Chapter 509 The Great Calamity of Heaven and Earth - To be continued

Those who try to peek into fate are prone to backlash, but if fate has already come to an end, and the inevitable death is the only constant, then what harm is there in peeking into it beforehand?

Their world has reached its end.

Upon understanding Xuanwu's words, a chill ran through everyone's hearts, like needles piercing their bones, leaving them numb and unable to move.

Li Jiancheng's Adam's apple bobbed as his gaze swept over his father and second brother, whose expressions remained unchanged. His voice was slightly hoarse: "You knew all along, didn't you?"

Seeing Li Yuan's tacit agreement, Li Jiancheng curled his lips in self-deprecation. He should have realized it sooner; his father wasn't a very decisive person. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been trying to smooth things over between him and Erlang for so many years.

However, after Erlang ascended the throne, the two of them were surprisingly in sync on the development of spiritual contract studies, and vigorously promoted it without hesitation. Such a spirit of enterprise was strange in itself.

Unless, there is a secret here that threatens the Tang Dynasty, so that the Emperor has no choice but to agree.

After all, what Father Emperor lacked was decisiveness, not courage.

Even though Li Jiancheng had figured it out, he wasn't happy. He had been kept in the dark about such a big thing. What about all his hard work?

Is he just being delusional?

Li Shimin stroked the crimson feathers of the phoenix with his fingertips, noticed the change in Li Jiancheng's expression, and said frankly, "Yes, I already knew."

"The so-called guardian beasts were born in response to the calamity, to protect the Tang Dynasty. However, the calamity was unclear before, so I have never revealed it to outsiders."

This can be considered a tactful explanation to Li Jiancheng. After all, Chengqian was right; it's not a big problem to coax good laborers occasionally.

Li Jiancheng's expression softened slightly. Then, the fire phoenix flicked its tail feathers and said, "There is a great calamity in the world. We didn't know what kind of calamity it was before, but now it seems that it may be a calamity for survival in a small world?"

Now, he had no time to think about anything else, and his gaze involuntarily fell on the pale blue stars on the star map.

"So, where do people in this small world go to survive?"

No one could answer that question; everyone was focused on the star before them, struggling to survive and moving toward an unknown destination with unwavering determination.

The room fell silent. Li Shimin suddenly turned his head and noticed that Li Chengqian was silently shedding tears. He was immediately shocked and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

All eyes turned to him instantly. Seeing the Crown Prince with tears streaming down his face, before they could comfort him, Li Chengqian calmly raised his hand to wipe away the tears, looking not at all like someone who was sad or afraid.

Why are you crying?

"Perhaps it was out of emotion that I was moved. Seeing how hard the little world was trying to change the predetermined ending, I couldn't help but shed tears."

Li Chengqian stared at the stars as he explained, then looked up again, his tearful eyes now holding a sharper edge than ever before. “Your subject does not believe in fate. Father, He has not given up, so we cannot give up either. Man can conquer nature, and the Tang Dynasty can last for ten thousand years.”

No one can stop him from becoming the number one playboy in the Tang Dynasty! Not even the small world itself! The Tang Dynasty cannot be allowed to perish; he has the final say on this matter!

Li Shimin strode forward, his dragon-patterned brocade boots shattering the light and shadow on the ground, and his broad, thick hands tightly grasped his son's cold hand.

The warmth emanating from his palm seemed to infuse courage into his very being. "That's right! Chengqian, rest assured, Father will not give up, and neither will the entire Tang Dynasty. Even if we collide with other worlds, the Tang Dynasty is not afraid!"

Li Shimin believed that offense was a primal survival instinct. Whether it was people or the world, offense was the only choice ingrained in their very being for survival.

Therefore, no matter where the small world goes or what kind of disputes it faces, if the small world and the Tang Dynasty are to survive, they must fight to the very end!

At this moment, everyone present was filled with a strong fighting spirit. Even Li Jiancheng, at this critical moment, did not flinch or hesitate. He was neither fond of fighting nor afraid of it.

Throughout the Tang Dynasty, no one was afraid of battle.

If the world is destined to end, then they will carve out a new path to survival for themselves!

At this moment, the light in the eyes of the emperor and his ministers was enough to pierce through any gloom.

...

The Eastern Palace was so quiet that one could hear the soft crackling of candle wicks. Li Chengqian leaned against the gilded soft couch, his moon-white inner robe hanging loosely over his shoulders, his fingertips casually rubbing the fur of the white tiger Wumo.

What should have been a leisurely and carefree movement made Wu Mo feel as if he were facing a formidable enemy. He even unconsciously held his breath, his whole body tense like a fully drawn bowstring.

"Tell me about it." Li Chengqian's voice was light and airy, carrying a nonchalant yet seductive quality.

Wu Mo's ears instinctively recoiled, and a cautious question escaped his throat: "What did you say?"

Li Chengqian lowered his eyes, a faint smile flashing across them, and looked at Wu Mo with eyes that seemed to see through everything: "Tell me what you've been hiding from me."

The moment the words left his mouth, Wu Mo's body stiffened abruptly, and he stammered, "What could I possibly be hiding from you?"

"You're being naughty." Li Chengqian chuckled, placing his palm on Wumo's little head and patting it lightly.

That seemingly intimate gesture made the hairs on the back of Wu Mo's neck stand on end. "When we were at the Imperial Observatory, you were always squatting by my legs, not saying a word, as if you were afraid of attracting my attention."

Wu Mo tried to appear calm, but his tail nervously swept across the bed: "That's not my forte, and Xuanwu is here..."

Li Chengqian's fingers tapped lightly on the sandalwood table, the "tap tap tap" sound like fine drumbeats, making Wu Mo's heart pound wildly.

“To be honest, using taciturnity to cover up a lack of acting skills is a good idea,” Li Chengqian said with a meaningful smile. “But next time you’re nervous, don’t lean on me, okay? You’re as stiff as a board.”

Wu Mo turned his head away, not daring to meet those all-knowing eyes.

Seeing this, Li Chengqian laughed even more unrestrainedly: "Actually, you've revealed more than just a little bit of your true colors, but I don't care, after all, you're really easy to guess."

He suddenly leaned closer, his warm breath brushing against Wu Mo's earlobe, his fingertips gently stroking the white tiger's fur. "Wu Mo... is this the name I gave you in my past life?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Mo's eyes widened suddenly, his pupils shrinking to the size of pinpoints.

Li Chengqian smiled brightly, "Everyone says you're easy to understand, but it's not surprising. I was born extraordinary, so it's normal that I was extraordinary in my past life as well."

"..." He probably didn't draw any "tsundere", "smug", or "peacock spreading its tail" character settings for his master, right?

Li Chengqian leaned back against the soft pillows, his expression languid and somewhat nonchalant: "I don't care about what happened in my past life, nor do I care what you're here for. But what's important is that you will protect the Tang Dynasty for me, right?"

No one can stop him from becoming the number one playboy in the Tang Dynasty, and no one can remove the word "Tang Dynasty" from his name!

"Yes, yes." Wu Mo nodded vigorously, his attitude extremely sincere.

Li Chengqian nodded in satisfaction and rubbed Wumo's head again. "So, little Wumo, whoever comes along, you'll resolve our karmic ties from these past lives, right? I'll win the world's conflicts, won't I?"

"..." Wu Mo hesitated for a moment. He could handle the others, but his master's own disguise... "Yes, we will win."

Regardless of which world's master wins, it counts as a victory, right?

...

In the eighth year of the Zhenguan era, Bai Ze awoke, the Hun Tian Huang Dao Yi was activated again, and the destination of the small world became clear.

The Tang Dynasty initiated the construction of a nationwide defense project and launched a plan to mobilize the entire population as soldiers.

In the ninth year of the Zhenguan era, the provinces of the Great Tang Dynasty were re-divided based on the distribution of the Spirit Masters, and high city walls were built in various places.

The truth about the world has been revealed, and the entire nation is preparing for war.

In the tenth year of the Zhenguan era, the Great Wall was completed, and the entire territory of the Tang Dynasty was protected.

The celestial ecliptic instrument produced another strange phenomenon: above the Tang Dynasty, everyone witnessed the world colliding.

The Small World Fusion Competition has officially begun.

[Welcome to the arena, Datang 128]