Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 480: Heavenly Blood Jade

Zhao Changhe: “?”

The corpse demon struggled violently as Dragon Bird firmly held it down.

The great elder said, “To be honest, the Heavenly Blood Jade is somewhat... unique. While it’s not impossible for us to bring it to you, it’s a bit inconvenient. If you could retrieve it yourself, that would be best.”

The corpse demon: “?”

Its struggles weakened noticeably, as if it were incredulous at this response.

Zhao Changhe glanced at Sisi, who shook her head, indicating that she did not know anything. Although she was the saintess, she had not been in the position for long and had spent most of her time outside. She was not fully aware of such secrets within the tribe.

Zhao Changhe nodded, reluctantly leaving the comfortable spot on her chest. “I’m full. Let’s go have a look.”

You only had a few sips of wine...

The elders exchanged glances but said nothing further. The envoys from the forbidden land all seemed to have a similar demeanor—burdened and focused solely on completing their mission. Previous envoys were often called domineering, but it was more that they did not have the patience for chit-chat. They would keep a stern face, whip in hand, pushing everyone to finish the task as quickly as possible. And while this envoy appeared to have more demands, he actually created less tension than the others.

After all, having more demands was a good sign, right? Their saintess even bathed with him—surely, he would show them a bit of leniency.

As for the Heavenly Blood Jade...

The elders led Zhao Changhe up the sacred mountain.

This mountain, called Yunyang Mountain, was the origin of the Solaris Nimbus Leaves. In ancient times, it grew so abundantly that the Atlas of Mountains and Rivers did not even bother to record it, treating them as ordinary flora. Now, however, they had become exceedingly rare, so scarce that even the tribe struggled to meet their needs. Of course, the sacred envoy could take it as he pleased, but outsiders wanting to trade for them was out of the question.

This was perhaps the most immediate benefit of pretending to be a sacred envoy.

Although the Atlas of Mountains and Rivers did not record the Solaris Nimbus Leaves, it did carefully note the Heavenly Blood Jade, highlighting its preciousness even in the previous era. If it was deemed valuable enough for the ancient Black Tortoise to note down, its rarity and value was unquestionable, especially now. It was likely one of the last of its kind, which explained the corpse demon’s rage.

The Heavenly Blood Jade was not enshrined in the ancestral hall but rather kept inside a cave at the peak of the mountain, heavily guarded.

However, with three elders, the saintess, and the sacred envoys together, the guards might well not be there. They simply proceeded directly into the cave’s inner chamber, where a massive stone door was tightly locked . The three elders paid their respects and said, “This is the place. The Heavenly Blood Jade is enshrined within. We do not dare to enter without reason.”

Zhao Changhe waved his hand dismissively. “You all stand guard outside. Sisi, come with me.”

As he wrapped his arm around the saintess’s waist and led her inside in full view of the elders, the surrounding guards showed expressions of humiliation.

One of the guard leaders, an older man seemingly of similar status to the elders, spoke coldly, “Now that the saintess stands as the face of our tribe, her dealings with the envoy of the forbidden land should be diplomatic, not servile. Please keep that in mind.”

Sisi glanced at him, responding lightly with a few words. “Oh? Where was this sentiment earlier?”

The old man stifled his anger and fell silent.

Sisi smiled, snuggling even closer to Zhao Changhe as they walked into the hidden chamber. She murmured, “The Spirit Tribe boasts a hundred thousand men, yet it’s the saintess who serves. Is this all truly the fault of a woman...?”

With that, she led Zhao Changhe into the secret cave without looking back.

Yue Hongling looked around at the shame and anger on the faces of those nearby, thinking that these people’s hearts could still be stirred. Even among the higher ranks, it appeared that not everyone was so corrupt. There were still some with backbone.

If a suitable opportunity arose, perhaps Sisi could rally the Spirit Tribe and truly reshape it. However, with the weight of the forbidden land pressing down on them, there was little hope.

The stone door closed with a heavy rumble, and they could faintly hear the angry shout of one of the elders outside, “Have you all gone mad? Do you not value your lives anymore? Thank the heavens the sacred envoy was not paying attention, or he would have been livid...”

With the stone door shut, they could not make out what sort of argument was happening outside.

Inside the cave, only the three of them remained. They stood facing each other for a moment. Sisi reluctantly let go of Zhao Changhe and said softly to Yue Hongling, “We were just putting on a show for them...”

Yue Hongling crossed her arms. “It’s fine to deceive outsiders, and even fooling your sister is one thing, but don’t deceive yourself.”

Sisi: “...”

“The Heavenly Blood Jade? Where’s the blood jade?” From the spirit bag within Zhao Changhe’s storage ring came the furious voice of the corpse demon. “Stop wasting time! I want to see the Heavenly Blood Jade!”

Zhao Changhe’s gaze had already fallen on the heavy stone platform in the center of the chamber. Atop it lay a blood-red gemstone the size of a goose egg, emanating an eerie, crimson glow. When the room went dark as the stone door sealed shut, this blood-red light became their only source of illumination, bathing the entire chamber in a blood-red hue.

Yue Hongling and the others did not sense it as strongly, but Zhao Changhe’s immediate impression was of overwhelming bloodthirst.

Had he not known that the Blood God’s array plate did not require such a central gemstone, he would have believed this was the very core of the array plate. The intense bloodlust and murderous aura felt almost identical, yet there was an added sense of ancient, primordial power. If the Blood God’s array plate was a natural treasure forged with the essence of Lie’s dying will, then this object should be a natural treasure of similar nature.[1]

But the issue was that the Heavenly Blood Jade should not be like this.

From the information Zhao Changhe had, such as the records in the Atlas of Mountains and Rivers, it was described as “a wondrous item, inherently containing pure, nourishing blood and qi...” and similar descriptions. It should be a treasure of heaven and earth, a natural treasure meant to nurture and strengthen one’s blood and qi, with a quality that was robust and gentle.

This would logically make it an ideal complement for the forging of the Blood Asura Body, especially when paired with an aggressive, blood-strengthening herb like the Sharp Blade Grass. If the Heavenly Blood Jade itself was this vicious, combining it with something like the Sharp Blade Grass would contradict the medicinal theory, practically ensuring an explosive failure instead.

Furthermore, if the Heavenly Blood Jade truly harbored such intense bloodthirst, it made no sense for the Atlas of Mountains and Rivers not to mention it.

He tentatively stepped forward and lightly touched it. He was immediately met with a sharp, needle-like sting. Damn, this vicious qi is intense. Even with his cultivation rooted in vicious qi, he found it difficult to bear. Fortunately, it was not something he could not handle. Vicious qi was something he was more than used to dealing with.

Zhao Changhe used the Vicious Blood Art and tried to lift the blood jade.

Unfortunately, it did not budge.

Surprised, Zhao Changhe gritted his teeth and tried again, but the blood jade seemed as if it were embedded in the stone platform, completely immovable.

From the spirit bag came the cold voice of the corpse demon, “The ‘heaven’ in its name actually also refers to something as heavy as the heavens, though that is almost certainly an exaggeration. In any case, it’s not surprising if you can’t lift it.”[2]

Zhao Changhe asked, “So, was their plan for me to give up on my own after trying?”

“Perhaps,” replied the corpse demon coolly. “With such fierce bloodthirst, ordinary people would struggle to even approach it.”

“Then why did they say they could bring it outside, just that it was inconvenient? Ignoring the vicious qi, even if we’re just talking about its weight... I mean, you should know how strong I am. If I can’t lift it, what makes them think they can?”

“The Spirit Tribe has its own ways of harmonizing with the blood jade, allowing them to lift it without needing brute strength. They likely fear the vicious qi, which is why they let you come in and see it for yourself,” the corpse demon said, sounding smug. “It seems they’re not entirely stupid. They’ve left you with a piece of dung for all your trouble.”

Dragon Bird came over and smacked the spirit bag.

The gu twitched a few times, then fell silent.

Zhao Changhe sneered, “Looks like you really did get your brain scrambled by that soul-searching. Do you really think that the forbidden land doesn’t covet this treasure? Why is this blood jade so abnormal? Can’t your pea-sized gu brain figure it out?”

The corpse demon had been taunting Zhao Changhe, but it now felt a sting irself, the words hitting uncomfortably close to home. After a long silence, it replied, “The blood jade has been contaminated and is unusable.”

“So my initial assessment is that the blood jade could’ve enhanced the entire Spirit Tribe’s strength, either by reinforcing their bodies or aiding in controlling beasts. Generally, things that can elevate the power of an entire tribe are crucial. With it, the Spirit Tribe could outmatch most others, which is why you reacted so strongly.”

The corpse demon replied, “They were just asking you earlier for some divine descent technique, right? That technique allows them to channel the power of a sacred beast, and the blood jade is a key component. Additionally, one must have a strong physique to harness that power, and the blood jade is vital for tempering the body. The Spirit Tribe can’t do without it. Anyone who gives it away deserves death by a thousand cuts!”

“But now it’s been corrupted,”

Zhao Changhe replied. “The Spirit Tribe tried to use it with the ancient techniques handed down to them, only to find it unusable. So it became worthless, to the point that they can’t even keep it in the ancestral hall, or its aura would ruin other artifacts. It’s isolated in this cave instead.”

The corpse demon let out a cold laugh. “In my opinion, when Lie stole the Blood Ao, he must’ve polluted the blood jade at the same time... This has his handiwork all over it.”

Zhao Changhe said, “Why didn’t Lie just take the blood jade away with him rather than corrupt it? Do you really think he did not have the strength to take it away?”

The corpse demon fell silent, clearly unable to explain this. If it had hands, it would be scratching its head.

Zhao Changhe sneered, “There’s no way this was Lie’s doing. I’d say it’s almost certain that this was the doing of the so-called god or demon in the forbidden land. It must have been extremely weakened after the collapse of the era and was thus unable to make use of the blood jade, but they naturally would not just let the Spirit Tribe use it.

“Most importantly, since they could not subdue the Spirit Tribe back then, they simply corrupted it just enough to keep the Spirit Tribe from being able to cultivate their bodies. Over millennia, the tribe fell into decline, while that god or demon gradually recovered. By the time they emerged, the Spirit Tribe had already weakened enough to become their servants.”

The corpse demon: “...”

“There is a Blood Ao in the forbidden land now. Who knows if they reared it later or if it’s one they’ve had for ages? Either way, once it’s fully tamed, they could begin using that technique to channel the power of a sacred beast you were talking about. If they don’t come for the blood jade this year, then perhaps they’ll come for it next year. Do you really think you can keep it safe?”

The corpse demon’s current brainpower left it unable to refute Zhao Changhe, and what Zhao Changhe was saying was in fact likely to even be the truth. His case-solving and analysis skills had always been quite on point.

Zhao Changhe said, “Even though I want the blood jade, I have no interest in taking over Spirit Tribe. I’m willing to find a solution that benefits both of us. As for whoever it is in that forbidden land, they probably couldn’t care less whether your Spirit Tribe lives or dies. Think carefully about who has your best interests at heart.”

The corpse demon said, “What do you want me to help with?”

“I need that technique you mentioned that would allow me to harmonize with it. I can’t lift this thing.”

“It’s been contaminated. Do you think you can use it even if you harmonize with it?”

“I am very sure I can. This vicious qi might be a serious problem for you guys, but it’s nothing to me.”

Yue Hongling and Sisi stood by, wide-eyed, watching as Zhao Changhe held the blood jade in his hand, staring blankly as if in a trance. They thought he might have been overtaken by some illusion. After waiting a little while and seeing no reaction, Yue Hongling, finally unable to hold back, was about to step in to help when suddenly, the blood jade emitted a dazzling rainbow light.

The blood jade, which had previously felt as heavy as the heavens, was now held effortlessly in his hand. The vicious qi surrounding it had been completely absorbed, and even Sisi could feel something stirring within her bloodline, as if it was being awakened.

1. Note that “artificial” and “natural” here are the houtian (后天) and xiantian (先天) often encountered in these novels. I\'ve also translated this as acquired and innate when it comes to true qi in this novel, though I\'ll be translating it as artificial and natural when it comes to items. These terms refer to a thing or a quality’s relation to nature and the Dao—that which is innate is much closer than that which is produced artificially. ☜

2. The original here is juntian (钧天), which is the first part of the Heavenly Blood Jade’s name and generally refers to the center of heaven. In this case, however, the characters of the word are actually treated more separately, 钧 being an ancient unit of weight equal to roughly 30 jin (18kg) and 天 being heaven. ☜