by Feng Yue
Jiu Ying shook his head silently and made his way into the gap between the steel column and the iron frame, the chair directly below the siege hammer. Then, he parted his hair, revealing an alchemy array that extended along his spine, from the back of the neck to the limbs. As the circuit was activated, a layer of iron-like whiteness coated the bronzed skin.
His whole person seemed to be integrated as one with the steel, but he gained no strength from it. Instead, he lost his agility and struggled to even move. He could only move a few parts of his body, like the shoulders, wrists, and fingers.
It was definitely a failed transformation, but committing such a mistake that seemed just right could only be said to be… deliberate.
As he was completely transformed into iron, on top of the siege hammer, an iron gear moved, lowering a partition, almost covering half of his body.
A light lit up faintly inside the partition, illuminating his jaw. As if he was enjoying the stiffness, he slowly moved his fingers, feeling the stability brought by the excessive stiffness.
He held his breath.
After no longer having a pulse, it was as if his whole person had become a piece of iron.
Only the fingers were slightly lifting the grip on the armrest, and as the grip moved, the angle of the “siege hammer” was subtly changed as the iron frame shifted.
“Is it going to begin so fast? I haven’t taken a rest yet.” Bai Heng sighed and looked down at the book in his hand. “Speaking of it, it’s actually the first time we are using it, wait, let me see…” As he said so, he flipped the book open, ignoring the weird name, “Operating Manual of Orion β-type Deep-Layer Sampler,” on the cover, and directly looked at the fine text on the pages behind it.
While referring to the operation method written on it, he pressed the buttons on the siege hammer in a somewhat unfamiliar manner.
“Let me see, what is this red thing? Ah, the real-time corrector of the wind speed… then the distance corrector. Where are the buttons for temperature difference and pressure? Let me see… oh, they’re here, should we correct the humidity? Okay, let’s fix it. Ah, there’s a button to correct the trajectory as well…”
After each section was completed, the specks of light above the “siege hammer” lit up one by one, until finally, a cold beeping sound that gave one goosebumps sounded.
The preheating was complete.
Bai Heng opened the last box, and somewhat laboriously lifted up a box as big as a person’s head. He staggered towards the strange object hanging on the iron frame, and finally climbed onto the ladder and inserted it into the groove. As the machinery operated, it sank into the core of the dark steel, no longer seen.
Icy cold air flowed out of the spots that seemed to be venting holes, making the high platform similar to an extremely cold cellar. Wisps of it were enough to make one shiver because of the cold.
As the final preparation was completed, Jiu Ying’s fingers trembled slightly, seemingly excited. His body tensed, his thumb rubbing against the top of the handle and the red button on it.
“Slow down, be steady.” Bai Heng bent down and patted his arm. “It is the last of the celestial collection of House Bai, we have no second chance.” As he said so, he narrowed his eyes and looked at Heaven’s Gate thousands of miles away. It was as if he could see the heroic figure fighting desperately in it through the storm and the blazing light rising into the sky.
“Jiu Ying, be honored.” He whispered softly, “After Dragon Slayer the Third, it is the last one Bai House left to the world, and using it on such a hero is right and proper.”
In the silence, no sound of breathing could be heard, only the hurricane from afar stirred up a deep echo.
Bai Heng peered into the mirror, where the scene from a thousand miles away was magnified to the extent that even fine hairs could be seen, his gaze fixated on the burning figure.
In the mirror, a red frame the size of a thumb was moving quickly, chasing the figure that was moving freely and unrestrainedly. When the frame enveloped the figure, a sharp noise was produced.
Bai Heng inhaled deeply.
The storm that was stirred up at Heaven’s Gate slowly spread from afar, like a giant advancing on the ground with a rumble. Innumerable specks of sand and dust were shaking violently in it, forming a turbulent sandstorm, and the roar of the wind was like the whine of iron.
Bai Heng squinted.
“Three!
“Two!
“One!”
At the very moment, a crisp sound rang out.
It was the echo from the spring as the activation button was pressed.
The roar of the storm, the sound of breathing, the sorrowful whine of the earth, the echo from the sky. All the sounds seemed to have disappeared.
In the cold silence, only a muffled sound rang out.
It was like pulling out the oak plug from the bottle of red wine.
A ray of light spewed out from the opening, gushing into the distance, and disappeared in the hurricane and sandstorm.
The next moment, the hurricane exploded, the ghastly white waves extending in all directions. The grayish-black sandstorm was cruelly cut into two pieces, like cloth that was torn apart, and the chaotic noise of oil boiling in pots sounded.
The cold was no longer, and the horrifyingly high amount of heat was released from the siege hammer, burning it red in a moment, as if a furnace of hell was brewing up. Tongues of flame several feet long spewed out of the exhaust pipe, licking the ground.
The siege hammer opened and threw out the iron case that Bai Heng had inserted with all his might a few moments ago, but most of its weight had disappeared, as if an invisible hand had taken the weight away.
Only the empty box, that had been burned red, was rolling on the ground, melting in the tongues of flame in the end, producing a stench.
In the horrifying heat, Bai Heng covered his nose and mouth. He did not leave but remained staring at the screen that was already half-melted. Snowflakes flickered on the screen, faintly showing the figure falling from the sky.
At the moment, the “light” that had converged into a line pierced through the wind and dust for a thousand miles. Wherever it passes, everything fell apart under the impact. The terrifying pressure left a straight gully and depression on the ground.
In just a moment, the world created by the Sword of the End was torn apart. The “light” penetrated it, then passed through with a whistle. It passed through the walls of Heaven’s Gate as easily as crushing dry weeds and smashing rotten wood, then through the city in a slanted manner, flying over the other side of the gates of the city, shattering the skies and disappearing into the darkness of the universe.
The hero’s roar came to an abrupt end.
In the deathly silence, only the flat echo of a broken body falling on the ground sounded.
On the broken skull, the contours of the face in the past could be faintly seen.
A single eye stared up at the sky blankly.
The smile was no longer.
He died.
The rumble that had arrived late reverberated and dissipated in the empty world.
After a long time, a very long time…
Ye Qingxuan’s hoarse roar rang out, “Bai Heng!!!!!!!”
773 Think about I
In that instant, lightning rose from the ground and the turbulent aether tornado was packed into a single thread. Under the influence of the New Testament sword, the incarnation of the Holy Spirit controlled lightning and thunder above the vault of heaven. Iron was breaking apart and, in the emptiness, the roar of thunder burst forth. It was the tremendous sound of the New Testament sword clashing against the Great Wall, thereby tearing away layers of shackles.
As the vault of heaven trembled while breaking apart, the aether thunder whipped at the layers of clouds, violently exposing the fog and enchantment that had been hidden. Wherever they passed, the broken music theory and the mortal world stimulated each other, revealing a scarlet color
that resembled blood. It was like an unfortunate spreading doom, and wherever they passed, the vault of heaven would be split open. Storms would be raining blood onto the mortal world.
“Sun cross, comet attacks the moon, goshawk swoops onto the temple…” Below the temple, the teenage girl, that was trapped in the cage, looked up at the vault of heaven. “Upon reaching the domain of catastrophe, would simply spreading the desire to murder be sufficient to turn the world upside down. When I see how powerful my cousin has become, I can’t help but feel happy.” With that, she tilted her head to look at the Emperor. “What about you?”
The Emperor did not say a word, except to look down and mourn the passing of the hero.
“Is this considered as shedding crocodile tears?” Bai Xi teased, “From the day when you sent that last hero to the frontline, shouldn’t you already have expected this to happen?”
Aurora was ruled by the Emperor and the Prince, while the Emperor alone possessed 40 percent of the authority over the Great Wall and the City in the Sky. This was a law that had never changed over the past thousands of years. Based on the strategic location of Heaven’s Gate, Mr. Hu’s attainment and the boost provided by 40 percent of Great Wall should be sufficient to deal with the attack from the Lords of the Bloodline of the Dragon. Besides, Ye Qingxuan would also render his aid.
With Tai Changqing’s inheritance and legacy in hand, if Mr. Hu decided to try to salvage anything from such a dangerous situation, he would still hold the upper hand against the attack of Princes of the bloodline of the dragon. Regardless of whether Mr. Hu was alive or dead, the situation would still be within control.
What she did not expect was that Mr. Hu never did seek help from Ye Qingxuan. Mr. Hu even proactively pushed Ye Qingxuan out of this whirlpool and forced the latter to leave Heaven’s Gate. Then, he completed his mission.
This was where the Emperor had miscalculated. Fortunately, everything would fall back in place once again due to fate, so that Mr. Hu would still die as a result of Bai Heng’s plotting. The brave and heroic ending that a hero deserved was snatched away and in its place was a shameless attack out of nowhere. This left Ye Qingxuan completely infuriated.
In the end, he still became Bai Heng’s enemy. A plan, that had gone out of control, had unexpectedly been diverted back onto its original path, except that the process seemed mocking in nature.
In the dead silence, the Emperor did not say a word and only kept quiet.
…
A distance, requiring traveling for two full days and nights, was covered within three minutes. Outside of the capital, Ye Qingxuan had already arrived at the broken Heaven’s Gate. Amidst the roars, chaotic streaks of lightning fell at the front of Heaven’s Gate. He looked up and through the dust, saw the Lords of Deva above the battlefield.
“Bai Heng, come out!”
No one responded. Yuan Changqing would have been the only person who would be pleased to see Ye Qingxuan and his murderous intent, but he was already dead. After losing an opponent like Mr. Hu, the last elemental sword had already fallen onto the ground and had now been kept by the Lord. The rest looked like they did not even hear a sound. Even if eye contact was made, they pretended not to see or feel anything, as if they were looking at an invisible person. Something that should not be here.
The look in Ye Qingxuan’s eyes turned cold. He gripped the New Testament sword tightly and nodded slightly. “Very well. I understand now.”
“Hang on.” A blue-eyed middle-aged man propped himself up. He ignored the injuries on his body and stood in front of Ye Qingxuan. “Lord Ye, the battle here does not concern you. We have never stood in your way, so we hope that you will not stand in ours too.” He continued very solemnly, “Besides, it is inevitable for deaths to occur on the battlefield and it can happen to anyone, including Mr. Hu. Please do not do anything that will leave us with no other choice.”
Ye Qingxuan laughed. He was laughing because he was so furious. “Or else?”
“Or else, everyone will regret it.” Zhangsun Jigui looked at him. There was no hint of fear in his eyes. “This place is Aurora, not your Anglo. Back then, you did not choose to return here, so please do not interfere with the matters of this place now. You are a rare talent who is way better than me. You should not get yourself into this mess that doesn’t concern you.”
“Well said. How I wish you would be able to accept everything so justifiably if I had been the one to attack out of nowhere just now.” Ye Qingxuan’s tone was mocking and filled with evil intent. “Or did all of you feel that it was perfectly justified and reasonable to clinch victory with a sneak attack despite already outnumbering your opponent? If that’s the case, I’m afraid that today is the day when I teach all of you how to differentiate between right and wrong.”
He raised the sword in his hands and pointed it at Zhangsun Jigui. A hundred steps away, the terrifying element, that enshrouded the sword blade, formed a pressure that was equivalent to that of the deep sea within the aether. A hurricane blew and the Lord of Zhangsun family looked pale.
“Finally, just a correction. It is not I who is standing in your way; it is you who are standing in mine.” The look in his eyes was icy cold. “Now, I’m going to ask one last time. Where is Bai Heng?”
In the suffocating dead silence, Zhangsun Jigui lowered his head and sighed. When he looked up once again, there was a look of determination in his eyes. He had decided to welcome Ye Qingxuan and his murderous intent. Just as he was about to speak, he was suddenly disrupted by another voice.
“I’m here, I’m here!” It was a familiar voice, “Please wait, I’m almost here…” It was Bai Heng. He had traveled a thousand miles non-stop in order to rush back to Heaven’s Gate. Without even stopping for a sip of tea or to mount his horse, he had run all the way here after passing through the military formation. He did not seem to sense the icy murderous intent exuded by Ye Qingxuan. Instead, his tone sounded more like he was here to bring everyone to a relaxing and leisurely meal together.
Just like that, he passed through his army and stepped onto the battlefield. For some reason, he was not wearing the ceremonial dress that represented his status as a Prince. Instead, he was wearing a plain undercoat that almost looked embarrassing. Besides… besides…
Ye Qingxuan stared at Bai Heng as if the former was in a daze. Bai Heng’s hair was unkempt and he was barefoot. There was a set of heavy shackles on his hands and neck as he made his way closer, one step at a time.
In that instant, Ye Qingxuan almost began to suspect that there were still illusion musicians hiding in the East that were more than ten times more powerful than him in their illusion attainments. As a result, he might have fallen into an illusion unknowingly. But he was not the only one who was taken aback. Even the guards of Heaven’s Gate, the soldiers, and horses behind Bai Heng, and even all of the Lords of the bloodline of the dragon…
At this moment, there was a silence that could not be broken with words as everyone seemed to be in a daze.
In the dead silence, Bai Heng walked all the way to the gate of Heaven’s Gate, one step at a time. Next, he positioned himself to face the back of Ye Qingxuan, which was also in the direction of the capital. Then, Bai Heng… knelt down!
Even as dust was blowing everywhere, the old man lowered his head. There was a white piece of paper in his hands and with all seriousness, he began to read out loud from it, “Criminal Bai Heng has let down the previous Emperor in the task that was entrusted to him and in the generosity that he has been shown. He falsified orders in order to gain control, recklessly caused military disasters, spied on artifacts, harmed those that were loyal. Criminal Bai Heng knows that his crimes cannot be pardoned and he would never be able to redeem himself even if he died tens of thousands of times. Now, he can only wait to be executed and dares not show defiance. May the Emperor gain the utmost wisdom and rule from the throne for the longest time…”
Silence. There was complete silence for a long time. At this moment
, all the musicians of Aurora were watching what was happening, and they were completely shocked. They even began to doubt their own intelligence and senses. This was including the capital and the main hall. Even the water mirror began to tremble as the musicians, that were maintaining the water mirror, found their jaws dropping and their chins almost reaching the ground.
Surrendered? Surrendered… just like that? For decades, Regent Bai Heng had controlled the affairs of the state and called to power in Aurora. He had started this war and rebellion, and now that he had fought all the way to Heaven’s Gate and killed the Emperor’s most powerful right-hand man… he surrendered?
In the dead silence, Bai Xi was trying her hardest to control her laughter. She turned around and looked at the Emperor. “Was this within your expectations too?”
The Emperor did not say a word and only kept quiet.
But Bai Xi had spied upon the Emperor’s shock and rage that was concealed behind indifference. She could not help but chuckle, and the sound reverberated in the silence.
…
Over at Heaven’s Gate, after a long silence, Ye Qingxuan turned his head around with difficulty. He looked at Zhangsun Jigui while pointing at Bai Heng. “What is he saying?”
After a brief pause, there was a look of confusion and pain on the face of the Lord of Zhangsun family before it turned into indifference. “He said that he acknowledges his mistakes and will not dare resist. His only wish is that on account of their past, they can meet one more time before he dies in peace…”
“Oh.” Ye Qingxuan nodded and looked at Bai Heng. There was a look of relief in his eyes, “Now that you know that you’re in the wrong, then die!”
Boom!
In that instant, the New Testament sword struck, and wind and thunder burst forth out of nowhere. Everything happened so quickly that no one could react in time. The blade of the sword had already struck, shredding the gap that separated the Physical World and the realm of aether. After gathering a massive amount of power, the physical object almost transformed into a stream of light. Wherever the stream of light passed, everything would disintegrate.