Peace Order

Chapter 1791 - 78: The Fiery Heart, Red Emperor’s Legacy

"There will still be people, those with ambition in their hearts, carrying the blood of the Red Emperor, continuing to gallop across the world, still stirring the people’s hearts, still claiming legitimacy. But, this is not your fault, eight hundred years of chaos, eight hundred years of the Red Emperor."

"This title has already become like an imprint, lodged within people’s hearts."

"Today you seize the Emperor, tomorrow someone seizes the crown prince. The legitimacy of the Red Emperor lineage that lasted eight hundred years, this shadow cast over the world, is a perfect excuse, a reason, a tradition. The Red Emperor lineage has barely survived several times."

"I know..."

Su Wang’s expression froze, watching the current Red Emperor extend his hand, the twelve-Chapter crown of the emperor drooped down. He looked at the people in front of him and suddenly smiled. That fear, the fear rising from the heart, suddenly disappeared. He simply and calmly said:

"Eight hundred years, the Red Emperor stood with a Three-foot Sword and accomplished unparalleled achievements, thus establishing this dynasty."

"Eight hundred years later, faced life and death several times."

"Isn’t it the Heavenly Mandate?!"

"How could it end in despair?!"

"If you want the world, then go ahead and seize it with sword and blade!"

He already understood, whether it’s abdication or seizing power, there’s no difference.

The latter is undoubtedly a rebel, but the one who is abdicated to is also a rebel, there will still be loyal ministers, there will still be ambitious ones under the shadow of the eight-hundred-year Red Emperor, rising up in the name of quelling rebellion.

Yes, you and I are the same, we all have our fate.

You create Taiping, I quell the chaotic world.

The grass and trees on the plains burn to ashes, and in the second year, the earth will revive.

He saw again the young men drinking under the big tree several years ago, and he smiled, looking up at the drifting smoke, watching the tablets seem to turn into exotic beasts in the shadows, reaching out to grasp him.

"I won’t run, ancestors Red Emperors."

The current Red Emperor laughed.

"I enjoy your protection, enjoy your glory, how could I run?"

The smoke drifted, suddenly erupting into terrifying flames, the flames surging fiercely, enveloping the entire nine-story grand hall, terrifying flames shot up to the sky, illuminating the heavens and earth.

All the ancestral tablets of the Red Emperor lineage burned in the flames.

!!!

Su Wang’s face changed dramatically, Jiang Wanxiang looked up, dumbfounded and lost.

He instinctively stopped Yuwen Lie who wanted to extinguish the fire.

"It’s the fire of Qi Fortune!"

Thus, the Red Emperor stood quietly in the flames.

Thus, Ji Zichang thought.

As long as the eight-hundred-year lineage of the Red Emperor has not been destroyed, it will never find true peace. The remnants of the dead still tie down the future, only on the ashes can a new path be forged.

It’s just...

He looked at the woman who had been with him all along, Noble Consort Wen looked at him, extending her hand, clasping Ji Zichang’s hand, Ji Zichang gently embraced her, softly said:

"I really want to leave with you."

"At that time, we together in the world, leaving this narrow Central State, going to see Jiangnan’s waters, going to see the Northern Domain’s grasslands, extending toward the Western Regions to watch the desert beacons and sunsets, to gaze at the vastest starry river."

"When we walk out, through the myriad landscapes, the world’s sceneries, I’ll accompany you to watch, until we’re old, then find a place in this Golden Age to watch the sunrise and sunset, to watch everything grow."

"Leave the children to Guan Yi."

"Watch him frown and worry while taking care of the children, then watch the children grow up, we will have white hair, watching our sixteen or seventeen-year-old child, chase her godfather for New Year’s money, we’ll just sit there laughing, just laughing..."

"What a pity..."

Wen Wan’er with tears streaming down her face, smiled and said:

"Wherever you go, I will accompany you."

Ji Zichang laughed, this king who hadn’t been able to sleep these past few days, constantly struggling, constantly scared, embraced his wife, turned, looking at the ministers and officials outside, the flames had already been ignited, exploding layer upon layer.

The eight-hundred-year realm of the Red Emperor lineage, those royal family names in the records, those ancestral tablets of the late Emperors were all destroyed in the flames, the entire Nine-story Pagoda like a sharp sword piercing the sky.

Vast skies, all in red.

This is—

Chi Xiao.

The true, Chi Xiao.

Bang!!!

The flames surged.

Thus, thus, the fate of the dynasty’s demise transformed into fire rising, into a red Divine Dragon, coiling above the nine layers of the building, roaring high.

Thus all direct descendants of the Red Emperor lineage, died by Ji Zichang’s poisoned wine; thus before the people of Central State, the eight-hundred-year Red Emperor lineage, in a grand and resolute manner, bid farewell to the world, drawing the curtain.

No abdication, no relinquishing of position.

The monarch self-immolated, extinguishing the Taoist tradition.

Cleanly, swiftly!

That resplendent and magnificent, yet rotten and unsustainable Red Emperor lineage, started from the great dream of a peasant one afternoon, finally ending in the last Red Emperor’s radiant fire eight hundred years later.

So Ji Zichang finally gazed down upon the earth, looked at the distant friend, and thought softly in his heart: Pharmacist, when the news reaches you, perhaps you will find it all beyond your predictions.

I am not sacrificing for the nation, nor am I forced to abdicate.

Rather, the glory of the eight-hundred-year Red Emperor lineage should be ended by my own hand.

No matter, no matter.

The world still remains.

Wish for you...

He suddenly thought of the drink several years ago, after drinking, squinting at the wind blowing past, truly a good dream.

Wish for you—

Taiping.

That world of peace, it must be, you who will watch it for me.

And Ji Zichang looked at the officials, gazing calmly: "I am tired."

"Everyone... retreat!"

His robe swept across, then, holding his wife, he walked step by step into the flames that seemed to burn everything, the fire reflecting their whole life, from this moment to their youth, and finally back to their childhood meeting.

At first strangers, later inseparable, just a smile in the fire.

"Your Majesty, still afraid?"

This last Red Emperor contently squinted his eyes, and softly said:

"Being myself..."

"That’s enough."

His Inner Strength protected both him and his wife, the final Inner Qi shattered, the special fire of Qi Fortune devouring them, the deep red Red Dragon soared and finally dispersed.

The last Red Emperor Ji Zichang self-immolated.

Eight hundred years of the Red Emperor lineage, begun with the Snake Slayer, ended with Chi Xiao.

With a beginning, with an end.