Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 48: Defeat

Time passed by quickly. It had almost been a month since Yue Hongling left. Zhao Changhe made it through the month without much happening. It was already the second month. Spring was here and the flowers were in bloom.

The medicines had been used up. Not just the qi and blood powder, they even ran out of the medicines used for Zhao Changhe’s daily medicinal baths. Because Zhao Changhe had sent people everywhere to buy medicines, Fang Buping caught wind of what he was doing and began snatching up medicines to compete with him. Eventually, there was none left. The neighboring cities also ran out of stock.

What was even more troubling was that Fang Buping had finally recovered from the wounds Venerable Vermillion Bird inflicted on him as punishment.

Zhao Changhe had managed to earn a lot from idiots challenging him. He gave away a small amount of the money to the branch to show, at least symbolically, that the Beimang Mountain Stronghold was still subordinate to the Blood God Cult. As for Fang Buping’s requirement for them to give up half of whatever they earned—I won’t give him shit.

However, this morning, Fang Buping had sent someone over and the emissary arrogantly demanded that half of the stronghold’s resources be handed over.

Fang Buping had sure become haughty after he recovered. He could finally vent the discontentment he felt toward Zhao Changhe and held back these few months.

“Stronghold Master Zhao, is the Beimang Mountain Stronghold still one of the Blood God Cult’s strongholds? Do you intend for the stronghold to become independent, Stronghold. Master. Zhao?”

“Ha, what are you saying? We’re all brothers of the cult. Come sit down.”

The man shrugged and looked at the sky. “The Branch Master said that you came to an agreement with him that every month, half of whatever the stronghold earns shall be handed over to the branch. However, the stronghold only gave the branch eighty-eight taels of silver last month. What is the meaning of this? Regarding the matter of the authorities coming to weed out bandits that was brought up between you and the branch master, the branch master has helped you flawlessly. In these few months, have there been any imperial troops coming to stir up trouble here? I don’t think so.”

Zhao Changhe sneered at him in his heart. The authorities didn’t come? What do you think Cui Yuanyong came here to do? With him around, do the little authorities in the city have to do anything? All they need to do is to serve Young Master Cui and make sure he’s well fed, has a place to piss and shit, and that’s all.

He hasn’t made a move yet because he saw that Yue Hongling was here. It’d be strange if Fang Buping was the one holding Cui Yuanyong back. Why the fuck would he care about Fang Buping? On the other hand, wasn’t that Lin Feihu or whatever sent by Fang Buping to stir up trouble?

In the end, Zhao Changhe said none of this out loud. He leaned back on his seat and replied leisurely. “The agreement was for the stronghold’s earnings to be handed over, but these earnings from the past two months are basically a bonus from people challenging me. It’s my own income. I threw some of it into the storehouse because I wanted to share my fortune with the rest of the brothers here. It doesn’t mean that it’s part of the stronghold’s earnings. Eighty-eight taels is quite a lot. You can ask a random brother and see if he agrees.”

The surrounding mountain bandits all cowered away by the side where they stood. They all had different thoughts on the matter.

What the boss said makes sense. All we can do is hunt. We only just started following the ex-stronghold mistress’ advice and planted some crops, so nothing’s come out of it yet... The earnings of the stronghold today really just come from people challenging the boss. Whatever he earns, he just throws it into the storehouse for us to use. At most, we put in a little more effort into digging traps. The boss is really sharing his fortune with us.

There’s no need to say anything about how the boss conducts himself. He’s loyal and treats us like brothers.

Unfortunately for them, their stance depended on a lot more than how Zhao Changhe conducted himself.

At the end of the day, Branch Master Fang is at the fourth layer of the Profound Gate and is a high-ranking member of the cult. Who would openly dare to side with you and go against him?

Even more people were thinking that the reason they had so little income was that Zhao Changhe forbade them from looting. Otherwise, how could their earnings be only this much? Are we even bandits anymore? We’re even planting fucking crops now!

These people were not driven to become bandits because of a tyrannical official, huge taxes, or anything like that. Each and every one of them had come to the mountain either because they were loafers or because they’d committed a crime. If we were willing to make an honest living growing crops in the past, why the fuck would be have come here...

The emissary broke out in laughter. “Right, right, look at how many of your brothers agree with you! No shit, you’re the stronghold master! Doesn’t that mean your income is also the stronghold’s income?”

Zhao Changhe took in all of their expressions in a single view and grinned. “You’re right. Dashan, take this emissary to the storehouse. Hand him half of whatever’s inside.”

Following this, a few people’s expressions soured.

What was in the storehouse was owned by everyone, and now, a few careless words from Zhao Changhe had just caused half of it to vanish. They felt like their hearts were bleeding. Recently, there were also no idiots coming to challenge Zhao Changhe anymore. How would they gain back their resources? If half of the storehouse was taken away, they would have to go back to eating dirt.

How could they speak in favor of their boss right now?

Zhao Changhe wanted to laugh, but he held himself back and unhurriedly said, “Alright, have three people become his study buddy[1]... Eh wait, I mean have a few people tend to this honored emissary sent by the branch master. Take him to rest in the best house we have. Tonight we feast on roasted lamb. Remember to save a lamb shank for our honored emissary. That’s all. Dismissed.”

He did not care about the strange expressions of everyone in the Hall of Virtuous Rebellion. He just stood up and left.

*

The waters of the pool behind the mountain were still clear and cold. There was no longer any snow around. The trees grew new branches and a floral fragrance wafted from the flowers that now covered the ground. Wild geese were flying south, their cries reaching the heavens.

Zhao Changhe stood silently and suddenly took out his three shi bow. Without even aiming, he let his bow string twang and the arrow flew toward the wild geese.

The arrow was like a shooting star. It pierced through two wild geese and they plopped to the ground.

Zhao Changhe did not go over to inspect them. He was able to see far away, and he was able to clearly discern the geese’s wounds. They were not caused by the arrow, but by the spiraling vicious blood qi accompanying it, which left massive holes in the target. A bloody aura lingered, spiraling around the wound. The geese’s bones were also completely shattered.

He had successfully picked up archery. His vision and hearing were sharp; everything he perceived was reflected unto his heart. Even if he had not broken through to the third layer, he was right at the bottleneck.

He lacked medicine, however, so breaking through right now was as difficult as cooking without rice. Zhao Changhe had no choice but to slow down his ambitious steps. At the same time, this further strengthened his resolve to leave.

If even the resources I need for cultivation at the second and third layers are this scarce, the fuck am I going to do once I reach an ever higher cultivation?

The emissary sent by Fang Buping had left, but it was painfully clear that he would come back again to stir up trouble. Just like how Yue Hongling had left after saying it was time, his period of rest and growth was also reaching its end.

He pondered for a moment and hid his bow by a tree at the back before leaving.

Even though he felt that he was not ready, Zhao Changhe planned to attempt breaking through to the third layer tonight. Whether he succeeded or not, he had a plan.

Tomorrow was the Insect’s Wake [2]. While insects had yet to burrow through the ground, why did a dragon have to hide itself?

He returned to his hut, soaked in his final medicinal bath, drank his final portion of medicinal soup, showered, changed his clothes, then slowly took up a bizarre stance.

At the third layer for the Vicious Blood Art, one no longer practiced the horse stance. Instead, the stance he had to take up now was similar to that of the statue of David. It was very embarrassing. Furthermore, what was even more embarrassing was that he had to slowly change positions... However, this was more beneficial for the circulation of his vicious blood qi and helped his blood qi permeate into his flesh and bones from his blood vessels.

Once vicious blood spread throughout one’s body, the Vicious Blood Art would be greatly strengthened. There was naturally no problem with Yue Hongling’s judgment. This was indeed a martial art with an extremely high upper limit. Among the myriad types of external arts, those that could temper one’s bones and internal organs alike were few in number.

It was just that as one reached the later stages of the Vicious Blood Art, more energy and nutrients were needed. And... it became more painful to cultivate.

He could clearly feel the vicious qi surge within his blood and seep into his flesh, slowly spreading to his skin... Gradually, a sharp pain began to assault him. Hot blood rushed to his head and more and more of his mind was taken over by malevolence. He wanted to rip apart everything in front of him to drain away the urge for violence in his heart and release the pain he felt.

Zhao Changhe knew that if there was another person around, they would think that he was about to go berserk, like a wild beast with scarlet eyes.

While Zhao Changhe’s mind was still intact, Xia Longyuan’s internal art activated itself and a wisp of coolness flowed from his huiyin acupoint to his chest, then upstream into the arteries of his heart, and lastly to his forehead, ensuring that Zhao Changhe’s consciousness was not extinguished.

However, the more awake he was, the harder the pain was to endure. The berserk state brought about by the Vicious Blood Art, from a certain standpoint, could be said to allow one to ignore or dissipate the pain from their body—that, of course, if they were willing to forsake their humanity.

Zhao Changhe, of course, did not want that.

Wisps of qi swam from his dantian into his meridians. They spread throughout his muscles and bones, alleviating some of the pain.

Whether it was with Xia Chichi’s assistance or relying on Xia Longyuan’s internal art, internal arts could only help alleviate the side effects of the Vicious Blood Art. They could not prevent them. The only way to eliminate the side effects was to use the Blood Settling Pill that Instructor Sun had given him. Until now, Zhao Changhe had not eaten a single pill.

Once he began relying on it, he could forget about ever being free.

It’s enough for me that internal arts can alleviate the symptoms... With my manly bones of steel, how can I not endure this bit of pain?

While his head was muddled, he seemed to hear someone making noise outside. It sounded like there was someone knocking the door. Zhao Changhe, in his chaotic state, did not pay it any heed and continued attacking the final barrier between him and the third layer, ignoring just how exhausted he was.

After enduring for some time, Zhao Changhe could feel that his clothes were drenched in sweat. He almost managed to force his vicious blood qi into every part of his skin. Almost.

Just one bit was left, but that one percent could just as well be ninety-nine.

No matter how much pain he endured or how many times he attempted to break through this final barrier, if he did not have enough strength, then he did not have enough.

He did not have enough strength. He did not have enough medicine. The time he had was too short.

At the end of the day, he was not a genius favored by heaven.

“Fuck!” Zhao Changhe opened his eyes in rage. He smashed the bathtub in his room with a kick and the medicinal water spilled everywhere—a symbol of his failure to breakthrough.

“Boss, boss!” Listening to things inside the building quiet down, the person outside anxiously shouted, “Boss, you’re finally awake...”

Zhao Changhe panted, exhausted, and asked furiously, “What happened!?”

“Someone snuck into the stronghold tonight. She’s stuck in one of the traps... But her sword art is too strong. Everyone’s been trying to deal with her for an hour, but we still can’t restrain her...”

1. This is a reference to a controversy in Shandong University over a system where three Chinese students (mostly female) are assigned to a single international student as a buddy. You can read more about it here: https://web.archive.org/web/20210120071431/https://shanghai.ist/2019/07/15/shandong-university-apologizes-for-pairing-male-foreigners-with-multiple-female-chinese-buddies/ ☜

2. Jingzhe, the third of the 24 solar stems. ☜