The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  And in the middle of this army, Wang Chong saw a mountainous figure, wearing imperial robes and holding a long sword as he commanded the army.

  Under this sovereign’s command, the countless soldiers swept out from all sides, defeating all foes. The banners of different peoples were cut down in twos and threes, and in the end, the army emerged victorious.

  But even the strongest existence would fall one day.

  Right after this momentous victory, this giant sovereign who was as radiant as the sun collapsed at Wang Chong’s feet.

  The world turned dark!

  “The True Dragon’s Twilight cannot be prevented. User has a chance to meet with the true dragon one last time and obtain the True Dragon’s Legacy!” the Stone of Destiny declared.

  Bang!

  Wang Chong shuddered as if he had been struck by lightning, the blood draining out of his face.

  “How could it be like this?”

  Wang Chong’s heart seethed in turmoil. His body immediately began to sway, all his strength draining out through the soles of his feet.

  “Wang Chong…”

  At this moment, the hair at Gao Lishi’s temples danced in the wind, his lips were trembling, and his voice was hoarse with grief.

  “His Majesty has summoned you for an audience!”

  This short sentence seemed to take all his strength.

  ……

  Wang Chong went out the main gate, boarded his carriage, and headed toward the Imperial Palace. He leaned back against the cold wall of the carriage, his mind still blank.

  He heard the carriage driver yell out ‘Hyah’ again and again, heard the guards at the gate say something, heard the gates open to allow the carriage entry… His daze continued until the carriage reached its destination.

  “Your Highness, we’ve arrived!” A voice came from outside.

  Wang Chong opened the carriage door and walked out. Looking up, he saw the looming silhouette of Taiji Palace.

  Dark clouds hung low and thick, exuding a gloomy and sinister aura.

  Taiji Palace appeared like a great Peng with its wings unfurled, soaring in the dark clouds with an immense grandeur and majesty.

  But when he saw Taiji Palace this time, Wang Chong only felt great weight and sorrow.

  Eunuch Gao walked over and sorrowfully said, “Wang Chong, hurry inside. His Majesty has already been waiting for a long time!”

  Wang Chong climbed the steps and pushed open the heavy doors.

  Creeeak!

  The sound seemed to echo for eternity, and then Wang Chong stepped over the threshold.

  Taiji Palace was somewhat cold and dark, and all was quiet. Wang Chong looked up at the great nine dragon throne and immediately saw that familiar figure.

  Wearing his dragon robe, the Sage Emperor was resting his head on his hand, apparently in deep thought.

  “You’ve come.” The Sage Emperor, who seemed to have just woken up, suddenly spoke.

  He slowly sat up, and a wave of energy as scorching as the flames of the sun surged out of his body and swept through the entirety of the hall.

  The dark and cold atmosphere was immediately swept away, and the entire place seemed to be basking in the light of the sun.

  Wang Chong saw blood rushing back into the Sage Emperor’s pale complexion. That confident and dignified expression once more made Wang Chong recall the majestic and wise sovereign revered by all the people of the realm.

  Recalling the Stone of Destiny’s words, he felt deep sorrow upon seeing this familiar figure that so closely matched the one from his memories.

  But in a flash, Wang Chong buried all his sorrow and grief.

  After walking another cycle, he had once more arrived at the moment of the Sage Emperor’s death.

  Time was limited, and Wang Chong knew that the Sage Emperor could only have summoned him at the last moment of his life to impart something extremely important. He did not wish for the Sage Emperor to see the sorrow on his face.

  Wang Chong took a deep breath, his eyes turning hard, and he got down on one knee and bowed.

  “This lowly subject pays respects to His Majesty! May the Emperor live ten thousand years, ten thousand years!”

  “Rise! There is no need for excess courtesy!”

  A smile slowly crept onto the Sage Emperor’s lips.

  For some reason, this smile made Wang Chong’s heart ache.

  Chapter 2043 - The Miniature Nine Provinces Domain!

  Chapter 2043: The Miniature Nine Provinces Domain!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  “Come forward. We have something to say to you!” the Sage Emperor said, his voice somewhat weak.

  “This lowly subject obeys the decree!”

  Wang Chong’s heart trembled as he walked forward.

  “Not bad!”

  The Sage Emperor examined Wang Chong and chuckled.

  “Worthy of being the Great General selected by Us, the War God of the Great Tang!”

  But Wang Chong could not bring himself to smile in front of the Sage Emperor. Now that he was closer, he could see how much whiter the Sage Emperor’s hair was, how much more haggard his complexion. While it was still as dignified, it was tinged with weakness.

  His heart tightened. He had never imagined that the Sage Emperor had weakened to this level.

  “Your Majesty…”

  Wang Chong opened his mouth, but the Sage Emperor swiftly raised a palm and interrupted him.

  “We do not have much time left!”

  The Sage Emperor rested a hand on the armrest of his throne, no longer hiding anything from this trusted official of his empire. There was a streak of deep fatigue on the face of this man who had commanded the wind and clouds and awed the world.

  “Wang Chong, you should know why We summoned you to the palace.”

  “Your Majesty, you will be fine!”

  Wang Chong felt like he had a million words to say, but this was all his mouth could manage.

  “There is no need for you to encourage Us. We know Our body’s condition.”

  The Sage Emperor smiled and waved his hand.

  “Wang Chong, you are the man We favor, and We have seen all that you have done.

  “You did not disappoint Us!”

  “Your Majesty, is there… is there really no way?” Wang Chong mournfully said.

  He did not believe that things had reached this stage. Despite the Stone of Destiny’s warning, he remained confident that there was a way.

  “It’s useless!”

  The Sage Emperor shook his head and shot a gratified glance at Wang Chong.

  His friendship with the Wang Clan extended all the way from Duke Jiu to this youngest scion.

  Even he found it somewhat unbelievable.

  “Ten-some years ago, when I failed to break into the Divine Martial realm, I understood that this day would come.

  “For many years, We attempted every method in the world, but no method was able to stop this. The path of martial arts is excruciatingly difficult, and to not advance is to fall behind. And the Divine Martial realm is to stake everything on one throw, to either succeed or die.

  “We simply failed!”

  The Sage Emperor did not speak with any sort of dejection. On the contrary, he spoke with the confidence and indifference of a hegemon.

  Amongst all the people who had embarked on the path of martial arts since ancient times, not a single person had ever been able to reach that realm. That he had been able to attempt to reach that unimaginable realm was already enough.

  Wang Chong felt an indescribable feeling as he looked into the Sage Emperor’s eyes, as bright as the stars.

  No matter what the time, this man who had brought Great Tang to the apex would always be his most respected person.

  As a member of the imperial household, he possessed a carefree disposition that made it so that not even death could shake him or furrow his brow. He would eternally be aloof and detac
hed.

  This was a wise sovereign for the ages that not even death could conquer!

  “Wang Chong, do you recall the words We told you in the rear hall?” the Sage Emperor suddenly said.

  “This lowly subject would never dare to forget them!” Wang Chong sternly said.

  “Very good. With these words, We can rest easy.”

  The Sage Emperor gave a slight nod.

  “For many years, We have been seeking someone to protect the Great Tang in Our place once We have gone. Wang Chong, you have not disappointed Us!”

  The Sage Emperor’s voice began to echo through the hall, filled with relief and gratitude.

  “Your Majesty, be at ease. No matter what, even if this lowly subject must offer his life, this subject swears to protect this land!” Wang Chong solemnly said.

  The Sage Emperor smiled, completely unsurprised.

  He knew that he had not chosen the wrong person.

  Buzz!

  Suddenly, the Sage Emperor trembled, a sliver of blood trickling out from the corner of his lips. But he quickly swallowed down the blood, and his complexion turned ruddier and ruddier.

  “Your Majesty!”

  Wang Chong’s mind trembled in understanding.

  “Let this lowly subject treat you!”

  Wang Chong wanted to move forward, but the Sage Emperor quickly cut him off.

  “We do not have much time left. You must carefully listen.”

  The Sage Emperor waved his hand, his face turning more solemn.

  “The Great Tang enjoys both internal and external peace, but just as in that memorial you wrote when you were sixteen, there are many dangers in the shadows.

  “Do you remember those men in black who assisted First Prince Li Ying during the coup? Remember this! The danger to the Great Tang does not lie in the Turks, Ü-Tsang, Goguryeo, or even the distant Arabia. It is in those mysterious men in black who have been in hiding for thousands of years!

  “You are exceptionally intelligent and have a fine eye for detail, but you are too lacking in martial arts!

  “With Us here, all is at peace and those men in black are too intimidated to dare to act recklessly. But once We are gone, no one will be left to suppress them. When that time comes, even imperial authority will be their plaything! You do not even have the strength to protect yourself!” the Sage Emperor said.

  Wang Chong’s heart was heavy as he lowered his head.

  The Sage Emperor spoke the truth. The organization of men in black possessed divine techniques and countless experts: the Goat, Deer, and Tiger Immortals, the Tianfu Divine Lord, True Lord Yellow Dragon, Genesis Supreme… Each one had been stronger than the last.

  Peerless experts of the mortal realm were nothing but ants in their eyes.

  This was particularly true for Genesis Supreme, who had reached unimaginably frightening levels of power.

  If the Sage Emperor had not unleashed his energy on that day, Wang Chong would probably already be dead!

  Just as the Sage Emperor had said, without the Sage Emperor, no one in the Great Tang would be able to stand against experts like Genesis Supreme.

  “We cannot give you much! This object is all that We can leave behind for you!”

  The Sage Emperor’s thunderous voice bounced off the walls.

  After saying this, the Sage Emperor suddenly stood up.

  He jabbed a finger at the air.

  Bang!

  Even though the two were separated by a hundred-some feet, when the Sage Emperor thrust out his finger, it felt like a bolt of lightning slammed down, and countless ripples exploded through the hall.

  Wang Chong felt air howl past him, and a moment later, his mind was linked to the Sage Emperor’s and he was drawn into a strange world.

  Wang Chong remained motionless at his original position, but the grandiose Taiji Palace vanished. Wang Chong and the Sage Emperor stood at the highest point of the Imperial Palace, looking down upon the capital.

  The many buildings of the capital began to appear, and around these buildings, Wang Chong could see the mighty walls of the capital.

  “This is…”

  Wang Chong was slightly taken aback.

  This was the first time he had seen the capital from this viewpoint.

  Glancing at the Sage Emperor, Wang Chong understood. The Sage Emperor was using his supreme abilities to project an image of the capital into his mind.

  Just when Wang Chong was about to ask the Sage Emperor what he needed to see…

  Buzz!

  The grandiose capital suddenly transformed. Deep beneath the capital, mysterious and interlocking formations began to manifest.

  These profound formations were fused with the city, the streets and towers serving as unwitting parts of the formation. It was like a giant chessboard hidden deep underground, forming a formation of immense size.

  Through black streams of energy, one could see that mysterious symbols had been carved into the formations, and the energy gathered by this formation was all concentrated under Wang Chong’s feet, joining with the Nine Heavens Ten Earths Three Emperors Formation beneath the Imperial Palace.

  The formation had not been activated, and all the energy was in a latent state. But even so, Wang Chong could sense its terrifying might.

  This formation used the energy accumulated over hundreds of years by the Three Emperors Formation, and coupled with its own power, it created an energy that stood far above any single martial artist!

  Even Wang Chong was nothing but a tiny speck compared to this terrifying formation.

  But a moment later, amongst the black tendrils of energy, Wang Chong saw a draconic golden energy. Upon sensing this familiar energy, Wang Chong trembled in shock and understanding.

  “Your Majesty, you!”

  Wang Chong turned to the Sage Emperor in shock.

  Upon seeing this massive formation, Wang Chong finally understood why the Sage Emperor had grown so tired and weak so quickly.

  He had poured his vast sea of energy into that terrifying and unprecedented formation that protected the capital.

  “What you see is the Xiangliu Formation. I have modified it, turning it into the Miniature Nine Provinces Domain. Once this formation activates, all members of the Celestial God Organization within the formation will be rejected by the formation and come under its attack.

  (TN: The Xiangliu was the name of a mythical creature, a venomous snake with nine heads that brings floods and destruction.)

  “But most importantly, I have already merged its energy with yours. As long as Heaven does not appear, then so long as you remain within its range, not even Genesis Supreme can defeat you!”

  As the Sage Emperor spoke, he raised a fair white finger. Slowly, a long and thin talisman, gold and silver, broke out from his skin, drifted over to Wang Chong’s body, and fused with him.

  Buzz!

  At that moment, Wang Chong felt as if he had established a strange connection with the formation, as if he had control over all of it.

  Chapter 2044 - The Sage Emperor's Story!

  Chapter 2044: The Sage Emperor’s Story!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  The power of the formation was immense and Wang Chong had only just interacted with it, so he did not yet have full control!

  “Though you have the Miniature Nine Provinces Domain, you must remember that you are no match for them at your current level of strength. The moment you leave the capital, no one will be able to protect you. You cannot get careless!” the Sage Emperor said.

  He spoke in a flat and unperturbed tone, the tone of someone who had already seen through everything.

  Wang Chong saw that even more white hairs had appeared on the Sage Emperor’s head, causing him even more heartache.

  Wang Chong clenched his teeth and sternly said, “Your Majesty, be at ease. This subject will use his own life to protect the Great Tang!”

  Though he wanted the Sage Emperor to
take back his Stellar Energy from the formation, Wang Chong knew that what was done was done. The Sage Emperor had handled everything, and it was no longer his decision to stop it.

  All he could do was, just as he had promised to the Sage Emperor in the rear hall of Taihe Palace, use his own life to protect the land in the Sage Emperor’s place.

  “Mm!”

  The Sage Emperor nodded. In these few moments, his expression had grown even more tired.

  “There is nothing to fear from those of Genesis Supreme’s level. What you truly must worry about is the one hiding behind it all, ‘Heaven’. This man is sinister and cunning, and harboring grand aspirations. My failure to break into the Divine Martial realm was the result of this man’s handiwork.”

  Wang Chong’s body trembled in shock. This was the first time the Sage Emperor had ever mentioned his attempt at the Divine Martial realm.

  In his last life, quite a few people knew that the Sage Emperor had failed to reach the Divine Martial realm, but no one knew how he had failed. Many people believed that it was because the Sage Emperor lacked sufficient energy.

  They had no idea that this failure was directly connected to the unfathomable ‘Heaven’!

  “For many years, I tried to find his base and locate his real body so that I could destroy it, but there were so many other affairs troubling me that I never succeeded. Once We are gone, this man will act. You must be cautious!”

  The Sage Emperor continued to speak.

  “‘Heaven’ has innumerable clones, and nobody has ever found his real body. We spent many years trying to find him, but we never succeeded.

  “This man is the greatest threat to both Us and the Great Tang!

  “If the enemy is in the shadows while you are in the open, then your defeat at Heaven’s hands is certain. Previously, We used our own body as bait to lure him out, and though we only managed to lure one of his clones, We succeeded in obtaining a sliver of energy from his body. Take care of this energy well. If you encounter him in the future, it will be of enormous use to you!”