Gao Lan stood outside the Fengtian Platform, his expression unchanged as he uttered two words: “Han Guang.”
Han Guang? Meng Qi was utterly astonished. Without hesitation, he pressed further, “Han Guang aspires to the throne of the Heavenly Emperor, plotting to re-establish the Heavenly Court and unify the Three Realms. Why would he assist you, Imperial Brother, in constructing the Fengtian Platform to govern the heavens through human principles?”
The formation had just dispersed, and he hadn’t yet had the chance to deduce the heavenly secrets or uncover what had transpired beyond the Zhuxian Sword Formation.
When he saw the Zhuxian Formation Diagram, countless thoughts had flashed through his mind—speculations that Gao Lan had allied with remnants of the Jie Sect, lured enemies out, or planned to eliminate them all—but he had never once considered that it would be the “Demon Master” Han Guang.
Was the Heavenly Lord Lingbao behind Han Guang?
If so, it would explain his ambiguous stance all this time. Moreover, in the subsidiary universe of the Jade Void Palace, when Meng Qi transformed the “Primordial Brahma” into his “Other Self Projection,” Han Guang not only absorbed the slumbering divine body but also obtained the “Destroyer Shiva.” There was a significant possibility that this was the “Lingbao Projection.”
Gao Lan’s gaze deepened as he said, “During the events at the Jade Pool, Han Guang seized the opportunity to break into the Xuantian Sect. After exhausting himself greatly, I cornered him and extracted some information. We made a forced agreement, and it seems the one behind him also wished to see the Fengtian Platform constructed.”
“However, from today onward, the alliance is dissolved. We must heighten our vigilance against him to prevent him from exploiting our efforts to secretly establish his own Heavenly Court.”
So that’s what happened back then… Meng Qi nodded slightly, lost in thought. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, “Did you deliberately let Yuan Hong escape?”
If there had been interference from the Human Emperor’s remains, given Yuan Hong’s severely wounded state, Meng Qi was confident he could have permanently “left” him behind!
Gao Lan gave a faint nod. “Lu Ya agreed to intercept the Ancient Buddha Ran Deng on the condition that Yuan Hong be left to his disposal.”
What exactly is Lu Ya planning? Meng Qi’s thoughts churned, but no matter how he speculated, he couldn’t fathom the old fox’s intentions. He decided to discuss it thoroughly with Little Sang once the Fengtian Platform matter settled and more clues emerged.
After pondering for a while, he turned to Gao Lan and asked with a smile, “Who was it that gave you the Sacred Emperor’s Demon Order?”
He was intensely curious about this matter.
Gao Lan strode forward, his movements regal and cold. “That’s the fourth question.”
Meng Qi stood on the Fengtian Platform as the wind howled around him. Brothers in this lifetime—why be so calculative?
…
Though the fierce battle had subsided, a storm raged within the Myriad World Talisman’s network.
Due to the formation’s interference, the scenes of the Legendary-level clash couldn’t be recorded. Yet, countless people had witnessed the commotion in the sky. Though their naked eyes couldn’t capture every move, the cataclysmic spectacle left an indelible mark on their minds. Once the sword formation withdrew and the restricted Myriad World Talisman network was restored, images of the devastation in northern Ganzhou, captured by nearby city’s experts, flooded the feeds of horrified viewers, spreading an atmosphere of dread.
In the Jianghu Teahouse, posts and replies sprouted like mushrooms after rain:
“Northern Ganzhou has been completely erased—millions of humans, countless lives, all turned to nothingness. The mountains are gone, the rivers are gone, even the plains and valleys have vanished, leaving only an abyss without end, an endless silence…”
“This is the horror of Legendary and Creation-level powerhouses. Before them, we are like bubbles, liable to burst from the slightest ripple of their aura.”
“The Real World is too terrifying. With Legendary powerhouses emerging one after another, a few more battles like this, and the Great Zhou will surely fracture. We’ll be reduced to dust!”
“What can we do? What can we do?”
“My friend was from Qinlian Prefecture in northern Ganzhou. We were supposed to meet their parents after the New Year…”
“I’m from Luoning Prefecture in northern Ganzhou. My family was happy and whole. Now… now only I survive, having been on a escort mission to Changle. Seventeen family members—seventeen lives…”
Grief, despair, and panic permeated the air. Wu Yanping watched silently, offering no reply. The fragility of life, the fragility of happiness, was laid bare before him. Having never faced storms or lost loved ones, he now tasted the bitterness of despair.
The world he thought would only grow better was so fragile—a single battle, a clash of mighty beings, could erase the brilliance brought by the Myriad World Talisman and bury countless beautiful moments.
And the ordinary life he once took for granted now seemed so precious, so radiant compared to the fate of his northern Ganzhou brethren.
Only in loss and comparison does one awaken.
Amidst the gloom, some clung to hope, believing this was an anomaly and that with preparation, human powerhouses could avert such calamities:
“My uncle is a high-ranking official in the Six Fan Gates. He told me secretly that the Yuan Emperor possesses the Heavenly Lord Lingbao’s Four Swords of Zhuxian, while the current Emperor holds the Zhuxian Formation Diagram. With all five artifacts, they can erect the ancient First Killing Formation, enough to safeguard the Great Zhou. This time, northern Ganzhou wouldn’t have suffered had the Demon Ancestor not taken advantage of the Yuan Emperor and the current Emperor’s focus on the Luo Sect’s demons and evil buddhas to strike in chaos. But with this lesson, such tragedies won’t recur.”
“I’m from a millennium-old aristocratic family. An elder in the Political Affairs Hall revealed that the current Emperor also possesses the Human Emperor’s remains! The Human Emperor was a true colossus, a Transcendent who reached the Other Shore. His remains alone can ensure the Great Zhou’s safety, deterring all malefactors!”
“You don’t understand—during the Demon Ancestor and the Great Sage Meishan’s ambush, the Yuan Emperor, the current Emperor, and the mighty immortals fought desperately. They didn’t flee but stood their ground, protecting us even at the cost of their lives!”
Such arguments were plentiful, yet they failed to calm the masses, like boats swallowed by towering waves. Some even began considering escape:
“Aren’t there myriad realms beyond? Don’t we have friends from other universes? Can we migrate away from the Real World? The Real World is the core of the powerhouses’ struggles. If we leave, we’ll be safe.”
“Is it too late to convert to Buddhism or worship the Yuan Emperor? Can we enter the Pure Land or the Jade Void Palace’s heavenly realm in the flesh?”
Chaos breeds opportunism. Fortunately, the Six Fan Gates and the Great Zhou court collaborated closely to mitigate disasters. Yet, the pall of despair lingered over the Myriad World Talisman network and the hearts of the people across prefectures and counties. Only some Jianghu figures remained unfazed, accustomed to lives of blood and steel, living by the creed of “tomorrow’s worries for tomorrow, today’s wine for today.”
Time flowed swiftly, and a month passed in a blink.
On this day, Wu Yanping and other Great Zhou citizens, listless and escaping reality through the Myriad World Talisman, saw every forum flooded with live broadcasts—all showing the same scene.
It was the towering, nine-tiered Fengtian Platform, a hundred zhang high, surrounded by altars symbolizing the Five Emperors in red, azure, yellow, white, and black. Its sides were carved with celestial constellations and deities, from heavenly generals and earth gods below to golden boys and jade maidens above, ascending to the Five Emperors on the second tier and the embodiment of the Great Dao at the pinnacle.
Formations shimmered atop the platform, glowing like the lights of myriad realms, suffused with the power of humanity. Dressed in black imperial robes and a flat-topped crown, Gao Lan ascended the steps, holding the Human Emperor’s Sword.
“Is the Fengtian Platform about to be completed?” The thought flashed through the minds of millions watching, their emotions settling as they focused intently.
After climbing 3,650 steps, Gao Lan reached the summit, where honored guests representing various factions—including Meng Qi, the Jade Void’s Sect Leader, and the Primordial Fairy Bi Jingxuan—observed the ceremony. (Meng Qi, of course, showed no awareness of his status as Crown Prince.)
Taking nine steps forward, Gao Lan did not immediately commence the sealing ritual. Instead, he bowed deeply and placed the Human Emperor’s remains at the platform’s core.
The remains bore a golden hue, their eyes holding double pupils, exuding an aura of majestic authority that shook the Real World, as if it could scarcely bear their weight.
After completing a series of sacred rites, Gao Lan faced the remains and unfurled a eulogy, reciting solemnly:
“Born in antiquity, you inherited heaven’s mandate, uplifted our race, and established laws enduring to this day. Your merits span eternity; your virtue nurtures all living beings…”
Finishing the eulogy, Gao Lan surveyed the surroundings and proclaimed with gravity:
“At his passing, the Human Emperor, mindful of his people, willed his body to become the earth, his bones the mountains, his blood the rivers—to merge with this world, to protect its humans, all sentient beings, and the light of civilization, the radiance of humanity!”
His voice, resonant and firm, echoed in every listener’s ears. As the formation’s light shimmered, the Human Emperor’s remains gleamed with approval, as if content.
The body gradually dissolved, sinking into the Fengtian Platform and spreading outward. Meng Qi felt the earth grow firmer, mountains harder to shatter, and human cities imbued with inexplicable protective power.
The sky turned bluer, the world transformed anew—the laws rewritten once more!
Meng Qi stared at Gao Lan in shock, never expecting him to relinquish the remains of a Transcendent, nor that the Human Emperor’s final wish was to merge with the myriad realms to safeguard humanity, peace-loving beings, and the light of civilization!
Across the Great Zhou, specks of light emerged like fireflies filling the sky.
A single spark can start a prairie fire.
Countless citizens felt an inexplicable surge of emotion, tears welling as despair and dread melted away.
From this day forth, they need not fear the fallout of battles!
Under the vast blue sky, Gao Lan bowed nine times in reverence to the Human Emperor’s virtue, with Meng Qi following suit.
Then, stepping into the place of the remains, Gao Lan raised his sword toward the heavens, commencing the grand rite of sealing the heavens.
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