الشطرنج الخالد - Book 06 Chapter 001

Book 06: Han Imperial Dynasty

Tengen Island, Thousand Islands Sea:

After the Six Paths Immortal borrowed the energy of all life, using the energy of everything in the world, the dark clouds above Tengen Island vanished. Everyone whom the Six Paths Immortal plundered energy from had fainted.

At this moment, a vast fog suddenly emerged from the center of Tengen Island. The other side of the fog was the Innate Puzzle World that Gu Hai had once entered.

The Innate Puzzle World opened only once every two centuries. However, it opened again at this moment.

A group of black-robed people stood at the entrance of the Innate Puzzle World. The leader was the Heavenly Go Pavilion’s first elder.

The first elder stood upright with his hands behind his back. He looked in silence at the distant sky. “Pavilion Master’s divination was right. We lived to see the clouds part and reveal the clear sky.”

“First Elder, do you think Long Zhanguo can win?” another black-robed man asked.

The first elder shook his head. “Long Zhanguo? He can’t win. Heaven probably borrowed energy from all life to give to the Supreme Singularity. At best, Long Zhanguo and the Supreme Supreme Singularity will severely injure each other. Even if Long Zhanguo manages to kill the Supreme Singularity, he will be severely injured. That is insufficient. The Six Paths Immortal might disregard everything else to force his sleeping body to wake up.”

“The Six Paths Immortal can awaken himself?” an elder asked, puzzled.

“The palace master divined that the Six Paths Immortal could immediately awaken after falling asleep. However, he would pay an extremely great price. The price would be so great that it might leave his physical body at half strength. Half? A severely injured Long Zhanguo cannot compare to that. However, the Six Paths Immortal would not be willing to do that. If he damages half his strength, other powerful experts of the world might be able to deal him a fatal blow, even if he manages to defeat Long Zhanguo,” the first elder said.

“Oh? Is First Elder referring to Jiang Lianshan, Ji Dihong, Sect Master Heavenly Access, and the Three Lives Buddhas waiting outside the Heavenly Realm? They are just watching. If the Six Paths Immortal damages half of his strength, they will take action? Becoming heroes that slaughtered Heaven?” an elder said in marvel.

The first elder narrowed his eyes slightly. “That is just our guess.”

“Then…”

“There is no ‘then.’ The dark clouds above Tengen Island have vanished. That means that the Six Paths Immortal needs to recuperate. Even if Long Zhanguo did not make the Six Paths Immortal lose half his strength, Long Zhanguo still managed to injure him so badly that he no longer monitors us. Perhaps the Six Paths Immortal’s eyes were damaged,” the first elder said seriously.

“What timing! It is exactly as the palace master divined back then!” another elder said with a frown.

“Indeed. The palace master’s predictions have been realized, one by one. The only exception was the last time the Innate Puzzle World opened. When Gu Hai entered, the result deviated from the palace master’s divination. The others were exactly the same.” The first elder nodded.

“Two sets of spiritual souls have arrived at the Body Manifesting Pool,” an elder whispered.

“The nine inheritors of Guan Qi? They have received the palace master’s inheritance and have his mark on them. After they die, their three spiritual souls will immediately come to the Body Manifesting Pool. This is considered a second life for them,” the first elder said.

“Although we cannot read the memories of these two people, based on some of their leaked thoughts, we managed to figure out their identities. One is the Azure Emperor, and the other is called Gu Qin,” that elder said.

“The Azure Emperor? He is a Yan Heavenly Dynasty imperial lord! Oh? Gu Qin? This name is quite familiar,” the first elder said, feeling puzzled.

“He is Gu Hai’s adopted son!” that elder explained.

“Gu Hai? Hah! Hahaha! What a coincidence! Gu Qin? The Azure Emperor? They can reconstruct their physical bodies in another one or two years, coming back to life. Their thoughts will be filled with loyalty to the pavilion master by then. They will only be loyal to the pavilion master, without any feelings for others? Gu Hai? Gu Qin? I wonder what would it be like for the father-son pair to kill each other? Hahahahaha!” the first elder guffawed.

——

Everyone woke up one day later after having their energies borrowed forcefully.

Various animal spirits immediately emerged from the bottom of the sea where the Solar Divine Palace had been. Chang Ming was among them.

When Chang Ming came out of the sea, he saw many animal spirits looking at the surroundings in shock and horror.

“What happened? Where’s the Solar Divine Palace? Why is the fusang tree missing?” some animal spirits exclaimed.

“I-I can’t sense the Solar Divine Palace’s blessings anymore! I can’t sense them. Is the Eastern Monarch dead?”

“What happened in the end? Why did I faint?”

The animal spirits appeared confused. Like the Qian Nation citizens, they suddenly felt an emptiness in their hearts. Then, they looked towards the massive stele in the distance.

Although the Six Paths Immortal issued the bounty the previous day, anyone who awakened could hear what he said back then, and heard his voice now.

“All beings of the world, listen to my order. Everyone on this Rebel Sin Ranking has to be pursued and killed. For every one you kill, I will grant you lifespan. The amount rewarded will decrease with the rankings. Killing the first rank grants three thousand years. Killing the second rank grants two thousand nine hundred ninety-nine, and so forth. The Solar Divine Palace, the Myriad Age Daoist Sect, and the Spirit Mountain Holy Land are to go all out in pursuing them. If they are not all dead within twenty years, I will take back the blessings of the three holy lands. Kill! Kill! Kill!”

The Six Paths Immortal’s voice boomed in everyone’s ears.

All the animal spirits trembled as they looked at the distant stele.

Chang Ming goggled as his eyelids twitched wildly. “Long Zhanguo lost?”

Chang Ming scanned the Rebel Sin Ranking but did not find Gu Hai’s name. He inwardly released his bated breath.

“Your Majesty, Long Zhanguo has died. How are you now?” Worry flashed in Chang Ming’s eyes.

——

Borderless Heavenly Capital, Han Royal Dynasty:

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

The various citizens slowly woke up, rubbing their eyes in confusion. They had not recovered their strength yet.

“Why am I here?”

“Ah? Blessings? Where are my Borderless Heavenly Capital’s blessings?”

Suddenly, startled cries came from the dark Borderless Heavenly Capital.

Everyone raised their head to look at the sky and suddenly trembled.

The blessings cloud sea above Borderless Heavenly Capital had vanished.

Blessings? They were all gone. Nothing remained.

“What happened? Where’s my Han Royal Dynasty’s blessings cloud sea?”

“The blessings cloud sea is gone? There are only two possibilities: it was plundered, or the sovereign has passed away.”

“The territory is still present, so it was not plundered and snatched away. Could it be…”

“The blessings disappeared? The sovereign passed? Your Majesty…?”

Panic immediately swept Borderless Heavenly Capital. Countless citizens and officials cried out. As the chaotic sounds rang out, more people woke up. When they did, they likewise exclaimed in shock and fear when they saw that the blessings in the sky had vanished. The city turned chaotic.

Chen Tianshan raised his head and looked at the sky, looking for the blessings cloud sea.

Gone?

Everything is gone?

Did His Majesty die?

“No! No! That’s impossible! How could His Majesty die?! His Majesty said that he would return. He told me to manage the nation until he returned! Why! Why…?!” Chen Tianshan goggled in horror.

Loud cries came from the surroundings, wailing rising endlessly.

The officials and citizens mourned their emperor’s passing.

In the ritual array in the sky, Dongfang Bubai, Dugu Qiubai, Ximen Chuixue, and Zhang Sanfeng all appeared horrified.

“Your Majesty, why did you leave?” Horror and fluster filled Chen Tianshan..

He took out that decree with the words “Mandated by Heaven, Long Live the Emperor” stamped on it.

“Holding the mandate of heaven, the emperor orders. Chen Tianshan has displayed great loyalty and more. We confer a duke rank upon him, and he shall be known as Duke Tianshan. While we are not in the Han Nation, Duke Tianshan will manage the nation and deal with the government administration. No official is to interfere with Duke Tianshan, no matter the reason. All who disobey will be treated as traitors! Written by the emperor himself!”

This was the final decree that Gu Hai issued.

Chen Tianshan knelt, his eyes brimming with tears as he looked at the decree.

“Your Majesty, this official, Chen Tianshan, gained Your Majesty’s appreciation. I have been following Your Majesty since Nine-Five Island. Your Majesty never abandoned me despite this official’s incompetence. Your Majesty never looked down on me. This official appreciates Your Majesty and is moved to tears. I wish I could repay this gratitude, even at the cost of my body being utterly crushed. Why?! Why did Your Majesty go ahead of this official? Ah? Duke Tianshan? When Your Majesty conferred this title upon me, this official swore to properly manage the Han Royal Dynasty for Your Majesty. However…however…”

While weeping, Chen Tianshan suddenly bit his lips.

“How many times has it been? In which time had Your Majesty died? Even if Your Majesty has died, this official will properly manage the Han Royal Dynasty for Your Majesty. I will wait for your return, even if it is Your Majesty’s reincarnation. This official will wait. I will manage and protect the Han Nation.”

“Your Grace! Your Grace! It’s bad! It’s bad! His Majesty passed away!”

“His Majesty has passed away! Milord, it’s over for the Han Royal Dynasty!”

Suddenly, many officials rushed into Chen Tianshan’s residence, crying in despair and sorrow.

Chen Tianshan’s tears had already dried up. He hid his earlier sorrow as he got to his feet. Looking at the crying officials who rushed in, he suddenly scowled. “How audacious! Who said that His Majesty died?”

“Ah?” The grieving officials appeared confused.

“His Majesty is blessed with good fortune. How can anything happen to him? It is just the blessings vanishing. Is there a corpse? How could you spout such nonsense before seeing His Majesty’s corpse? How disrespectful of His Majesty! What are you crying for?” Chen Tianshan fumed.

Some officials stammered worriedly, “But-but—”

“Everyone, return to your station and calm the citizens. Just say that His Majesty temporarily moved the blessings away. The blessings will return to Borderless Heavenly Capital when he returns. There is nothing to make a fuss over. This is not the first time. Didn’t he move them from the Thousand Islands Sea previously? What are you crying for?” Chen Tianshan shouted while glaring.

“Ah? Ah! Oh! Oh!” The many officials immediately nodded in confusion.

“However, where did His Majesty move them to?” an official asked, still worried.

“What’s wrong? Must His Majesty report where he moved them to?” Chen Tianshan countered coldly.

“This humble one does not dare!” That official immediately bowed his head.

“Inform the various security forces to monitor Borderless Heavenly Capital. Anyone who dares to spout nonsense and encourage chaos will be treated as a rebel. Anyone who dares to start rumors is to be arrested, paraded through the streets, and executed!” Chen Tianshan said with a cold expression.

“Yes, Your Grace!” all the officials answered.

When Borderless Heavenly Capital plunged into chaos, Chen Tianshan became the pillar of support for everyone as Duke Tianshan.

As long as this pillar of support did not fall, everyone would stop causing a commotion.