Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 127: This is the Heavenly Tome

When Zhao Changhe entered his room to rest, it was already nearly three in the morning. In another hour or so, it would be dawn.

Zhao Changhe had no intention of sleeping. He immediately took out the Pure Bliss Art and began studying it.

He had placed the secret book together with the golden foil. When he reached for the book, the golden foil ended up coming along with it. Zhao Changhe casually set the golden foil aside.

However, when he took a glance at the golden foil, he was stunned.

He had originally assumed that the golden foil would simply display the scenes of tonight’s battles, such as when he captured the flower-picking celestial maiden or when he shot and killed Fa Yuan. However, while there were images being displayed on the golden foil, shifting around the edges as if they were the backdrop for reading, at the center of the golden foil were texts, diagrams, and meridian networks emerging little by little.

Zhao Changhe sat up straight. He picked up the golden foil and examined it carefully, comparing it with the Pure Bliss Art.

Isn’t this just the Pure Bliss Art? But it seems like the golden foil is displaying a breakdown of what’s written in the secret art manual.

It had completely dismantled the cultivation technique to its finest details, from its principles to the energy circulation path, to the practical usages. It also detailed how to harvest another’s energy, how to engage in dual cultivation, how to arouse the desires and emotions of a partner, how to achieve spiritual ecstasy, and even how to experience heightened pleasure. It explained everything clearly, far more so than the actual manual.

This was an explanation that even a martial artist with no knowledge of the system involved could easily understand and master.

For example, the acupoints...

Previously, Zhao Changhe did not have any special acupuncture techniques, and he would simply break acupoints by force when necessary.

The Maitreya Cult’s cultivation system had its own set of techniques. Each cultivation system, in fact, had its own approach to the different aspects of cultivation. When it came to acupoints, the Maitreya Cult took a rather simple and crude path. Right before their acupoints were tapped or pressed, they could slightly shift the location of their acupoint so that while the other party might think they had hit the point accurately, they had actually failed to do so. In other words, the flower-picking celestial maiden had not actually released the seals on her own acupoints; she had never been disabled at all.

If a person was unaware of this and thought they had rendered their enemy disabled, they might not even know how they ended up dying if their enemy were to suddenly counterattack.

This really is an amazing item. It seems like this golden foil might even have more to offer. It seems to be rather dismissive, though...

The foil had only displayed the techniques of the Pure Bliss Art that forcibly drained another person of their energy several times before it completely stopped showing them at all. It then replaced them with more advanced elaborations and explanations, as if to say, “Look, this is how the yin and yang of this world are supposed to interact and harmonize. That’s not a dual cultivation technique, this is a dual cultivation technique!”

Zhao Changhe became increasingly amazed as he continued to watch what the golden foil showed him. It turned out that it was much more than the personal battle recorder that he originally thought it was. He was overjoyed at this discovery.

I originally thought it was just a glorified video recorder, but it’s clear that isn’t all that it’s capable of. Based on what I’m seeing right now, is it more of a... general outline of martial arts?

It had originally allowed Zhao Changhe to improve his martial arts skills by displaying slow-motion captures of his battles with others. But now, it was also dissecting and explaining theoretical knowledge to him, providing him with improved techniques!

Zhao Changhe only had these few words echoing in his mind: “This is the Heavenly Tome!”

If the Tome of Troubled Times was a part of the Heavenly Tome, recording affairs of the martial world, including figures and events, then this page contained the very essence of martial arts!

Anything with such power had to be a part of the Heavenly Tome. Few other treasures could act on such a grand scope. However, for some unknown reason, it seemed to only be slowly unlocking its various features one at a time, as if it was sealed....

This is perfect, actually.

If it had displayed extraordinary qualities right from the beginning, with aura diffusion, dazzling lights, and all kinds of fancy phenomena, then the whole world would know that he had an incredibly valuable treasure. If that had happened, then he would have definitely been hunted down long ago. It was precisely because it was a sealed treasure gradually revealing its functions that it was perfectly suited for Zhao Changhe.

He had no idea what the senior who sealed this Heavenly Tome page had in mind, but it was almost tailor-made for his situation. In the past, the Maitreya Cult, as well as everyone else, evaluated and regarded Zhao Changhe as someone who ventured alone without the backing of a sect or a force. They saw him as someone who lacked a proper system of cultivation and martial arts, someone who could only learn whatever he found available. However, that would all change drastically starting from now.

With the dissection and meticulous explanation that the golden foil gave him of the Pure Bliss Art, the next time he encountered a member of the Maitreya Cult, the simply disproportionate advantage that the golden foil had granted him would be on full display.

At this moment, he could extract its essence and learn from it. For instance, he could learn the technique for shifting his acupoints, the technique to induce mental illusions and how to deal with them himself, as well as the technique for harmonizing yin and yang.

Without hesitation, Zhao Changhe closed his eyes and began to try shifting his acupoints.

However, on his first attempt, he immediately felt an intense and painful sensation that caused him to break into a cold sweat.

Acupoints were special nodes along a person’s meridians. Moving them did not involve physically relocating the points themselves, but rather stretching the meridians, causing the point to shift in position ever so slightly.

For ordinary martial artists, especially those who began cultivating at a young age, this process was not particularly difficult. It was similar to stretching and flexibility exercises. Those who began doing such exercises in their childhood and continued doing it as they aged would not find such exercises painful. On the other hand, if someone started doing such exercises later in life, the experience could prove to be incredibly painful, and the results less visible.

Regardless, this showed that stretching his meridians and moving his acupoints actually significantly benefited Zhao Changhe as it allowed his meridians to stretch. Although it was impossible to directly expand his meridians in this way, it would definitely help to slightly improve his situation. Over time, this really could expand them a little bit, provided that he could endure the pain.

Fortunately, he had previously taken Cui Wenjing’s resilience-enhancing medicine. Otherwise, he might not have been able to endure this level of pain.

Zhao Changhe could not help but wonder about his fate. Initially, practicing external arts required him to endure pain every now and then, with internal arts being relatively more comfortable. However, now it seemed that even practicing his internal arts required him to endure intense pain. It felt like the heavens had placed a tremendous burden on him, testing his determination and challenging his limits. Is cultivation really meant to be this grueling?

Zhao Changhe clenched his teeth tightly, enduring the excruciating pain that made him feel as if his muscles were being pulled apart and his skin was being peeled off. He painstakingly made one attempt after the other at stretching his meridians and shifting his acupoints.

After what seemed like an eternity, Zhao Changhe felt a slight movement in the Yutang acupoint, which he had been focusing on this entire time.[1]

He had deliberately selected this acupoint because it had a special significance in internal arts: it was the fourth Profound Gate.

As soon as this acupoint was moved, Zhao Changhe immediately sensed signs of a breakthrough within the Profound Gate. He gritted his teeth, activated his dantian, and forcefully directed his true qi toward the Yutang acupoint.

He was never one to follow the conventional path. While he was supposed to merely stretch his meridians, his real intention was to use this process to forcefully smash open the Profound Gate.

His unconventional approach to cultivation was what had allowed him to achieve the fourth layer of physical cultivation within merely six months. This was a feat that few could accomplish.

During the time he had escorted Cui Yuanyang, he had been stuck at the third layer of the Profound Gate due to the limitation of his meridians, and breaking through had been an elusive goal. Now, he could finally see the onset of a breakthrough, albeit with unbearable pain.

Zhao Changhe let out a painful cry. His entire body was drenched in sweat.

Forcibly seeking a breakthrough in such a manner would naturally have negative consequences.

While he did manage to make a breakthrough, the pain did not simply go away.

The agonizing pain in his meridians and acupoints ultimately caused the Vicious Blood Art, which had been dormant for a long time, to erupt once more in the midst of his agony.

The pain felt like thousands of ants biting his skin, muscles, and even bones, while his meridians and acupoints felt like they were being poked relentlessly by countless needles.

Zhao Changhe curled up on the bed, clenching his teeth tightly. He gripped the bedding with such great force that he tore it apart due to his immense strength.

He told himself that he had already managed to break through. All he needed to do now was endure this pain!

Click!

Suddenly, the door was pushed open, and a gentle breeze wafted in as Yue Hongling made her way to the side of the bed.

“You... Go away,” Zhao Changhe managed to say through clenched teeth. “I don’t want you to see me in such a wretched state.”

“Why? Is it because you don’t consider me as one of your own? Were all those times you called me big sister just for show?”

“...Are you stupid? If the Vicious Blood Art truly erupts, I will lose control. Do you think I’d still be that same calm Zhao Changhe from the secret passage?!” Zhao Changhe said angrily. “You care that much about how I address you? I seriously don’t know what to say to you!”

Although she had just been scolded, Yue Hongling did not get angry at him. Instead, she sat down beside him and gently wiped his sweat. “A tough boy who insists on saving face in public, but endures hidden hardships in private... Since you call me big sister, can’t I be concerned for you and take care of you like a big sister would?”

Zhao Changhe’s anger was frozen on his face, and he was panting heavily. His mind was becoming increasingly hazy as he slowly lost the ability to think clearly due to the turmoil caused by the Vicious Blood Art.

What... What does she mean?

At that moment, Yue Hongling’s delicate hand, which was wiping his forehead, suddenly began to transmit a stream of true qi, helping him calm the rampaging blood and qi inside him.

But evidently, it was not quite enough. Just like the assistance he had received from Xia Chichi by the pool back then, it was only a temporary relief.

“You...” Yue Hongling hesitated. “Were you studying the Pure Bliss Art just now?”

“...” Zhao Changhe did not know why she was asking him this, but he instinctively answered, “Yes.”

“Have you grasped it?”

“...Yes.”

Yue Hongling bit her lower lip, lost in thought for a moment, and then she suddenly leaned forward and gently kissed him on the lips.

Zhao Changhe’s eyes widened.

“Idiot, open your mouth!” Yue Hongling said angrily and vaguely. “Don’t you know there is more than one way to dual cultivate?”

1. This acupoint is at the center of the chest. ☜

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