Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 352: This Page of the Heavenly Tome Is Not Yours

Zhao Changhe watched the fusion process intently and asked absentmindedly, “Will its aura attract attention?”

“I’m containing it, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

“So if I take it out in the future, will you contain its aura again?”

The blind woman did not respond immediately, seeming hesitant.

Zhao Changhe had a rough idea then. It seemed like the blind woman was not always by his side. It was more than likely that she was like some kind of multi-core CPU, observing many things at once, with only a portion of her attention placed on him.

It would be quite troublesome if she said that she’d block the aura for him every time. Obviously, that would require her to follow him closely at all times.

After a long pause, the blind woman said, “Can’t you just avoid taking it out? It still works the same even if you keep it in the ring. What difference does it make whether it’s in the ring or outside?”

“It still takes a toll on my spirit when I delve into the ring so I’d rather avoid doing it unless necessary.”

“It will get much easier for you once you break through to the first layer of the Profound Mysteries.”

“So, this ring can contain the Heavenly Tome’s aura?”

“Of course,” the blind woman said. “That ring has quite the background. Don’t you know who it belongs to?”

“It doesn’t seem like it would belong to that Black Tortoise, so it should have belonged to the Night Emperor, right?”

“Yes.” The blind woman hesitated for a few moments before explaining, “And it isn’t just any ring of the Night Emperor’s; it was his personal ring before he achieved the Dao. It carries great symbolic significance.”

Zhao Changhe seized the opportunity to ask, “Beside the unfinished sword and the Atlas of Mountains and Rivers, there’s also a black token in the ring. Do you know what it is?”

The blind man did not beat around the bush and answered directly, “That token is an official token given to the Black Tortoise of the past by the Night Emperor to facilitate his duties. Paired with the ring, it essentially signifies the Night Emperor’s personal authorization. Otherwise, the other members of the four idols would have been unlikely to cooperate easily, making the Black Tortoise’s tasks more difficult. Well, not that it matters right now. Almost nobody will recognize it anyway, so there’s no purpose to it. The material is quite great, though. In fact, it’s the perfect material to finish the sword.”

Zhao Changhe was not too concerned about the token’s purpose. He had plenty of strange tokens, like the blood token he bought from Ying Five and the black jade token given by Ye Wuzong after the bet. At least this one could be melted down for forging a sword. “The ancient Black Tortoise listed down the method for forging the sword and the missing materials. I have not really gotten a good look at it. If the token is one of the required materials, what else is missing?”

The blind woman replied, “You’re missing a layer of Night Flowing Sand, but that’s not important. More importantly, you’re lacking the will. That’s the most crucial part of the forging. It’s still too early for you to do it.”

She really just seems to know everything...

Zhao Changhe could not help but ask, Can you not appear in front of me to talk? Do we always have to talk in a dream?”

The blind woman said, “I’ve only been talking to you because of the Heavenly Tome. Once this is settled, I’ll be gone. Why do you care if I appear before you or not?”

She chuckled. “Want to see me? Then work hard to dream of me.”

Zhao Changhe rolled his eyes. “You’re quite the enchantress, aren’t you?”

The blind woman’s heart skipped a beat, but she remained silent.

Zhao Changhe only said it offhandedly, not thinking much of it, because at this moment, the fusion of the Heavenly Tome was completed.

It emitted a golden glow,brilliant yet not blinding. The golden light actually felt quite gentle, enveloping him in a warm, comfortable glow.

The Heavenly Tome does not provide energy for cultivation, but its own energy is somehow self-contained. Does the existence of the pages represent the energy reaction of the entire world?

Uncertain, Zhao Changhe thought that Ying Five’s idea of collecting secret realms seemed quite logical. The more complete the world, the more elevated the entire world’s status should be, bringing it closer to the level where the power of gods and demons could emerge once more.

Everyone was working toward different goals, but the ultimate goal was quite similar.

As the golden light gradually subsided, the two pages of the Heavenly Tome merged into a “bound volume.” Although a bound volume of only two pages seemed pitiful, like a product brochure, it could at least be called a book instead of loose pages.

The material of the golden foil had changed as well, becoming like the yellow silk of imperial edicts, though tougher, as if woven from tens of thousands of strands. The new page, originally intangible, had also transformed and taken on this yellow silk form. The two pages were now connected and could be opened and closed together.

When opened, the pages were still blank, but faint patterns had emerged.

The patterns depicted natural landscapes, similar to those that Zhao Changhe had seen in the secret realm before, these patterns containing profound meanings. Delving into it mentally, Zhao Changhe felt as though he was in a world of lush green mountains and clear waters, with nothing else around him.

But this time, the landscape in his eyes seemed to go beyond just virtual reality. It was as if it had evolved beyond even mixed reality, becoming a completely new world.

Zhao Changhe asked, “Am I still here?”

The blind woman almost laughed but understood what he meant and replied, “Yes, you’re still here. That’s just your consciousness connecting with the Heavenly Tome, forming a spiritual world. Your body has not actually entered the book’s realm.”

“Can someone merely at the ninth layer of the Profound Gate really achieve this?”

“You’re already very close to the first layer of the Profound Mysteries. In fact, the spiritual energy of some masters who have already unlocked the Profound Mysteries might not even surpass yours. What you lack is integration, not absolute attributes.”

“So now I’m connected to this spiritual world, but what’s next? There’s nothing here. Where’s the old grandpa who’s supposed to grant me wisdom?”

The blind woman coldly retorted, “Should I crack open your skull and pour in that stuff you love to smear so much? Would that count as granting you wisdom?”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

As they spoke, a celestial figure gracefully floated through the landscape before Zhao Changhe. She moved with ethereal grace, like a snowflake fluttering by in the winter. Her eyes were closed and she resembled a goddess descending from the clouds.

Zhao Changhe was mesmerized.

Didn’t you tell me to try dreaming of you? Then why bother appearing before me? Wait, no, since when did the blind woman become so beautiful...

He’d always thought that she was beautiful; even in modern times, many would sneak a glance at her. However, she still fit within the normal concept of “beauty.” She usually maintained a modern look, clad in black martial attire, with short hair, looking more like a shadowy female assassin than a fortune teller.

But this time, she wore a celestial maiden’s garb, the ribbon around her waist fluttering behind her. In fact, she looked a lot like Tang Wanzhuang. Her long hair flowed, and she exuded an otherworldly demeanor. Even with her eyes closed, she looked like a goddess.

So, this is what the Heavenly Tome unlocks? It lets you change outfits?

Zhao Changhe almost wanted to spit out a mouthful of blood. Is this what I’ve risked my life for? To see the golden foil turn into a brochure and then watch you change outfits?

You might as well strip it off... No, wait, that’s wrong too!

“Don’t be so agitated.” The blind woman floated in front of him and sighed. “This page of the Heavenly Tome is about the Dao of nature. The scene in your heart aligns with this meaning. I have not changed outfits; it’s just how your mind presents it under the influence of the environment.”

Zhao Changhe’s eyes widened. “How do you know what I’m thinking?”

“I can see how you look at me,” the blind woman sighed again. “Honestly, you should seriously comprehend this page of the Heavenly Tome. It might not directly benefit your cultivation, as it doesn’t exactly align with your path, but it can serve as a reference and help you refine your state of mind.”

Zhao Changhe caught the implication, “You mean it has other benefits?”

“When you see me like this, who do you think of?”

“...Tang Wanzhuang.”

The blind woman chuckled.

Zhao Changhe kept a stern face, not saying a word.

“So who else would this page of the Heavenly Tome correspond to if not her?” the blind woman said calmly. “If you want to treat Tang Wanzhuang’s problem, nothing in the world would be more suitable than this page of the Heavenly Tome. Not even your Rejuvenation Art can compare...”

Zhao Changhe was startled. “Explain, why wouldn’t the Rejuvenation Art work? I feel as though it’s quite powerful. With more practice, it should be able to heal a simple lung meridian, right?”

“She hasn’t just injured her lung meridian; that’s a misconception based on surface observations... Her injury is more mystical, not something physical treatment can address. If it were just a lung meridian, do you think Xia Longyuan would not have been able to heal it? Or would he be so cold-hearted as to not treat it? That makes no sense. Even if only to ensure a loyal subordinate could function like a normal human, he would have healed her. He’s not an idiot; the reason he didn’t do it is simply that he has no way.”

Zhao Changhe asked, “Then how can the Heavenly Tome help?”

“She has made you slow down and connect with the essence of nature. You should return the favor by immersing her in nature. As for how to do so, you have the Heavenly Tome in your hands. Figure it out yourself.”

“...”

The blind woman’s figure slowly faded. “You managed to figure out the golden foil on your own. You should be able to do the same for this new page you’ve just acquired. I won’t be appearing again for a while. Take care.”

Zhao Changhe felt that the blind woman acting like the Riddler[1] this time was pure revenge for him smearing the golden foil.

1. Yes, this is a reference to the American supervillain in DC Comics. ☜