Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 506: Why Is It the Four Idols Cult Again?

Sisi was certainly willing. In fact, she had already been planning when to secretly dig into the tomb. However, she could not act recklessly. She needed to find a suitable path to dig through rather than just going at it haphazardly. Otherwise, something would definitely go wrong.

Sisi instructed a maid to retrieve their tribe’s texts related to ancient tombs while Zhao Changhe sat on the smooth platform, meditating with his eyes closed.

Sisi did not know what he was meditating on, but she had the feeling that since arriving here, Zhao Changhe had been lost in a kind of deep thought, his mood never quite lifted, no matter what he was doing.

She did not want to disturb him and just sat beside him, resting her chin in her hands, keeping him company.

In truth, Zhao Changhe’s mind was immersed in the illusory world of the Heavenly Tome. The illusion that the Heavenly Tome made was like a small world, complete with a sun, moon, and stars—though, in this case, it was all an illusion, unlike the situation in the Spirit Tribe’s secret realm. Nevertheless, he hoped to gain some insight from it if he could.

For instance, he wondered if the illusory world of the Heavenly Tome had boundaries. If it did, what was it like? When the sun set at the boundary, could it be touched?

He had never thought in this direction before; his focus was always limited to the verdant mountains and clear waters in front of him. Now that he was deliberately trying to expand outward, he realized it was boundless, with no end in sight.

For a moment, there was an illusion that he was a giant chasing the sun, endlessly pursuing an elusive and distant dream

It was not until his mind was utterly exhausted that he finally withdrew, worn out.

When he opened his eyes, Sisi was sitting beside him with her chin resting on her hand, staring at him unblinkingly. He didn’t know how long she had been staring at him. There was a touch of a dreamy look in her eyes.

Seeing him open his eyes, Sisi took out a silk handkerchief and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead. “What were you doing? You were frowning the entire time. Can meditating really make you sweat like this?”

“Nothing much...” Zhao Changhe smiled slightly. “Have the texts you asked for arrived yet?”

Sisi glanced into the distance. “Nope.”

After a pause, she suddenly smiled, “You’re so serious, Master... Aren’t you acting a bit too different from usual?”

Zhao Changhe sighed. “The memory of my Dragon Bird looming right next to your face is probably so strong that you don’t recall the times I took you to examine corpses and solve cases.”

Sisi pouted. That was not the answer she was looking for. Everyone knew that when it came to serious matters, Zhao Changhe could be quite earnest. Otherwise, he would not have gotten this far.

In essence, it was just like a girlfriend asking coquettishly, “Would you love me if I was a worm?” or “Do you want to play games or play with me?”

Zhao Changhe, now understanding such things, gently held her in his arms and whispered, “People say I cultivate quickly, but I always feel time slipping away... The corpse demon behind Maitreya, the Blood Ao in the Spirit Tribe’s forbidden land... Just a few years ago, they were all still dormant, but now they’re emerging, and they’re all very powerful. None of them are beings I can handle on my own at my current level. Right now, I’m even a bit afraid to leave this place. I’m afraid that I would only come out to find the outside world has been flipped upside down.”

Sisi genuinely understood his worries.

In her childhood, only a few carefree years had passed before the “sacred beast” in the forbidden land inexplicably awakened, turning the entire Spirit Tribe upside down.

The Spirit Tribe was just a microcosm of the world. The undercurrents throughout the outside world were visibly growing stronger.

For a moment, she lost the playful mood and simply leaned lightly against Zhao Changhe, gazing at the sky.

The stars shone brilliantly, beautiful as ever.

Sisi suddenly wondered if Zhao Changhe ever really indulged in romantic, sweet-talking moments in his relationships with others. Only then did she realize that whether it was with Yue Hongling or Tang Wanzhuang, most of his interactions with them were centered on serious matters, and only after some time, during their long journeys, did their hands gradually come together.

Is it my turn now? It seems... quite nice.

“I used to be quite confused about why Maitreya dared to make a move so early. I thought that maybe it was just because he was foolish. But actually, it was because the corpse demon couldn’t wait any longer, eager to expand its forces and gather the resources needed for its resurgence. By the same token, everyone is puzzled by the actions of the Wang Clan. It’s likely not Wang Daoning’s intention, but rather something related to the mysterious Sea Tribe.” Zhao Changhe stared absentmindedly at the starry sky, speaking softly, “Which brings us to the question: was the turmoil in Miaojiang really just because of Lei Zhentang?”

A storm is upon us... This isn’t merely a struggle for power, but chaos brought about by the reemergence of gods and demons.

Sisi understood Zhao Changhe’s concerns, but there seemed to be little they could do. He was already cultivating as fast as he could. How much faster could he go?

She could only provide him with information. “We’ve received reports from outside. Lei Zhentang has almost fully recovered. It should be any day now... Once he’s recovered, he’ll definitely make a move.”

Zhao Changhe asked, “How’s the situation outside?”

“Because of the injuries Lei Zhentang suffered, the Black Hmong’s movements have been delayed, giving the other factions, especially us, some time to grow stronger.” Sisi smiled. “Even though I’ve been in the secret realm these days, the development of Taoyuan Town hasn’t slowed down... That Mister Sian has been a great help. He’s quite knowledgeable.”

“Of course he does. He’s one of Wanzhuang’s top generals. I’d guess she already knows about all of this.”

Sisi: “...”

Could you not bring up Tang Wanzhuang at a time like this? Ugh... Never mind.

She sniffed a little and continued, “Anyway, because I deployed troops here, Taoyuan Town also doesn’t dare to expand recklessly. It’s currently in a relatively stable state. The establishment of the Five-Tribe Council led to a situation where no one can dominate anyone else. The balance would be broken if I sent people from the secret realm out. I asked you about it a couple of days ago... but for now, we’re hesitant because of potential hidden dangers.”

“Hm...”

“If the Five-Tribe Council remains stable, then an internal conflict may not break out, and Miaojiang might actually unite against external threats,” Sisi said. “Originally, with the chaos in Miaojiang and the assassination of the pacification commissioner, Shu should have sent troops to suppress the chaos...”

Zhao Changhe was surprised. “They haven’t come yet? It’s been so long...”

“Mm-hm.” Sisi found it strange as well. “Even if there were delays, to have no response at all until now seems excessively sluggish. Something is off.”

Zhao Changhe pondered aloud, “There are two possibilities. One is that they’re waiting for Lei Zhentang to recover. The Black Hmong rebellion has been supported by Di Muzhi from the start. He’s aiming to use the rebels to bolster his own power or even ally with them—he wants to rebel too. The other possibility is that the turmoil was truly caused by exploitation and oppression, in which case their overindulgence and incompetence may well be the reason for the delay...

“Based on my previous observations while passing through Bashu, I actually think the second possibility is more likely for Di Muzhi. His greed and stupidity have almost pushed the Divine Brilliance Sect to rebellion. Heh, does he really think he can afford to play games with someone as cunning as Li Shentong?”

Sisi was silent.

“The reason Li Shentong hasn’t openly rebelled yet is probably because he’s wary of Snow Owl... I have a feeling that Snow Owl’s is the one that’s really pulling the strings behind the scenes. Judging by what happened at the Sword Hut, it seems that all the chaos from Bashu to Miaojiang has his fingerprints all over it. Hm, what exactly is he planning?”

Sisi, who had been confidently explaining the situation, closed her mouth, once again feeling like she was just a little maid providing information, leaving the analysis and decision-making to her master.

“Y-Your Majesty...” A timid voice came from below the stone platform.

The sight of her queen dressed in a maid’s outfit and snuggled in a man’s arms like a little bird was something the maid did not know how to process.

If the queen is a maid, then what are we?

Sisi, however, seemed unfazed, and lazily asked, “Have you found the texts?”

“Yes, these are the few books that mention ancient tombs.” The maid raised three or four ancient books up high.

Sisi reached out to take the books, and Zhao Changhe stood up as well. “Let’s go inside and read.”

The maid offered, “Shall I go and light the lamps for the sacred envoy?”

Sisi glared at her. “Get lost. What does that have to do with you?”

If you light the lamps and grind the ink, what would be left for me to do?

The maid was dumbfounded.

Wait, if you do everything, then what are we here for?

Reluctantly, the maid walked away, glancing back at the newly built courtyard where the soft glow of candlelight was already shining.

The windows were covered in paper, and the silhouettes of the people inside could be vaguely seen.

The sacred envoy could be seen sitting at the table, reading by the lamplight, while her own queen stood beside him, explaining some specific terms in the texts. They were close, and it looked very warm and intimate.

But... you two have to rest eventually, right? And there’s only one room...

“The burial place of gods, the abyss of the setting sun...”

“Vermillion Bird and White Tiger converge in the southwestern wilderness... When the sun has yet set and the moon fills the desolate hills.”

Why does this always tie back to the Vermillion Bird and White Tiger... Zhao Changhe scratched his head vigorously as he read the few words recorded in the text. This doesn’t make sense. What does the Spirit Tribe have to do with the Four Idols Cult? What is the connection between the Spirit Tribe’s ancestor and the Night Emperor?