Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 268: Bloodstained Sand

Yue Hongling looked at him deeply, but she did not say anything.

She actually was not that confident in being able to win against Hu Lie. Even if she could see to some extent, her vision would definitely not be as clear as that of someone who had truly unlocked a Profound Mystery. When she said that she could perhaps turn the tables on Hu Lie, she did so just to reassure Zhao Changhe. In essence, she hoped that he would leave quickly as she prepared herself for an extremely difficult life-or-death battle.

But Zhao Changhe’s response caught her off guard.

She did not act like a little child and refuse his help just because he was not acting according to her plans. Instead, she simply smiled and said, “Alright, let’s join hands.”

The raging sandstorm assaulted them at full force, causing their eyes to sting from the sand that was incessantly pelting their faces. Both of them squinted, leaving only a tiny gap through which they could see through, and they struggled to look ahead through the sand that was flying everywhere.

They could vaguely see someone approaching them, walking silently amidst the howling wind.

In such an environment, it was entirely possible for them to die without a sound. Zhao Changhe kept turning his head back and forth, pretending to squint and have a hard time seeing while he was actually mainly looking through his Back Eye. Further away from him, he could see many figures moving away.

At this moment, Batu and the others had stopped fighting. They were struggling to make their way out of the sandstorm and get some cover.

Zhao Changhe breathed a sigh of relief. He much preferred it if there was no one who would ambush them.

Even Hu Lie’s subordinates were all evacuating. They were already struggling just to survive in such harsh conditions. They could not care about fighting when their very lives were at stake just from the harsh conditions. If they did not evacuate now, they might really just end up dead in the sandstorm. Fortunately, the range of the artificially intensified sandstorm was relatively small, and it was not too difficult for them to reach areas where the sandstorm was weaker.

Hu Lie had not used this trick earlier precisely because of this reason—he was afraid that his subordinates would not be able to handle it.

In fact, doing this also consumed a lot of his energy. After all, how could it be easy to affect the world and alter natural phenomena? Even just slightly intensifying an already raging sandstorm placed a heavy burden on Hu Lie. At this moment, his combat power had greatly decreased, but he could not afford to consider that much anymore. Batu had inexplicably turned on him, and he did not expect Zhao Changhe and Yue Hongling to be so strong.

His scimitar, silent and faint, flew directly at Yue Hongling’s throat, slicing through the howling winds and yellow sand.

Hu Lie’s Sandstorm Saber Art truly blended in with the sandstorm.

If his enemies could not see, they would not even know where his blade came from, even as their throats were cut.

As expected, Yue Hongling did not respond to his movements, seeming like she really could not see anything. She was still shielding her eyes with her arms and stepping back as if she intended to retreat.

Hu Lie could not help but relax slightly when he saw this. Sure enough, whether one has unlocked the Profound Mysteries or not distinguishes those who are but mortal from those who have gone beyond. While Yue Hongling has already trained herself to the pinnacle of ordinary martial artists, she is still within the limits of ordinary humans in the end! As for Zhao Changhe, seeing as I can’t even see him, he’s probably crouching somewhere with both of his hands on his head. He might not even be able to survive this sandstorm!

As these thoughts flashed through his mind, his scimitar was already at Yue Hongling’s throat.

When he felt as if he was going to sever her neck in the next moment, Hu Lie even eased his grip slightly, attempting to switch from a slice to a knock, believing that Yue Hongling was no match for him and he could actually just capture her alive.

But just as he eased his grip, Yue Hongling, who had been shielding her eyes and retreating, suddenly made a move. The long sword in her hand suddenly burst with light, as if the setting sun had spilled into the sand.

Hu Lie’s heart skipped a beat.

Fuck, Yue Hongling also knows how to play dirty? She can see?!

Clang!

Their blades clashed. The surrounding sand was blown away by the collision, creating a small clear space between the two, with the sandstorm continuing to rage around them.

Yue Hongling, who had seemed slightly inferior to him before and had been at a clear disadvantage, actually managed to evenly match him this time!

But that was not all. At the same time that their blades clashed, Zhao Changhe, who was not actually as far away as Hu Lie thought, suddenly unleashed a fierce roar. He swung Dragon Bird, erupting with a ferocious vicious qi surpassing those of his previous battles. The incredible might he unleashed at this moment was not just from his own strength, as he also invoked the power within Dragon Bird!

Roar!

The roar of the saber actually overwhelmed the roars of the howling sandstorm, akin to a dragon’s cry that resounded throughout the nine heavens.

That was the terrifying power of the divine weapon that Zhao Changhe had always suppressed and refused to use. It was the might of a weapon capable of engaging in a back-and-forth battle with the Sword Emperor’s sword phantoms, and it was now erupting with terrifying power in the midst of this deadly sandstorm!

What the hell is going on?! Just who the hell set a trap for the others?! If Yue Hongling can see, that’s one thing, but how the fuck can Zhao Changhe see too?!

Unfortunately, Hu Lie did not have the time to spare dwelling on such thoughts. Just as his scimitar clashed with Yue Hongling’s long sword, Dragon Bird was already approaching his neck.

However, Zhao Changhe’s presumed killing strike did not succeed either.

The scimitar and the long sword separated right after the slightest touch, and seizing the extremely short window before Dragon Bird came, Hu Lie managed to reposition his scimitar to face the saber as well. It was almost as if his single move simultaneously struck both Yue Hongling’s sword and Zhao Changhe’s saber. It was as if his single blade had split into two.

Then, what seemed to be two blades split into three, and three into countless more. In the midst of the swirling sand, blade light danced everywhere, blending in with the sand. Wherever the wind and sand blew, there were also several blade lights. Meanwhile, Hu Lie seemed to have disappeared completely, concealed by the blade’s movements within the sandstorm.

This was an ultimate display of deception of visual senses and utilization of the power of the sandstorm. It was something beyond what ordinary humans were capable of!

Yue Hongling and Zhao Changhe let out muffled groans as blood splattered onto their arms at the same time. They were both rather astonished.

As someone among the top fifty on the Ranking of Man, Hu Lie was much stronger than Fa Qing, and far stronger than the Black Wolf Khan.

Despite his misjudgment of them, even when he faced a carefully planned coordinated attack from the both of them, they were still the ones who ended up injured.

Are those in the top fifty really this formidable?

However, it was evident that Hu Lie himself was not feeling too well at the moment. The force carried by his blade was actually much weaker now than before the storm had intensified. It was clear that he was not doing all that great either.

Yue Hongling closed her eyes completely.

She did not bother distinguishing between the indistinguishable sandstorm and blade lights, nor did she try to locate where Hu Lie might be.

She simply focused her mind.

Clang!

The afterglow of the setting sun penetrated into the yellow sand, and sword light intersected with blade light.

Hu Lie was concealed within the sand, but he could no longer hide now. And just as he parried the sword with his scimitar, Dragon Bird came roaring from behind him once again.

The scimitar twisted strangely, aiming for Yue Hongling’s ribcage in an attempt to force her back so that he could then turn around and deal with Zhao Changhe.

However, with her eyes closed, it seemed that Yue Hongling could not see or sense the cunning and agile movement of his scimitar, but she did sense Zhao Changhe’s roaring broad saber.

So, she did not attempt to evade. Instead, she simply unleashed another strike with her sword, preventing Hu Lie from escaping Dragon Bird.

Perhaps she knew everything but remained resolute. Facing such a formidable enemy, if she was not willing to trade injuries, then how could she win?

Zhao Changhe’s heart skipped a beat, and Hu Lie was also horrified. “You fucking...”

The scimitar sliced across her ribcage, and blood spattered on the yellow sand. Yue Hongling grunted, but her sword’s trajectory remained unchanged.

Hu Lie could not withdraw his scimitar in time to defend against Dragon Bird, and he was once again blocked from evading due to the trajectory of Yue Hongling’s sword. Desperate, he flicked the scimitar sideways, aiming for Zhao Changhe’s ribcage, hoping he would move aside.

Unfortunately, the trajectory of Zhao Changhe’s saber also remained unchanged, and it heavily struck at Hu Lie’s neck. At the same time, a sharp pain erupted in Zhao Changhe’s ribcage as the scimitar grazed him, causing an identical wound to Yue Hongling’s.

Hu Lie’s entire body twisted strangely, and the Dragon Bird seemingly missed its mark. Amidst the splattering blood, he vanished into the yellow sand, leaving uncertainty about the extent of his injuries or whether he had retreated beneath the sand, preparing to launch a sneak attack.

Zhao Changhe and Yue Hongling exchanged a glance, but it was clear that they both lacked the strength to continue. Almost simultaneously, they half-knelt on the ground.

Their wounds tore open, true qi rampaging recklessly within their bodies. Sand and desert dust invaded their wounds, causing excruciating pain. Sweat dripped from their foreheads, mixing in with the sand and making them look as if they’d taken a mud bath.

Zhao Changhe moved over with great effort, helping Yue Hongling up. He took out two pills and offered her one. “How are you?”

“Still alright...” Yue Hongling felt somewhat embarrassed from having to lean against him, but when she tried to force herself to sit up, she grunted in pain and slumped back down.

She stopped struggling and leaned softly into his arms. “It’s not fair. We obviously have very similar injuries, so why do you seem to have more strength than me?”

Zhao Changhe grinned beneath the wet cloth covering his face.

Well, my physique has changed. While I might not be as impervious as Situ Xiao, I can at least take a hit better than the average person. If you wanna take it that way, I’m a bear, and bears have a thick hide.

As for the true qi that invaded our bodies, the Six Harmonies Art is probably better at resisting it compared to whatever internal art you practice.

Unfortunately, they had nothing to bandage their wounds at the moment, which was a slight problem.

Zhao Changhe said softly, “Hold on, I’ll bring you to the horses. We can treat your wounds there.”

Yue Hongling nodded weakly, struggling to stand up. Without saying anything else, Zhao Changhe supported her, laboriously moving forward, one step at a time.

They were both sweating from the pain, supporting each other as they slowly moved.

Blood dripped down from both of them, leaving two trails of blood in the desert, bearing witness to their mutual support.

They did not have the luxury to think about tender moments or what to name their future children.

Their minds were heavy with concern, for this moment was the most dangerous. What if Hu Lie launched a surprise attack from beneath the sand?

The severity of their injuries aside, the most crucial issue was that Yue Hongling was unable to use her spiritual sense due to her injuries. Her eyes were also unable to withstand the sand, and tears streamed down her face, making her look embarrassingly vulnerable. How would she deal with a surprise attack if one did come?

But Zhao Changhe was different. He had never relied on spiritual sense from the beginning. Instead, he relied on the Back Eye, which was unaffected by the sand.

On the ground behind them, yellow sand silently swelled and followed the two of them.

In the depths of the sand, crimson eyes glinted with malice and resentment.

The two of you injured me this much, you think I’m just going to let you leave alive?

A scimitar emerged from the sand silently, aiming to sever both of their hamstrings at the same time.

How are you going to escape my attack in your current state?

Bang!

Dragon Bird suddenly shot out, piercing straight into the sand. At the same time, Zhao Changhe leaped forward while holding onto Yue Hongling, avoiding the scimitar.

Yue Hongling: “...”

Hu Lie: “???”

He never expected Zhao Changhe to still be putting on an act until now. Furthermore, he could not fathom how Zhao Changhe managed to see through everything.

This was no longer a matter of spiritual sense. It was as if Zhao Changhe had been able to see everything clearly the whole time.

Has the sandstorm not affected Zhao Changhe from the beginning? Has he been able to fight normally the entire time?

Hu Lie could not dwell on this. Dragon Bird struck down, and he could not evade it. The saber stabbed into his shoulder, and his left arm was completely severed!

A deafening scream resounded throughout the desert, and Hu Lie suddenly burst out of the ground and fled outward.

This time, he had truly run away.

Zhao Changhe felt utterly drained, both physically and mentally.

The guys on the Ranking of Man are too strong... Even with that disparity in information and these harsh weather conditions, we could barely force a draw.

“It’s fine. You’ve done extremely well,” Yue Hongling said softly while in his arms. “Once we recover from our injuries, then...”

Before she could finish speaking, a scream came from the distance. “Batu, you bastard—ahhhh!”

The voice was cut off abruptly, replaced by Batu’s voice. “Why would I let you go back? I don’t feel like killing myself just yet. Die!”

Meanwhile, as the sandstorm gradually subsided, the ground trembled slightly, indicating that the rest of the army was rapidly approaching.

Zhao Changhe did not have the time to marvel at Batu’s ruthlessness or to find out if Hu Lie had truly died or not. He quickly pulled Yue Hongling closer to the horses. “If we’re surrounded by the army, we’re done for. Let’s go!”