Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 183: How Can I Be Absent

The night was dark and windy.

On the east bank of Taihu Lake, an army of several thousand was gathering to fetch water and make food.

They were not particularly disciplined, and they were making a fair bit of noise, which was particularly loud in the quiet of the night. However, compared to the military forces that Zhao Changhe had seen before in Yangzhou and Gusu, this army could be considered much more orderly. Indeed, in comparison, they were a well-trained elite force.

This was the vanguard army led by the Ten Abodes Bodhisattva Fa Sheng.

The so-called Ten Abodes Bodhisattva was not a title for Fa Sheng, but a rank within the Maitreya Cult, given to someone who had killed countless beings. The term “Ten Abodes” also referred to the position of a Bodhisattva. By killing more, they could become Buddha.

When he planned to entice Zhao Changhe, Fa Yuan hoped that the latter could become a Ten Abodes Bodhisattva.

Fa Sheng had only just arrived in Wuxing the day before, and after a day and night of rest, he had made use of the night to circle northward around the lake, heading straight for Gusu.

The entire vanguard could not be considered large in terms of numbers. However, there were both troops on land and ships on the lake, which clearly showed that it was not just a rowdy gang. Considering Fa Sheng’s unstoppable momentum in the past few days, even with these limited numbers, they clearly had what it took to easily break into cities.

This was partly because within the cities, there were officials and citizens that were followers of the Maitreya Cult, and partly because the military forces in Jiangnan were even more disorganized than a mob. Surprisingly, during these times, it was actually the local aristocratic or noble clans who would display some resistance, as they looked down upon the Maitreya Cult.

However, the little bit of resistance they offered was futile. These clans were often nothing more than wastrels who only knew how to eat, drink, and enjoy themselves. When the vanguard forces arrived, their booming cries of defiance soon turned into trembling knees at the sight of the overwhelming forces. They would all claim to personally take Maitreya’s head and offer it to the emperor, but when faced with this small army, their legs gave out.

And so, Fa Sheng wiped them out completely, and the waters of Jiangnan turned blood-red.

This was how a “strong army” was forged—by bullying the weak. At the beginning of the uprising, they were just a group of unorganized followers who had learned a few martial arts moves. But now, after winning several battles and equipping themselves with the loot from a couple of regions, they had developed a somewhat disciplined and formidable appearance. It wasn’t just appearance either; they had actually grown stronger with each victory.

In the military tent, Fa Sheng was observing the terrain map when a follower called out to him. “Bodhisattva, scouts have reported that Gusu is fortifying its defenses and clearing out its surroundings. They seem to even be neglecting the autumn harvest, and there’s not a soul to be found in the villages and towns nearby.”

“Tang Wanzhuang must have made preparations during her stay in Gusu,” Fa Sheng said calmly. He was a bulky and strong-looking monk with a beard similar to Lu Zhishen’s. “It’s a pity that Tang Wanzhuang cannot be in two places at once. She must stay in Jinling to counterbalance the presence of the cult leader. If the affairs of Gusu are being managed by people like Tang Wangsheng, then Tang Wanzhuang’s efforts would simply turn out to be a waste.”

Someone said, “Gusu still has some notable figures. It’s said Tang Wangsheng and several others are at the ninth layer of the Profound Gate... Bodhisattva, with our limited forces and without any strong leaders present, what if someone decides to risk it all and attempt an assassination?”

Fa Sheng waved his hand dismissively, “Gusu doesn’t have anyone on the Ranking of Man. Tang Wangsheng does not have that ability. Even if they’re at the ninth layer of the Profound Gate, if they really try to carry out an assassination, a few rounds of arrows would be enough to turn them into hedgehogs. The Northern Buddha was killed by Xia Chichi because we did not have much influence in Jiangbei to begin with. The Buddhist temple there was being held in check by a powerful member of the Four Idols Cult, and the power dynamics were different.”

After a pause, he continued, “Even with Tang Wanzhuang’s strength, she would not dare to recklessly venture into dangerous territory. Once she becomes entangled with the cult leader and surrounded by thousands of troops, she would meet her end there. In the same way, the cult leader cannot casually rush into Gusu and take Tang Wangsheng’s head. Who knows what kind of ambush Tang Wanzhuang has prepared? If action is to be taken, absolute preparation is necessary. Victory in war is not decided by the presence of a single strong individual. That is our value.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

There were not many true powerhouses, the kind who could move freely within a large army. At the very least, there was no one as abnormal as Yue Hongling in Gusu.

A staff officer said, “From the incident with the Lu Clan, it’s clear that Gusu’s military is slacking and lacks capable leaders. However, the clans in Gusu may have become more diligent and determined as a result of that event. With plenty of food stored in the city, if they can organize their members to defend the city, it won’t be easy to take it down.”

“This is why we’re launching a surprise attack under the cover of night. They lack both respected leaders and war experience. They’re probably still considering how to leverage the terrain and allocate defense zones between the clans. Once the surprise attack catches them off guard, chaos will ensue. Our opportunity lies here. We can’t afford to wait for the main army to arrive and engage in a protracted battle. Otherwise, they may become more united and difficult to defeat.”

If Tang Buqi had been here, his heart would probably have skipped more than just a beat.

Fa Sheng seemed to have a perfect understanding of his thoughts and the current situation of Gusu. They were indeed in the process of allocating defense zones, preparing to engage in a back-and-forth battle with the Maitreya Cult.

Once the city was attacked at night, it was hard to predict how the Tang Clan would react, but the other clans would almost definitely be in chaos.

“Enough about that.” Fa Sheng pointed at the topographic map. “Look here, on the east bank of Taihu Lake....huh?”

Before he could finish speaking, hurried footsteps echoed from outside the tent as someone came in and said, “Bodhisattva, Bodhisattva, there’s a report from outside the camp. They said that they encountered frogmen in the lake. Some boats have sunk. We suspect that Gusu has sent some troops to launch a surprise attack!”[1]

“There are still such figures in Gusu?” Fa Sheng and the staff officers were surprised as they walked out of the tent. They saw the flames rising in the distance on the surface of the lake, mixed with shouts of alarm and anger.

“Where’s the person who reported this news?” Fa Sheng asked. “Take me to him. I’d like to learn more about the situation.”

The messenger was waiting by the reeds outside the camp. He was a tall young man with an ordinary appearance. He looked rather sallow, thin and malnourished. He looked like he had just gotten out of the water. He didn’t even have a weapon on him, and he looked rather disheveled.

Fa Sheng took one look and was not suspicious of the other party. There were quite a few young men like this in their army, so he asked, “Tell me more about what happened on the lake? How many frogmen did the enemy send? Did you fight them?”

The young man’s voice trembled as he spoke, “Bodhisattva, the other side sent many people. It’s dark and they were underwater, so I did not dare to fight them. I swam as fast as I could to the shore instead....”

After a moment of contemplation, Fa Sheng ordered, “Assemble the archers at the shore. Don’t leave the camp without authorization. Be cautious of any attempts to raid the camp. Send scouts to the forward outpost for reconnaissance.”

As he spoke, he looked at the young man with some suspicion. “I find it hard to believe that Tang Wangsheng has such capabilities. Why should I trust your words?”

The young man looked bewildered as if he did not understand what Fa Sheng was talking about.

His gaze inadvertently swept across the camp, observing most of the archers who were gathering around the shore.

Fa Sheng continued, “Wait a moment, show me your Immovable Wisdom King Seal[2].”

The young man formed the hand seal and said, “Is this how it’s done, Bodhisattva? I’m not very familiar with it...”

This was one of the fundamental seals in Buddhism, widely mentioned in various scriptures. It was something that any follower or believer of the Maitreya Cult should know. However, it was normal for an ordinary follower who had yet to even take the vows to have improper form. There seemed to be nothing suspicious about the young man’s actions.

The other officers nearby felt that Fa Sheng was being overly suspicious at this time. With a mishap in the lake involving boats, why bother checking the precision of a messenger’s seal?

Even Fa Sheng himself could not see anything suspicious with the young man anymore. He simply corrected the young man’s hand posture with an air of humility as he laughed and said, “Don’t bend your thumb too stiffly here. This is how you do it....”

At that moment, the seemingly honest young man’s hand seal suddenly transformed.

His fingertips moved delicately like swaying willows, softly blooming into shadowy flowers.

Everyone, including Fa Sheng and the officers, only saw vague shadows of the fingertips, and before they could react, they had already brushed against the Lieque acupoint at Fa Sheng’s wrist.

Knowing the practices of the Maitreya Cult particularly well.... This action did not only affect the Lieque acupoint, but would go on to affect the Taiyin lung meridian as well. He struck both the upper and lower positions of the Lieque acupoint, making sure that he would hit it even if Fa Sheng had shifted its position.

In an instant, half of Fa Sheng’s body went numb. He hastily retreated and shouted, “It’s an assassin!”

Left and right, swords were drawn simultaneously, and they swung straight for the young man’s head.

However, he slightly staggered his steps, gracefully shifting to the right. With a flick of his foot, a broad saber hidden in the reeds jumped into the palm of his hand.

Roar!

The saber rose and the wind roared!

With a sharp clang, several longswords surrounding him were broken in twain. Zhao Changhe leaped into the air, stepping on a broken sword that had been sent flying, soaring toward the retreating Fa Sheng.

“Zhao Changhe! This is that bastard Zhao Changhe!”

Fa Sheng was infuriated to the point of nearly vomiting blood. Where had Zhao Changhe learnt to perform such delicate acupoint strikes? And since when had he started disguising himself? Without his scar, it was incredibly difficult to imagine that the young man was actually Zhao Changhe!

He actually dares to launch a surprise attack right outside the camp and go for the leader’s head!

A dark shadow loomed in the sky, covering the moonlight.

The only light was the bloody gleam in his eyes.

A fierce saber came down from heaven.

Dragon Bird howled, vicious qi surging into the sky.

The right side of Fa Sheng’s body was paralyzed, and he barely managed to draw out his jiedao to defend himself. Countless swords, spears, and glaives thrust at Zhao Changhe from all directions. The archers who had been mobilized returned, drawing their bows and nocking their arrows.

If a painter were present, this scene would surely be immortalized as a painting of gods and demons locked in combat.

Crack!

The jarring sound of blades clashing resounded through the night sky.

Fa Sheng’s jiedao inexplicably failed to block the strike, and Dragon Bird seemed to just slide past it. A gash mysteriously appeared on Fa Sheng’s forehead, and he died before he could comprehend what happened. Before his death, he could not understand how Zhao Changhe’s move, which clearly looked like it was Scattering the Gods and Buddhas, turned into the saber slipping past his defenses.

Wasn’t it supposed to be Scattering the Gods and Buddhas? How did it turn into this awkward sword technique?

A long spear grazed Zhao Changhe’s ribcage, splattering blood into the air.

Zhao Changhe moved with the grace of a dove, deftly avoiding two more sabers flying at his neck. He swept back with his saber, and the spearman’s head flew into the air as blood spurted up from his neck.

Fwhoot!

With a whistle, the sound of hooves pounding the ground came from the side. A black horse with white socks came sprinting like lightning.

Zhao Changhe deflected another spear with his blade and suddenly kicked another officer in the chest. Using the rebounding force from the kick, he leaped to the side, soaring several zhang through the air and landing on his horse.

Snow-Treading Crow neighed and galloped into the night.

Countless arrows were shot toward him from behind. He deflected them with a horizontal swing of his blade, laughing heartily as he rode away. “The Ten Abodes Bodhisattva is weak, and the forces of the Maitreya Cult are nothing special! See you later, losers!”

Boom!

Flames erupted from the lake as the boats that had been set alight completely sank into the lake.

The entire military camp descended into chaos.

***

“Young Master Tang, why are you pacing back and forth like that?”

“I feel restless.” Tang Buqi paced back and forth along the city wall, looking at the guards in their designated areas. “What if Fa Sheng attacks tonight?”

“You’re overthinking it. Fa Sheng only entered Wuxing yesterday. If he comes with a vanguard force, how many troops could he possibly have? He’ll have to wait for the main forces to join him.”

“...But he entered Wuxing with just these troops, he did not wait for the main forces from Hangzhou to arrive.”

“Once the followers of Maitreya break into key cities and towns, wouldn’t they indulge in plundering, killing, and debauchery for a few days? How could they just come directly....”

Tang Buqi paced back and forth, still uneasy. He turned around and asked Wu Weiyang, “Did my aunt talk about anything else to take special note of?”

Wu Weiyang sighed and said, “Since the bureau chief has entrusted you to take charge, you should exercise your independent judgment. You can’t always ask the chief about everything. We’re the ones here. Moreover, you’re not fighting alone, you can give orders.”

Someone nearby sneered, “But what if there’s no attack?”

Tang Buqi was about to respond when a flash of golden light appeared in the sky.

Everyone paused and looked up. The Tome of Troubled Times has been updated a little too frequently recently, hasn’t it?

On the seventh day of the sixth month, at midnight, Zhao Changhe launched an attack on the Taihu military camp, beheading Maitreya’s Ten Abodes Bodhisattva Fa Sheng right at the entrance to their camp before leaving on horseback. None of the Maitreya’s generals and officers could stop him.

The Ranking of Hidden Dragons has changed.

Rank 18: Zhao Changhe.

With stars shimmering in the sky, how can I be absent!

Tang Buqi squinted at the people from the other clans nearby, “What do you think is the point of this attack on Fa Sheng in this military camp?”

The crowd exchanged glances and opened their mouths as if wanting to say something, but then just shut their mouths again.

Tang Buqi said in a low voice, “I’m still a little behind... This is the stage for people like Zhao Changhe.”

It was time indeed.

The northern barbarians came knocking on the gates of the south. Maitreya was rising from Jiangnan. Heroes were emerging as troubled times descended upon the world.

As winds and clouds stir, dragons and snakes begin their rise.

[END OF SECOND ARC]

1. A frogman is a colloquial name for a military or police diver. ☜

2. The Immovable Wisdom King or Acala is one of the major figures in Buddhism. The exact form of this mudra (hand seal) depends on the Buddhist tradition, but it’s often quite like the famous Shadow Clone Jutsu seal. ☜