Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 33: Further Onward

“For fuck’s sake. I can’t take this rank! Now the whole world knows I’m an idiot[1]! Eh, wait. I mean, everyone thinks I’m an idiot! I’m not an idiot! Fuck! What kind of shitty book is this? Is it messing with me? And what about the lines at the end? Why didn’t I get one? The tome just told the world what I did and then just up and left!”

On the road back, Zhao Changhe’s mouth was foul. He did not care about the glory of having entered the Rankings of Troubled Times, nor was he wary about potentially rousing envy in others. What he was concerned with was how unsightly his ranking was and the fact that he had not received a fancy line at the end to show off with.

Wang Dashan and the rest looked at Zhao Changhe, perplexed. They had no idea what to think of this weirdo of a boss.

How can everyone receive a line from the tome? Among the 250 people on the Ranking of Hidden Dragons, only a handful ever get one. No one knew on what basis the tome wrote such lines for people. In any case, there had been cases where those given a line were killed on the next day after their ranking changed. Receiving a line did not mean anything.

Anyway, it’s good enough that you got a rank... You actually managed to get on the Rankings of Troubled Times at the first fucking layer of the Profound Gate. There are many stronger than you who haven’t even gotten there, and you want to complain that you’re ranked 250??

The Ranking of Hidden Dragons differed from the Rankings of Heaven, Earth, and Man. The latter ranked people based on their strength. The former was completely different.

It was a ranking for rising stars, and it looked at how much potential one showed from their achievements in battle. What it represented was that, under the same conditions, it would be difficult for other people to achieve the same result compared to someone on the ranking. In other words, what it showed was that one could expect much from such people in the future; therefore, it was called the Ranking of Hidden Dragons. It did not mean that one was among the top few hundred strongest under heaven.

Of course, it was easier to recognise one’s actual skill and abilities in higher-level battles. The petty fighting between greenhorns, no matter how exquisite, did not say much about their real strength. That was why the top of the rankings was basically a ranking of how high people’s cultivation was. Those with lower cultivation were naturally ranked lower. From the surface, it looked very similar to a ranking based on real strength.

A lot of people did not understand this and they all felt the same. Fuck you. Why can you enter the rankings at the first layer? Why am I not there when I’m at the third layer? I don’t even know how many people are stronger than you, so why should you be ranked 250!? If I beat you up, then the ranking will be mine, right?

This was why entering the rankings attracted a lot of trouble to one’s doorstep. Why else would it be called the Tome of Troubled Times?

This Zhao Changhe is upset over a number. Do you have no idea about this stuff or do you just really not care... Also, I’m sure you feel good about getting the branch master to spit out money and grains for us. but that’s because he was injured and couldn’t do shit, so he had to compromise. In a few months, when he recovers, I wonder how you’re gonna die.

Wang Dashan and the rest all felt their days were going to be hard.

Whatever the case, they returned and put the things in the storehouse. There were now grains to eat and the bandits did not care where they came from or what future problems could arise from this. Every one of them cheered “Long live Boss Zhao!” like it was the new year.

Zhao Changhe held his chin as he cheered on.

Naturally, he was well aware that this was not a long-term solution.

The multiple carts of grain looked plentiful, and the amount of things they could purchase with a few hundred taels of silver was not a joke. They could purchase a considerable amount of resources to support themselves. Even so, if Zhao Changhe was to feed a stronghold with a few hundred people, these resources would not last for long. That was why even though they had reserves in the storehouse, the stronghold still required people to go out to hunt or loot. Otherwise, they would eventually have to start eating into their reserves.

Strongholds needed resources, and those resources usually came from looting. Zhao Changhe did not want to rob people, but he also could not avoid the problem.

The few times Zhao Changhe had seen the Tome of Troubled Times, it had shown the date as well. This time it was Light Cold, and it reminded people that there were only twenty days or so until the spring festival. Spring was coming...

The coming of spring meant that the situation where people could not be found on the road which had lasted for one to two months was about to rapidly change. The number of travelers and merchants passing through the mountain would slowly increase. There might even be people on the road right now. I’m not sure if people in this world have the custom of rushing home to celebrate the new year. Even if not many follow this practice, some probably do, right?

“Boss, what do we do now?” In the meeting room in the stronghold, Wang Dashan stood by the side and asked, “Branch Master Fang was correct. The branch doesn’t produce anything, and they actually rely on us to help with resources. We can’t keep getting money from the branch...”

Zhao Changhe leaned back on the main seat and lazily supported his forehead with his hand. “Spring is coming. There should be people passing by... Split up into groups and have our brothers set up a blockade at each of the mountain roads.”

Wang Dashan: “?”

Zhao Changhe said lazily, “I made this mountain; I planted this tree. If you want to pass, then pay up a fee. Sounds a bit crude, but...oh well. We’re mountain bandits, not teachers of fine manners.”

“Isn’t that just looting?”

“I have no idea what you mean. We’re just collecting road taxes.”

“What?”

“And we’re not taking everything they have. Let’s see...I think they should pay us about as much as what we paid today to enter the city. As long as people hand us the money, they can go on their way.”

Wang Dashan said, “Boss, didn’t you say that imperial troops would come to take us down? Aren’t we doing things a bit too openly?”

“This is our own land. If imperial troops come, can’t we just run? Are you telling me they’re going to camp on the roads like idiots with nothing to show for it? In any case, we will only operate within our mountain rather than raise our banners and beat the war drums because I’ve taken this into consideration. Do you think I like doing such things as setting up tolls on public roads?”

“...”

“Oh, speaking of imperial troops. Branch Master Fang promised to send us reinforcements, but we really can’t count on it. Send a few clever men to stay in the city. The moment they catch the slightest whiff of trouble, they are to immediately report back.”

“Yes.”

“Other than that, continue sending out people to hunt. Even a little is better than nothing. Oh, right, also change the large banner in the stronghold, put up one that says ‘Carrying out the Will of Heaven.’ And in this meeting room, hang up a board that says ‘Hall of Virtuous Rebellion.’”

Wang Dashan’s eyes went wide. He did not have the slightest idea what this boss of his was thinking.

However, he felt that this boss of his really did not want to engage in looting. Day after day, he keeps delaying... I don’t know if it’s just me. Boss is clearly an incredibly fierce person, a natural-born bandit. How could he not want to loot and plunder? Didn’t he snatch that saber of his in his hands right now from someone else?

“Enough.” Zhao Changhe stood up. “I’m going to train. All of you go to train too. Don’t fucking think that you guys can slack off because Instructor Sun has left. You can forget about the imperial troops, I’ll teach you myself how to write the word ‘death.’ Dismissed.”

After everyone was out for work, Zhao Changhe immediately headed to the medicine storehouse to concoct the auxiliary bath medicine written in the Vicious Blood Art manual.

He had absolutely no intention to develop the mountain stronghold. Indeed, he was delaying things every single day. He hid in Beimang as a mountain king because he wanted to cultivate, not because he wanted to plan a rebellion, and certainly not because of the trifling branch master’s incompetency.

Is this low of me? The most obvious privilege of being a stronghold master is the qualification to snatch up a stronghold mistress... No, I mean the qualification to have the laborers heat up a medicinal bath. I’d be stupid if I didn’t profit from this.

The use of medicinal baths in external arts was commonplace since it stimulated the circulation of one’s qi and blood. It could also strengthen parts of one’s body and make it more resistant to attacks. However, medicinal baths tended to be unbearable to soak in.

Zhao Changhe felt that Vice Branch Master Huang was unable to withstand his attacks because the man had simply not trained enough. The Vicious Blood Art usually increased the toughness of one’s flesh. Even though it would not make one immune to sabers, spears, and other sharp weapons, it still granted the user some immunity to blunt weapons and other such attacks. If the vice branch master had trained properly, how could a single kick have brought him down?

The more he cultivated the Vicious Blood Art, the more Zhao Changhe felt that it was outstanding. It had a wild and overbearing offense, coupled with a pretty good defense. The reason it was considered a mediocre martial art in spite of those advantages was its grave side-effects and difficulty to cultivate. However, now that Zhao Changhe had an internal art, he no longer needed to worry about giving up his external art. He could continue practicing it.

This was cultivating both internal and external arts.

I started cultivating so damn late, so if I don’t put in double the effort, then how can I surpass this ranking?!

“Sssss! For fuck’s sake!” In the stronghold master’s room, Zhao Changhe was soaking in a barrel of hot water, grimacing in pain. He was about to curl up and cry.

It felt like there were ten million needles poking into his flesh. It was both painful and itchy. After that, as his qi and blood started racing through him, his head got hot and a certain part of his body rose up.

Yes...uh...this medicine must be good. It definitely isn’t a sham...but boy, is it fucking unbearable. It’s no better than the side-effects of the Vicious Blood Art. No wonder Vice Branch Master Huang didn’t feel like doing this.

Defeating Vice Master Huang with only three attacks was not something Zhao Changhe thought was commendable. A thousand ships pass by a sunken one—Vice Master Huang, at the end of the day, was someone who had his battle sense whittled away by luxury and fell behind. Zhao Changhe needed to learn from the mistakes of his predecessors if he was to avoid becoming a sunken ship.

To continue training is the way. The only way. Even if this shitty martial art becomes even shittier to cultivate, I have to continue.

Zhao Changhe gritted his teeth tightly and forcefully grabbed the sides of the barrel, bitterly supporting himself. Amidst the pain, he began channeling his qi according to the Vicious Blood Art.

There was a scratching sound as he grabbed the wooden barrel. His fingers actually left shallow marks on the wood.

Will I be able to defeat Branch Master Fang after he recovers in a few months? Zhao Changhe could not be bothered planning that far. Whatever the case, he needed to work hard.

1. Zhao Changhe is referencing the pejorative meaning of 250. It is a modern slang that can be used to refer to someone as stupid. ☜