Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 640: Black Tortoise and the Night Emperor

Chapter 640: Black Tortoise and the Night Emperor

Of course, the blind woman understood that this little “girl” did not have a father or a mother. Applying human concepts to this situation was fundamentally flawed.

Dragon Bird’s spirit was a result of immense energy and soul energy merging to create a consciousness. It was not truly a young girl. It was still a saber, through and through—any notion of gender was purely the result of someone’s... unique perspective. Even when manifested, it was typically just a faint saber-shaped image or a swirl of spirit qi.

Of course, since humans were technically the most intelligent creatures in this world, weapon spirits would eventually default to humanoid forms, just like the blind woman herself.

But the blind woman was on a far higher level. Her form embodied the nurturing aspect of Heavenly Dao, representing creation and maternal energy. Her appearance was a product of nature’s finest craftsmanship, the epitome of this world’s beauty. Whether Zhao Changhe agreed with that assessment was irrelevant—it only reflected his personal taste. Besides, he had never seen her eyes, which were the windows to the soul, making any judgment incomplete.

Dragon Bird’s spirit, however, lacked such lofty ideals. Its appearance was simply a reflection of its master’s imagination during the forging process. Zhao Changhe had envisioned a little girl, and the saber spirit took that form to match his preference.

Since its form was shaped by its master’s desires, it naturally bore traces of his features. Over time, observing Zhao Changhe’s tastes, the saber unconsciously combined the appealing traits of his various love interests, forming a unique appearance and physique that embodied those collective qualities.

Thus, if one insisted on attributing parentage, Zhao Changhe was undoubtedly the father, while all the women in his life contributed as mothers.

Nevertheless, this kind of intelligence was extremely rare. There were plenty of sentient items, but sentience was not intelligence, let alone human-like intelligence. At their core, these spirits thought like sabers, swords, or books, and their perception and aesthetics differed vastly from those of humans. If not handled carefully, an attempt to combine traits could easily result in a grotesque abomination. For Dragon Bird to display human-like aesthetics and even scold him for invading her home was an incredible anomaly. It hinted at the potential to reach the pinnacle of weapon spirits, and perhaps even surpass that to achieve a level akin to the blind woman herself.@@@@

Zhao Changhe, of course, did not know any of this. He pondered briefly, failed to make sense of it, and decided it did not matter. What was wrong with the spirit looking like him? That just made it feel more like his own weapon.

Grinning from ear to ear, he swung the reforged Dragon Bird, savoring the new feel.

The saber’s size had not changed much, but it was noticeably heavier due to the added materials. Yet, the advantage of a sentient weapon was that the spirit could adjust the weight according to the master’s needs. It could feel as light as a feather for swift strikes or as heavy as a mountain for a powerful cleave. The transition was seamless, requiring no adjustment period.

He marveled at the improved sharpness and durability, on a whole new level compared to before. Moreover, the saber’s vicious blood qi now amplified his own Vicious Blood Art. This unexpected synergy was a delightful bonus. In hindsight, it made sense—only a weapon forged by his own hands would perfectly complement his techniques. No other weapon, no matter how fine, could achieve that.

The most gratifying improvement was the self-repair function. This was a saber that would never truly break. He was tempted to test it by nicking the edge and seeing how quickly it healed. But knowing his little hellion, she would likely chop his head off for such an affront.

Zhao Changhe ran his hand lovingly along the spine of the blade, a grin spreading so wide it seemed it might split his face in half. It had been a long time since he had felt that thrill of acquiring a fine weapon—the bow was naturally a fine acquisition, but not quite there. Now, that same exhilaration returned, reminding him that, at heart, he was still a martial artist who loved sabers.

“Mmh...” A soft murmur entered his mind.

Zhao Changhe blinked. “?”

Where did that voice come from?

Zhao Changhe hurriedly asked, “So the Four Idols Cult’s ceremony to appoint the new cult leader is tomorrow night?”

“Yeah, tomorrow night. It was supposed to be three days later, but not on the third day exactly. Anyway, I just got back from notifying the senior members. You think I’d skip out on such an important event?” Lady Three puffed out her chest proudly.

Zhao Changhe could not resist giving it a quick pat, chuckling. “Alright, alright.”

She maintained her posture with a smirk. “The guards mentioned hearing the sound of forging down here. Everyone figured you were busy with something important, so they didn’t disturb you. But I’m not just anyone, am I? I taught you how to forge! If I didn’t come check, who else would? Honestly, I was a little worried you wouldn’t manage, but it turns out you did a great job.”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “It’s true. You came just in time. Reforging Dragon Bird was just practice, something simpler to get me ready—”

Lady Three’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “The Night Emperor’s sword! I knew it! The things you said to her had a deeper meaning. I just knew you were planning to tackle that next!”

Zhao Changhe raised an eyebrow. “Vermillion Bird... told you about that too?”

“Of course! Whether we’re following the Night Emperor himself or the ultimate principle of the starry sky—that’s a decision that affects the entire cult. I’m Black Tortoise. You think she’d decide on something that significant without discussing things with me?” She smirked. “I’m ahead of her in cultivation right now, so my opinion carries a lot of weight!”

Zhao Changhe tested the waters. “So... what’s your take on it? Knowing you, I’d guess you lean toward the latter.”

In truth, neither belief suited Lady Three perfectly. Once, she had been as devout as any commoner, seeing the teachings and gods as a source of spiritual comfort, even wishing for divine retribution to sweep away kings and nobles alike.

But now, Lady Three was different. Her loyalty to the cult and her fixation on the Night Emperor’s sword seemed more like a habit than a true conviction.

Her eyes glimmered playfully as she replied, “What I believe isn’t important. The question really is how do you want me to answer? Be honest, do you... want to conquer Vermillion Bird?”

The implication was clear: she was willing to shape her answer to help him.

Zhao Changhe clenched his jaw and answered sincerely, “Yes, I do.”

“Heh...”

“But I don’t want to deceive her under the guise of the Night Emperor. I want to walk a path that allows my interests to align with those of the Four Idols Cult. Lady Three, this isn’t just about Vermillion Bird. It’s about you too. If I relied solely on our personal feelings to win your support, doubt would creep into your heart eventually. We don’t need that.”

Lady Three’s smile faded. She gazed at him for a long moment, then sighed softly. “You could have taken the easy route. With just a little pretense, I could’ve stepped aside and helped you in secret. But you insist on the harder path... Not becoming the Night Emperor, but surpassing him. Do you know what that implies?”

“Whatever it implies, I have to try.” Zhao Changhe finally took out the Night Emperor’s sword blank, his voice low and determined. “Tomorrow night is the ceremony. There isn’t much time left, and I can’t do this alone. You came at the perfect moment. Will you help me?”