The Word of Heaven

Chapter 349 Great Freedom

For the vast majority of people in this world, living is not difficult.

However, how to live, or rather, how to live happily, is something that is difficult for millions of people in the world to do.

The White Emperor was also one of these people.

Yes, he has rarely had a truly enjoyable time in his life.

It was precisely because he was not happy that he neglected his political affairs all these years, leaving everything to others and sitting quietly by the Jinghai Lake for decades, letting Lin Wanyi's mother become empress step by step, putting on a show for him to relieve his boredom.

That supreme position that countless people dream of was never his dream.

He had never said these words to anyone else.

Whether it's Bai Nanming or anyone else.

For over a hundred years, he sat enthroned in Weiyang Palace, revered by the world as a blazing sun, too powerful to be directly behold, his thoughts filled with mere speculation. Everyone was convinced he was single-mindedly determined to become the unprecedented, godlike ruler, to ensure the Qin Dynasty's eternal existence, and to prevent another dynasty from ever rising again. These speculations were supported by countless pieces of evidence: the title of "Sage," the Qin Dynasty's zenith, and his own words spoken during the Weiyang Palace coup: "Let heaven be heaven, and let the mortal realm be mine..."

These are all true, and they are what the White Emperor wanted to do, because he is His Majesty the Emperor of Qin.

But that's not what he really wants.

Perhaps only Bai Nanming could guess what was going on, but she didn't like to talk, and since he agreed to become emperor that year, he had never thought about these things again, always focusing on doing what he was supposed to do.

The Empress, now residing in the Cold Palace, had once vaguely sensed something.

That's why, during the conversation that took place in the palace after the last summer festival, she was extremely sarcastic towards the White Emperor, and didn't hesitate to speculate about the relationship between the siblings with the greatest malice, casting the blood-related relationship with the most sordid color in the world.

Bai Yingzhou didn't care about those words.

There was kinship, respect, longing, admiration, and a deep bond of mutual dependence amidst the chaos of war between him and Bai Nanming, but for over a hundred years, there had never been even a trace of love between them.

The name Yingzhou refers to a mythical island in the ancient Taoist canon, far removed from the mortal world and worldly affairs.

His father gave him this name, the meaning of which is self-evident: he hoped that his life would be happy and smooth, without being involved in the turbulent currents. However, he eventually took a completely opposite path.

How did things turn out this way?

It didn't take long before the White Emperor began to recall the events as the bells rang.

That's because Bai Nanming didn't want to sit on the throne.

The sage faces south to listen to the world and governs by facing the light.

The throne of the Great Qin should have belonged to Bai Nanming.

This is something that is unknown to most people today.

As the morning and evening bells toll, the dust is wiped away from countless old memories, allowing them to shine with their due brilliance.

The night breeze ruffled the white Emperor's long, gray hair, but his eyes shone even brighter.

Time may bring real aging and wash away a hundred years of past events, but it may also remind us of our original selves.

The White Emperor gazed at the morning and evening bells.

There was no fear in his eyes, not even caution or hesitation, only a serene happiness like drinking fine wine.

What he really wants is very simple.

—Great freedom.

……

……

The White Emperor ascended the steps.

The morning and evening bells are located at the end of the cliff.

Gu Zhuoyi, who came from the desolate wilderness thousands of miles away, quietly looked at Baiyingzhou, as if looking down at the immortals who came to worship the emperor devoutly.

He remained silent, showing no emotion whatsoever at the complex feelings revealed in the eyes of the White Emperor's words.

Facts will not change because of words.

Gu Zhuo's fingers fell.

As the finger falls, the morning and evening bells toll.

The tolling of bells throughout the mountain vanished without a trace in that instant.

This sudden silence created an extremely strong sense of tearing apart in this place.

The night sky and the earth are gradually moving away from each other, returning to the beginning of time, to before.

Created by the sound of bells, the different faces on Baidi Mountain at different times began to merge into one in the process of oblivion.

The pillar of light that reached straight to the sky began to waver.

Countless things, like stardust, fell from it, bursting into flames halfway down and emitting a light as brilliant as the morning sun.

Amidst a sky full of fireworks, the White Emperor walked to the top of the cliff.

The darkness had been dispelled by the light, and he seemed to have gone to a place deep in the clouds, surrounded only by endless whiteness.

Time and space seem to have lost their meaning.

However, this still could not stop the White Emperor from leaving.

Perhaps for a moment, perhaps for a long time.

He approached the morning and evening bells, his gaze finally settling on them, and remained silent.

The ancient Dao patterns flowed with a colorless luster, as if silently narrating the true meaning of the Great Dao, the origin of all things, and the coming and going of heaven and earth.

A long period of silence.

After an unknown amount of time, the White Emperor withdrew his gaze.

He said to Gu Zhuo, "You really were amazing back then."

After saying this, he stretched out his hand and touched the morning and evening bells with his palm.

The moment they met, the silence of this world shattered.

Baidi Mountain began to collapse.

Amidst a deafening roar, the lake water on Tianqiong Peak surged, countless cliffs broke apart, and tombs shattered, exposing coffins and skeletons under the starlight.

The massive array, which had consumed countless human and material resources, shattered, and light and darkness intertwined.

The whole world seemed to be heading towards destruction from that moment on.

Only the place where the White Emperor and the Morning and Evening Bell were located remained intact.

This is nothing but an illusion.

Those who are not at the Feathered Realm cannot witness the cliff undergoing thousands upon thousands of reorganizations in the span of a few breaths.

Only the White Emperor and the Morning and Evening Bell remain unchanged.

Two equally great but different divine souls are using this place as their battlefield, engaging in a direct battle that cannot be seen with the naked eye.

……

……

On the wasteland.

The platform suddenly dropped another ten feet or so, and Gu Zhuo's eyes grew even dimmer.

Like cracks in porcelain, they silently appeared on his cheek, without any blood slowly seeping out, giving it an eerie sense of reality.

This is a sign that his soul is suffering severe damage. Given this undeniable situation, it's clear how difficult Gu Zhuo's current predicament is.

The raging storm showed no sign of abating, and the lightning hidden in the dense clouds grew increasingly rampant. The invisible gaze of Heaven fell upon him, awaiting the moment when the morning and evening bells would be destroyed by the White Emperor.

Just as Gu Zhuo initially judged.

Tonight is a realm of no life.

In this peaceful world where almost all the previous generations have perished, who can change this dead end?
……

……

Chu Jun and Xie Yinglian died without knowing it.

Yu Sheng ordered the deaths of all the patriarchs of the Heavenly Dao Sect.

Lin Wanyi was holding the sign "Wait a minute" as she was about to die.

The wisp of Buddhist Zen thought in the mind of the Immaculate Monk was about to be revived, bringing him death; if death was a raging sea, then Chen Chi would have already plunged into it, running wildly.

Deep within the wilderness, the wild people who emerged from the Peach Blossom Spring in the mountains looked at their kin, who outnumbered them many times over, and decided that persisting in what they wanted to do would inevitably lead to death.

Tonight, all people, things, and events related to Gu Zhuo will be swept up in the torrent of fate, unable to be free, and forced to face life and death.

Death seems to be the end of the night.

This is destiny.

Until, in a daze, someone recalled a sentence.

Or rather, four words.

Live to death.

……

……

A voice, filled with fear, trembled as it rang out from the Yi River.

"Sect Leader... what are you doing?"

The speaker was an elder from the Yi River. His expression was extremely blank, and his eyes were filled with shock.

Wei Qingci was taken aback upon hearing this, and used his sword intent to sense the surroundings.

The Yi River has lost its surging flow; the scattered sword light has reached the river's surface. The mountain gate formation has been cleaved into a tattered robe, or a quilt with loose cotton wadding, no longer able to shield against wind and rain.

He felt a sense of bewilderment, then his gaze became even more resolute, because there was no turning back.

In this silence, more people came to the island in the middle of the river.

Regardless of surname or background, every elder and disciple looked at Wei Qingci, placing their hopes, born of fear, in him, hoping that Wei Qingci would make what was happening at this moment just a nightmare.

Wei Qingci continued to ignore it.

He firmly believed that this was the only correct choice.

Until a sharp and proud voice rang out.

"Are you a sword cultivator?"

Nan Zong crossed the river and, across the fallen flowers, coldly shouted, "Using this to break through to the Ascension Realm? You dare call yourself a sword cultivator?!"

……

……

Inside Cihang Temple.

The old abbot sighed deeply.

What he saw in his cloudy eyes was the smile of the Immaculate Monk.

This is a very young smile.

There was naivety, hesitation, a bit of embarrassment, then a bit of high spirits, and... most importantly, unwavering determination.

"But wasn't I destined to die anyway?"

The young monk scratched his head and said with a smile, "Wouldn't it be better if I died cleanly, so that Buddha wouldn't have to bear the name of a murderer and could be at peace with himself?"

The old abbot lowered his eyes and chanted a Buddhist prayer.

"Uh, actually I'm a bit of an uneducated person."

The Immaculate Monk said with a sincere expression, "I really don't know what you mean by chanting Buddhist mantras at this time. If you think I'm deceiving you... I don't think this is deceiving you."

The young monk looked at the silent old abbot, somewhat embarrassed, and said helplessly, "Alright, I do have my own selfish motives in this matter. Please be a little understanding. I have never won against Chu Jun in my entire life."

"Since I'm going to die anyway, I'd be so happy if I made her owe me a huge favor before I died, a favor I could never repay in this lifetime. I could laugh all the way to the afterlife."

"so……"

"I really can't refuse this."

Even if it means death.

The Immaculate Monk shrugged and made his decision with an extremely smug smile.

……

……

Chen Chi's true essence was exhausted, and his meridians were like cracked earth that had been exposed to the sun for ten years, unlikely to be repaired.

The flying sword fell towards the ground like a kite with a broken string, and he was too weak to sigh, only able to utter a few words of regret in his heart.

Sure enough, it still doesn’t work?
That's all for now.

Chen Chi closed his eyes and fell to the ground with the flying sword, kicking up a little dust.

Where are you going?

A person approached him and asked cautiously.

Chen Chi was too weak to open his eyes, so the man could only force-feed him water and a pill.

In his exhaustion, which was indistinguishable from death, he heard the man introduce himself in a dramatic voice.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, I am a seeker of knowledge."

"That's right, he's the former elite assassin of Wuyou Mountain, Qingxiaoyue's only disciple, the fake director of the Sky Patrol Division who failed to take the position, and the Dao Lord's only confidant."

……

……

The rain poured down violently, striking the barren land with a dull thud, mingling with the thunder.

The fire brought by the airship was still burning, making the scene seem like a dream.

Pei Jingge opened her eyes.

Before drawing her sword, she glanced at Zhao Qi with utter contempt.

then.

The blade flashed as it was drawn from its sheath, like a waterfall flowing backwards, cleaving straight into the sky.

(End of this chapter)