The Human Emperor c1-2382

by Huangfu Qi (皇甫奇)

  Chapter 2004 - Wang Chong's Sword Dance!

  Chapter 2004: Wang Chong’s Sword Dance!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325

  Edited by: Michyrr

  In the southwest, northwest, and all across the Central Plains, An Yaluoshan’s single step produced heaven-shaking omens.

  At this moment, several hundred li from the capital…

  Whoosh!

  A fierce gale swept past, causing robes to rustle in the wind. Beneath a lush scholar tree, several black-robed figures exuding boundless storms of energy floated in the air like ghosts.

  One of them wore an eerie white mask. This was one of the leaders of the men in black, Genesis Supreme.

  Next to him was the Tianfu Divine Lord.

  The feast of all countries was a time when emissaries from all the countries assembled, but even so, not even the powerful Genesis Supreme dared to enter the capital, or even get close. He only watched from a distance.

  All of this was because of ‘that man’ within the Imperial Palace!

  “Great Genesis Supreme, that Hu really succeeded! Not only did he deliver that ‘Black Emperor Pearl’ to Li Taiyi, he’s really begun to take the Central Plains Dragon Qi!

  “This fellow is truly a genius!”

  The Tianfu Divine Lord’s voice was full of sincere praise.

  The capital shone as brightly as a sea of stars in the darkness, dazzling even from a distance. More importantly, though they were outside the capital, they had been able to clearly sense the shift in heavenly phenomena. In addition, the sun-like pressure of Li Taiyi’s energy radiating from the capital had suddenly weakened.

  “Otherwise, how could he be called the ‘Child of the World’?” Genesis Supreme indifferently said. Although he was more restrained, his voice clearly carried a hint of admiration for An Yaluoshan.

  “Great Genesis Supreme, this ant truly managed to do what we could not. If Li Taiyi has weakened so much that he can’t even control the body, why don’t we…”

  The Tianfu Divine Lord once more became tempted.

  “Absolutely not!”

  Genesis Supreme waved his sleeve and immediately rejected the idea.

  “Li Taiyi set up a formation in the capital targeted against us. The moment we enter the capital, the formation will activate. It was precisely because Alpha Supreme looked down on him too much and acted carelessly that he was trapped and killed, every sliver of his energy seized! Li Taiyi is not as simple as you think he is!”

  The mention of ‘Alpha Supreme’ left the Tianfu Divine Lord shaken, and he lowered his head and became much quieter.

  No one knew the exact details behind the physical death of Alpha Supreme, only that ‘Heaven’ had ordered that entry into the capital was forbidden ever since then. Without an order, no member of the organization could casually approach it.

  The Tianfu Divine Lord had not imagined that Li Taiyi had been the one to kill Alpha Supreme.

  “…The Black Emperor Pearl has been delivered and our goal has been achieved. There is no need to rush. He can’t hold on for much longer. Even if he’s trying to bait us, we’ve gotten what we wanted. We can leave the rest to that Hu.”

  Genesis Supreme paid no attention to the Tianfu Divine Lord’s expression.

  His attention was focused completely on the Pavilion of Petal and Sepal.

  He was growing more and more interested in this shrewd Hu.

  ‘Heaven’ had truly selected an excellent person!

  ……

  Meanwhile, at the Pavilion of Petal and Sepal, as An Yaluoshan took his critical step…

  “Warning! Special Event! The comet strikes the moon; the Taisui offends the Ziwei! The Central Plains Dragon Qi has suffered an intense shock and is rapidly weakening!

  (TN: The Taisui is the term used in Chinese astrology for the stars directly opposite the planet Jupiter. There are sixty gods in total, with each having a particular year that they are venerated in.)

  “Warning! User’s Destined Foe has begun draining the Central Plains Dragon Qi! The fortune of the Central Plains is rapidly weakening! This event has enormous ramifications! User has only thirty minutes to stop this event from reaching the worst state!

  “Warning! Major development! The Central Plains Dragon Qi is rapidly weakening! User is penalized 1,000,000 points of Destiny Energy!

  “Further penalties calculating!”

  A string of messages rushed through Wang Chong’s mind, and the Stone of Destiny’s voice made him pale.

  The Central Plains Dragon Qi!

  The fortune of the Central Plains!

  Wang Chong finally understood An Yaluoshan’s goal in coming to the capital.

  He had found some wicked art that allowed him to steal the Central Plains Dragon Qi!

  “Seeking death!”

  Wang Chong’s mind instantly exploded with killing intent.

  Meanwhile, while nothing seemed to have happened for the Pavilion of Petal and Sepal, the entire world changed for An Yaluoshan.

  A stream of invisible Dragon Qi surged into his body, and An Yaluoshan felt his mind being stimulated as he developed a connection with the Central Plains.

  Not only that, An Yaluoshan could sense a powerful energy manifesting out of thin air and flowing into all his cells. In the blink of an eye, An Yaluoshan felt his strength swell, and he could feel himself getting much closer to the Subtle realm.

  An Yaluoshan could also sense that if he took another step forward, he could harness the power of the mountains and rivers. Another step after that, and he could control the power of the entire Central Plains.

  Wonderful!

  An Yaluoshan felt so exultant that he wanted to shout.

  He had known that the Dragon Qi was extremely important, but he had never expected the effect to be so significant. His cultivation was improving even faster than when he received the Power of the World’s support.

  Moreover, he was the only one who could sense the golden Dragon Qi pouring into his body. It felt to him like he was receiving the boundless blessings of the Central Plains.

  For the briefest of moments, An Yaluoshan felt like he was the Emperor, standing high above and looking down upon all living beings, the true master of the world.

  Thumpthumpthump!

  An Yaluoshan rapidly thumped the drum with his left hand, his body moving with each beat. As if he was following a shamanic procession, he danced around the hall, and more and more Dragon Qi poured into his body. As An Yaluoshan felt himself grow stronger and stronger, the smile on his lips grew more and more dazzling.

  The ‘Sage Emperor’, seated on his throne, trembled as he watched An Yaluoshan’s dance.

  “This is…”

  He could sense his body lightening, like something was flowing out from him and into An Yaluoshan. In addition, as this energy flowed out, the ‘Sage Emperor’ felt like he was being awakened, a prisoner suddenly freed from his cage.

  His entire being felt refreshed.

  As the ‘Sage Emperor’ looked at the dancing An Yaluoshan, he instantly understood something.

  All of this had to do with this chubby Hu man. However, the ‘Sage Emperor’ had no intention of stopping him. In fact, he welcomed it.

  Only the heavens knew just how much energy and time he had spent on thinking of ways to try and suppress ‘that man’ inside him!

  But what he had failed to find through effort, he had come upon by sheer luck!

  This fatty from Andong was truly a star of fortune sent down by the heavens!

  This man had easily fulfilled his long-sought desire.

  “Hahaha, good! Good!”

  The ‘Sage Emperor’ loudly laughed, his face ruddy with excitement as he clapped his hands.

  The foreign emissaries, seeing the face of the ‘Sage Emperor’, began to cheer, some of them even standing up and clapping their hands.

  An Yaluoshan immediately redoubled his efforts, constantly winking and teasing the spectators, making them lau
gh even harder.

  But just when An Yaluoshan had completely riled up the Pavilion of Petal and Sepal…

  Clang!

  The ringing of a sword resounded through the Pavilion of Petal and Sepal, and then a cold and aloof voice boomed through the hall.

  “The dance is good, but it is too soft and weak! How could this feast of all countries be lacking a bold and upright dance? This lowly subject also has a dance that he would like to present!”

  Bang!

  Wang Chong stood up from his seat and unsheathed his sword, unleashing a dazzling beam of Sword Qi that flashed through the Pavilion of Petal and Sepal.

  Before anyone could react, Wang Chong had stepped over his table and entered the center of the hall.

  Bang!

  At this moment, Wang Chong’s expression was ice-cold. With one swing of his sword, he unleashed his God Demon Obliteration Sword Qi straight at An Yaluoshan.

  To dare steal Dragon Qi right in front of him was to seek death!

  “Ah!”

  This dazzling beam of Sword Qi was seemingly about to slice An Yaluoshan in half, and all the officials and foreign emissaries cried out in alarm.

  After the conflict between Wang Chong and An Yaluoshan at the city gate, their quarrel was no longer a secret. But no one had expected Wang Chong to move against An Yaluoshan at such an important occasion, right in front of the Sage Emperor.

  Let alone them, even Wunu Shibi, Namri Songtian, and Duan Gequan were stunned.

  “How… how could he be so bold, to strike in front of so many people!?”

  Wunu Shibi could hardly believe his eyes.

  He knew that Wang Chong was incredibly confident and domineering. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have threatened the Khagan or openly confronted the new Andong Protector-General. But Wunu Shibi had never imagined that Wang Chong’s audacity would go so far that he would dare to kill someone in front of the Sage Emperor!!

  The old eunuch next to the Sage Emperor was so flabbergasted that it took a few seconds for him to issue his harsh rebuke. “King of Foreign Lands, you dare! To dare strike someone in front of the Sage Emperor–”

  “Let him be! Do not stop it!” an icy voice suddenly called out, silencing the old eunuch.

  Chapter 2005 - War Dance!

  Chapter 2005: War Dance!

  Translated by: Hypersheep325Edited by: Michyrr“Your Majesty!”The old eunuch looked at the Sage Emperor in shock.But the Sage Emperor had ceased to pay attention to the eunuch after giving his order, his flashing eyes staring viciously at Wang Chong.Wang Chong, We would like to see just how bold you are! If you dare to kill An Yaluoshan, We will seize you and have you and your entire family executed!He stared at Wang Chong, his eyes viciously glinting.Bang!At the center of the Pavilion of Petal and Sepal, An Yaluoshan paled in fright and tried to dodge to the side, but how could he possibly dodge one of Wang Chong’s attacks?Stellar Energy exploded, and An Yaluoshan was pushed back several steps by Wang Chong’s attack amid the sound of tearing silk. But he managed to take Wang Chong’s attack.“Warning! User’s Destined Foe has received the protection of the Power of the World! Within three hundred feet of the Destined Foe, all of user’s attacks will be weakened by 30%.” The Stone of Destiny’s voice rang out in Wang Chong’s mind.A dark cloud passed over Wang Chong’s eyes.The Power of the World again!From the moment he reincarnated, Wang Chong had been at odds with the world. As a reincarnator, he was constantly dealing with the constraint and expulsion of the Power of the World, which constantly wore away at his Destiny Energy.And now, An Yaluoshan, this person who was clearly so crucial to the destruction of the world, was somehow the ‘Child of the World’ and receiving its support.No matter how strong Wang Chong was, a thirty percent reduction was an enormous constraint.But Wang Chong simply narrowed his eyes and took a step forward, moving his body like he was stepping on the stars, and he thrust his sword again at An Yaluoshan.“Ah!”The crowd cried out in alarm, some of them so frightened that they knocked over their goblets.“Stop him!”“King of Foreign Lands, what are you doing?”The officials turned pale with fright, particularly those who were on good terms with Wang Chong.Wang Chong was vital to the court, and the results would be unimaginable if he were not there to oversee things.“Wang Chong, what are you doing? You dare to act so impudently in front of His Majesty!?” A dignified voice rang out. On the left side of the ‘U’, seated close to the Sage Emperor, Prime Minister Li Linfu frowned as he stood up and rebuked Wang Chong.As the leader of the officials, he had every reason to stand up and stop Wang Chong, whether it was for the sake of law and order or for An Yaluoshan’s sake.“Lord Prime Minister, please hold!”A hand extended and held back Li Linfu.“Huang Huanzhi?” Li Linfu turned and saw that the one stopping him was the Minister of Rites, Huang Huanzhi.“Milord, please notice that the King of Foreign Lands is not randomly attacking the Andong Protector-General. He is performing a sword dance, also known as the War Dance!”Minister of Rites Huang Huanzhi shook his head and explained.“According to the ‘Zuozhuan’, two thousand years ago, when King Wu of Zhou overthrew Zhou of Shang, the brave soldiers of the Ba army used their song and dance to convince the Shang people to rebel. Thus, the ancients said, ‘King Wu overthrew Zhou with song and dance’.“Later on, in the Qin and Han, this dance was also used in battle. During charges, it was used to heighten morale, and Emperor Wu of Han praised, ‘This is the dance King Wu used to bring down Zhou’, and decreed that it should be studied. Thus, it became what we now know as the War Dance.“The War Dance is a traditional martial amusement of our people, a dance of generals. For the King of Foreign Lands to perform it for the Sage Emperor is not a problem. Milord, pay attention to his feet. You will notice that the King of Foreign Lands’ steps are different from how one normally attacks.”Huang Huanzhi paused a moment before continuing his explanation.“The dance King Wu used to bring down Zhou was lost sometime in the Han. It was only because I came across related records in my reading that I was able to recognize it. I did not think that the King of Foreign Lands was such an erudite scholar that he even knew the lost War Dance!”Huang Huanzhi sighed in admiration.Li Linfu was dumbfounded, and when he turned to look back at Wang Chong, he was rendered speechless.But the most shocked by this sight were not the civil officials or Li Linfu, but Cui Qianyou, Gao Shang, and Tian Chengsi, who had returned at some point.Dragon Qi was invisible, and not even the strongest martial artists were capable of perceiving it.Gao Shang had relied precisely on this point in developing this audacious plan to steal Dragon Qi.They had believed that, since Dragon Qi was invisible, nobody would notice them stealing it. Moreover, with so many foreign emissaries present and the Sage Emperor himself presiding, a single dance should have been enough to draw away everyone’s suspicions. But to their surprise, Wang Chong had directly intervened at this critical juncture.None of them knew if Wang Chong could see the truth, but they could not stop now.“King of Foreign Lands, please hold. How could we miss out on this performance!?”“Lord Protector-General, let us come and join you in performing for the… Sage… Emperor…”The two of them nervously sat up, preparing to step over their tables and help An Yaluoshan to deal with Wang Chong.“Where did these nameless soldiers come from? Can’t you see who you are? Is it your place to interfere when the Andong Protector-General and the King of Foreign Lands are performing for the Sage Emperor?”To Cui Qianyou’s right, a figure stood up and immediately engulfed Cui Qianyou in an immense pressure.“Sit down at once!” the cold voice rebuked.Cui Qianyou turned to see who it was, and instantly turned ghastly pale.Minister of War Zhangchou Jianqiong!He had never imagined that this luminary of the Tang military would personally appear to stop him.Cui Qianyou sensed that if he dared to intervene, Zhangchou Jianqiong would attack without hesitation.Another voice spoke up. “Lord Zhangchou is right. You two don’t have enough status to participate. Return to your seats.”Nearby, a figure in imperial robes stood up. Although that man had a genial expression, his voice was tough and firm.King Song!Let alone C
ui Qianyou and Tian Chengsi, even Gao Shang and Yan Zhuang were stunned.One was the Minister of War and the other was a King of the Great Tang. Both of them were influential figures in the court.While Cui Qianyou and Tian Chengsi had high statuses in the Andong Protectorate, and their strengths had reached the Great General level, at an important occasion like the feast of all countries, King Song and Zhangchou Jianqiong far outranked them.What worried Gao Shang and Yan Zhuang the most was that Cui Qianyou and Tian Chengsi had abruptly decided to intervene, but King Song and Zhangchou Jianqiong had been ready and waiting to stop the pair before they could even finish talking.This was not a good sign!These two important officials had clearly predicted their actions.Silence!A deathly silence!Tian Chengsi’s and Cui Qianyou’s faces shifted between green and white as they deliberated over whether to advance or retreat.No matter how unwilling they were, they were powerless against King Song and Zhangchou Jianqiong.“Sit back down already!”King Song suddenly turned harsh.Wang Chong’s sudden entrance to deal with An Yaluoshan had given Zhangchou Jianqiong and King Song a great fright, and they had instinctively wanted to stop him.But in the end, they had still chosen to believe in Wang Chong. Without a single reason, they ensured that Cui Qianyou and Tian Chengsi would not interfere.“Sit.”As Cui Qianyou and Tian Chengsi struggled over what to do, an arm reached out to pull them back down.Tian Chengsi and Cui Qianyou turned to see Gao Shang shaking his head at them.The situation was stronger than the man. No matter how unwilling they were, they could not oppose King Song and Zhangchou Jianqiong in front of so many other officials.After a long hesitation, Cui Qianyou and Tian Chengsi finally sat back down.Meanwhile, in the center of the pavilion, Wang Chong and An Yaluoshan were still ‘battling’.“Y-Your Highness, what are you doing?”An Yaluoshan backed up in panic as he spoke.Bang!He thrust forward his short knife of bone, barely managing to block Wang Chong’s terrifying sword.An Yaluoshan was truly rather panicked. He was not afraid of Wang Chong, as he knew that the Sage Emperor was there to restrain him. In addition, the theft of Dragon Qi was an extremely secretive matter, and Gao Shang had told him that even the strongest would not be able to sense any shift in Dragon Qi. But for some reason, when he saw Wang Chong coming with his sword, he instinctively panicked.Wang Chong’s blazing eyes seemed to see through everything, making him feel like all his secrets were exposed.This scene inexplicably made An Yaluoshan recall that stormy night from two and a half years ago!But after two and a half years, An Yaluoshan had grown much stronger, become the Child of the World, recruited many subordinates, and even trained a trump card in the Yeluohe. He also had the assistance of wise advisors in Gao Shang and Yan Zhuang, and the support of those men in black.An Yaluoshan had thought that, with everything that had changed, he no longer feared Wang Chong. But the sight of Wang Chong seething with hatred and killing intent, clearly wanting nothing more than to cleave him in half, made An Yaluoshan’s heart thump madly and cold sweat congeal on his brow. Fear instinctively seized him.“An Yaluoshan, such audacity! To steal the Great Tang’s Dragon Qi in front of this king!”Wang Chong’s cold voice exploded right in An Yaluoshan’s ear, making him tremble all over in fear.