God Emperor

Granny Begonia said, “I have been to the sacred Shengming City and met with Emperor Qing. I also met with some of the survivors of the Central Shengming Empire. After talking with the poor and cultivators of the various forces, the more I learned, the more frustrated I felt. In the end, I silently returned to the Sword Pavilion.”

Next, Granny Begonia recounted what happened at that time. It was similar to what Chi Yao had said at Mount Yueshen.

Emperor Ming didn’t know the identity of the Blood Empress at first.

After the Blood Empress became the Empress, she controlled more than half of the imperial court of the Central Shengming Empire through Kong Lanyou’s grandfather, Kong Shangling. Some councilors had their blood sucked dry by the Immortal Vampires and transformed. The Blood Empress herself directly controlled a few through the mind.

The entire Central Shengming Empire, from the imperial court to the bottom, had been completely eroded by the Immortal Vampires. It was impossible to tell who was an Immortal Vampires, who listened to the Immortal Vampires, and who was loyal to Shengming.

When he heard this, Zhang Ruochen was calm from the beginning to the end.

He knew that most of what Granny Begonia said was true.

Because the Blood Empress had her own standpoint. She was an Immortal Vampire. She came to Kunlun to represent the Infernal Court and the interests of the Immortal Vampires.

Moreover, the Blood Empress must have that kind of skill and capability.

The disciple of the Blood Empress, Qiu Yichi, was good at the “Path of the Mind” and the “Soul Bewitching Blood Art.”

Qiu Yichi, who was merely a saint, was able to control the Sect of the Blood God and the Black Dragon Ruins Realm right under Yan Liren’s eyes.

After breaking through and becoming a Saint King, she became the number one target on the Saint King murderer bounty list. She was known as the “Beguiler Demon” and controlled many elites with the Path of the Mind.

As for her, she was only the disciple of the Blood Empress.

As a first-class figure among the Supreme Saint, how profound was the Path of the Mind and the Soul Bewitching Blood Art mastery of the Blood Empress?

Even the crown prince’s tutor, Shangguan Que, was under her control. Zhang Ruochen naturally didn’t find it strange that she controlled other people in the imperial court.

In all aspects, Zhang Ruochen felt that the Blood Empress had surpassed Emperor Ming.

Of course, Zhang Ruochen also believed that the Blood Empress might have approached Emperor Ming in the beginning to control him, the Central Shengming Empire, and even start a war to control the entirety of Kunlun.

But later, they must have had a deep relationship.

If they had no feelings for the other, the Blood Empress would never have born a child for Emperor Ming with her personality. She would only treat him as a puppet like a Blood Captive.

Granny Begonia said, “After Emperor Ming disappeared, Kong Shangling allied with a large number of councilors and took over the government at a speed that no one had time to respond to, and entered the imperial palace of Emperor Ming.”

“At that time, the head of the Murong Family, Murong Chengde, was one of the three chancellors. He was an official of the Grand Tutor, and he led a group of councilors to cursed Kong Shangling for his rebellious actions and usurping the throne. He argued that a member of the Zhang family should be the new Emperor Ming. Unfortunately, he was suppressed and persecuted by Kong Shangling. No one knows how many people died.

“Later, when the great army of the Central Chiqing Empire invaded the Shengming Imperial City, the Murong Family and councilors fought until the last moment. Unfortunately, there was no turning back. In the end, they had no choice but to retreat. Some hid in the demonic plains of the Eastern Region, while others fled into the Hidden Barrens or went far away to the primitive world in the outer realms.

“Maybe Chi Yao and Emperor Qing just wanted to exterminate the Immortal Vampires and the people controlled by the Blood Empress. However, war has always been uncontrollable. Once it breaks out, it will inevitably hurt the innocent and create infinite hatred. With hatred, more evil, darkness, and slaughter will spread. No one can stop it.”

“The Emperor can’t stop that, and neither can gods!”

“The emperor is just like the trunk of a tree. No matter how the trunk shakes, it can’t shake off the dust on every leaf.”

“In war, more innocent people die than those who deserve to die.”

“You tell me, who is right and wrong?”

“I still don’t understand this question even till now. Maybe the root of the problem is the incident 300,000 years ago. It’s the fault of the era, the fault of the entire world.”

Zhang Ruochen’s eyes were neither sad nor happy. He said, “Where are the Zhang family’s disciples? Since Granny is the guardian of the Zhang family, you can’t just watch them be killed indifferently, right?”

“Do you know why I silently went back to the Sword Pavilion at the end?” asked Granny Begonia.

Zhang Ruochen said, “Could it be the Zhang family’s disciples…”

Granny Begonia nodded and said, “Most of the Zhang family’s disciples have already left Kunlun. They went to the Zhuque Ruins Realm under the lead of the eldest princess, your aunt.”

“I see.”

Zhang Ruochen closed his eyes. His heart was full of mixed feelings. He felt empty, confused, and troubled.

Whose fault was it?

The fault of the Blood Empress?

Emperor Ming’s fault?

The fault of those that had awakened in Kunlun?

The fault of Chi Yao and Emperor Qing?

…

However, in the context of that era, everyone had no choice but to do what they should do the most. Looking from their respective standpoints, they are both right and wrong.

These emotions only lasted for a moment before he drove them away.

When he opened his eyes again, Zhang Ruochen’s expression had sharpened, and he said, “Everyone knows the major principles. But who can feel at ease when certain things occur to them? I can’t be like that for sure.”

Granny Begonia didn’t say much because she understood that what happened back then was unfair to Zhang Ruochen. He had suffered far too much.

His father was indecisive and incompetent, while his mother was a disaster for Shengming. Both of them had been heavily criticized by the public, where he learned of the truth.

His heart must be in more pain than before.

Somebody having half of the bloodline from Kunlun with the other half from the Infernal Court were sins in themselves. They were neither accepted by Kunlun nor the Infernal Court.

It wasn’t easy for him to change his fate and live his second life as an actual human. He was about to become the supporting force of Kunlun and the hero that saved the world; at that time where most cultivators would accept him.

However, he was forced to merge with his body from his previous life and become half-human and half-Immortal Vampire again.

It was as if he was being played with by fate while tortured and could never escape from the palm of fate.

He was like a chess piece on a chessboard. Some wanted him to go east, while others wanted him to go west. Even if he changed his fate, he still had to return to the trajectory of fate in the end.

Zhang Ruochen pointed to the sky, “Even if the destruction of the Central Shengming Empire was inevitable, and even if Saint Monk Xumi changed my fate and turned me into a real human, why was it Chi Yao who killed me in the past?”

“I don’t know.”

Granny Begonia shook her head and said, “You can only ask her about this question.”

Zhang Ruochen had already asked Chi Yao this question, but there was no answer.

Compared to Chi Yao, his cultivation was too low!

Unless his cultivation surpassed hers, then he might be able to force out a result if it was like that.

…

On the cosmic rock, Zhang Ruochen sat quietly all by himself. He did not move as if he had become one with the stone.

Three days later.

Blackie flew onto the rock with a mournful expression and sat next to Zhang Ruochen. He said, “There are some truths that I would rather not know. After knowing, it makes people so miserable.”

Zhang Ruochen felt he had found someone in the same boat. He asked with concern, “What truth have you known?”

“My past history.” Blackie’s tone was sorrowful.

Indeed, they were in the same boat together.

Zhang Ruochen patted its wings and said, “Don’t be sad. No matter how painful it is, we can overcome anything. These sufferings only temper our hearts to be stronger. Now you might as well tell me what is troubling you. It may be better if you speak it out loud.”

“Really?”

Blackie looked at Zhang Ruochen with eager eyes.

Zhang Ruochen suppressed the pain in his heart and tried to squeeze out a bright smile. He nodded at Blackie with an encouraging look.

Blackie sighed, “The Dragon Lord said he is my mother’s best friend and asked me to call him uncle in the future. If I meet a deity against me, I can directly report that name to him.”

Pffft!

Zhang Ruochen felt like he had been stabbed.

How many cultivators dreamed of having a figure like the Dragon Lord as an uncle? Why were you so sad about it?

Were you showing off?

Blackie said again, “The Dragon Lord said that the Hoth Emperor is my father. I can go to him directly if there’s trouble in the Infernal Court. Do you think I can endure this?”

Pfffft!

Zhang Ruochen felt like he had been stabbed again.

The Hoth Emperor was such an influential figure. Even though he had been imprisoned, he was still powerful and influential.

Not only did he find his father, but he also had such a powerful father. Why couldn’t he endure it?

Blackie continued, “The Dragon Lord said that the Lord of Nephilim Island is my mother’s master, and she is the disciple that he is most proud of. She was once one of the most powerful divine Array Masters and hoped to become the Grand Supreme Array Master.”

Pfffffft!

The third stab.

I’m just trying to comfort you. Why are you doing this to me?

Zhang Ruochen felt that Blackie was deliberately trying to anger him. Finally, he couldn’t help it and wanted to fight.

Let’s fight to our heart’s content.

“The Dragon Lord said that my mother is dead!” Blackie said weakly at his shoulder.

Zhang Ruochen put his hand down. He didn’t know how to comfort it, so he patted its wings lightly and said, “I’m sorry for your loss!”

Blackie hated the Immortal Vampires as much as he did. It couldn’t be delighted to know that its father was a deity of the Immortal Vampires.

“Sorry for what? I was still young when she died, so I don’t remember her at all. What’s there to be sorry for?” Blackie cried loudly and patted its chest.

Zhang Ruochen understood that feeling well. It wasn’t acting.

It said this either because it was stubborn or trying to make Zhang Ruochen understand that everything could be taken lightly.

The past was not something they could decide.

However, the future was uncertain.

Zhang Ruochen looked up and saw the Dragon Lord, Xue Lingxian, and Granny Begonia walking over.

He stood up, cupped his fists, and said, “Dragon Lord!”

“How do you feel now that you know the truth?” The Dragon Lord asked.

Zhang Ruochen smiled bitterly. “It’s okay.”

“I see that you can still smile. It seems like it’s okay.”

The Dragon Lord put his hands behind his back and asked, “Kunlun or the Immortal Vampires, you will have to make a choice. Stand firmly on one side, or you’ll suffer more in the future. People who want to have it both ways often don’t have it both ways.”

“I will consider this seriously,” Zhang Ruochen said.

The Dragon Lord laughed and said, “No matter what choice you make in the future, at least for now, you have helped Kunlun greatly in saving the Island Lord. I will lend you my hand too!”

“What do you mean by that, Dragon Lord?” Zhang Ruochen asked.

The Dragon Lord said, “Show me your Saintwill.”