Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 41: Second Layer of the Profound Gate

We returned to the main matter at hand. Everyone was having normal conversations the entire evening. I thought you didn’t mind something awkward like this happening, but it turns out you were constantly thinking about it. Were you waiting for this moment?

Zhao Changhe wanted to cry. There was no way he could respond to Yue Hongling!

To make things even more awkward, he did have some inappropriate thoughts and could not, in good faith, say that he did not have any other ideas.

There’s no helping it. That’s just how we virgins are... Zhao Changhe pouted and replied honestly, “I really didn’t have any ideas before... I was just playing along with my brothers in the stronghold. Don’t take what I said to heart.”

Yue Hongling scowled.

What do you mean, you didn’t have any ideas “before”? Those that mean you have some funny ideas now?

To her surprise, though, Zhao Changhe said, “Could you refrain from touching me? I’m still an ordinary man... It’s just taking deep breaths. I know how to do it. There’s really no need for this...”

Yue Hongling almost lashed out, barely stopping her hand from smacking him in the face. She gnashed her teeth in anger and said, “I’m not just touching you! I’m helping you direct the air you’re breathing into your dantian and having it fuse with your qi while it circulates! Do you really think breathing techniques only consist of breathing? If I don’t guide you, how are you going to learn!?”

Zhao Changhe’s mouth went agape and he lowered his head. “Keep touching me then.”

Yue Hongling: “?”

Why are you talking like I’m the one taking advantage of you?

I sought shelter from you; you sought me out to teach you. I agreed to teach you without wanting anything in return. We were both acting respectfully and spoke with propriety. Just how did it turn out like this?

She grit her teeth even hard. “Take a deep breath. Calm your mind and focus...”

“Boss! Boss!” The door banged open and a bandit came running in, panting. “Outside... Eh...”

Yue Hongling looked at him with a blank expression, then slowly looked down at herself standing next to Zhao Changhe, pressing against his abdomen. It was not hard to imagine what other people would think if they saw such a scene.

It would be over for her once rumors about this started spreading.

No. I’m not Yue Hongling. I’m just someone that looks like her.

Zhao Changhe’s face went stiff. “What happened?”

“Eh. Just now when one of our brothers went behind the mountain, he discovered that one of the traps had been activated. It doesn’t seem like a wild beast triggered it. Someone may have come up the mountain.”

Zhao Changhe quivered. Any stray thoughts he had vanished and he abruptly stood up. “You’ve done well... Everyone drank a bit too much tonight. It’s indeed prime time to conduct a night attack. It looks like I was careless...”

He strolled about the room as he uttered this and said to Yue Hongling, “Yue... Yue’er, you stay here. Do not, under any circumstances, leave the building. I’ll go see the situation and direct some people here to protect this place.”

Yue Hongling’s mouth twitched as she tilted her head without responding.

Zhao Changhe strode through the door. Outside, he could still hear some bandits say, “Boss, sister-in-law really looks like Yue Hongling. It turns out you really have a thing for her...”

Zhao Changhe’s gloomy voice traveled far out. “That’s none of your business, you dumbass. Assign some men to guard her. Don’t let your sister-in-law be afraid.”

“Of course. You can trust your brother over here! If sister-in-law loses even a single strand of hair, I’ll twist my head off and let you use it as a chamber pot, boss!

“Stop fucking boasting! Go!”

Yue Hongling suddenly wanted to laugh. Just whose reputation will be ruined by rumors? No one here knew that she was the real Yue Hongling, so her reputation would not actually be affected. On the other hand, it would be impossible to wipe away rumors that Zhao Changhe was secretly in love with Yue Hongling.

Will that Saintess Xia cut him down for this...

As she thought this, her heart suddenly skipped a beat and she drew her sword. “From whence do you come to honor us with your presence? Why do you not reveal yourself?”

From the treetops outside the window came a low voice. “It’s me.”

There was a weak, sickly quality to his words.

“Cui Yuanyong?” Yue Hongling was dumbstruck. It’s over. Now someone actually knows the woman here is the real Yue Hongling...

Wait, no. What did you come here for!?

She was so furious she wanted to cut down someone. “Your injuries are far graver than mine. What are you doing running to a mountain stronghold in the middle of the night? When did your Cui family start caring about low-level criminals? If you really want to arrest a wanted fugitive, you shouldn’t do so in a way that risks your own life!”

Dispirited, he replied, “I heard some rumors that the stronghold mistress of the Beimang Mountain Stronghold was of outstanding beauty and even looked a bit like Yue Hongling. Word was spreading that Zhao Changhe liked this type of woman... Then I thought something wasn’t right. Could it be that you were defeated and captured by bandits? I couldn’t stop worrying and specially came to take a look. It looks like I was wrong, and not only that, I came at the wrong time.”

Yue Hongling’s expression was darker than the bottom of a pot. “When did you arrive?”

“Just now...when you drew close to him and laid your hands on him. It looks like women, in such situations, have their senses completely dulled... Once he left, you became incomparably alert. I didn’t even do anything and you noticed my presence...”

Clang!

Cold sword qi and killing intent surged.

“Cui Yuanyong, why don’t you go and die! The only reason I had to seek shelter with him, the only reason why I fell into that trap was all because of you!”

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

The sounds of swords clashing traveled far from the building.

Cui Yuanyong coughed. “I came with good intentions and only unintentionally interrupted you as you were about to go about your refined and elegant business. Is there really a need to do this...”

“I’ll—I’ll kill you!”

“Really, it’s difficult to deal with women and children... Farewell.”

“If I hear any rumors spreading about me, I’ll—I’ll never forgive the Cui family!”

*

“So it was a mistake? The intruder didn’t have any bad intentions?” Back in his room, Zhao Changhe looked on silently at Yue Hongling with his hands clasped together. He was so angry with her his skin looked red and he suddenly thought, There’s no way this Cui Yuanyong was actually acting as my wingman, right? He’s done a pretty good job...

Zhao Changhe really did not want the situation to end up like this. He and Yue Hongling really did not have that kind of relationship—it would have only brought them both trouble. Not only that, but if she wanted to avoid rousing suspicion, she would have to completely break off relations with Zhao Changhe.

He did not know if he should thank this Brother Cui or seek him out to kill him.

While he was worried about whether he could still be friends with Yue Hongling, she suddenly said, “There’s a spy in your mountain stronghold.”

Zhao Changhe stared blankly and nodded. “Yes. You only fell in the pit this evening, but it hasn’t even been a few hours and Cui Yongyuan managed to hear about this in the city. Of course there’s someone leaking information outside.”

Yue Hongling asked, “Do you know who it is?”

“Yes.”

“Do you need me to help you take care of him?”

“For the time being, no. When the time comes, I can take care of him myself... Of course, if you want to vent your anger, we can get rid of him right now. There’s no problem.”

“Since you already have a plan, there won’t be any need for that.” Yue Hongling replied indifferently. “Enough. It was just a misunderstanding. Don’t think too much. Sit properly and I’ll continue to guide your breathing.”

Zhao Changhe was dumbstruck. “You... Still...”

“What? What’s wrong? Cui Yongyuan is the son of a prestigious family. He’s not vulgar enough to spread rumors like an old woman in the countryside. What’s more, I, Yue Hongling, act with a clear conscience. I do what I must without a care in the world about the words of others.” Yue Hongling looked at him and suddenly smiled. “What? Don’t tell me you think I’ll really break off all relations with you because of something like this? You didn’t do anything wrong. Why would I be angry at you?”

“I...” Zhao Changhe pursed his lips and finally said no more, sitting down quietly.

She was still the Yue Hongling of his heart—honest and valiant, and able to distinguish her gratitudes and grudges, never mistaking one for the other.

Trying to stop her is like trying to stop the sun from rising. So how could she be fettered by the trivial hearsay of the mortal world?

Zhao Changhe sat down quietly while Yue Hongling pressed against his abdomen with her hand. As he took a deep breath, gentle qi was sent into where his abdomen was, mixing with the air he inhaled. This was a demonstration. “Remember this feeling. After this, take in three long breaths followed by two short ones and adjust your breathing. After you’re used to this, it’ll become second-nature.”

“Got it.”

“I’ll teach you a mnemonic chant. Remember it well...”

The delicate fragrance of Zhao Changhe’s female master still lingered around him; the ends of her hair still brushed his cheeks. However, he no longer had any inappropriate fantasies. As he heard each of her words, spoken clearly and to the point, he slowly immersed himself in his breathing and circulation of his qi, gradually entering a meditative state.

Yue Hongling then withdrew her hand and sat by the side with her eyes closed as she circulated her qi to tend to her injury.

After a while, Zhao Changhe opened his eyes. Light flashed through the darkness of night; it was as if electricity forked through the empty space in the room.

The second layer of the Profound Gate.

Yue Hongling opened her eyes at about the same time and grinned. “The first time someone learns a new technique, they have to familiarize themselves with it, but you managed to perceive an opportunity to break through and actually went through with it without hesitation. This overbearing boldness—your name really suits you. You’re just like a rushing river stream that cannot be stopped[1].”

“...You flatter me too much. I think my name is pretty lame. Come to think of it, it would have been great if the Tome of Troubled Times gave me a line like that. Fucking shitty book...”

Yue Hongling did not acknowledge what he said and frowned slightly. “This internal art of yours...is very good... With just a measly breakthrough to the second layer of the Profound Gate, there’s lightning streaming through the room. I’ve never heard of such a powerful internal art. It’s unfortunate it doesn’t seem to possess any special characteristics. It’s purely vast and powerful... What’s the name of this miraculous internal art?”

1. A reminder that Changhe 长河 means long river ☜