The Human Emperor

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

“No! Impossible!”

A panicked and disturbed voice resounded in everyone’s ears. Bang! In a flash of light, True Lord Yellow Dragon retreated even faster than he had come, crossing tens of thousands of feet in the blink of an eye.

“You think you can run? We have been waiting for a long time!”

A majestic, vast, hallowed, and noble voice resounded across the heavens, like that of the god who reigned over the nine heavens. As this voice spoke, that gigantic sword slashed down. One second ago, it had been floating in the air, but a second later, it had slashed down as if it wanted to cleave the firmament in two!

Rumble!

A Sword Qi as hot as the sun lit up the capital as brightly as day, so dazzling that everyone was forced to close their eyes.

This attack issued forth from Taiji Palace and sought to span the world, extending for millions of feet.

Rumble!

If one looked down from the sky, one could see this immense Sword Qi almost cleaving the Central Plains in half, reaching all the way to the ocean and making the mountains of the southwest tremble.

Not only that, the moment this Sword Qi shot forward, a vast and majestic pressure spread outward from Taiji Palace, instantly engulfing the entire capital. This pressure was as heavy as a mountain and almost tangible, and as it pressed down, it made everyone’s minds tremble and their feet become unsteady.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Across the capital, countless Imperial Army soldiers got down on their knees.

“Your Majesty!”

Eastern Palace Guard Captain Fei Yuhan dropped to his knees, his face covered in cold sweat and his entire body shaking. There was only one person in the world who possessed such divine pressure, and that person was the Sage Emperor of the Great Tang.

At almost the same time, Hou Junji nastily scowled.

At this moment, in the skies above the capital…

“Ah! No!”

There was a scream as that majestic Sword Qi instantly caught up to True Lord Yellow Dragon.

Buzz!

Time seemed to stop, as True Lord Yellow Dragon seemed to be frozen in the air. The twelve magnificent and mysterious Halos of Spacetime around him instantly crumbled, lasting less than half a second. And then True Lord Yellow Dragon began to shatter, starting from his skin and working its way inward.

In the blink of an eye, one of the most terrifying existences of the Celestial God Organization to yet appear was pulverized.

“Li Taiyi, I won’t let you go! Supreme One, save me!”

True Lord Yellow Dragon’s fleshly body was obliterated, but his soul remained. More than one thousand years of tempering had made his soul and will tougher than steel, allowing it to survive the destruction of his body. But even so, after taking the Sage Emperor’s attack, True Lord Yellow Dragon’s twisted soul was beginning to crumble away.

The Sage Emperor’s sword intent was seeping into the depths of his soul, and if this went on, his death would be inevitable.

Everyone inside and outside of the Imperial City was struck dumb by the events in the sky. No one knew what True Lord Yellow Dragon was talking about.

Li Taiyi?

He seemed to be talking about the Sage Emperor, but everyone knew that the Sage Emperor’s name was not Li Taiyi. As for True Lord Yellow Dragon’s last words, no one could comprehend them.

Buzz!

True Lord Yellow Dragon’s soul disintegrated with frightening speed, and there was soon only a tiny wisp left. At this moment, kaboom! The clouds suddenly roiled, and a massive golden hand reached out from them to grab True Lord Yellow Dragon’s soul.

“Supreme One!”

True Lord Yellow Dragon, who had been sure that he was about to die, instantly rejoiced upon seeing that golden hand and sensing that familiar energy. Like a drowning man spotting a rescue rope, he immediately rushed toward the hand.

True Lord Yellow Dragon understood more than anyone else that this individual was the only man who could save him from the Sage Emperor of the Great Tang.

But just when True Lord Yellow Dragon’s soul began to move…

Bang!

A resplendent golden boot emerged from the pitch-black Taiji Palace.

This simple act was imbued with supreme power. The heavens themselves were unable to bear the weight of this foot and fiercely trembled.

True Lord Yellow Dragon’s soul was just about to reach that golden hand, but when that golden boot emerged, he slowed down for just a thousandth of a second.

“No!”

Extreme fear appeared in the eyes of True Lord Yellow Dragon’s soul. Just when that golden hand was right in front of him, his soul was turned to dust.

The golden hand paused, apparently not having expected this development.

“‘Heaven’, you’ve finally appeared!”

In front of Taiji Palace, a golden-robed figure had appeared. Though he was just casually standing there, his body exuded boundless power and majesty.

This man was the center of the world. The mountains and rivers, the sun, moon, and stars all paled before this figure. Even True Lord Yellow Dragon was insignificantly tiny in front of this man.

This was the Sage Emperor of the Great Tang, the architect of its golden age and its eternal sovereign!

After an interminable second, an aloof and majestic voice, devoid of emotion, resounded through the heavens.

“Li Taiyi, I truly underestimated you.

“…In order to lure me out, you arranged such a great act. Alas, despite your astounding talent and comprehension abilities unparalleled since ancient times, you have reached your limit. I’d like to see just how long you can suppress him within your body!”

This voice had barely spoken when a dazzling beam of Sword Qi lashed out. With one strike, the Sage Emperor obliterated the golden hand, together with all the dark clouds in the sky.

A cold grunt came from the depths of spacetime, and that dreadful energy swiftly withdrew.

Everyone inside and outside the Imperial Palace was stunned and frightened. What they had just seen had surpassed their knowledge. None of them understood what that giant hand in the sky was, and none of them understood what that conversation between them had meant.

All the clouds had scattered, and the Sage Emperor was left alone in front of Taiji Palace, standing there like a god of the highest heavens, looking down upon the world.

“Paying respects to the Sage Emperor!”

“May the Emperor live ten thousand years!”

All the rebel Imperial Army elites began to kneel on the ground, their faces pale in panic.

When the First Prince had been regent, there was a rumor going around in the palace that the Sage Emperor had fallen into a coma and was on the verge of death, but after seeing the Sage Emperor and his terrifying strike, none of them had even the slightest thought of continuing this rebellion.

“Go! Hurry!”

All the men in black fled like frightened beasts, their courage utterly failing.

An Imperial Army Marshal suddenly raised his arm and shouted, “Everyone, execute these monsters! Don’t let a single one escape!”

At this point, everyone glanced at the Sage Emperor, and upon seeing that he did not seem ready to pass judgment yet, immediately understood and charged at the men in black. All of them knew that joining the First Prince in rebellion would result in the death penalty and that this was the only chance to clear their names.

All the Imperial Army elites hollered as they charged at the men in black.

And as the men in black fled, the forces led by the Lone Silence Ancestor, Li Siye, and Guo Ziyi also arrived on the scene.

The battle in the Imperial Palace was over!

……

“You lost!”

Far away from Taiji Palace, Wang Chong looked at Hou Junji and smiled.

The war cries from the Imperial Palace almost entirely belonged to his own men. The rebellion was truly over.

The mood was solemn, with Fei Yuhan and the others having turned ashen. True Lord Yellow Dragon was dead and the First Prince had been defeated. No good end awaited them.

“Heheh…”

In this oppressive atmosphere, Hou Junji began to softly chuckle, his hair quivering. He stared at Wang Chong with a bizarre smile on his face.

“Kid, what does it matter if you’ve won? I already reached my objective in this game!”

“Hou Junji, what do you mean by this?”

Wang Chong’s heart sank, his brow creasing.

Miyasame Ayaka and the others also felt their hearts thump. True Lord Yellow Dragon was dead and the First Prince had been defeated. Hou Junji had clearly lost, and had no more chances to turn the tables. This was not a time when he should have been laughing.

This was far too abnormal!

“Hahaha, kid, you truly deserve to be Su Zhengchen’s disciple. But alas, we were never even playing on the same board. You thought that I helped Li Ying because I wanted his promise, desired the riches, fame, and status he could give me?”

Hou Junji slowly spread apart his arms and loudly laughed. He seemed completely relaxed, like he was tearing off a disguise.

“Bastard! What are you trying to say?”

Let alone the Eastern Palace soldiers, even Miyasame Ayaka and the others grimaced, Wang Chong’s expression turning dark.

Yes!

All of them had just naturally accepted the fact of Hou Junji helping the First Prince, never even thinking about his motives. One was the undefeated Army-Shattering War God and the other was the illustrious First Prince. It was only right that these two should work together.

But if one thought about it carefully, one would realize that Hou Junji, as one of the twenty-four meritorious officials of the Lingyan Pavilion, had already enjoyed the fame and fortune that came from elevating the emperor to the throne and becoming a Minister of the Dragon. Taizong would have granted him far more than the First Prince. In other words, the First Prince’s enticements should have had very little draw to a legend like Hou Junji.

But if it wasn’t for all that, why did Hou Junji join the First Prince’s camp?

Everyone’s faces turned solemn. They all realized that the truth was far more complicated than it had initially seemed.