Food Fairy Lord

Chapter 718 The Empress's Life Entrusted, How Can It Be Said to Be Heartless?

“The true blood of the Mirage Dragon is the legitimate source of the ‘Water Lord's Ascension’ ceremony,” Li Xizhou continued, her lips slightly pursed. “If the Spirit Realm is a country, then it is the throne, the imperial seal, and the crown. Through it, the successor can rightfully wield the [White Water], and the entire Mirage Realm will obey its commands. Conversely, the [White Water] also needs the true blood of the Mirage Dragon to exert control over this Spirit Realm.”

"Then, since you've already mastered the Mirage Dragon's true blood, how did you end up in this predicament?"

“I did not use it.”

"……what?"

“I am qualified to inherit the throne. If I have ingested the true blood, it can only be taken back by killing me. That is why I have been keeping it.”

Pei Ye was stunned.

Li Xizhou didn't continue. She looked at the boy and said softly, "Pei Ye, about our 'Swing Rope,' haven't you read 'Hanging High Branches in March' yet?"

"I didn't look closely."

Li Xizhou turned his head and looked out the curtain: "You've lived in the palace for two months and know that the blood of the unicorn is a curse... I've lived in the palace for twenty years. You said that Mother left me the 'Mirage Unicorn Knot,' which could clearly wash away the blood of the unicorn, but I still came out and did something foolish... Yes, Pei Ye, you're right. But I know more about Father and Mother than you do. Shall I tell you?"

Pei Ye remained silent, and Li Xizhou continued, "After conquering the world, Zhao Baibi became empress, and Li Yao became emperor."

"The emperors of the former Yu dynasty always had to be linked to the will of Heaven to prove that they were acting on behalf of Heaven. There was nothing wrong with that. Zhao Baibi knew that such a day would come as soon as he obtained the imperial seal. Li Yao was chosen by the will of Heaven to succeed him, and the imperial seal had protected his life countless times on the battlefield."

"But after ascending the throne, Li Yao changed."

"He became more and more benevolent and wise, and more and more discerning. He had been a man with the world in his heart since long ago, and this became even more so after he ascended the throne. The workings of fate and him progressed quickly, and he was always able to choose the most correct way to handle all government affairs."

"Besides becoming less and less like a real person."

"In the past, Zhao Baibi asked him whether he thought the will of Heaven was a blessing or a curse for the Tang Dynasty. Li Yao said that if the will of Heaven were truly omnipotent, the situation in Qianyu would not have deteriorated to this extent."

"But after ascending the throne, when Zhao Baibi asked him about his views on the will of Heaven, he became more and more convinced that it was a blessing for the Tang Dynasty to have the will of Heaven in its rule."

“They used to discuss many decrees and were determined to implement them after ascending the throne, but later Li Yao was only willing to push forward those approved by Heaven… Especially regarding the Five Clans, they were the tentacles and claws of Heaven, and they only received more generous nurturing.”

Li Xizhou paused for a moment: "He wasn't being controlled by anything. He has his own thoughts, and he remembers everything. He's just becoming more and more subservient to the will of Heaven. He believes from the bottom of his heart that it is the right thing to do, and he believes that only the will of Heaven can select a true monarch... Just like all the people with the surname Li who have ascended to this position, Li Yao and his fathers and brothers have entered the same cage."

"..."

"Zhao Baibi was already the Empress at this time. She continued to carry out the things they had agreed on before, making connections with martial arts sects, taking action against the five clans, and uniting the country, the people, and the martial arts world... She did these things with great difficulty and danger. But all of these combined were not as dangerous as one thing."

Li Xizhou was silent for a while: "She was empress for a total of four years, but for the previous twenty years, she was Li Yao's beloved partner."

"She reached out to do something very dangerous—she wanted to rescue Li Yao."

"At that time, Li Yao believed that the child born to two people who were destined by Heaven would surely be a born emperor who was more in harmony with Heaven's will. He would definitely bring true peace and prosperity to the Tang Dynasty." Li Xizhou said with his head down, "So Zhao Baibi complied with him, and the two of them went together to plead with Heaven. As a result, Zhao Baibi was also blessed with the Heavenly Silk Ribbon. This was their first child."

"Only when you have it in your own body can you study it, right? Zhao Baibi therefore has two kinds of blood in his body."

"..."

"That is the birth of the [Mirage Knot]."

“Do you remember how it works, Pei Ye? I told you about it at the Luo Shen Palace,” Li Xizhou said. “It locks a pair of mirage blood and a pair of Scale blood together on the smallest scale. Then, even if they are separated, they can still have the greatest impact on each other—destruction, manipulation, and so on. You said you could use it to wash away the Scale blood in my body. Yes, it can do that very easily, because all the Scale blood is under control.”

"After this thing was created, Zhao Baibi died."

"..."

"A meticulously prepared assassin shattered everything. The situation suddenly spiraled out of control. The five clans clashed, and the court was in turmoil, all because the wicked empress usurped the throne. At that time, the Northern Wilderness was still eyeing the throne covetously, and the world was still unstable... As a true wise ruler, would you choose the fate of the nation or the companion beside you who would be condemned by the world?"

"..."

"Of course, he should choose the throne. Restoring the nation was his ambition since his youth, and an emperor is no longer a real person, but a collection of wills."

"In the final moments of her life, Zhao Baibi wrote letters to many friends she knew. But her most vulnerable and earnest last letter was sent to the Zichen Palace."

She wrote:

"Xiao Yao, I regret it, this place is really dirty."

Let's forget about everything and wander the world together, shall we?
Tonight I'll be waiting for you at the Hundred Playground west of the General's Mansion.

"..."

"She waited all night, but Li Yao neither replied nor went to her."

"Everything you've heard about the reasons for her death isn't the real reason. They're just means to disguise it as a reason," Li Xizhou said in a low voice. "Zhao Baibi was born into the world of martial arts, destined for a carefree life. After sixty years, she will inherit the throne of the River Goddess, living a carefree life untouched by the dust and turmoil of war for three hundred years. She can meet countless people and experience countless interesting things. There are many happy people in the world, but certainly few can compare to such a life. But she deliberately put herself in the most dangerous and secure cage in the world. There aren't many places in the world that can crush such a life, but the Imperial City is one of them."

"This is the final piece of 'The Swing Rope,' which I call 'The Swing is Completed in April, Alas, Spring is Over.'"

The cave remained quiet for a long time, and the dim, rippling water reflected on the faces of the two people.

After a long silence, Li Xizhou said, "I didn't use the Mirage Dragon's True Blood because of this, Pei Ye. Because that's what I wanted to leave for you."

Pei Ye was completely stunned.

"Give it to me? What for?"

"First, you possess the true blood of the Mirage Dragon, allowing you to easily defeat Yong Ji in the Spirit Realm, as we can use the Shark Silk to divide everything. You are subject to his false monarchical power, but the true authority now rests within you. You can reclaim the [White Water] from him. Moreover, before the heavy rain stops and the Mirage Realm completely disappears, you can reconnect to the outside world. This means you can spread your divine name."

“Once you obtain the [White Water], the ceremony for the Water Lord's ascension to the throne will end. At that time, the decision of who enters and exits the Spirit Realm will be in your hands,” Li Xizhou said. “This is a matter that is not very important, but also very important. It is the path for us to capture General Chan and return to the capital city.”

Li Xizhou lowered his eyes: "But you don't need to do too much for this. Just help open the door."

Pei Ye was stunned for a moment.

The scaled demons were tearing and biting hysterically outside the curtain, as if it would never stop. The sky outside the water curtain was dark, still a scene of the end of the world.

This matter was indeed unimportant. He suddenly realized something and his lips moved twice.

"And then?" he whispered.

"Secondly, because you need [White Water]. If you want to kill the Taiyi True Dragon Immortal Lord, then you must ascend to the Western Court and seize the Immortal Power. I will not allow Yong Ji to take it away." Li Xizhou looked at him and said, "Just like... I will also ascend the throne sooner or later and kill the Qilin." Pei Ye was suddenly startled. He looked straight at the woman, whose face was dignified and solemn.

"Pei Ye, do you think the existence of the Qilin is a good thing?" she asked.

Pei Ye paused for a moment: "From what I've seen, that's not the case. But if it brings peace to the world... After all, the Tang Dynasty has been around for several hundred years, and now people say that another golden age is on the horizon."

“Yes, the one with the blood of the Qilin will be the ruler. As long as the Qilin lives, the Tang Dynasty will never perish,” Li Xizhou said. “What inspiring words, and they are not false. But, Pei Ye, let me ask you, for the people of the Tang Dynasty, what difference does it make whether this country is called Tang or Sui?”

"..."

"The Qilin governs the fate of the nation, so where does this fate lie if there is no Qilin?"

"..."

"To determine whether a government decree is correct or not, should we look downwards or look upwards to ask questions?"

"..."

"Why didn't the Tang Dynasty fall when the previous emperor acted so perversely? And why are the five clans so unscrupulous now?"

Li Xizhou said in a low voice, "As long as the Qilin is properly worshipped, the Tang Dynasty will not perish. But what if the Tang Dynasty was destined to perish anyway? Who will bear the price of defying fate?"

"The fortune that should have belonged to all people has now been given to the Qilin. This is... the Qilin that stole the country."

Pei Ye was stunned and speechless.

“I want to obtain the true blood of the Mirage Dragon, because only the true blood of the Mirage Dragon can counter the true blood of the Qilin,” Li Xizhou said. “When the heir ascends the throne, he will establish a blood pact with the Qilin.”

“The blood of the unicorn can lead a couple who have entrusted their lives to each other astray. Pei Ye, it is a curse of fate. I have known this for many years.” Li Xizhou looked at the stiff boy and said softly, “You said that the Mirage Knot can wash away the blood of the unicorn, then I know that too, Pei Ye.”

“But you said I could escape that fate… I never thought about it.”

"The only thing I want to wash away is the mirage blood in my body. Only in this way can I completely unleash the unicorn blood and inherit the throne."

"I am the eldest daughter of Emperor Suolin of the Great Tang Dynasty, and the elder sister of all the princes and princesses," she said softly. "Xiao Zhi can escape, for he lost the ability to feel pain from a young age; You Long can escape, for she has tasted the cruelty of fate since childhood; Can Nan is slow-witted, which is a rather fortunate talent; Xiao Chen can avoid seeing everything, for he is outwardly dull but inwardly wise, which is also a way of preserving himself..."

“Every one of them is my brother or sister, Pei Ye… Their fate is my fate.” Li Xizhou’s voice was slightly hoarse.

“This is my empire, and I have never thought of running away,” she said. “They are all afraid, so I will be the crown prince.”

"..."

Pei Ye finally understood, and said in a slightly hoarse voice, "You want to use the [Mirage Knot] to bind yourself..."

“Yes, Pei Ye. Only the true blood of the Immortal Hunter can fight against the true blood of the Immortal Hunter. Today, in this spiritual realm forgotten by everyone in the world, the Qilin has also lost its senses. I have woven all the Qilin blood in my body into the Mirage Qilin Knot. It is a fatal weakness, but also the clarity buried in the deepest secret. Only by relying on it can I face the Qilin directly.”

"..."

She raised her palm to the stunned Pei Ye, and a thick, clear, and beautiful liquid seeped from her skin. This mysterious liquid was only the size of an apple and floated on her palm.

Pei Ye remained silent and motionless.

"I don't know in which year I will become the new one to forge a true blood pact with the Qilin. But all the foreshadowing has already been laid today." Li Xizhou lowered his eyes and said in a slightly hoarse voice, "Only here and today is it a secret pact known only to you and me. There is no third person in the world."

"I'll give it to you."

She looked intently and straight at Pei Ye, her lips pressed tightly together.

This face was so beautiful, so familiar, yet so disheveled. Strands of hair clung to her cheeks and forehead, and her pale rose eyes looked cold from afar, but when you got this close, they were like a dream that made you want to dive in.

Pei Ye rarely looked at it so closely; in the past, whenever it came close, he would stiffly turn his head away.

At this moment, he watched as that face lowered slightly and said softly, "I know you are angry with me for two reasons. Emotionally, you are angry that I went into danger alone without saying a word, leaving you behind and doing something foolish by myself; and, on a deeper level, you feel that I have never been honest with you, and you don't know how much of what we said in the past was true or false."

“But I have never lied to you, Pei Ye.” She suddenly raised her voice. “I have always wanted you to be my ally… I was really happy when I saw you just now… Even the close love between my parents turned against the Qilin, but we don’t rely on such ethereal things, and we will not follow in their footsteps.”

Li Xizhou pursed his lips: "Simply because we are on the same path, we will definitely go further than the two of them."

Seeing that the boy remained silent, she seemed slightly at a loss for the first time, and clasped her hands together.

"I've never seen you as just a sword, Pei Ye. It's just that I need to get to know you properly..." She paused, "Anyway, that's how it is... Please don't be angry with me, okay?"

She looked at him and handed the Mirage Dragon Blood to him again.

Pei Ye looked at her quietly.

He understood, of course.

—I will take on everything that I should.

If I die, then I die.

Infighting, collusion, meticulous planning, never suffering a loss, always stepping in the right place... none of these are the qualities of an emperor.

Taking responsibility is what makes an emperor.

She was already very mature, the eldest son of the heir, and the behind-the-scenes figure of the new Tang Dynasty. She seemed to always have a deep and unfathomable mind and a firm grasp of wisdom, a dragon that countless people relied on.

She was still very young. As the ruler of an empire, she was just getting started and still retained some childlike recklessness and naivety.

Would you be willing to walk up with her?
Zhu Gaoyang once said that if a person has suffered cruel damage in terms of family and friendship, and has already repaired it, it is difficult for them to invest their true feelings in romantic relationships.

Pei Ye had initially believed and accepted it. He almost thought that she was that kind of person.

But women never seem to lack courage.

Even though she had been wounded twice before and the wounds had healed, she once again completely opened her soft heart to him.

Pei suppressed the turmoil in his heart, lowered his eyes for a while, raised his hand, and slowly and tightly grasped the Mirage Dragon True Blood.

(End of this chapter)