Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 619: The Emperor and the Aristocratic Families

The battle beneath the Imperial Ancestral Temple was stranger than anyone had anticipated.

When Wang Daoning was still being held up by Tang Wanzhuang—far longer than his allies had predicted—every heart was filled with dread. Each additional second of delay increased their burden. In a confrontation with a powerhouse like Xia Longyuan, the absence of a Profound Control Realm ally was no trivial matter.

However, they could not simply sit and wait for Wang Daoning to finish his duel before acting. Xia Longyuan was no fool. If fighting had already erupted in the palace, he would surely leave this sanctuary. If he escaped, everything would collapse—the fake emperor would be worthless, the palace guards would rally to the true sovereign, and Xia Longyuan could easily flee, beyond anyone’s ability to stop him. Therefore, they had to trap him here, in the secret chamber beneath the Imperial Ancestral Temple, forcing his sanctuary to become his tomb.

They had feared that without Wang Daoning, they would be routed in moments, casualties littering the floor.

Yet, reality proved different. They’d expected Xia Longyuan to be weaker than normal, yet he was far weaker than expected. The dragon vein ritual had exacted a toll far greater than anticipated—the backlash was astonishingly severe.

It was like a man who had crossed a river retreating onto a bridge he’d burned, only to find the charred beams could no longer support his weight. His retreat turned into a plunge into the river... and it was the river of the dead. This was no longer a mere setback, and it was not just a mere attack. It was retribution.

Before departing to sea, Zhao Changhe had told Xia Longyuan: “The tears of the people will eventually overturn the boat; you won’t know until the tide rises.”

Xia Longyuan had dismissed it as juvenile nonsense.

Now, those besieging him fought for their own ambitions or personal vengeance, most of which had little to do with the plight of the people. Even those driven by a sense of justice acted on raw indignation, a desire to see blood spilled within five steps, to fight to the bitter end. They lacked deeper, more thoughtful motives. To call it a fight for the people was a stretch; it was more a matter of personal resolve.

Yet the dragon vein ritual had proven incredibly effective against him. Why? That was the key question.

Xia Longyuan had long known that the Maitreya Cult was sowing corruption in Jiangnan, colluding with officials. He’d done nothing, baiting out the gods and demons behind Maitreya. He’d let the situation deteriorate. The cult had ravaged Jiangnan, leaving fields of bones in its wake. Who bore that responsibility? Maitreya, of course, but not just Maitreya—the blame rested heavily on Xia Longyuan. Condemnation of him had become widespread.

If not for Tang Wanzhuang and Zhao Changhe’s relentless efforts to protect Gusu and Yangzhou, or for Tang Buqi’s awakening and the organization of resistance, Jiangnan would still be a land of wailing souls. The death toll would have been unimaginable. Even now, Jiangnan’s recovery was fragile. During the war, aside from Tang Wanzhuang’s desperate efforts to divert supplies, the court had sent no soldiers and no aid. As the people of Jiangnan remembered those who helped them, what did they think of their emperor?

In Bashu, the corrupt official Di Muzhi had oppressed the people, provoking rebellion among the Hundred Tribes of Miaojiang. Xia Longyuan knew this. Yet he sided with Di Muzhi, saying, “At least he is loyal to me,” and dispatched Lu Shouyi to reinforce him. If Xia Longyuan had not betrayed Tang Wanzhuang, he certainly had not betrayed Di Muzhi either.

Why support Di Muzhi? Because he knew that few regional powers still acknowledged his rule. Parasites like Di Muzhi, whose power was derived entirely from the Great Xia Empire, were his most dependable allies. If forced to choose between Di Muzhi and Tang Buqi, who was he supposed to choose?

But how did the Hundred Tribes and the masses of Bashu feel about this? Where did Li Shentong’s blood-soaked resolve come from?

It came from a land betrayed, a nation crumbling, and a ruler no longer deserving of the throne.

There were thousands upon thousands of Di Muzhis in this world—each one a reflection of Xia Longyuan. Uprisings surged across the land, fires of rebellion igniting everywhere. Li Shentong was but one of many who answered this call to arms.

He trusted traitors like Di Muzhi, yet distrusted Huangfu Yongxian—a man born of a family of unwavering loyalty, whose last surviving son had to be held hostage. Was Huangfu Qing’s hatred, her consuming demonic fury, really just a matter of doctrine?

He could have cooperated with the saintess of the Four Idols Cult without bloodshed. Instead, the result was her death, and her daughter left orphaned and destitute. Why had Lady Three refused to come to the capital despite knowing Zhao Changhe wanted to protect her? Because if she came, she and the girl would be dragged into the fray, and she did not want to put Zhao Changhe in that position.

The Wang Clan’s treachery had been obvious long ago. Yet Xia Longyuan, for the sake of the Sea Emperor’s plan, waited for their rebellion, nearly allowing Cui Wenjing—a loyal defender—to die in the process.

These incidents were just the tip of the iceberg. Some ministers might dismiss them as minor mistakes or believe that the fake emperor was to blame. But for those who knew the truth, the weight of Xia Longyuan’s failures was undeniable. Even the missteps attributed to the imposter were, ultimately, his fault for retreating from responsibility.

Because he was focused on cultivation, on his struggle with gods and demons. He had no time for mundane affairs.

This wasn’t merely a story of Huan Ling[1]. Xia Longyuan embodied the downfall of every end-of-dynasty ruler. Had it not been for his overwhelming martial prowess, chaos would have erupted a decade earlier. Zhao Changhe had witnessed this decay firsthand. Despite his instinctive connection to Xia Longyuan, he knew that one day, the emperor would fall—not to gods or demons, but to the hands of mortal heroes. He had outright predicted that.

And now, that prediction had come true. The land was fractured, the dragon qi wavering, the empire rebelling. No one acknowledged his rule anymore.

This was not the result of a few well-executed schemes. It was the inevitable reckoning of the people’s will. The people in the temple now had merely found the key that unlocked it.

He sought to dominate the world and forge a path to power. But the world had turned against him, delivering its own revenge. Even the barbarian god had foreseen this day.

Ying Five and Yang Jingxiu, who had fought in the battle against Xue Wu, sensed that Xia Longyuan was now no stronger than Xue Wu had been then. He was still holding the upper hand against his besiegers, his power immense. But each time he tried to break through, they hurled themselves into the breach, forcing him back.

If Wang Daoning had known the battle was unfolding like this, he would not have rushed back so desperately. He would have taken his time to finish the job with Tang Wanzhuang properly. But who could have predicted things would go so well? During his fight with Tang Wanzhuang, his thoughts were divided, his focus split—part of the reason he had not been able to defeat her swiftly.

Yet he could not afford to arrive too late either. A moment’s delay might well mean catastrophe.

When Wang Daoning finally arrived, his eyes took in the scene: a surge of golden qi erupted around Xia Longyuan, sending his assailants flying. His right hand shot forward, aiming a devastating blow at Li Gongsi’s chest.

In an instant, Wang Daoning knew Li Gongsi could not dodge in time. At best, he would be grievously wounded.

Boom!

The Heavenly Sea-Suppressing Palm shot forth, colliding with Xia Longyuan’s Dragon Fist. Both men staggered slightly from the impact. Seizing the opportunity, Li Gongsi stumbled back, cold sweat streaming down his face. “Brother Wang, perfect timing!”

Everyone else exhaled in relief. The pressure had been unbearable, but now that a Profound Control Realm powerhouse had arrived, it seemed the tide had turned.

Yet, to everyone’s shock, Xia Longyuan lowered his fist and heaved a sigh.

“I waited too long for you...” he said, his voice dripping with disdain. “You’re even more useless than I imagined.”

Wang Daoning was momentarily stunned. “You were... waiting for me?”

“If there had been casualties here before you arrived, would you have assessed the situation and fled to the Eastern Sea? I can’t say for sure. So, naturally, I chose to wait for you.”

A strange look crossed everyone’s faces. Each of them was a master of martial arts, and they knew full well that Xia Longyuan’s struggle had hardly seemed an act. Was he trying to fool himself along with everyone else?

But no one interrupted. Xia Longyuan could spout whatever bravado he wanted—they were too drained, taking these precious moments to recover their strength.

Wang Daoning blinked, then laughed and shook his head in disbelief. “If this was all just a performance, that means you had the strength to save Tang Wanzhuang... and chose not to? Fascinating. Even I feel she deserves better.”

Xia Longyuan shook his head. “I wasn’t implying that I could easily break free on my own. As you saw, my strength has indeed waned significantly. Escaping by myself would have been... troublesome.”

Wang Daoning was taken aback. Xia Longyuan admitting weakness so candidly was unexpected. He had expected more stubborn defiance. If that was the case, what did his earlier statement mean?

Xia Longyuan continued, “What I mean is, there are some things best done with you present. Without you, the outcome would be uncertain—likely mutual destruction. If Wenjing was here, it would have been even better... I suspect the reason he isn’t here isn’t whatever lingering injuries. He should have recovered by now. His absence might mean he sensed something.”

Wang Daoning chuckled, a hint of derision in his voice. Xia Longyuan sounded half-mad. “I don’t know what plans you have, Your Majesty, but we’re all ears.”

Xia Longyuan’s gaze swept over them, resting on the four divine swords. It had been their array that had constrained him most, their power uncannily suited to countering him.

“I’ve been wondering—if I suffer from the backlash of the mountains and rivers, perhaps that’s my fate. But what about you?” Xia Longyuan gestured toward the four swords and said slowly, “These swords belong to the land. Their rebellion against me is natural. But before that, they were your swords.

“In the past, their spirits slept for two reasons: first, because I seized half of their soul energy; second, because your intentions were misaligned with theirs. Have you all forgotten the second reason, blaming everything on the first? Wenjing always knew. Did you?”

The three clan leaders exchanged uneasy glances, a sense of foreboding creeping over them.

“Wang Daoning, do you truly have the right to guard the Eastern Sea? Yang Jingxiu, do you truly deserve to overlook these mountains and rivers? And you, Li Gongsi...” Xia Longyuan’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “Opening the gates to the barbarians, conspiring to ruin the Central Plains—whose peace does your Pinglong Sword serve?”

A deep rumble shook the chamber. The four swords trembled violently.

Li Gongsi took a step back, sweat beading on his forehead. “You knew... and did nothing? Were you waiting for this moment?”

Li Shentong’s expression twisted in shock.

“Yes,” Xia Longyuan replied calmly. “Perhaps my ghostly son-in-law will curse me for this, for not being ‘human.’ But in my eyes, who in this world is truly human anymore?”

He smiled coldly, then flicked his fingers.

Four wisps of mist drifted into the swords, intensifying their tremors. Foreign energy was being driven out.

“I still hold half the swords’ soul energy. You relied on the Sea Tribe’s yin qi to replenish them. Do you think the awakened sword spirits will remain the same? Let me restore them... And then, ask them whom they serve. If they choose to turn against me, what about you, who tainted them with foreign energy to commit regicide? The swords have spirits—they won’t abide by human double standards.”

With a hiss, three swords—save for Qinghe—rose into the air, their tips turning toward their masters.

Only Qinghe remained steady, still pointed at Xia Longyuan.

Xia Longyuan barely seemed to care. He sighed softly. “Qinghe has found a new master... the Cui siblings. That’s a delightful dilemma, isn’t it?”

1. This is in reference to Emperors Huan and Ling of the late Eastern Han dynasty. The period when these two emperors ruled in succession was a time widely regarded as marking the decline and eventual disintegration of the Han Dynasty. ☜