Chapter 767: If There is No Light in the Night

Chapter 767: If There Is No Light in the Night

The two strolled together, gradually reaching a small river in the distance, gazing at the vast farmlands.

The fields were long deserted at night, while the distant village was brightly lit, with laughter drifting faintly from afar, indistinct.

A light snow still fell from the sky, turning to rain upon touching the face, cool and refreshing. The snow in the fields had long melted and been cleared, the soil slightly moist, giving it a fertile look.

A timely snow promises a bountiful year.

In truth, every household had no surplus grain this year; perhaps it was better in the city, where the little girl's mother still called for dumplings, but in the rural villages, poverty likely still reigned. Yet amidst the laughter, there was no gloom of a hard year's end, only hope for the coming year.

"We are also doing what you mentioned about dividing the land. For instance, this farm was originally the Lu family's, and now it's been distributed." Tang Wanzhuang stared fixedly at the village lights for a long moment, then said softly, "Some things are not easy to do, and spreading them across the realm is even harder... but hearing such laughter and joy makes it all worthwhile."

Zhao Changhe did not reply.

Tang Wanzhuang glanced at him curiously: "Why aren't you saying anything?"

Zhao Changhe said, "I just want to spend a day resting with you, not talk about state affairs, nor let you keep thinking about them. We can discuss anything tomorrow."

Tang Wanzhuang's gaze lingered on his face for a moment, then her eyes flickered, and she lowered her head again, murmuring, "Alright."

The two walked slowly along the small river; the village's laughter gradually faded, and the gurgling of the water became clearer. In the distance, a small boat was tied in the reeds by the river, swaying gently.

Zhao Changhe glanced around like a thief, then urged, "How about we go boating?"

Tang Wanzhuang chided, "That's theft—be careful, I might arrest you!"

"Just a little while, then we'll return it. Uh, wait..." Zhao Changhe suddenly stopped, lowering his voice, "Someone's there."

Tang Wanzhuang's heart tightened; they moved forward cautiously, but soon heard sounds from the reeds that made their faces flush, and the boat rocked even more violently.

Tang Wanzhuang's cold little hand finally warmed, her cheeks burning red as she spat in disdain.

Zhao Changhe suppressed a laugh, turning his head without a word.

In this freezing weather, someone was actually sneaking a tryst here, even rocking the boat—quite the game, huh.

Tang Wanzhuang, a proper lady and high official all her life, couldn't stand this. She stamped her foot and tugged his hand backward: "Let's go somewhere else!"

Zhao Changhe blinked: "Go somewhere else to do what?"

Tang Wanzhuang said in frustration, "You... I-I'm not doing that with you!"

Zhao Changhe laughed heartily, then suddenly lifted her by the waist, soaring straight up into the clouds, quickly leaving the place, not disturbing the young lovers' tryst.

Tang Wanzhuang clutched his lapels with slight nervousness, looking down to see the river growing farther and smaller, like a tiny stream. Snowflakes danced around them like drifting catkins, and for some reason, there was a faint glow of fireflies, beautiful to behold.

She looked up slightly, meeting the man's eyes; Zhao Changhe was also looking down at her, his eyes full of laughter.

Tang Wanzhuang suddenly felt a small sense of shame. Before, she had been the older sister, the superior, the teacher; now, he had surpassed her in every way. Being carried by him through the wind felt like suddenly turning back, returning to the dreams of her maiden days.

This was the romance other girls should have tasted long ago, but she had hurriedly missed it in the stormy, muddy empire. On the first night of her thirties, she experienced it abruptly.

Tang Wanzhuang's heart, which had been fluttering with shame and anger, calmed again. She rested her head lightly against the man's chest, like a bird clinging to him.

He was so skilled now...

The swaying boat was long out of sight, even the flowing water became a thin line, and the thousand-li farmlands appeared in patches, looking somewhat unreal. Tang Wanzhuang withdrew her gaze and found that Zhao Changhe was now holding her as they sat on a thick cloud. Curiously, she reached out and scooped, astonished to find it was all water.

"So clouds are also water..." Tang Wanzhuang's heart stirred: "If so, it shouldn't be too hard for me to control this auspicious cloud..."

Zhao Changhe laughed: "Bringing you up here was exactly my intention... Though you're not a water-controller, you should be compatible and can learn by analogy."

"Mm..." Tang Wanzhuang was lost in thought.

There was no light here, and though she had some insights, they flickered vaguely in her mind, elusive.

The Spring Water Sword Art was not about controlling water, but using water to refract light. Long ago, Zhao Changhe had learned its meaning, often using it to deceive enemies' vision. In essence, it was about how to utilize light, with water as a medium that could be replaced by anything that alters light.

Back on Tianya Island, Zhao Changhe and San Niang and Chi Chi had all comprehended the way of controlling light—that was the attribute of the Heavenly Book page that fell on Tianya Island. Leaving Tianya Island relied entirely on mastering light control, and Xia Chichi's "Flying Dragon in the Sky" and "Instantaneous Thousand Li" were the result of combining the Azure Dragon's way with the way of light.

At that time, Zhao Changhe had thought: When I understand, I'll come back and teach you the Spring Water Sword Art in return. (Chapter 585)

Unfortunately, Zhao Changhe's own cultivation was insufficient; it wasn't until he forged the Star River in the Imperial Temple that he barely broke through the second secret treasure, while Tang Wanzhuang had been at the third secret treasure for a long time. Moreover, he truly had no time to study the way of light—how could he teach her anything?

Now, having returned after breaking through the Imperial realm, he could indeed teach her in turn.

Seeing Tang Wanzhuang somewhat dazed, unable to grasp the light in her mind, Zhao Changhe suddenly snapped his fingers: "Look..."

With the snap, a flash of light streaked across the dark snowy night sky.

Tang Wanzhuang looked up; the thick clouds parted gently, revealing the soft moonlight hidden behind. Moonlight spilled down, illuminating her, the cloud beneath them, the flying snow around, with stars twinkling everywhere and faint glows—beautiful like a fairyland.

If there is no light here, I can summon the stars to fill the sky for you.

"Boom!" In the distant city below, fireworks suddenly burst forth.

Stars appeared, fireworks filled the sky—truly, the east wind at night sets off a thousand trees of blossoms, and even more, falling stars like rain.

Tang Wanzhuang couldn't help but stand up.

She didn't even notice that she had stepped away from Zhao Changhe and was standing on the cloud without falling. Her body seemed to merge with the halo, drifting in the night sky.

In the distance, the thick atmosphere refracted the halo in wondrous ways, crisscrossing to form a twisted void like an illusion. One could see the vast East Sea, clouds and mist flickering; the mountains and waters of Wuyue, the moon reflected in Mirror Lake.

One could also see the distant snow of Tianshan, its outline appearing over the capital, where the sun had not yet set.

Time, space, and light—intertwined and entangled, like a dream.

Not only Tang Wanzhuang, but Zhao Changhe, who had just been comprehending the way of space, felt a tremor in his heart.

Every page of the Heavenly Book is interconnected, indeed. He hadn't obtained the page of time and space, but this page of light and shadow must be related to it. The location of that page was already clear—it must be in Kunlun... or rather... on the Nine Nether!

Setting aside that page of time and space, just considering the feeling of time and space interweaving before him, Zhao Changhe, combining his afternoon's spatial teleportation and the residual shadow flicker he had stolen from the Snow Owl, suddenly felt that he could achieve instant movement without relying on that sky dome... He would try later.

For now, he couldn't think too much. Before him, Tang Wanzhuang stood on the cloud, eyes lightly closed, robes fluttering, moonlight falling on her, hazy and dreamlike. Paired with her naturally ethereal and elegant temperament, she truly seemed like Chang'e emerging from beneath the moon, drifting like an immortal.

If someone of lower cultivation looked, they would find that the Tang Wanzhuang they saw seemed blurred—clearly standing there, yet as if not in this time, not in this place.

The so-called fair lady is on the other side of the water.

"Is there a page related to the Heavenly Book?" she suddenly asked.

Zhao Changhe said, "There is."

As he was about to take out the Heavenly Book, Tang Wanzhuang suddenly opened her eyes, smiled slightly, and pressed his hand.

Zhao Changhe was startled, but Tang Wanzhuang had already gently embraced him, lifting her head to kiss him: "Aren't you... capable of spiritual infusion... I don't want to see it; I want you to feed it to me."

Zhao Changhe immediately abandoned the idea of taking out the Heavenly Book, gently holding the jade-like woman in his arms, and lowered his head to kiss her.

On the cloud under the moon, the man and woman embraced and kissed, with the clear breeze sending them off, flying snow dancing, stars and moon reflecting each other. If anyone saw, they would think... that this is no less than a pair of immortal lovers.

Light from all directions seemed to converge toward them, but upon closer look, it all entered Tang Wanzhuang's divine sea, spreading far and wide, boundless.

In the starlight of the spring snow night, Tang Wanzhuang broke through the Imperial realm.

The fireworks throughout the city seemed to celebrate for her.