Tome of Troubled Times
Chapter 792: Mysteries of the Second Layer

Chapter 792: Mysteries of the Second Layer

The grand ceremony lasted an entire day and night.

At the mountain’s peak, Huangfu Yongxian carved into stone the names and deeds of those who had distinguished themselves in the battle. Leaving his son behind to endure the hardships of installing a government in these lands, he led several thousand troops to continue suppressing the remaining tribes and assist Batu in establishing a vassal state. The rest of the forces gradually began their march home.

Whether this was truly hardship or simply playing the role of a local warlord was debatable, but it was undeniable that, in the beginning at least, it would not be easy. Every great endeavor begins with struggle. But if he could see it through, Huangfu Shaozong would eventually become a force that shook the Grasslands, the most unyielding spear and shield guarding the northern borders of the Han.

Having consummated her marriage and drained her husband dry for an entire day, Huangfu Qing was thoroughly satisfied. She did not cling to him further and instead, looking rather radiant, led her troops back to the capital ahead of schedule. She was in a hurry, eager to show off to Tang Wanzhuang.

Heh, even that sharp-tongued maid of hers will have to shut up this time. Can’t wait to see them green with envy.

Yue Hongling accompanied her. She wanted to visit the Four Idols Cult’s headquarters and determine whether the White Tiger’s texts were truly suited for her.

With everyone having achieved their respective goals, there was an unspoken agreement to give Lady Three some time alone. After all, unlike what was in store Huangfu Shaozhong, she had endured actual months of hardships in the frontier, battling both the elements and their enemies, and she had played the most crucial role in their victory.

More importantly, the lingering power of faith in this place held little value for Yue Hongling as it simply was not a part of her path. This was also the case for Huangfu Qing—though she could make use of faith energy, it was more of an auxiliary force rather than the core of her cultivation. Thus, remaining here to absorb the energy would be of limited benefit to them.

But for Lady Three, this energy was a gift from the heavens.

Due to her status as the Sea Emperor, her affinity with faith far exceeded even Zhao Changhe’s. The vast and unwavering belief of millions of sea dwellers had been instrumental in forging her into a being so powerful that even the widely acknowledged number one, Zhao Changhe, now saw her as the actual number one.

And speaking of the widely acknowledged number one... Zhao Changhe was still gravely injured, his wounds far from healed. The actual number one had also suffered severe wounds, and so the two secluded themselves in a secret realm, absorbing the power of faith in the process of dual cultivation to hasten their recovery.

This time, they truly had to master the art of utilizing their clones.

Not only did they need to use them, but they had to delve deeper, refining the sensation of two separate bodies existing independently, so much so that even their cultivation could be split between them.

And since they were cultivating separately... their dual cultivation naturally had to be conducted separately as well. This was not about indulging in some twisted fantasy with clones—it was an essential step in their training. Really.

If Yue Hongling were to witness this scene, she would likely scoff and say, “And you had the nerve to call Vermillion Bird shameless? Look at what you’re doing right now!”

The man stood firm as the enchanting snake coiled around him, her lithe form tightly wrapped against his body. Her legs locked around his waist, squeezing with a vise-like grip as she moved on her own.

Never mind the complexity of the position, just the sheer intensity of it was something few could endure.

How could this be called a tortoise? This was clearly an enchanting snake, eyes misted over with an eerie, dangerous gleam, her tongue occasionally flicking over her lips. Just watching her would send shivers down one’s spine. It was no wonder that she was the venerable of a demonic cult.

Meanwhile, another Lady Three lay stark naked on the ground, eyes staring blankly into the void as if she had already been ravished into unconsciousness. In fact, even the thirsty manner in which her snake body was acting seemed like revenge for what the tortoise body had just endured.

Of course, whether Shelly had truly passed out from exhaustion or was just slacking off for a nap, even the snake body was not entirely sure[1].

In any case, her mastery of clones had now reached a whole new level.

The bewitching, agile nature of the snake and the calm, languid demeanor of the tortoise. Zhao Changhe had always considered Lady Three to be the most complex woman he had ever encountered. Now, there was a solution to that complexity: splitting in half.

Massive amounts of pure faith energy surged through them, channeled by the Spirit-Gathering Array and the dual cultivation technique, cycling between their bodies. Zhao Changhe could almost feel Lady Three standing at the very threshold of the second layer of the Profound Control Realm, just a single step away.

* * *

“What’s missing?”

Zhao Changhe lay on the thick clouds afterward, with both Lady Threes draped over him, drawing circles on his chest. Their movements were eerily synchronized—one clockwise, the other counterclockwise, but perfectly identical.

“I don’t know what’s missing either,” Shelly murmured lazily. “Maybe it’s that trying to cheat our way through a breakthrough with dual cultivation alone simply can’t work?”

“I don’t think that’s it. That applies when someone lacks comprehension. Relying purely on dual cultivation is no different from popping pills for power. It doesn’t grant enlightenment. But from what I can see, you’ve already mastered the division of your two bodies. You can use them separately without any drop in strength... which means your comprehension should be sufficient. What’s missing is purely the accumulation of energy. Logically, once you reach the threshold, you should be able to push through. So what’s the missing piece?”

“Clearly, it just means we haven’t done it enough.” Hissy[2] giggled as she slithered closer. “Think you can still go on?”

“Hey, hey, hey...” Shelly snapped, her face twisting in irritation. “You shameless hussy, haven’t you had enough already?!”

Hissy flared up as well. “You lazy turtle, do you even know how much I’ve taken on for you?! And now you’re turning your back on me?”

“Did I ask you to take it on? You were the one who clung onto him!”

“I was helping you seduce him! Do you think you would’ve been willing to do all those poses yourself?”

“I... I would’ve, if you merged back into me first.”

“Oh please, that’d only be because I’d be in you! Do you think that it would still be your own will? You lazy turtle, if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t even be here right now.”

“I am the main body. Show some damn respect.”

“You wanna fight? Let’s see who’s the main body!”

Smack! Smack! Slap!

Shelly and Hissy, who had been synchronized in drawing circles on Zhao Changhe’s chest, suddenly turned on each other, their delicate hands slapping and grappling as they broke into a full-blown brawl.

Zhao Changhe stared, dumbfounded, watching as the two versions of Lady Three fought like quarrelsome sisters. His brain simply could not process this.

He, too, could divide his soul, but his soul fragment was entirely under his control. In his case, it was merely a matter of multitasking, nothing more. There was no scenario where his clones or soul fragments would develop separate consciousnesses, let alone argue with each other and physically fight! And yet, here she was—one mind split into two independent parts, arguing like separate individuals.

Who said she hasn’t reached the threshold for a breakthrough? If this isn’t enough, then what the hell is?! No way.... Is it really just that we haven’t dual cultivated enough?

Bang!

Hissy, in spite of her quick and ever-changing motions, was completely suppressed by Shelly, whose immovable presence countered her every move. Unable to break through, she was instead sent reeling from the impact, her hands going numb from the recoil.

Shelly, triumphant, straddled her clone and pinned her down. “Do you yield, little beauty? Who’s in charge here?”

The clone immediately surrendered. “You’re the main one...”

Pleased, Shelly leaned in and kissed her counterpart. “Good girl.”

Zhao Changhe opened his mouth as if to say something but then promptly shut it.

What the hell is this? Self-domination?

But before anything could spiral further into the absurd, Lady Three’s two bodies shimmered with light, rippling like merging reflections in water, and swiftly became one again. Now solely in control, Lady Three grinned mischievously as she wrapped herself around Zhao Changhe, arms draped over his shoulders. “Wasn’t that fun?”

Zhao Changhe frowned. “Were you... playing?”

“Not entirely. When I allowed the two consciousnesses to surface naturally, this was the result. I intentionally exercised greater control over my main body. Otherwise, the main self would have been too lazy to even argue. If I leave them unchecked, they will eventually evolve into extreme versions of my two sides.”

Zhao Changhe felt an unease creeping in. “Isn’t there a risk of developing a split personality if you keep doing that?”

“A powerful enough soul can ensure it stays under control... but if I ever suffer an injury related to this, then it’s hard to say. Maybe that lingering hesitation is exactly why I haven’t broken through to the second layer. I’m not committing fully. I’m not desperate enough.”

Zhao Changhe’s frown deepened. Another thought flashed through his mind.

Are they... sisters then?

Even if the Heavenly Dao sees Blindie and Jiuyou to be two completely separate entities now, their situation just seems so much like Lady Three’s.

Furthermore, Lady Three’s ability to split herself must have stemmed from the Four Idols Cult’s inheritance, which ultimately traces back to the legacy of the Night Emperor. If that’s the case, then Blindie’s situation might truly be related. Could she have forcibly and permanently split into two opposing paths?

A sharp pang struck Zhao Changhe’s chest. Without hesitation, he declared, “Don’t even consider something so absolute. You must stay in control, you must. The threshold for reaching the second layer can’t require something so extreme. If we go by the sayings of my Zhao Family Village, severing the three corpses is the path to sainthood. You’re nowhere near that level yet.[3].”

“Severing the three corpses?” Lady Three rubbed her chin. “What does that mean?”

“There are different interpretations, but it usually refers to separating one’s good, evil, and true selves.”

“That sounds like a Daoist concept.” Lady Three pondered for a moment before shaking her head. “But what I have isn’t quite the same. It’s just the two facets of my personality... though if taken to the extreme, who knows?”

She laughed lightly. “But who would ever willingly split apart their good and evil? They’re both part of the same person. If you divide them completely... would you still even be human?”

“So that’s what makes a god.”

“Gods are still human,” Lady Three murmured lazily. “I’d never do something that foolish. Good and evil are one, tortoise and snake are one. If either one is missing, then it’s not me. Only an idiot would try to split them.”

Zhao Changhe silently mused that she might have just insulted her own Night Emperor, but hearing her stance reassured him. He chuckled and said, “Exactly. We’ll take our time figuring this out. We don’t need to follow that path.”

If they ever had to face the blind woman and Jiuyou, this might just be a crucial lead. Lady Three’s current situation could serve as a preliminary study for what lay ahead.

Everything had karma.

That last slash he delivered to Vulture Beak had been proof of it. He had not bothered explaining it at the time as why should he? But in truth, in terms of raw power, his injured self had been no match for Vulture Beak. That strike, however, carried the force of his newfound karmic power, repaying the oppression he had previously suffered at the man’s hands in a single instant. The concept was too abstract for Vulture Beak to even comprehend. By the time he realized something was wrong, he had already lost.

This power... had vast potential yet to be explored.

His connection with the blind woman, which was so thick with karmic threads, would inevitably become a tool he could wield in time.

Lady Three tilted her head and asked, “And what about you? I can tell that while you’re studying my cloning technique, you’re also thinking about using it to get a glimpse at the path to the second layer. Do you want to give it a try? It’s not that difficult.”

“First off, I don’t have two such clearly opposing personalities...”

“Yes, you do. When you act the part of a gentleman, you’re as proper as they come. But when your lecherous side kicks in, you turn into a full-blown rogue, getting all excited about everything. Didn’t you enthusiastically help a certain flirty snake experiment with... other positions? Have you no shame?”

“...I don’t recall you being uninterested.”

“Hm?”

“Ahem... so what, am I supposed to split myself into a lustful rogue and a celibate monk?”

Lady Three shuddered. “Absolutely not. That’s a disaster waiting to happen.”

“Exactly.” Zhao Changhe leaned back lazily. “Besides, I don’t like using clones. Seeing another version of myself running around, acting as me just doesn’t sit right with me in any sense. The fact that your clones can even argue with each other proves my point.”

Lady Three chuckled. “That’s fair. I suppose I do feel weird watching myself interact with you... Well, it’s not that bad. I don’t even mind sharing with Qing’er, so why would I care about my literal self? Still, I get where you’re coming from.”

“That’s why my path is more about allowing my soul to access multiple places across vast areas at once, then being able to send soul fragments there and keep them completely under my control...”

As Zhao Changhe’s voice trailed off, tiny motes of light flickered into existence all around them. A gemstone embedded in the array let out a soft vibration. “Hello?”

A moment later, another gemstone echoed back. “Hello!”

Then another, and another. Then, off in the distance, even the green mountains seemed to say, “Hi!”

Wherever his soul extended, so too did his presence. All things in the world could become a vessel for his soul. His shadow would span the entire world.

Back when he first attempted splitting his soul at the subterranean sky, even a brief test had left him with a splitting headache. But now, after a long time of cultivation and practice, it had become effortless.This marked his steady march toward the second layer. He had reached the point where he could actively study the means of breaking through.

Lady Three observed the scene in thought. “Your path should be the smoothest. There aren’t any hard thresholds, just a difference in scale.”

“Exactly. It’s a gradual accumulation from quantity to quality without a definitive barrier. My priority now is to absorb all the faith energy here and see if it’s enough.”

“In that case, I’d suggest switching things up a little. Don’t tell me you’re not getting tired of dual cultivation here day after day...”

“I’m not.” Zhao Changhe reached for her, smirking. “I could do this for a lifetime and never get tired of it.”

“Pfft.” Lady Three laughed, slipping into her clothes. “There’s a secret realm in Hanhai that once facilitated Timur’s rise. Aren’t you the least bit curious about it? At the very least, Fifth Brother asked me to check it out. I should at least take a look.”

Zhao Changhe recalled the matter and stood up as well, grinning. “Then let’s go see it. By the way, is this North Sea[4] the one that corresponds to your Black Tortoise?”

“No, my domain is actually farther north. The Black Tortoise’s corpse is in that region. I obtained its legacy there and ascended to the position of Venerable Black Tortoise. There’s no need to overthink it.”

So this world has its own Arctic Ocean...

That meant the corpses of the Azure Dragon and Black Tortoise had already been accounted for. As for Vermillion Bird, the one he had vaguely sensed in the subterranean sky, it was likely tied to Southern Li Fire, most probably existing as a lingering soul transformed into flame. That one was completely deceased—hell, he had already tapped into Southern Li Fire from a distance to forge his sword, further proving that it had no master.

Only White Tiger remained an enigma. Neither its corpse nor its inheritance had ever surfaced. In hindsight, the ancient White Tiger’s sudden appearance was not so inexplicable after all. It was simply that no one had been paying attention.

Lady Three mused, “Speaking of White Tiger, that reminds me of Vermillion Bird. I told Qing’er that she should go investigate it. Her chance to break through to the second layer probably lies there. You don’t need to worry. There shouldn’t be any danger.”

“What about you?”

“The only missing piece in my Black Tortoise inheritance is that fragmented portion buried in the Huangsha Market’s Rocky Mountain. My guess is that when the ancient Black Tortoise was dying, they deliberately separated the Night Emperor’s legacy from their own, hiding it elsewhere instead of letting them mix. Since it was a last-minute decision, the hiding spot wasn’t particularly secure but just a simple rock array... I spent years stationed there searching for it, but in the end, you were the one who found it instead.

Zhao Changhe smirked. “And if I got it, doesn’t that mean you got it too?”

“What I meant was that even I ended up benefiting from you...”

“...”

Under the night sky, the two rode Snow-Treading Crow, flying leisurely through the cool evening breeze as they made their way toward Hanhai, chatting idly all the while.

Zhao Changhe sat behind Lady Three, his arms wrapped around her slender waist as he pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek.

Lady Three reveled in the moment, leaning lazily against his chest, her voice a soft murmur. “Changhe...”

“Hm?”

“Let’s not talk about cultivation, the ancient era, secret realms, or the Four Idols... Just wander with me under this night sky for tonight, like how we used to drift in the ocean waves, with you holding me... Alright?”

“Alright.”

“Mm... I’ll even allow your hands to move a little higher...”

It was the heart of spring, a season usually marked by frequent rains. Yet, in the month-long campaign, the weather had been uncharacteristically dry, with only occasional light showers that never hindered their northern campaign. But now that the war was over, rain had become a frequent visitor. It was not heavy rain but a fine drizzle, gently washing away the bloodstains of battle, cleansing the air of the Grasslands with a fresh, dewy fragrance.

It was as if the heavens themselves were soothing the land.

A spring night, misty rain, and a gentle breeze. The two rode together, nestled in each other’s warmth. The raindrops carried by the wind reminded Zhao Changhe of the waves crashing against the shores in days past. Each drop that landed on his face tasted sweet, and each drop felt as though it melted straight into his heart, soothing it.

The very same Lady Three who had insisted on visiting the secret realm had already drifted off in his embrace, sleeping like a child.

She never truly cared about the secret realm... She had only dragged herself up to remind him to go, thinking it would be beneficial to him. Even in her laziness, she had made the effort for his sake.

1. The phrasing here may cause some confusion, but Zhao Changhe has no fetish for animals. Both the “snake body” and the “tortoise body” are human and perfectly identical. They are just metaphors for the characteristics of the Black Tortoise, which has a tortoise body and a tail that is a snake—not a snake tail, but a full snake, with a head of its own. Thinking of it the opposite way, the tortoise can be considered the tail of the snake. ☜

2. There isn’t a nickname for the snake body in the raws, but it sounds rather awkward to call the tortoise body Shelly and the snake body “the snake body,” so we came up with this. Hope you enjoy it. ☜

3. The Three Corpses or Three Worms is a concept in Daoism that refers to demonic beings that parasitize the human body and live inside the three dantians (abdomen, chest, head), eventually causing the death of the host. Though the common translation is “corpse,” the term should not be interpreted as a noun but as a causative verb, i.e. “causing one to become a corpse,” so it would be more accurately rendered as Three Killers. However, the concept of Severing the Three Corpses (斩三尸)does not really exist in Daoism and seems to be a reference to a technique from the novel Cultivation Chat Group (which the translator of this novel has definitelynot worked on for 2000 chapters), which allows the user to virtually split off different sides of oneself and view one’s path from different points of view in order to attain clarity that would allow for a breakthrough. ☜

4. This doesn’t refer to the actual North Sea. During the Han dynasty, Lake Baikal was also referred to as the North Sea due to its location north of their borders. ☜

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