Volume 1, Chapter 506 – Chaotic Omens

North of Luoyang City, within the Crown Prince’s estate.

The current Crown Prince, Liu Bian, stood in attendance beside a middle-aged man, dressed in a black ceremonial crown robe, his expression troubled.

The middle-aged man sat on the floor. In the very center of his brow was a striking crack, and with each breath he took, his full head of black hair visibly frosted over white.

After a long while, the man’s hair had turned completely snow-white, and his face bore the chisel-and-axe marks of time. He had aged by several decades.

He slowly opened his eyes, and there was a trace of regret in his gaze.

“Imperial Preceptor, how are your injuries?” Liu Bian bent forward, anxious, his eyes filled with worry.

“I can still cling to life for twenty years. Less than one percent of my combat strength remains,” the Imperial Preceptor said in a low voice.

“The Imperial Preceptor is a pillar of the nation. For you to suffer such grievous wounds because of me, it was far too unworthy.”

At those words, guilt filled Liu Bian’s face. Now that the Great Han’s dragon of fortune had been cut down, if they also lost the Sword Saint’s protection, the consequences would be unimaginable.

“Crown Prince, you need not blame yourself. These injuries have nothing to do with you. It is the Heavenly Dao that wishes to reclaim my Dao fruit.”

Wang Yue shook his head slightly, a faint smile rising at the corner of his lips. As an apex figure of this world, the only thing within this realm that could grievously wound him to this extent in the span of a finger snap was the Heavenly Dao.

He had attained the Dao by relying upon this world. In the instant the Heavenly Blade descended upon him, he had grasped many hidden truths.

That blade had not only fallen upon him. At almost the exact same moment, it had fallen upon the heads of every apex being.

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From this day onward, there would no longer be any true apex figures in the Nine Provinces and the seas beyond.

The Great Han’s dynastic fortune had continued until today and had already reached incomparable prosperity. Countless outstanding figures and heroic talents filled the world, and first-rate experts emerged one after another.

Without that great mountain looming overhead, a vast upheaval would inevitably erupt between heaven and earth. Slaughter was certain to follow, and people would surely die, turning once more into nourishment for heaven and earth, just like a cycle of reincarnation.

Wang Yue bore little resentment toward this. He only felt some regret. Everything he had came from heaven and earth. Returning it to the heavens now also settled a karmic debt. Even though he was still at his peak, still possessed a long lifespan, and his life was far from its end, with every chance to advance further.

After hearing Wang Yue’s explanation, Liu Bian could not help pacing back and forth, his back drenched in cold sweat. Once this matter leaked and became known to the world, it would certainly set off a great war no less fierce than the Chu-Han Contention.

“The news that the Heavenly Dao has cut away all apex beings in the world cannot be concealed for long. Rumors will soon spread. Relying on the Imperial Guards at court alone will not be enough to stop the warlords in every region.”

Wang Yue rose to his feet, his frame tall and straight as he stretched his broad back, then spoke calmly:

“Though I am soon to enter the Yellow Springs, I still have the strength for three sword strikes. In this age, only two or three people can receive them. Protecting His Majesty and the Crown Prince as they leave Luoyang would be more than easy enough. I hope the Crown Prince will make plans early.”

Hearing this, Liu Bian’s gaze dimmed, and he shook his head.

“My royal father’s lifeline is connected to the dragon of fortune. Now that the true dragon has fallen, my royal father’s lifeline has been severed as well. Even if he recuperates within the secret realm, he will not live past a year. Once he leaves the secret realm, I fear he will pass away immediately. Allow me to think this over.”

…

…

After the dragon of fortune was beheaded, the battlefield in Yu Province instantly fell into chaos. The various warlords reacted differently, but without exception, all of them stopped their extermination of the Yellow Turban troops.

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Because of that, the surviving remnants of the Yellow Turban forces managed to cling to life. Under the guidance of several Protector Divine Generals, they each broke out of the encirclement and escaped with their lives.

Emperor Ling’s imperial decree quickly reached the hands of the various warlords. Among them, Huangfu Song and the other leading generals tasked with suppressing the rebellion showed little resistance and all obeyed the edict, withdrawing their armies back to court. But the greater and lesser warlords alike held their troops in place and did not move, and the atmosphere turned strange and treacherous.

By the seashore, atop a withered rock, Shi Lan looked out at the ocean before her, dyed red with blood, and could not help sighing to herself.

In this single battle alone, several million soldiers had died. And this was only the beginning.

Shi Lan had seen with her own eyes the scene of the scarlet dragon being cut down. This world was bound to fall into upheaval, and the bloodshed would far surpass the struggle of the Three Kingdoms in her memories.

Those with ability would compete for the Central Plains.

“Miss Shi Lan!”

A white rainbow appeared in the sky and, in the blink of an eye, arrived at her side.

“Zilong?”

Seeing Zhao Yun before her, Shi Lan was a little surprised.

“How did you know I was here?”

After several months apart, Zhao Yun, clad in silver armor and a snow-white cloak, had gained even more martial vigor, making him striking to the eye.

After looking at him for a few moments, Shi Lan could not help but feel a faint bitterness. If not for a twist of fate, she too would have possessed this heroic bearing, one belonging only to men.

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“Brother Xuande sent word to me, saying you were in danger, so I hurried over. As soon as I entered Yu Province, Yulan caught your scent, and that was how I found you.”

Noticing something unusual in Shi Lan’s gaze, Zhao Yun felt inwardly pleased and casually raised a hand to straighten his helmet.

“Hff…”

At his side, Yulan snorted, lifting her head high. She shot Zhao Yun a disdainful look, then gazed down at Shi Lan from above. In her glossy black eyes was nothing but reluctance.

“Thank you for your concern. I’m fine now.”

Coming back to herself, Shi Lan thanked him. There might previously have been some trouble, but now, at this moment of existential crisis, for the Great Han, let alone the killing of a fourth-rank Administrator, even if the Son of Heaven were suddenly to die, it probably would not count as much of a major event.

The corpse of the scarlet dragon had still not fully dispersed, stretching across the mountain ranges, while the vast power of fortune roiled like an ocean.

Faced with this immense energy accumulated over more than a hundred thousand years, the various warlords wanted only to avoid it at all costs. This fortune belonged to the House of Han. If they accepted it, they would be tying themselves to the Great Han’s war chariot, sharing both glory and ruin. That would clearly be extremely unfavorable to their future development.

“I’m going back to Penglai to ask my master what exactly happened. Will you come with me, miss?”

Zhao Yun looked at the dead scarlet dragon, his brows slightly furrowed. The imminent collapse of the Great Han, once blazing like the noonday sun, had dealt him no small shock.

“I was already planning to go to Penglai.”

Shi Lan nodded slightly. This trip had originally been for her to bid farewell to Tong Yuan. The Nine Provinces were about to turn into purgatory, so naturally, the sooner she escaped this quagmire, the better.

Right now, she could barely even take care of herself. With her current strength, it was truly difficult for her to stir up any real storm. Relying on the power within the Qiongluo Realm to churn up trouble would only bring more unnecessary complications.

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…

After discussing things briefly, the two of them set off at once. They hurried all the way, and after only a little less than half a day, they once again appeared at the foot of Mount Penglai.

When Shi Lan saw Tong Yuan again, she could hardly believe her eyes. Wrinkles covered his cheeks, snow-white hair draped over his shoulders, and his entire body exuded the deathly air of old age, as though his final limit was near.

“Master!”

A trace of alarm appeared in Zhao Yun’s face as he grabbed Tong Yuan’s deeply wrinkled hands.

“How could this happen?!”

“A true man should remain unshaken in the face of change, calm even when heaven collapses and mountains crumble. How can you make such a fuss?”

Tong Yuan gave a low rebuke, shook free of Zhao Yun’s hands, and said flatly:

“My lifespan is nearly exhausted, that is all.”

“Senior, is this related to the fall of the Great Han’s nation-guarding true dragon?” Shi Lan asked, frowning.

Tong Yuan’s lips curved slightly, and there was a helpless chill in his tone.

“As long as apex figures still existed in the world, the Nine Provinces could not descend into chaos.”