Chapter 1452: Chapter 39: Pain and Wounds (Part 3)
"Your plan for salvation has caused the deaths of millions in the Country, and you’ve been so manipulated by Situ Yi that you even lost your memory for a time. Now that you have your memory and strength back, you’re still getting enraged by someone as insignificant as me!" Chi Zijing roared, "Lack wisdom, lack scheming, if someone like you were to become the ruler of the world, then the world is truly doomed!"
Strangely enough, at this moment Chi Zijing surprisingly possesses a power capable of challenging the Hidden Law Master... His fist carries both sorrow and resentment, and emotions that do not belong to him. His strength is fueled by emotions. These emotions originate not only from Chi Zijing’s personal setbacks, but also from the things he’s been "watching"...
"You have your pain and sorrow; do you think being Emperor over the years meant living happily?"
With a furious shout and a punch, the Hidden Law Master took a step back. Chi Zijing reached into his bosom and pulled out a blood-stained "notebook." This notebook had already been shattered in the previous battle, with old pages stained red with blood, bearing scribbled words:
"Another battle has ended, went to award the soldiers. Seeing their proud and worshipful eyes, I felt a pang in my heart, making me feel unworthy of living..."
"After much thought, I decided to relax the restrictions for the inner circle of the Imperial Academy. Having already left my homeland, I can no longer force others to give up."
"Ten years without leaving the palace, I long for the snowy landscape of the Capital."
"Dreamt that I was buried under bones, woke up in shock. It feels like the path of an executioner."
"Less than 5 years to ’crisis’, need to push the world to become stronger..."
"Yearning for the ignorant days of old, I would rather spend a lifetime as a child."
Every letter and sentence is filled with deep pain and melancholy; the struggles of the recorder leap off the pages. Naturally, this is not Chi Zijing’s diary; what he’s been watching all along is the journal of Emperor Chong Xiao.
"You ask me why I fight against you?" Chi Zijing clenched his fist tightly, two streams of tears flowing down his cheeks, "You, Hidden Law Master, have your hatred, while we, the Red Emperor’s imperial family, have equivalent scars. You want to save the world, while we’ve been protecting this realm for two thousand years! If we fall here, won’t the efforts of my ancestors be wasted?! What about the sacrifices of our past Imperial Family!"
I have no reason to fall before you... I will absolutely not be defeated by your mere illusion!"
Chi Zijing threw a punch! Propelled by sorrow and pain not lesser than that of the Hidden Law Master, Chi Zijing’s punch could now explode with several times the force than before. No longer underestimating the Crown Prince, the Hidden Law Master also struck with full force, using Conquest Sky Fist against Conquest Sky Fist, deploying his ultimate realm to ensure Chi Zijing’s certain demise with no possibility of survival, it was an inevitable fatal blow.
"Heaven-returning strength, ultimate realm, Red Emperor’s Conquest Sky Fist!"
The Hidden Law Master’s realm erupted at this moment, revealing the absolute difference between strength and weakness. Chi Zijing felt like he was a mere mortal standing upon the earth, while his opponent was high above in the distant sky. As he swung his fist towards his adversary, it felt like punching the sky, an unreachable and unattainable force. The sky was the origin of all things, causing even the wind of his punch to become the enemy’s sustenance.
Unreachable, incomprehensible, the enemy is a supreme being walking upon the heavens, whose realm is named "Transcendental Heavenly Walk," created by a visitor beyond the sky, the very origin of martial arts in the Mortal World!
The outcome was decided in an instant; Chi Zijing was undoubtedly defeated, he didn’t even put up any defense, allowing his body to be pierced by the Hidden Law Master. In his final moment, he raised his right arm, his right fist clutching a blood-stained page, gripping the journal of Emperor Chong Xiao.
"Don’t be afraid..." Chi Zijing murmured softly, "The Emperor will... protect the Empire."
Facing death, he still uttered this lie, a false promise not even trusted by young children. Yet, Chi Zijing’s expression was so earnest, so serious, like a fervent believer reciting a doctrine he would carry for life. That frail voice echoed through the palace, prompting a somber response.
"Don’t be afraid!" Chi Zijing shouted at the top of his lungs, "The Emperor will protect the Empire!"
That voice, transmitted through the palace’s array to the Capital, lifted the heads of the panic-stricken people. The voice stirred their memories, awakening ingrained beliefs. The entire Divine Capital City heard his thunderous roar.
The Hidden Law Master frowned, his fist’s force erupted, ready to annihilate the foolish Crown Prince completely. Yet, Chi Zijing somehow did not yield, did not die. Enduring the strike that pierced through his chest, he swung another punch towards the Hidden Law Master. This time, his Conquest Sky Fist was deep and mysterious, the application of force reached extreme profundity, yet this punch did not come from the Source Dragon Realm but from the same realm as the Hidden Law Master...
Martial Arts Eternal Principle, ultimate realm!
"You?!"
The Hidden Law Master suddenly raised his head, the man on the throne remained silent, yet his son unleashed power unique to him. That power was immense, magnificent, and solemn, not a mere Crown Prince’s punch, the overwhelming punch-intention belonged to an emperor who ruled the Mortal World.
"Ha—!!"
Qi Force exploded, power surged, in an instant, Chi Zijing’s punch erupted with double the force than before. He shocking shattered the opponent’s punching momentum, landed a direct blow to the Hidden Law Master’s heart, sending him retreating several steps. Behind him appeared another tall and rugged figure, phantom-like, translucent yet brimming with indomitable spirit.
The Emperor will protect the Empire; that’s the greatest lie nationwide.
The Emperor cannot protect the Empire. The man on the throne cannot even preserve himself. Emperor Yong Guang is not the symbol of peace; they are the culprits who instigate chaos. Yet people believe so deeply, believing the Emperor will emerge in times of crisis, rescuing the populace from calamity. Thus, the lie is passed from generation to generation, falsehood etched into hearts, dreams born from unwavering belief.
Today, the dreamer is about to turn falsehood into reality!
The distant Hidden Law Master looked up suddenly; at this moment, he finally understood Chi Zijing’s plan, grasped the true intention of the Emperor "vessel." He resolved to swiftly deal with the formidable enemy before him. Yet simultaneously, from the fictitious history, Jihui Bureau drew its sword, nonexistent memories arrived in the minds of many witnesses.
This sudden memory made the Hidden Law Master’s actions slow for a moment, and the opportunity emerging from the dissolution of the fictitious history enabled the man on the throne to open his eyes. His eyes carried battle intent, a fire of civilization burning eternally.
The illusionary translucent figure solidified, his hair turning vivid blood-red, clothes as dark as the depths of the universe. He stood behind Chi Zijing, and together with the Crown Prince, they clenched their fists, attacking together, their punches simultaneously smashing the black sword, sending the Hidden Law Master flying out of the Imperial Palace!
Chi Zijing retracted his punch, slowly breathing. His battered body rapidly recovered, blood flowed back into his veins, wounds healed as if new, robust torso was "reconstructed" by the mighty force of martial arts. A hand full of calluses rested on Chi Zijing’s shoulder, the hand belonged to another Emperor Chong Xiao summoned.
The dreamer’s power was merely to turn fiction into reality, counterfeit will inevitably fall short of truth. Yet when the true martial arts intent infused into this false body, when Emperor Chong Xiao poured his life into it, this lie became the real Chi Chongxiao... An Emperor Chong Xiao who need not leave his throne to seal, yet can stand for the Empire in battle!
"Well done, Zijing," Chi Chongxiao said, "Now, let’s fight together!"
Taiqing Palace collapsed with the man’s furious shout, Emperor Chong Xiao and the Crown Prince flew towards the lunar surface’s far side. Their foe stood upon a headless dragon’s body, back facing the azure planet. The battle intent of both parties clashed in the vacuum, crimson Qi Force raging, initiating a battle that would decide the Empire’s fate!
