Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 186: Taiyi Sect

How lofty rises the head of the Five Great Mountains,

In Qilu, where lush and beautiful mountains cascade,

Divine the hands that shape creation’s dance,

Dividing yin from yang, night from day’s embrace.[1]

On Mount Tai, Zhao Changhe followed Xuan Chong, leisurely admiring the surrounding scenery as they climbed.

If it were not for the matter with the Wang Clan, Zhao Changhe might not have continued traveling with Xuan Chong. As Xuan Chong returned to Mount Tai, Zhao Changhe might have instead gone to Xuzhou, checking out if Pizhou existed in this world, reminiscing about Emperors Gaozu and Zhao of Han, then stopping by White Gate Tower to visit the person who had drifted through half a lifetime, wondering if he needed to learn from them.[2]

Although they were all in Jiangsu, the scenery here felt vastly different from Gusu and Yangzhou.

But due to the matter involving the Wang Clan, Zhao Changhe decided to forgo the reminiscing and head straight to Qilu. Linyi, at the north of Xuzhou, was actually where the Wang Clan of Langya was located, with their influence extending to the Eastern Sea. The entire area could be considered part of Langya, and their martial arts were closely related to the sea.[3]

However, the Wang Clan had only just started inviting people. In other words, the banquet was not going to happen just yet, so Xuan Chong invited Zhao Changhe to continue northward to visit his sect.

Zhao Changhe thought of how during his entire time in the jianghu, he had met with aristocratic families, gangs, and cults, but he had never interacted with a regular martial arts sect. And so, he happily agreed to broaden his horizons.

Besides, Mount Tai was well worth a visit.

His mindset had indeed changed. Back when he first left Beimang, he had no leisure to indulge in reminiscence or enjoy the scenery. But now, he could do both enthusiastically.

The vicious qi that used to often torment and plague him had not erupted ever since he left Yangzhou. Logically speaking, it should have erupted long ago, especially when he was practically bathing in vicious qi at the Sword Emperor’s tomb, but he was fine so far. He was fairly sure that Tang Wanzhuang’s efforts to help him calm himself down played a significant role in this.

Initially, Zhao Changhe thought that Beimang had shifted significantly northward, implying that there might be significant differences in geography between this world and the modern world. However, as he experienced more of this world, he found that most places had no differences. Instead, it was just that Beimang’s situation was peculiar, possibly connected to some changes in the basin between the Yellow River and the Luo River. There had to be a reason for it.

Culturally, there were some differences, such as Mount Tai not carrying the same significance that it did in the modern world due to the lack of ceremonies and religious connotations. In this world, it was just a famous mountain. Originally, there had been several large and small sects on the mountain, but with the leader of the Taiyi Sect making it onto the Ranking of Earth, some small sects were absorbed, while others relocated, leaving only the Taiyi Sect on Mount Tai.

In recent years, the Taiyi Sect had been flourishing. Xuan Chong, the direct disciple of its sect master, was already at the seventh layer of the Profound Gate despite his young age. Additionally, he used to be ranked twelfth on the Ranking of Hidden Dragons—with the recent developments, now ranking tenth. It was quite an honorable achievement, indicating the solidity of the Taiyi Sect’s heritage.

Perhaps due to the gentle nature of Daoist practice, from Zhao Changhe’s perspective, Xuan Chong didn’t have much of a presence, but that did not mean that he was weak. Even though he had indeed been suppressed by Chi Li, it had to be taken into account that Chi Li was simply on a much higher level than anyone else there. On the contrary, the fact that he had even been able to exchange a few moves with Chi Li and had not been defeated instantly was actually already quite impressive. At the very least, he was much stronger than Zhao Changhe was at that time.

The word “Chong” that made up his name might seem very dynamic, but in the context of Daoism, it represented emptiness, void, and humility. It was the opposite of fullness and profit.[4]

The main reason why Zhao Changhe was interested in him was actually the Black Tortoise.

In the modern world, the Black Tortoise was known as a deeply revered figure in Chinese mythology. It held a distinguished position among Daoist deities, and it was known as the True Martial Great Emperor of Profound Heaven.

Xuan Chong and Wan Dongliu appeared to have a particularly good relationship. Zhao Changhe thus could not help but wonder why Xuan Chong had stayed at Wan Dongliu’s place in Yangzhou for so long. Was it really just for cultivation? On the Tome of Troubled Times, his master was recorded by the name Daoist Gui Chen... Is it possible for the Tome of Troubled Times to recognize pseudonyms? Could he actually be Black Tortoise and take two spots on the Tome of Troubled Times under two different names?

Vermillion Bird, Black Tortoise, and Maitreya most certainly had actual names, but it was not their real names that were shown on the Tome of Troubled Times. They were simply recorded under their titles, which meant that the name recognized by the Tome of Troubled Times was the name you fought under.

So if I were to use another name, could I have multiple aliases on the rankings? Or would it still record my real name? I should try it out in the future.

Most people in this world would probably never entertain such thoughts, but for Zhao Changhe, who frequented forums with countless aliases and could even argue with himself, nothing was impossible

The only reason why he was unsure about this judgment was that he felt that it was meaningless for Black Tortoise to pretend to be the head of the Taiyi Sect. While there was clear significance to the young gang leader of the Cao Gang being a secret member of the Four Idols Cult, the same could not be said for Black Tortoise acting as the head of the Taiyi Sect. If that was really the case, then it could even be said to be detrimental to the cult as it resulted in him not having time to take care of its affairs, leaving all the burden to Vermillion Bird. It simply did not make much sense.

As they made their way up the mountain, enjoying the scenery and letting their thoughts wander, Zhao Changhe and Xuan Chong chatted casually. Xuan Chong introduced the various sights of Mount Tai, which Zhao Changhe found quite enjoyable. His gentle demeanor made interacting with him a comfortable affair.

“Senior brother, you’re back!” At the entrance of the sect, the disciples on guard duty saw Xuan Chong and greeted him with respect. “We were just talking the other day, saying that you’ve been away for so long and that you should be returning soon.”

The other disciples chuckled and said, “We’ve been eagerly waiting every day looking at the sky, hoping to hear news of your fame spreading throughout Jiangnan, but alas, there had been no such news.”

Xuan Chong raised his hand playfully, as if to scold them, and said with a smile, “Looking at the sky? Do you think it’s that easy to show up on the Tome of Troubled Times? Like you can just go and beat up some small fry and then suddenly become famous?”

The disciples took a step back, smiling in turn. “Isn’t that exactly the case for that Zhao Changhe guy?”

Xuan Chong glanced at Zhao Changhe, who stood there with a grin, seemingly amused by the atmosphere of the sect.

Xuan Chong asked, “You must be joking. Is Zhao Changhe the type to beat up small fry? Which one of his achievements isn’t solid? Even during his first appearance on the ranking, when people doubted him, saying that such a feat of jumping levels was achievable by many, they overlooked the disproportionate time he spent cultivating within the same system. How many can achieve that? Every time you encounter a senior who has practiced for an extra year, aren’t you all beaten to the ground to the point where you have to look for your lost teeth?”

“Hah, his achievements are indeed solid, there’s no doubt about it. The main issue is that the Tome even makes remarks such as how he can not appear when others are shining brightly. Aren’t the assessments of the Tome supposed to be neutral? It’s as if it holds some expectation for him to rise above others. It’s to the point where it makes people think that if the Tome had a spirit, it would have a connection with him...”

Zhao Changhe finally could not help but cough, as the words the other party said...actually made sense. The closeness implied by the comment indeed could not be concealed, and it could at least be considered to be the Tome holding him in high regard.

However, regardless of whether the blind woman was the spirit of the tome or not, her expectations might not necessarily be benevolent. Zhao Changhe was not interested in the kind of connection people imagined he had, but he was interested in wiping that smug look off her face. Unfortunately, it did not seem like that was going to happen any time soon.

His cough caught the attention of the disciples, and someone finally asked, “Senior brother, is this person your friend? Could you tell us his name? The sect master recently issued strict orders that people need to identify themselves before they are allowed to enter the mountain.”

“This is the guy you were just talking about, the one who supposedly has some connection with the Tome of Troubled Times.”

“?”

Xuan Chong, frustrated, stomped his foot and said, “Those idiots from the Wang Clan didn’t recognize him, but you can at least say it was because he wasn’t carrying his saber. But now, with this guy holding such a huge saber right beside me, what kind of brain do you guys have to discuss him right in front of his face this entire time?”

The disciples stammered, “N-no, it’s.... It’s because many men in the north have begun carrying such sabers lately. It’s become quite popular.... There are even some who deliberately scar their faces! How are we supposed to know if it’s really him? Wasn’t he just at Taihu Lake a few days ago?”

“Yeah, and I was in Yangzhou! What a bunch of idiots!” Xuan Chong sighed in exasperation. “Can ordinary people even pick up such a massive saber?”

“Ah, if they can’t carry a saber that size, they usually make do with a piece of wood covered in metal, or hollow metal. There is always a way,” the disciples said. As they stole glances at Zhao Changhe, their eyes showed a hint of admiration. These youths could not help but admire the bold and vigorous man in front of them more than they did their own senior brother, who was calm and gentle.

It was not surprising for people to start imitating him. Celebrities always set the trends. Back in Beimang or Yangzhou, everyone had been imitating Yue Hongling’s style, as it was being talked about everywhere. If you wanted a set of red clothes that would fit the look of a female warrior and a red scabbard for your sword, you could find them everywhere on the streets.

Zhao Changhe, on the other hand, was stunned for a while, and then suddenly ecstatic, “That’s great!”

Xuan Chong glanced at him, “Do you feel happy being famous? You do know that most people don’t like others imitating them, right?”

Zhao Changhe could not hide his joy. “I’ve always been worried about being too recognizable. It’s too troublesome. This is just the heavens helping me! It would be even better if more people tried to look like me and put scars on their faces!”

Xuan Chong was stunned for a moment, then he shook his head and smiled. I guess that makes sense...

Immediately, however, he restrained his smile and ignored Zhao Changhe’s self-indulgence. He asked one of the disciples seriously, “What happened? Why do you need to check our identities even to let us in?”

The disciples guarding the gate all shook their heads. “We don’t know either. Everything seems normal. If there was something big happening, would we be in the mood to be joking around? No idea why we got this order.”

Xuan Chong nodded, then suddenly smiled at Zhao Changhe. “I wonder why I suddenly had the thought to invite you to the sect... But now, it seems that there might be a case for you to solve.”

Zhao Changhe’s smile froze on his face. He almost wanted to throw away the jade token he got from the Demon Suppression Bureau down the mountain. Is this fate?

Of course, he wasn’t actually willing to just throw it away. His relationship with Tang Wanzhuang back then and now was vastly different, and the token was not from the Demon Suppression Bureau so much as from Tang Wanzhuang.

1. This is an excerpt from a poem by Du Fu titled “Gazing at Mount Tai.” The head of the Five Great Mountains refers to Mount Tai. Qilu refers to present-day Shandong. ☜

2. This references events from the period of the Three Kingdoms. ☜

3. Just a note that the Langya being referred to here isn’t present-day Langya County, but rather Langya Commandery of ancient China. ☜

4. His name is 冲, and it can be literally translated as “collision,” “assault,” and so on, also appearing in words that refer to animated movement or reactions. The word meaning fullness/profit is 盈. ☜