Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 42: Vicious Blood Sweeps Through the Air

It would be strange if this internal art wasn’t powerful. It’s something the number one person on the Ranking of Heaven intended for his own child to cultivate. It wouldn’t make sense if it was some low-level shit.

When he first started cultivating this internal art, he could not perceive anything special about it. Moreover, he had no reference to compare it to. Now that Yue Hongling was here, it was a good time to let her explain it to him.

However, even though he trusted Yue Hongling, he did not dare to reveal all of his secrets at once and only answered, “I don’t know what it’s called either. It didn’t even come with any breathing techniques or mnemonics. I’ve been going at it blind. Eh, let’s just call it the Eight Blind Gates[1]... Can you help me check the quality of my qi?”

Yue Hongling glared at him. “Stretch your hand and I’ll take a look.”

Zhao Changhe did as he was told and Yue Hongling put her palm on his. The more she examined his qi, the more stunned her expression became.

The quality of the qi cultivated by Zhao Changhe’s internal art was outrageous. Even if she had given an overly high estimate before starting, it would have still surpassed her expectations.

“Why do cultivators divide themselves up into levels? Whether it’s practitioners of internal or external arts, their strength can be measured. Those at the same level have about the same strength and this provides a standard for cultivators to use to create said levels. Being able to fight someone possessing a higher cultivation is worth bragging about precisely because these levels have meaning.

“To use an illustrative example, suppose that the amount of qi a normal person has is one unit, and that someone at the first layer of the Profound Gate can store up to ten units of qi. Once one cultivates ten units of qi, they hit a bottleneck and need to break through to the second layer of the Profound Gate to be able to continue increasing the amount of qi in their body. This is the case for everyone.

“The effects of a breakthrough for internal arts are not as obvious as external arts. For the latter, once someone breaks through, the strength of their flesh will increase significantly, and it’s possible for them to gain the ability to instantly kill their enemies after that one step. However, for the former, one needs to continue accumulating more qi in order to surpass others.

“With a miraculous internal art, accumulating ten units of qi from one unit could take maybe three days and it’s easy to successfully achieve breakthroughs; with a lousy internal art, you would likely need three years to do the same and breakthroughs are difficult enough to make you wish for death.

“Additionally, the upper limits of good internal arts can allow you to reach the Profound Mysteries while garbage internal arts might only be able to take you to the second or third layer of the Profound Gate, if that.

“More importantly, however, is that different internal arts cultivate qi of different characteristics and varying quality. Everyone’s dantian is a reservoir of a certain size, containing a certain material. For some people, their dantian stores ordinary, clear water. For others, it might be poison, flammable oil, refreshing rain, or even solid ice. Dantians which contain solid ice cold have a volume multiple times larger than regular ones...

“This is the difference between powerful sects and influential families on the one hand and random cultivators on the other. The appearance of miraculous internal arts can lead to bloody conflicts.”

Zhao Changhe had just broken through to the second layer and his dantian was the size of a regular one for a person at the second layer. There was nothing strange about this. However, the quality of his qi was simply ridiculous. It was the same as someone whose dantian stored ice! For others with the same cultivation, their qi would basically be formless. However, Yue Hongling could see that his qi was dense and white, like smoke or mist.

People who were stuck at the second layer of the Profound Gate for a long time without being able to break through had no choice but to slowly refine their qi. It was common for their qi to only reach the same quality as Zhao Changhe’s after many months of work. But you just broke through. How is your qi of such high quality? What would your qi be like if you put in the work and refined it? Are you trying to defy heaven? Also, what was the name of this miraculous internal art? The Eight Blind Gates... Never heard of it.

After listening to Yue Hongling’s lecture, Zhao Changhe held his chin and said, “Like this, does that mean my problem of beginning my cultivation too late has been resolved?”

“No.” Yue Hongling shook her head. “Why do people say that one needs to begin cultivating from a young age? Because children can be molded. Their dantian and meridians can slowly be expanded as they cultivate, while yours have already ossified. Your meridians will forever be that narrow, and they have no way of withstanding qi that surges or is circulated too violently. Your dantian will forever be that small even after you break through all nine heavenly layers. You’ll realize that your dantian won’t be able to hold that much qi. If you don’t get some treasure or something like that to help you change that, there will be a limit to what you can achieve in this life.”

Zhao Changhe smiled. “I see. Thanks for your explanation. I get it now.”

Yue Hongling asked curiously, “How are you so at ease after hearing all of this?”

A treasure that could purify his body once appeared before his very eyes and he gave it up. But at least this meant that there existed such things in the world. Zhao Changhe was not bothered at all and smiled, feeling unrestrained. “Heaven never bars one’s way. There will always exist treasures of heaven and earth in this world. In any case, things have already gotten to this point. What use is there in worrying? I’ll just work on the Vicious Blood Art first. According to you, it’s a very good art.”

Yue Hongling could not deny that his free and easygoing attitude was very much to her liking. “The Vicious Blood Art cultivates one’s qi and blood. It’s most suitable for young men to cultivate and can indeed help you turn your age from a disadvantage to an advantage. Furthermore, the upper limits of this martial art are not low, so you can rest easy cultivating it. When the time comes, who knows if a lucky opportunity will descend from heaven?”

“Indeed.” Zhao Changhe said unhurriedly. “For this, I have to endure its side effects, there’s no going around it. Hey, come to think of it, the Vicious Blood Saber Art has an ultimate technique called Scattering the Gods and Buddhas. It requires one to stimulate their vicious blood qi to an absurdly high level. I heard that one needs to at least reach the third layer of the Profound Gate to be able to use it once, and with great difficulty at that. Can I fulfill this requirement using my qi? If that’s possible, with the quality of my qi, I might be able to use this move once.”

“Of course it’s possible. It’ll only be lacking in viciousness, so the effects of the attack will be diminished. After all, complementary martial arts can only bring out unique effects when utilized together. No other martial arts will do. However, if you just think of it as an ordinary saber technique and don’t rely on any special effect, the power will be the same.”

“So it won’t have as much of that intimidating effect but the power won’t be much lower. Then that’s fine.”

Yue Hongling felt that his way of speaking was very strange, but it suited him. This bandit looks to be even more cultured than me... After thinking for a moment, she asked, “I have a feeling you have a definite goal in mind. What do you want to do?”

Zhao Changhe grinned. “How would it be okay if I didn’t have an ultimate move? This doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with having a definite goal.”

Yue Hongling cast him a sidelong glance and felt that there was something ominous about his smile. It was like he was concealing some evil tricks. “Do you remember I said I could teach you three things? Guiding your cultivation of internal arts is only one of them.”

Zhao Changhe scratched his head. After so many interruptions, he had almost forgotten. Yue Hongling had indeed told him that she could teach him three things. Cultivating internal arts was only the first.

He smiled apologetically. “I’m really thankful for you teaching me your internal art. What’s the next thing?”

Yie Hongling grit her teeth without letting him notice and leisurely pulled out her sword. “Sparring with you.”

Zhao Changhe retreated a step in shock. “What do you mean, sparring? Won’t you just one-shot me? How can I learn anything then?”

“If you keep fighting with those small fry, you won’t learn much. If you never experience hard battles or defeat, then what use is there in training through combat?” Yue Hongling was in high spirits. “Alright, cut the nonsense and present your neck—uh, I mean, prepare yourself!”

Zhao Changhe broke into a run. “Hold on, you’re still injured. Let’s fight another day...”

Yue Hongling readied her sword and pursued him. “What does this injury count for? I still have what it takes to beat you up!”

“Do you just want to beat me up?

“Don’t slander me. I, Yue Hongling, am strong and upright. I don’t take out my anger on innocents.”

“Hey! What the fuck... I’ll really fight back!”

“Come. Let me see what kind of strength you have that allows you to call me Yue’er.”

“So you really just want to get back at me for that...” Zhao Changhe did not know if he should cry or laugh. He suddenly stopped running around his courtyard.

“If defeating you means I can call you Yue’er, then I’ll give it a try!”

Yue Hongling, filled with exhilaration, stopped her pursuit. She wanted to say something, but Zhao Changhe abruptly drove his right foot into the ground and suddenly twisted around, leaping with his saber in hand and slashing toward her at a ridiculous speed.

This scene was at once fantastical and very much like that of a demonic cult.

The waning moon hung hooked in the night sky on new years eve. A blood-red saber looked as if it was descending from the nine heavens, blocking the lunar crescent. It was like there was a waning, sanguine moon falling from the sky, streaking across the firmament.

In the darkness, Yue Hongling could not make out Zhao Changhe’s face, but could see that his eyes were now a bloody red. Up in the air, he resembled a demon.

Vicious blood swept through the air. If gods and Buddhas were in its path, gods and Buddhas would scatter!

This was not a third layer saber technique. Those at the third layer of the Profound Gate could barely use it once.

This technique needed someone to at least be at the fifth or sixth layer to be able to use it on a regular basis. This was one of the most famous saber techniques of the Blood God Cult. And it was the first time Zhao Changhe unleashed its terrifying fangs.

Yue Hongling had seen this technique before—used by Cult Leader Xue. Indeed, if it was used together with the appropriate level of the Vicious Blood Art, there really would be an intimidating effect like what Zhao Changhe had guessed earlier. Facing an opponent who used this attack, those weak of will would be terrified out of their wits.

With that said...she did not know if it was that she was injured at the moment, or if it was due to the current atmosphere, but Yue Hongling felt that when she faced Xue Canghai, his attack did not possess this force of Zhao Changhe. The young man in front of her seemed like a blood god wielding the new moon to cleave the universe in twain!

Is he really a natural-born bandit? This martial art of a demonic cult suits him unexpectedly well.

As she thought this, Yue Hongling’s sword had already made contact with that bloody moon.

A resplendent evening afterglow filled the sky—a setting sun and blood-moon hung on the horizon, both fading away.

Bang!

Zhao Changhe flew back head-first a few zhang and coughed bitterly as he crashed into the courtyard wall.

As he looked up, he saw Yue Hongling wearily leaning on her sword. Her abdomen was oozing with a little bit of blood. Her wound had reopened. She looked at the coughing Zhao Changhe with no small amount of admiration in her eyes. How could she have known beforehand that their battle would end like this?

Her injury should not have been that much of a problem—nothing more than what an adult would have suffered at the hands of a child. Also, she did not need to exert much strength from her core muscles to move her sword. Why had her wound reopened, then?

It was because the power of Zhao Changhe’s attack vastly exceeded her expectations and she needed to activate her core to brace his attack, thus naturally causing her wound to reopen.

She reaped what she had sowed. She was supposed to be recuperating but had ended up hurting herself again.

Yeah, this doesn’t count as him beating me. I won’t need to be called Yue’er... The Tome of Troubled Times shouldn’t appear either. Otherwise, just this one attack would let Zhao Changhe’s name really spread far and wide.

Zhao Changhe struggled to prop himself up, but suddenly smiled. “This is great! This. Is. Great! Damn, you were right! This type of battle is far more interesting. Let’s spar again after you recover!”

1. In the raws, this is 夏姬八炼 (something like “Eight Refinements of the Xia Concubine”) which just so happens to have the same reading as 瞎寄吧练, which basically means to practice blindly. The author is making a pun here and, unfortunately, it’s an untranslatable one. ☜