Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 347: Flying Across the Sky

Zhao Changhe was mid-jump, yet he simply spread his arms and the speed of his fall mysteriously decreased, making him seem almost as if he was flapping his wings.

The sword light brushed past his feet.

Zhao Changhe sent a kick toward the opponent’s face, who raised his sword to block the attack.

With his toes touching the other party’s wrist, Zhao Changhe used the momentum to bounce off and land on a nearby pine tree. He then rebounded, forming his fingers into a sword, and thrust his hand at the other party’s eyes.

His use of this fluid and elegant sword art was simply masterful; anyone would be hard-pressed to see that his foundation was actually in saber arts.

Zhao Changhe was not doing this just to better impersonate Wang Daozhong. In fact, Zhao Changhe did not even know the Wang Clan’s sword art. The main reason he previously avoided using sword arts, even though he had learned them, was that carrying an extra sword was too cumbersome.

But now he had a ring that could store items, one of said items being an unfinished sword. He also had a bellyful of sword arts that he had acquired from the Sword Emperor’s legacy. Not employing a style that made use of both the sword and saber would be a waste of the opportunities he was granted.

His current opponent was not particularly strong, making him perfect for Zhao Changhe to practice sword arts.

This was also a process by which he could truly integrate and understand what he had learned. Learning many sword arts without actually using the sword could not lead to true comprehension. Was it truly possible to understand sword arts just by using a saber?

The opponent exclaimed, “Excellent sword arts, excellent movement arts! You’re definitely not some unknown figure. Do you dare state your name?”

Zhao Changhe did not respond. As his opponent slashed horizontally at his fingers, Zhao Changhe’s left palm redirected the sword’s path upward, then he swiftly struck downward with two fingers, hitting his opponent’s shoulder.

The other party’s body went numb.

He was just thinking he was doomed, only to see Zhao Changhe casually snatch his sword and laugh loudly as he left, saying, “Stirring up trouble for no reason... The will of the Heavenly Tome is not for the likes of you to comprehend.”

His voice lingered, but he had already disappeared.

Within a few moves, he had broken the maze and reached the Innocence position.

He played the role of a master perfectly. The blind woman, who was observing, found it amusing.

This guy had no idea how to make it through the formation just a moment ago, but now he’s acting as if he knows everything.

The man, still immobilized by the acupoint strike, stood there awkwardly. He eventually shouted, “Someone come and help me!”

Before long, rustling sounds came from the surroundings. Someone hacked their way through the bushes nearby, panting. “Damn it, what kind of dogshit formation is this? I spent a year learning formations and still can’t break out of it. This is clearly the innocence formation, so why can’t I get out?”

The immobilized man helplessly said, “Release me from the acupoint seal first.”

“Who did it?”

“A stranger... Very strong, possibly on the Ranking of Man.”

“Did the Daoist bring in a newcomer from outside again? Tsk... There have been fewer and fewer people entering the mountain over the past years. I thought the competition was decreasing, but it seems like that old man is can’t wait any longer.”

“That’s obvious. How many years has it been? Not a single one of us has even made it halfway up the mountain. How many more years do you think that old man has left? He can’t afford to wait. I wouldn’t be surprised if he soon tricks the entire city into coming here... Hey, can you unseal me first?”

“Oh...” The man nodded, then suddenly drew his saber and chopped off the immobilized man’s head.

Blood spurted out like a fountain. The decapitated man died with a bewildered expression, not understanding why his comrade had killed him.

“Bah, you think you’re some kind of major character?” The killer sheathed his saber with disdain. “After so many years, you still don’t understand. You seriously think you’re helping that old Daoist find the treasure? If he could get it himself, he would have done so already. It’s just a matter of seeing who gets lucky enough to find it. Once someone gets it, he’ll just snatch it from them.”

Since it was all about luck, others were not comrades but competitors.

As for whether Daoist Yuxu would confiscate the treasure later on, that was a problem for the future. For now, reducing the number of competitors was the priority. Getting the treasure was hard enough without considering future issues.

What the killer did not know was that Zhao Changhe was actually standing nearby. Zhao Changhe tilted his head and watched the scene with interest.

So many evildoers, and none of them has even made it halfway up this mountain in all these years. The reason why Daoist Yuxu let them come for the Heavenly Tome was probably because he knew that there was no way they’d succeed.

The killer stood in thought for a moment, then clapped his hands. “I get it now. To reach the Innocence position from the Leading position, one must fight without regret. It’s not just about finding the right path. Does my kill count as winning a fight?”

He suddenly rushed to the Innocence position, and Zhao Changhe watched as the man ran past him, heading into the unknown.

The path he took will lead him down the mountain. The position behind Leading is Journey, meaning a journey in the wrong direction.

Zhao Changhe took a deep breath and continued ascending the mountain.

This place is truly fascinating. It’s not about testing your attainments in music or formations, or even your character. It’s about understanding nature... One should not get lost in the music or focus too much on solving formations. When the time is right, the solution will present itself to you.

No wonder this page of the Heavenly Tome is in Kunlun. It’s not about strange and unique techniques; it’s about the application of the Dao of nature, integrating all aspects of nature into martial arts.

At the moment, what I require in order to unlock the first layer of the Profound Mysteries is deeply related to how I connect myself with heaven and earth. It’s almost as if this place was tailor-made for me.

Zhao Changhe walked up slowly, speaking to himself, “You didn’t tell me about this page of the Heavenly Tome in Kunlun earlier; you waited until I came here. Is it because the timing was right, or because I needed this experience now?”

The blind woman’s voice seemed to penetrate directly into Zhao Changhe’s mind, “Simply follow what fate has in store, this is the way of nature. Whether it was at the bottom of the Ancient Sword Lake or the peak of Kunlun, you just happened to be there, so I told you. If I had sent you there or here, would it still count as fate?”

“So you’re saying that I am fated with the Heavenly Tome?”

The blind woman was silent for a while, then slowly said, “Yes, you are.”

Both of them simultaneously recalled the third card that Zhao Changhe had drawn in her fortune-telling shop.

She had never explained what it was, and he had never asked.

Zhao Changhe continued forward until he encountered a cliff. A stream flowed below, and the gap above measured over thirty meters, making it impossible to cross. Occasionally, birds flew over the chasm, their chirps blending with the tranquility of the mountain.

A man sat at the edge of the cliff, leisurely twisting a rope. He did not even glance at Zhao Changhe when the latter approached, remaining indifferent to his presence.

Zhao Changhe asked directly, “Why didn’t anyone build a bridge?”

“You new here?” The man still did not raise his head, and his manner of speaking was rather wooden. “It’s impossible to build a bridge. No matter how you do it, it will always break midway. Otherwise, it would have been built long ago, and you wouldn’t be asking.”

Zhao Changhe observed for a moment and slightly shook his head.

For those who had unlocked the Profound Mysteries, it was difficult to say, but for martial artists still at the Profound Gate, who could possibly leap over thirty meters using a movement art alone? Using a movement art to leap halfway over the chasm would be impressive enough; one that allowed the user to make it to the other side would no longer be a movement art but downright flying.

Zhao Changhe’s movement arts, among those at the same level, were not top-tier but were decent. With nowhere to leverage from when leaping through the air, he could only jump twenty meters at most, which would already be quite the feat to the eyes of ordinary people.

If he had a rope like the one being twisted by this man, Zhao Changhe could see himself jumping halfway and then throwing the rope to wrap around a tree on the other side. It seemed possible, but it would take quite some time.

Zhao Changhe asked, “Why make your own rope? Why not buy one from the city?”

The man said impatiently, “Doesn’t work. No idea why. Don’t bother me.”

Zhao Changhe smiled and said: “So even stolen ropes don’t work?”

The man was stunned for a moment, then chuckled. “You’re quite smart.”

Zhao Changhe turned his head again and took a look, realizing that this test was about utilizing nature. A certain foundation in movement arts was required, but not one that was outrageous. Like the previous tests, it continued with the theme of having mastery over at least the basics. Using tools beyond one’s abilities would not be recognized by the Heavenly Tome. Twisting a rope from available materials counted, but stolen ropes would not qualify as one’s own use of nature.

An interesting test, indeed.

Zhao Changhe did not start making his own rope. He turned back once more, seemingly calculating something.

After a moment, he suddenly sprinted and leaped into the air.

The man twisting a rope was dumbfounded.

He’s jumping without any tools? Is he suicidal?

Zhao Changhe indeed ran out of momentum midway and was about to fall. However, at that moment, he casually extended his foot and... stepped on the air!

He effortlessly took advantage of the support to spring forward.

The rope-twisting man suddenly realized what had happened and was shocked.

Just now, a crane had flown by, and the “newbie” had stepped on it. In this sense, he had truly utilized only what nature provided, without any artificiality.

Not only was he highly skilled, but he also had great deal of courage. How could he be certain that a crane would pass beneath his feet at just the right moment? What if it didn’t? Or what if his calculations were off and he missed?

But there was no need to think about so many “what ifs.” This man had ultimately managed to step on the crane and cross the gap. Yet instead of admiration, the rope-twisting man felt a surge of hostility and anger.

There is only one page! He can’t be left alive!

Swoosh!

A needle, silent and deadly, flew toward Zhao Changhe’s back!

Zhao Changhe effortlessly flicked his sword, deflecting the needle back.

The man never expected Zhao Changhe to be able to defend against the needle, as if he had eyes on the back of his head. Unfortunately for the man, the needle shot back and pierced his forehead.

With a crazed expression, he laughed maniacally. “You’ve run out of breath. You won’t make it. Let’s die together, hahaha...”

Zhao Changhe, having just stepped off the crane and still in mid-air, indeed found himself running out of momentum and beginning to fall once more. There was still a meter left between him and the other side.

He suddenly stretched out his palm and exerted a suction force through it.

Earlier, someone had thrown a rope across the chasm, securing it to a tree on the opposite side. The other end of the rope, lying on the ground, was swiftly pulled into his hand. He used it to leverage himself and made one final jump to land firmly on the opposite side, disappearing into the forest without even sparing a glance at the rope-twisting man.

On the opposite side, the man fell to the ground with regret in his eyes.