Tome of Troubled Times
Chapter 798 (1): What Does Ye Wuming Want to Do?

Chapter 798 (1): What Does Ye Wuming Want to Do?

Kunlun.

Though it was late spring and even Mobei had long since stopped being covered in snow, this place remained blanketed in an endless flurry.

Atop a towering peak, Ye Jiuyou sat in meditation, the swirling snowflakes forming an intricate, mystical circle around her, never quite touching her figure.

On a separate peak some distance away, Piaomiao also sat cross-legged, facing her from afar as if unwilling to be too close. Unlike Ye Jiuyou, the falling snow did not spiral around her but landed freely on her, only to dissolve soundlessly into her body, leaving no trace.

Both of them appeared to be immersed in silent cultivation.

Yet, within Piaomiao’s sea of consciousness, a young girl sat curled up in the corner, hugging her knees, sniffling pitifully.

Piaomiao’s voice was soft and soothing. “Don’t be like this... The environment here is complicated. If you wander around on your own, you’ll get into trouble. Ye Jiuyou’s soul is clearly wandering elsewhere right now. She’s not aware of her surroundings and can’t watch over you. When she returns, I’ll give the body back to you. With her keeping an eye on things, you’ll be able to walk around safely.”

Cui Yuanyang lifted her teary eyes to the ethereal figure of her big sister. “Big sis, I don’t want to walk around here. I just want to go home... I don’t even need to control the body. You can take charge. You’re so powerful. What’s there to be afraid of?”

Piaomiao whispered, “Until I regain my strength, meeting Ye Wuming is no different from courting death. It’s just as dangerous for me as it is for you. Just wait a little longer, alright? One month. I promise you, within a month, I’ll have enough strength to protect myself. Then, we’ll leave this place together...”

She hesitated briefly, then, as if sharing a secret, lowered her voice further, “Yangyang, I don’t like Jiuyou either. I wouldn’t willingly stay with her forever. If I get my revenge one day, then I’ll disappear. I’ll leave everything to you. How about that?”

Cui Yuanyang hugged her knees tighter, unsure how to respond.

She had been angry at first, but over time, she had realized that this big sister was not as cold as she initially seemed. In fact, she was incredibly gentle and kind. As a result of that realization, her anger had nowhere to go. Maybe she was indifferent to others, but in the end, she and herself were the same person. Would it not be insane to be cold toward oneself? Of course, she would be gentle. But how had things turned out this way? Normally, if the self of a past life awakened, either the current self would remember everything or the past self would consume it. How had they remained as two separate people?

And if they truly were two people, why did she have some of Piaomiao’s memories? Piaomiao likely had fragments of her own as well, yet neither of them were whole.

Cui Yuanyang could feel the seething hatred Piaomiao harbored toward the person called Ye Wuming. Her hatred was so consuming that it drowned out nearly all other emotions. Cui Yuanyang could thus understand Piaomiao’s desire for revenge. If she reclaimed control over her body, her cultivation speed would be so much slower...

For Piaomiao, the moment Ye Jiuyou forcefully awakened her by feeding her hatred for Ye Wuming, her entire being had been consumed by that hatred. She had not even had the presence of mind to grasp her own situation. It was only after leaving the battlefield and calming down that she realized that she had not gone through a typical reincarnation awakening.

Her memories of this life were fragmented, not wholly inherited. Only the deepest, most profound impressions surfaced in her mind—one of which was the repeated image of a scarred man’s smile. It was bright, warm, and every time she saw it, she wanted to curl up in his embrace.

Then, there were flashes of their wedding night. That night had been incredibly passionate, and the inextricable entanglements that lingered in her mind haunted her in the quiet of midnight.

Waking up only to realize that someone has already taken this body, how does it feel? Forget it. I inherited your hatred, and you inherited my love. We’re even.

Neither love nor hatred should have existed in the original Piaomiao. She was a spirit of heaven and earth, devoid of such emotions. Yet upon awakening, she found herself bearing both.

Truthfully, Piaomiao had no real need for independent consciousness. She had barely even developed the concept of existing as a person. After all, her reincarnation was still herself, it was still the same person before and after memory loss. What was the point of division? If she wanted, she could simply be Cui Yuanyang, just Cui Yuanyang recalling fragments of a past life. There was no necessity for Piaomiao to exist as a separate entity.

Had this happened in the past, she might have erased her own awareness without a second thought, allowing the bright-eyed little girl of this lifetime to continue unburdened. But now... she could not bring herself to do so.

Because she had an obsession, an obsession that she had to settle.

She had to exact revenge upon Ye Wuming. If she did not do it herself, she would never find peace.

A long silence stretched between the two who were sharing the sea of consciousness. Cui Yuanyang sniffled. “But I still really want to go back. Big Brother Zhao won a great victory, and he’ll be back soon... I miss him.”

Piaomiao: “...”

“Wait...!” Cui Yuanyang’s eyes suddenly widened. “Big Brother Zhao knows I’ve disappeared. He’s going to lose his mind! He’ll storm Kunlun! But he’s no match for Jiuyou. What if something happens to him?!”

Piaomiao sighed helplessly and said, “Even you know he isn’t Jiuyou’s match. Since he’s someone who has fought across battlefields and has commanded armies, he should be even better at assessing situations. Do you really think he’d recklessly charge into Kunlun? This place isn’t just Jiuyou’s playground. It’s an endless range of treacherous mountains, shattered spaces, swarming with demon gods and countless dangers. Do you think he’d just run in here? What for, to throw his life away...”

Her voice trailed off as she realized that she should not have said anything. Because as she talked, she’d noticed that Cui Yuanyang’s gaze was turning dazed, her eyes unfocused, as if lost in memory. A small smile was even creeping onto her lips.

Piaomiao frowned. Then, she, too, recalled a certain memory.

It was a memory of Zhao Changhe, the ridiculous, stubborn man who, despite only being at the fourth layer of the Profound Gate Realm back then, stood in Cui Yuanyang’s heart like a god. A man who had fought through blood and fire, carving a bloody path over a thousand li.

Her lips twitched and she murmured, “Times have changed. Back then, he had nothing to lose. Now, he wears the shoes of a ruler... He stands at the pinnacle of the mortal realm, wielding power over all. He’s a man with a vast empire and a harem of wives. Can he still afford to throw away his life like before?”

Cui Yuanyang tilted her head, staring at Piaomiao without speaking.

“Forget everything else, even if he wants to come, this isn’t something he’d be able to deal with alone. I know the women around him are all formidable. If he gathers his entire harem and they come as a group, then maybe they’d have a chance. But do you think he would actually ask them to risk their lives for the sake of one woman? And even if he did, would they agree?”

That struck directly at Cui Yuanyang’s worries. She lowered her head slightly.

She had no doubt that her Big Brother Zhao would come. Yangyang was absolutely certain of it. But if he came alone, it would be too dangerous. She did not want him to come that way. Yet, could he really bring everyone? Could he bring himself to ask? And would the others even be willing?

Seeing her little face scrunched up in distress, Piaomiao found it somewhat amusing. She reached out and gently ruffled her hair. “So even if he does come, it’ll be after he reaches at least the second, or even the third layer of the Profound Control Realm.”

“No, Big Brother Zhao won’t wait that long,” Cui Yuanyang said, shaking Piaomiao’s hand anxiously. “Big Brother Zhao doesn’t know that you’re treating me well. Even if he did know, he wouldn’t dare count on it lasting. He’ll be too worried about me. As soon as he finds out, he will come.”

Piaomiao sighed. “And when he comes, won’t it be to kill me? And you still want me to help him?”

“...”

Piaomiao huffed. “You’re completely bewitched. He’s an uncrowned emperor, a man ruling the mortal realm; he wouldn’t act so recklessly. And yet here you are, willing to throw away your body for his sake.”

“But what if he does come?”

“And how long will that take? Two years? Three? When he reaches the second or third layer?”

“Within a month.”

Piaomiao could not hold back her laughter. “Do you even understand what you’re saying? If he stands before us within a month, then no matter what you ask, I’ll agree to it.”

She said it casually, thinking it to be impossible. Even if by some miracle it did happen, all Cui Yuanyang wanted was control of her body again. Piaomiao was not particularly attached to the idea of independence. If she could exact her revenge on Ye Wuming, then so be it—she would give the body back afterward.

Cui Yuanyang blinked at her “big sister” and simply let out a soft “Oh,” saying nothing more.

Just then, a faint silhouette came streaking through the snow-laden sky, breaking through the dense, swirling storm atop the distant mountain peak. It was Ye Jiuyou’s soul returning to her body.

The moment her soul merged into her body, her eyes snapped open.

As if sensing something, Piaomiao opened her eyes as well. Across the distance, their gazes met.

Ye Jiuyou smiled faintly. “Is that little girl still giving you trouble?”

She was smiling, but Piaomiao’s expression had lost all the gentleness she had shown during her conversation with Cui Yuanyang. Now, it was distant and detached. “Do you have business with me?”

Ye Jiuyou smiled and said, “There’s something I forgot to mention the other day. It’s quite important... This little girl already has a husband. A proper marriage was formally conducted.”

“I know.”

“When you woke up, her husband was off fighting a war in Saibei for the sake of the nation. Now, he has returned victorious only to find his wife missing.”

Inside the sea of consciousness, Cui Yuanyang’s eyes sparkled like two bright gemstones. Piaomiao glanced at the lovestruck girl, feeling rather exasperated. “And?”

“He asked me to pass along a message,” Ye Jiuyou said with a teasing smile. “He asks that you not harm his wife. He will be coming soon to try and resolve this matter.”

Cui Yuanyang’s eyes practically turned into stars.

Piaomiao cast her another glance, unimpressed by her giddy excitement. “When?”

“Within a month.”

“Hee~” Cui Yuanyang let out a happy giggle, looking like she was about to roll around in the sea of consciousness.

Piaomiao, though momentarily stirred, maintained her composed demeanor. “Then we’ll see if he keeps his word.”

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