Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 182: Dragons and Snakes Rise

Zhao Changhe looked at the flagon of wine that Tang Buqi was carrying and asked, “Are you here to say goodbye?“

Tang Buqi said matter-of-factly, “Yes. I don’t want you to think that I’m driving you out, so doesn’t it make sense for me to have a little drink with you as a proper farewell?“

Zhao Changhe was at a loss for words.

Tang Buqi sat down at the table and continued, “Also, I think you would also agree that you should take a break from practicing. There’s no end to cultivation. I recall my aunt also told you to slow down, didn’t she?“

Zhao Changhe also sat down and said with a smile, “I’m already taking things pretty slowly at the moment. I’m just refining and nurturing my vicious qi, and I’m not even rushing to break through.“

“It sounds as if you’re saying that you can break through whenever you want.“

Zhao Changhe smiled and said nothing.

Tang Buqi picked up the flagon and poured both of them a cup of wine. He looked a little gloomy and said, “I said I was going to travel and experience the world, but it looks like that won’t be happening any time soon.“

Zhao Changhe raised his cup and clinked it with his. “Your kind of training doesn’t really need that kind of experience. You don’t really need to roam the jianghu. In fact, I don’t know why your aunt doesn’t want me to stay here for a while longer. I feel like it would be quite good for me to work together with the military and kill people to nurture vicious qi...“

Tang Buqi took a long sip of wine and said, “I know why.“

“Oh?“

“You think that your martial arts skills are better than those of the regular soldiers. You think that you can charge into battle on horseback, with heads falling like rain on both sides of you, like all those famous warriors in history known for their individual bravery?“

“...Is that not the case?“

“When I read through history, I did feel as if there were many such brave heroes, but in fact, there are only so many of them even throughout the history of the two eras. And also...they definitely were not on the Ranking of Hidden Dragons. With our current level of strength, the impact we can have by fighting on our own is nowhere near as great as the impact of a line of well-trained soldiers stabbing at the enemy with their spears.“

“...“

“With your courage, leading a group of elite soldiers as the vanguard would be in fact pretty fitting. You might even end up being called a tiger or dragon general. But to get there, you would still need a coordinated troop of highly skilled soldiers. Also, the prerequisite to that is that you train with the soldiers for quite some time and integrate yourself into the team. You can’t just suddenly join them and charge out on horseback then call it a day.“ Tang Buqi smiled teasingly. “How many days do you think it would take for you to become an integral part of a troop? And how many days do you think you’ll be staying?“

Zhao Changhe let out a dry cough and said, “Hey, it’s only been a few days. How have you changed this much?“

“A few days?“ Tang Buqi’s eyes widened. “You can’t be serious. I’ve been learning these things since I was a child! Even though I haven’t actually been in the military, I’ve had to study military strategy, and if I failed any tests, I’d get a beating. By the way, let me tell you, you’re very familiar with the person who would give me those beating.”

Zhao Changhe recalled the scene of Tang Wanzhuang flipping Tang Buqi over and spanking him. She did seem really familiar with that...

Tang Buqi said lazily, “Now that all the clans in Gusu are furious at being deceived by the Maitreya Cult, we’re all united in our hatred. In addition, with Jinling and Yangzhou still intact, both sides of the Yangtze River are in our hands. With geographical advantage and a united force, this area won’t be easy to chew through. The fight here is likely to drag on, not just for days or weeks but for years, and who-knows-how-many clashes between the two sides. This is my home, and I see no issue defending it for the rest of my life. But can you do the same, brother Zhao? Unless you’ve truly changed your mind about what you want to do and what role to take in this world, you don’t really fit in here.“

Zhao Changhe remained silent for a moment, finishing the wine in his cup. “I appreciate the advice.“

Tang Buqi stared at him with a peculiar gaze for a while before suddenly saying, “Why aren’t you calling me eldest nephew anymore?“

“Well...“ Zhao Changhe did not know how to reply. It seemed as if he actually felt a bit hesitant to say it.

Perhaps because, in the past, he had no such thoughts of it ever actually becoming real and could casually banter without care, but now that he had some thoughts about her, he felt a bit guilty calling him that.

However, Tang Buqi did not mean to mock him for it either. He really was not in the mood for that. He sipped his wine quietly and said, “Actually, Maitreya does seem to carry somewhat of an invincible aura, but he isn’t really fit to be a commander. He relies on the subordinates that he has recruited, and I have to admit, some of them are quite formidable.

“For example, the Ten Abodes Bodhisattva Fa Sheng I told you about earlier. According to reports, even though there was some resistance in Hangzhou, Fa Sheng managed to break through it in just an hour. He’s only at the sixth layer of the Profound Gate, yet he’s already managed to become Maitreya’s most trusted vanguard general.“

He emptied his cup and said, “I really don’t have much confidence in facing such an enemy... I heard that he’s extremely cruel, and he leaves nothing behind wherever he goes... I can’t help but worry about what will happen if he actually manages to make it through...“

Zhao Changhe said, “You’re already more amazing than me... As you said, you have the geographical advantage and a united force, so you aren’t going to be easy to deal with. Even if you might not be able to defeat this Fa Sheng at first, after a few confrontations, you should improve. We’re still young. We can still become much more.“

Tang Buqi shook his head and said, “Ah, let’s stop talking about that. Actually, you and I are ultimately people of the jianghu. Compared to learning the art of war, I still hope to improve my martial arts. One day, I hope to ascend the Tome of Troubled Times and become admired by the world... If we really do manage to reach the level of my aunt, then we might just actually be able to charge into enemy forces alone. We can fight for as long as we want, and no one can stop us. How fun would that be? One sword facing a million soldiers. You share the same sentiment, don’t you?“

Zhao Changhe admitted, “Yes. And it’s not just you or me either, most of the martial artists in this world share the same aspirations.“

Tang Buqi said, “Speaking of which, ever since you defeated Wan Dongliu last time, the Tome of Troubled Times has not had any changes. It’s honestly quite strange. In the past six months, you’ve been shining incredibly brightly on the rankings, while others have barely made any impact...“

Before he could finish speaking, the sky lit up with golden light.

Tang Buqi’s hand, which was raising his wine cup, paused as he raised his head to look at the sky in surprise.

The sixth day of the sixth month, the twelfth solar term, the height of summer.

On Chi Li’s twenty-third birthday, he advanced to the ninth layer of the Profound Gate. On this day, amidst a crowd of people, he killed Li Changkong, the Northern Spear King of the Great Xia, and took his place on the Ranking of Man.

The Ranking of Man has changed.

Rank 66: Fox Spirit Chi Li!

Zhao Changhe looked up at the sky, sipping his wine quietly without speaking.

Tang Buqi stared blankly for a long time, unable to drink anymore. “He’s really just twenty-three years old... It’s like he’s declaring war on His Majesty...“

He had not finished his sentence, but how could those of the younger generation not feel a sense of frustration and fear when they witnessed such a peer? He was an enemy of the empire, and his talent made people despair.

Zhao Changhe watched quietly but still did not say anything. It was as if he was waiting for something.

Tang Buqi said curiously, “Brother Zhao, you...“

Before he could finish speaking, the golden light appeared in the sky again.

On this day, Yue Hongling, aged twenty and at the ninth layer of the Profound Gate, rode alone and broke through into the Black Wolf Khan’s tent, single-handedly killing Black Wolf Khan Bohu in the midst of his camp and leaving without a trace.

The Ranking of Man has changed.

Rank 68: Sunset Divine Sword Yue Hongling!

It’s just directly giving them nicknames... Zhao Changhe finally understood how a real moniker came to be given. It was not just by the mouths of the Cao Gang—the “mouth” of the Tome of Troubled Times was the real deal!

Only someone like Zhao Changhe could think about monikers at this moment... In the eyes of others, the consecutive rise of two newcomers to the Ranking of Man was a truly world-shaking event. Who would have the mind to think about monikers at such a moment?

The Rankings of Heaven, Earth, and Man were different from the Ranking of Hidden Dragons. It was not something that changed depending on a single achievement. In addition, experts on the Rankings of Heaven, Earth, and Man were very cautious in their interactions with each other. How long had it been since the rankings had last changed?

But now, there were two changes in a row, and neither of them had been achieved through ordinary means. One was amidst a crowd, while the other was alone in a military camp. Their true rankings could be even higher!

Both of them were still extremely young, so they were still considered by many as juniors whose potential was still to be evaluated. Yet, in the northern region of the divine land, they had shown their might as the brightest stars of their generation.

Zhao Changhe suddenly laughed aloud, remembering Yue Hongling’s confident and arrogant look... This is what you wanted, isn’t it?

Chi Li had just put on a big show, intentionally choosing to make such a move on his birthday, just to show off. He also intended to boost the morale of their side and undermine the morale of those of the Central Plains as they invaded the region.

But in the end, Yue Hongling, without having to say a word, massively reduced the effects of Chi Li’s move.

Although her ranking was still two places lower, Yue Hongling was only twenty and a half years old at the moment. Didn’t that make her the most abnormal person to ever make it onto the Ranking of Man?

Moreover, the moment Chi Li killed a famous person in the Central Plains, she also killed a famous person in the Grasslands. She directly countered his move and boosted the empire’s morale.

It was as if she had done it on purpose, yet at the same time, she could not have known what Chi Li was up to. And if this was not intentional, then it was certainly some kind of destiny at play.

Zhao Changhe suddenly wondered how long she had been stuck at the peak of the eighth layer of the Profound Gate. Was this breakthrough related to her travels on the Grasslands, or was it related to their dual cultivation in Yangzhou?

It’s probably the latter...

Because of these changes, he had also moved up two places, from 38th to 36th. Thirty-six is a good number. It’s the number of the Heavenly Spirits.

Meanwhile, Tang Buqi was beaming with joy. Before he could say anything, it seemed like the Tome of Troubled Times was updating again as it shone brightly.

The hidden dragon emerges from the abyss, ascending to the Ranking of Man. Those on the Ranking of Hidden Dragons move forward.

Rank 1: Cui Yuanyong.

Cui Yuanyong, who was far away in Qinghe, looked at the sky and did not know whether to laugh or cry. Reaching first place like this did not seem to sit quite right with him...

But it was not over yet.

Xia Chichi, aged seventeen and at the seventh layer of the Profound Gate, stabbed the Northern Buddha of the Maitreya Cult at a Buddhist temple in Jiangbei, taking control over all of its followers.

The Ranking of Hidden Dragons has changed.

Ranked 6: Xia Chichi.

Cui Yuanyang was in seclusion for half a year, fully absorbing the wonders of the Purple Qi of Qinghe. Upon emerging from seclusion, she had advanced to the fifth layer of the Profound Gate. On the day that she came out, she broke through the array of the Nine-Bend Yellow River Trial of the Cui Clan, obtaining the Cui Clan’s most treasured sword art and becoming qualified to inherit the Qinghe Sword. Achieving this at the age of only fifteen, she shocked the entire county.

The Ranking of Hidden Dragons has changed.

Ranked 99: Cui Yuanyang.

It is time for dragons and snakes to rise.

The necks across the entire world had become sore from looking up, and they had gone from shock to numbness.

It truly was a troubled time...

The last statement of the Tome of Troubled Times was not a comment on Cui Yuanyang, but a comment on the brilliant stars shining in the sky.

Tang Buqi repeatedly thought of saying something but ultimately refrained from doing so. With winds and clouds stirring and stars shining brightly, how could someone on the Ranking of Hidden Dragons not feel their blood boil in excitement?

“What a tumultuous event...“ he muttered to himself as he held his wine cup. “I’m about to fall off the rankings. I’m outside the top hundred myself. This is not where I, Tang Buqi, belong.“

Crack!

The wine cup cracked under his grip.

Zhao Changhe finally stood up, calmly picking up Dragon Bird. “Brother Tang, the Tome of Troubled Times must have seen that we had wine but no food, so it specially sent us these dishes to go with the wine, but they taste a bit too spicy... Let’s stop here. All good things must come to an end, and I should take my leave as well.”

“Hey, wait,“ Tang Buqi said. “It’s already getting dark. Where are you planning to go?“

Zhao Changhe looked up at the sky, where those golden words still flickered. “Regardless of where I go, how can I not be part of this storm?“