Book 16: Chapter 4: I Will Kill You
Book 16: Chapter 4: I Will Kill You
Thousand Leaf Pass’ news spread throughout Yunqin’s autumn.
In Central Continent City, the chilly Imperial Palace also learned of the final result of this distinguished meeting.
Yunqin Emperor walked into the icehouse where Ni Henian spent his final period of time in Central Continent City.
The instant he opened this palace’s door, biting cold air instantly surrounded him.
The cold jade and cold ice still existed, it was just that Ni Henian was already no longer here. In this icehouse, he was the only one wrapped up within deep cold energy.
Even towards Ni Henian who, for the sake of defending Central Continent City, killed who knew how many powerful cultivators for him during his lifetime, Yunqin Emperor didn’t feel all that close to him. He only viewed Ni Henian as a subject, a formidable killing tool.
However, right now, when news came back from Thousand Leaf Pass, when he saw this icehouse and realized that Ni Henian did not have a chance of ever appearing here again, nor would he appear in Central Continent City again, this monarch instead wished dearly that Ni Henian was still here, still in this icehouse.
Only, there was no way Ni Henian would ever appear in front of his face again.
AHHHHHHHH……
Suddenly, Yunqin Emperor released a crazy scream as if he went crazy.
The cold ice and jade all around him were completely smashed apart by his crazy roar and the aura blasting out from his body. Countless frozen shards bounced about in this sealed space, and then landed on his body in the end.
He screamed until his voice became hoarse and his strength was exhausted, his body even buckling over.
The ice shards melted on his body. His golden dragon robes were drenched through, hair also completely soaked, looking incomparably sorry.
Those who vaguely heard his roaring voice in Imperial City all had panic-stricken expressions on their faces. Yunqin Emperor was still a ruthless monarch that instilled fear upon the people.
However, this monarch in the icehouse instead already knew clearly that after Purgatory Mountain Patriarch and Ni Henian died in front of Thousand Leaf Pass, all of Central Continent City and Central Continent Imperial City, for him, were no longer the heart of Yunqin Empire’s authority, but rather a giant, incomparably stifling prison.
He had Purgatory Mountain Patriarch to help him deal with Green Luan Academy and Lin Xi.
He even had someone like Ni Henian to clean up the situation in the end.
However, what he never expected was that even after all of this, he was still defeated.
The great ambition of a great monarch ended as nothing. That was why for his current self, he was already only a prisoner awaiting his final trial.
…
The coffin of Yunqin’s important statesman Liu Xueqing was also on its way back to Central Continent City.
Liu Xueqing didn’t leave behind any parting words, but all of the Yunqin officials in Thousand Leaf Pass felt that he absolutely must be buried in Central Continent City’s national grave like Yunqin’s other outstanding ministers, to be paid homage to by later generations.
Regarding their judgment towards whether an official is good or bad, Yunqin’s people had their own thoughts. Wherever the group that transported Liu Xueqing passed, there would be sounds of grief. Countless Yunqin people dressed in white lined both sides of the street.
The extremely pale faced Lin Xi walked out from one of the carriages. He stood at the head of the carriage, watching as ritual money burnt for the dead fluttered about, as the white clothed Yunqin people lined the streets. He remained silent for a moment, and then walked into an ordinary small peasant family courtyard.
This small courtyard located in a certain village in South Tomb Province was extremely ordinary. Some chinese roses grew along the walls within the courtyard, the dirt in the courtyard growing some chives and scallions. However, within the courtyard sat an extremely thin lipped, extremely beautiful woman.
This woman looked at Lin Xi who pushed open the door and entered. After remaining silent for a bit, she revealed a slight smile, a rather somber smile. “Regarding my request to meet with you, you didn’t find it unexpected at all?”
Lin Xi calmly looked at this beautiful Yunqin Imperial Princess. He sat down in front of her, releasing a chuckle, and then said with a nod of his head, “If I were to say that there was anything unexpected… Regarding some of your arrangements in Thousand Leaf Pass, I indeed already made some plans. However, since you still did something for Green Luan Academy, since you already came and wished to meet with me, I naturally wouldn’t find it all that odd.”
“I know why Liu Xueqing chose to end his own life.” Yunqin’s Imperial Princess Changsun Muyue’s eyes became slightly red as she slowly said, “Actually, I deserve to die even more.”
Lin Xi could understand her emotions. He also understood even more that what the other party needed crucially right now was consolation, but he still couldn’t hold himself back, saying with a bit of mockery, “Even if you died, the emperor will still only have some more resentment towards not being able to obtain you, he probably wouldn’t even shed any tears for you. If you appeared before him right now, he might only wish to do some crazy things to you before you died.”
Yunqin’s Imperial Princess hung her head. She knew that what Lin Xi said was correct, which was why she momentarily couldn’t utter a single word.
Lin Xi looked at her. He thought back to those things from a few years back.
If it wasn’t for Changsun Muyue, he wouldn’t have participated in Green Luan Academy’s entrance examination. Even though he still had a chance of becoming a cultivator, he might not have met Gao Yanan, might not have met Jiang Xiaoyi, Li Kaiyun… That was why Changsun Muyue also changed his life.
From a certain perspective, it was also equivalent to Changsun Muyue personally driving Central Continent Imperial City’s Yuqin Emperor to the end of the road.
Only, he similarly thought of all of those people he would never meet again, thought of Liu Xueqing, this spine of Yunqin whose aspirations should have unfolded greatly, yet he ended his life in pain, his heart instead became even colder and harder. He looked at Changsun Muyue seriously, quietly saying, “You should understand the emperor even better than me, you probably feel even more disappointment and despair towards him, or else you wouldn’t have fled Central Continent City, ultimately choosing to stand by our side. That is why you should not further plead with me for some things you cannot bear to see, asking me to do something I don’t want to.”
Lin Xi’s attitude seemed a bit too cold. However, Changsun Muyue who raised her head to look at Lin Xi instead understood that it was precisely because Lin Xi wasn’t as cold and indifferent as some people that he would be so resolute at this time. As such, she took a deep breath, exhaled, and then nodded. She did her best to retain a calm expression as she looked at Lin Xi, asking, “What do you plan to do now?”
…
“What do you plan to do now?”
This was quite the vague question, there were many different aspects from which this question could be replied to. However, because she was Yunqin’s Imperial Princess and this world of cultivation was already Lin Xi’s age, this question could only be about the most important subject, a question pertaining to this empire.
“You aren’t as fickle as those outside describe you as.”
When facing Changsun Muyue’s question, Lin Xi couldn’t help but seriously say this, and then he continued, “If Changsun Clan is allowed to take the place of Changsun Clan, the least amount of people will die in Yunqin. That is why if you are willing to pay the price, wish for all of Yunqin’s people to live in peace and prosperity, moreover forever possess the courage to seek true glory, I will choose to let him give you the position of emperor.”
Changsun Muyue’s eyelashes trembled fiercely. Her voice trembled slightly as she said, “Why not you or someone from the academy?”
Lin Xi calmly looked at her and said, “That should be the thoughts of the emperor and the secular world. Even Purgatory Mountain Patriarch wouldn’t be interested in sitting on the dragon throne himself. I always felt like this world has too many beautiful places, so even if I am just a peacefully travelling tourist, it will be more interesting than tying myself down to the dragon throne. I always felt like ensuring that all of Yunqin’s people have food to eat, that they can live a good life, that they can continue to praise you is quite the heavy burden, quite the exhausting task. I cannot imagine why anyone would fight to the death for this type of dragon throne and then try to seize an even greater throne.”
“I can believe that your way of thinking is different from ordinary people’s, or perhaps most people in Green Luan Academy will find it beneath them to join in these secular things.” Changsun Muyue looked Lin Xi in the eyes and said, “However, the point at which Central Continent Imperial City has always opposed Green Luan Academy over is precisely over the fact that Green Luan Academy has always been changing this world’s way of thinking, including our views over imperial power.”
“Even you yourself don’t believe that Changsun Clan is the ruler of Yunqin forever appointed by the heavens. Principal Zhang also does not believe that there is anyone who is naturally above others, where they can even decide the lives and deaths of others.” Lin Xi chuckled and said “Green Luan Academy has indeed changed this world’s way of thinking, but I can understand everything Principal Zhang has done. I will also adopt something similar to him, a similar gentle approach of slowly changing this world. What you need to do is make Yunqin Empire better and better, make all of Yunqin’s people feel like this is an empire with hope, an empire worth defending with their lives.”
After saying this, Lin Xi put away his smile, turning to look outside the window. He quietly added, “That is why he was just like Liu Xueqing, all of Yunqin’s people view him as a great official, respect him, admire him, yet in his entire life, he always viewed himself as Yunqin’s servant.”
Changsun Muyue thought for a bit. She wanted to say something, but she found it a bit hard to speak.
“Do not think too far.” Lin Xi could tell what she was thinking. He seriously said, “Do not try to think of what might happen far into the future. We live in the present, and not in the future. It is enough as long as we consider what we should do now.”
Changsun Muyue was a bit weak. She was always quite the strong individual. Even though time hadn’t left too many traces on her face, her real age was instead much greater than Lin Xi’s. Only, right now, in front of Lin Xi, she instead seemed like she was younger than Lin Xi, like an even weaker little girl.
She lowered her head, remaining silent for a long time. She bit her lips, asking a bit timidly, “If he isn’t willing to give up the throne, then… what will you do?”
“I will kill him.” Lin Xi definitely wouldn’t give her any room to fantasize. After decisively and resolutely saying this, he then said, “What you need to prepare is how to reduce the repercussions after I kill him, how to change Yunqin into a gentler place where fewer people will die.”
Changsun Muyue said with a trembling voice, “Can you give him a bit of time? Perhaps he might repent and make some changes.”
“Right now, I am not in a rush at all.”
Lin Xi laughed, laughing in an extremely relaxed manner. “Most of my enemies have died, the great enemies who have a chance of destroying Green Luan Academy are pretty much all gone as well… I have never felt like I had so much time. Starting from now, I don’t need to conceal myself and hurry to some place, I don’t need to be in a rush to do things. It is to the extent where I have a lot of time to do absolutely nothing. Moreover, I need a lot of time to increase my cultivation a bit. This way, even if I face him alone, I will have the strength to kill him.”