Ark Undead

Their bodies will be burned to ashes by the flames, leaving nothing behind.

Then the next emperor ascended the throne, continuing the flame.

The emperor, who looked like a living corpse, coughed twice to catch his breath, and then asked.

"What do you think of the Great Yan Dynasty?"

The immortal pondered for a moment, then spoke honestly.

"It exceeded my expectations."

"Is that so..."

The emperor, seated on his throne, wore a happy smile.

At that moment, his smile came from the heart, simple and innocent.

Just like the excitement he felt when he learned he was about to ascend the throne in his youth.

This is the ancestor's response to him, and also an affirmation of the present world from the past.

Tell him.

You did a great job.

319. The Great Yan's Awakening

“I received a royal education from a young age, which taught us what we should and shouldn’t do.”

The emperor coughed twice. It was rare for someone to be willing to stand in front of him and talk to him, so he unconsciously became more talkative.

"My father taught me to distinguish right from wrong, but there is one thing I cannot abandon: the Great Yan."

"The immortal asked."

"Your father was also an emperor?"

"Yes, first my father's eldest brother, then my father, and then me."

The emperor thought for a moment, realizing that with his current frail body, recalling those past events was already somewhat hazy.

"The Great Yan Emperor has never been a single-line successor. As long as one has royal blood, one is qualified to sit on the throne. However, before sitting on the throne, one must undergo sufficient training."

"Father and Imperial Uncle are just like me and Imperial Brother... Ah, you should have already met him, he is the current Governor of Longmen, Wei Yanwu."

The Undying Man knew that Wei Yanwu had said he was the elder brother of the current Emperor of Great Yan. However, the Undying Man didn't quite understand why it wasn't the elder brother who inherited the throne, but rather the younger brother who sat on it.

“Back then, my father’s health deteriorated significantly. At that time, my elder brother was training on the frontier. There were quite a few people in the capital who supported my elder brother, but I had the advantage of being closer to my father. Therefore, after my father passed away, I was the one who sat on the throne to maintain stability.”

"I've been sitting here for fifty years. I've watched my children grow up without being able to be with them when they were still babies... If I have any regrets, I definitely have."

The emperor sighed. As a father, he regretted not being able to grow up alongside his child.

"But I also know that if the Great Yan is gone, millions of children will lose their fathers. Without the person on the throne, millions of families will die from natural disasters and famine."

"The fact that the Great Yan can maintain its current status is closely related to the fact that natural disasters do not enter the Great Yan. As long as the imperial palace exists, natural disasters cannot truly pose a threat to the Great Yan."

In other words, the entire palace and throne form the central structure of a massive barrier. As long as someone remains seated on the throne in the palace, natural disasters cannot truly strike the Great Yan. Even the proliferation of Originium will be forever suppressed to a minimum.

"The land will not be crystallized by Originium, the water quality will always remain high, and even the concentration of Originium in the air is the lowest on the entire Terra continent. As long as there are no natural disasters, it is really not that difficult for humans to survive."

The emperor lowered his gaze to the bonfire lit by the undead, its primordial flames shining brightly in his eyes. It was like the invisible fire that burned within him every day.

"But unfortunately, even in this corner of the Great Yan, maintaining the status quo requires a huge sacrifice."

"It wasn't just me; many more soldiers died in the northern border, and the Ten Thousand Demon Cave in the far south was an even bigger bomb. Every few decades, a strong person had to sacrifice themselves to fuel the fire and maintain the stability of the Great Yan."

"The world sees my Great Yan as a mysterious monster, but they don't know that Great Yan is just trying its best to survive, nothing more."

The undead feel this very strongly.

On Rhodes Island, the operators showed great curiosity when the topic of the Great Flame was brought up.

It's often said that Longmen, as the gateway to the Great Yan, is so developed and powerful. I really wonder what it would be like if it were inside the territory of the Great Yan itself.

In fact, the development level of Da Yan has surpassed that of many countries on Terra. Even Shang Shu is comparable to, or even surpasses, the capital of Victoria, Lentinium.

But as the emperor said, beneath this prosperous scene lies a foundation built upon the corpses of countless people.

Without the contributions of so many people, the Great Yan Dynasty would not be what it is today.

"Cough...cough..."

The old emperor, seated on his throne, coughed twice, his breath flickering like a burning candle swaying precariously in a strong wind.

You are very weak.

The Undead sensed the Emperor's condition and said.

"He won't live long."

"Yes...but we can hold on for another two or three years before my elder brother takes over the reins."

The emperor took a deep breath, suppressing the itch in his throat. Despite the burning sensation, his expression remained unchanged. He seemed to have grown accustomed to the burning sensation.

"At first, it hurt quite a bit, but then I realized it wasn't so bad."

He said it casually.

"Compared to the generals who endured the burning of real fire, I, the emperor, am merely being slowly devoured by flames. Their pain is ten times, a hundred times, greater than mine. And I am the emperor of the Great Yan, so what is there that I cannot endure?"

"We've endured it for fifty years, so holding on for another two or three years shouldn't be a problem..."

When the emperor said the last word, he frowned again, covered his mouth, and almost coughed again.

"At least, at least I must let my brother finish his preparations, and only when he is ready to take over the responsibility can I close my eyes in peace."

It seems that Wei Yanwu's departure from Dayan to Longmen was to prepare himself for taking over Dayan in the future, and also to make things easier for the current emperor.

Imagine a prince who already enjoys considerable support, only to have his throne usurped by his own younger brother.

To outsiders, and to those who supported Wei Yanwu, Wei Yanwu must have been extremely angry.

However, Wei Yanwu accepted the mission to go to Longmen, freeing up his younger brother to do his job.

Fortunately, both brothers were ambitious and talented.

During the emperor's fifty years, the Great Yan Dynasty flourished and showed no signs of decline.

Wei Yanwu also worked in Lungmen, developing it into one of the leading economic hubs on the entire Terra continent.

Even among the currencies circulating around the world today, LMD has become the currency accepted by almost all transactions, demonstrating its strength.

The rumors circulating outside that the two brothers were at odds are utter nonsense.

Wei Yanwu and the emperor both knew what they should do, and they supported each other in their own way, jointly maintaining the prosperity and stability of the Great Yan Dynasty.

If they were not on good terms, the emperor would not have entrusted Wei Yanwu with the crucial position of Governor-General of Longmen.

Unfortunately, a group of princes and nobles within the Great Yan Dynasty felt that the emperor disliked Wei Yanwu and tried every means to suppress him.

Since that was the case, the emperor conveniently went along with it, completely severing the connection between the two and giving Wei Yanwu complete freedom.

Otherwise, Wei Yanwu would not have set up his own private army in Longmen.

However, when the emperor spoke of Longmen, he remembered another person.

"You've met that little girl named Chen Huijie, haven't you?"

"I've met him. He came with me from the Great Yan."

"Ah."

The emperor nodded. He had his reasons for bringing up Chen at this time.

"Chen Huijie was also being groomed to be the emperor."

The Undead had already guessed this, after all, not everyone would have the heart to let Chen go with the Undead to face the Abyss.

What's more, Wei Yanwu not only gave Chixiao to Chen, but also sent Chen to the Great Yan to undergo training.

"My three sons, although they all want to inherit the Great Yan dynasty, are ultimately lacking in something."

The emperor sighed as he spoke of his child.

"They are all around fifty years old and have their own children. But none of them have been recognized by the Celestial Masters."

In the Great Yan Dynasty, the Celestial Master held a position equivalent to the Imperial Advisor in many stories. The Celestial Master would consider a prince's worth from various aspects to determine whether he was qualified to sit on the throne.

"On the contrary, it was my niece and my brother's niece who gained the approval of all the Celestial Masters. Not only did she receive the recognition of Chixiao, but her character was also excellent. I am ashamed."

This means that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, after Wei Yanwu, Chen will one day sit on the throne and die there.

Such an ending might be a bit cruel for a girl.

"Of course, it also depends on her wishes. The Great Yan Dynasty never forces anyone to sacrifice; everything is voluntary."

The emperor thought for a moment and then spoke to the immortal.

"So, before that, I'd like to ask you for a favor."

The campfire burned quietly as the undead sat on the ground, looking up at the emperor seated on the throne.

At this moment, their status was completely opposite to their height.

The immortal nodded slightly.

"explain."

The emperor spoke respectfully.

"If one day, the Great Yan is plunged into dire straits again, even if the emperor dies and the ministers are in turmoil, please do not intervene before natural disasters completely engulf the Great Yan."

He knew that the undead were mortal enemies of natural disasters and demons. His current demands, however, sounded utterly absurd to others, even to the undead themselves.

During his time in the Great Yan Dynasty, he had come to understand what his identity as a Divine General represented to the Great Yan. However, the Emperor asked him not to concern himself with any internal affairs of the Great Yan unless absolutely necessary.

Why?

The undead sat on the ground, yet it seemed as if he were sitting on a real throne; he looked up at the emperor, yet it was as if he were looking down at him.

"The Great Yan Dynasty has gone through the founding of the nation, development, and now its prosperity. We have accomplished everything that an ordinary person can do."

"The emperor said."

"If we cannot truly escape the influence of the gods, how can the Great Yan control its own destiny?"