Film and Television: The Villain's Life Begins with Joy of Life

Chapter 97 The Dust Settles

The system did not send a notification that the task was completed, clearly indicating that Emperor Qing was still unwilling to accept defeat.

Zhou Cheng held back with that palm strike; he only seriously injured Emperor Qing, but did not kill him.

After all, he was his biological father in this life, and Emperor Qing had never been harsh to him. The reason the two had reached this point was not only due to the system mission, but also largely due to their humanity.

Faced with supreme power, blood ties and the debt of gratitude for being raised are insufficient to form the foundation of mutual trust.

Zhou Chengxin was no match for Emperor Qing.

Even Emperor Qing did not trust Zhou Cheng.

Communication cannot solve all problems.

Even if Zhou Cheng revealed everything to Emperor Qing, and even pointed out the existence of the system and asked him to assist in completing the mission, Emperor Qing would only regard him as a monster, and even more so than Ye Qingmei, and would want to get rid of him as soon as possible.

Therefore, the two inevitably ended up in this situation, still resorting to the most primitive, efficient, and direct means—fists—to solve the problem!

"Father, you've already lost, are you still not ready to give up?"

Zhou Cheng walked step by step to Emperor Qing.

Emperor Qing staggered to his feet. His bright yellow dragon robe was now almost tattered, covered in mud and grass clippings, barely hanging on his body by the sleeves.

In the center of his bare chest was a clear handprint, a deep, crimson print with blood-red lines extending out like shattered porcelain.

At the center of the palm print, there was an even deeper fist print, which had already turned bluish-black.

Emperor Qing raised his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth and straightened the crooked Tongtian Crown. The movement was unhurried and extremely solemn.

With his crown in place, Emperor Qing straightened his body.

"You beast, I am the true Son of Heaven, the supreme ruler of the world, how could I easily admit defeat!"

His voice was hoarse, each word deliberate and dignified, like a wounded tiger still trying to project the aura of the king of beasts.

Emperor Qing's resentment stemmed from the bottom of his heart.

He couldn't understand why, despite his meticulous planning, this was the final result.

During the exchange, he clearly realized that Zhou Cheng's domineering true qi had not been cultivated to its peak. As long as his meridians were still intact, he would never be able to withstand the infusion of his kingly true qi.

Zhou Cheng's behavior defied martial arts principles and was too unrealistic.

This made him suspect that the other party was already at their limit and was just bluffing.

If that's the case, although he is seriously injured, he still has the strength to fight and can basically win.

Zhou Cheng appears to be unharmed, but in reality, he is outwardly strong but inwardly weak, and is already at his wit's end.

Zhou Cheng was unaware of Emperor Qing's thoughts. His gaze was calm, with no murderous intent in his eyes, only a kind of indifference bordering on pity: "Father, a loss is a loss. Being stubborn won't change the outcome. I said I would make proper arrangements for your later years, and I will keep my word."

Emperor Qing sneered, his laughter mixed with the blood and foam in his throat, producing a hoarse sound like a broken bellows.

With his eyes slightly closed, he was still secretly vying for control of the primordial energy of heaven and earth, desperately trying to restore his true essence to heal his injuries.

The Grandmaster's vitality was terrifyingly tenacious. His sternum was nearly half broken, but once he circulated his true energy, the broken bone fragments were firmly fixed by the skin, flesh, and fascia, no longer piercing his internal organs, and his combat power was still preserved by about 70-80%.

"Don't force yourself. You must be in a lot of pain right now! Even if you cultivate the Heavenly Dao, you can't withstand my Kingly Dao True Essence. If you release it in time, even if your meridians are destroyed, you'll still have a chance to survive. By forcing yourself like this, what good will it do except make you die faster!"

Emperor Qing spoke tentatively, but in a tone of certainty.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Cheng immediately understood why Emperor Qing was still unwilling to give up, even at this point.

It turns out they thought he was just a loser pretending to be strong and waiting to die.

Zhou Cheng didn't explain, but simply raised his right hand, clenched his fist, and released his internal energy outwards.

The domineering Grandmaster's domain surged outwards like a tide, pressing the pebbles into the soil wherever it passed, causing fallen tree trunks to creak under the weight, and even making the air thick and sticky.

Within this domineering force lies a vital, inexhaustible energy, bound together by a balanced and peaceful energy. This intertwines two distinctly different energies, with the fierce and the gentle alternating, like the yin and yang of Tai Chi, spreading outwards in concentric circles.

Enveloped by Zhou Cheng's Grandmaster Domain, Emperor Qing's pupils suddenly contracted.

His eyes widened in disbelief.

"Impossible! How could you be unharmed?"

Zhou Cheng withdrew his hand, standing with his arms hanging down, his true energy domain still extended: "Father, although you are a Grandmaster, there are too many things in this world that you cannot understand. You cannot understand Ye Qingmei, you cannot understand the Temple, and you certainly cannot understand me. You should understand now that I have already tried my best to show mercy, so please don't push me any further."

Emperor Qing's face turned pale and then flushed, as if he had been deeply insulted.

"Hold back? How laughable! Do you think I can't see that you've already gone all out? You unfilial son may have some extraordinary abilities, but you're nothing special."

"We are both Grandmasters, but I am the invincible one! If I hadn't expended so much true energy on Mount Da Dong, what would you be?"

Looking at the outwardly fierce but inwardly weak Emperor Qing, Zhou Cheng sighed softly.

People tend to subconsciously belittle and avoid things that are beyond their understanding or comprehensible.

He absorbed Emperor Qing's royal true energy through the system space, not only unharmed but also strengthened himself and restored to his peak state.

Emperor Qing could clearly sense his powerful aura, which was not a bluff, yet he still refused to believe it and clung to a sliver of hope.

Different stances, different ideas, and different perceptions create a vast chasm in understanding.

It is wishful thinking to try to change a person, especially someone with a fixed mindset, through communication and words alone.

Even the protagonists in anime who are good at talking know that if you want your reasoning to be convincing, you need to defeat your opponent first!

Only the cold reality, only the scythe of death at their throats, only having no other choice, can truly awaken them.

As Emperor Qing spoke, he had already secretly recovered some of his true energy.

He used his true qi to restore the misaligned internal organs to their proper positions, and then used his true qi to regulate the flow of qi and blood, causing his overall condition to improve at a visible speed.

He shuddered, and all the mud and debris on his body and robes flew off, scattering into a ring of grayish-brown dust.

If it weren't for the lingering wound on his chest, and if his bright yellow dragon robe weren't still tattered, Emperor Qing would seem to have once again become that composed and unhurried emperor who reigns over the world.

Emperor Qing let out a long breath.

His sternum was shattered, and with each breath he endured excruciating pain that most people could not bear, yet his expression remained unchanged.

This pain is nothing compared to the days when his meridians were completely severed and he was living a life worse than death.

The turnaround in his situation gave Emperor Qing even more confidence and composure.

Even if Zhou Cheng is in top form, he still believes he can turn the tide.

"It's been far too long since anyone has made me feel pain." His voice was deep, his gaze fixed on Zhou Cheng with a dangerous calm. "This physical pain has brought me to my senses. Whether you are an extraordinary being or a demon, I am the chosen one, the supreme ruler of the world!"

"I shouldn't act like a hot-blooded warrior!"

His voice grew louder and louder: "I am Emperor Qing, the ruler of all people, the embodiment of the will of the king! To suppress rebellion, all it takes is my command!"

His gaze was intense, his aura growing ever more imposing. "Wherever the sun and moon reach, and countless people reside, they are all my power. You think you're only an enemy of me? No, you're an enemy of the entire world!"

Emperor Qing's aura grew increasingly imposing, and his voice became as cold as a divine judgment.

He adopted a passionate and impassioned posture, but his gaze silently drifted toward the official road.

He wasn't prepared to risk his life, but instead decided to use the trump cards he hadn't been able to use in the Battle of Da Dong Shan.

Fan Xian!

He is Fan Xian's biological father and also Fan Xian's monarch.

Regardless of his identity in ordering Fan Xian, given Fan Xian's personality, he would definitely fight to the death to protect him.

Fan Xian was on his side, so Wu Zhu naturally wouldn't stand idly by if he encountered danger.

He believed that the grand battle just now had already attracted Wu Zhu's attention.

He believed that the key to turning defeat into victory lay with Fan Xian and Wu Zhu.

Wu Zhu's strength surpasses that of a Grandmaster; if the two of them joined forces, Zhou Cheng would be no match for them.

To achieve this, he only needed to give Fan Xian an order that could not be refused.

Even though Emperor Qing's gaze was discreet, it still couldn't escape Zhou Cheng's perception within the Grandmaster realm.

He understood Emperor Qing's thoughts almost instantly.

A silent chuckle escaped his lips.

He kindly advised, "Father, it's no use. You plotted to murder Ye Qingmei back then. Even if Wu Zhu helped you, you couldn't do anything to me. The reason you're still standing here and have a chance to recover from your injuries isn't because you're a Grandmaster, but simply because you're my father, nothing more."

Emperor Qing's expression changed drastically.

His plan to use Wu Zhu was seen through!

And it's not just about seeing through things!

He didn't expect that Zhou Cheng not only knew Wu Zhu and the relationship between Wu Zhu and Ye Qingmei, but also knew perfectly well that Ye Qingmei's death was related to him!

Ye Qingmei's death was his deepest secret, a secret that he absolutely could not let Wu Zhu know.

Once Wu Zhu finds out that Ye Qingmei was harmed by him, he will not only not help him, but will probably be the first to rush up and kill him.

Thinking of this, Emperor Qing's heart trembled.

However, Emperor Qing is Emperor Qing after all.

The moment fear rose in his heart, he immediately suppressed all his emotions.

He was confident that when he orchestrated Ye Qingmei's death, every move he made was meticulous and left no evidence.

Without evidence, Fan Xian would not allow Wu Zhu to harm him.

"Ye Qingmei's death has nothing to do with me!" Emperor Qing said calmly, suppressing the rise and fall of his voice, and denied it outright.

He wasn't explaining this to Zhou Cheng, but rather to Wu Zhu, who might be somewhere overhearing their conversation.

Zhou Cheng naturally knew that Emperor Qing wasn't explaining it to him; he just found it amusing.

In this world today, there are only two things that Emperor Qing fears.

One is the Barrett left behind by Ye Qingmei, and the other is Wu Zhu.

The smile that Zhou Cheng gave made Emperor Qing feel extremely embarrassed.

Without a second thought, he unleashed an almost overwhelming negative emotion upon Zhou Cheng, and with a swift movement, he was about to rush towards Fan Xian.

"Fan Xian—! Protect the Emperor!"

He was preparing his voice, but before he could gather his strength, he simply turned around without even taking a step, and a shockwave, invisible to the naked eye, swept straight over his head.

Before the Grandmaster's superhuman spirit could even raise any warning signs, the Heavenly Crown on his head exploded!

"Bang--!"

Gold threads, stray hairs, and fragments of jade beads mingled together and flew in all directions.

The impact of the exploding hair ornament completely shattered the hair bun, causing long hair to fall loosely over the shoulders in a disheveled state.

A few strands of hair drifted down before his eyes, and Emperor Qing's hair stood on end. He froze on the spot, not daring to make the slightest move.

He didn't know what had happened, only that something had swept past his head just moments before.

The thing was too fast, so fast that his eyes and his mind couldn't catch it.

He felt a burning sensation in the center of his scalp.

He knew it wasn't an illusion.

Something really did brush past his scalp!

It was only an inch off, no, only half an inch off!

He was almost dead!

This was the first time in decades since he became a grandmaster that he had so clearly sensed the scent of death!

The severed hairs were still floating in the air, not falling even a fraction; the Grandmaster's spiritual warning arrived belatedly.

Emperor Qing stiffened his neck and looked toward the source of the danger.

He saw Zhou Cheng, who was still standing with his hands at his sides, without making any other move.

At this moment, everything else faded from Emperor Qing's eyes, leaving only a naked, undisguised emotion.

It is a primal fear, no different from that of ordinary people, when facing the unknown and an irresistible force.

His lips moved a few times, and a few dry syllables squeezed out of his throat: "What—what is that thing?"

'

Zhou Cheng explained casually, "It's a Barrett armor-piercing round. Its flight speed is close to three times the speed of sound, and it can kill any known carbon-based life form from a kilometer away."

"Well, you probably wouldn't understand what I'm saying. But to put it another way, it's something that can instantly kill a Grandmaster."

After speaking, he paused, then added to Emperor Qing, "Father, it has always taken only a single thought for me to kill you. Now you should understand just how forgiving I have been towards you!"