Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 112: So You Know Their True Nature

He had wanted to say “I never liked you,” but his words got stopped halfway, and he would rather get beaten than finish the sentence.

Did that mean... he actually liked her?

He himself had no idea.

And Yue Hongling had a feeling that might actually be the case.

“Since when did you start wanting to hug your big sister Yue?”

“It started back when I first sat behind you on your horse.”

“Then why didn’t you take the opportunity to be frivolous with me when I was in your room injured?”

“That’s because I respect you.”

Could what he blurted out actually be a lie he made up to trick the celestial maiden? That’s very likely... You stinking bandit, you actually weren’t an honest person even back then.

It doesn’t matter, as long as he says it’s fake, I’ll just pretend as if nothing happened, and we can continue as usual, as friends. But it feels so difficult....

In the air of silence between them, there seemed to be something lingering, something they could not quite discern.

Zhao Changhe let out a long sigh, then chuckled self-deprecatingly. He took a seat, poured himself a drink, and said, “You know, I was thinking just now... Maybe when I was acting so eager earlier, it wasn’t entirely an act. Perhaps I’m naturally a bit lustful deep down, and I wanted to take advantage of a celestial maiden.”

In reality, he was now starting to doubt whether he had chosen that approach because the person before him had looked so much like Yue Hongling. After all, there were so many other ways to extract information without coming across as an overly eager fool. Could he have done that because he wanted to satisfy some inner desires? He could not help but wonder... However, even with him saying what he said, Yue Hongling probably would not think too much of it.

Sure enough, Yue Hongling did not seem to dwell on it too much. She casually sat down next to him, and took a sip of the wine she had just poured herself. She coldly snorted and said, “If you’re lustful, then you’re lustful. It’s no big deal. You’re a grown man. Just make sure not to go astray.”

Zhao Changhe said, “You mean following the Maitreya Cult?”

Yue Hongling nodded. “So you really do know their true nature. It even seems like you’re already taking steps to deal with them. It seems that it was really the right choice to look for you.”

“Did you also come here to deal with the Maitreya Cult?” Zhao Changhe laughed. “What a coincidence. I heard that you were spotted in the vicinity of Yangzhou before, and I was thinking about looking for you. I had no idea how, but here you are.”

“Why did you want to look for me?”

“I feel that the situation in Yangzhou was extremely weird. I really think there’s something strange at play...as if everyone here is just an actor on a stage, acting according to a script. From when I first met Wan Dongliu, until now, that’s all I felt.”

Yue Hongling thought to herself that he had hit the nail on the head. She also felt the same way about Yangzhou. That was why she had wanted to find him to discuss what steps they should take next. After all, two heads were better than one.

They involuntarily locked eyes for a moment, and then they both quickly looked away at the same time.

Yue Hongling lowered her head, gazing at the wine in her cup. She could not understand why such a simple conversation had suddenly become so awkward. They hadn’t even really begun discussing things, yet it felt so hard to continue.

Is it because of that hug earlier?

She forced herself to change the topic, saying, “What’s wrong with Wan Dongliu?”

“He just gives me a very strange feeling. He seems to be part of the Maitreya Cult, but he also seems to have other motives. In any case, the Cao Gang appears to be his top priority. Once something goes wrong with the Cao Gang, it could spell chaos for this entire region,” Zhao Changhe said. “My primary target is the Maitreya Cult because they are more open with their misdeeds. However, deep down, I value Wan Dongliu, who is keeping to himself, much more.”

Yue Hongling pondered and said, “Is it fair to say that no matter what the Maitreya Cult plots, as long as the Cao Gang does not fall to their side, the situation won’t get too bad?”

“That’s roughly what I think.”

“Well, as a local figure, Wan Dongliu often hosts young talents who come to Yangzhou. This is also a form of courtesy in the jianghu. He has even invited me to a banquet in the past, but I politely declined. If he sends me another invitation, I will go and meet him.”

Zhao Changhe recalled how Wan Dongliu had hosted him previously and how he hosted Tang Buqi today. He realized that there might be more such banquets to come. He nodded and said, “It’s possible that he might invite me too...”

After a pause, he added with a peculiar expression, “He might even invite both of us together. After all, many people are eager to see what would happen if I were to meet the real Yue Hongling...”

Yue Hongling hesitated and said, “Should we first discuss how we are going to act when we meet in front of others?”

This was actually quite an amusing situation. The two of them had no such relationship at all. It would have been enough for the two of them to meet up in public to clear up any misunderstandings. However, that was before. Now, thanks to the Maitreya Cult’s interference, they would have to continue acting, or they might end up exposing the cult’s actions and that would cause all sorts of unstable factors to arise.

Zhao Changhe then said, “So... should I really pursue you?”

Yue Hongling’s heart inexplicably skipped a beat, and she turned her head away before saying, “If I reject you, that would be the end of it, right?”

Zhao Changhe sighed in resignation. “Yes.”

After a moment of silence, Yue Hongling spoke softly, “But that’s unfair to you... You never intended to pursue me at all, yet you tarnished your reputation and became a laughingstock, all to cover up the fact that I was your stronghold mistress to protect my image...”

Zhao Changhe interjected, “I’m willing to do it.”

The atmosphere fell silent once more. Yue Hongling averted her gaze. She then bent down to retrieve the fake Yue Hongling from under the bed and said, “Let’s not dwell on this matter. For now, we should focus on figuring out more things about the Maitreya Cult.”

Her ability to change the topic so abruptly is really impressive. Zhao Changhe was immediately pulled back from his messy self-reflection and he asked, “So you didn’t kill her?”

Yue Hongling rolled her eyes at him. “Why would I kill her? I was actually worried that there would be no one I could ask about the Maitreya Cult. She’s a lone high-ranking member of the cult who practically fell on my lap!”

Zhao Changhe looked at the flower-picking celestial maiden. Sure enough, though she did resemble Yue Hongling after putting on some makeup, he could tell that she was a fake. She might have been able to fool those who did not know Yue Hongling well, but anyone who was somewhat familiar with the real person would be able to tell that she was a fake.

Seriously, I can’t believe I actually thought they were able to fake the truth so well that I ended up embarrassing myself in front of the real Yue Hongling.

Yue Hongling had already woken up the flower-picking celestial maiden. The celestial maid opened her eyes, quickly grasping her situation and saying with a bitter smile, “I never thought that you two were actually a couple. Even the Abbot was fooled by you two...”

Yue Hongling: “?”

Zhao Changhe: “...”

Yue Hongling did not bother exchanging nonsense with the celestial maiden. She took out her sword and placed it against her neck. She then asked coldly, “How strong is Fa Yuan?”

This was the reason she had been hesitant to act rashly earlier. Without having a clear understanding of her opponent’s abilities, attacking blindly would be incredibly risky.

To her surprise, the fanaticism of the celestial maiden toward the cult far exceeded her expectations. The celestial maiden actually closed her eyes defiantly, preferring to die rather than answer.

Zhao Changhe, however, squatted next to the celestial maiden with a knowing smile and said, “Do you perhaps think that by dying for your faith, you’ll attain rebirth in the Pure Land of Bliss, entering the Realm of True Void?”

When she heard the words “Realm of True Void,” the celestial maiden’s expression changed slightly. She realized that Zhao Changhe, who appeared ignorant, might actually have more knowledge about their beliefs than even Yue Hongling. This phrase was unique to the White Lotus Sect. Even someone well-versed in the knowledge of the previous era might not recognize it. Yet, Zhao Changhe seemed quite familiar with it...

“Whether or not you really will be able to enter the Realm of True Void, and whether or not the Unborn Venerable Mother[1] will reward you for dying like this, I truly can’t say,” Zhao Changhe said with a sly smile. He took a pair of scissors and gestured near her face. “But let me ask you this: if I were to cut you into pieces, strip you naked, and hang you from the Twenty-Four Bridge with the words ‘Maitreya Cult Celestial Maiden’ written all over your body, do you think the Maitreya and the Unborn Venerable Mother will still reward you for your loyalty?”

Yue Hongling could not help but smirk. This guy really has a way with words...

The celestial maiden, showing signs of panic, opened her eyes wide and protested, “The abbot will know that it’s not my fault!”

“Are you so sure about that?” Zhao Changhe said with a smile. “How about we make a bet? When that time comes, the Maitreya will still show me mercy and allow me to convert. Meanwhile, you, their so-called ‘celestial maiden,’ who has dirtied the Maitreya’s reputation, will be trapped in the Animal Realm[2], unable to return.”

The celestial maiden bit her lower lip and stopped talking.

Zhao Changhe said, “To be honest, it’s still possible for me, and even big sister Yue, to join the Maitreya Cult. Your previous methods were simply too crude, and you underestimated me. If we have a proper discussion, and you explain to me exactly how powerful the Maitreya Cult is, I can still weigh the pros and cons and maybe join. After all, there is no enmity between us. In fact, we seem to even share some kind of connection, don’t we?”

Regardless of whether the celestial maid believed his words or not, this was a clever way to have her openly share information about the Maitreya Cult without pushing her to her death. Yue Hongling looked at the celestial maiden, who had disguised herself to resemble her, with some admiration. She wondered how the celestial maiden would choose.

After a long moment of hesitation, the celestial maiden asked softly, “Is it really possible for you to join the cult?”

Zhao Changhe replied, “Of course, why wouldn’t it be? Up to this point, besides your misguided attempt to deceive me, do we really have any enmity?”

The celestial maiden finally said: “The Maitreya tested Abbot Fa Yuan’s power and said that he was powerful enough to be on the Ranking of Man. However, they were afraid that news of this would spread through the Tome of Troubled Times, potentially revealing their secrets, so they never let him fight with anyone. To others, it appeared as if Zhang Banfo only reached the sixth or seventh layer of the Profound Gate.”

“That’s quite impressive. How many more people are like Fa Yuan and conceal their actual strength in the Maitreya Cult?”

The celestial maiden’s eyes once again sparkled with fervor as she replied, “Countless.”

Zhao Changhe nodded, not revealing whether he believed her or not. He suddenly said, “Since Abbot Fa Yuan is so powerful, why do you need my help? It should be a simple matter for him to assassinate the magistrate of Yangzhou, right?”

Yue Hongling realized that she might not be needed anymore.

After she answered the first question, the celestial maiden seemed to only become more eager to share more information, with no intention of holding anything back.

1. Also known as the Queen Mother of the West, she is a major deity in a number of Chinese religions. ☜

2. This is one of the six paths of reincarnation—being reborn as an animal. It is traditionally seen as a hellish realm due to loss of sentience. ☜