Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 582: The Dragon King Returns to the Edge of the Sky

If previously Zhao Changhe merely suspected the announcements of the Tome of Troubled Times to be written by the blind woman, this time, it was nearly confirmed.

Even though she claimed that the announcements were simply the feedback of the Heavenly Dao, implying that once something was observed, it had to be recorded or reported—claiming that it had nothing to do with her—there was still clearly someone orchestrating how things were worded and what was included in the rankings.

Why would it display things like this otherwise?

The Sea Emperor commands the Eastern Sea with the body of a flood dragon, supported by his notable protectors and generals.

The protectors are divine constructs created by the Sea Emperor through his mastery over water. Each of these constructs possesses power comparable to the third layer of the Profound Mysteries. These constructs are artificial and can be replicated. Thus, they are not considered true lifeforms and are ineligible for the rankings.

His generals, on the other hand, are sea creatures such as whales and sharks, now awakened and able to take on human forms. They possess power equivalent to those at the second layer of the Profound Mysteries. The numerous shrimp and crab soldiers are too many to list. They are to be ranked with discretion.

In the middle of the ninth month, a protector and a shark general led a force of the Sea Tribe in a nighttime raid on the Heavenly Origin Pirates. Black Tortoise of the Four Idols Cult defeated the protector and slew the shark general with her bare hands, later joining Zhao Changhe in pursuit of the protector to a remote island.

Late into the ninth month, Zhao Changhe fought Penglai’s Marshal Hai Changkong at Dongan Island, defeating him in three strikes. Later, Hai Changkong and Zhao Changhe together killed the leader of the Heavenly Origin Pirates, Hai Qianfan, and Black Tortoise once again defeated another protector of the Sea Tribe.

Hai Changkong and Hai Qianfan are both adopted sons of the Dragon King Hai Pinglan, each carrying significant duties and responsibilities. Both possessed power at the second layer of the Profound Mysteries.

At the beginning of the tenth month, Hai Changkong led an attack on the Sea Emperor’s temple. After trading blows and injuries, he ultimately managed to slay the Sea Emperor’s whale general in the chaotic battle. Unexpectedly, the Tang Clan’s warships joined the fray, resulting in Penglai’s forces decisively defeating the Sea Tribe, slaughtering thousands of their members, and destroying the temple. Tens of thousands of the Sea Tribe’s members perished in this battle, their corpses floating for many li, while Hai Changkong’s reputation spread across the Eastern Sea.

Meanwhile, Hai Pinglan drove the tiger against the wolves. Xia Longyuan faced three opponents alone, firmly defeating Tngri, gravely wounding the Sea Emperor, leaving all sides battered and exhausted. His position as number one on the Ranking of Heaven remains unshakable.

Hai Pinglan fought a decisive battle against the Sea Emperor, during which Wang Daoning launched a surprise attack. Black Tortoise of the Four Idols Cult intercepted him, and White Tiger Saintess Xia Chichi harried him. Wang Daoning was defeated and forced to retreat. Zhao Changhe then attacked the Sea Emperor’s underbelly, disemboweling him. Black Tortoise joined in, leading to the Sea Emperor’s detonation of his flood dragon body.

In this battle, heroes arose, and the seas and skies were overturned.

With the Dragon King’s death, the Ranking of Heaven shifts.

Black Tortoise of the Four Idols Cult, at the third layer of the Profound Mysteries, effortlessly defeated the shark general, and two protectors of the Sea Tribe, drove away Wang Daoning, and wounded the Sea Emperor, attaining high merit in this battle. She is worthy of succeeding Hai Pinglan’s position.

Ranking of Heaven, Rank 7: Four Idols Cult’s Black Tortoise!

Zhao Changhe, during his three battles with the protectors of the Sea Tribe, held his ground. He gravely injured the Sea Emperor’s underbelly, establishing the turning point of the battle. His contribution is immense. The feat of harming a god or demon as one on the Ranking of Man is unprecedented.

Ultimately, however, having not directly fought those on the Ranking of heaven, and given that much of his role in this battle was supportive, his ranking is difficult to determine. With Black Tortoise’s ascension to the Ranking of Heaven, Zhao Changhe shall temporarily occupy the last position on the Ranking of Earth.

Ranking of Earth, Rank 36: Blood Asura Zhao Changhe.

Marshal Hai Changkong of Penglai, having killed the Sea Tribe’s whale general, should have earned a place on the Ranking of Earth. However, having once been defeated by Zhao Changhe, he shall occupy Zhao Changhe’s previous position.

Ranking of Man, Rank 1: Hai Changkong.

One could only wonder what Hai Changkong would feel upon seeing himself suddenly at the top of the Ranking of Man. Previously, he had longed for a match with Zhao Changhe, who had been ranked at the top of the Ranking of Man. But now, despite his ambitions having been crushed by Zhao Changhe, he suddenly finds himself ranked at the top of the Ranking of Man, even taking the title of King of Man. It could truly be considered an unintentional triumph.

It was as though the Heavenly Dao were encouraging him: A warrior’s heart is not one to falter. To fight the Sea Tribe as a human, successfully driving them back with the corpses of his enemies littering the sea, he certainly did earn the title of King of Man.

But while the narrative of this battle was portrayed as fierce and grand, with encouragement for Hai Changkong, it was also quite clear that Zhao Changhe and Xia Chichi were being suppressed.

Although Zhao Changhe played a mostly supportive role in this battle, his contributions and strength were far beyond what the lowest place on the Ranking of Earth warranted. Even those observing the rankings from the Central Plains could deduce as much. After all, he had managed to hold his own against the protectors of the Sea Tribe, water constructs with power comparable to the third layer of the Profound Mysteries, repeatedly. That feat alone warranted one of the higher positions on the Ranking of Earth. Furthermore, Hai Changkong, who defeated the Sea Tribe’s whale general, was defeated by Zhao Changhe in three strikes—what did that imply?

With the achievement of injuring a god, how could Zhao Changhe possibly be merely on par with someone like Wang Daozhong? Could Wang Daozhong have broken through the Sea Emperor’s defenses?

Likewise, Xia Chichi was barely mentioned, with only a passing note about her ambush on Wang Daoning contributing to Black Tortoise’s victory. But the logic applies here as well—would an ordinary person have been able to intervene in a battle between those worthy of being on the Ranking of Heaven? Go ahead, try ambushing Wang Daoning—if Wang Daoning even acknowledges you with a glance, that’s his loss!

It was apparent that Xia Chichi had also reached the second layer of the Profound Mysteries. In previous years, that alone would have guaranteed a spot on the Ranking of Earth, yet now she remained on the Ranking of Man, her position unchanged.

Of course, the Tome of Troubled Times followed a set of basic rules: If someone had not fought against those on the ranking, they could not be arbitrarily placed on the ranking. It was unlike the system by which the Ranking of Hidden Dragons operated, and this much was understandable. But if the supposed set of basic rules were to be followed, then fairness should apply across the board. How then did Black Tortoise directly replace Hai Pinglan? Should she not have taken Wang Daoning’s place instead? And even that would be debatable, given Xia Chichi’s assistance... But to go straight to replacing Hai Pinglan—what was the deeper meaning there?

Hai Pinglan passed away in front of his daughter... who’s his daughter?

Most people would not think that deeply, but Zhao Changhe knew immediately that this was undoubtedly the deliberate handiwork of a sentimental author or editor. It represented the inheritance between father and daughter—a partial fulfillment of Hai Pinglan’s wishes. He even wanted Lady Three to kill him to claim the position... If Lady Three had not been given the seventh rank, that particular blind woman would have perhaps been left feeling incredibly uncomfortable.

Are you seriously trying to tell me this is an impartial reflection of the Heavenly Dao? Who are you trying to fool?

This also showed that the blind woman had grown more human. This ranking inheritance that defied the usual principles was an acknowledgment of the father-daughter bond and a gesture of respect toward Hai Pinglan himself. It was also a chance to put Zhao Changhe down, suppressing him, and taking a jab at Xia Chichi while she was at it, not even bothering to give them a concluding remark.

It was blatantly obvious.

Moreover, the page of the Heavenly Tome shrouding the Eastern Sea had only just been taken, the concealment only now disappearing—only now were the events of the sea supposed to be officially incorporated into the records of the Tome of Troubled Times. So, how had these earlier battles been recorded? Every detail of Zhao Changhe’s battles since his departure was known, and even Hai Pinglan’s years-long plans were observed clearly, showcasing the Heavenly Dao’s supposed omniscience. If it was so all-knowing, why had any of this not been reported earlier?

It was all about what Zhao Changhe had witnessed. The Eastern Sea was vast—was there really no one else beyond his range worthy of being mentioned on the Ranking of Man or even the Ranking of Hidden Dragons? Not a single person worth a mention? That was simply impossible.

The answer to this, then, was simply that the blind woman had not seen them. Her eyes were right here, right on him—perhaps even focused entirely on him. What other explanation could there be?

Oh, I guess there’s the battle at the Sea Emperor’s temple. I hadn’t seen that event myself... But who knows when that took place? It would be more likely that she only saw it after this golden scroll was taken. From that moment onward, she was probably able to see everything that’s been going on here in the Eastern Sea. She just deliberately put the retelling of Hai Changkong’s battle at the front to make it seem as though she had seen it earlier. Fool others if you will, but you think you can fool Zhao Changhe?

So, the thought that he was a mere camera was absolutely correct—he had been the blind woman’s camera all along.

The observer shall eventually be observed—mark my words.

Zhao Changhe vented in his mind, but he did not bother to examine the new page of the Heavenly Tome in his possession. Instead, he carefully observed Lady Three’s profile.

With such a grand recounting, Hai Pinglan had become immortalized in history, passing away with a smile, seemingly without regrets. But for Lady Three, her father was still gone, and the entangled feelings of grudges and affection were far from being resolved... He could not begin to imagine how Lady Three—slow as she was to process emotions—was feeling at this moment.

Lady Three withdrew her gaze from the sky, focusing it back on Hai Pinglan’s face. She stared for a long while before murmuring, “There’s soil here... That’s good. Although they called him the Dragon King of the Sea, he’d hate a burial at sea. He was a man of Jiangnan through and through, believing in the peace of being laid to rest in the earth.”

Zhao Changhe exchanged glances with Xia Chichi, both of them saying, “Then we’ll help you dig him a grave.”

“No need.” Lady Three brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear, then turned and smiled. “Chichi is badly hurt, and you’re practically paralyzed on one side. Yet here you both are, calmly sitting around. Neither of you have even taken a single medicinal pill nor have you even bandaged your wounds. You’ve just been watching us father and daughter have our talk for half the day. And you even took the time to look at the announcements of the Tome of Troubled Times. What’s so interesting about that lousy tome?”

“Uh...” It just ranked you seventh on the Ranking of Heaven... You better be careful or that blind woman might make things more difficult for you in the future.

Lady Three suddenly clenched her fist and slammed it into the ground. “Do you really think I need your help to dig a grave?”

With a thunderous sound, earth and stones scattered as a perfectly neat grave, a good ten zhang deep, appeared in the ground, showcasing Lady Three’s extraordinary cultivation and exquisite control.

Lady Three bent down, lifting Hai Pinglan’s body and placing it in the grave. She quietly filled it with earth, then picked up a piece of wood, sliced it smoothly with her palm, and carved a few words onto it.

Dragon King Hai Pinglan, returning to the edge of the sky.