Chapter 732: The Last Night

Chapter 732: The Final Night

There are many ways to break through the Imperial Realm, which only means he is almost certain to succeed—every path leads to the goal—but it does not mean it will happen immediately.

The Imperial Realm is ultimately the most typical watershed between two epochs. The reason it becomes such a divide is first and foremost because it is the hardest, thus forming the formidable pass that separates eras.

Even if Ye Wuzong considers it "not true immortality, merely a lingering soul sustained by treasures," if you fail to cross this threshold, you cannot even achieve that lingering state—you would have died long ago. Broadly speaking, breaking through this barrier truly allows one to claim they have touched the door of immortality; even normal lifespan is many times greater than that of an ordinary martial artist. At the very least, in terms of preserving youth, it is hard to grow old.

Not to mention flight, the most representative expression of power. Although some can fly before reaching the Imperial Realm—like Ye Wuzong, or now Zhao Changhe and Yue Hongling—overall, the Imperial Realm is the basic requirement for flight; anything before that can only be called floating or gliding.

And the mastery and representation of a certain rule... this is the line between humans and gods or demons, beyond doubt.

Zhao Changhe repeatedly rehearsed the Starlight River Sword Intent within the Heavenly Book, while Yue Hongling played with the little female sparrow, both nurturing and stimulating her own sword spirit and tempering her Supreme Sword Body. After three days, Yue Hongling's precious sword had already begun to coalesce and give birth to an infant spirit, yet Zhao Changhe still had not broken through to the Imperial Realm.

Incidentally, cultivating among the Spirit Clan meant an endless supply of resources and medicines—provided you were willing to eat certain things that looked unsettling.

Not to mention, it was extremely suitable for body forging. Whether it was Zhao Changhe's blood energy or Yue Hongling's sword bones, both were further consolidated here, lacking nothing.

Despite failing to break through, Zhao Changhe was not discouraged; his mindset remained calm. The path was certainly correct, and continuing along it would surely lead to a breakthrough one day. This was a period of sedimentation—he had been soaring too fast for too long and sorely lacked it.

During this time, he also strengthened his understanding of the power of qi meridians and causality, as well as the forces of yin corpse life and death, and the divine axe and thunder. These subjects did little to aid his breakthrough but would be extremely useful in the upcoming battles. The power of life and death was for the Nine Abysses, while the divine axe and thunder pertained to the matters of the Eternal Heaven.

Calculating the time carefully, it was simply insufficient; he could only settle slowly. With the Heavenly Book, he could save a lot of time. Repeated simulations within it far surpassed long hours of practice outside.

And... he had time to chat with Xinghe.

The little child was cute, but wasn't being too expressionless a problem?

"Little Xinghe... do you want something to eat?"

"Master, you're very annoying."

"...No, I know sword spirits don't need to eat. I meant, would you like some fine minerals or treasures imbued with spiritual energy to absorb? That should be possible."

Little Xinghe turned around, giving him a dull back.

Zhao Changhe recalled Longque's comment: "When you talk to her, she doesn't answer, just turns around and shows you her butt. What's so interesting about that shriveled little butt..."

If it were his own child being so rude, Zhao Changhe didn't know if he'd want to spank her. But unfortunately, she was a sword spirit, and that was just how she was. Whether it was the two-hundred-fifty Longque or the expressionless Xinghe, their natures probably couldn't be educated.

Zhao Changhe had to say, "Then do you want to go out and play?"

Xinghe said, "If Master wants to ask what I want..."

"Yeah, yeah..."

"Then just don't bother me."

"..."

"Or you could throw away that noisy vicious blade."

Zhao Changhe fled from the sword in embarrassment. This indirect scolding—who knew if it was aimed at the noisy blade or the noisy master.

The Blind Man tilted his head in the void, watching this "father-daughter" exchange. Seeing Zhao Changhe's rare look of frustration and helplessness, a faint smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Still no luck?" Yue Hongling walked over, returned Longque to him, and sat beside him, asking.

Zhao Changhe said grumpily, "Harder than stone, like talking to the night sky."

"That's how breaking through the Imperial Realm is. Being able to converse is already good; what response can you expect? No rush, take your time."

"...I was talking about the Starlight River Sword."

Yue Hongling was caught between laughter and tears: "In your heart, is the Starlight River Sword more important than breaking through the Imperial Realm?"

"Of course. Breaking through the Imperial Realm will happen sooner or later, but a child is only this cute for a year or two."

Xinghe: "..."

Yue Hongling bit her lower lip, her cheeks slightly flushed. To any woman, Zhao Changhe's words sounded like he wanted children.

But given their current situation, how could there be an environment for raising a child? Not to mention, Yue Hongling knew they couldn't stay here much longer. Zhao Changhe was waiting for Sisi to stabilize the Miaojiang regime and gather troops for an expedition. Then they would head north.

She didn't know how long Sisi's unification of Miaojiang would take. Theoretically, it shouldn't be too long. The previous "joint council system" had already created a trend toward unification. Against the backdrop of a former dynasty, transforming into a kingdom had a foundation—it wasn't starting from scratch.

Moreover, before coming here, Zhao Changhe had carried an "imperial decree from the court." Now Sisi was the King of Dali, a vassal of the New Han Dynasty, backed personally by Prince Zhao. The Han people in Miaojiang now had a different sense of identity. Previously, they felt a lack of belonging and recognition, and the Han army often seemed like rootless drifters, causing unrest. Now that issue had completely vanished.

With all ethnic foundations settled and military power in hand, these thousands of miles of Miaojiang could be pacified with a single proclamation. Sisi didn't even need to campaign everywhere; the establishment of this kingdom was a foregone conclusion.

Just as she was thinking this, she saw Sisi riding the wind, heading straight for their thatched cottage.

The two stopped talking and looked up.

Sisi was not dressed in a king's dragon robe, nor even in the ornate tribal crown and finery she had worn before. She still appeared as a simple little Miao girl, barefoot as she rode the wind, with no attendants by her side. From a distance, you would never guess she was the queen who had recently dominated Miaojiang.

Seeing them both eyeing her curiously, Sisi landed and laughed: "What, after two or three days, you don't recognize me?"

Yue Hongling asked in surprise, "You dress like this as queen? Won't others complain?"

"I did it on purpose." Sisi laughed. "I want to give Pan Wan and the others the impression that I'm not seeking luxury. Even those worn-out plaques that were damaged when I was framed—I haven't had them replaced. Some think it's improper, but more people approve... After all, these years have been hard for everyone; Miaojiang is very poor."

Zhao Changhe nodded. Miaojiang was indeed poor. It had been thrown into chaos by Zhai Muzhi and Lei Zhentang, and Sisi had even transferred food from within the Spirit Clan to support the outside. But the Spirit Clan's resources were not infinite, and they couldn't sustain it long-term. Over the past few months, there had been some recovery; a few days ago, he had seen grazing by Erhai Lake. But in this winter, recovery was limited, and life was still hard for everyone.

In a sense, the ease of unifying Miaojiang was also because everyone was at their breaking point. As Sisi said, since the past was no good, why not try a new system? Could it be better?

"So, is it completely stable now?" Zhao Changhe asked.

"Yes." Sisi said lazily, "Prince Zhao has held Miaojiang in check without even showing his face. Don't blame me if I've pulled some tricks behind your back."

Zhao Changhe directly pulled her onto his lap, reached up from her slender waist without a word, and cupped her breast: "Is this the kind of trick?"

If it were in the past, there might have been suspicion. But now that they had used the Heart Link Gu, which was mutual, what room was there for doubt? In the past, with such a major event as the founding of a kingdom in Miaojiang, he wouldn't have done nothing but hide inside practicing.

But Sisi was a bit surprised by his intimate gesture in front of Yue Hongling. She stole a glance at Yue Hongling sitting nearby, who showed no reaction. Sisi blinked, then smiled slyly: "I just heard you two talking about children."

Zhao Changhe asked in surprise, "You could hear that from so far away? Your wind-riding perspective is different from ours... What about children?"

Sisi smiled, wrapped her arms around his neck, and whispered in his ear: "It seems the lord is about to go on campaign, so the lady doesn't mind the lord playing with the maid, does she?"

Yue Hongling shot her a glare. Of course, it was obvious they were about to leave soon. Letting him be intimate with her for a while—who wanted to stew in petty jealousy all day?

Then Sisi laughed: "You're going on campaign, but I definitely can't leave; I have to stay and hold Miaojiang. In other words, you can't have children, but I can..."

"Huh?" Yue Hongling's eyes bulged.

Sisi twisted her waist and pressed her lips forward: "Does the lord want to have a child of his own? I can do it..."

Yue Hongling stood up, face flushed: "Nonsense! What kind of time is this? You might have to lead troops into battle at any moment, how can you..."

Sisi found it amusing. It was the first time she had seen "panic" in Yue Hongling. It seemed women were all the same—they might not care about other things, but the "eldest son" issue clearly mattered to the chivalrous lady.

Sisi laughed: "I don't necessarily have to lead troops into battle, you know. If I go, it's called a royal campaign. Why must I do that? I have generals under me... Besides, Xia Chichi didn't go on campaign either, did she?"

Yue Hongling couldn't argue against that logic. She pouted and turned away: "I'm going to practice my sword. You two do as you please!"

"Hehe..." Sisi laughed so hard she doubled over.

Zhao Changhe said helplessly, "Why are you provoking Hongling?"

Sisi smiled: "Can't I be serious?"

Zhao Changhe kissed her cheek and laughed: "With our hearts linked, I can't feel your exact thoughts, but I can sense the joking mood."

Sisi sighed: "It's over. Now I have no privacy at all..."

She bit her lower lip and whispered, "But you really are leaving, aren't you?"

"Yeah... I wanted to break through the Imperial Realm before leaving, but I'm still a bit short. At this point, closed-door practice won't achieve a breakthrough; I need to seek enlightenment in battle." Zhao Changhe said, "I've gained a lot these days... Every time I stop to settle, it's here, and always at the most critical juncture. Last time it was for the secret treasury, this time for the Imperial Realm."

Sisi said, "That means this place is your blessed land. Maybe in the future, when you need to break through even tougher barriers, you'll have to come here again."

Zhao Changhe chuckled. "Maybe so. I can vaguely see some threads of causality now—my connection to this place isn't over yet, and it's quite thick."

Sisi was delighted to hear that and added, "With so many big events happening now, I won't act like a lovestruck girl. The Kingdom of Dali has just been founded, and whether within the Ling tribe or in Miaojiang and Dali, this is the most vibrant and promising time—people's hearts are with us. Tell me what you need me to do, and I'll make arrangements."

"You don't need to do too much. Just raise an army and make it look like you can march north into Bashu at any moment. If Li Shentong isn't stupid, his spies should have already reported the recent developments of Dali's founding. He knows the score—he just needs to be sure that you can actually field troops to threaten him, and he'll get the message..."

"By that logic, he should have sent people to cause trouble by now, or even earlier to prop up other factions here. As long as Miaojiang stays chaotic, he benefits. The fact that he hasn't—does that mean he lacks strategic thinking, or is he really a good person?"

Zhao Changhe looked up and thought for a moment. "Not sending people to back local forces earlier probably means he really didn't have that kind of thinking. And not causing trouble now is because he genuinely isn't that kind of person. The two don't contradict each other."

Sisi smiled. "You have quite a bit of faith in his character."

"Situ is my friend, and I trust him. I've had little interaction with Li Shentong, but you can see the whole leopard from a single spot." Zhao Changhe sighed. "Of course, people change... This trip to Bashu might not go smoothly after all."

Sisi leaned against him, silently thinking for a while, then said softly, "Times are different now. You're no longer a lone ranger roaming the world. Your safety affects too much—you must be careful."

"Mm." Zhao Changhe said, "Enough of that. Is there anything you need me to do?"

"Yes." Sisi didn't stand on ceremony and said seriously, "Whether in Bashu, beyond the Great Wall, or in Kunlun, if it's convenient, help me look for special beast species—any kind of special ability will do."

"Ha." Zhao Changhe brightened instead. "Alright, as long as I can help you. Mm... I can also send a letter to the capital and have them search too."

"You..." Sisi kissed his cheek and murmured, "You always want to help others, but you never let others help you..."

"That's not true. I need your help now, like..."

Zhao Changhe was about to write to the capital anyway, to inform them of the situation in Miaojiang, and to have Chi Chi send an envoy to establish diplomatic relations, and to see if Wan Zhuang wanted to set up a Demon Suppression Bureau here. As for a reply, he probably wouldn't receive one—by then, he wouldn't even know where he'd be...

He sat by the window at the desk writing the letter when Yue Hongling poked her head in. "Huh? You two aren't... doing it? Where's that vixen?"

Zhao Changhe buried his head in the letter, saying nothing.

Yue Hongling looked around, slipped in through the window, and was about to glance at the letter when she saw a pair of eyes blinking under the desk.

Yue Hongling was dumbfounded.

Sisi crawled out from under the desk, wiping the corner of her mouth. Caught red-handed like this, even she couldn't keep her composure. She snatched the letter from the desk and ran off. "I'll arrange for the delivery!"

Yue Hongling stared at Zhao Changhe, who was calmly tying his belt, and fumed, "You degenerate emperor!"

Zhao Changhe stood up and embraced her, saying softly, "But we really are leaving."

Yue Hongling looked down in silence.

This was the first time Yue Hongling had stayed in one place for so long, living with a man day and night, without ever feeling the urge to leave. She even felt a kind of laziness, not wanting to move. She just wanted to stay with him by this thatched hut, discussing martial arts, sparring, occasionally cultivating together, raising a little sword-spirit child, strolling hand in hand on the wind, watching sunsets and sunrises.

Suddenly waking from the dream, she remembered the storms outside that still needed facing.

For a moment, Yue Hongling even had a thought she should never have had: Sisi was too efficient—she unified Miaojiang too quickly; she could have waited a few more days.

But she quickly shook the thought from her mind. How could she think that way...

Just as she was thinking this, she felt her body lighten as Zhao Changhe lifted her in his arms and carried her toward the bed. "This might be our last night here..."

As an old married couple, Yue Hongling wouldn't be coy about refusing a final night of cultivation. After all, there might not be such peaceful times ahead... She actively wrapped her arms around Zhao Changhe's neck, passionately returning his kiss, and soon straddled him, joining together.

"Why so passionate today?" Zhao Changhe was a bit surprised.

Yue Hongling bit her lower lip. "We're both a bit short of the Imperial realm—maybe it's because we haven't cultivated enough..."

Zhao Changhe laughed. Cultivation could enhance power, but it couldn't provide the insight needed to break through. If the Imperial realm could be achieved that way, it would be too easy... Obviously impossible.

Then he heard Yue Hongling lower her voice. "Tonight was supposed to be yours and Sisi's... I barged in and scared her off, so I have to make up for it..."

Zhao Changhe found this sister endearingly naive at times. Did she think Sisi was scared away? Wouldn't she come back?

Sure enough, in less than a moment, a fragrant breeze swept by, and Sisi appeared at the bedside, peeking in through the bed curtains.

Yue Hongling was so startled she trembled, covering her chest and snapping, "What are you doing!"

Sisi giggled and hugged her. "Sister, your figure is so athletic..."

"Get lost!" Yue Hongling struggled.

But Zhao Changhe mischievously moved, and Yue Hongling's breath scattered, leaving her limp in Sisi's arms.

"I told you, sister can join us..." Sisi undressed, whispering in her ear, "It was only a matter of time, wasn't it..."

Yue Hongling was mortified. "Xiang Simeng, you're shameless! And you call yourself a queen!"

"That's just how we Miao girls are... Please guide me, chivalrous sister." Sisi leaned down, gently kissing Zhao Changhe's chest, and murmured, "Maybe from the very beginning in Yangzhou, the fate of the three of us was destined for a day like this."

She said it casually, but Zhao Changhe felt the causality with striking clarity.

With the aid of their dual cultivation, the hazy threads of causality became clearer in his eyes. Zhao Changhe suddenly realized he could now distinctly see the threads of fate binding him to Sisi and Hongling—thick as chains.

Fate is a kind of causality—the cause of how they met, bearing the fruit of union.

And behind each thread were countless branches, leading to different futures. With his current ability, he couldn't yet discern which outcomes corresponded to which. But seeing this level alone brought a profound change—at least he could now perceive the "cause."

In a daze, scenes from their first meeting in Yangzhou and his last trip to Miaojiang flashed before his eyes like slides, every moment involving Hongling and Sisi together. Many forgotten details resurfaced as if from yesterday. Notably, the Great Bliss and Ultimate Joy Sutra loomed large—it was deeply tied to his interactions with both of them.

This was tracing the effect back to the cause—the true beginning of the path of causality.

Zhao Changhe snapped back to reality. The scene before him now was the two Yue Honglings—real and fake—embraced and stacked together. Sisi was pitifully pinned beneath Yue Hongling, while he labored above, like a diligent butterfly.