Chapter 56 Who do you think is the culprit in the Black Mountain...?
Two figures walked over from outside the tent. Pei Yuan's stiff face finally broke into a smile, and he said impatiently, "Since you're here, come in quickly."
The bright yellow hem of her robe peeked out from under her cloak. Her face remained stubbornly upright, as if she were terrified, yet she refused to lose her composure, her back ramrod straight.
Pei Yuan showed an unusual friendliness, stepped forward and said, "Don't be afraid, raise your head."
Sure enough, he saw a pair of frightened eyes, scrutinizing him like a predator eyeing its prey. The predator seemed somewhat dissatisfied with the thin, frail figure, but he had no other choice at the moment.
This is the only one of his bloodlines left.
The deputy general knew things were over when he saw the newcomer, but surprisingly, Pei Yuan didn't get angry.
"She's a well-behaved child."
The sense of unease intensified, and the lieutenant whispered a reminder: "General, this person is not His Majesty, but a eunuch from His Majesty's side. They... they actually switched the prince with a cat! I'll send someone to find His Majesty right away."
His kind facade instantly crumbled, and Pei Yuan's face contorted into a ferocious expression. "You are not my son."
Pei Yuan scratched the eunuch's neck with his fingernail, then scooped up a sliver of blood with his fingertip and put it in his mouth.
That face became even more sinister and terrifying. "You really are not of my blood. You lowly creature dare to impersonate a prince."
The young eunuch was so frightened by his strange behavior that he retreated step by step, but Pei Yuan did not let him go. With a swift stroke, the bright yellow dragon robe was instantly stained with blood.
"No one but me is qualified to wear the dragon robe."
The smell of blood was so strong it was pungent, making the lieutenant feel nauseous. Pei Yuan, however, licked his lips as he watched in fear. Suddenly, those gloomy eyes looked over at him.
Are you afraid of me?
"No, I wouldn't dare. It's just that a mere eunuch shouldn't require the general to do it personally."
As the deputy general who had been by the general's side for many years, he was absolutely certain that the general had changed, but he could not say it outright; the fate of the little eunuch was a clear example.
He took a step back, avoiding the blood that was about to reach his feet, and desperately wanted to leave. "General, please calm down. I will bring His Majesty here in person."
"Boom—"
The explosion resounded through the sky, and the towering flames illuminated the heavens like daylight, causing screams to erupt across the mountain.
Pei Yuan looked terrified and retreated into the darkness. "What happened?"
There were constant exclamations from outside.
"It melted and exploded!"
"Someone blew up the furnace! All the prisoners escaped, what if the things inside escape?"
"I see those petty thieves! Catch them!"
Pei Yuan lifted the tent flap; the flames from the explosion had subsided. His eerie eyes looked down from the high place and roared, "Capture him alive!"
Wen Qianchu, dragging her ailing body, was being supported by the two men. Not wanting to be a burden to them, she shook off their hands and said, "You should leave. You won't be able to escape if you take me with you."
Zang Yu: "After making such a commotion, do you really think we can get away with it!"
"Of course you can't leave."
The heavy clatter of armor drew closer. Pei Yuan took off his helmet and tossed it aside. His gaze lingered on Xiao Wenxin for a moment before finally settling on Wen Qianchu's face.
"As expected of someone with the Wen family bloodline, this face is exactly the one I imagined."
The cold fingers touched her face, and Wen Qianchu felt extremely disgusted. She slapped them away and said, "If you want to kill me, then kill me. Don't touch me with your disgusting hands."
"Hahaha--"
Pei Yuan laughed uncontrollably, "Why would I kill you?"
Wen Qianchu said, "I thought your Pei family were loyal subjects, but it turns out they've long been no different from Prince Li's faction. Today you're using human lives to refine gold, so even if I go to the Yellow Springs, I'll take you with me."
The dagger hidden in his sleeve plunged into Pei Yuan's throat. No one could react in time, and they stood frozen in place, unable to make a move.
Contrary to expectations of a bloody scene, the deep stab of the dagger did not draw a single drop of blood from Pei Yuan's neck, nor did it cause him any sign of pain.
His smile was exaggerated and twisted. He reached out and pulled out the dagger, leaving only an empty hole in his neck. "You think you can kill me with just a dagger?"
The deputy general standing beside him saw everything clearly, and cold sweat poured down his forehead. This person was indeed not General Pei. He had been eaten away by those insects, just like the soldier who stole the gold.
He silently reached for the torch behind him, but before he could throw it, he was stabbed in return with a sword.
"How dare a mere mortal slay a dragon? I am the eternal king who will last for a thousand generations."
Wen Qianchu: "You are not Pei Yuan, you are... the deceased late emperor?"
Despite the terrifying speculation, his intuition told him that the person in front of him was the one who was supposed to die in the tomb.
“You guessed right, I think I should give you a reward.” Wen Qianchu was being choked by him, and he watched helplessly as the person in front of him pried open his mouth. Countless insects crawled out of that terrifyingly wide-open mouth and all gathered on his body.
Pei Yuan's body fell down with that hollow thud, his entire body instantly shriveling up like a dehydrated shell.
A gloomy aura, like a black dragon, climbed over him. "Don't worry, I've been reborn in your body, so naturally I won't let those people continue to bully you. I will help you get everything back."
"Don't even think about it. I'd rather die than be your puppet."
Wen Qianchu desperately tried to choke himself, but slowly, his body lost control. The dark figure hovering above his head resembled a puppeteer prying his fingers apart one by one, until he could no longer speak.
At this moment, he was like a real puppet, completely controlled from soul to body.
Only in those eyes, struggling against despair, did the last tear of freedom fall.
The soldiers looked more terrified than if they had seen a ghost. The weapons in their hands trembled. General Pei was dead, and even his deputy was dead. How could they possibly resist?
They shouldn't take what belonged to the late emperor; no one can take away what belonged to the late emperor.
A rocket flew over but didn't burn Wen Qianchu. Its eyes were fixed on the sky, where Pei Shu stood above everyone.
Everyone seemed to see hope again, "Young General Pei."
“He is afraid of fire, burn him with fire.”
Before everyone could react, the person in front of them suddenly disappeared. When he reappeared, he was already standing behind Pei Shu, with one hand on Pei Shu's back and the insects on his fingertips snarling at Pei Shu. The others holding rockets also felt as if they were being torn apart.
Something has burrowed into their bodies and is slowly eating them.
The black dragon coiled above Wen Qianchu's head, looking down.
"Ants, how can they resist?"
A melodious flute tune filled the air, bringing a sense of peace and tranquility. The insects that had been crawling towards Pei Shu retreated back into Wen Qianchu's body, and the person on the ground who had been suffering also regained their composure.
The black dragon roared, "Stop making so much noise!!"
The flute music continued, and the black aura surrounding Wen Qianchu gradually subsided, allowing his soul to break free from his body and finally regain control of it.
Zang Yu finally understood that the old emperor had been waiting for the golden cicada to shed its shell and be reborn in a body with his blood flowing through it. The treasures in the imperial tomb were his own property, not a gift left to future generations.
Even if these things have drained the blood of countless people, he will still firmly possess them and accompany him in his eternal empire.
But no dynasty has ever lasted a thousand years.
Someone will always take up the sword and slay the dragon.
Wen Qianchu supported herself, breathing heavily like someone who had just been rescued from drowning.
He felt no relief at surviving the ordeal. The things inside his body were merely temporarily hidden, and once he awoke, they would drag his soul down to become an eternal puppet.
Pei Shu, now free, jumped down and looked at Cang Yu, asking, "Is there any way to save these people?"
Zang Yu put down his flute, "Unless someone is willing to sacrifice themselves for them, to exchange their life for theirs."
On the high platform, the moon, obscured by dark clouds, shone through. Wen Qianchu reached out to catch it, but the moonlight only lingered for a moment before being mercilessly swallowed up. He closed his eyes and chuckled softly, as if talking to the person inside his body.
"You think I'm afraid of death and would willingly become a puppet to be used by you? Hahaha, do you think you've won? I, Wen Qianchu, will never be anyone's puppet!"
The furnace beneath his feet had shattered, but the embers of the burning coals were still scorching hot. Wen Qianchu leaped down, laughing wildly.
"If you want to trap me, then die with me."
Wen Qianchu had never laughed like this before. From childhood, he had been like a caged bird, confined to a small world. Outside the palace walls, people cursed him, while inside, Prince Li indulged in sensual pleasures.
He was merely a tool for the king to exercise his royal power, and had no choice but to escape.
Now, it's all over.
He wanted the Wen family's eternal legacy to be burned to ashes.
The flames engulfed everything, and no one could recover their senses.
The new emperor is dead; all the emperors of the Wen family are now dead.
"idiot!"
The black dragon that controlled Wen Qianchu roared out of his body in a rage, watching the shell be destroyed.
The insects that had gathered into a black dragon dispersed, turning into round beans that rolled everywhere.
"No one can kill me. If you are unwilling to serve me, then let your flesh and blood be buried with me in the imperial mausoleum."
The beans rolled to Cang Yu's feet, which didn't surprise him. Having lost the chance to come back from the dead, how could they not seek revenge?
Zang Yu pinched his finger, seemingly accidentally, and the faint smell of blood was extremely tempting. All the rustling sounds turned their heads to approach him.
Everyone looked around warily, and when they looked up again, the black dragon was already coiled on top of Cang Yu's head.
"Kid, I never realized your flesh and blood were so delicious. I should have made you the first dish to accompany my drinks."
Instead of showing any fear, Zang Yu smiled and said, "Go ahead and try."
He slowly and carefully sealed and wrapped the wound on his fingertip, ensuring there was no way to escape.
As a gnawing pain shot through his chest, the black dragon lost one of its claws.
"Why...can't I eat your flesh and blood?"
For the black dragon, the man's flesh and blood were extremely tempting, but eating them was like consuming poison. He immediately wanted to abandon the body, but found that he couldn't get out at all.
"You did this on purpose!" Black Dragon roared. "You think you can control me with your body? Let me out, or you'll regret it."
The things inside her body were surging and crashing, and Cangyu could barely stand. She picked up her flute.
"The Wen family's emperor must die. I've been waiting for this opportunity for far too long."
He played his flute to calm the turmoil within him and slowly walked toward the imperial mausoleum.
Several soldiers who had been bitten by insects followed him, kneeling and pleading.
"Since you can control these worms, please save me. Take the worms out of my body too."
"Please, please."
Zang Yu remained unmoved, merely watching them coldly.
Despair, these people shouted like madmen:
"Since you're going to die anyway, why don't you save our lives while you're at it?"
Someone came over with a knife. "You only need to bleed a little to lure the bugs off us. Why are you unwilling?"
A precious knee, a hypocritical pleas for mercy—why should one expect others to sacrifice themselves willingly?
Any act of charity that is not voluntary is unreasonable, no matter how small.
The flute music stopped, and the sarcasm in Cangyu's eyes made the group stop in their tracks.
“I’ve seen plenty of moral blackmail, but I’m sorry, I’m not one to talk about morality.” He countered, “The worms inside you could crawl onto other people at any time. Why don’t you sacrifice your own lives for the safety of others?”
The group was speechless.
They broke off all pretense and charged towards Cangyu. Pei Shu raised an arrow and shot one of them, followed by a barrage of arrows falling from the sky.
The sound of orderly footsteps echoed continuously, and someone exclaimed, "It's General Pei Yang!"
The newcomer had a resolute face. Looking at the already dead emperor, he cursed loudly: "That idiot Pei Yuan actually harbored treacherous intentions. He thought that by kidnapping the emperor, he could establish himself as king. He is leading our entire Pei family into a mountain of knives and a sea of fire."
He knelt before the furnace and kowtowed: "Your Majesty, I have failed you."
The Pei family remained neutral on the surface but secretly supported the new emperor, yet they ultimately betrayed His Majesty's trust.
Pei Yang finally stood up, leaning on his sword. "When Prince Li heard the news about the imperial tombs, he led his troops over. We must not let them take the treasures from the imperial tombs."
Someone said fearfully, "But it's full of those kinds of insects, and the insect demon has possessed that kid."
Pei Yang: "I am aware of the strangeness of this place. Since it is something that is destined to be undesirable by heaven, then let's seal this mountain off."
Seeing that Pei Shu hadn't moved, he reminded her, "Pei Shu, what are you waiting for?"
Pei Shu: "Uncle, I..."
Pei Yang saw the boy's skin throbbing incessantly in the cave and said to him, "I'm sorry."
As kerosene was poured into the hall, Pei Yang's voice urged in his ear, "Pei Shu, when did you become so indecisive? Do you really think he's still alive?"
Pei Shu had honed his skills on the battlefield for many years, never hesitating to strike with his sword. The situation was clear, and the most important decision was already in his mind, but he just couldn't bring himself to raise his bow and arrow.
He murmured, "Is there any other way? Just in case."
No one responded to him.
He heard the shouts of the soldiers around him: "Young General, make your move! His Majesty is dead, our brothers are dead, how many more people will die?"
Pei Shu raised her hand but couldn't decide for a long time, and the eyes of those watching her grew disappointed.
For a general, losing something is a serious mistake.
Pei Yang grew increasingly disappointed. He thought Pei Shu understood that he was doing this to help him regain what he had lost from his father.
Using his back as cover, he helped Pei Shu push, and the fire instantly engulfed the palace gate.
"The damn bug is finally dead."
The cheers behind her were so loud that Pei Shu suddenly couldn't breathe.
The cave entrance was sealed off, and the entire Black Mountain was reduced to ashes. The fire illuminated the entire sky, and nothing else would escape.
There wasn't a single living creature on the entire mountain.
At the same time, on Black Mountain, the water mirror rippled, and everyone clearly saw Chu Shu aiming an arrow at Xu Cangyu as if she had lost her soul.
Third Elder: "What is he doing? Has he gone mad?! Why is your Wumen technique so evil?"
Wen Qianchu's eyes were icy: "Your disciple is weak-willed and can only blame others for falling into the illusion. If he really makes a move, I will personally take his life."
Everyone was unaware of what had happened, except for the three people inside the cave. But with a whooshing sound of an arrow flying out, the water mirror shattered completely.
Wen Qianchu was incredulous and slapped the eight-tailed fox next to her. "If you hadn't stopped me, how could he have been in danger?"
You Fengchun sneered: "Sect Master Wen, don't be too confident in everything. Do you think you can stay out of it? A thousand years ago, the last emperor burned himself and became a wandering ghost. Now, you are about to become a ghost immortal. Congratulations! But I will never allow you to use him as a stepping stone to achieve your goal."
"Who do you think is the calamity about to be born here? Your restless father?"
"What...what do you mean?" An ominous suspicion arose in Wen Qianchu's mind. He dared not think any further. If the calamity here wasn't the Black Dragon, then it was...
Who exactly are you?
You Fengchun's tail swayed in front of him. "It's been a thousand years. I suppose there are some things you have indeed forgotten."
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