Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 58: Mountain Temple

Zhao Changhe took Cui Yuanyang along and ran as fast as he could. Only after they had fled a few tens of li did he stop to take a breath, panting as he sat against a tree. For a while, he was too tired to speak.

Cui Yuanyang squatted beside him, panting, but her eyes were sparkling as she looked at Zhao Changhe.

This is really fun. Now this is what going out is supposed to be like.

“Not only am I a bandit, the next time I have a woman in my arms, it might be Tang Wanzhuang! Tell her to wash herself and wait for me!”

Hehe, how fun. This is what I’m talking about.

Zhao Changhe cast her a sidelong glance. “Why are you squatting there like a toad?”

“The ground is dirty.”

“It hasn’t been raining here. The ground is still dry. How can you be so fussy when you’re outside?”

“Hey, this is really fun. It’s been raining in the city so why hasn’t it been raining here? We’re only a few tens of li away. From the looks of it, it hasn’t just stopped raining, it hasn’t rained for at least two days.

Zhao Changhe could not help but laugh. “Will you believe me if I say the rain will come chasing us in a moment? This is called being the son of heaven. The sky will cry as it chases me”

Cui Yuanyang blinked. She had no idea what he was saying.

Zhao Changhe said lazily, “You can ask your parents about this when you get back... However, I’d suggest you go and ask some old farmers. I don’t believe you’ve spoken to any in your entire life?”

That feeling of alienation set in again, but Cui Yuanyang did not care too much this time, continued blinking and asked, “I could have clearly resolved the whole thing with my identity. You might have even been able to enjoy a big feast with the officials in the city and you could’ve gotten rid of me. Why did you choose to ruin your name and let others think you’ve kidnapped a young lady?”

Zhao Changhe replied lazily, “You, the unmarried daughter of the Cui Clan, went to stay at an inn with another man. If anyone finds out about this, your reputation will be completely ruined. As for my reputation, what the hell is there to ruin? I’m known as a low-level bandit and a traitorous rebel. Having ‘lustful lecher’ added to that list isn’t anything to get worked up about.”

“So that’s why you said you’d go for Tang Wanzhuang? To strengthen this impression?”

“I didn’t think that far ahead. Can’t I just be angry with her? I’m an independent individual with my own thoughts. I’m not something for others to test or manipulate... Even though I can understand her actions, what use is that? There’s only value if we both understand each other’s intentions. If not, I’m just a simp.”

Zhao Changhe stretched his muscles as he said all this, then stood up. “We’ve had enough rest. Let’s go. I was careless this time. I shouldn’t have strutted around the city with you. I deserved that slap I got earlier. After this, we might not enter any more cities; we’ll probably stay on the outskirts. Will you be okay with this?”

Cui Yuanyang’s hands curled up into fists excitedly. “Of course!”

Zhao Changhe glanced at her lively appearance and couldn’t help but laugh. “Let’s go.”

He felt that this brat was not as bratty as he had imagined. Whatever he did, she would understand and cooperate. She’s really not stupid... Even when she asks me ten thousand whys, it’s more adorable than annoying. I guess it’s alright to have a companion.

Cui Yuanyang followed him closely from behind and continued her questioning. “Hey, why did you say that you deserved that rather than scolding me for giving you more trouble?”

“Do you want me to scold you?”

“No... I’m just asking.”

“Even though you made a mess of my plans, I’m still the one that acts at the end of the day. Not you. Being careless and forgetting just where I was was definitely my own problem. If I blamed you, how would that help me get better? Enough nonsense. The rain is here. Let’s hurry.”

Cui Yuanyang turned around. Indeed, there was heavy rain coming their way. It was incredibly strange.

Cui Yuanyang covered her head as she ran. She turned around to look at the downpour chasing them, smiling as she ran.

This is really fun.

*

Evening came upon the wilderness.

“Poluo Mountain Temple.”

Zhao Changhe stood outside the temple, raising his head to look at the dust-covered board and remained silent for a while.

“Hey, what’re you looking at?”

“My name isn’t ‘hey.’ Why does it feel like you’re even less educated than me?”

Cui Yuanyang’s mouth twitched. How else am I supposed to call you? Brother Zhao? That’s too polite. Changhe? If I call you that, you’ll probably grab me by the rabbit ears and throw me to the side. Don’t tell me I have to call you Big Brother Zhao? The thought gives me goosebumps.

She avoided the topic altogether and continued asking, “What’re you looking at? The words on there aren’t even written that well. Even my handwriting is better than that.”

“I’m thinking. In a world with gods, do mountain gods exist? If they do, then how could anyone let the temple become this dilapidated?”

Cui Yuanyang was at a loss. After a while, she murmured, “I don’t know. In any case, I’ve never seen any mountain gods. Well, I haven’t seen any so far.”

“Well, a ruined temple in the wilderness is also a classic setting. I have a feeling that something’s going to happen tonight.”

The little rabbit’s eyes went wide. Why? If you thought that something would happen, why did you come here? Can’t we go somewhere else? It’s not too late yet. We still have time to find some farm to stay at. I have money...

Before she could ask, Zhao Changhe had already pushed open the gates and entered.

He’s clearly excited about staying at this ruined temple!

As Cui Yuanyang murmured all this in her heart, following him through the door, Zhao Changhe suddenly halted. Like lightning, his gaze darted to a corner of the temple and he placed his hand firmly around the hilt of his saber.

There was a slim youth dressed in black, carrying a sword, leaning against the corner of the hall and resting with his eyes closed. He looked like he was unaware of their arrival.

Cui Yuanyang felt nervous. They had stood outside for a while, but she had been unable to sense anyone inside. Even now, when she tried focusing on the man, it was difficult to perceive his breathing. It was faint and drawn out. It was a high-level internal art.

Indeed, something was happening tonight.

As Cui Yuanyang was about to say something, Zhao Changhe’s hand left his saber. He gestured with his hands and said in a low voice, “No one owns the wilderness. It’s first come first serve... Since he’s arrived first, let’s not go and bother him. We’ll rest over here.”

Cui Yuanyang listened to Zhao Changhe and sat with him at the wall opposite the youth in black. She quietly took out a piece of cake from her bag. “Do you want some?”

Zhao Changhe asked curiously, “When did you buy cake? How did I not find out about it...”

“While you were paying the bills at the counter in the morning, I bought it at the Eight-Treasures Room neighboring the inn. It’s better than whatever inferior biscuits you can get at the inn. And let me tell you, I’ve wanted to say this for a while, but what kind of crude shop doesn’t even sell meat in the afternoon...”

“...” Zhao Changhe did not lecture her about how one could not covet luxuries while outside. He did not say anything and reached out to grab a piece of her osmanthus cake.

Who doesn’t like eating delicious things? Traveling with a rich loli is really something.

Zhao Changhe opened his wine gourd and sipped a bit of his wine as he ate the cake. He never let the youth in black leave his line of sight.

Even after they finished their food, the youth had not moved an inch. It was like he was dead.

Just as Zhao Changhe thought that everyone could get along and pass the night in peace, he heard extremely faint footsteps—someone was on the rooftop.

Zhao Changhe once more stealthily placed his hands on his saber.

Hidden in the stillness was killing intent.

At that very moment, a voice suddenly came from outside the door. “Fucking hell, there wasn’t any rain just now. Why did the rain have to follow us here the whole way?”

“Let’s just take shelter first and worry about it later.”

Following the man’s words, a huge group of people suddenly entered. The wind and rain outside followed them in and raindrops splashed as they hit the temple.

A middle-aged man who looked to be their leader casually swept the area with his gaze and saw three people sitting in their own corners. He waved his hand impatiently. “This place has been reserved by our Cui Clan. Sirs, please leave.”

Cui Yuanyang almost choked on her cake. Her eyes were wide as she sized up this group of people. She tried to see if there were any familiar faces, but she could not find any.

Then again, the Cui Clan’s influence had stretched beyond their own region. She did not recognize everyone and had no way of confirming whether these people were really with the Cui Clan. She also felt that if they were, it would not be strange.

She carefully threw Zhao Changhe a look. He slowly ate his last piece of cake and corked his wine gourd, remaining silent the entire time.

The youth in black also did not respond.

The leader waited a few breaths of time. When he saw that none of them were moving, a cold smile suddenly appeared on his face. “There are really a lot of people who don’t know when they should back off. Drive them away!”

None of his lackeys went to bother the youth in black. All of them rushed toward Cui Yuanyang. “Little girl, it’s already late. The rain is cold. Why don’t you come and warm yourself up with me? You’re too good to be with this boorish man—”

Before the man finished speaking, Cui Yuanyang unsheathed her sword. She was red with anger. “You...Do you people know I’m—”

“Yo! She’s got a temper.” Someone could not restrain themselves and reached out to touch her face. “Your bright red face is really cute.”

Swoosh!

A saber flashed over.

No one saw when Zhao Changhe pulled out his saber. The moment they heard his blade leave its scabbard, a severed hand was already flying through the air with blood surging forth. It was only until then that the man who lost his hand felt any pain. He clutched his severed arm and cried, “Kill them! Kill them!”

The moment Zhao Changhe pulled out his saber, the youth in black, who had been clutching his sword with his eyes closed all this while, suddenly opened his eyes. His gaze was as sharp as a sword, and he fixed it on Zhao Changhe’s hand without batting an eye.

Cui Yuanyang was so angry she was about to cry. She attacked indiscriminately with her sword. “I’ll kill all of you! I’ll kill all of you! Arghhhh!”

The idiot of the Cui Clan, no matter of stupid she was, was still at the third layer of the Profound Gate. She practiced a high-level sword art. Even with her disordered attacks, she was able to cut down a good few people.

Their leader stood by the side and his face immediately went pale. “Those beautiful techniques like faraway mountains...it’s the Cui Clan’s sword art! You...you’re...”

“Why do you care who I am!? I’ll fucking kill you. You’ll pay for using my Cui Clan’s name! You’ll pay for ruining my jianghu! Arghhh...”

Amidst the chaos, Zhao Changhe did not intervene, but his hands were wrapped firmly around the hilt of his saber. His palms were actually sweating.

The oppressive force he felt from the youth’s gaze could actually match up to the power he felt when Fang Buping used Scattering the Gods and Buddhas.

The ceiling suddenly split open and the rain poured in wildly in an instant. A sword descended together with the rain and landed in a flash. In the blink of an eye, it was already headed for Zhao Changhe’s throat.

The person on the building had taken advantage of the chaos to strike!

Clang!

Zhao Changhe’s blood-red saber slashed toward the wind and rain. He had long since prepared for this. The strength he had been storing up to deal with the youth in black was suddenly directed at this new arrival from up high.

As they crossed blades, the new arrival quietly harrumphed. It was clear that he had not expected Zhao Changhe to be so prepared as to be able to react in full force. The man had suffered no small loss. However, he did not stop there. He borrowed the force of Zhao Changhe’s attack and suddenly changed direction in the air. His sword was directed towards Cui Yuanyang’s back!

Zhao Changhe’s heart skipped a beat.

He always thought that he was the one that would be targeted by these sorts of schemes. But as it turned out, this man’s true target was Cui Yuanyang!