Chapter 108

  The candle flame in the corner was slowly lit, and the pale moonlight also shone in from the open skylight, casting a faint glow on the empty military prison. In this vast space, an old man with white whiskers slowly raised his head, looked at Qing Xia with a calm gaze, slightly opened his mouth, nodded, and revealed a kind smile.

  "Two months ago, I met with An Taizi and just found out that you are not actually my daughter."

  The old man smiled faintly, his smile carrying a bitter taste that Qing Xia couldn't understand. He leaned back tensely, his eyes darting around, scanning every corner, as dozens of fatal plans surged in his mind, repeatedly thinking about any possible situation that might arise.

  However, Zhuang Dianru seemed to have not noticed Qing Xia's hostility at all, her voice was like the autumn mulberry leaf, with a low and pleasant hoarseness. "For these two months, I've been thinking that if you were really my child, how good it would be. Xia Er's personality is weak and indecisive, unable to take on important tasks, apart from having a good face, what makes her seem like our Zhuang family's child? How could I have such a child?"

  Qing Xia coldly snorted and said in a deep voice, "So you repeatedly took advantage of her. First, you used her to confuse Qi An, then you used her to maintain the status of your Zhuang family in the state of Qi. Later, you sent her to Chu Li, but when she didn't gain power or favor, you abandoned her in the rear palace of Southern Chu, isolating her and leaving her to wait for death alone?"

  Zhuang Dianru smiled slightly and said in a low voice, "It's her honor to make contributions to the great cause of unification. If she can understand my intentions, she will definitely be grateful to me."

  "Get out!" Qing Xia shouted, her voice cold and detached. "You're not even worthy of being her father! You've used her to deceive her, spouting nonsense about the world's people and the common folk, but you can't even protect your own family members. Time and time again, you've pushed them into the fire pit. What kind of 'world salvation' are you talking about? You brought a few useful relatives with you to escape to South Chu, but in doing so, you caused the entire East Qi Zhuang clan to be slaughtered. For your own selfish desires, for your own ideals, you abandoned your wife and child, reneged on your family obligations...and yet you still dare to sit here, lecturing about morality and righteousness? You're just a madman consumed by his own ego!"

  A cold and stern voice echoed through the chilly and gloomy prison cell. Qing Xia's eyes blazed with fury, her voice sharp as a knife's edge. But Zhuang Dianru seemed completely unbothered, smiling faintly as he gazed at Qing Xia, saying in a soft voice: "You really are alike, sometimes you're just like him - equally obstinate, equally stubborn, and passionate like wildfire. But two people like that can't be together."

  Qing Xia furrowed his brow, gazing coldly at the old man. A sense of crisis gradually rose from the bottom of his heart. Zhuang Dianru smiled faintly and said: "He should be a proud and unparalleled king, standing at the top to look down on the countless ants-like creatures, holding the divine sword bestowed by the gods, embracing the four seas, not being held back by you."

  "Don't you think it's strange?" The old man suddenly blinked his eyes and asked in a low voice, "Don't you wonder why Xia'er, an ordinary girl with an ordinary body of flesh and blood, can carry your martial arts, your skills, your strong physical strength, and even not fear poison, immune to all poisons?"

  Qing Xia's eyes suddenly widened and she exclaimed: "Do you know my origin?"

  "We see through everything!" Zhuang Dianru's profound and unfathomable smile said: "Our eyes can see very far, we can see the end of the world, we can see the trajectory of time, we can see the trajectory of fate, we can see the fall of the stars. They think that by sending you this wisp of a ghost, they can stop our advancing footsteps, they can block the progress of the times, they can let war continue to ravage the earth? They are wrong, no one can stop us, the four seas will eventually be united, the world will be under one sky, looking up at the rule of one person. The unified footsteps cannot be stopped, regardless of who it is, what power, what fate."

  Qing Xia's eyebrows were tightly furrowed as she carefully looked at this aged old man, and finally slowly asked in a low voice: "Who are you? And who are they?"

  "They are the fate of this turbulent continent." Zhuang Dianru's expression suddenly became agitated, his eyes flashing with a sharp light, and he said in a low voice: "This continent seems to be cursed, with war fires, separation, conquest, people's blood and tears, and dry bones buried under every inch of land. Every thirty or fifty years, there will inevitably be a massive outbreak of war. Even when the Qin was unified, there were countless vassals, countless fiefs, countless wars, and never a single day of unity. This is abnormal. We know that someone is interfering with everything, a big hand hovering above the road to Huaxia, twisting and driving the course of history, hindering national unity."

  Qing Xia was taken aback, suddenly remembering the canine tooth structure and distribution business that had left her baffled recently. Her eyebrows slightly rose as she listened silently to Zhuang Dianru's voice, not interrupting him.

  "And we, the rebels, will change the fate of this continent, no longer letting the people wander and lose their homes, no longer letting innocent lives be engulfed in war. We will build a utopian society, where one day time will be free from strife and bloodshed, and the people will live in joy and harmony. This is our goal and ideal, and it will eventually become a reality."

  Great uniformity of society? No, rather say communism.

  She coldly looked at this almost mad old man and coldly opened her mouth to say: "You are the self-proclaimed Taoist Mo?"

  "You're indeed very clever." Zong Dianru praised, looking at Qing Xia with great joy: "Xia'er never understood my thoughts. In vain, I trained her so hard since she was a child and gave her all the skills. When we left Dong Qi, I asked her to stay in Dong Qi as a spy and send me messages about Dong Qi at any time. She refused, and what's more, she even aroused the suspicion of the Emperor. For the sake of the great cause, I had no choice but to feed her a deadly poison. Unexpectedly, heaven let you replace her. At first, I was almost deceived by you, thinking that you were just someone who lost your memory and forgot important things. Who would have thought that you are actually the one destined to disrupt my plans? If only you were my child, how wonderful it would be."

  "What?" Qing Xia's eyes widened suddenly, and he said in a low voice: "Was it you who killed her?"

  Zhuang Dianru nodded and said, "Yes, she no longer has the need to exist. She will only make the Emperor suspicious of me. I must have her killed. She is not a Mozi who would sacrifice herself for the greater good. At the gates of the underworld, there are countless comrades-in-arms waiting for her, she won't be lonely."

  It was as if a thunderbolt had struck Qing Xia's heart, and her eyes suddenly shot out intense energy, like a knife cutting into the old man's skin. She coldly shouted: "You're a madman with a dead conscience!"

  Zhuang Dianru didn't think much of it, still with a passionate and solemn expression, he said: "We have an even more grand and lofty goal, history will one day prove that we are right."

  "What a load of crap!" Qing Xia cursed loudly: "What four seas returning to one? What unity under heaven? How big is this world, just the size of a palm that your eyes can see? Outside the four seas, below the six harmonies, how much land and people are there, how far can your dull and shallow eyes see? Unifying everything under one flag, you're dreaming! As long as there are people, there will be intrigue, interests, and wars caused by unequal distribution of wealth. Humanity's desire for material possessions and power will never end or be satisfied, the lower-class people will not be content with being ants forever, as long as there is rule, there will be resistance, and war will spread. Unity under heaven is just an empty and elusive fantasy, you're actually cruelly killing your own daughter for a dream that can never come true, you're simply perverted!"

  Zhuang Dianru was taken aback, Qing Xia's words were like a sharp knife that pierced his heart, making his head ache suddenly. But he had been in Chen Mi for too many years, and soon he shook off those words that seemed to him to be all nonsense, shaking his head and saying: "You won't understand, only we ourselves know, we are right."

  Qing Xia gazed at the man in despair, knowing he had gone mad beyond salvation. His eyes cold and his voice low, he asked: "Are there many more people like you?"

  Zhuang Dianru suddenly puffed out his chest, and a scorching glow appeared on his aged face. "Where the heavens cover, there are traces of those who defy the heavens."

  "What are your dreams? What is your short-term goal? To overthrow the rule of four countries and bring all the land under one person's rule? This time, the person you have chosen is Chulai?"

  Zhuang Dianru shook his head and said solemnly, "It's not us who chose, it's the heavenly gods who handed over the unified power to Da Huang's hands, we are just the executors of fate."

  "Hmph!" Qing Xia sneered and said in a low voice, "What nonsense about the will of heaven and fate? Dong Qi is by the sea and has Japanese pirates on its borders. Xi Chuan's emperor is cruel and the country is not strong. Bei Qin is too busy with internal strife, several figureheads are not up to par, lacking the majesty of a king. Zhī Yán's son is weak and cannot undertake the great task of unification. So, you all set your sights on Chǔ Lí. Now that you've brought me here, what do you plan to do? Do you want to kill me? To complete that nonsense about abandoning love and cutting off emotions, letting him continue his slaughter without any worries or concerns? You overestimate me, his heart has long since become as hard as steel."

  "No..." Zhuang Dianru shook his head, saying with admiration: "You are really very clever, I like you. But the Emperor's heart is not hard enough, it is not sufficient to take on this heavy responsibility. Only those who have a hatred that can destroy heaven and earth in their hearts can be reborn from the ashes, establish a new order in the ruins. Only those who have cast aside all worldly attachments and burdens are qualified to wield the blade of destruction, to destroy this sinful world, to kill off this generation of greedy people, and give pure souls a chance to be reborn. Only those who have completely sunk into darkness have the tenacity and determination to stand at the top of the world. And now you, are the last ray of sunlight that is blocking his path. We have been protecting him for over twenty years, absolutely will not allow him to fall here!"

  "More than twenty years?" Qing Xia furrowed his brow, Chu Li was nine when he went to Qi as a hostage, how could it be more than twenty years? Had these ruthless people already set their sights on him back in Southern Chu?

  Forever walking in darkness... Casting aside all entanglements and burdens... Completely sinking into the black night... Abandoning emotions, absolute coldness, no longer having human nature, destroying everything with determination and tenacity...

  A terrible idea that she had been thinking about for a long time but couldn't figure out suddenly rose up in her heart, she abruptly lifted her head, her face turned pale, and said in a low voice, almost word by word: "Chu Li's mother, Xiao He Guifei, is also one of you?"

  "Haha," Zhuang Dianru suddenly burst out laughing, looking at Qing Xia with admiration. "You're really smart, not only is she one of us, but even the 13th prince is on our side. He's my teacher, he brought me onto this path of righteousness, and I was there when he was executed. I heard him shout before his death that we would return! Others thought he was just struggling to survive, trying to avenge himself and overthrow the dynasty, but only I knew he was speaking to me. I'm not afraid of death, I'm only afraid that I won't be able to die like him. He abandoned his entire family, using blood-soaked lessons to teach the emperor how to be human, he's the true warrior."

  Qing Xia's whole body was trembling, and she could hardly suppress her emotions. She stared at the old man in disbelief, feeling that everything sounded so absurd and unrealistic. What had happened to the world? What had happened to these people? Why had they gone crazy to this extent? She pressed her chest tightly, with a huge uncontrollable fear, even accompanied by a thread of unstoppable nausea.

  Chu Li, Chu Li, what is your life like after all? You are in the center of conspiracy and power, thinking that you have finally escaped all contempt, all humiliation, all hardships and torture. But unknowingly, this is just a huge net, a deep trap, you are trapped inside, without any chance to escape, and all of this, your dark and desperate life, has only just begun.

  Qing Xia's face was cold and calm, with a huge hatred and disgust, staring at the old man who had already gone mad, said in a low voice: "So, you plan to kill me now? Do you think you have the ability?"

  "No," Zhuang Dianru said with a refined smile, "killing you would only leave a soft spot in the Emperor's heart forever. What we need is for you to personally hand the knife over to the Emperor and cut off his last thread of hope!"

  "You're dreaming!" Qing Xia suddenly shouted, coldly saying: "I will expose your conspiracy, I won't let you succeed!"

  "Is that so?" Zhuang Dianru slowly stood up, suddenly grasping the armrest of the chair tightly, and with a loud "whoosh", the iron door of the mobile prison was blasted open. The bright torches outside shone in abruptly, and Zhuang Dianru's aged body sprang up instantly, dashing towards the doorway!

  "Halt!" At this moment, how could he let him pick it up? Qing Xia shouted loudly and suddenly pounced on him like a leopard.

  Just ten steps away from the entrance, a figure suddenly rushed over, and a bright torch suddenly pierced into Qing Xia's eyes. Her heart tightened, as if an alarm bell was ringing loudly in her mind. However, in the flash of lightning, it was already too late to look back. She grabbed onto Zhuang Dianru's collar and shouted loudly: "Where are you running to?"

  The old man's body suddenly turned around, his withered face filled with frenzied excitement, his thin hands tightly grasping Qing Xia's shoulders, his eyes burning with a fierce intensity that could destroy the heavens and earth. He suddenly looked towards the pile of rocks outside the military prison, where someone had already taken a step out, and shouted in a shrill voice: "The remnants of the Xi Lin family!"

  The wind howled and rose, and Xilin Chen's figure, grasping a war knife, suddenly flashed out from behind the chaotic rocks, his face ferocious as he rushed out!

  "Xilin! Be careful!" Two fully armored soldiers suddenly rushed towards Xilin Chen, Qing Xia was tightly grabbed by Zhuang Dianru, and in a state of shock, she couldn't fly over to rescue him. Her eyes turned cold, and with a flick of her wrist, two willow-leaf flying knives shot out, leaving behind two trails of blood. The two soldiers took only two steps before falling to the ground, turning into two corpses.

  "Assassins!" The chaotic voices shook the sky, and the bright torches seemed like fresh blood, filling all directions. Qing Xia grabbed Zhuang Dianru in his hand, and could only continuously use flying knives to assist, striking down the enemies rushing towards Xi Linchen.

  "History will one day prove me right! Prove that I am correct!"

  A low, muffled voice suddenly sounded beside him, and Qing Xia turned his head abruptly to see that Zhuang Dianru's eyes were a deep crimson, as if there was a fierce flame burning within them. He suddenly grasped Qing Xia's hand and thrust forward, plunging the dagger into his own chest with a loud thud!

  "Ah!" Qing Xia exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief as she stared at the emaciated old man. Fresh blood flowed from his chest, covering his hands, and he revealed a faint smile, like a ghost from hell, his expression fanatical as he whispered a sentence before spitting a large mouthful of blood onto Qing Xia's face!

  "Assassins! Mr. Zhuang! Mr. Zhuang!"

  A deafening loud noise, like thunder, rang in her ears. Qing Xia was stunned, standing still as the old man's frail body slowly fell to the ground at her feet. Fresh red blood stained her entire body, even splashing onto her face, making her look like a midnight Asura.

  "Xia Er, far from the crown prince's shocking talent and brilliance, Nan Chu is even more a peaceful and happy land. Your father doesn't ask you to be a model for the world, just asks that you live a safe and peaceful life, this is your father's greatest wish."

  "To stand firm in this world, one must have the capital to survive. Only by standing at the highest point can one have the right to freedom, and I am precisely trying to give you that kind of freedom."

  "Child, if you were mine, how wonderful it would be."

  "Assassins!" "Protect the Emperor!" "Emperor! Ah! Kill him!"

  A shrill scream pierced the air, and Qing Xia slowly raised her head to see that among the throngs of people, Chu Li was standing with a declaration, his eyebrows sharp as swords, his eyes shining like morning stars, his lips tightly pursed, and on his chest, a short sword one foot long was inserted, with fresh blood gushing out!

  Around him, countless Southern Chu soldiers gathered, while the bright and handsome child opened his eyes wide, fell softly to the ground, with countless wounds on his body oozing out blood, just like his sister, died from being pierced by a thousand arrows, like a sieve.

  Overwhelming despair and darkness swept across the sky, the heart was tightly pinched by reality, and every breath would trigger intense pain.

  Everything was so eerie and unpredictable, everything was so cold and piercing. She was suddenly thrown into the abyss of reality, everything was desperate and shattered. The sky was vast, but she suddenly had no way to escape. Zhuang Dianru's last words kept echoing in her mind: "Do you know where you failed? You failed because you thought too much."

  Yes, a person who worries too much will never be defeated. In this turbulent and chaotic world, it is indeed only those who abandon emotions and love that can survive strongly. She always wanted to protect others, wanting to gather all those people under her own protection, but in the end, she finally realized that she was originally nothing, her ability was only a little bit, how could she protect so many people? Now those people are dying one by one in front of her, and she has finally recognized her own naivety in the face of cold reality.

  "You are the last ray of sunshine in his life, I want you to personally deliver the knife to his heart and cut off his last thread of hope!"

  Chu Li, Chu Li, now that I stand before you and kill the father of this body, killing the mentor who has taught me with kindness, and also help Xi Lin Chen kill your subordinate, clearing the path for him to send a dagger to your chest, haven't I already cut off your last thread of hope?

  A surge of sorrow and despair flooded her chest in an instant, she slowly raised her head to gaze at the eyes filled with immense desperation and resentment. So many people stood between them, countless cold arrows aimed at the lone woman in the crowd, the icy blades dazzled Qing Xia's eyes, countless people were shouting, countless people were screaming, countless people walked between the two of them. Yet she could still see his profound, anguished, and desperate gaze amidst the dense shadows.

  Chu Li, this is a trap, we are all pawns in the trap, I couldn't break free, run away or rush out. I wanted to reach out and pull you up, but found that I had only pushed you deeper instead.

  Above is the sky, below is the earth. I didn't kill Bo Ren, but Bo Ren died because of me. I had no intention of hurting you, yet I personally inserted the sharp arrow into your heart, destroying your hope, your kindness, and the last bit of expectation for humanity, piece by piece, cleanly and mercilessly.

  I want to walk cleanly through time, but I'm trapped again and again in the deep bloody sea. The waves of blood surge before my eyes. From now on, there's really no room for turning back. From now on, there's really no reason to look back.

  A low shout, the crowd around suddenly retreated slowly like a tide, several medical officers knelt on the ground in tension, moving forward with Chu Li's footsteps, tightly covering Chu Li's bloody chest.

  Chu Li stepped closer, step by step, his blood dripping to the ground, like a bloody vengeful spirit crawling out of the abyss of despair, slowly approaching, as if every step would exhaust all his strength.

  Finally, standing far away in front of Qing Xia, his voice was hoarse, as if his throat had been scalded by hot coals. His voice carried despair, fatigue, and an unutterable sorrow.

  "You want to kill me too?"

  Everyone in this world wants me dead, are you going to kill me too?

  A vast chasm, rumbling and yawning between the two, so deep and profound that even if all the yellow earth in the world were poured into it, it could not be filled. The heavens and the earth are dark, all things are dull and dim, the stars and moon have no light!