Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 617: In the Next Life, I Will Live Only for You

Tang Wanzhuang did not respond to Wang Daoning’s words. The longsword clutched in her grip suddenly flared with brilliant radiance, the sharp light rushing straight for Wang Daoning’s throat.

Wang Daoning twisted his body to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike. His protective true qi had been sliced open—any closer and the blade would have grazed his throat.

He touched his neck, his eyes glinting with surprise. “I always thought the revered First Seat Tang looked frail, as though her strength was limited, her breakthroughs merely ornamental... Yet, to my surprise, you’re formidable indeed. The Rankings of Troubled Times truly do not lie.”

Anyone would have assumed that, in her current condition, Tang Wanzhuang’s breakthrough would still fall short of the true third layer of the Profound Mysteries. Yet she seemed far more powerful than Wang Daoning had been when he first entered that level.

In truth, though her power had waned, her experience, insight, and understanding of martial arts had been honed to the level of a seasoned cultivator of the third layer of the Profound Mysteries. She had tempered herself in this level for years—she was no newcomer.

Once the seal was released, a surge of overwhelming power flooded her body. Her mortal frame could hardly withstand it; in an hour, she might well perish from the strain. But at this very moment, that swelling power made her stronger than ever.

Yet, regrettably, against a cultivator at the Profound Control Realm, the gap was still undeniable.

Wang Daoning dodged with casual grace, his movements as leisurely as a stroll in a garden. The Spring Water Sword Art, shimmering like rippling waves, danced around him but yielded no effect.

“Although I’d love to study your exquisite sword art further, as I suspect it might benefit my clan’s techniques, I unfortunately don’t have the time.” Wang Daoning evaded another strike, then suddenly lashed out with a palm aimed at Tang Wanzhuang’s abdomen.

If it landed, death would come not in an hour but in a second.

Yet Tang Wanzhuang neither dodged nor even flinched, her sword flying resolutely toward Wang Daoning’s throat.

Wang Daoning withdrew his hand, a frown creasing his brow.

Her intention was clear—she fought without defense, willing to sacrifice her life if it meant wounding him. For Xia Longyuan’s battlefield, even a slight injury to a Profound Control Realm powerhouse like Wang Daoning could tilt the scales of fate.

As she disregarded their own defense, her offensive power doubled. If he hesitated to avoid injury, a swift victory would become impossible.

But the longer he delayed, the more he risked others faltering against Xia Longyuan, and that could just as well spell disaster.

Wang Daoning flicked his fingers lightly.

Suddenly, Tang Wanzhuang felt an invisible wall closing in from all directions. Layers of unseen pressure folded upon her, suffocating and heavy, slowing her movements and making her body feel as if it might shatter under the weight.

Is this Wang Daoning’s Profound Control Realm secret art? Suppressing the seas without stirring a wave—is it all a matter of pressure?

No wonder they say that the essence of the Wang Clan lies in subduing the seas rather than commanding them... But if Wang Daoning truly relied on the essence of the Sea Tribe to break into the Profound Control Realm, his foundation should be less stable. After all, their principles aren’t entirely compatible...

This thought flickered through Tang Wanzhuang’s mind. But in that brief distraction, Wang Daoning’s hand blade was already slicing toward the side of her neck.

With no time to deliberate, Tang Wanzhuang leaned back sharply. The strike grazed the tip of her nose.

To Wang Daoning’s eyes, her entire form seemed to flow like water—shapeless, elusive, impossible to pin down.

Even if the sea could remain still, mountain streams would still flow. Just as an elephant finds it hard to crush an ant, Wang Daoning’s force struggled to suppress her fluid grace.

Around them, countless glimmers of swordlight danced like rippling waves, restricting his movements in every direction. He had already prepared to launch a kick but hesitated and pulled back at the last moment.

That kick would certainly strike her lower body, but it would also mean he would suffer a blade’s bite. Was it worth the risk?

Not half a minute ago, Wang Daoning would never have believed this woman could be so difficult to deal with. She seemed to have touched the fringes of the Profound Control Realm, far beyond a mere cultivator at the third layer of the Profound Mysteries.

“How do you have such control?” he asked, his gaze fixed on Tang Wanzhuang, still trapped within the walls of oppressive force. She had not shattered his pressure, yet she managed to trouble him deeply.

Tang Wanzhuang murmured, “Spring rains nurture all life. Trickling streams seep through mountains and rivers, becoming mud and water. As long as this heart endures, so too does my will.”

Frustration mounted.

Wang Daoning was eager to return to the siege against Xia Longyuan. He had no patience for delay. He knew now that finishing this fight unscathed was impossible. Nodding, he said, “You are worthy of respect. Seeking a flawless victory was my mistake. Prepare yourself.”

With his words, he struck out with a palm like a crashing tidal wave.

The force of his blow shattered the flowers and grasses along the palace path. The clouds above dispersed, revealing the bright moonlight.

The Heaven-Sundering Cloud-Cleaving Palm! It was an unstoppable force of brutal might. Within its range, whether soft as flowing water or bristling with blades, all would be ground to dust.

Tang Wanzhuang summoned layers of sword qi in a desperate defense. The razor-sharp sword qi pierced through the wall of pressure, slashing Wang Daoning’s palm with several shallow cuts. Yet the wounds were trifling. The force of his palm strike surged inexorably toward her face.

She raised her sword with fading strength, knowing escape was impossible. The oppressive force pinned her down, leaving no room for evasive maneuvers. She had done her utmost. If she could buy just a few more moments for His Majesty...

But just as Wang Daoning’s palm met the tip of her Spring Water Sword, his instincts screamed a warning. He pulled back in a flash, the strike landing just short of full force.

Tang Wanzhuang coughed up a mouthful of blood, staggering backward.

Boom!

A pale-golden arrow descended from the heavens, as though the moonlight itself had transformed into a lethal arrow.

Wang Daoning’s palm collided with the arrow in an earth-shattering explosion. Dust and debris erupted as the nearby palace structures trembled and splintered under the residual force of the impact. A wooden arrow was deflected, clattering uselessly to the side.

Wang Daoning’s heart pounded. The sheer power of that arrow was absurd!

From above came the shrill cry of a warhorse. Tang Wanzhuang looked up.

Under the moonlit sky, a figure charged forth astride a galloping steed. A crescent-shaped saber force cleaved the air, the rider’s warhorse soaring behind the arc of steel. The rider held a saber aloft, descending with divine speed.

Zhao Changhe...

Tang Wanzhuang stared in stunned disbelief, her mind momentarily dazed.

Wang Daoning swung his sword, deflecting the saber force. The dark warhorse veered away as Zhao Changhe leaped from the saddle, Dragon Bird in hand.

Clang!

Sword met saber. Zhao Changhe failed to fully absorb the impact, tumbling backward. At the same time, his left hand flickered, sending a flash of sword light toward Wang Daoning’s side.

Wang Daoning sidestepped, but a chill rose behind him—Tang Wanzhuang, injured and relentless, had struck at his throat with her Spring Water Sword. He could feel the shift in her spirit: from resignation to a blazing, desperate determination. One fleeting instant was all it took.

Wang Daoning’s frustration boiled over. How did Zhao Changhe appear so suddenly? And what the fuck is this nonsense with a flying horse? I only just learned how to fly in the Profound Control Realm, yet now even a goddamn horse can fly all of a sudden?

This was no longer just about killing Tang Wanzhuang. Even if he could kill Zhao Changhe as well, how long would that take? What about the battle against Xia Longyuan? If he delayed any longer, disaster was inevitable! Should Xia Longyuan break free, the collapse would be catastrophic. His entire clan would be wiped out.

Making a split-second decision, Wang Daoning expanded the wall of pressure, trapping Zhao Changhe along with Tang Wanzhuang. Then, his figure blurred and vanished.

Neither of them had reached the Profound Control Realm. Breaking the wall of pressure would take at least half a stick of incense’s time. Tang Wanzhuang only had an hour left to live to begin with, and now that she was wounded, she had maybe half that time remaining. Why waste effort here when the real battle awaited?

Bang!

Zhao Changhe kicked the wall of pressure in frustration. It did not budge.

He turned to Tang Wanzhuang. She leaned weakly against the wall, her beautiful eyes fixed on him, silent.

Zhao Changhe took a deep breath, his gaze a mix of respect, pity, and anger. He could not parse his emotions nor find the words to express them. Stepping forward, he took her wrist, checking her pulse.

“Congratulations,” he said bitterly. “You have half a cup of tea’s time left. You’d rather die for him than live for me?”

Tang Wanzhuang’s response was blunt. “I’m sorry.”

Her straightforward apology left Zhao Changhe speechless. Whatever grievances he harbored were left stuck in his throat. After a long pause, he managed, “Do you have any final words?”

She smiled weakly, but her eyes shone brightly. “You say I am dying for him, but that’s not true... My whole life, I’ve lived for the empire. Thank you for your anger. I’m sorry... If there’s a next life, I’ll live only for you.”

Zhao Changhe stared at her, his voice low and resolute. “There’s no need to wait for the next life. The rest of this one will do.”