Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 570: Who Among Us is Prettier

The oars churned through the waves, splashing rhythmically against the sea, harmonizing with the natural pulse of the ocean.

Beneath a fiery sky, a giant tortoise loomed in the water, its head raised toward the heavens. Across the horizon, clouds alight with sunset seemed to form a vermillion bird in flight.

If a sailor had witnessed this sight, they might be reminded of the formidable Four Idols Cult, namely the blazing Vermillion Bird and the enigmatic Black Tortoise. According to rumors the cult deliberately spread, both of these figures had broken through to the third layer of the Profound Mysteries and were each now a force worthy of the Ranking of Heaven.

The news sent shockwaves through the world. After all, which other force could claim to have two individuals on the Ranking of Heaven?

It was as if twin stars had ignited, and the balance of the world tilted toward the demonic, suppressing the forces of righteousness.

But to the blind woman, these two were nothing worth praising.

Vermillion Bird, for all her fearsome reputation, still fell for a young man, while Black Tortoise was even more hopeless.

At least Vermilion Bird still kept up appearances, refusing to entangle herself with the young man as her true self. Instead, she pretended to be an unassuming member of the cult, someone whose liaison with the “little pig” seemed almost fated. As long as she maintained her pride as Vermillion Bird, Zhao Changhe could not really claim her. It meant the cult still took precedence in her heart.

But Black Tortoise? She did not care for such things. If it felt good, it was good. She had no concern for pride, no concern for appearances.

The first time, she played the scholar. But now? She played the seductress.

And when she turned her head back, hand resting on the ship’s rail, the allure in her eyes even made the blind woman shiver.

Despite her eccentricities, even the blind woman had to admit that Lady Three was an indisputable beauty. And in moments like these, as she radiated charm like a blooming rose, enough to make anyone’s pulse quicken.

The blind woman chose to look away—after all, she was “blind.”

Nothing worth seeing here, she thought, or someone might say I was watching even when I shouldn’t.

As she departed, she overheard Lady Three say something unexpected, taking on the role that Vermilion Bird had refused, “Don’t forget to use the dual cultivation technique while you’re at it.”

Never had she seen someone offer themselves up like that.

The vital yin has always been an essential part of dual cultivation, especially when one of the yin side was of a higher cultivation level—it was like a divine elixir for the recipient. Back then, Zhao Changhe’s meteoric rise from an unremarkable talent to the top of the Ranking of Hidden Dragons was not just due to the trials he faced on the Grasslands. A key factor had been his dual cultivation with Yue Hongling, whose perfectly timed vital yin allowed him to glimpse the Profound Mysteries.

And now Zhao Changhe was at the second layer, while Lady Three was at the third.

Once the dual cultivation technique was in play, the exchange of powerful, pure energy flowed back and forth, making Zhao Changhe feel like he was immersed in Black Tortoise’s jelly-like essence, absorbing energy endlessly.

Is this the essence of the Black Tortoise?

The progress that would have normally taken him several years of careful cultivation seemed to be completed within an hour—his “experience bar” visibly filling up. The spiral of true qi and vicious qi within him became denser, like a coiling dragon, bursting with power and giving him an almost tangible sense of breaking through his limits.

It was the union of body and soul, the merging of life and destiny, pointing toward something beyond.

The threshold of the third layer of the Profound Mysteries seemed just within reach. It no longer seemed to be some distant horizon but rather something almost tangible, almost within his grasp.

* * *

“Damn you, I fell right into your trap, you little scoundrel.”

Afterward, Lady Three lay naked across the soft, fragrant bedding, utterly drained. She did not even want to lift a finger.

She had once thought he had issues in that area—but no, it was actually quite the opposite. Compared to him, all other men had issues.

It had started in the afternoon, not long after a hearty meal. Now, it was night, and Lady Three found herself wondering if she was dehydrated. Her voice was hoarse, and she had no idea if Tang En and the others had tried to call them for dinner or if everything that happened inside the cabin had been overheard, the thought of which mortified her.

In any case, she was unwilling to do anything now. Nothing sounded better than just lying down and resting.

Seeing her sprawled out like this caused Zhao Changhe to chuckle. Often, Lady Three gave him a sense of familiarity, like someone from his modern life—just a laid-back, down-to-earth woman, content to laze around, watch the world go by, and have some fun. When she tried to act like an authoritative leader, it always felt a bit like an adorable pet trying to be fierce. She felt very much unlike Vermillion Bird, whose sharp gaze could genuinely make him break into a cold sweat. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Earlier, he thought that her bold and fearless pirate persona did not quite match her usual self. But now, watching her, he saw that it all fit perfectly. She was just a free-spirited woman, someone who could grab a jug of wine, sit down next to you, and laugh without restraint.

He preferred her like this. He found himself really happy seeing her relaxed, not burdened by the weight of past grudges or lost in those moments of troubled introspection.

Zhao Changhe put his clothes back on, sat beside her, and gave her a playful pat, which sent a ripple through her soft flesh.

Lady Three shot him a fiery glare. “You dare hit me now, huh?”

“No, no.” He reached out to smooth her disheveled hair, speaking gently. “Want me to get you something to eat?”

“No. Tired.”

“How about I lift you up?”

“Get lost.”

Zhao Changhe walked over to the table, picked up a small piece of mango, and held it near her lips. “Say ahh~.”

Lady Three immediately extended her neck, took the mango into her mouth, and then gave a little huff before flopping back down.

“So, did I do my job well?” Zhao Changhe grinned.

Lady Three gave a lazy, satisfied hum. “You did alright... Keep up the good work in the future.”

After a moment’s thought, she added, “And remember the hierarchy in our cult...”

Zhao Changhe thought she was going to start playing her role again and was about to show her who was in charge when she continued, “From now on, give me your full effort. Your Qing’er should only get half the effort, got it?”

Zhao Changhe: “???”

Suddenly, Lady Three rolled over, tugging at his sleeve. “Tell me, was it better with me or with your Qing’er?”

Zhao Changhe groaned, covering his face. “Why don’t you ask who’s prettier? Who even asks that kind of question?”

“Oh? Who’s prettier, then?”

“...” Zhao Changhe wanted to slap himself. “You’re both equally pretty... equally beautiful.”

Lady Three grabbed Zhao Changhe by the collar, her eyes glinting as she gritted her teeth. “You get what you want, and suddenly you can’t even give me a simple compliment? She’s not even here. Would it kill you to just say I’m prettier than her?!”

Zhao Changhe was not about to badmouth Huangfu Qing behind her back. If she found out, he would never hear the end of it. Instead, he gave a sheepish smile. “But I’m telling the truth...”

“Can’t you tell that I don’t want to hear the truth right now?”

“...”

“Men are all the same.” Lady Three huffed and turned away, showing him her bare back. “If I don’t get a satisfactory answer, you can forget about touching me for the rest of the trip.”

Zhao Changhe sighed, exasperated. “You’re the dignified Venerable Black Tortoise. Why would you bother comparing yourself with a subordinate...”

Where he could not see, Lady Three’s eyes were full of mischief, glinting with a sly determination. “You’re right. That girl is ugly, weak, and dumb. There’s really nothing to compare. How about this then—between me and the saintess, who’s more beautiful?”

Zhao Changhe blinked. “What?”

“What’s wrong? Can’t answer that either?”

“No, I mean... Xia Chichi is only the saintess of the Azure Dragon and White Tiger branches, not the whole cult. Her rank isn’t as high as yours—there’s no need to compare.”

“Don’t you know she’s being treated as the future cult leader? Do you think I rushed here just because Vermilion Bird told me to do so? No. I came here to support the saintess, to see if she truly deserves to lead the Four Idols Cult.”

“Uh...” In all honesty, Zhao Changhe wanted to say that so far, Lady Three really had not shown much interest in assisting Xia Chichi. She had never even mentioned her, after all. But she was probably right; finding the pirates was part of finding their intended destination. Becoming a major player herself was an unexpected twist for Lady Three.

Lady Three’s eyes glinted with amusement as she looked over her shoulder. “So, in a comparison between her and me, it’s fair to say we’re evenly matched, isn’t it?”

Zhao Changhe felt as if his spirit had just taken a hard blow. He could only mutter vaguely, “Chichi is young, but she doesn’t have the same allure that you do...”

Basically, he was still saying they each had their strengths. Xia Chichi was young and vibrant... Lady Three knew it, and even though she could hear the evasive nature of his words, she still nodded, pretending to be satisfied. “Alright, I’ll accept that.”

Zhao Changhe had barely breathed a sigh of relief when Lady Three flicked her fingers, producing a floating sphere of water. The surface of the water shimmered, showing an image of his earlier expression, complete with a sheepish grin along with his exact words, “Chichi is young, but she doesn’t have the same allure that you do...” His voice rang out clearly, the tone unmistakable.

Zhao Changhe stared at it, aghast. “What... is that?”

His first thought was not “this world is becoming more magical by the day.” Nope. It was “if Chichi sees this, I am dead.”

Lady Three turned back with a gleeful grin. “It’s a secret art I just figured out, the Water Mirror Technique. Do you want to learn it? Too bad, I’m not teaching you.”

Only then did Zhao Changhe truly realize what she was doing. It’s just like the Sea Emperor’s ability to summon water constructs. This is no longer within the realm of martial arts; it’s immortal magic!