The First Emperor's Advice to Shirou / Shirou Arrives at Mount Buzhou...

"This... this is..." Shirou stared in astonishment at the enormous white cylindrical machine that resembled a giant ballpoint pen. It had four smaller cylinders at the bottom, an airplane-like tail fin, and round jet nozzles at the bottom.

No... Shirou actually knows what this thing is called, but it just doesn't seem like it should exist in the Tang Dynasty, nor should it be associated with the First Emperor.

"This is the Shenzhou Qin, a special vehicle used to travel to the emperor's palace in the universe." Consort Yu pushed up her glasses, which she had put on at some point, and explained with barely suppressed impatience.

"Transportation? You call this transportation?" Shirou pointed to the thirty-meter-tall manned rocket spaceship and asked in surprise.

"How long-winded! I've never ridden this route either! Don't ask me! I don't know if it'll even get you there! Anyway, if you want to see that emperor, then go in. This is the only way to get there. Of course! You're responsible for all the consequences. Don't blame me if you die!"

Why should she, who stayed on Earth, take orders from that emperor and guard his base? Although she only needed to be with Lord Xiang Yu, it didn't really matter where she was.

"His Majesty the First Emperor's machinery is fully guaranteed, you don't need to worry," said Xiang Yu, the tall, cyborg man standing beside him, calmly.

"Is that so? Then thank you for your help." Shirou changed into his spacesuit and climbed into the rocket ship. Since it was something used by the First Emperor himself, he believed there wouldn't be any problems with its quality.

"Then you can go!" Seeing Shirou enter the cockpit, the hot-tempered older sister, Consort Yu, didn't even bother with the countdown and pressed the launch button directly.

Then...

Boom--!!!

The rocket thrusters emitted flames, and a white plume of gas billowed from the bottom, propelling the rocket spacecraft into the air at a speed exceeding 10 km/s. It shot straight upwards, breaking through the atmosphere and entering space. Continuing to accelerate, it escaped Earth's gravitational field and began its journey beyond the solar system.

Residents near Mount Tai heard a loud bang and looked up at the sky, where they saw a rocket shooting up into the air, spewing long plumes of flame and smoke.

"Look in the sky! What's that??"

"That's a fire dragon!"

"No! I see white wings, that must be a phoenix!"

Subsequently, people in other places also saw the Divine Beast breathing fire, and in more distant places, beyond the borders of the Tang Dynasty, people also discovered a moving star in the sky.

When the officials in the court heard the news, they immediately praised, "A sage has appeared, and auspicious omens have appeared." Emperor Xuanzong was overjoyed and then granted a general amnesty. As for the literati, those who wrote splendid articles on the theme of auspicious omens were all rewarded, and some were even directly recommended to the court for official positions, from which time they rose rapidly in rank.

Europe was in the Dark Ages at this time, because Rome had collapsed, and the Byzantine Empire still existed, but there was no powerful force to unite and gather various forces to rebuild Rome.

Furthermore, the rapid rise of the Arabian Empire bordering Eastern Europe, which could potentially enter Europe from Spain at any time, put the whole of Europe in a precarious situation.

This newly emerging Arabian Empire, unlike any of the previous empires established by the Persians, was a religious state founded under the leadership of the Prophet Muhammad, based on a shared faith.

Initially, it was an army composed of merchants and believers. After conquering the city-state, it quickly attracted people from the surrounding areas and gained the allegiance of other powers because it best suited the character and customs of the Arabs, was inclusive, and enriched people's spiritual beliefs.

Afterwards, the Caliphs, who succeeded Muhammad, led armies of faith and displayed formidable fighting power, beginning a frenzied expansion in all directions.

However, as a newly emerging empire, it still needs a period of stable development to allow its cultural foundation to ferment.

Meanwhile, the Tang Dynasty, having experienced the Reign of Zhenguan, had already shown a prosperous and flourishing scene. The gradual improvement of the Imperial Examination System enabled the country to have enough talented people to govern its territory.

In terms of spiritual civilization, Confucianism incorporated the philosophical ideas of Buddhism and Daoism, and a new generation of literati gradually emerged.

Poets and sages such as Li Bai, Du Fu, and Wang Wei created timeless masterpieces praising the magnificent Tang Dynasty.

Meanwhile, the rocket continued to accelerate as it ascended. Shirou, seated in his seat, wondered if Qin Dynasty technology had already surpassed that of the 21st century.

Meanwhile, deep in space, a space fleet was engaged in battle with the Zerg. On the other side of the wormhole, the Broodmother raised its head and let out a high-frequency roar that was inaudible to the human ear. The Zerg became even more ferocious, trying to charge into the center of the space fleet.

There stood a massive space carrier. At that moment, numerous space combat ships of the space fleet received orders to disperse to both sides, allowing the Zerg to crawl in from the middle.

Then a massive beam of light shot out from the central hole, smashing through all the Zerg that rushed towards it, piercing directly through the wormhole, and striking the planet where the roaring Broodmother was located. Instantly, that planet was also pierced by the beam of light, exploding with a deafening roar and turning into cosmic dust.

The warships ahead also rushed forward, releasing mechanical arms imbued with special energy to open the wormhole portal and prevent it from closing. The Zerg's main base had been completely exposed.

"Excellent! Hahahaha!!! It's been a long time since I've had such a satisfying battle!" The long-haired man with three flowers blooming on his forehead, standing on the command platform inside the aircraft carrier, laughed heartily. After a while, he turned around and asked Shirou was sitting there:

"Then, guest from your distant homeland, what brings you to me?"

Chapter 1199 The First Emperor's Advice to Shirou

The First Emperor is leading a space fleet that guards the entire star system outside the solar system, preventing any threatening alien species from approaching Earth.

The rocket that Shirou was riding came from the hometown of the First Emperor. After being identified by the supercomputer, it was directly connected to the interior of the space carrier.

Although the First Emperor possessed many bodies, and each of these spaceships was actually connected to his consciousness, he still preferred to use a humanoid body, like other immortals, in the command center.

Behind the First Emperor floated a silver-white shawl that defied gravity, somewhat similar to those worn by Chang'e in the Moon Palace, but the front was quite exposed, seemingly more avant-garde. It was clear that he and the immortals of the Moon Palace were not from the same system.

Seeing that the First Emperor's gaze had turned towards him, Shirou decided it was better not to provoke the ancient Emperor.

"No need for formalities. If I had to say, you're already inside my body." The First Emperor looked at Shirou with curious eyes. At the same time, the screen in the control room was flashing data; he seemed to have connected to Earth in some way.

Surprisingly, video footage of Shirou living in Luoyang City appeared on the screen. It turns out that he had left Earth hundreds of years ago and had even set up cameras there?

The humanoid First Emperor still gazed at Shirou, a smile playing on his lips. But the supercomputer was rapidly browsing the video, collecting Shirou's information, Shirou entire life story being revealed layer by layer.

If you add in the analysis of big data, psychology, and other factors, he would probably understand Shirou better than Shirou himself.

"Having given away treasure, are you tired of wealth?"

Shirou shook his head.

"So you gave away all your possessions because you were tired of interpersonal relationships?"

Shirou shook his head again; he was neither tired of wealth nor tired of people.

"Although they are friends who will leave me once I lose my money, it means they are seeking profit and avoiding harm, and they are pursuing happiness and joy. It's just that what people resist is often what they cannot escape."

They were destined for decline; those I gave away my fortune to back then are no longer in Luoyang City. The young master of the Wu family, who helped me, was incredibly powerful in his early years, but I heard he met a tragic end.

What I want to find is a way to make everyone happy and fulfilled.

The First Emperor looked at Shirou, nodded, and then shook his head.

Seeing his eyes brimming with dreams and hopes, and his vision for the future, even reminded the First Emperor of his eldest son, Fusu. Compared to that prince, Shirou before him clearly carried more burdens; his eyes were brighter, having witnessed more vicissitudes and despair.

Yes, if he were just an ordinary mortal, a delusional daydreamer, Xiang Yu, as the gatekeeper, wouldn't have let him board the spaceship.

Only...

"In that case, it seems I cannot grant your request," the First Emperor said, shaking his head.

Shirou nodded. He had already prepared for the worst and said in a deep voice, "I knew it... Then I won't go looking for the immortals anymore."

"Oh, then what do you want?" The First Emperor smiled and asked curiously.

After achieving immortality through mechanical cultivation during the Qin Dynasty, the First Emperor ceased to concern himself with worldly affairs. Through some means, he realized that even if he conquered the world and governed the people with strict laws, he would ultimately see no surprises or hope.

So he simply let humanity follow its own course and set its sights on the stars and the sea.

Now it seems that his choice was indeed correct. At least if it were Earth under his control, there would be no way to cultivate a special human like Shirou.

Now, the First Emperor smiled and listened quietly to the young man's thoughts. He had the tolerance for his people and the curiosity about an interesting human being.

"Since even the immortals in this world cannot make the world perfect and happy, then I will stop searching for immortals. However... I want to become an immortal myself and learn immortal arts. Perhaps the power of an immortal can accomplish more." Shirou said.

"Wow... interesting... In that case, how about I lend you my equipment?"

The First Emperor proposed that the Shirou could cultivate immortality through mechanical means, creating a database and then injecting his own spirit into the mainframe. As long as the energy supply remained constant, he could achieve immortality.

"Of course, I suggest you make a backup first, so that even if this world is destroyed, you can still enter other worlds," the First Emperor said.

"No... no need." But that wasn't the method Shirou wanted; it would only make him more detached from the people. He simply wanted all the people to be happy.

"Is that so? Then forget it," the First Emperor casually replied.

"Your Majesty First Emperor, can you tell me where the most likely method to realize my wishes is?"

"Yes, then you should go find those immortals from the beginning of time."

"Yes, that was the existence when the world was first born in chaos. At that time, when heaven and earth were first created, there was no Daoism, no Confucianism, no Buddhism, and there was no humankind. Everything in the world was still in its initial state, and the most outstanding beings in it established the Great Dao rules for heaven and earth, and were recognized by heaven and earth as sages."

"They have blessed the world, and all living things have received their kindness. Even the birth of humankind originated from their single thought. The standards you hold dear for good and evil, happiness and unhappiness, were probably initially set by them."

"Where are they?" Shirou asked urgently. If they truly exist, and they built the world from scratch before the Earth was born, when the universe was still a chaotic void, then such beings certainly possess power comparable to the White Gods, and they built the world from a different perspective. They must have something that the White Gods lack.

"Yes, I don't know about the others, but the first one was named Hongmeng, and he was on the top of Mount Buzhou."

So the First Emperor introduced Shirou to Mount Buzhou to find Hongmeng. He told Shirou that once he got there, he must not speak a word and his mind must not waver.

The First Emperor's mechanized forces had already passed through the wormhole and entered the location coordinates of the Broodmother. He planned to send his space fleet there, capture a few Broodmother, and dissect them for fun.

"Then I won't bother you any longer." So, led by the robot Master Li, Shirou returned to the cabin and was sent back to Earth.

Chapter 1200: Shirou Arrives at Mount Buzhou

Beyond the Northwest Sea, in a corner of the Great Wilderness, there is a mountain that does not connect to the rest of the land; it is called Buzhou.

According to the "Li Sao" and "Huainanzi: Daoyuanxun", Mount Buzhou is located northwest of Kunlun Mountain. Legend has it that Mount Buzhou is the only path from the human realm to the heavenly realm, but Mount Buzhou is cold all year round and snowy all year round, and it is not something that ordinary people can reach on foot.

At this moment, Shirou landed on the top of a snow-covered mountain peak, which is Mount Buzhou, the legendary Mount Buzhou that was broken by Gonggong in the end when Zhurong Gonggong fought each other.

Although countless years have passed since then, the shape of the summit of Mount Buzhou does indeed resemble a broken gap, and there is a certain pressure in the air above it, preventing Shirou from ascending into the sky. No... it should be said that his abilities were sealed after he arrived here.

Shirou felt as if he had become the same person he was before the Holy Grail War began. However, he did not waver in the face of this situation. Since the Sages could not be relied upon, he could only learn Sage Mode himself. Since the White Gods could not make the world happy and perfect, then giving up these powers was not a big deal.

Shirou walked to a vast rock overlooking a deep valley. It was probably very high, because the Big Dipper, hanging in mid-air, looked as big as a rice bowl and was shining brightly. Since it was a remote mountain rarely visited by people, the surroundings were naturally silent. The only thing that drifted into his ears was the rustling of the branches and leaves of a pine tree that grew crookedly on the cliff behind the rock, swaying in the night wind.

Shirou recalled what the First Emperor had said to him:

"Once you arrive there, just wait there. An immortal will naturally come to receive you. Before he appears, everything is a test. The beings there may send various monsters to lure you, but no matter what happens, you must never speak. If you utter a single word, you will not be able to see Hongmeng and will be unable to become an immortal. Understand? In short, no matter how the heavens and earth tremble, you must remain silent."

"I will absolutely not utter a sound. Even if it costs me my life, I will remain silent."

"Is that so? From now on, it's all up to you. Goodbye."

Shirou Emiya sat alone on the rock, gazing quietly at the starry sky. About half an hour later, as the cool night air of the deep mountains seeped through his thin clothes, a shouting voice suddenly came from above.

Who's there?

However, Shirou Emiya remembered the First Emperor's warning and did not answer. But a moment later, the same voice rang out again.

"If you don't answer, I'll kill you right now!" the voice threatened sternly.

Shirou Emiya remained silent, of course.

Suddenly, a four-meter-tall white bear with paws bigger than a human face, which had climbed up from who-knows-where, leaped onto the rock with piercing eyes, glared angrily at Shirou Emiya, and roared.

Not only that, the pine branches above their heads also swayed violently from side to side at the same time, and on the cliff top behind them, a black venomous snake, more than ten meters long and as thick as a water bucket, appeared, its fiery red tongue flicking out and spewing foul black fumes, as it approached step by step.

But Shirou Emiya remained seated as steady as a mountain. Yet, he was still tense inside. Normally, he would have already Projection his weapon and fought against such a ferocious beast.

The polar bear and the venomous snake stared at each other for a moment, as if fighting over bait. Then, almost simultaneously, they pounced on Shirou. Shirou was left wondering whether he would be torn apart by the polar bear's teeth and claws or swallowed and poisoned by the black snake.

Just as Shirou was about to die, the polar bear and the poisonous snake vanished like smoke on the night wind. Afterwards, all that could be seen were the pine trees on the cliff, still swaying their branches and rustling as before.

Shirou breathed a sigh of relief, secretly hoping that something would happen again.

Suddenly, a gust of wind arose, dark clouds like ink covered the sky, and pale purple lightning unexpectedly tore through the night, followed by a deafening roar of thunder. No, it wasn't just thunder; at the same time, a torrential downpour like a waterfall also poured down.

Despite the cataclysmic and icy conditions, Shirou remained calm and composed, his face expressionless. The wind howled, the raindrops splashed, and the endless flashes of lightning...

Mount Buzhou seemed about to collapse. Then suddenly a deafening thunderclap rang out, and a giant, deep red pillar of fire fell straight down from the swirling dark clouds above onto Shirou's head.

Shirou Emiya's ears were ringing from the shock, his whole body was subjected to a scorching impact, and he was tumbling through the air. When he landed on the ground, his bones ached slightly, and he lay prone on the rocks.

But he immediately opened his eyes and found that the sky was still clear, and the Big Dipper, as big as a rice bowl, was still towering on the mountains in front of him, Gil brightly. It seemed that the storm, the bear, and the snake were just monsters sent down by immortals to cause trouble, just as the First Emperor had said.

After figuring it out, Shirou Emiya wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and sat back down on the rock.

However, before he could finish his hiss, a divine general dressed in golden armor, standing three zhang tall, with a solemn expression, appeared before him.

The divine general, wielding a three-pointed, double-edged sword and adorned with a golden bow and silver bullets, revealed a third eye on his forehead, emitting divine light that shone upon Shirou. Without a word, he pointed the tip of his spear at Shirou Emiya's chest, glaring angrily and shouting:

"Hey! Who are you? Since the beginning of time, Mount Buzhou has been the passageway where sages reside. How dare you come here alone? You must be no ordinary person. If you don't want to die, explain yourself quickly."

However, Shirou remained silent, as the First Emperor had instructed.

"Not answering... huh? Fine, if you don't want to answer, then don't, whatever. But you should know that my henchmen can chop you into mincemeat."

The divine general raised his three-pointed, double-edged sword and called out to the mountains opposite. Instantly, the dark night sky split in two, and countless divine soldiers filled the sky like dark clouds, their hands gleaming with spears and swords, as if they were about to charge into battle.

Seeing this scene, Shirou realized that the divine light and magical artifacts did not seem fake, and he couldn't help but want to speak, but remembering the First Emperor's words, he could only desperately purse his lips. The divine general, seeing that he remained unmoved, flew into a rage.

"You stubborn fool! If you don't answer, I'll really kill you!"

In the blink of an eye, the divine general's trident flashed, piercing and killing Shirou instantly. Then, with a loud laugh that seemed to shake Mount Buzhou, he vanished without a trace. Of course, the countless divine soldiers also disappeared like a dream, accompanied by the sound of the night wind that echoed all around.

The North Star shone coldly on the rocks again. The pine trees on the cliff still swayed and rustled. But Shirou himself had already died and lay on the ground, soon covered by the heavy snow.

Chapter 1201 Shirou Enters the Underworld

Shirou's body lay supine on the rock, a bloody gash pierced through his heart, but his soul quietly detached from his body and descended to the bottom of hell.

He died.

Everything fell downwards, unable to move freely.

Between this world and hell lies a path called the Dark Abyss, a bottomless abyss shrouded in darkness year-round, with fierce winds howling around it as cold as ice and snow. Shirou's soul, like a leaf, drifted in the fierce winds, and after an unknown amount of time, it finally drifted to a majestic palace with a horizontal plaque that read "Hall of the Hall of Judgment".