Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 482: The Rise of the Saintess

The most unbelievable thing for Shi Wuding was that, in just two short days, the pair had grown even stronger.

Yue Hongling had become a bit more powerful, her blood and qi appearing to have become more vigorous, balancing out some of her innate physical disadvantages as a woman and making her overall strength more well-rounded. While it gave her a stronger foundation for touching the second Profound Mystery, it did not result in any significant change in her combat power.

Zhao Changhe, on the other hand, had undergone a drastic change, becoming far more powerful and imposing. His fierce and brutal vicious qi now made him seem like an ancient demon, so much so that even Shi Wuding, with his steadfast resolve, could not help but feel a sense of dread.

If Shi Wuding had also transmigrated from Earth, he might have wondered if these two were Super Saiyans.

Who recovers from their injuries in just two days and immediately becomes this much stronger?

Shi Wuding sidestepped Zhao Changhe’s saber and simultaneously swung his sword, striking the side of Yue Hongling’s sword.

Boom!

A terrifying wall of sword qi surged forth, knocking down all the arrows that were descending toward him like a swarm of locusts.

Even Zhao Changhe could not help but be impressed. He really is incredibly powerful... He had heard of such walls of sword qi but never seen one himself. It was unexpected to witness it so suddenly. If he were in perfect condition, someone like Shi Wuding could probably take on an entire army on his own.

However, he was not in perfect condition.

Shi Wuding’s abdomen twisted in pain, his limbs weak. He barely managed to fend off the first wave of attacks, but how would he withstand the coming onslaught?

Yue Hongling’s sword vibrated slightly, effortlessly deflecting Shi Wuding’s sword and leaving him completely exposed.

Meanwhile, Dragon Bird came slashing down toward his chest.

Straining against the weakness and pain, Shi Wuding suddenly opened his mouth, releasing a piercing stream of sword qi that struck Dragon Bird with a sharp clang. Zhao Changhe’s hand went numb, and his saber was knocked off course.

Shi Wuding quickly evaded, but Yue Hongling’s sword still left a long gash across his shoulder.

He rolled away on the ground, trying to escape from the encirclement.

A fragrant breeze swept by, and a dagger plunged viciously into his back.

Shi Wuding had not even noticed Sisi’s ambush. He barely managed to avoid a fatal wound but still took the dagger solidly in his back.

Realizing that escape down the mountain was impossible, he clenched his teeth and leaped off the cliff.

Behind him, Zhao Changhe and Yue Hongling’s blades followed close, striking at his back. Shi Wuding tried to parry, but his sword was knocked away, and he plummeted off the cliff like a kite with its string cut.

“Persistent bastard... In my experience, this isn’t the end of him.” Zhao Changhe adjusted his clothes and prepared to jump down. “I need to see his body. We must make sure he’s dead.”

Yue Hongling grabbed his arm and whispered, “Wait, someone’s approaching.”

Zhao Changhe’s ears pricked up, and he indeed heard the sounds of someone quickly closing in from the other side.

Yue Hongling’s cultivation was still a fraction stronger than his own, and it seemed she was now on the verge of breaking through to the second layer of the Profound Mysteries.

They hurried over to the other side of the cliff and saw several black-clad figures racing toward them with astonishing speed. They had not yet arrived, but a haughty voice echoed ahead of them, “What’s with all this fighting? Stop at once and kneel to welcome—”

Before he could finish, Zhao Changhe flicked his wrist, and Dragon Bird came slashing down right at the speaker’s face.

The newcomers: “?”

Yue Hongling and Sisi reacted simultaneously. Sisi shouted sternly, “The traitor has accomplices! You let him jump off the cliff without intervening. How dare you just stand there?! You’ll be held accountable!”

The real envoy had arrived!

This place was on the path from the Thousand Snakes Village to the sacred mountain, very close to the mountain itself. The envoy, coming from some other route, had also just so happened to arrive here.

There’s still time before the Dragon Boat Festival. Why did they come so early?

Sisi did not have time to think. Her first instinct was to ensure that Zhao Changhe’s cover was not blown, or else everything would fall apart. Zhao Changhe, reacting even faster, had already swung his saber directly at the envoy’s face.

The best-case scenario was for the elders to join in attacking the real envoy. Once they committed this act, the Spirit Tribe’s path would irrevocably change!

Clang!

The envoy, completely bewildered, drew his sword and attempted to deflect Dragon Bird. The surrounding air filled with a gusting wind as several Spirit Tribe elders, eager to earn merit and avoid blame, rushed forward, shouting, “The traitor has accomplices! Die, scoundrel!”

The envoy: “???”

As Sisi had mentioned earlier, the envoy was at most on par with her own level and certainly was not a match for Zhao Changhe and Yue Hongling. What level of prowess was needed for an envoy sent to subjugate and flaunt authority? If they could match Sisi’s previous level, that would already be decent...

Moreover, taken by surprise and without any time to mentally prepare himself, the envoy could not even withstand Zhao Changhe’s single strike. With one slash, his sword was sent flying, and in the next moment, the three elders’ fists and palms struck him all at once.

The poor envoy, who had barely opened his mouth to establish his authority, found himself inexplicably smashed into a bloody pulp before he could even complete a sentence.

His final thought wasn’t confusion but rather a sense of fervent devotion: Will the Ancestral God take note of this? You traitors will pay with your lives!

As if responding to his devout plea, the blood he had spurted before dying coalesced in the air, slowly forming a small, one-foot-tall blood figure with a sinister visage. “Well, well, it seems the Spirit Tribe’s wings have grown strong...”

As it spoke, an immeasurable wave of blood mist exploded outward.

All three elders coughed up blood in unison, their bodies crumbling under the mist, losing the strength to fight.

Zhao Changhe felt his own blood and qi surging wildly, and his heart tensed slightly.

This is the textbook effect of the Vicious Blood Art! It’s just a different execution—Bloodied Mountains and Rivers!

Had he faced this two days earlier, before mastering the saber intent of No Man’s Land and killing Frost Hawk, Zhao Changhe might not have been able to handle it. This was a higher-level suppression of the same technique, and the gap felt vast.

However, since gaining insight into the new concept of No Man’s Land, Zhao Changhe could now remain as immovable as a mountain. Though the blood mist did affect him, he managed to hold his ground, retreating only three steps with a muffled grunt.

Zhao Changhe quickly suppressed his surging blood and qi. Then, he swung his saber yet again, his eyes taking on a crimson color as a fierce, bloodthirsty qi surged around him.

The blood figure let out a surprised “Huh” and then launched a small, powerful punch.

Boom!

Dragon Bird collided with the blood fist, unleashing a terrifying wave of energy that annihilated the nearby snakes and insects. The Spirit Tribe members shielded themselves, dragging their elders away from the battle.

Everyone was astounded.

It looked like a clash between two ancient blood demons, hardly resembling a battle between humans.

At the same time, Yue Hongling and Sisi swiftly killed the envoy’s remaining followers and returned. Seeing the ongoing battle, they joined the fray, charging straight at the blood figure.

“Hm? Two disciples of the Sword Emperor? One bearing the intent from his early years and the other from his later years... But what’s the ancient sword Dragon Emperor doing here? That’s a different lineage...” the blood figure muttered in surprise. It then grew two additional arms, meeting Yue Hongling’s sword and Sisi’s dagger.

But as the blood hand reached for Sisi’s dagger, the dagger vanished, replaced by a bone sword brimming with energy, which viciously stabbed into the blood hand.

The blood figure seemed to evaporate, emitting a sizzling sound as white mist rose skyward, accompanied by a pained and furious roar, “Very well... The Spirit Tribe’s betrayal, I’ll remember this!”

The white mist faded, and the blood figure disappeared.

All that remained was a devastated mountaintop littered with the bodies of venomous snakes and insects.

The Spirit Tribe members stared at the three of them in horror.

“You... you...” The great elder raised a trembling finger. “You’re fake envoys?!”

The terrifying power of the blood figure, even as a mere projection, had been overwhelming and unstoppable.

That was surely the true ancestral god of the forbidden land! And the envoy it protected—the ones who had just been killed—had to be the real envoy!

The fake envoy had led them to kill the real envoy and had even managed to drive back their god...

They drove back the Ancestral God... But that was just a projection. If their true body comes, will any of us survive?!

The elders, furious and panicked, struggled to their feet, trembling from their injuries. “Rebellion... seize them all!”

“Seize them? You and what army?” Sisi sneered, raising the bone sword high. “Do you know what this is?”

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

The battlefield was not far from the sacred mountain, and the commotion had already drawn the attention of other Spirit Tribe elders, who now flew over, just in time to see Sisi holding up the bone sword.

Someone gasped in shock, “The Blood Ao’s spine!”

Zhao Changhe glanced to the side, realizing why he had sensed a similar aura to the Blood God’s array plate earlier. So it’s because it’s from the same source. Wait a second... The Blood Ao is a turtle, so making an array plate from its shell makes sense, but what’s with this spine? Turtles don’t even have spines, or do they? Hm, maybe they do...[1]

“Indeed,” Sisi spoke loudly. “This is the spine of the Blood Ao. Our Ancestral God Ao is dead, slain by Lie, and its bones are here before you. Stop deceiving yourselves! The so-called forbidden land holds no Blood Ao. And if it does, it would be nothing but a cub. If the forbidden land can rear one, then so can we!”

The crowd stared dumbfounded at the spine, trying to process the information.

“Our ancestors raised the Blood Ao and used its power for themselves!” Sisi proclaimed. “We honor the spirits of our ancestors and obey the teachings of our Ancestral God. If the Blood Ao is our tribe’s guardian sacred beast, then this spine is a relic of that guardian and continues to protect us. We should even regard it as a sacred sword! The object of your worship is right here! Why would you kneel to a mere hatchling?”

That logic was sound.

Some did not understand, while others pretended not to.

Were people truly worshiping a mere beast youngling? No, it was the power of the forbidden land they feared. The notion of honoring the ancestral Blood Ao was merely an excuse, a facade to justify their submission to the forbidden land’s dominance. The elders, in turn, used the forbidden land’s conquest to suppress the ambitions of the younger generation, stifling their desire to explore, learn, and even reclaim power within the Spirit Tribe itself.

That was the reality.

If they could not defeat the forbidden land, there was no point in discussing anything else.

As more Spirit Tribe members gathered, the great elder, needing to maintain a fa?ade of authority, said sternly, “Where did you obtain this so-called sacred sword?”

“From the true Ancestral God, of course!” Sisi lowered the spine and raised a blood-red gemstone. “And look at this! Do you recognize it?”

Gasps rippled through the crowd. “The Heavenly Blood Jade! But why does its aura seem so... different?”

“For millennia, the Heavenly Blood Jade has been the foundation of our tribe’s cultivation, as recorded in our ancient texts, yet we’ve never been able to use it. Why do you think that is?” Sisi’s voice rang out. “As the saintess, I communed with the Ancestral God’s spirit. The Ancestral God imparted a command, teaching me to break the seal on this sacred artifact. Now, the entire tribe can benefit from it! How can that be false?”

Indeed, something like the Heavenly Blood Jade could not possibly be falsified. And for countless years, the tribe’s records had clearly detailed how to use the blood jade, yet no one had ever succeeded. Why was that?

Sisi had only recently become the saintess, and suddenly, she could use it. Why was that?

Was this truly the favor of their ancestral god, bestowing their will upon their saintess?

While strength and power mattered, ancient tribes like the Spirit Tribe also had deep-rooted beliefs and traditions. When an undeniable miracle was before them, there would be countless willing to follow. Not everyone bowed solely to power.

Furthermore, Sisi was not involved with just a singular miracle, but two—the change in the Heavenly Blood Jade and the sudden appearance of the sacred sword!

Zhao Changhe smirked to himself. If these miracles were not bestowed by their ancestral god, then how could they happen?

Several elders quietly retreated to their respective families, shouting angrily, “These are mere lies to confuse the people and incite rebellion against the forbidden land! Do you intend to bring ruin upon the Spirit Tribe? Seize Xiang Simeng and these two impostors pretending to be sacred envoys!”

The atmosphere grew tense in an instant, and a number of people moved to stand protectively in front of Sisi, confronting the elders’ direct subordinates. “Elders, please remain calm...”

A gleam of satisfaction flashed in Sisi’s eyes.

She had only been worried about having no support, but as long as there were some willing to back her, the foundation was there, and she could proceed with certain plans.

Suddenly, she whistled sharply.

High above, an eagle circled before swooping off into the distance. It was a beast under her control.

Not long after, a great cloud of dust arose in the distance, and the ground shook as a vast army, bearing banners with the character Xiang[2], approached the mountain from all sides.

When she entered the secret realm with intentions of assassinating the sacred envoy, she had already prepared for an all-out confrontation. Although her forces from outside the tribe were not entirely loyal, she still had them station themselves at the foot of the sacred mountain, ready for action for quite some time.

The fact that the envoy turned out to be Zhao Changhe and that the action had been delayed until today did not matter—in fact, it was perfect timing!

The Spirit Tribe had not made any preparations for an internal war. None of the tribal forces, including the sacred mountain’s guards, were mobilized. They had only gathered on a nearby hill. Now, with this army surrounding the mountain, who could possibly resist?

Sisi raised the blood jade in one hand and the sacred sword in the other, shouting, “These elders have colluded with outsiders, falsely claiming the mantle of the Ancestral God, bowing and scraping like slaves while oppressing our people. They deserve a thousand deaths! Those of the Spirit Tribe who with any respect for yourselves, seize them!”

Technically, bringing Xia people into the secret realm violated a fundamental rule and was punishable by death. Yet the Spirit Tribe members who sided with Sisi were ecstatic.

They had already rebelled, and the key now was to win!

Battle cries erupted, and the younger, more militant members of the tribe, led by Sisi, charged at the elders and their followers.

Amidst the chaos, the chief elder shouted, “The Ancestral God of the forbidden land merely retreated temporarily. He will return! You’ll regret listening to this child who knows nothing and only brings you closer to your doom!”

At last, someone roared back in fury, “I’m done being a slave! If we’re rebelling, let’s do it right, even if it turns the world upside down! Death is better than submission! And you, old dog, will die before I do!”

Zhao Changhe and Yue Hongling stood at the edge of the conflict, refraining from joining the fight. Now, they exchanged a glance, and Zhao Changhe muttered, “The forbidden land still needs to be dealt with.”

Yue Hongling replied, “Are you confident? That power we just witnessed...”

“No,” Zhao Changhe replied gravely. “But we have to try.”

Sisi broke away from the battle, her face still flushed with the heat of battle. She muttered in an awkward tone, “Um...”

“What is it?” Zhao Changhe asked.

“I don’t actually know where the forbidden land is. No one from our tribe has ever known.”

Zhao Changhe chuckled. “That’s fine. I know where it is.”

1. Yes, they do, and the spine is attached to the shell. ☜

2. 向, Sisi’s surname. ☜