Chapter 117 - 84: The Arrival of the Muddy World Immortal
Chapter 117: Chapter 84: The Arrival of the Muddy World Immortal
Su Chen didn’t know how strong a Grand First Grade was. Perhaps it could be called the strongest beneath the Innate realm.
Or perhaps, it was comparable to the Innate realm.
Without a fight, no one could ever be sure.
"Grow well."
Su Chen patted the Spirit Seed. Leaving no trace in the snow, he headed out of the palace. But just as he stepped out of the Library Pavilion, he saw a red sedan chair approaching from a distance.
A familiar figure.
But with a head of white hair and an aged face, Su Chen almost didn’t recognize him.
The man, dressed in a grand red robe, walked past Su Chen and entered the Library Pavilion alone, his eyes dazed.
It was Yum Zhong.
He was once the Chief Steward of the Western Depot, and now, he basked in endless glory. He was Emperor Jie’s favorite, held the position of Seal Master, and stood at the apex of the eunuch hierarchy.
"Back when Chief Steward Ye was still around, the Military Supervision Bureau, along with the various powers of Old Liang, wanted to support Prince Jie—the one with the Xuanlong Decree—in his ascension..."
"Master Su, was I wrong to do it?"
"But..."
"The people are at peace."
"Isn’t that what you always wanted?"
Yum Zhong was filled with sorrow. Inside the Library Pavilion, he stood by that deck chair as if to serve, lighting the stove to boil water for tea. But the person who belonged in that chair would never return.
He poured the clear tea.
Cup after cup.
The water grew cold.
The night deepened.
Su Chen hadn’t left. He stood in the wind and snow, merging with the world around him. He opened his mouth, but didn’t know what to say.
He simply watched Yum Zhong.
"Master Su, in the end, your little Zhong was just too useless. I couldn’t keep up with you."
"I couldn’t even break through to the Grandmaster realm..."
Yum Zhong sat in the deck chair, recounting trivial matters, as if the lazy Little Black-robed Eunuch was still sitting there, just like during the Tianwu Period.
Su Chen stood beside him, listening intently.
Yum Zhong didn’t know.
The person he longed to see was right beside him.
Finally, Yum Zhong burst into tears.
"Master Su, do you know?"
"Jie!"
"He killed Cyan Sparrow..."
"And I... I actually used your name to support him, helping him secure his throne over the Liang People’s world."
Su Chen fell silent.
Cyan Sparrow.
Even after six years, he still remembered her.
She was a chattering young woman, truly like her namesake.
A foolish girl who actually believed his nonsense, believed he was just an ordinary Eunuch.
Whatever nonsense he spouted, she was willing to believe it.
A girl who wanted to protect him, the Wind Snow Sword Immortal, the greatest cultivator in the world.
He was lost in a memory.
He was back on that night.
Before the tomb.
A heavy downpour.
He held an umbrella for the girl.
The girl had grasped his hand, her eyes helpless, as if to say, ’Don’t abandon me. You’re all I have.’
’So, Jie killed her?’
’Why?’
’Was it all for the dragon throne?’
’Jie isn’t that kind of person.’
Su Chen wanted to say that.
But.
A wave of sorrow washed over his heart.
It turned out this Cyan Sparrow had held such a significant place in his heart.
"Master Su!"
"The Western Depot was the sword Lord Xu left for you, but I failed to use it to strike down those who harmed you..."
Yum Zhong wept in anguish.
There was no rain.
But he was shedding tears.
Yum Zhong was dying!
He had wanted so badly to catch up to Su Chen.
Unfortunately.
His aptitude was poor. He had relied on half a Thousand-year-old Ginseng to advance from Third Grade to First Grade. Six years had passed, and the Peak was his absolute limit.
He had attempted to break through to the Grandmaster realm.
His True Essence was depleted.
His five organs were all failing.
The thirty-some years he had left were cut in half, and then in half again.
"The world is stable. It’s good that he is the Emperor..."
The Tree Whiskers stirred.
The Muddy World Profound Robe, the immortal-like youth, reappeared in his old haunt of the Library Pavilion. He walked over and looked at the man who was his age but looked like he had one foot in the grave, and patted him on the shoulder.
"I never blamed you either."
Longevity True Qi nourished Yum Zhong’s incredibly weak body. Although it couldn’t extend his lifespan, it would allow him to live out his remaining days in peace.
"You are not Xu Han, nor are you Zhang Gui. You don’t need to take care of me. Just be yourself."
After a long while, there was no more movement in the Library Pavilion.
Outside, a few eunuchs, worried about Eunuch Yum, barged in without permission. They startled Yum Zhong, who was asleep in the deck chair, his face stained with tears.
"I... I had such a realistic dream."
Yum Zhong smiled.
But his tears wouldn’t stop.
’Was it really a dream?’
He didn’t know.
Su Chen had left.
He wanted to return to the apothecary.
But the Imperial Palace was too large. As he walked, he got lost and found himself before a gate guarded by the Forbidden Guard.
This place was called the Imperial Study.
He wanted to leave.
But.
His heart wouldn’t allow it.
Tonight.
There was no wind, no snow.
Su Chen waited and waited. He wanted to wait for Emperor Jie to come out of the Imperial Study so he could shout and demand to know why he had killed Cyan Sparrow.
However.
He never got the chance.
「In the Imperial Study.」
The lamps were brightly lit!
Emperor Jie was reviewing memorials.
"Your Majesty, regarding the floods in Nanyang Commandery, more than half of the allocated silver taels have been embezzled. There are also officials colluding with bandits, selling disaster victims to Demon Mountain..."
"Execute them!"
Emperor Jie said.
"But, the Governor of Nanyang is the blood brother of the Empress, the mother of the Emperor’s Son. To execute him would likely..."
"Execute them!"
"All the more reason to make an example of him!"
Emperor Jie was cold and detached.
He dealt with the court’s affairs, one memorial after another.
’At first, I became Emperor only to reach the peak of the Immortal Dao.’
’But.’
’Now.’
’Now, hope has been rekindled. I want one person to acknowledge me as the Emperor.’
’That nameless orphan girl died.’
’The court’s Governor and my confidant, General Lei, did it together.’
’By the time I found out, what was done was done.’
’Besides anger...’
’There was also a sliver of happiness.’
’She was dead.’
’Perhaps.’
’Now he could be my friend.’
’For his sake.’
’I decided to be a good Emperor.’
’But.’
’I waited and waited, searched and searched throughout the Imperial Palace, mistaking many Little Black-robed Eunuchs for him, but I never saw him again.’
’That person likes a good show.’
’So I let the assassins from Old Zhou carry out their Cidi, putting on a great spectacle for him. Unfortunately, I still couldn’t draw him out.’
"Your Majesty, it is time to rest."
A court official reminded him.
He pointed outside.