Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 471: Who is Old Six

When Zhao Changhe reached the mountain peak, he saw Yue Hongling darting out of the cave, with Frost Hawk and others in hot pursuit.

Yue Hongling had initially tried to seize the bone sword but found it impossible to take. The swirling sword qi of the formation allowed her to interfere with the formation using her own sword qi, but she could not reach in to grab the sword. She did not know Zhao Changhe’s Crane Controlling Art, and even if she did, using it within the formation’s sword qi would have been impossible. The external true qi would have been sliced to bits by the formation’s sword qi, making it unable to connect.

After attempting to take it and realizing that she could not do so, Yue Hongling decisively gave up and ran out of the cave.

Getting trapped in the cave with Shi Wuding would have meant certain death.

Sure enough, just moments after she left, Shi Wuding arrived in a furious rush from the horizon, his anger palpable as he lunged forward, yelling, “You two are courting death!”

With a sharp swoosh, Yue Hongling dodged to the side as Shi Wuding’s sword qi exploded on some nearby rocks, reducing them to dust.

Yue Hongling marveled at the terrifying power of his sword qi, wondering how Zhao Changhe had managed to confront it.

She glanced back and saw Zhao Changhe following close behind Shi Wuding, charging forward with his saber swinging at the back of Shi Wuding’s head.

Yue Hongling smiled faintly.

It was clear that Zhao Changhe was much weaker than before, likely having drained his true qi while borrowing Dragon Bird’s power. However, his physical strength remained formidable, allowing him to continue fighting.

Even though he could not beat Shi Wuding anyway and was clearly exhausted to boot, he had still rushed back to fight alongside her.

Her little man had truly become someone she could rely on now, and it gave her a sense of comfort.

But the presence of Shi Wuding, who was closing in with relentless sword qi and then transitioning into a direct, precise thrust, made one’s heart tremble. His sword was overwhelming, seemingly impossible to stop.

When it came down to a true clash of swordsmanship, beyond the chaos of long-range sword qi bombardment, a true master of the sword would see things differently.

Yue Hongling suddenly felt a sense of solitude, as though she was standing alone atop a snowy peak, with the world beneath her vast and desolate. The setting sun and a solitary bird were her only companions, and there was nothing left but herself. As the sky lit up before her, she realized it was the final path of the sword.

What is the meaning of living in this world? None. Nothing has meaning. Only the sword has meaning.

She severed all worldly matters, including even her own heart.

Yet behind the boundless, uncertain sky, there was a man huffing and puffing, clumsily swinging a large saber in frantic pursuit. He was obviously too slow, looking like a clumsy bear, yet he appeared oddly endearing.

Yue Hongling suddenly smiled. She and her sword became one, and she charged directly toward the airborne Shi Wuding.

Yue Hongling used her signature sword technique, Sunset Reflecting on the River. She had used this move to turn the tables against Lan Tiankuo when she was at a disadvantage. But this time, as she unleashed it, there was something subtly different from before.

In Shi Wuding’s eyes, the snowy peak seemed to stretch upward, revealing the setting sun’s red glow, like a fading sunset that painted the sky with its last embers, almost as if it was illustrating the essence of his sword path.

Then, the perspective shifted downward. Below the sunset, at the foot of the snowy mountain, there was a village. Roosters crowed, dogs barked, smoke curled up from chimneys. Men with hoes slung over their shoulders walked home, elders sat under a tree playing chess, and women scolded children who had played until they were covered in mud.

It was a depiction of the peaceful simplicity of the human world, so harmonious that it made all killing intent melt away into tranquility.

Shi Wuding suddenly snapped back to reality, and their swords clashed.

In the world of mortals, where does true meaning lie? Where is the essence of the sword?

Clang!

Another sharp sound rang through the snowy mountain. Yue Hongling’s longsword, which had been with her for years, finally shattered. A wound appeared on her shoulder, and blood sprayed out.

However, Shi Wuding did not fare much better. His meridians had been invaded by Yue Hongling’s sword qi, causing his movements to slow.

In that moment of delay, a massive saber whistled through the air. Dragon Burd cleaved toward his neck.

Shi Wuding narrowly avoided it, but the saber still grazed his shoulder, leaving a cut.

Shi Wuding quickly swung his sword in a backhand slash, swift as lightning.

Zhao Changhe twisted his upper body to dodge, barely just avoiding the strike. At the same time, he tossed Dragon Emperor from his ring toward Yue Hongling. She discarded her broken sword and caught Dragon Emperor. As she gripped it, the sword offered no resistance to her touch.

The three of them stood in a triangular formation, sword and saber now pointed at Shi Wuding.

For a moment, the air on the snowy peak seemed to freeze. Frost Hawk and the others, who had chased them out of the cave, were dumbfounded.

The pair had actually wounded their master!

Though it was only a minor cut, it was still an astonishing feat.

The two of them were undoubtedly strong and well-known in the martial world, but no matter how talented they were, they had barely unlocked the first of the Profound Mysteries; the second was nowhere in sight for the time being.

Shi Wuding, on the other hand, was not only at the second layer but was one of its finest practitioners, one of the top fighters on the Ranking of Earth. The gap between them was massive; even likening the battle to a brawl between an adult and two children would not be unreasonable.

Yet these two children had managed to injure the adult.

Shi Wuding’s eyes were fixed on Yue Hongling as he slowly spoke, “Your sword intent... originally, it should have been similar to mine.”

Yue Hongling, though pale from exhaustion, held Dragon Emperor steadily. “Indeed, I once came to Bashan, hoping to exchange some ideas sbout swordsmanship with the Sword Hut. I didn’t expect to do so today, and under these circumstances.”

“When did your sword intent change to what it is now?”

“Just a few days ago... or perhaps just now.”

Shi Wuding glanced at Zhao Changhe. “Because of him?”

“Because of him.”

Shi Wuding looked up, pondering for a moment. “Changing or elevating your sword intent doesn’t explain how your power surged so much... Did you absorb part of my sword slaves’ energy during the fight, saving it to use against me?”

Frost Hawk: “...”

Shi Wuding then glanced back at Zhao Changhe again. “That’s Si Laoye’s sword art. So, you two were the ones acting as Xiang Simeng’s protectors. No wonder... I was curious when such a strong pair emerged in Miaojiang.”

Yue Hongling blinked and stayed silent.

If it were not for the serious atmosphere, Zhao Changhe might have just wanted to sit with his hands tucked in, playing the obedient student.

Shi Wuding was perceptive enough to catch that, but at least he had not recognized Wang Daozhong’s true identity.

With a sigh, Shi Wuding remarked, “Good... the stronger, the better... What I need in a sword slave is precisely this level of ability.”

Zhao Changhe finally spoke up. “You’re delusional.”

Shi Wuding’s typically emotionless face broke into a smile. “Do you really think that your seamless cooperation means that I can’t kill you? Or do you believe that saving Han Wubing and disrupting the core of my formation has ruined my plans?”

The couple exchanged glances but remained silent.

Shi Wuding continued calmly, “You’re still young, lacking in experience. That bone sword... It’s not even a sword. It’s actually the spine of an ancient beast. It merely resembles a sword.”

Zhao Changhe’s heart suddenly stirred, as if a realization hit him.

Right, the Blood God Formation used a similar beast bone, didn’t it?

Shi Wuding went on, “Its purpose isn’t to act as the core of the formation, either. This entire formation is simply gathering energy for it. If you can’t steal it, it’s meaningless. On the contrary, our fighting has been feeding it energy. The sword qi exchanged between us is far more effective and direct than the snow peak’s natural chill. You might think the weather has warmed, but it’s completely irrelevant.”

The couple’s faces finally shifted with concern.

Had everything they’d done been for nothing? Had they inadvertently helped charge it with sword qi?

“As for the Big Dipper Formation, it’s purely a defensive formation, unrelated to the accumulation of energy. Did you not even stop to wonder why Lan Wujiang wasn’t involved in setting up the formation?”

Zhao Changhe thought about it, his expression darkening even further.

“The formation runs deep underground, spread throughout the snow peaks. As for Han Wubing... the moment he stepped into this area, he became part of the array. It’s not my domain, it’s the array’s power at work... His mere presence activates it.” Shi Wuding laid it all out with a growing smile. “Two naive, self-assured youngsters. Once you become sword slaves, you’ll have plenty of time to reflect on your mistakes.”

With his words, Han Wubing appeared at the edge of the mountain, slowly walking toward Zhao Changhe from behind.

Yue Hongling’s expression shifted, her voice full of urgency, “Be careful, Han Wubing isn’t himself right now. Don’t let him get too close.”

Zhao Changhe remained silent, his back turned, quietly observing Han Wubing’s approach.

If he ignored Han Wubing, he and Yue Hongling could probably escape. Shi Wuding might not be able to stop them.

But could he really leave?

Could he really abandon such a loyal friend... and could he really allow Shi Wuding to give the bone sword the energy it needed and cause the mountain to collapse, destroying everything in its path? Could he really turn away from that?

Yet, standing their ground, fighting to the death... would that not be reckless?

Zhao Changhe’s gaze stayed fixed on Han Wubing’s vacant eyes as he neared, the sword in his hand slowly rising.

Yue Hongling shouted in panic, “Watch out!”

Han Wubing’s sword thrust forward with deadly precision.

At the same moment, Shi Wuding also made his move, thrusting his sword toward Yue Hongling.

Frost Hawk and the others sprang into action, blocking all escape routes for the couple.

In this precarious moment, Zhao Changhe suddenly launched his attack—not behind him at Han Wubing, but forward at Shi Wuding.

Shi Wuding’s eyes flickered with confusion.

Has he lost his mind? Han Wubing is about to stab him from behind, and he’s ignoring it?

But just as Han Wubing’s sword seemed poised to pierce Zhao Changhe’s back, it veered at the last second, narrowly missing him. The fierce sword qi shot past Zhao Changhe and surged directly toward Shi Wuding’s throat!

What had appeared to be a balanced two-on-two fight had suddenly turned into a three-on-one. Frost Hawk and the others were left dumbfounded, their minds struggling to catch up with the sudden shift.

Shi Wuding had completely misjudged the situation. He had already engaged Yue Hongling, and now Han Wubing’s sword qi was bearing down on him. He narrowly dodged it, only to find Zhao Changhe’s blade silently flying at his neck.

It was like walking through the Hell of Blades.[1]

Clang!

Shi Wuding barely parried Zhao Changhe’s Dragon Bird, while Yue Hongling’s sword thrust at his dantian, yet just barely failed to pierce it.

However, the sword qi still invaded, and this time, it really messed up Shi Wuding’s qi sea; he was forced to retreat with a muffled groan.

Everyone then turned their gaze to Han Wubing, who, after releasing that one powerful sword qi, stood motionless, still resembling a sword slave.

If he was not in control of his own body, thenwhy had his sword qi still been aimed at Shi Wuding?

The couple was still pressing Shi Wuding from both sides and even amidst the fierce battle, Shi Wuding could not help but ask in confusion, “How do you still have your self-awareness?”

Han Wubing spoke slowly, “While I was in the bushes earlier, I thought for a long, long time... I figured a lot of things out.”

“The sword qi you implanted in me when I was a child, there seems to be something wrong with it... But my cultivation has always relied on that strand of sword qi. It became the foundation for everything I’ve built, woven into my soul and mind. When I broke through the first layer of the Profound Mysteries, it was tightly integrated. If something were to go wrong with it, I wouldn’t be myself anymore. But I thought about it, and I realized it’s actually very simple.”

Shi Wuding was puzzled. Simple? What’s simple?

“It really is simple... All I need to do is destroy my cultivation, right? I don’t even have to die. Isn’t that simple?”

Shi Wuding’s eyes widened in shock.

A closer inspection revealed the truth: Han Wubing had indeed abandoned all his cultivation, dispersing his power.

That sword qi had quite literally been the culmination of his lifelong efforts and accomplishments, yet he had expelled all of it in one burst.

At this moment, Han Wubing was weaker than the frailest patient in a doctor’s clinic; his meridians were drained and his dantian empty. Even starting over might be impossible.

But it really was simple. He was no longer under anyone’s control.

“I’m still myself, isn’t it straightforward?” Han Wubing smiled faintly. “Though it’s a shame... I really do love the sword, and I’m sure that wasn’t because of your influence. But... oh well.”

Zhao Changhe continued to attack Shi Wuding fiercely, secretly thinking that there might still be hope. With his Rejuvenation Art, Han Wubing’s condition might be treatable.

Just then, the mountain began to rumble ominously.

A piercing sword qi shot out from the cave below, ascending straight into the sky.

Shi Wuding’s face lit up with ecstasy. “It’s done! Whether you dispersed your cultivation or not, your sword qi has already contributed. The last piece is in place! The power needed to activate the bone sword has...”

But before he could finish, his voice froze in his throat.

An old man suddenly appeared, running out of the cave with the bone sword in hand. No one had even noticed when he had entered.

Shi Wuding was stunned.

“Haha, what an excellent treasure! I think I’ll give it to my dear disciple!” The old man chuckled as he sprinted down the mountain. “Sorry for the interruption, everyone, you all carry on with your fight...”

Snowflakes suddenly began to fall from the sky.

A silhouette, silent as the snow, approached the old man’s back.

But the old man spun around abruptly, pulling out a dagger he had hardly used, and with a metallic clang, he deflected the sword strike. His body then seemed to merge with the wind, disappearing from sight.

His voice floated back with the wind, “Did you think I was avoiding Shi Wuding because I’m too weak, letting the kids tire themselves out for nothing? No, I’ve been guarding against you this whole time! Come on, chase me, Ranking of Heaven’s Old Six.”

The sound of his laughter faded as he vanished into the night.

The snow howled in response, carrying with it an eerie wail, as if the very wind itself was pursuing the old man.

1. One of the Buddhist hells (naraka). Name is self-explanatory. ☜