Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 359: The Saint Returns

Xue Canghai was sincere in his actions.

He bowed to Zhao Changhe in front of everyone, just as Zhao Changhe had done so toward Instructor Sun earlier. This was no longer a matter of face or pride; he simply believed that this was the right thing to do.

While Zhao Changhe was still in a daze, the cult members were quicker to react. They kneeled down in waves, collectively cheering, “Greetings to the saint!”

The sheer joy in their voices and on their faces was palpable. They had always idolized Zhao Changhe, even if it was one-sided. Zhao Changhe might have thought they were foolish, but now that even their cult leader had acknowledged the other party, their idol had truly become one of their own. It was like they were fans discovering that their greatest idol was actually their cousin.

Zhao Changhe stood there, surrounded by the kneeling crowd, feeling a strong urge to scratch his head but restrained himself. He now had an image to maintain, and scratching his head would not help in maintaining a dignified image.

He had to admit that it boosted his ego quite a bit.

No wonder so many people want to be on top. The feeling of having countless people bowing to you... I can see how some would particularly enjoy this.

Xue Canghai, meanwhile, was starting to feel an itch. Hey, why is this guy spacing out? I’ve been kneeling for quite a while now.

Finally coming back to his senses, Zhao Changhe stepped forward to help Xue Canghai up and sighed. “What if I say I don’t want to be the saint?”

Xue Canghai rose with his assistance, then pointed to Instructor Sun and smiled slightly, “Since you still acknowledge that you have ties with the cult... It does not matter whether or not you officially accept the title of saint. As long as we consider you our cult’s saint and we don’t deny it, it’s the same as before when the members of the cult saw you as one of their own and you didn’t deny it.”

Zhao Changhe could not help but ask, “But why go through all this trouble? Isn’t this just putting yourself under someone else’s control?”

Xue Canghai replied calmly, “There’s always someone above me, so what difference does it make?”

Zhao Changhe tilted his head in confusion.

Xue Canghai explained quietly, “We follow this faith because we believe that the path of the Blood God is truly powerful, and we hold this belief without doubt. But over the years, the Blood God Cult has declined. Sure, partly it’s due to my failures. However, a major reason is the loss of our inheritance, leaving no one able to comprehend the Blood God’s true will. Without understanding that will, how can we seek strength?”

Zhao Changhe nodded. Many knowledgeable people had already told him that the Blood God Cult’s heritage was incomplete, and the cult’s decline could not all be pinned on Cult Leader Xie. And indeed, seeing him today, Zhao Changhe realized that Xue Canghai was in fact quite capable.

It was no wonder that Xue Canghai was eager to acknowledge Zhao Changhe, as he saw the other party as a beacon of hope for the Blood God Cult.

“The completeness of the Blood God’s true will surpasses all else. If you truly understand it, then you are the saint. There’s nothing wrong with acknowledging that. Besides, the saint is not the cult leader. Our responsibilities are different.”

Zhao Changhe said, “I don’t even know if I can fulfill such a role. I haven’t seen your sacred artifact, so how can I take responsibility?”

Xue Canghai responded, “Why not give it a try? You don’t have to accept the title of saint, but I believe you do need our manuals and the insights you can get from the sacred artifact. After that, we can discuss further.”

“Why do I need them?”

“Because your Vicious Blood Art is incomplete and unrefined. Without integrating other martial arts, you would not have gotten this far. No matter how many times we spar, you’ll only be polishing a turd. You came here with the intention of getting that final push, but look at what happened. Don’t you feel like you’re seriously lacking in a few aspects?”

“Mm...” Zhao Changhe finally stopped arguing, sighing internally once again.

As a religious cult, their logic differed from other factions. For example, the sacred artifact was absolutely not to be desecrated by outsiders. Even Vermillion Bird had never crossed that line. Otherwise, it would have turned into an endless enmity rather than a mere subjugation of the Blood God Cult. The members of the Blood God Cult may superficially submit to strength, but there would have been countless future troubles awaiting the Four Idols Cult. It would have been nothing like their current relationship.

If Zhao Changhe wanted to touch the so-called “sacred artifact,” conventional methods would work. He had to join the cult, earn recognition, and be granted access over time. But now, as the saint and the Blood God’s representative, he was the one who dictated who touched the artifact and who didn’t. The cult leader merely handled administrative duties.

With mixed feelings, Zhao Changhe said softly, “Let’s have everyone return to their duties first. This is getting out of hand.”

Xue Canghai waved his hand authoritatively. “Hey, do you have nothing to do? Did you all gain insights from our battle? Go back and study then! I will assess your progress tomorrow!”

The cult members bowed and dispersed. “Yes, sir. Saint, take care.”

Zhao Changhe sighed.

The cult’s belief system was truly powerful. Now he could understand some of Vermillion Bird’s seemingly inexplicable behavior. For instance, when Vermillion Bird suspected his star chart to be related to the Night Emperor, her attitude toward him changed instantly. She even sent the Fire Serpent of Yi to probe and get close to him, trying to figure him out. Later, when he found out that his star chart was not actually related to the Night Emperor, it was already too late, as the Fire Serpent of Yi had already fallen in love.

Even now, Chichi held some of that reverence. While they saw the four idols to be replaceable, they revered the Night Emperor as if he was a true god.

“Follow me.” Xue Canghai dismissed the onlookers and personally led Zhao Changhe to the cult’s secret chamber. He asked softly, “There’s still an envoy from the Maitreya Cult to be dealt with. How do we proceed?”

His eyes flashed with a fierce glint as he made a slicing motion with his hand. “Should we sacrifice him to our god?”

Zhao Changhe hesitated. “An envoy from the Maitreya Cult? What does he want?”

“He wants us to march east to Xiangyang[1].”

Zhao Changhe immediately understood. Xiangyang was a strategic military location, and it was geographically significant.

Xue Canghai commanded an army of over ten thousand. They were all infantry without horses, but the fact of the matter was that each of them was a genuine martial artist, far better than the various believers that the Maitreya Cult had tricked into following them. A force of such size suddenly entering the war could have an immeasurable impact.

But the Blood God Cult has long since become a strategic resource under Vermillion Bird. There’s no way the Maitreya Cult doesn’t know this.

Zhao Changhe calmly asked, “What are your thoughts on this?”

Xue Canghai said, “I don’t want to be under the Four Idols Cult forever. I do want to find a way out... but the Maitreya Cult isn’t a reliable partner. I doubt their chances of success. Since you’re here, there’s no longer any need to hesitate. You have a big grudge against the Maitreya Cult, so I have no problem if you tell me to just kill him.”

Zhao Changhe pondered for a moment and then smiled. “Would you like to play the role of a non-believer, Cult Leader?”

Xue Canghai replied coolly, “We are a demonic cult. Whether we have faith or not depends on practicality.”

“Then agree to their proposal. Set up detailed terms of cooperation, including the timing of the attack. The more specific the plans are, the better.”

Xue Canghai smiled, “Understood.”

There was no need for further explanation. As expected, like understands like.

Xue Canghai thought, Who the hell said this guy’s a hero? His heart’s as black as coal. Heh, as expected of someone from our Blood God Cult.

Zhao Changhe also realized that, despite their bond, the Blood God Cult was not a reliable ally either with their bloodthirsty nature... Wait, isn’t that what being the saint is about as well?

Both of them lost in their respective thoughts, they entered the underground chamber, Zhao Changhe clearly felt the familiar sensation of passing through a spatial barrier.

“This was once a secret realm. The sacred artifact was found here,” Xue Canghai explained. “We didn’t occupy Wushan; it was always here.”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “During the collapse of the era, the array plate should have held the space together, but it’s not a single unit. The array plate is made up of various objects pieced together, causing many components to break away. This is one of the reasons why the cult’s inheritance ended up incomplete.”

Xue Canghai’s eyes widened. You still dare say you aren’t the saint? Then how do you know that the sacred artifact is an array plate and that it’s fragmented?

His expression turned reverent again. He led Zhao Changhe to the end of the passage.

Several high-ranking protectors, each at the sixth or seventh layer of the Profound Gate, stood guard at the door. Seeing Xue Canghai approach, they bowed deeply. “Cult leader.”

Xue Canghai nodded. “Open the door.”

One of them activated a mechanism, and the heavy stone door slowly opened.

A wave of vicious blood qi hit Zhao Changhe, making him hold his breath. In the dim red light, a massive array plate rested at an angle on the central altar, facing the entrance.

At first glance, it looked like the eye of a god, coldly staring at the worshippers.

Zhao Changhe felt two items in his ring react simultaneously.

One was the blood bead he had obtained from Maitreya, identified by the blind woman as part of the array plate, from which he had once extracted vicious qi to break through.

The other was the blood token he had bought from Ying Five for a single coin. He had never studied it thoroughly, but now it resonated intensely with the array plate, vibrating incessantly.

At the same time, the array plate began to glow with a blood-red light. It was as if the cold eye had come to life, like an old guardian recognizing a long-lost child returning home.

1. A prefecture-level city in northwestern Hubei province. ☜