vstars Chapter 236 Human Emperor
Chapter 236 Human Emperor
The Shenwu Emperor spoke slowly and steadily, but Lan Qingwu remained silent. "The Human Emperor certainly has his inherent responsibilities, but Empress Zhaoyan grew up amidst betrayal, hurt, and slaughter. Her upbringing meant she couldn't possibly accept the Human Emperor's role."
As a soul of the modern world, how could Empress Zhaoyan accept that an emperor, in order to achieve his great cause, would gather women one after another in order to judge the situation?
That was a woman who was extremely pure and beautiful but also had a fiery nature - Dongfang Qingyan. She resolutely separated from the Human Emperor who was Baili Zheng at that time in the Immortal Gate Hall. Lan Qingwu thought that she could understand Dongfang Qingyan. After all, Baili Zheng at that time was engaged to Princess Jingguang by his mother. For Dongfang Qingyan, this was like the rebuilt world collapsing again. Nearly thirty years of dependence, understanding and companionship were all wasted. How could a woman like her who was proud, sensitive and could not tolerate a grain of sand in her eyes compromise?
Emperor Shenwu's sword-like brows knitted tightly involuntarily: "Wei Ruo seems to understand Empress Zhaoyan very well."
Lan Qingwu said softly: "That's because Dongfang Qingyan grew up in a different environment, so she can't accept it... um..."
Lan Qingwu suddenly remembered that Dongfang Qingyan's growing environment was exactly the same as that of the Human Emperor, at least on the surface.
The Shenwu Emperor's deep voice echoed in Lan Qingwu's ears, "What's the difference? Ruo Ruo, I've never understood why. For thousands of years, whether in ancient times or in the present-day Great Sheng Dynasty, it's impossible for a man to have only one woman in his life. As the husband, it's natural for a man to have multiple women serving him wherever he goes. But apparently, Empress Zhaoyan and... didn't think so. Ruo Ruo, why do you think that's the case?"
Lan Qingwu froze imperceptibly in the arms of the Shenwu Emperor. She knew he was genuinely doubtful, not eager to favor another woman, but how should she respond? It was clear the Emperor had been doubting her for a long time, but he hadn't found the right opportunity to ask.
Lan Qingwu's watery eyes flickered as she gently leaned into the arms of the Divine Martial Emperor. Their long black hair became tangled together, making it impossible to tell one from the other. "Brother Heng, I feel that this is the depth of our love, there can be no other color!"
The phoenix eyes of Emperor Shenwu were slightly raised, making it impossible to tell the true meaning in his eyes. Lan Qingwu was still unwilling to say it. In fact, he had a guess in his mind, which was about that unknown world. In that world, one man and one woman, monogamy was the basic rule of that world!
But it didn't matter. The Emperor Shenwu had already made a secret decision when Lan Qingwu agreed to return to him. He would never let her down again in this life, nor would he let her down again. Whatever Lan Qingwu wanted, he would hold it in his hands and give it to her personally! Now it seemed that the only thing Lan Qingwu wanted from the beginning was him! So he would give himself to her! As long as she stayed by his side!
"What a deep love, no second thoughts!"
Emperor Shenwu embraced Lan Qingwu and looked at the confused expression on Lan Qingwu's face, who was unable to react. He couldn't help but chuckle: "I think what you said is absolutely right."
Lan Qingwu's pajamas were taken off piece by piece. Her face flushed and she was a little panicked. She begged for mercy, "Brother Heng, I'm too weak to..."
Emperor Shenwu gently bit Lan Qingwu's snow-white earlobe: "What are you afraid of! I won't hurt you or the child... Be good!"
Lan Qingwu said intermittently: "Brother Heng, I still want to hear your story..."
Emperor Shenwu patiently coaxed, "Okay, I'll continue to tell you later!"
After a while, Lan Qingwu's soft whimpering sound was heard from the bed curtains. Lan Qingwu felt in the arms of Emperor Shenwu that the Emperor was deliberately punishing him.
Of course, the result was that Lan Qingwu fell asleep again.
By late night, Lan Qingwu regained some energy, and Emperor Shenwu took out the Records of Imperial Secrets again.
"The Human Emperor once used nine stones to calm the sea and quell floods, used pagodas to suppress demons and monsters, suppressed fires with ice crystals, and purged demonic plagues with his sword. He unified the human world with an imperial decree, and rectified the immortal world with the Immortal Punishment Order... and brought all three realms to heel! But this also describes another tribulation he and Empress Zhaoyan faced. The Human Emperor had overcome countless hardships and dangers to finally bring the three realms to heel, and the entire world was gradually returning to order and vitality. Who could have imagined that the greatest disaster and crisis would come so suddenly and unexpectedly!"
Lan Qingwu seemed to have a feeling: "Is it... the time when Empress Zhaoyan lost her soul?"
Emperor Shenwu's heart couldn't help but tighten, as it reminded him of the days when Lan Qingwu lay unconscious in the crystal clear ice jade coffin. "Yes! That disaster was called the Sunless! Sunless means endless darkness! The center of the darkness is where Qiling Mountain is today!"
"Ah? Is that so?" Lan Qingwu exclaimed.
The Shenwu Emperor nodded. "The darkness of the endless sun has devoured the lives and souls of countless people. Wherever the darkness spreads, the people there lose their souls, leaving only a shell. At that time, there was a scroll of heaven and earth that stated: Only those with special souls can end the endless sun and make the darkness disappear. At that time, the Human Emperor was prepared to give up and sacrifice his own soul to end this disaster. However..."
Lan Qingwu continued softly, "However, things don't always go as the Human Emperor predicts. He isn't the one with the special soul, or rather, his soul isn't special enough! The one who truly possesses a special soul is Empress Zhaoyan!"
"Yes! Empress Zhaoyan appeared under the sunless sky, replacing the Human Emperor. Empress Zhaoyan lost her soul and became a shell, while the Human Emperor—collapsed!"
Lan Qingwu lowered his eyes, sighing mournfully. How could he not be devastated? The Human Emperor was single-minded in maintaining the rule and stability of the Three Realms, shouldering their fate from beginning to end, always believing it to be his duty. But what was the result? The Human Emperor had saved everyone in the Three Realms, except for his beloved. He watched helplessly as that person's soul and life were lost!
Lan Qingwu seemed to see through the void the extremely tragic scene of that year: high in the sky, under the extreme darkness of the sun, Empress Zhaoyan was tightly sucked by the Heavenly Eye in the sunless darkness, her three souls and seven spirits were extracted bit by bit, and extreme pain spread throughout her body. More than ten meters below Empress Zhaoyan, the Human Emperor was suffering the same pain. He stretched out his hands straight upwards, but could not grasp a corner of his beloved's clothes, nor could he replace his beloved's tragic suffering of being stripped of his soul and spirit. He could only watch all this happen, until finally, the sunless darkness gradually dissipated, and the long-lost sunlight shone on this land again. Empress Zhaoyan, who had become a shell, finally fell from the sky and fell into the arms of the Human Emperor!