leaned back lazily, holding their wine bowls.

Zhao Changhe sipped his own wine, then glanced at her drinking posture, finding the sight rather surreal.

The blind woman let out a soft sigh, the warmth of the wine dissipating in a faint exhale. She smiled slightly. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had wine... It’s interesting.”

Zhao Changhe chuckled. “That’s good. At least for this moment, we’re two familiar acquaintances sharing a drink. The omnipotent entity trying to act all mysterious and enigmatic is gone for at least this short while.”

The blind woman smirked. “And here I thought you were going to start speaking in riddles.”

“Well, yin corpse qi isn’t something that can be unraveled overnight,” Zhao Changhe replied. “But I’ve made progress. Give me a few more days, and I’ll get there. You can’t expect everything to be instantaneous—some things need time.”

“Mm-hm,” she murmured noncommittally, sipping her wine.

Zhao Changhe took another drink and said, “As for the Blood Asura Body, I’ve got an idea.”

The blind woman said, “Let me guess. Is your idea to keep dual cultivating with the little White Tiger until you somehow acquire metal control?”

“That’s tempting but sadly not quite practical right now,” Zhao Changhe admitted. “Chichi has mastered the principles and laws connected to the Azure Dragon thanks to the Extreme East Dao Fruit, but she hasn’t delved as deeply into those of the White Tiger. Even if I wanted to learn from her insights, they wouldn’t be enough.”

“Then why are you so pleased with yourself?”

“The reason why my defense is lacking compared to my offense is partly due to my combat style and partly due to how I trained my body. The structure of my muscles leans heavily toward offense. The Divine Brilliance Sect’s methods, by contrast, favor resilience. Once the structure of my body was largely set, even Shelly struggled to teach me effective defensive techniques.” Zhao Changhe grinned. “But if the introduction of elemental forces can alter one’s physique, why stop with metal or earth? Why not try something else entirely?”

The blind woman’s expression flickered slightly.

“We’re in the Spirit Tribe’s territory, the same place Lie once called home. His body cultivation technique probably didn’t rely on the five elements. If he needed to temporarily reshape his muscles to shift from offense to defense, what would he have used?” Zhao Changhe’s grin widened. “The answer to that would naturally be beasts and gu. I’m standing in Lie’s ancestral land—why search far and wide for answers? The path to perfecting the Blood Asura Body lies right here!”

The blind woman remained silent, sipping her wine with a faint frown. She did not dispute Zhao Changhe’s deduction—if one were to follow Lie’s body cultivation path, his reasoning was spot on.

R𝑒ad latest chapt𝒆rs at freewebnovёl.ƈom Only.

To be fair, this guy genuinely is smart... Too bad his brilliance only seems to shine brightest when it comes to muscles.

Zhao Changhe leaned back, his gaze lingering on the flawless curve of the blind woman’s profile. “Speaking of Chichi’s metal control, she’s stuck on her own comprehension of White Tiger’s essence. Doesn’t that mean she’ll also need to head west at some point?

The blind woman replied without much thought, “The White Tiger is in the west. Where else would she need to go? Why even bother asking?”

“Nothing, I was just thinking,” Zhao Changhe mused. “Just now, when I was studying the yin fire, I thought about bringing Vermillion Bird here to deal with Jiuyou. Now, with White Tiger possibly needing to come here too, that phrase, ‘Vermillion Bird and White Tiger converge in the southwestern wilderness,’ suddenly feels like it’s falling into place. Could it be that the saying doesn’t refer to a moment in time, but rather the involvement of the corresponding representatives of the four idols?”

The blind woman raised an eyebrow. “So because you independently thought about dragging Vermillion Bird and White Tiger here, you’ve decided that the ancient phrase must be connected to this place? Did you study logic with the school janitor? Where’s your logical chain of reasoning?”

“When I investigate cases, I always work backward from a hypothesis to verify it.”

“Your investigations relied mostly on dumb luck, and this theory of yours is even worse—it’s just daydreaming, not validation.”

“Alright, then if I wanted to reverse-engineer the cause from that phrase, how should I verify it? Should I start by gathering all related clues? For instance, why did Underworld Guide know the Spirit Tribe’s secrets? Could it prove that Jiuyou has a direct connection to this matter? If I compile every related thread, won’t the truth naturally emerge?”

“You already know the answer,” the blind woman replied, unimpressed. “Karma is always linked by a thread. It’s never random. Once you grasp that thread, whether you want to follow it from cause to effect, trace it backward from effect to cause, flip the sequence, or even sever the chain entirely—everything is possible. It’s all about that line.”

“So, in general terms, this line is a logical chain, while in cultivation, it’s something tangible, observable, and controllable.” Zhao Changhe suddenly stood and performed a deep bow. “Thank you for enlightening me on the Dao of karma.”

“Pfft—” The blind woman spat out her wine, spraying it across the table. For a moment, she stared at him in stunned silence.

Wait a second... Did I actually just teach him the foundation of karmic cultivation? Why exactly did I come here, sit down for a drink, and ask him such a random question?

As she stared at Zhao Changhe’s smug, smiling face, the blind woman’s expression remained blank. Finally, she muttered, “So, your excitement earlier was because you figured out how to manipulate me?”

“You want me to improve,” Zhao Changhe said earnestly. “That’s why you walked into this trap. And that’s karma at work.” He bowed again. “Thank you.”

The blind woman opened her mouth, then closed it again.

The fuck kind of karma is this nonsense? I want you to improve, my ass!