Chapter 482: Ji Lin

Chapter 482: Ji Lin

Standing at the periphery, Li Huo Wang watched the strange spectacle within the coffin, his heart growing cold with unease. It seemed as though he had witnessed something that should never have been seen.

Could it be that the imperial house of Da Liang had decided to silence him—eliminate him for knowing too much?

Having endured so many trials, Li Huo Wang could not help but imagine the worst possible outcome.

He raised his guard, his mind racing, preparing contingency plans for whatever might come next.

Beside him, Zhuge Yuan offered reassurance: "Brother Li, do not panic. The royal bloodline of the imperial house is well known. I never imagined that the dragon vein of Da Liang would be like this. Perhaps this explains why the false Da Liang was able to suppress the Qi Dynasty."

Regardless of what Li Huo Wang thought, before him stood a magnificent and solemn imperial temple, bathed in golden radiance, showing no signs of anomaly.

The only change was the increasingly urgent cries from the emperor of Da Liang. “Have you all gone deaf? Hurry and save my father! I am the emperor now! Do you dare defy orders?”

Yet, in response to his commands, the old eunuchs merely trembled on the ground, doing nothing.

A painful, weary voice called out, “Ke ke… Lin’er.”

The tears streaming down the face of the Da Liang emperor turned toward the topmost layer of the dragon vein—the man who was his father.

“Lin’er, don’t trouble them. I told them to do this. Ke ke ke…”

Only then did Li Huo Wang realize the name of this young emperor: Ji Lin. The imperial family of Da Liang bore the surname Ji, and his name was Ji Lin.

When the previous emperor of Da Liang was taken to the execution ground, Li Huo Wang remembered how that man had cursed the emperor on the dragon vein—he had called himself Ji Song.

“But Father, why? You’re still alive!” Ji Lin looked upon the chains embedded in his father’s flesh, his heart aching as if he were feeling the pain himself, tears welling up in his eyes.

Ji Song’s voice grew fainter, as if reluctant to let others know what he was about to say. But Li Huo Wang’s keen hearing caught every word.

“You don’t understand. To preserve the fortune of our dynasty, there was only one way. This is our fate. When you reach my age, you’ll understand.”

“Father, but…” Ji Lin, a boy in his youth, was utterly confused. He wanted to speak, yet found no words.

“I’ve long since died. My life was forcibly sustained by this dragon energy. Only when I’m gone can you ascend to the throne. You should be happy.”

With that, Ji Song, lying in a spread-eagle pose, pulled hard on the chain beside him, dragging the remaining emperors closer to the coffin.

He extended his scaled dragon clawed hand and yanked Ji Lin toward him, his tone turning stern. “Do you know why, before my death, I chose to pass the throne to you instead of the upright eldest prince?”

“I don’t know,” Ji Lin answered, choking back tears.

“Because you are more cunning! At six years old, you dared give your own brother a bean under the chin to win favor. No other prince could match that. But even that isn’t enough. If I were you, you’d use red mercury!”

At these words, his tone turned icy. “Lin’er, once you return, kill your brothers.”

“What?!” Ji Lin’s face went pale. Had he not been held by his father’s collar, he might have collapsed on the spot.

“You may choose not to act, but don’t blame others for acting first. They each have their own advisors. Though you are emperor, the coronation has not yet taken place. Everything is uncertain. Remember, those who seek greatness must be willing to kill even their own kin!”

Li Huo Wang frowned deeply at these words. It seemed the emperor of Da Liang intended to use his sons to cultivate venomous insects.

Whoever was strongest and most poisonous would become the next emperor of Da Liang. But would such a person truly be a wise ruler?

“Remember, Lin’er, I am alone. To be an emperor, trust no one but yourself—even your mother.”

As Ji Song released Ji Lin’s imperial robe, the heavy golden lid of the coffin rumbled shut with a loud sound.

Silence fell over the vast mausoleum, leaving only the rapid breathing of Ji Ling. Despite the cold, sweat continued to drip from his forehead.

“Summon the gods~ Remove the offerings~!” A voice from somewhere among the eunuchs rang out. The wooden-like figures suddenly came to life, moving in unison to perform complex and tedious rites before the Nine Dragons’ Coffin. Li Huo Wang stood silently, observing everything like a spectator.

After the ritual concluded, the eunuchs lined up neatly and departed without waiting for the emperor on the ground to rise.

Li Huo Wang glanced at Ji Lin, who sat collapsed on the floor, and followed the eunuchs out.

He believed that after such a monumental upheaval and decision, the new emperor would be busy for some time, and wouldn’t have the time to bother with a mere acquaintance like himself.

Stepping out of the cold, oppressive mausoleum into the warm imperial temple lit with candles, Li Huo Wang felt as though he had traveled from the underworld to the world of the living.

Just as he prepared to walk toward Lian Zhibei waiting at the door, a commanding voice came from behind. “Ji Zai!”

“Ji Zai?” Li Huo Wang paused slightly, then realized when he saw Zhuge Yuan standing nearby—it was the name the man had given him earlier. “He’s calling me.”

“Brother Li, don’t worry. The national master of Da Liang cannot fathom your methods. He doesn’t know your true name, and thus cannot divine what you’ve done in the past.”

Li Huo Wang gave Zhuge Yuan a grateful look, then turned and walked toward the national master standing with hands behind his back.

“Ji Zai pays homage to the National Master!” Li Huo Wang bowed respectfully to the man's back.

“Since you are the Geng Flag of the Heavenly Observing Bureau, you should know what to say and what not to say,” the national master said, raising his wrinkled hand and performing calculations.

“I understand,” Li Huo Wang stood motionless, eyes downcast, not at all surprised by the impending rebuke.

In fact, if the man said nothing at all, Li Huo Wang would have been more uneasy.

“Ji Zai, since you are a follower of the Aojing Sect, why did you join the Heavenly Observing Bureau? I remember you people are all ignorant, lost in the illusions of escaping the mortal world and chasing immortality.”

Li Huo Wang pondered carefully, then gave the same explanation as before.

But facing this man, he didn’t even attempt deception. He sincerely believed he was Ji Zai, the one who had come to avenge the death of the deceased elder patriarch of the Way of Forgetfulness.

(End of Chapter)