Chapter 182: Embarking Upon the Mortal World! (End of This Volume) 

That domineering spear carried the resolute will of the Military Strategist Leader, and in an instant, swept forth with thunderous baleful Qi, transforming into a rainbow streak that shot straight toward the Human Emperor, while that Military School Fortune that required no enfeoffment from the Human Emperor roared proudly here, displaying its own sense of existence. Compared to anything else, the impact this dealt to the destiny of the Human Dao—or rather, the destiny of the Human Emperor—was even greater— 

Human Dao Fortune could exist without the Human Emperor’s enfeoffment?! 

It could even strike against the very existence of the Human Emperor! 

And still possess such pure fortune! 

In that instant, the imprint left upon everyone through long years of teaching and experience—that Human Dao Fortune required the Human Emperor’s enfeoffment, that the Human Emperor was the source point of all Fortune—began to collapse invisibly. And after losing that uniqueness, the sacredness and inviolability of the title and existence of the Human Emperor inevitably became dust-covered within the hearts of the people. 

This was the greatest severing of destiny! 

Not severing the destiny beneath heaven. 

But severing the shackles within the hearts of all living beings! 

From this day onward, the Human Emperor could be opposed! 

The lineage of Human Emperors that had endured unbroken for several thousand years, the sense of Heaven’s Mandate that had formed within the hearts of the scholarly and martial aristocratic clans, gradually began to crumble. 

It was as though a spark had been planted. One day in the future, that tiny flame would eventually ignite into a raging inferno, and the Human Emperor would become the final target consumed by those flames. Whether this was calamity—because it would ultimately bring war and fire—or blessing—because those flames could burn away the rigid and decayed corpse of the old world, using fire to renew it—there was no way to determine now, no way to judge. 

The only thing that could be confirmed was that Li Zhai opened his eyes and, within the gaze of that true Human Emperor, saw fury, shock, and a trace of fear. The corners of the Military School Leader’s lips curled slightly upward, unruly and untamed. 

That majesty of the Human Emperor that stood above all things had been dragged down. 

The accumulation of thousands of years by successive Human Emperors had been pierced through by this single spear. 

Li Zhai saw the Human Emperor, who had seemed as though everything was within his control, his body trembling slightly from shock and fury, his fist already clenched tight. Before this very day, he had still been feeling immensely proud of the Human Dao ritual preparations he had laid out for himself, believing he was about to surpass the kings of all previous generations and reach the realm of that very first Human Emperor. Yet in the blink of an eye, he had instead become the one beneath whom the destiny of the Human Emperor was shattered. 

He could already foresee the fury of future Human Emperors toward him. 

And in the next instant, the long spear became like a dragon, tearing through layer after layer of fortune as it pierced directly toward the Human Emperor. Originally, the Fortune of the Human Dao had been sufficient to contend against the Great Emperors of Heaven, yet when faced with this spear, a considerable portion of that destiny did not resist it. It instead wrapped itself around the spear point in reverse, causing the spear’s momentum to grow even more ferocious! 

In the end, accompanied by the sound of something shattering, the long spear pierced through fate—at least, through a portion of it. 

Just as it gave off a sharp metallic cry— 

A stream of light suddenly smashed down. 

Directly severing the long spear in two from the middle! 

Li Zhai saw the true Human Emperor standing upon a height invisible to the masses. Above his head hung the great sun, sunlight pouring down in radiant brilliance, while all beneath heaven lay beneath his feet. In his hand, he held an ancient war bow. The most ancient Human Emperor of mankind had once fought shoulder to shoulder with the Dragon Emperor of the demon race. They had agreed to each slay a Great Emperor-level enemy for the sake of their respective peoples, forming an alliance through that pact. 

The emperor of the demon race revealed his true form, dragging the Kunpeng from the heavens down into the Eastern Sea. 

The colossal divine beasts churned the winds and clouds across the Eastern Sea, the sound of rushing waters roaring like thunder. The emperor of mankind stood atop a mountain peak, holding this bow, and facing the true form of the Demon Emperor—who made no attempt at defense—he too fulfilled his promise. This bow pierced through the Kunpeng behemoth whose body stretched millions upon millions of li, establishing the transcendent status of the dragon race. The mournful cry of the gigantic Kunpeng resounded through the heavens, its blood dyeing the entire Eastern Sea crimson. 

And thus the Human Emperor and Demon Emperor became allies. 

Together, inviting the Jade Emperor to drink deeply. 

At this moment, this war bow—which represented the utmost majesty of the mortal world and the Human Emperor’s faithfulness to his word, which had once fought for the human race—was held in the hands of the current emperor. Even though it had not been drawn for over eight thousand years, the arrow it fired was still incomparably tyrannical, directly interrupting the attack Li Zhai had wagered everything upon. The war spear crashed to the ground, giving off ringing hums and cries. 

“Seize him!!!” 

“Rebel traitor!!” 

Li Zhai was immediately swarmed by the black mass of Imperial Guards and forced onto the ground. Mixed-iron rods as thick as bowls, engraved with runes, were raised high before smashing down viciously upon his knees, while the weight of several hundred men pressed him down, forcing him to kneel upon the ground. Yet even so, he still looked unwilling and unruly as he stared at the Human Emperor standing upon the heights with bow in hand. 

There were wounds upon his face, bruised black and purple. 

Yet he revealed a disdainful smile. 

Turning his head, he spat a mouthful of bloodied saliva to the side. 

The Human Emperor’s chest rose and fell. He had been forced out by his own son. His great undertaking had been shattered, leaving him no further chance of accomplishment. Worse still, the unparalleled majesty accumulated by generations of Human Emperors had today been personally smashed apart by his own son. He could already foresee how difficult those ministers—already fierce and tiger-like officials—would be to control in the future. 

Today’s Li Zhai, in the identity of a military strategist, had given everyone the final path. 

When the Human Emperor is without Dao, all beneath heaven may rise to punish him! 

Next, the Military School had to be weakened. 

Civil officials had to be elevated, using the civil officials to suppress the martial officials. People like this absolutely could not be allowed to increase. 

Promote the civil and abolish the martial, so as to destroy the Military School. 

One thought after another surfaced within the Human Emperor’s mind, yet the shock and fury in his heart still caused him to lose the composure he once possessed. Looking at the appearance of his seventh son, in his rage, he drew open the war bow. Upon the bowstring that had once slain ancient behemoths, Human Dao fate gathered and transformed into a brilliantly radiant arrow capable of killing all evil beings, locking onto Li Zhai. 

Dense killing intent filled the air, utterly without concealment. 

His fingers moved slightly, the arrowhead pointing directly at his own son’s brow, and then his fingers loosened. Carrying the Human Emperor’s killing intent, the arrow shot toward Li Zhai’s glabella. 

Li Zhai was forced to kneel upon the ground, while the newly born baleful Qi of the Military Strategists upon his body roared and howled, fiercely lunging forth to resist the arrow. 

The arrow pierced through the baleful Qi, which scattered apart within the void. 

The General’s Hundred Battles Stele behind Li Zhai trembled and cracked apart. 

The momentum of the arrow was greatly weakened, yet it was still enough to kill Li Zhai in an instant. But with a sharp ringing cry, a long spear and a longsword simultaneously intercepted before Li Zhai, displaying Human Dao fate. With the combined strength of the two, the arrow was knocked off course, causing it only to pierce through Li Zhai’s shoulder. Yet its momentum did not cease, and it directly nailed itself into the Hundred Battles Stele. 

With a thunderous boom, cracks instantly spread across this ancient stele that had stood for several thousand years. 

Amid their shock, the crowd saw the two people standing before Seventh Prince Li Zhai. 

The Fourth Prince, Li Hui. 

And the son of the former Crown Prince, Qin Wang Li Feng. 

Only with the Human Dao fate possessed by the Fourth Prince—whose prestige among the princes at this moment was second only to the Crown Prince—and a royal prince was the arrow that had pierced through the fate of the Military Strategist Leader barely deflected, allowing it to avoid a fatal strike. Yet the atmosphere had already become taut to the extreme, everyone faintly feeling as though even their breathing had frozen. 

The bow in the true Human Emperor’s hand had already proven his true identity, yet no one dared dwell on the events of today. 

That war bow slowly drew open once more, as though the emperor’s fury had not yet fully subsided. Suddenly, the Fourth Prince turned around, and the sword in his hand lashed horizontally across the Seventh Prince’s face with tremendous force, leaving behind two bloody welts, his anger seemingly extreme. Only then did he turn back and bow, saying: “Reporting to the Sacred Son of Heaven, Seventh Brother fought for years upon the borderlands against the various demon kingdoms. Repeatedly slaughtering their subordinates, he ultimately still fell victim to their schemes.” 

“He was actually deceived by the demon race’s methods and came here to slander the Sacred Son of Heaven!” 

“This subject has already inspected Seventh Brother’s Primordial Spirit.” 

“Fortunately, the Sacred Son of Heaven is wise and enlightened. Using the Human Emperor’s weapon, with one arrow, Your Majesty pierced through the demon lurking within Seventh Brother’s body, and together with the Hundred Battles Stele annihilated that demon!” 

“Thus rescuing our human race’s great general of the borderlands!” 

The Fourth Prince spoke slowly and steadily, neither hurried nor rushed, attributing everything the Seventh Prince had done earlier to the demon race’s schemes. 

At the same time, he subtly pointed out the Seventh Prince’s identity as a borderlands general and the wars upon the frontier, turning that furious arrow from earlier into an act of slaying the demon race’s hidden scheme, leaving the Human Emperor a path to retreat from the matter. 

Meanwhile, Qin Wang lowered his eyes. The long spear in his hand had been seized in passing—he had suddenly risen, grabbed a forbidden guard’s spear with one hand, and then swiftly flashed forward to bar the way, displaying astonishing martial attainments. 

He himself did not know why he had acted. 

Perhaps it was due to his own nature. The Seventh Prince had risked his life for the events of that year, so how could Qin Wang simply sit by and ignore it? Such hot blood indeed existed within his heart, yet at the same time, the calm words his teacher had once spoken back in the Central Plains arose again within his mind— 

The emperor values his reputation above all. 

Yes. Thus, by exposing the events of that year completely, the Seventh Prince had instead placed both himself and his elder sister into an extremely safe position. 

If the emperor were to make a move against him now, then to a certain extent, it would instead confirm what the Seventh Prince had said. 

And this opportunity could be seized to rise with the momentum—he could both win the favor of the Military School and gain the recognition of the foremost among the three great scholars who had emerged from seclusion because of his teacher’s letter, making his name known here. The greater his reputation became, the less the emperor would dare touch him in the short term. In that instant, as countless thoughts turned within his mind, even Qin Wang himself no longer knew why he was standing here. 

Was it to save someone, or to seize benefits? 

Yet at this moment, he merely appeared as sincere and pure-hearted as he had in his youth, saying: “Today is the grand sacrifice. Blood should not be seen.” 

“Your Majesty, please reconsider…” 

Qiong Yu lowered her eyes slightly and stepped to the Empress’s ear, softly saying a few words. The Empress frowned tightly, yet in the end still found a way to notify the Sage Human Emperor. It was only a single sentence, asking: Today is the grand sacrifice. The Central Plains and Nine Provinces are lands of rites and propriety—does the Sage Human Emperor truly intend, before the eyes of all, to commit the act of a father killing his son? 

Qin Wang represented the greater momentum, while the Fourth Prince had already offered a path down from the situation, and Qiong Yu’s words became the final push. 

Even the Human Emperor could no longer act recklessly under such circumstances. 

The Human Emperor slowly lowered the bow and said: “Zhen’s son has long remained upon the borderlands, fighting bitter battles. Yet the demon race still managed to bewitch him.” 

“This hatred…” 

“Zhen shall surely repay it!” 

Now that he had already taken up the bow, his identity had long since been revealed. He could only have the substitute withdraw, while he himself, clad in white robes embroidered with splendor, ascended in his true body to sit atop the nine-tiered pavilion. The crowd all knelt in worship, repeatedly declaring themselves guilty, yet the Human Emperor merely smiled calmly and said: “My ministers, there is no need for such courtesy. Zhen merely wished to observe the full spectacle of today’s grand sacrifice from another place. What crime do you all possess?” 

“If there is guilt, it lies with me.” 

He laughed in self-mockery, yet how could the crowd dare respond? 

No matter how the Human Emperor tried to alter the atmosphere, the oppressive feeling could no longer be reversed. And although this solemn, stifling sensation did not seem too different from before, he could still feel that the aura of the Human Emperor was no longer gathering together, and even the Human Dao fate seemed to give the illusion of slipping away! 

The Human Emperor remained silent. 

The winds came from the Nine Provinces! 

Perhaps because he had hidden behind the scenes for far too long— 

Now that he had suddenly stepped to the forefront, he felt a sense of unease. 

A sense of danger. 

Amid that oppressive silence, the Crown Prince suddenly sensed an opportunity. This was precisely the moment for him to step forward, present a treasure, suppress this frozen atmosphere, and guide matters back onto the proper path. Thus, he let out a long breath, stepped out from among the gathered ministers, and said: “Today is the Sage Human Emperor’s grand sacrifice, and the changing of the era name. Our human race shall surely become like the great Roc, soaring upward and flying across the Nine Heavens.” 

“While this son was traveling throughout the Nine Provinces by imperial command, I happened upon this ‘Great Roc Ode’.” 

“It should be presented to Your Majesty!” 

The Human Emperor lowered his eyes and gave a slight nod. “Granted.” 

The Crown Prince cupped his hands slightly, signaling for a Hidden Dragon Guard at the side to bring forth the jade box. Holding it with both hands, he quickly stepped forward. 

The assembled ministers all understood the significance of this offering. This was the text the current Human Emperor had loved most in his youth. Its prose was magnificent, and its symbolism exceptionally auspicious as well. After the violent events that had just unfolded, presenting the “Great Roc Ode” now was an excellent way to ease the atmosphere. 

The ministers also knew that today’s events were so immense as to be beyond imagination. 

After today, enormous upheavals would inevitably follow. 

But regardless of what would happen after today, the important thing first was to peacefully get through this day. 

Thus, everyone began praising in unison. Some said the Crown Prince was wise and enlightened; others said the emperor possessed great virtue, which was why such a treasure had appeared here. There were also those unable to utter such flattering words, who merely said that this piece was excellent indeed, its literary brilliance perfectly matching the splendor of the current dynasty. Thus praises rose one after another without cease. 

The Crown Prince’s expression remained exceedingly calm as he slowly stepped forward and opened the jade box, after which attendants at either side lifted the scroll and gradually unfurled it. 

Upon the scroll, the prose was magnificent and unrestrained. 

Yet suddenly, a great scholar sensed something amiss and said in confusion: 

“How strange. Back then, the Drunken Recluse wrote this text while utterly intoxicated, carried away by lingering exhilaration after drink. The spirit between the lines should have been vast and uninhibited, wild and free-flowing. Yet today, although this Great Roc Ode appears no different on the surface, within the writing there is actually a sense of ethereal transcendence, like tea rather than wine.” 

“How truly strange…” 

“Like tea rather than wine?” 

The gathered civil officials were by no means men of hollow reputation. With that reminder, they finally sensed the subtle difference, and at this moment, the scroll had also been fully unfurled. The Crown Prince recited the text aloud, yet his voice suddenly halted. 

A stream of radiance abruptly lit up from the words upon the scroll. 

That radiance blazed brilliantly, as though every single character contained a divine charm within it, and now those traces of spirit instantly combined into a figure visible to the naked eye. 

A grim and murderous cry shook the world. 

The mere instant of that chilling aura made everyone feel suffocated. 

The clamor of armor rang out, cold and murderous. 

It was Xuan Armor! 

Xuan Armor had appeared once more! 

The faces of the gathered ministers changed abruptly, filled with disbelief as they stared at the scroll that had already been delivered beneath the Nine-Tiered Pavilion. In an instant, the characters upon it rose into the air, streams of light scattering outward and transforming into an old soldier. His hair was completely white, one leg already severed, yet he still held a sword aloft and roared in fury, while the tragic baleful aura of the Military School erupted forth. 

The aura scattered from the shattered Hundred Battles Stele seemed to transform into soaring clouds. 

The lingering will of that old soldier had been preserved and delivered through the written words. 

In that year at Jinzhou, thirteen Buddhist disciples burned the sariras of their patriarchs to tear open a path forward. Among the Daoist disciples, more than six hundred sword cultivators had perished in seated death. An entire army of iron cavalry had defied orders, carving open a road and charging into the demon kingdom. In the end, only twenty-seven survived. 

And that old soldier—his heavy armor shattered, his body covered in over thirty wounds—when he had been discovered, was still raising his sword aloft, clutching the corpse of a dead child in his arms. As though his mind had already broken, he nevertheless continued roaring furiously in the direction of the Imperial Capital. And now he rose into the clouds once more, borrowing the opening Li Zhai had pierced through, borrowing the aura of the shattered Hundred Battles Stele, advancing step by step with sword in hand. That lingering will remained unyielding, refusing rest even in death! 

Behind him stood no one. 

Behind him stood the six hundred thousand soldiers of that day, and the millions of people of Jinzhou. 

How could this not be Human Dao fate! 

This was Human Dao fate itself! 

Vast and righteous! 

The General’s Hundred Battles Stele collapsed and shattered apart, transforming into an aura that merged into the lingering will of the old soldier. Behind him, the aura shifted and changed, displaying before every single person the tragic scenes of that day in full. 

Everyone saw the misery of the common people struggling to survive in those years. 

They saw the iron cavalry’s charge unto death. 

They saw those grief-filled and furious cries. 

It was as though the old soldier of those bygone years had witnessed today’s scene. In grief and fury, he shouted loudly, his roar shaking the heavens and echoing beside every person’s ears, his voice filled with sorrow and rage, even choking with sobs. 

“Xuan Armor Army, kill the traitors!!!” 

“Kill the Thief!!!” 

Countless people shouted themselves hoarse. The Buddhist disciples roared as they subdued demons, and Daoists wielded swords in slaughter, enough to shake the hearts of all who witnessed it. 

Today had originally been an auspicious day beneath the heavens, the great sun blazing brilliantly in a sky clear for ten thousand li. 

Yet suddenly, a crimson star lit up, forming a rainbow through the daylight as it shot directly toward the great sun! 

Brilliant and resolute. 

And the lingering will of that old soldier was pushed to the very forefront, roaring to kill the traitors. His sword rose like a great Roc, and in but an instant it was already upon them. Killing intent erupted forth. The Human Dao fate that had earlier been pierced through offered not the slightest defense, and the Human Emperor instinctively retreated, yet this sword was too fast, too ruthless. The protection of Human Dao fate extended only to preserving life itself. 

With a single strike, the era name that was about to be proclaimed was split apart. 

The old soldier’s will dispersed. 

Today, the Hundred Battles Stele vanished into dust, scattering across the Imperial Way. 

Boundless silence descended. 

Before the eyes of all, the Human Emperor’s face turned deathly pale as he collapsed backward into his seat, no longer possessing the majesty of a Human Emperor. 

The era name [Ren De](Benevolent Virtue) drifted apart like scattered dust. 

The imperial crown was shaken loose and fell heavily to the ground. The twelve hanging jade strands gave off clear and crisp sounds that echoed throughout the Imperial Way. For a long time, no one spoke, as though the majesty of the Human Emperor and the fate of the Human Dao had both dispersed. 

The Crown Prince was terrified beyond measure. Step by step, he retreated before collapsing onto the ground. The Human Dao fate upon his body suddenly manifested outward— 

And then completely collapsed. 

From that moment onward, it vanished like smoke into thin air. 

In the first year of Youli’s seventh reign year, the emperor conducted a grand sacrifice and changed the era name. 

Prince Weiwu Zhai raised his spear in questioning, and all present were so shocked that none could speak. The emperor drew his bow and fired, yet failed to kill him, instead declaring that demonic miasma had been at work. 

The Crown Prince presented the Great Roc Ode, revealing the truth of the Jinzhou affair, and the gathered crowd was left speechless. On that very day, the era name was changed to [Rende]. 

The Hundred Battles Stele shattered, and a white rainbow pierced the sun. 

An omen of the gravest inauspiciousness. 

————— Records of the Emperors · Thirty-Seven · Youli 

During the first seven years of Emperor Youli’s reign, he governed diligently and cared for the people, quite sincerely shaping himself into the image of a benevolent and virtuous ruler, while yearning to obtain the posthumous title of the Wen(Cultured) Emperor. In the spring of the seventh year, disregarding the disasters within the Central Plains and the sudden dimming of the great sun, he stubbornly insisted upon conducting the grand sacrifice. Filled with confidence and satisfaction, he changed his era name to [Rende]. 

Yet the historians of later generations often refused to acknowledge this era name, instead referring to it as the first year of [Dingwu](Martial Cauldron). 

Some believed this meant that the ding cauldron symbolized imperial authority, and that after this day, the Crown Prince was deposed and cast into the Imperial Prison. 

Meanwhile, Qin Wamg, who rode upon the tide of great momentum; Prince Weiwu, who called upon the world to punish traitors; and Wen Shang Prince Li Hui, whose thoughts were meticulous, who could draw his sword for the sake of his brothers while also harboring a dark and calculating heart—all gained, after this day, the opportunity to step onto the stage of the world. 

The Human Emperor’s authority waned with each passing day. 

The age in which civil and martial powers contended for the realm had arrived. 

Others said instead that it was because Prince Weiwu’s spear had shattered the invincible prestige of the Human Emperor. Once that title was lost, it became as though the Human Emperor had lost the deer beneath heaven, and all the heroes of the realm pursued it together. The world itself became the deer, and the gathered heroes desired to seize it and cast it into the ding cauldron for slaughter. Thus, the era was named [Dingwu]. 

And regardless of the interpretation, the lineage of Human Emperors that had ruled the world for eight thousand years had lost its authority. 

The heroes upon the earth awakened, mounting warhorses fierce as blazing fire, hands resting upon their swords as they prepared to step into this surging age. Above the heavens, among the Eleven Luminaries Star Lords, the leading Sun Great Emperor was lost, and several days later, among those Eleven Luminaries, the Fire Star that had slumbered for several thousand years awakened, piercing through the brilliance of the great sun and manifesting ominous signs of chaos and upheaval, leaving the Star Lords astonished and bewildered. 

This was an era in which everything began to change. Such an age was chaotic, its transformations arriving without warning, yet it also seemed as though an invisible hand was stirring all things, as though everything followed some hidden pattern. 

And all historians of later generations tirelessly sought the answer to one question— 

What exactly caused Prince Weiwu, once loyal to the emperor, to suddenly draw his sword in defiance? And what was it that allowed Qin Wang, who had escaped the Imperial Capital at such great cost, to return once more at the most perfect moment and step onto the tides of the age? What transformed a youth fleeing throughout the world into the lion who would dominate the future, revealing his fangs upon the very day the Human Emperor lost his authority? 

Some believed this was simply the destiny of heroes and the trajectory of the age, filled with coincidence and requiring no reason at all. 

Others believed that some brilliant mind hidden behind the scenes had guided all of this, yet after searching through every corner of history, none could find such a person—a mysterious strategist who manipulated everything while caring nothing for fame or recognition. 

And several decades later, the middle-aged astrologer of the Celestial Observation Directorate who had shattered the tortoise shell divination plate had also grown old. Countless people questioned him regarding what exactly he had seen. Even when the Human Emperor himself questioned him back then, he remained silent and refused to speak. Only upon his death did he finally leave behind written words. 

On that day, when the Yinghuo Star first appeared, beneath the divination of the tortoise shell, he had seen words emerge: 

The Human Emperor shall lose his throne 

Princes(Wang) and generals shall bring chaos, ministers shall bring upheaval, plotting against their ruler, while the feudal lords rise one after another. 

This was called Yinghuo Guarding the Heart.

Several decades before these words were left behind, the grand sacrifice that had been planned for so long had instead become a laughingstock that swept away the Human Emperor’s majesty. And for the first time, the star of Yinghuo formed a white rainbow piercing the sun, gradually drifting farther and farther away amidst that deathly still scene. From afar, it looked just like a chess piece. 

A chess piece gently fell upon the board. 

Giving off a faint sound. 

People came and went, the mortal world ever thus—clamorous and noisy, yet somehow bringing tranquility to the heart. 

Beneath a great tree sat the young Daoist whose temples were now streaked with white. The chess piece in his hand fell calmly into place. The Dragon-Slaying Game had already been broken, yet the old man was no longer seated before him. Rain once again fell over the Central Plains, pattering endlessly. The young Daoist stretched out his hand to catch the rainwater, sensing the hidden move he had left behind. The words learned from the Great Dao Sovereign had been activated, and his gaze remained calm. 

Taishang Xuanwei, concealing sagehood while revealing ordinariness. 

To be the teacher of kings, establishing the Dao of humanity. 

“So it’s raining in Zhongzhou again.” 

“Spring is still a little cold.” 

The young Daoist withdrew his hand. After thinking for a moment, he carefully put away the chess piece once more. Upon his back was the sword case, and within the sword case were only simple belongings. Inside the painting scroll in his hand was the scenery of the Central Plains, originally already a work of divine craftsmanship, yet the young Daoist still borrowed a brush and lightly added two figures beside the great bridge of the Zhongzhou Prefectural City—one dressed in blue robes, one in white garments—sitting beneath a tree playing chess against one another. 

Just like what old Mr. Ao Liu had once said, the bygone days of the youthful Dragon King and the Chess Attendant Zhao Zhao. 

Old friends could no longer be seen. 

The old friends remained only within the painting. 

“It is time to leave…” 

Qi Wuhuo rose to his feet. He had already bid farewell to the old Daoist and little Mingxin. There were many people along the roadside now, and the Zhongzhou Prefectural City was slowly recovering its vitality. He saw that one-armed peddler by the roadside still smiling as he sold sesame cakes, only now helped by his wife and child at his side. Watching the people coming and going, life still had to continue in the end. 

When he had come to the Central Plains, rain had fallen like a curtain. 

And now, as he departed, rain still fell. 

The young Daoist carried the sword case upon his back and picked up a green bamboo umbrella. Opening it, he walked step by step into the mortal world beneath the shelter of the umbrella. Rainwater dripped down. Standing upon this bridge, he turned his head to look back at the trees, still as they had been before. Spring rain fell gently, and already there were scattered traces of deep green among the branches. The young Daoist thought of the poem the old Dragon King had softly chanted that day, and then, as though in reply, softly recited: 

“After winter, willow branches tie themselves in countless knots; 

When the wind rises, blossoms scatter like snow.” 

“Parting and parting once again,

Breaking branches and breaking them yet again,

Alas, there are scarcely any old leaves and branches left.” 

“After winter, willow threads hang in countless strands,

Forever trees that wound the heart.” 

“Travelers snap the tender twigs,

Swallows carry away the drifting catkins,

Yet none can decide the springtime of this city.” 

On this day began the great upheaval beneath heaven. The Human Emperor lost his authority, the Military School lost its master, and Yinghuo Guarded the Heart. 

The young Daoist, carrying his case and holding his umbrella, his temples streaked with white, walked into the mortal world. 

People came and went. 

His Daoist robes stirred lightly. 

Nothing more than ordinary.