Destiny is ashes

Chapter 1075 The Imperial Plan (Short Chapter)
at the same time.

the other side.

In the vast sea of ​​heaven, the many celestial beings dispersed and returned to their respective places.

This grand banquet at the Ancestral Dragon Palace, and the subsequent Blood Sea Calamity, though seemingly fleeting, did indeed cause turmoil in various regions.

In just a few days, hundreds of small and medium-sized sects with weak foundations had their gates shattered and their lineages severed. Thousands of island cities and ports were reduced to ruins, and countless lives were lost.

Even inland areas were ravaged by the bloodshed. Although the casualties were not severe thanks to the swift response of the major powers, the contaminated spiritual veins and fields, as well as the deep-seated fear in people's hearts, will require a long time to heal.

However, this great calamity also gave rise to a large number of potential martial artists.

Those orphans along the coast, those survivors of destroyed cities, those young people who fought back against the invaders of their homeland, and the many sea creatures who, through the calamity of the Blood Sea, withstood its erosion and transformed...

Fortune flows and converges. When many people die, countless unclaimed causes and effects and fortunes, like streams, begin to converge towards new lowlands, and then transform into 'destiny', which is bestowed upon others.

One after another, 'children of calamity' were born.

Seeds that survive disaster.

The finest martial arts seed.

All the forces in Huaixu Ten Continents, whether righteous sects or demonic sects, were well aware of this, and they immediately took action.

A wave that ostensibly a counterattack and the recapture of lost territory, but in reality a struggle to seize people and re-establish new spheres of influence, began to stir as the great calamity subsided.

After all, everyone knows that the curtain of this great era has only just been raised.

Although the various Celestial Venerables were not in their respective sects, they still sent messages and issued instructions remotely.

However, communication did not cease among the celestial beings who were familiar with each other.

Their thoughts intertwined, but the core of their discussion remained the same few names.

[Throughout hundreds of thousands of years, only this time has the Holy Venerable's true form manifested. It seems this calamity of the sea of ​​blood is far more complex than it appears on the surface.]

This is likely a final reckoning of karma, a true catastrophe. It is both a calamity and an opportunity for us.

[Indeed, with the Holy Venerable awakened, the Heavenly Dao has also changed. The God One has returned the Dao to Heaven, and the laws of the Ten Continents have been elevated—these are unprecedented changes. Perhaps… An Jing, this Master of Nature, will pave an unprecedented path of merging with the Dao for us?]

I would hope so!

"Yes, An Jing is indeed stronger than ever before! His battle record is astonishing, and his talent is beyond reason. The previous generation's Natural Master, Tianji Tianzun, was not as powerful as him. As for the one from the Heavenly Mother Palace, he only emerged from seclusion after reaching the Great Perfection..."

The celestial beings spoke with fervor, their tone filled with longing.

Everyone is willing to invest in peace and stability.

In their eyes, An Jing had no enmity with any sect and was a 'natural master' who could open up new paths for them who had lost their way. Who wouldn't want him to grow up as soon as possible? In fact, they wished An Jing would advance to the next level sooner.
Investing in pioneers of this path to stability is, by any measure, a sure-fire way to make money.

However, amidst the heated discussion, a voice tinged with doubt also emerged.

Is he really a naturalist?

[An Jing has been victorious in every battle he's fought, leaving a trail of bloodshed wherever he goes. It seems more like the 'Seven Fiends Calamity' than anything else, doesn't it?]

A brief silence fell over the void upon hearing this. But it was quickly broken by a light, friendly laugh.

[Haha, fellow Daoist, you're overthinking it. Where would the Seven Fiends Tribulation be, rescuing people everywhere and quelling great calamities? Although An Jing is decisive in killing, his actions are still logically sound.]

[Indeed, if it weren't for him, all the elite disciples from our various sects would probably have perished in the Zhaolin Realm this time.]

All the celestial beings echoed their agreement, and a consensus was finally reached.

Regardless of An Jing's true destiny, he is undoubtedly the protagonist of this great era, destined by fate.

The great calamity has been quelled, but this is only the beginning. Many more calamities lie ahead, and everyone must be prepared to face this turbulent era.

Among the many scattered divine thoughts of the Celestial Venerables, there was an extremely mysterious will that did not return to any sect or grotto-heaven.

He simply floated silently in the boundless void, his gaze piercing through layers of boundaries, finally landing on the majestic imperial capital of the Northern Profound Sacrifice Continent.

"It really was you, Mingyu... I knew it was you..."

He murmured to himself, his voice filled with complex emotions and a hint of confusion: "[You want to break free, you want to escape this cage, yet you don't come to us, your uncles who watched you grow up… It seems you also know of the 'Holy Ancestor's' existence.] [But what exactly do you want to do? Cooperating with the Heavenly Demons, cooperating with people from another world, yet you're still unwilling to relinquish your position as the 'Mysterious Heavenly Emperor'—you clearly know that giving up is the best choice, isn't it?]"

at the same time.

The other side.

In the Great Chen Dynasty, in the capital city, deep within the Xuantian Palace.

In the imperial study, the scent of sandalwood wafts through the air.

The tall, white-haired Grand Tutor Hong walked with a steady gait. He came through the void and stood in front of the desk, his eyes fixed intently on the young emperor who was engrossed in painting. He bowed slightly.

"My lord, I would like to pay my respects to Your Majesty."

His voice was loud and clear, carrying an unquestionable air of authority. Although his words were a greeting, they were more like a public announcement: "Your Majesty's health is not good enough for long journeys. If there is any important matter, please summon this old minister and the Grand Commander to handle it."

Upon hearing this, Xuan Mingyu, the Xuan Tian Emperor of this generation, slowly raised his head.

He looked no more than seventeen or eighteen years old, with delicate features and clear eyes. Like all those with imperial blood, he had dark, golden eyes and a pure quality untouched by the world.

He blinked, a perfectly timed look of surprise on his face: "Grand Tutor, what do you mean by that? I've been painting here the whole time, I haven't gone out at all."

Grand Tutor Hong's gaze fell on the desk.

It was a magnificent painting of the capital city, with its majestic city, towering buildings, and bustling streets and alleys teeming with people and vehicles, a scene of extreme prosperity.

Its brushstrokes are continuous, and the artistic conception is achieved in one go. It is obviously the result of a long period of focused work. It is only a few strokes away from completion. It is by no means the kind of painting that can be put down halfway and continued later.

An 'obvious' alibi.

"...This old minister has been overthinking things."

Grand Tutor Hong remained silent for a moment, then bowed again: "This old minister takes his leave."

He said nothing more and turned to leave. But before leaving, he stopped and casually offered a word of advice: "The situation is turbulent now, and Your Majesty's circumstances are different from before. The Yingtian Immortal Tree is now safe. As long as Your Majesty can calm down and recuperate, and act according to the plans of this old minister and the Grand Commander, you will surely be safe and sound."

"I trust you."

The young emperor revealed a gentle smile, a smile that was both sincere and dependent: "You are all ministers personally appointed by my father and Uncle Jing to be entrusted with the care of the young emperor. Besides you, who else can I trust?"

"Your Majesty is holy."

Grand Tutor Hong gave him a deep look, then finally bowed and left the Imperial Study.

The door slowly closed, isolating the room from the outside world.

The smile on Xuan Mingyu's face slowly faded away with the heavy sound of the door closing.

He calmly gazed in the direction the Grand Tutor had left, then shook his head slightly: "Holy Ancestor, Father, Uncle, and you, Grand Tutor, and the Grand Commander..."

The young emperor murmured to himself, "You are all the same."

Xuan Mingyu turned his head, his gaze falling on the prosperous picture that was about to be completed before him, a hint of annoyance flashing in his eyes.

“Boring things, pointless obsessions… What world, what common people, you yourselves never care, as if I should care.”

With a flick of his finger, the boy sent a wisp of golden flame across the painting, which instantly turned into ashes.

His people seem to have always been here.

But in fact.

Scorching tears fall from the depths of the Youli Sea.

A figure dressed in a long robe with gold patterns and a gentle smile on his face bowed to the newly appeared phantom that was identical to Xuan Mingyu.

"His Majesty."

The Loyal King smiled, a hint of regret in his voice: "It seems your plan this time wasn't very successful."

(End of this chapter)