Chương 129: [129] Fantasy Tree
Under the gentle autumn sunlight, the world seemed at peace.
The provinces and counties occupied by the Yellow Turban Army were now experiencing a bountiful harvest. The fields on either side of the road were like a golden sea of ripened wheat.
Reinhard, a young man clad in a dark yellow robe, strolled through these fertile lands, cradling a plump, white fox in his arms.
The leisurely walking youth was soon spotted by the farmers who were busy harvesting. They quickly gathered around him.
Joyous cheers, like a warm breeze, swept across the mountains and fields.
"Good master, good master, good master...."
The young man, who was addressed as the good master, had a few conspicuous strands of snow-white hair mixed with his inky black locks, standing out sharply.
People worried about his health.
"White hair is a sign of profound power. You all know that he is like an immortal."
Reinhard raised his hand, smiling warmly, and patted the heads of the children who gathered around him.
The children's faces had become rosy and healthy. No longer were they pale and emaciated, and their coarse cloth clothes no longer showed signs of tattered patches.
[Autumn has arrived.]
[You greet everyone you meet with a gentle smile, feeling the countless hopeful and eager gazes directed at you.]
[From this autumn onwards, the common folk, who have long been ignored, can finally fill their bellies and wear newly woven clothes.]
[There is no war in the land.]
[The most brilliant strategists in the entire nation have gathered under the banner of the Way of the Great Peace.]
[Their arts are divine, and under your personal guidance, their strategies, knowledge, and tactical acumen far surpass the standards of this era, forming an unstoppable force.]
[The faltering court cannot stop you.]
[With the lives of hundreds of thousands of Yellow Turban Army as the cost, the dynasty's rule has been shaken to its core. The dark yellow banners have risen in the eight provinces, fluttering in the wind.]
[Noble families and the court continue their power struggles, watching from the sidelines, while eunuchs and relatives of the emperor have different plans, all vying for power and scheming to perhaps ally with the new regime.]
[Every day, you receive numerous letters of surrender from scholars, inviting you to ascend the throne, expressing their willingness to serve under a new heavenly order. You pass all these letters to Sima Yi.]
[The collapse of the imperial court and the persistence of the aristocratic families is an unbreakable cycle. What would you do without them? It's a deadlock.]
[The emperor hurriedly granted amnesty to the imprisoned gentry, appointed generals, but the hearts of the people were not united, and the military spirit was scattered.]
[The Emperor finally began to curb his arrogance, desperately trying to reverse the tide, but it was too late.]
[The Yellow Turban forces have surrounded to the province, awaiting your command to attack the capital and proclaim you as the leader of the Way of the Great Peace, ushering in a new golden age.]
[Yet, you have paused.]
[Indeed, the great scholar predicted correctly.]
[You could not bear to, after all.]
[Vortigern had advised you not to be soft-hearted, but your father was the one who was always too soft-hearted. Like father, like son, you too are irredeemably kind-hearted.]
[Though the dynasty is on its last legs, it is still formidable.]
[Under the pressure of its last struggle, loyal and righteous individuals like the great scholar, who are willing to die for their country, will fight to the end. This tragic struggle for the country will result in extremely high casualties for both the Yellow Turban Army and the dynasty soldiers.]
[Perhaps, another hundred thousand, even a million people, might die.]
[Enough people have died already.]
[Is victory what you seek?]
[No… all you seek is a peaceful world.]
[Thus, the Yellow Turban Army and the dynasty court stand in a delicate standoff, bringing a rare period of tranquility.]
[Under this slow erosion, the fate of the dynasty is gradually being extinguished.]
[You are praised by some and cursed by others across the land. Those who praise you might not know how to write, but those who curse you will ensure your name, Zhang Jue, lives in infamy.]
[You could silence them, but you have never cared about curses.]
[In truth, neither the emperor nor the noble families understand that it was never Zhang Jue or the Way of the Great Peace that caused the impending downfall of this grand dynasty.]
[History will record only certain names:]
[Emperors who sold offices and indulged in pleasure, eunuchs and relatives who wielded power and formed factions.]
[Great scholars who annotated ancient texts, aristocratic families with lands full of fertile fields and countless slaves.]
[Esteemed scholars from families with generations of reputation, waiting for the right moment, forming alliances across the land.]
[Ambitious sons of powerful families, aiming to be generals who would pacify the western regions.]
[Destitute members of the imperial family with dreams of regaining royal splendor.]
[Emperors, noble families, powerful clans, and ambitious warlords...]
[The noble families and the emperor will only see you, Zhang Jue, leader of the Way of the Great Peace, as the instigator of this era of chaos.]
[In truth, the real cause of the dynasty's downfall will not be recorded in any history book under any name.]
[Those of unknown renown.]
[They could not develop their fields, their crops could not be harvested, they struggled with their bare hands, with no hope for the future autumn.]
[They were clad in rags, left to die without proper burial, wronged and impoverished, unable to fend for themselves.]
[They did not dare to clothemselves warmly in the cold, nor feed themselves well when hungry. Although grain was cheap, each household showed signs of hunger.]
[For years, floods and droughts prevented harvests, families suffered calamities, men were exhausted from battle, wives and daughters labored in transport, and the elderly and orphans clung to each other in despair.]
[Millions of people starved and wandered, the fields lay desolate, and they turned to cannibalism. Dead bodies lay in heaps, and this sight was seen in every county and village.]
[These were the people not deemed worthy of being recorded in the Throne of Heroes, not worthy of becoming Heroic Spirits.]
[These were the fifty million common people of the dynasty.]
[When they were driven to desperation, finding that no amount of bowing and begging could sustain them...]
[The exalted emperor would be shocked to discover that the seemingly docile and submissive masses harbored a power capable of toppling the heavens and shattering the earth.]
[Rebellions broke out everywhere, eight provinces rose simultaneously, and within ten days, the entire nation responded. What was once a mere spark had now become a raging inferno.]
[Peaceful world...]
[You raise your hand, gently patting the head of the child before you, and as you see their rosy, healthy faces, you feel a genuine sense of joy.]
[You continue walking through the fields, slowly distancing yourself from the crowd until you reach a place where the people can no longer see you.]
[You can't hold back and start coughing...]
[The golden wheat fields are stained with spots of tainted blood.]
[Yu Mei-ren anxiously drapes a cloak over you, Jade hurriedly wraps you in her fluffy tail, and Xu Fu offers you various pills to restore your energy and blood.]
[But... it's no use.]
[For the ailment that afflicts you is not a common cold or fever, but the pain of this land... the pain of the people. The populace doesn't know that their faith in you is causing you to be consumed by an incurable affliction.]
[A crumbling dynasty prolongs its reign, hence it rots without dying.]
[Aristocratic families seek to perpetuate their dominance, hence they expand and consolidate their power.]
[And those common people, suffering through the rise and fall of powers, in the end, seek only one thing: to survive.]
[To survive...]
[This is precisely what Nurgle excels at, what it constantly contends with you for control over. This is the domain of the Counter Force related to human consciousness.]
[The essence of Alaya is the collective subconscious of humanity striving for survival against destruction.]
[You have already realized the exquisite trap.]
[You chose the path of peace and saving the people, and the Counter Force knew from the beginning that you would choose this path.]
[They did nothing but perhaps push you slightly, bringing famine and disaster to the land, corrupting the hearts of the court... because they knew you would not bear it... you would never bear it.]
[For no one understands Reinhard better than the Counter Force.]
[Just as no one understands the Counter Force's pain better than you... better than the witch who knows your weaknesses as the First Flame who pierced the inner sea of the planet.]
[Kindness...]
[So you raised your arm and declared that the azure sky was dead, and the yellow sky shall rise.]
[Thus, more and more people entrusted their hopes for survival to you.]
[In this era, you have begun irreversibly to occupy the position that belongs to Alaya.]
[In other words...]
[Your will is becoming the new Counter Force.]
[The people's desire for survival is placed upon you, the great master, elevating you to the Throne of the Counter Force.]
[The sky has become corrupted, and the people are pushing you towards divinity.]
[You will elevate this era as the Counter Force, and even if you can maintain your will, Nurgle will use this opportunity to corrupt and decay you.]
[To survive...]
[This is a thoroughly open conspiracy.]
[It is known that burning requires fuel.]
[Your vital energy grows deeper and more profound, seemingly connected to this land, able to change the weather with a mere gesture.]
[With your path, you suppress natural disasters and epidemics, bringing a time of prosperity.]
[But... your thoughts are becoming increasingly tired, often dozing off for hours at a time.]
[Your body grows weaker, emaciated and lethargic, like a river flowing downhill, swiftly deteriorating.]
[The more severely you are ill, the more peaceful the land becomes. The more peaceful the land, the sicker you become.]
[The stronger your vital energy, the weaker your physical body. The price of using your Pure Heart to suppress the land is your life's duration.]
[Everything decays, but the masses endure.]
[You cannot see Nurgle, yet Nurgle's desire for survival pervades everywhere, corrupting everything... now, half the people of this land are placing their hopes for survival on you... will you continue?]
It was another spring evening.
The young man, clad in his black and yellow robe, did not answer the question. He stood in a daze, watching the pear blossoms fall gently from above.
"Brother Jue, you look withered..."
Sima Yi sat before the young man, his brows furrowed in a mix of regret and heartache as he gazed at the streaks of gray in his hair.
Meeting his close friend, Sima Yi wore a deep, elegant gown, his long stockings as black as ink, soft boots adorned with emerald, his face growing ever more charming and alluring.
Reinhard smiled gently.
"You have become more graceful."
The Sima family had been supporting the supplies for the Yellow Turban Army. Without his cooperation, they would not have reached this point, and the recovery of production would not have been so rapid.
Now, the time had come for the coming-of-age ceremony at fifteen.
The young strategists who had grown from boys to men each took on their own courtesy names.
Only Reinhard remained a slender youth.
The giving of a courtesy name was typically a matter for the family elders, yet Sima Yi had come to ask Reinhard to give her one.
"Why choose me?"
"No reason." Sima Yi said, his fingers caressing a tablet, smiling warmly. "Is that not allowed?"
The two, deeply bonded through years of shared struggles, gazed at each other.
They both tacitly chose not to break the unspoken barrier that existed between close friends.
The pear blossoms floated down like snow.
At this moment, as it was at that time.
The same spring evening, the same pear blossoms, the same tree.
Two years had passed, but the youth's figure remained dazzlingly brilliant in Sima Yi's eyes. He still sought to gain his attention.
Only the delicate embroidered silk had changed to a deep, inky gown, swaying in the gentle breeze just as before, standing elegantly and wistfully.
Sima Yi wanted to engrave more of this boy's presence onto himself.
A courtesy name. A courtesy name.
The name reflects the person.
"Alright."
Reinhard didn't disappoint her but chose to fulfill his friend's wish.
The young man pondered for a moment, pretending to think, then smiled softly,
"How about Zhongda? What do you think?
"Zhong stands for steadiness, fitting your family's second position, and Da means clarity and great wisdom."
"Zhongda." Sima Yi softly repeated the name.
Then, his fingers slowly carved it onto the tablet, beside the character "Jue."
He smiled, his eyes narrowing in pleasure.
"When you reach fifteen, I will give you a name."
"Alright."
The young man smiled warmly.
But.
Sima Yi gazed at the youth's half-head of white hair like frost, lowering his eyes to avoid looking at him.
The scene fell into silence.
Fifteen and the coming-of-age.
Fifteen...
"Brother Jue, you know that I have always kept my promise to you."
"Yes."
"So, Brother Jue, do you have fifteen years left?"
The young man was silent for a moment, then smiled without answering.
"...Why don't you hide away, Brother Jue."
Sima Yi's expression was stiff and dazed, his voice trembling.
"With the peace of the yellow sky, the disciples of the Water Mirror Manor can already support the cause. The world will continue to improve."
Hearing this, the young man slowly raised his head to look at the sky, his ink-like eyes seeming vacant.
The sunlight was bright and clear.
A peaceful world.
"Without my presence, this land will suffer three major droughts within half a year, be plagued by epidemics, face torrential floods, and have hailstorms and frosty tides. Many, many people will die..."
Yes, the Yellow Turban Army rose, a peaceful world, and disasters were eradicated.
So, what is the price...?
Sima Yi closed his eyes almost trembling.
"Brother Jue, you use your power to suppress the world's disasters. This is an act against nature. Your vital energy is fading, and this body will decay before fifteen."
"...You cannot keep your promise to me.
"You lied to me."
Reinhard was silent for a moment, then laughed generously.
"I see this as my ascension, to be one with the world, attaining the path. My brothers should be happy for me."
"How long can you support this alone?"
The young man did not reply.
In the silence, time seemed to freeze.
"A Peaceful world..." He murmured as if to himself, "I promised everyone they would see peace."
Delicate hands slowly wrapped around the young man's neck, crimson eyes glistening with tears, wetting his collar.
"But..." Yu Mei-ren murmured behind him, "You promised to take care of me, junior brother."
Yes.
He had promised to take care of this vampire girl.
Reinhard felt a bit ashamed as he stroked Yu Mei-ren's hand.
The hope of the people supported his ascension, and the only anchors tying him to this world were them.
Sima Yi saw Reinhard's hesitation.
"Actually... Brother Jue, you have a choice. Why insist on peace? What do those starving and desolate people have to do with you? You have done enough, more than enough."
Following his own desires, he tried to persuade him word by word.
"Suppressing the world's disasters with your power will only make people rely on you more. This is just a temporary solution, and you once said there are no saviors in this world.
"So, what are you now?
"The savior, the great master.
"It's too much, too much. We all understand your compassion, the entire Water Mirror Manor understands your sorrow.
"But this world should not be taught by one person alone."
Sima Yi's every word was sharp and resounding.
Reinhard knew he was right.
Sima Yi had never truly cared about the way of the great peace. Yu Mei-ren, Xu Fu, and Jade... they had never truly cared about the common people of this world either.
They cared only about him.
This was the cruelest part of Reinhard's reality.
Because he wouldn't truly die, because he could always start over, the so-called sacrifice was to him nothing more than a fleeting simulation, a dreamlike illusion.
That's why he could care for the masses, why he could face death so generously, deceiving everyone's hearts.
If he were in someone else's place, he asked himself, could he be so selfless?
The savior, the great master...
He was nothing more than a pathetic wretch seeking self-fulfillment.
[The Yellow Turban Army was denounced by the dynasty court as 'moth bandits,' for their madness was akin to moths drawn to a flame]
[If the common people of this world are the moths, then who is the flame they are drawn to]
[Does the answer even need to be said]
[The ones burning are not just the starving masses in the decaying fields, by giving them a choice, you also gave yourself a choice long predestined]
[Just as once before, under the eternal night spiral, you ignited that brilliant first flame]
[Holding the Nine-Section Staff, you too began to burn]
[You remember the admonition of the old man immortal]
[Don't descend the mountain, don't descend the mountain, don't descend the mountain]
[A flame so fierce that it can be chased by moths could not make any other choice at such a time, otherwise, you wouldn't have picked up that decayed branch from the ground]
[How could you refuse, how could you abandon..]
[May the people of this world all shed their coldness, and with whatever heat they have, shine their light. Even if it is as faint as a firefly, there is no need to wait for the torch]
"Sorry, sorry..."
The young man tilted his head up, cupping Yu Mei-ren's cheeks, gently kissing her soft lips.
"I'm sorry, I was too selfish, senior sister."
Sima Yi fell silent, motionless.
Yu Mei-ren couldn't find her words and choked up.
The young man's complexion was somewhat pale, smiling with effort.
His aura was as powerful as an abyss, suppressing the calamities of this world.
His vitality flowed like rivers, sustaining the decaying flesh that was being eroded by the hopes of the people.
No matter how insatiable Yu Mei-ren's demands were, it didn't matter.
For him, everything had already been sacrificed for this world.
Sima Yi lowered his gaze in pity.
Yu Mei-ren felt her heart convulsing, though she was an Incarnated Elemental without ailment, she felt waves of heartache.
After so long, she was truly angry for the first time, biting him forcefully with her sharp teeth, drawing blood from the young man's lips.
"You liar, junior brother."
"You liar..."
The voice of the Incarnated Elemental slowly faded away.
For... the young man's spirit was invigorated, embracing this restless vampire.
Despite the fiery kisses, she cried and wept, tears streaming like pearls.
The young man understood why the beauty wept, his robe soaked through with her tears.
Yu Mei-ren nestled against him, the crimson in her eyes gradually fading into the abyssal blackness of a lake.
"I won't consume you..." She whispered softly, "Junior brother, don't abandon me."
Reinhard lifted his hand, gently wiping her cheeks.
The shining white pear blossoms fell, the unparalleled beauty of the poppy's enchanting allure shrouded in the shimmering water, the ripples dispersing in her eyes.
"Don't leave."
"Okay, I won't leave, I'll always take care of my sister."
"You're lying to me."
"I'm not lying to you."
"You're lying to me..."
"Listen."
Listen, listen...
The young man lifted her in his arms once again, the pleasure flooding her body once more, this vibrant poppy standing atop the world, its smoke billowing, green silk laid out, pear trees swaying, petals cascading...
Yet, she wept, tears of sorrow, not joy.
No, joy no longer mattered, she only wanted to keep her junior brother by her side.
Indeed, she herself was the greatest curse in this world.
Reinhard felt herself unforgivable.
She came seeking pleasure, yet inexplicably fell in love with a poppy.
The delicate petals, the light red blush, within the soft yellow stamen, lay the unloving skeleton.
Once she thought she was beautiful and enchanting, she threw out the collar, wanting to nurture her, but in binding her, she imprisoned her own heart.
She came seeking pleasure, yet kissed a poppy.
Its petals were fragrant, sweet, the dewdrops on its petals seemed like warm honey.
Kissing her gently, slowly from her forehead, eyelids, delicate nose, to her tender lips, she fell, picked, and fell again, indulging in endless pleasure—
She came seeking pleasure, yet abandoned a poppy.
Yes, she had already become so dependent on him. She said she would feed her, but cruelly abandoned her, burning herself selfishly.
She wept, tears silent, grief hidden in the crimson eyes that hung down.
The crimson petals scattered with branches, the poignant beauty of the poppy kissing the young man, slowly and cautiously chewing, sucking his blood along with her tears, swallowing them into her belly.
When will the spring flowers and autumn moon end?
What can I do?
The wind and rain were timely, the country was peaceful, where the yellow banners fluttered, there was no more war, desolation, or famine.
People smiled, living happily.
The people from various states and counties fled and gathered towards the area under the rule of the Yellow Turban, losing the most basic support, what use were the noble generals, the empire of the dynasty was already precarious, crumbling, collapsing without external force.
However, the young man who suppressed the world had more and more white hair on his head, his head like snow.
Reinhard silently tied up her little brother's hair, the young man's figure withered like rotten wood, but his complexion, long absent, was now flushed.
The young man in the black and yellow robe gently pushed open the door, walking towards this world that was gradually changing.
The fellow students of the Water Mirror Manor stood solemnly before him, gazing at the youngest disciple in the academy, whose figure had vanished like bones.
He burned fiercely, his entire being as intense as a blazing torch.
"We must be clear about our ultimate goal. We are here to heal this world, not to bring suffering and ailments to it.
"We have no intention of opposing the scholarly families. We simply want the people to have warm clothes and enough food, just this simple wish.
"Unfortunately, at this critical moment of life and death, we can only fight for a way out for the people.
"We don't demand that people must follow us. If anyone cannot bear to do so and still holds a bit of compassion, then they can come along, leaving fewer corpses to rot in the wilderness.
"I admire everyone's determination. I ask my fellow students of the Water Mirror Manor to lend me their support."
As the tides change, the seasons pass.
They still gather, this group of people.
The clear voice of youth seems to sway in the breeze.
There is no grandiose sacrifice.
It's just one person, a group of people, holding onto the humble vision of peace for the world.
"No choice left?"
Zhuge Liang's lips moved, understanding better than anyone the pressure Zhang Jue bore. The young man was suppressing the world with his own methods.
The price of overwhelming aura was the severance of vitality.
Reinhard was now elevating into the restraining force of this land, becoming another unpredictable, mystical existence.
Actually, he didn't need to decay, but within this belief, the contamination mingled. They firmly believed he would consume it along with this pollution.
The heavens...
Reinhard could stop at any time, but how could he abandon these people who had already gained peace?
If immortals refused to save the people, then he would do it himself.
"Don't be so sad, brothers. I'll watch over you from the heavens."
"You can become a true immortal."
"What true immortal..."
The young man smiled weakly, coughing, softly whispering.
"It's just, it's so white."
The military advisers, now grown men, couldn't speak.
The young man smiled gently, weakly, sitting down slowly in the spring breeze, his black and yellow robe fluttering in the wind, as calm and composed as his voice.
"I wish to end the wars, alleviate hunger. Give people hope, something to rely on in their old age.
"I wish for the laws of the world to be established for the people. Without tolerating nobility, without depriving the poor.
"I wish for equality between immortals and mortals, mutual respect. To dispel the confusion of demons, without seeking gods or other beings.
"I wish for oppression and exploitation to end in this world. Everyone should have the right to live, to be free, to pursue happiness.
"I wish for the people of the world to have justice. Fair and equal, treating everyone as human..."
The voice of the young man gradually extinguished like a flickering flame...
He raised his hand, bowed, and smiled warmly at everyone.
"Farewell, everyone."
People couldn't speak anymore, their expressions sad, tears streaming down their faces.
They raised their hands, tremblingly returning the gesture.
"Junior brother..."
The young man, who healed the stubborn illnesses of the world, embraced the soft white fox and slowly sat down, leaning peacefully into his embrace.
The sun sets and the moon rises.
Yu Mei-ren strokes the young man's full head of white hair.
They feel the cool night breeze like water, watching the stars and moon fill the sky, enjoying the peace of this world.
Under the moonlight, the pitiful beauty is especially moving.
"Senior sister, you're so beautiful." Reinhard smiles.
"You liar..." Yu Mei-ren's voice chokes.
"No, really, I can truly bring peace."
The young man, now with a head of white hair, gently argues with a smile.
"Believe me, senior sister.
"I didn't lie to you. The future will usher in an era of great peace.
"People will not only have rice and meat to eat, but they can also choose whatever meat they want...
"People will not only have clothes to wear, but they can pick any color they want, luxurious yet simple, each with their own specialties...
"If they contract an illness, they can quickly receive treatment. People will fight against natural disasters and epidemics together, united...
"No one will starve to death, no one will freeze to death. Everyone will have books they can't finish reading, rice and noodles they can't finish eating...
"It will be such a splendid era of peace..."
Reinhard is already shedding tears.
"I believe you, I believe you."
"Haha..." Reinhard laughs hoarsely, coughing as he laughs, "Cough... cough... senior sister, if you don't believe, you can go see for yourself."
Yu Mei-ren is silent for a long time.
"...I will."
Her hands stroke the young man's white hair, her eyes, clear and transparent as ink, no longer holding the crimson richness of killing intent, only the rippling waves of her heart.
"I will."
Her hands stroke his white hair, gently kissing his forehead.
"Senior sister... so sweet."
The young man priest smiles, slowly closing his eyes, seeming tired, wanting to take a nap, feeling drowsy.
"I'm tired, senior sister... Let me rest for a moment."
The black and yellow robe dissolves and disappears between heaven and earth. Reinhard knows that this sleeping face will always be reflected in her pupils in the sparse two thousand years to come, and she will think that this final glance is forever farewell.
[You sank into a deep sleep.]
[You died.]
[You died... right?]
[You felt yourself elevate, your perspective rising above the sky, still overlooking this vast land.]
[Elevated into the Counter Force, you continued to suppress the various disasters of this world, bringing about prosperous years for this land.]
[You saw the capital finally fall. The noble families of the world bowed to the yellow sky, and the eunuchs and relatives of the imperial family were purged. Upon the hopes of the people, the Way of Great Peace opened the era of great peace.]
[No one chose to claim the throne. The disciples of the Water Mirror Manor upheld great governance, leading the end of the dynasty towards a state of tranquility.]
[Establishing the imperial examination system, stabilizing the people, and emphasizing education.]
[The invaluable governance experience you left behind was diligently implemented by them.]
[Thirty years of prosperity, like a blazing fire.]
[While governing such a vast world, even the geniuses of the Water Mirror Manor had times of exhaustive deliberation. ]
[As humans, there are interests and tendencies. When you were alive, the Way of Great Peace had only one master.]
[Now, the Way of Great Peace has eight masters...]
[Everyone's vision of peace is different.]
[Some focus on the people, some emphasize education, and some believe that developing the military is more important, advocating for early campaigns against the barbarians and consolidating the central plains.]
[The military advisers of the Water Mirror Manor were indeed outstanding, bordering on genius. The clash of ideas among these geniuses was the most intense.]
[A military adviser is not a monarch. Being overly clever is often a disadvantage, and no one can truly command the masses.]
[People call out for an emperor, as it has been the tradition for thousands of years.]
[The camaraderie among fellow disciples still remains, and the reverence for you still lingers. But what about after they pass away? When their descendants begin to wield power?]
[Guo Jia, who fell ill at a young age, has passed away. He always had the weakest body.]
[The contradictions between them began to sharpen.]
[You saw the geniuses start to diverge in their opinions, you saw fissures appear between them, and finally, coerced by the noble families, they reluctantly stood on both ends of the chessboard of contention.]
[No natural disasters, good governance every year, everything is favorable.]
[But... the hearts of the people are still fractured.]
[The realm is divided into three.]
[Sima Yi and Zhuge Liang chose to join forces, combining the talents of the two hegemonic figures.
[They were the two who lived the longest in the Water Mirror Manor, hoping to guard for you. They calculated various destinies and attempted to seize the fortune of the world, perpetuating the glory of the nation, in order to usher in eternal peace.]
[Zhuge Liang, worn down by illness.]
[Only Sima Yi remains to support them.]
[He exhausted all means to prolong his life. In truth, he didn't care much about any grand achievements, what he saw was the peace you left behind. He witnessed the years of good governance and knew you were still watching over him...]
[After Zhuge Liang's death, the land fell into chaos once again, everything seemed to repeat itself.]
[The commoners slowly transformed into a new class of nobility. Those who once suffered from famine rose to prominence, and the new nobility occupied prominent positions, exploiting the commoners and aggressively annexing land.]
[No class distinction, no clear stance.]
[Abundant harvests do not guarantee that farmers can eat their fill.]
[Being adorned in luxurious robes does not make one a silkworm keeper.]
[Without the ravages of droughts and plagues, with good governance every year, yet people still slowly starve to death.]
[It's not a natural disaster, but a man-made calamity.]
[Sima Yi began to disregard all means, resorting to trickery, deceit, and betrayal, disregarding the oath. Despised by the people, he sought to rebuild the peaceful dynasty, purge the political arena, and strive to revive the fortune of the yellow sky once again.]
"Is I really such a trustworthy person?"
Sima Yi, dressed in a robe and veil, gazed at the rushing waters of the river, gently closed his eyes, and slowly smiled.
"What does it matter if future generations condemn him? I am willing to defy the world."
"Only for you..."
"Only for you."
[You watch as he caresses the worn pendant, speaking to you]
[You stand by the rushing waters of the river, reaching out to touch his head.]
[He smiles brightly]
[He succeeded in stealing the throne, but ultimately failed. Because his life is nearing its end, he is dying]
[More so because he is not you, unable to resist the stubborn ailments of this world with his own strength]
[He caresses the smoothed pendant, smiling as he dies, urging you not to mourn his fate]
[Forget not, mourn not..]
[Even if the master understands the ways of the heavens, he is still helpless. The root of this world's ailments lies not in disasters, but in the human heart. With hearts corrupted and sunken, who can heal]
[Nurgle...]
[Bestow titles, appoint ministers, revel in glory and wealth, pass on through generations. It's what everyone desires..]
[Suppressing disasters, what's the use?]
[It's still the same old story]
[The dragon slayers become the dragons]
[Are you satisfied with this ending?]
"No, I'm not satisfied." The young man with black hair murmured softly.
[Then what can you do alone? You've already done your best, you've done your utmost.]
Sitting in the cold, damp hospital room, the black-haired youth fell into a silent contemplation.
"So, Reinhard, your choice to join me was an incredibly correct one."
The lush green-haired woman smiled as she gently caressed Reinhard's chin, like a compassionate mother embracing him in her soft bosom.
Such tenderness.
Enough to entice anyone to indulge in it.
"Do you want to change this ending?"
"Quickly, call me Mommy, and I can help you... After all, timelines mean nothing to us, we are not bound by them."
"Come, help Mommy to immerse in the quantum time-lock, and influence other worldlines."
"We will jointly wield the authority of existence, and you will become my eternal chosen one."
The lush green-haired woman smiled gently and kindly, leaning close to Reinhard's ear, whispering softly.
"You can be the only voice in this world, whether dictatorial or tyrannical... you can usher in eternal and everlasting peace for the world. Trimming the quantum records means nothing to us."
"Such a tempting offer..."
Reinhard had to admit.
[So, are you willing to completely surrender to Nugle?]
[That's not a good ending either.]
[But it sure is fun.]
"I've already pledged allegiance to you, Miss Nurgle."
"You should call me... Mommy now."
The lush green-haired woman breathed somewhat ambiguously.
Reinhard gazed at the woman who now called herself Mommy, caressing her heart for a moment.
It had to be said... this mother figure, after her transformation, was indeed large and soft, rivaling Tiamama.
Am I being brainwashed by her? Isn't this a bit too much...
The three beautiful girls peeking at the door gritted their teeth, resigned. Well, what could they do? After all, only Nurgle managed to steal the key, hoping she would leave them some leftovers. Eating such a big piece of cake alone could choke her.
"You must say it, word by word, 'I will hand over my authority of existence to Nurgle.'"
The lush green-haired woman smiled gently.
"Our previous agreement... will be established, and I will fulfill all your conditions."
Reinhard caressed her soft cheek, causing the motherly figure to blush slightly.
"I really didn't lie to you, Miss Nurgle. I'm really tired of guarding this world. Those words were all sincere, after all, I can't lie."
"Well, Mommy knows, dear, Mommy knows... You're tired, you've tried so hard..."
The lush green-haired woman gently stroked his forehead.
"So, rest assured and surrender to Mommy's embrace... Indulge in... Mommy's love."
"So... I wasn't lying to you." Reinhard said softly.
As the words fell silent...
The expression of the lush green-haired woman suddenly became stunned.
Reinhard raised his gaze, looking at the ceiling of the hospital room, as if his eyes could pierce through the heavens and reach... "you" in front of the screen.
"I said...
"I will bring you... the greatest joy.
"Sorry..." Reinhard smiled, "I fooled you all."
"Joy... huh?
"No... no...
"There was never any joy.
"You all knew exactly what choice I would make, didn't you?
"Just an ordinary person on the brink of collapse, heading towards self-destruction in a cliché and boring journey.
"Some joy can't be had, only regret and pain."
The moment these words were spoken.
As if an endless, boundless, indescribable force spread from the void and surged into Reinhard's body.
Feeling that inexplicable and twisted power, the lush green-haired woman's expression turned fearful and astonished.
Reinhard's gaze became trance-like.
In the now brilliantly clean hospital room.
The doctor in a lab coat sat in front of Reinhard.
Behind the doctor, stood the medical team witnessing the miracle of the mental hospital, standing beside his biological mother, tears of excitement brimming in both their eyes.
"Zhang Jue, how do you feel after this treatment, has impurity vanished?"
"It's gone." Reinhard whispered softly.
"Who are you now?"
"I am Zhang Jue." The black-haired youth said, each word firm and resolute, "I am Zhang Jue."
"Congratulations! Your illness has been cured." The doctor patted Reinhard's shoulder with relief. "You can go through the discharge procedures immediately!"
*Clap* *Clap* *Clap*
The doctors surrounding them erupted into excited applause.
The influx of journalists began flashing their cameras.
His grateful biological mother grasped the doctor's hand tightly, tears streaming down her face, as she approached and embraced her son tightly.
"Jue'er! You're better! Your illness is finally cured!"
"No..."
As if afraid of alarming his mother before him.
Reinhard gently touched her shoulder, speaking incredibly softly.
"Sorry, Mama, I've been sick..."
He, who never admitted to being ill, began to acknowledge his illness.
Because he began to believe he was Zhang Jue.
The noisy clamor surrounding the ward abruptly fell silent, as if someone had hit the pause button.
People's stunned expressions froze on their faces.
"I finally realize what you are, Doctor." Reinhard said softly, word by word, as he looked at the constantly sighing doctor.
"I am my own bewilderment.
"And you are my clarity.
"Doctor...
"You are my clarity, you are a doctor, you are the rationality I want to save history, revealing my excessive clarity, and my selfishness is even more evident.
"I want to go home...
"You've always warned me to break free from illusions, to heal my own sickness, as long as I use the power gained from deceiving the gods... I can make the present real."
Trembling, the doctor closed his eyes, walking over, wanting to caress the patient's cheek, but ultimately only let out a sigh.
Humans are nothing but manifestations of will.
Real, illusory, why bother distinguishing so clearly?
Reinhard only needed to make a choice...
As long as he chose... all this could become real.
He could now... go home.
Return healthily to his own modern era, return to his true home, and return to the care and protection of his family.
He could break free from the moonlit world, return to a normal human life, no longer having to worry and fear every day, no longer having to compete with chaos.
[So... what will you choose?]
No need to answer.
"You've always known how I would choose..."
Someone is waiting for him.
So many, so many, anchoring him...
Bonds, experiences, emotions.
Reinhard could deceive himself, as long as he deceived himself, he could stay in this modern era...
The opportunity to return home is right in front of him, right now, at this very moment.
But, he alone won't deceive himself.
Having deceived chaos, deceived the gods, deceived the world, he laughed wildly, tears streaming down his face.
"Haha... Hahaha! I'm sick... I'm sick! I'm Zhang Jue, the bewilderment one!"
Reinhard had never been so clear, nor had he ever been so bewilderment.
"I'll turn the illness of the entire world into a fake."
"Mama..."
The color of darkness and yellow spread over Reinhard, inch by inch.
The black-haired youth, wearing a dark and yellow robe, wept, smiling at his bewildered mother.
"Your son has to go save the world."
Click.
Like a heavy hammer striking a mirror.
Everything in this world collapsed, shattered, returning to a chaotic haze.
In this chaotic world.
The snowy-haired young man raised his tearful gaze, staring at the chaotic dragon in front of him.
Decayed and diseased, it lurked in the mountains, in the fields, in the heavens and the earth, in the hearts of every person in this land.
Majestic and majestic, fallen and sunk.
This was the millennium of the world since the dynasties, nurtured by the corruption of human hearts.
This was Gaia, Alaya, and Human Order entangled by the pollution of Nurgle, revealing tangible reality.
"Why bother."
The hoarse and mocking voice of the chaotic dragon echoed, representing Nurgle, Counter Force, and Human Order.
Humans are inherently corrupt.
With warmth, they will ponder more.
Ennoblement, wealth and glory, hereditary succession, eternal prosperity.
Fortune, what everyone seeks...
How to heal the epidemic of this world, how to heal the hearts of this world.
"You can't kill me, because the world is inherently corrupt.
"Moreover, with your efforts alone, how can you defeat me..."
Time stagnated in the chaos.
"Dragon... huh?"
"Who said I'm alone."
The snowy-haired youth, weakly coughing, smiled slowly, raising his hand and lifting the dry staff in his hand.
The flag rose and floated in the wind.
Behind him, there was no one, but he had the support of the masses.
Just one call from you.
The Yellow Turban Army will come.
"Peaceful world..."
Unyielding determination, calling forth the soul.
The chaotic dragon looked somewhat stagnant.
The dense and endless souls once again appeared behind the young man, gathering under this dry staff as he raised it.
Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions...
Those who died, familiar or unfamiliar.
Silent, unwavering.
A faint dust of light spread out, as if the vast starry sky had fallen to the earth.
Chen Gong, Xun Yu, Jia Xu, Guo Jia, Zhou Yu, Pang Tong, Zhuge Liang...
Sima Hui.
Sima Yi.
At this moment, he was their Throne of Heroes.
"Brother Jue, even in death, you still have to work overtime..."
One of the senior brothers sighed, rubbing his face with some frustration.
"You're really fortunate."
"Don't want to work overtime? Then get out of the manor."
Sima Hui kicked his student away with a foot.
People chuckled.
A certain graceful woman walked over slowly, gently wiping the tears from the young man's cheeks.
"Are you still well?"
"I'm fine, don't worry."
"That's good." She murmured, "That's enough."
The young man grasped the dry staff tightly, his eyelids drooping.
"This land has never needed protection like you Dragon, because I am willing to make the world humane."
"With my true ether, I merge with the world..."
He slowly recited that mantra.
"I, Zhang Jue...
The vast voice, calm and composed.
"Invite the heavens to die."
Thousands of Yellow Turban Army.
They began to charge against Human Order.
The grand and vast army launched an assault against the calamities and diseases of this world.
...
"It's meaningless."
Sitting in the cold and damp ward, the green-haired voluptuous woman looked at the young man in front of her with some emotion.
"The Human Order of that timeline has dissipated, history no longer exists, this land will face pruning, this land will be trimmed, abandoned, destroyed..."
Nurgle attaches itself to Human Order.
Destroying Human Order is tantamount to destroying human history.
This will trigger the mechanism of quantum time-lock trimming.
This is akin to having a high fever, the heavens and humans dying together with the virus.
However...
In the green-haired woman's somewhat stunned gaze.
Reinhard let go, and the dry branch in his hand slowly fell, landing on the soil.
Fell on a tree on a mountain.
Through deceiving the Master of Fate, he gained this immense power that was enough to shape the world's fantasies.
The withered staff gradually emitted a faint light...
Resisting the quantum time-lock with his own path, the dry branch dropped and began to slowly sprout on this corrupted land.
A tree nurtured by fantasies.
Reinhard planted this fantasy tree.
The lush greenery took root in history, beginning to replace the quantum time-lock, sustaining the course of human history.
His timeline began to radiate into the entire quantum time-lock.
"What a load of crap human order is?" Reinhard said, word by word. "It's not worthy to determine my history."
The green-haired woman watched this scene, her face showing an incredibly excited and flushed expression.
Persistence, regardless of anything.
She simply... couldn't appreciate it enough!
"I will definitely obtain you, Reinhard. You can't defeat the corruption of this world."
"It's useless, your methods are brilliant, but they are futile."
"You deceive yourself into thinking that it's a better choice. You continue the history for thousands of years, so what? It's only a cycle, it's only corruption."
The green-haired woman gazed into the eyes of the black-haired youth, smiling somewhat sickly.
"You don't understand chaos at all." She said.
"And you don't understand my world at all." He replied.
Nurgle looked somewhat stagnant.
Slowly, the green-haired woman's lips cracked open, revealing a disdainful smirk.
"Wait and see."
With the Counter Force cut off, this timeline no longer had the shackles of human order.
Human history continued to move forward with the support of this fantasy tree.
Dynasties rose and fell.
Prosperity, decline, decay, destruction...
History always cycles back and forth, humanity always experiences reincarnation.
Each generation of emperors flourished and founded nations, regardless of how vigorous, how prosperous, how they created a golden age, they ultimately ended up in the mire, unable to continue their dynasty.
Behind closed doors, there will always be great scholars to argue.
That's human nature.
The world becomes increasingly corrupt, with no faint hope in sight.
Countless people from different eras were summoned, converging under the banner of the Yellow Turban Army, and launching an assault against the chaotic dragon.
However, they all failed. After a thousand years of stalemate, they still couldn't succeed.
"You've lost, there's nothing that can save the history you're trying to protect. I only see human order entangled in disease."
Reinhard closed his eyes.
At the most corrupt and decadent time of this land, facing the most collapsed and turbulent darkness.
A gentle young man raised his hand and folded a branch, slowly walking out of the mountain.
He was a peasant's child.
He was inconspicuous.
He was earth-shattering.
The young man from two thousand years ago was called a good master by people.
The young scholar two thousand years later was called an instructor by people.
Teaching knowledge to rid the human heart of disease.
Yellow is the color of earth.
Drenched in blood, it turns red.
The young scholar, who had transformed from a librarian to an instructor, stood on the edge of the river, gazing into the distance.
He held a dry and withered staff in his hand.
The mountains were like the sea, the setting sun was like blood.
He recited passionately as if inspired.
"A peaceful world, yet filled with this scorching heat. The merits and demerits of a millennium, judged by future generations."
The blood-like red began to seep into the soil.
The darkest of times.
But also, the faintest, brightest light.
Those gathered stars and fires.
Perhaps they were indignant, perhaps greedy, perhaps harboring small desires deep in their hearts.
But more than anything, it was their passion for this land.
As corruption receded, swamps dried up, and the chaotic dragon collapsed.
There never was a savior.
Nor did they rely on emperors or gods.
The people of this land would use their own hands, their own blood, to heal the diseases of the human heart.
Even the dying embers of dynastic survival couldn't stop this blazing red.
For the sake of survival.
And, unafraid of death.
"Why aren't they afraid of death..."
This... went against the principles of survival.
It wasn't just one person.
But tens of thousands, millions, billions.
For a goal, even lives could be sacrificed.
The green-haired woman was somewhat stunned.
The black-haired youth, dressed in a yellow robe, sat in the ward.
Watching the Chaos God Nurgle with a sneer, his expression gradually shifted from disdain to shock, and finally to a speechless freeze.
"Why..."
"Because, sometimes, ideals are higher than life itself.
"Lies, believed by many, become truth.
"Fiction, with power, becomes consensus.
"Survival is instinct, but sacrifice is ideal.
"When the people of the world start believing in a creed and are willing to sacrifice for it.
"The stars and fires can ignite a conflagration.
"Chaos... chaos?
"You don't understand humanity, drown in your laughable pursuit."
The young man slowly stood up.
Behind him were tens of thousands of people.
...
"Don't go down the mountain.
Don't go down the mountain.
Don't go down the mountain."
Within countless quantum time-locks, a young man clad in robes rubbed the piece of paper in his hand and smiled.
Then he threw it on the ground.
"This master, always so diligent...
"Jue'er."
The old man slowly stood up from the meditation room, stepped forward, walked out of the temple, and began to descend the mountain.
He had never felt... so carefree, so free.
"What is Master going to do?"
"Treat illness and save lives."
The disciples watched their Master's figure silently for a moment, then slowly followed him down.
The tradition of their sect, descending to the world...
To save this world.
A young man, dressed in ragged clothes, carried a basket of firewood, raised his hand to protect his two younger brothers behind him, and looked cautiously at the ethereal old man floating down before him.
"Are you... a deity?"
"Yes, I am, young one. I am a deity. We are destined to meet. I want to take you as my disciple."
The old man immortal smiled warmly, lifted his hand, and patted the young boy's head gently.
"Little fellow, what is your name?"
Seeing that this old deity seemed to harbor no hostility, the woodcutter boy hesitated for a moment, glanced at his two younger brothers, and replied softly.
"Zhang Jiao."
...
"You'll eventually lose. Humanity can never defeat chaos because the desires of human hearts cannot be eradicated."
The green-haired woman spoke with the defeat of a beaten dog.
"I can lose countless times, as long as I win once, that's enough."
Reinhard mercilessly mocked her.
"But... can you call me Mommy?"
"Go take a bath first, disgusting."
The green-haired woman appeared with a tearful expression, as the ward gradually transformed into a misty chaos.
Because there was no need for shackles anymore.
...
Near the scorched battlefield and skulls of countless corpses, a splendid harvest of wheat fields began to gather.
A slender young man in the yellow robe slowly stepped forward, heading towards his own seat.
Not a throne.
Just a chair entwined with yellow ribbons, looking somewhat leisurely.
Thousands upon thousands of yellow threads, swaying like fireworks in this chaos.
The young man slowly sat down, swaying like an old man, quite comfortably.
The silver-haired youth sitting on the throne of verdure and the black-haired youth sitting on the throne of blood slowly opened their closed eyes.
Alvin and Kratos exchanged a smile of understanding as Zhang Jue approached.
"There's one more." Alvin spoke.
"He will be the most troublesome among the four of us." Kratos nodded.
"Lying all day, I'm tired, really tired, let me rest for a while." Zhang Jue waved his hand.
"Overtime, this is the blessing earned over three lifetimes." Alvin attempted to urge Zhang Jue to work overtime.
"Damn it, it's all because of you, Alvin! What are you doing wandering around when you have nothing to do!"
"If I were you, if you have the ability, don't look at your daughter."
"My daughter is your daughter! Don't look at her either!"
"...Is the next one the last one?"
"Probably not, right? Isn't it common knowledge that there is the fifth of the Four Chaos Gods?"
"Damn it, so who's the strongest in the end? The group of useless motherfucker above my head is very interested in this question."
"Of course, it's the fifth one. He will thoroughly burn down the entire warp and launch a counterattack against chaos."
"I don't accept it. I, Kratos, am the strongest!"
"Nah, I'm the most capable of fighting and evolution!"
"Stop arguing! I'll turn all of you into fakes!"
The bickering dissipated into laughter.
Various Reinhard closed their eyes.
"There is one thing I really didn't lie to you about."
The young man stroked the yellow ribbons on his chair, his expression gentle and soft.
He murmured softly.
"The world will truly be at peace..."
Zhang Jue lowered his eyelids.
The young man and the youthful scholar, spanning two thousand years of time, stared at each other.
One lost soul, one lingering spirit, wandered above this vast land.
Healing the sick and saving lives.
A peaceful world.
The warm young scholar stood on the edge of a river, holding his staff, looking at the beautiful mountains and rivers before him, softly chanting.
"Who is the master of the rise and fall of this world..."
--- Volume Three: END
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