Supreme Golden Palace

Chapter 211 The Falling Sun (Part 2)

"Your subject will certainly not fail your father's expectations,"

Emperor Huai, with a solemn expression, said in a deep voice: "Since I am the son of the Xia Dynasty, I shall inherit the legacy of my ancestor Yu, carry on the long-cherished ambition of my father, the Emperor, safeguard the weight of the Nine Tripods, wield the Emperor's sword, and quell the villains to bring peace to the people!"

The officials below the steps bowed in unison, saying, "We, your subjects, are willing to follow the Emperor's son and protect the Xia Dynasty together."

Di Zhuxia looked at his son, finally smiled and nodded, his laughter filled with relief, and raised his hand to stroke the scabbard of the Xia Yu sword at his waist.

The bronze was slightly cool, with a faint aura of killing intent emanating from it. Di Zhuxia gently pressed his palm on the bronze scabbard, and the Xia Yu sword responded, its low, mournful sound seeming to bid farewell to its master who had been with him for hundreds of years.

"This Xia Yu sword is an ancestral weapon of the Xia dynasty,"

Di Zhuxia said softly, "Today, I will place it into your hands."

He slowly raised his hand and grasped the hilt of the sword. The next moment, the Xia Yu sword suddenly hummed and rose higher, the red mist outside the hall surged more violently, and fine blood rain fell down, hitting the eaves and tiles of the hall, splashing specks of crimson.

Clang!
After the Xia Yu Sword was drawn, a chill filled the Purple Palace. Emperor Zhu Xia grasped the hilt, pointed the sword downwards, and handed it to Emperor Zi Huai.

"Take it, hold on tight!"

Emperor Zihuai gazed at the Xia Yu sword that was handed to him. The bronze blade was cold and sharp, with cloud patterns flowing in the dim light.

Zheng!
When Emperor Zihuai received the Xia Yu Sword from Emperor Zhuxia, the sword suddenly rang out, and all the cloud patterns on its blade lit up. The nine cauldrons roared in unison, and the plants, trees, birds, and beasts on the map of the nine provinces on the cauldrons seemed to come alive. The Vermilion Bird flapped its wings, and the White Tiger roared, harmonizing with the sword's cry.

The officials below held their breath upon hearing the sound of the sword, while Emperor Zhuxia on his throne laughed heartily as he watched his son wielding the sword.

"Very well, very well, my destiny as Empress Xia will not be extinguished."

Before he finished speaking, Di Zhuxia slowly closed his eyes. His twelve-symbol robe remained solemn, but the hidden thunder was no longer present.

The blood rain outside the palace suddenly stopped, and a crimson mist surged into the Purple Palace, overflowing the imperial throne, the Nine Tripods, and the robes of the officials below.

"His Majesty!"

Gao Bo was the first to kowtow, and the officials all bowed down, and a shout arose.

"His Majesty!!"

As the courtiers cheered, golden light swirled within the crimson mist, weaving between the beams and pillars of the Purple Palace. Wherever this light passed, the sun, moon, and star patterns carved on the beams and pillars lit up.

A deep, drum-like tremor emanated from beneath the old hill of the capital. Starting from Ji Province, the earth veins of the nine provinces of Yan, Qing, Xu, Yang, Jing, Yu, Liang, and Yong hummed in succession, as if the ancestral dragon were awakening, with its head and tail connected.

Heaven and earth are sad!

As the most outstanding emperor of the Xia dynasty after the sage king Yu, Emperor Zhu of Xia held the reins of the universe and governed the six directions. He established discipline to regulate the officials, his power extended to all four directions, he inherited the mandate of heaven and ruled the world, he embodied the laws of heaven and the way, and all nations respected and submitted to him. His achievements far surpassed those of his father and grandfather, and his virtue shone as brightly as the sun and moon.

It was because Emperor Zhuxia had performed great deeds that when he died at the end of his life, heaven and earth mourned for him.

Starting from Jizhou, every province experienced strange phenomena. Across the nine provinces of the human world, from mountains and seas to the vast wilderness, all those who possessed divine bodies were moved to tears by the heavens.

The great supernatural beings of the four seas and eight wastelands, and even the gods of the nine heavens, all turned their gazes toward Laoqiu, the capital of the Xia Dynasty.

"This blazing sun has finally set."

On the shores of the North Sea, a giant demon roared to the sky, and its minions displayed their supernatural powers, revealing their true demonic nature, and all rushed to its aid.

At this time, not only those in Beihai, but all those who aspired to rule the world, felt a sense of relief upon witnessing the strange changes in the heavens and earth and knowing that Emperor Zhu Xia had perished.

Emperor Zhu Xia, this arrogant and powerful emperor, has dominated the world for three hundred years. During these three hundred years, countless heroes have been destroyed by him.

Also out of fear of Emperor Zhu Xia's fierce power, even though everyone in the nine provinces and four seas knew that Emperor Zhu Xia's lifespan was nearing its end, they still dared not disobey the mandate of Heaven for Empress Xia.

Now that the Emperor of the Sun has passed away, the Xia Dynasty has lost its greatest external threat, and heroes from all over the land have risen up, plunging the world into turmoil.

Inside the Purple Palace, the crimson mist gradually solidified. Emperor Zihuai, holding the Xia Yu Sword, stood before the throne. "Your Majesty has passed away; the nation cannot be without a ruler for even a day,"

Gao Bo slowly rose, his gaze sweeping over the officials below the steps before finally settling on Emperor Zihuai. With an unquestionable solemnity, he said, "This old minister beseeches the Emperor Zihuai to ascend the throne, to receive the Mandate of Heaven, and to continue the great lineage!"

The officials below the steps echoed in unison, "Please let the imperial son ascend the throne!"

Emperor Zihuai took a deep breath, stepped onto the last jade step before the throne, and turned to face the officials below.

"The Xia dynasty, beginning with Emperor Yu, has been ruled by Heaven and governed the nine provinces for 1,200 years,"

Emperor Zihuai spoke, his voice still clear and youthful, yet each word was steady and firm: "My father spent his life using the Nine Tripods to stabilize the Nine Provinces and using the Yu Sword to quell the wicked. Today he departs this world, his achievements complete."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the nine cauldrons. At this moment, the map of the nine provinces on the cauldrons had gradually calmed down, and the dragon energy was no longer rampaging.

"Huai, today I receive the dying wish of my late father, to take up the sword of Yu the Great and guard the Nine Provinces."

Emperor Zihuai raised his hand, holding the Xia Yu Sword horizontally in front of his chest, and said, "From this day forward, I shall be the new ruler of the Xiahou clan."

"I am willing to use my blood to continue the glory of Emperor Yu, to carry on the will of my father, to protect the Nine Tripods from collapsing, and to ensure the well-being of all the people!"

Gao Bo bowed deeply and said, "Your subject, Gao Bo, congratulates the new ruler on his ascension to the throne!"

Congratulations on your ascension to the throne!

The shouts echoed throughout the Purple Palace, pierced through the old hills of the imperial capital, and spread to the four fields of Ji Province.

Amidst the courtiers' homage, the emperor's body, which had been lying still on the throne, suddenly stirred.

First, the white hair at Di Zhuxia's temples suddenly shone with a lustrous sheen, as if bathed in the morning light. The originally withered hair stood straight, as if golden light flowed through the ends of the hair.

Immediately afterwards, the twelve-symbol patterned black and red robe on his body moved without wind, with the sun, moon, stars, mountains, dragon, and pheasant patterns on the top and the sacrificial vessel, waterweed, fire, rice grains, axe, and axe pattern on the bottom.

The twenty-four patterns stretched out as if they were alive, with the 'dragon' pattern being particularly lively, its scales and claws gradually emerging, as if it were about to break free from the constraints of the silk threads.

"His Majesty,"

Gao Bo, standing below the steps, looked on in surprise at the changes on the imperial throne.

An old minister whispered in a trembling voice, "The emperor is about to transform into a dragon and return to heaven!"

Transforming into a dragon and returning to heaven is an unusual omen only seen in ancient times. Those who could transform into a dragon upon death were all rulers of great virtue and merit.

Groan!
As the dragon roared, Emperor Zhuxia's body slowly floated up, and his twelve-patterned robe was completely unfurled, like clouds hanging from the sky. The dragon patterns within came to life, transforming into golden dragons that circled around the emperor's body.

The emperor's body then stretched out, gradually transforming into a winding golden dragon shadow.

The dragon's head slowly rose, its golden pupils sweeping across the Purple Palace, past the kneeling officials, and finally landing on Emperor Prince Huai. In that gaze, there was no longer any human compassion, only an aura of majesty that resonated with the entire nation.

Emperor Zhuxia enjoyed three hundred years of imperial fortune. Although he did not attain the path to immortality, his legacy of achievements still blesses future generations after his death.

The golden dragon murmured, its voice reverberating through the beams and pillars of the Purple Palace. The illuminated patterns of the sun, moon, and stars suddenly intensified, resembling an inverted Milky Way, bathing the palace in golden light.

After circling three times, the dragon's head turned towards the outside of the hall. The red mist had long since dissipated, replaced by a sky full of auspicious clouds, and rosy light surged from the east, lingering above the old hill.

The dragon's shadow swayed, piercing through the purple palace dome and transforming into a golden rainbow that shot straight into the sky.

The officials below looked up and saw this scene, then bowed again and said, "We respectfully send Your Majesty back to the ruins!"

Congratulations on the new emperor's ascension to the throne!

(End of this chapter)