Chapter 844: Do You Dare Try to Believe

Chapter 844: Dare You Try to Believe

Even for Night Nether, who was used to all kinds of powerful displays, seeing someone walking with a mountain balanced on their palm still struck her as somewhat cool.

After all, it wasn’t a common sight.

But what she said was: “I told you to come at night—why are you here now?”

Zhao Changhe casually tossed the mountain aside, letting it settle perfectly at the foot of her peak without even a flake of snow disturbed. The side polished like a mirror faced Night Nether, so that even standing atop the summit, she could directly see her own reflection in it—as if what he had delivered wasn’t a mountain, but merely a dressing mirror.

Hearing her question, Zhao Changhe replied with equal nonchalance: “Why must it be at night?”

“You’ve been reunited with your wives after a long separation—now that the dust has settled, shouldn’t you spare some time to be with them?” Night Nether’s face was expressionless. “So it’s true what they say: all men are fickle.”

“If the dust had truly settled, I’d be spending more than just one day with them. The reason I only give them this one day is because you and I both know that things have only just begun.”

“Then at least you could have spent that day with them. Don’t you care?”

Zhao Changhe was silent for a moment. “Do you realize, in this context, what we are to each other right now?”

Night Nether: “?”

Zhao Changhe’s face also turned blank. “In this context, I’m the one who’s sneaking away from his wives to have an affair with you—that’s the only way your accusation of ‘fickleness’ makes sense.”

Night Nether let out a “Ha,” but there was no trace of amusement in her eyes. “I’ve never seen anyone block the path of their affair partner with a blade.”

Zhao Changhe knew she was still deeply angered by that incident, but there was nothing he could say about it. He could only reply, “So it’s not an affair. And since it’s not an affair, it’s only proper that I come during the day—more honorable than at night.”

Of course, his reasoning had merit, but Night Nether’s expression only soured further. “The reason I asked you to come at night is that I’m more accustomed to doing things in the dark. For me, that counts as daytime.”

They stared at each other, as if neither knew what they were talking about, or why they felt the need to argue over whether it was an affair.

It seemed like meaningless nonsense—could the two of them really be having an affair? What was the point of quibbling over such trivial words?

But in truth, their relationship was such that, in human terms, they were betrothed; and in their divine forms, he had seen her unclothed. Even if they themselves felt no ambiguity, others might not see it that way.

Night Nether didn’t want to talk in front of his women. She insisted on meeting him alone, and at least half the reason was that she didn’t want to be stared at by them with that ambiguous, suspicious look. It wasn’t that kind of relationship—so what were those eyes for?

But Night Nether, who should have been the type to do as she pleased without caring about others’ gazes, had once in Chang’an even deliberately threatened to stir up trouble in his household. Why was she now avoiding such scrutiny? No one knew—not even Night Nether herself—and she didn’t want to look into the Soul-Capturing Mirror to find out.

Yet she had forgotten that summoning him alone, and at night, was far more ambiguous than being watched in public. So much so that Zhao Changhe’s act of carrying the mountain over now seemed to carry a hidden provocation—Do you want to look into your own heart?

Night Nether finally glanced at the peak and said flatly, “Why did you bring this over? If I only use one side as a mirror, I can still play with it. But if it’s whole, I’m not sure it won’t cause harm.”

Zhao Changhe said, “This thing can capture souls and turn them into wandering spirits. I can’t leave it unattended where it was. It’s fitting to leave it with you.”

Night Nether sneered. “Then destroy it. My temple is too small to hold it.”

“So far, aside from things related to Ye Wuming, this is the only thing you’ve ever shown you wanted. So of course I give it to you. If you think it’s too big, refine it into another form, use it for something else, or destroy it if you truly wish—it’s up to you.”

Night Nether sneered again but accepted it, her face still blank. “So you mean to make up for what you did with this?”

Zhao Changhe said, “No. It’s just a simple gift.”

Night Nether’s expression softened slightly. She suddenly reached out and beckoned.

The massive peak shrank swiftly, turning into something like a small mirror that she tossed lightly in her hand, catching it again and again. With a faint smile, she said, “Gift accepted. Now you can tell me the real reason you came.”

Zhao Changhe was momentarily speechless. Wasn’t it you who called me here? How did it become me coming to discuss serious matters with you? If you hadn’t summoned me, I’d be with my wife on the Tianhe right now. What’s so urgent that I had to come find you right away?

But he didn’t say that. Instead, he pretended it was indeed his own initiative and said earnestly, “The Four Symbols of antiquity are dead. Let them rest in peace. In the traditional view of the world, disturbing the dead’s remains is a grave evil.”

Night Nether was furious. “So what? I haven’t harmed anyone, and you still want to interfere? Zhao Changhe, don’t push your luck too far!”

Zhao Changhe shook his head. “It’s not that I want to interfere. Even the Sword Emperor asked you—do you really think it’s a small matter? Perhaps in your mind, it is. But others don’t see it that way. If you keep going against the world’s values, you’ll end up as hated as you were in antiquity.”

Night Nether sneered. “Night Nether has been the enemy of the world since ancient times, one of the greatest villains in people’s eyes. What does it matter?”

“First, the reason you’ve never been able to surpass Ye Wuming may not be a lack of power, but a lack of support. You can’t stand against her entire vast system, and even your lack of power is tied to that system. You’ve already suffered from this—do you want to suffer again?”

Night Nether narrowed her eyes at him, not answering.

Zhao Changhe continued, “Second, you don’t want to play the role the world has assigned you, nor do you want to be the spokesperson defined by the Heavenly Dao. You’ve already refused to represent darkness—so why do you still cling to the manipulation of death? Is it because stripping away darkness has weakened you, and if you change everything all at once, you can no longer maintain your strength?”

Night Nether said flatly, “Since you know that, why waste words? Nothing can be achieved overnight; it must be done step by step. Even if I no longer wish to be a fixed definition, I won’t destroy my own foundation and put myself in a position of weakness. Good and evil, as you see them, or right and wrong, as the world sees them—they mean nothing to me.”

Zhao Changhe said, “Then have you considered that representing darkness, yet not being the kind defined from birth—doesn’t that already break the predetermined mold?”

Night Nether was taken aback.

Zhao Changhe went on, “Everyone around me is like that. The Four Symbols—among them, Sanniang became the Sea Emperor. Now Hongling seems poised to replace the Sword Emperor. Which of them was defined by the Heavenly Dao? They all cultivated it themselves. Even I—I’m called the Night Emperor, but am I really the same as Ye Wuming back then? What you cultivate is your own; it’s not given to you, nor are you born with it. Even if what you cultivate is suppressed by the likes of you, so what? One day, you’ll overturn it and take its place. I’ve seen countless examples.”

Night Nether was silent for a moment. “Piaomiao? She was still born with a definition.”

“Her definition has already changed,” Zhao Changhe said. “If you asked her now, the human path she represents—is it still that vague, ancient definition, or is it strongly tied to me, Zhao Changhe? Is it still like in the early days, where it made no difference who sat on the throne? Is a world with or without me the same to her? It’s long been different!”

Night Nether’s heart finally stirred. She fell into thought.

There were indeed many examples. It was just that people saw things from different angles. What humans took for granted might not be how innate divine beings thought. And even if they did think it, they might not have the resolve to act on it—who knew what the outcome would be?

How utterly decisive a step that was.

Zhao Changhe said softly, “From some clues we’ve found, it’s even possible that the collapse of the ancient era and the reopening of the human path carried such meaning—someone deliberately pushed for it…”

Night Nether squinted. Ye Wuming?

Sure enough, Zhao Changhe continued, “Ye Wuming was such a hero. I admire her greatly. How much further are you willing to fall behind her?”

Night Nether laughed instead of getting angry. “Are you trying to provoke me, or are you pledging loyalty to your Ye Wuming?”

Zhao Changhe certainly meant for Ye Wuming to hear this, but it wasn’t about loyalty—quite the opposite. “If Ye Wuming heard these words, I think she might not attack you anymore. At least you could set aside that worry.”

Night Nether studied him with interest for a while, then smiled. “And if she does attack?”

Zhao Changhe drew Longque and thrust it into the snow.

Night Nether stared at the blade, hatred flickering in her eyes. “Are you sure this blade will be used to stop Ye Wuming, and not to cut me down?”

“That’s exactly why you’ve never been willing to be open with me. You’ve never been able to determine what my relationship with Ye Wuming really is, and you can’t build trust.”

Night Nether said flatly, “I’ve never been able to trust anyone. It has nothing to do with Ye Wuming.”

Zhao Changhe said, “There’s always a first time. It just depends on whether you’re willing to try.”

The conversation had been perfectly serious until that moment, but somehow those words gave them both a sense of ambiguity. They both fell silent, and the air grew strangely quiet.

Snowflakes still drifted lightly around Night Nether, but they could never enter within a foot of her.

Just like her eternal distance from others… and like how she never wore any ornament.

She had always been alone. Even her subordinates could not approach her. In the eternal abyss of darkness, the only thing she could see was her own reflection in the Soul-Capturing Mirror.

“Why should I trust a man who, just a few incense sticks ago, stood with a blade blocking my path?” Night Nether spoke slowly, her eyes losing their earlier amusement and anger, turning cold and indifferent.

Before Zhao Changhe could respond, Night Nether’s right hand shot out like lightning, striking toward his chest.

Zhao Changhe instinctively moved to block, but then stopped himself, letting her palm land squarely on his chest.

There was no expected devastating damage. Instead, an endless dark abyss enveloped his entire body—his dantian went silent, his meridians withered, his flesh and blood dried up. A pervasive deathly darkness spread through him, as if he were turning into a corpse puppet or a puppet of darkness.

Seeing that he didn’t even dodge, surprise finally flickered in Night Nether’s eyes. But she said flatly, “I told you long ago, when we first made that pact—I need you to become my servant. Only as my servant can I trust you. How dare you not even try to block or evade?”

Zhao Changhe’s face was tinged with deathly energy. He clutched his chest, looking as if he were in great pain, but he was smiling. “Cough… I thought you were just angry and wanted to hit me. No matter how hard, it was only right to let you vent.”

Night Nether almost laughed at that, struggling to maintain her indifferent demeanor. “Just for that? Now you’re about to become my puppet slave. Do you regret your childishness?”

“Childish? Han Wubing lost an arm for me. I take a palm strike for you—I’d say I came out ahead.” Zhao Changhe said, “As long as you’ve vented your anger, it’s worth it.”

“Even if it means becoming a slave?”

"Actually, if you meant to beat me, I'd be injured for sure. But if you're trying to manipulate me, you might not succeed..."

"Is that so?" Ye Jiuyou's eyes were deep and dark, an endless gloom encroaching upon him.

Yet he found Zhao Changhe's soul sea tightly bound by chains, and his own dark deathly aura could not penetrate.

Ye Jiuyou laughed: "The heart-soul chain is not omnipotent. With my strength, destroying it is not impossible. If this is your trump card..."

Zhao Changhe shook his head: "This is not my trump card... The fact that you don't want to turn me into a puppet, because that would be meaningless to you—that is my real trump card."

"Why wouldn't I want to turn you into a puppet? I dream of subjugating your faction."

"A puppet is merely an extension of your will. Such a Zhao Changhe would have no other value to you beyond being a combatant, and provoking the wrath of the Four Symbols and the Ethereal would only add obstacles to your plans." Zhao Changhe sat cross-legged on the ground, smiling faintly: "But since I unexpectedly received this wisp of your dark deathly aura, I've analyzed it a bit and have some suggestions. Would you like to hear them?"

Ye Jiuyou propped her chin with interest: "What suggestions?"

"As I said earlier, you don't want the definition you were born with. If you were to cultivate anew following the path of today's humans, you could both wield those laws and break free from the established framework—perhaps a perfect solution."

"And then?"

"Previously, Anmie was killed by me. At this moment, the law of darkness is passively scattered in the void, and you can reclaim it. Of course, if you directly cultivate anew, you'll inevitably fall into deep-rooted ruts and still tread the old path... But if you go through me, and perceive something new from me, might it be possible to break free from the old ways?"

Ye Jiuyou smiled: "You mean, offering yourself as a subject for my research?"

Zhao Changhe said: "You were right earlier—I wouldn't let my wives accompany you in research, nor would I let my daughter Xinghe be studied by you... But I can give myself. The will of the Night Emperor, the power of the Four Symbols, the transformation of life and death, the division of light and shadow—I possess them all. Though I am not proficient in any... I don't need to be. What you need is merely a new spark, an insight to lead you out of the rut."

Ye Jiuyou's smile faded, and she looked seriously into his eyes: "Do you realize this means your life and death are entirely in my hands?"

Zhao Changhe's expression was equally serious: "I said I would help you. Now I offer myself as a token of sincerity to prove that... From now on, dare you try to trust me?"

In truth, both knew that Ye Jiuyou dared not kill Zhao Changhe—even the opportunity to turn him into a servant, right before her eyes, she dared not truly execute, for it would ruin many things and lead to consequences beyond reckoning. So it wasn't that Zhao Changhe trusted Ye Jiuyou that much; he knew he would not come to harm.

But nonetheless, this was still a great trust—at least a trust that Ye Jiuyou possessed sufficient rationality. If she lacked it, he would be doomed beyond redemption.

I dare to trust you—do you dare to try trusting me?