Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 346: Kunlun within Kunlun

On the northwest side of Yuxu Peak, opposite the direction Zhao Changhe had previously taken up and down the mountain, there was a Daoist temple with a plaque above the gate that read “Yuxu Palace.”

There were not many buildings, and people were sparse. Yet, it barely matched the image of Yuxu Palace that people had in mind: a Daoist temple housing a group of evildoers.

This was the true Yuxu Palace, not the three wood cabins at the top where the old woodsman drank and chopped wood.

But Yuxu Palace also had no guards, because there was no need. Nobody dared to even approach the mountain, let alone the palace itself.

This time, Zhao Changhe had disguised himself with a yellow face and donned high-quality brocade robes. He stored his saber and gourd in his ring. His disguise finally made him look like someone else, enough so that Ye Wuzong would not scold him if he saw him. Next time, I’ll even add a five-willow beard.[1]

While stealing the Heavenly Tome, Yuxu might not intervene, but the evildoers searching for it certainly would. It would not do to be recognized as Zhao Changhe, as he would then have to face endless troubles. That was why he decided to let Wang Daozhong take the blame for now.

He quietly leaped over the wall, lightly touching down on the rooftops, and quickly reaching the rear courtyard.

The courtyard was dimly lit, with a few guards loitering outside what appeared to be a storage cave.

Despite their idleness, the fact that guards were stationed here while the main gate was unguarded indicated that this cave held something important.

Zhao Changhe swept past them like a gust of wind, snowflakes gently falling. The two guards felt a chill at the back of their necks simultaneously before collapsing to the ground.

In a swift, seamless motion, Zhao Changhe darted into the cave, his shadow barely perceptible.

Being at the ninth layer of the Profound Gate, and on the verge of unlocking the Profound Mysteries, he was already one of the top figures in the world, even though he still felt that his understanding and mastery of martial arts were lacking and not yet fully his own.

To the blind woman, Zhao Changhe seeking guidance from Vermillion Bird and Yuxu was of little significance. What he truly lacked was time and extensive combat experience.

With enough exposure and practice, his understanding would naturally deepen. In other words, in her perspective, there was no need to ask others.

For instance, now.

Tak!

Zhao Changhe leaped into the cave. As expected, it was not just a simple cave. After passing through a short passage, he emerged into a vast expanse, revealing a towering mountain peak similar to Yuxu Peak, majestic and reaching into the clouds.

It felt like a nesting doll—Kunlun within Kunlun.

This was a grand secret realm that already had its spatial barrier breached. Inside was an entire mountain, not just a small room, a cave, or a tomb as he had seen before.

The immense, familiar aura of the space felt almost like the Heavenly Dao, and Zhao Changhe felt his heart stir.

Even though he knew to expect a vast secret realm with many inhabitants, witnessing this nested space firsthand was still awe-inspiring. The mysteries of space were simply too fascinating.

The Tome of Troubled Times that occasionally flashed in the sky was also just a page of the Heavenly Tome. Yet it exuded a high level of prestige, and it was honored by all. In comparison, the golden foil in his hand felt lackluster. The disparity was not just due to its incomplete nature but also because of the strong seal imposed by the woman at the bottom of the Ancient Sword Lake. The incomplete page struggled to lift this seal, being made to sacrifice its completeness to ease the unsealing.

The page of the Heavenly Tome in this place appeared to be an unsealed Heavenly Dao ultimate treasure on par with the Tome of Troubled Times in the sky. With that being the case, it was then no wonder that it could sustain such a large space. Beside the mountain peak, there were still other areas within the space, the mountain peak simply being the core.

What form would it take?

Zhao Changhe looked up. At the peak, shrouded in mist, there was a faint golden light, illuminating the entire space. There was neither sun nor moon in this space; the golden light was the sole source of light, casting a sacred and ethereal glow over everything.

A long golden scroll seemed to float up in the sky, its detail obscured by the mist.

Thus, the people of Yuxu Palace have been hacking their way through thickets and other obstacles, tirelessly climbing toward the mountain peak for years, yet no one has ever reached the top. Countless lives have been lost here, consumed by the allure of the Heavenly Tome, which compelled everyone to stake their lives in pursuit.

Zhao Changhe carefully avoided areas with voices, choosing instead to climb up from paths less traveled and more treacherous.

After a short while, he began to hear the faint sound of a musical instrument, as if an illusory melody flowed through the mountains, like a clear stream reaching directly into his soul.

At first, the sound was soft and gentle, but gradually, it grew louder, transforming from a babbling brook into a rushing river, from the chirps of birds to the cries of cranes, swirling and echoing around him.

Suddenly, he felt his blood and qi surging within him. Upon closer inspection, he realized that his heartbeat had synchronized with the music, accelerating along with the melody. His blood and qi surged in harmony with the flowing sound.

He immediately understood the nature of this phenomenon.

The music was designed to manipulate his internal state, compelling his body to follow its rhythm. Those who failed to suppress it or remained unaware of it... perished.

Is it a test of the Heavenly Tome? Or is it the page’s innate abilities manifesting, presenting these challenges to anyone who attempts to approach it?

It swiftly became clear to Zhao Changhe that the reason the evildoers had been stuck for years was precisely these obstacles preventing them from advancing further up the mountain.

Zhao Changhe took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

He had already learned some things about music... By analyzing the sound from a professional perspective, focusing solely on the technical aspects—the scales, the techniques, the essence of the music—he could detach himself from its emotional influence.

This was akin to a writer reading another’s novel with a critical eye, losing the ability to become emotionally invested and instead only noticing the skill and proficiency of the writer in emulating the world or portraying the world of their mind.

With this mindset, the music no longer stirred his emotions. Instead, he found himself thinking, Damn, how is this music being made? It’s incredible.

He felt this way because the music was not played by human hands but was a natural symphony.

If this could be incorporated into martial arts, it would probably become a powerful sonic attack technique. Maybe Tang Wanzhuang has similar techniques?

Does this page of the Heavenly Tome represent strange and unique techniques? But such techniques and arts should still fall within the realm of martial disciplines, and that should fall within the scope of the golden foil. That would be quite redundant, wouldn’t it?

Without dwelling on it further, Zhao Changhe continued his stealthy ascent. Others had already explored to great heights, and he needed to catch up.

The music continued to echo around him, following him like an invisible force. It subtly exerted pressure, warning him not to lose focus. Diverting his attention even for a moment could cause his blood and qi to run amok, potentially leading to his body imploding or a descent into madness.

Amidst these conditions, the trees and rocks around him began to take on an eerie appearance.

Strange, why does it feel like I’ve seen the stones and trees ahead just a moment ago?

Zhao Changhe frowned slightly and reached out to peel off a small piece of bark from a nearby tree.

Continuing upward, it was not long before he encountered the same tree with the bark he had just peeled off.

An illusory maze.

Zhao Changhe was taken aback. He had only learned the basics of formations. He had previously wanted to study them more deeply, but someone had told him that it was better to focus on one thing rather than spreading himself too thin, so he had only been taught the basics.

Are the basics enough to break through this maze?

The musical test earlier did not require a profound knowledge of music, just a basic understanding. After all, these were likely just natural manifestations of the Heavenly Tome’s will, not an intentional test set up to block him or others.

Zhao Changhe raised his head and studied the surroundings for a while, and then he looked down at his position, calculating for a long time before scratching his head.

Based on his limited knowledge, he should have fallen into the Returning[2] position, causing him to loop back repeatedly.

Theoretically, moving forward from the Returning position should lead to the escape position, allowing him to exit. However, he could not figure out how to interpret this correctly.

To the front left was the Leading position, and further ahead of the Leading position was the Innocence[3] position. According to his basic knowledge, stepping into Innocence should be the correct solution.

But before reaching Innocence, he had to go through Leading. And in this context, the term “leading” actually referred to leading troops, leading an army.[4]

There would be a battle!

Then I’ll fight. If the Heavenly Tome has a spirit, it wouldn’t just let people sneak through. It would force everyone onto the same narrow path, making them compete to see who’s most qualified.

Zhao Changhe decisively leaped to the front left.

Almost at the same time, a sword light slashed toward his abdomen from the side. “Where did this idiot come from? Leave him to me!”

1. This is a style of facial hair where hair hangs from each cheek, under the chin, and from both sides of the lip. Classic old sage look. ☜

2. This is in reference to Hexagram 24 復 (fù), “Returning,” of the Book of Changes, also known as I Ching. ☜

3. This is in reference to Hexagram 25 無妄 (wú wàng), “Without Embroiling” of the Book of Changes. Other variations include “innocence (the unexpected)” and “pestilence.” ☜

4. The word being used here is 师 (Shī), which usually refers to teachers and masters, but in the past, it was also used to refer to the dispatch of troops. This is also in reference to Hexagram 7 師 (shī), “Leading” of the Book of Changes. Other variations in its meaning include “the army” and “the troops.” ☜