In the grand hall deep within the void, Lilith’s figure materialized. She strode straight through the gates, entering the valley beyond and arriving at the lakeside.
Beneath a tree by the lake, Yate sat there, resting her chin in one hand and toying with a fallen leaf in the other, lost in thought. When Lilith appeared, she didn’t even lift her head, saying, “Don’t bother. Just kill me. I won’t tell you anything.”
“The final battle between Evernight and the human race has already begun. If you tell me now, we might still have a sliver of hope. But if you continue to say nothing, those you wish to protect may not survive.”
“None of them matter to me.”
Lilith did not say more. With a wave of her hand, she replayed the images that the Demon Emperor and Anwen had demonstrated in the council. As Yate watched, her expression grew increasingly grave.
“Do you see? The humans and the demonic lineage have been conspiring for a thousand years, attempting to eradicate the Bloodline from the source. If it were not for the situation we face now, I would surely make the demonic lineage and the humans pay!”
Having said this, Lilith looked at Yate, her expression softening. “Whether you know or don’t know the secrets of the Lost Season is no longer as important. Even if we knew, our chances of victory are almost nil. I will release you. Do as you please. After all… we once shared the same blood.”
With another wave of her hand, the invisible blood auras binding Yate shattered, and she regained her freedom.
Yate did not leave. Instead, she said, “Now, I am more Yate than anyone else. I am myself.”
“I understand. That was also the initial source of my anger, for this means you have lost the chance to awaken again in the next cycle. But now, it doesn’t matter. It won’t be long before the Dawn force consumes us all, leaving nowhere to hide in Evernight.”
Yate was silent for a long time before finally saying, “About the Lost Season, there is little I can tell you. Only one thing—I saw a woman when I lost my memory.”
“And then?”
“There is no ‘and then.’ That is the only memory I have.”
“A woman?” Lilith pressed.
“Yes, she was human.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Intuition.”
Lilith pondered for a while, a hint of a resigned smile appearing on her face. “So, the Lost Season truly was a human conspiracy. I always found it strange how, after the Lost Season, the humans seemed to transform overnight, producing countless new cultivation techniques, an abundance of strong warriors, all within a short span of a few decades. But I still don’t think the humans could achieve such transformation in such a short time. There must be another entity behind them. Now, it is finally confirmed.”
She reached out, capturing Yate and bringing her close, then gently pushing her away, saying, “Go now.”
In the Imperial Capital, Hao Emperor and Zhang Boqian stood side by side, suspended in the void.
“King Zhang, at this point, you surely know what the beginning of the Carrying Sun signifies.”
“The Emperor’s composure is indeed commendable, able to endure until now.”
Hao Emperor sighed, saying, “Actually, I only understood the full picture of the Carrying Sun at the very end, when the merits were fulfilled. Before that, I only knew what I was allowed to. The Founder, from the start, placed restrictions, ensuring that future generations knew only what they needed to do, not why. Only when it was accomplished could everything be revealed. But by then, the course was set, and nothing could change.”
“It must be kept secret. If Evernight ever learns the truth, they will attack en masse, and even if the Founder and Martial Ancestor were to return, it would not save us,” Zhang Boqian said, his tone laced with a peculiar irony.
Hao Emperor suddenly coughed, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
Zhang Boqian looked at him, saying, “The Carrying Sun still affects you so much?”
Hao Emperor, maintaining his composure, wiped the blood away, saying, “The Carrying Sun naturally requires something to carry it. Our Ji bloodline is the foundation that bears the Sun Wheel. Now, as the Sun approaches, the burden grows heavier. When Evernight attacks, I may be unable to act. I have ordered all major family lineages to migrate to Qin Continent and gather in the Imperial Capital. We will use the capital as our stronghold, and fight a bloody battle against Evernight! I entrust this battle to King Qingyang.”
“I shall do my best.”
Hao Emperor let out a soft sigh, slowly saying, “Once the Sun arrives, all dark races will be annihilated. I cannot help but feel a twinge of regret.”
“This action greatly disturbs the natural order, and the world of Evernight is the home of the dark races. We have already seized four continents and a floating land, securing vast living space. But it has come to this, and there is no point in overthinking. If the dark races want mutual destruction, let them come.”
Hao Emperor said, “We only need to hold out for a few days. Reinforcements will arrive.”
Zhang Boqian showed a slight surprise, asking, “You mean…”
“Yes, messengers will come with the Sun, from the Celestial Ancestral Land.”
“I never thought the legends of the Celestial Ancestral Land would be true!” Zhang Boqian was equally surprised.
“Legends known only to the Emperors must be true.”
“I am curious to see what these messengers from the Celestials are capable of.”
Hao Emperor and Zhang Boqian exchanged a glance, seeing both a hidden fighting spirit and a trace of worry in each other’s eyes.
At that moment, a high-speed airship emerged from the void, quickly approaching Hao Emperor and Zhang Boqian, then halted abruptly with a sharp turn. A general leapt from the ship, saluting from a distance, and reported, “Your Majesty! The Guard Fleet has detected several Evernight fleets approaching from outer space. How should we proceed?”
Hao Emperor waved his hand, saying only one word: “Fight!”
The general’s blood surged with excitement, exclaiming, “Rest assured, Your Majesty, the Guard Fleet will fight to the last ship and man!”
Hao Emperor nodded slightly, watching the ship depart into the distance.
“It has begun. We should return as well.”
Zhang Boqian, unmoving, asked, “Do you have arrangements in the Heavenly Bureau?”
Hao Emperor spoke calmly, “In the final moments, I will hold a great sacrifice in the Heavenly Bureau, using the power of all the heavenly strategists there to position the Sun, allowing it to enter its intended orbit.”
“All the heavenly strategists participating in the sacrifice will die, including Li Empress, correct?”
“She chose to wield the power of the Heavenly Bureau; this is the price.” Hao Emperor’s voice remained emotionless.
“Why is this so?”
“When the Founder severed the wings of the flying serpent to create the Sun Wheel, from then on, every crucial moment of the Carrying Sun required the Ji bloodline or someone closely connected to it. As my empress, she is the most suitable.”
Pausing, Hao Emperor stroked his short beard, saying, “Originally, this position was reserved for Consort Zhao. The Zhao family has long enjoyed the country’s grace, and the Zhao and Ji families have gradually become one. At this time, some sacrifice is expected. But she played her cards well and snatched the empress position, now plotting for the Li family to ascend. To rise, a cost must be paid, and what the Li family has paid is still insufficient. Which noble family has not walked a path of blood?”
“Ah, I see. No wonder so many royal children have met untimely deaths, and the Ji bloodline grows thinner with each generation.”
Hao Emperor sighed, “The Founder’s words, ‘When the world is in turmoil, the Jis must lead,’ were not just empty words.”
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