Chapter 560 - I’m Willing - Part 3

The moment the Immortal Domain’s upper echelon heard the phrase

many friends

, they immediately understood the implication.

Their instructions to the skyship’s crew were simple: bring everyone aboard. Make proper arrangements. Once the passengers arrived in the Immortal Domain, they’d sort through them one by one until they found the true identity of this Senior Xia.

The red-robed man who had questioned earlier now hesitated.

But before he could say anything more, the thickening mist split open with a sudden rumble of thunder. Faint arcs of lightning crackled in the air, and from the other side emerged a massive ship, sinister-looking and undeniably strange.

At its prow stood a bald man, who slapped the side of the ship and called out in a booming voice, “This is the Five Spirit Institute’s ship. That one over there’s the Arcane Supreme Sect’s. Don’t get on the wrong one, kids!”

He scratched his head, then added with a gruff laugh, “Put simply, if you’re from the Lotus Cult or the Buddhist orders, come to mine. If you’re from the Five Elements Alliance or the Daoist courts, head to hers.”

From the crowd, a monk stepped forward, hands folded, and bowed solemnly. “May I ask, Senior, why those of us from the Buddhist orders must board

your

ship?”

The bald man chuckled without explanation. “Get on if you want. Don’t if you don’t. What’s there to ask?”

In his mind, it was simple: the man surnamed Xia

would

board a ship, no matter what. Even if he didn’t say a word, even if no one could guess who he was, he would still find his way on board.

Suddenly, a well-dressed man in elegant green robes spoke up. “I am of the Chu Clan from the Central Plains. Might I ask...which side should I take?”

This time, Dugu Xuanjin answered. “Legacy clans are indeed present within the Eastern Sea. But they exist as hidden factions, not public sects. You may board either ship. Once you reach the Immortal Domain, your path will become clear. As to whether those hidden factions will acknowledge or accept you, that depends on your own fortune.”

“Thank you, Senior.” The man cupped his hands respectfully, then leapt toward Dugu Xuanjin’s ship without hesitation.

At this point, those still hiding in the forest stopped overthinking things. One by one, they stepped out and boarded the ships.

Neither Dugu Xuanjin nor the bald man dared show the slightest arrogance.

Because both knew without a shadow of a doubt that

Senior Xia

was among these people.

This was the same Xia who had already slaughtered two elders of the Arcane Supreme Sect, Wei Huosheng and Mister Mountain.

And the way he killed them had been nothing short of horrifying. Especially Mister Mountain, his physical body, his soul, even the preserved drop of ancestral blood sealed in the sect itself...

all of it

had been obliterated.

That kind of power was nothing less than monstrous.

Both Dugu Xuanjin and the bald man knew full well their own strength was, at best, equal to Wei Huosheng and Mister Mountain.

This meant if they pushed their luck, they’d end up just as dead.

So they dared not act out, not even a little.

People began soaring into the sky, drifting toward one ship or the other.

It was clear that Dugu Xuanjin’s ship was drawing more passengers.

Among them were Tie Sha and Fang Jianlong. They exchanged a look. Fang Jianlong’s face was heavy with concern, while Tie Sha simply grinned and clapped him on the shoulder.

“It’s not like we won’t see each other again,” he said cheerfully.

Fang Jianlong nodded. “Take care.”

And with that, they split, Fang Jianlong heading toward the Five Spirits Institute, Tie Sha toward the Arcane Supreme Sect.

Soon after, Gu Xuejian, Yan Mu, and the others also boarded the Arcane Supreme Sect ship.

Had Li Yuan been here, he would’ve recognized someone unexpected. Zhou Jia, once of the Fallen Moon School, was also among those present.

And he, too, had chosen the Arcane Supreme Sect’s ship.

Clearly, much had happened since they last met. Zhou Jia now carried himself like a completely different man, a fifth rank cultivator of the Mystic Gold Monastery.

As people boarded the ships, a plain-looking man quietly slipped aboard the Arcane Supreme Sect’s vessel. The moment he set foot on the deck, he headed straight for a corner and sat down without drawing attention.

This man...was the Celestial Sovereign.

Before long, there was no one left on land.

Just as Dugu Xuanjin and the bald man were preparing to depart, a thunderous clatter of hooves echoed from the distance.

A towering phantom of a general appeared in the sky, more than 100 feet tall, gripping an iron spear. Without warning, the illusion lunged, spear aimed squarely at the Arcane Supreme Sect’s airship. Clearly, someone had been lying in wait nearby, too afraid to act earlier and only now daring to strike.

Dugu Xuanjin raised an eyebrow, amused.

With a casual wave of her hand, a flurry of sword energy surged outward, streaking across more than five kilometers in a flash.

BOOM!

The general's phantom was instantly obliterated, the energy then snapping back into her sleeve like a ribbon.

The bald man looked equally entertained, though he didn’t laugh. Instead, he turned and promptly steered his ship away at full speed.

Everyone knew this land was under the watch of the Human Emperor.

And if they ever ran into him, even so-called seniors like themselves would be killed outright.

Outsiders though they were, the Eastern Sea’s Immortal Domain had done its homework long before dispatching these ships.

They only dared approach after confirming the Human Emperor remained in the Central Capital. Otherwise, they would’ve delayed their arrival by months rather than risk a single misstep.

As for the phantom general who had charged just now, they were likely some soldier desperate to earn merit.

So Dugu Xuanjin didn’t kill him, just scattered his phantom and left it at that.

Because no one dared provoke the Human Emperor. He was...the strongest.

But so what if he was the strongest?

When power like his was shackled to the short, flickering life of a mortal. And that mortal was so fiercely devoted to protecting this land, then what was left?

What could he choose?

The Human Emperor walked through the snow, returning to his palace.

So long as he stood, the nation would be stable. The heavens wouldn’t fall. And yet, these past years, his headaches had only gotten worse. And he knew why.

Pushing open the door as he had countless times before, he stepped inside, ready to sit at his desk. But then his gaze shifted.

In a blink, he appeared before his bed.

At its side, near the pillow, sat a transparent box.

Inside, a ninth rank rainbow snail was crawling frantically in circles. Try as it might, it couldn’t escape the box.

The Emperor stared at it in silence.

It took only a heartbeat to know exactly who had left it there.

Because the box sat in the

exact

same place a kite had once rested many years ago.

And in this world, who else could enter the heart of his palace without a sound?

He picked up the box and gazed at the fragile, insignificant creature within.

Long he stood there, longer still.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

The wind howled, and snow blanketed the land.

By the lake in the heart of the Central Capital, a city so grand it never truly slept, there was no one in sight.

Of course, that was except for one man. He had bought a jug of liquor and now sat alone by the lakeshore, drinking in silence.

Li Yuan had never boarded the airship. Instead, he sat here, lifting the jug high and pouring the burning wine down his throat.

Sadly, he had no powdered burning heart flowers. Without it, even the strongest drinks tasted like water.

The Archon Star could not die. And now...it had parasitized the Human Emperor.

That meant no matter what came next, no matter what form the Archon Star eventually took...

It would be reborn from

him

.

And after that? Even Li Yuan didn’t know. But Yin and Yang had already merged. The Archon Star...what more could it become?

When that moment came, the world would crack apart. Heaven and earth would shatter. But not quite yet... There was still time.

The Archon Star’s power, and the power of this land’s mountains and rivers, still resided in the Human Emperor’s hands.

And the Human Emperor...still had a choice.

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

The imperial palace.

The Human Emperor stood alone, cradling the box in his hands. Inside, the vibrant, rainbow snail writhed and twisted, trapped in a space barely a few inches wide.

On the surface, it looked exotic, perhaps even powerful. But he knew better. It was nothing more than a puppet, its shell home to a parasitic poison worm.

And suddenly, he understood. This wasn’t just a message. It was a reckoning.

Li Yuan knew the truth.

In a war between two tigers, if one was wounded and curled up on the defensive, then any incoming blow from a third party would be absorbed by the tiger already dominating the battlefield, the one who had nearly claimed the entire kingdom.

And if one wished to save that wounded tiger?

It meant indebting oneself. It meant placing another burden on a man already being torn apart from within.

Would he be willing? Would he do it...just because he loved the human race? Because he felt bound to this land? Because of their shared blood and lingering familial affection? Would that be enough?

On the great chessboard of the world, the strongest and most terrifying piece had been tugged back and forth by opposing forces...until, at last, it moved of its own accord.

And when it did, a new, shadowy player picked it up.

With chilling indifference, the black hand nudged the piece forward.

And the piece obeyed willingly.

The Human Emperor stared at the box for a long time. Then, at last, he closed his eyes. He was weighing everything, every consequence, every cost.

And yet, something about that small box...about its weight, both literal and symbolic, helped him come to a decision.

The thing he had hesitated over for so long...was settled.

He let out a long breath.

A faint smile touched his lips.

And he whispered, almost as if confessing to himself, “I’m willing.”

Author’s Note

There are some things I simply can’t spell out directly in the main story. Some reveals will have to wait until the very end, and I realize that may make the experience a little harder to follow. So here’s a bit of clarification for anyone feeling confused.

In short, Li Yuan is forcing the Human Emperor to act against the Underworld.

But there's a catch. Once the Human Emperor makes his move, he

can’t

stop. He’ll be pulled in, completely. And based on how long he’s hesitated, it’s clear that he knows this too.

If he enters the battle, the Ghost Lake will have to respond. And Li Yuan has no idea how it’ll end. But he does know this.

It’s the only move left.

The goals are threefold, rescuing Yan Yu, disrupting the Archon Star’s larger plan, and deal a critical blow to the Northern Dipper Outerborn.

Now, about the Emperor’s body... He's been showing signs of being

invaded

by the Dragon Vein. Think of the headaches, and how Li Yuan spotted his eunuch secretly gathering medicine. But the Emperor hasn’t dared act.

Because deep down, he suspects he might die if he does.

And he’s terrified of what might happen to the mortal world without him. On one side is duty to the realm. On the other is the fear of what’s coming from the Ghost Lake.

So he’s been trying to stall, hoping something might change, hoping someone else will tip the scales. But in doing so, he’s inadvertently given both the Northern Dipper and Archon Star room to grow.

They were counting on his hesitation.

And that’s where the snail comes in.

The snail isn’t just a symbol. It’s a warning. A message from Li Yuan

If you keep waiting, you’ll be consumed. Parasitized. Taken over.

And it’s also a message of hope, of trust. It’s a reminder of what Li Yuan believes he can still do.

The Human Emperor, in that moment, felt the expectation of a father. And that expectation stirred something in him.

If I’m going to die either way,

he thought,

then let it be for my father.

A hard truth. A cold decision. But perhaps...the most human one.

***

And as for the Eastern Sea’s storyline...Li Yuan sent many others, but chose not to go himself. Why? That’s because he

anticipated

the Immortal Domain would be trying to anticipate

him

.

He's playing a long game now, pushing slowly, steadily, lacing more and more weight against the Eastern Sea’s fragile balance.

For now, tensions are low. The air is rich in spiritual energy, and there’s no need to fight over resources.

But when that changes... Well, anything more would be spoilers. So I’ll stop there.