New Graves Over Old, Emperor Zuo Makes His Move

As he spoke, Chen Changsheng moved to change Li Jinshui's clothes.

But with what little strength he had left, Li Jinshui pushed Chen Changsheng's hand away.

"You little brat. I may be about to die, but I'm not dead yet, am I?"

"We haven't seen each other for fifty years. Can't you let me have a few words with you?"

Hearing Li Jinshui's words, Chen Changsheng rolled his eyes dramatically.

"Third Senior Brother, don't tell me that at a time like this, you still have some unfulfilled obsession."

"You know me. I'm most afraid of trouble. Collecting corpses and conducting burials, I can manage."

"But I'm not very good at fulfilling people's last wishes."

In response to Chen Changsheng's words, Li Jinshui seemed to have a final burst of life and suddenly gained some spirit.

"Bullshit. Do you think your Third Senior Brother is someone who can't let things go?"

"Things I failed to accomplish while alive, I won't trouble anyone else with after I'm dead."

"I just wanted to praise you before I die. Is that not allowed?"

At those words, a smile immediately appeared on Chen Changsheng's face.

"Of course it is. I rarely get praise from you, Third Senior Brother!"

"Praising you is meant to encourage you, but you mustn't get too proud."

The two spoke as they once had, yet their smiles did not last long before silence returned between them.

After a while, Li Jinshui struggled to reach for Nascent Soul Immortal's gravestone.

As he stroked the words carved upon it, a pale brown tear of blood slid from Li Jinshui's single eye.

"A man's life is but a season for grass and trees. No matter how one once commanded the winds and clouds, in the end, one cannot escape these few wooden boards."

"What cultivation techniques, what Divine Weapons—they are all merely passing clouds and drifting smoke."

"When you used Master's Lightning Strike Wood to make a coffin, I only thought it was childish whim."

"But now I understand. Within Supreme Clarity Temple, you were the one who saw most clearly."

After saying this, Li Jinshui's lips trembled without cease.

After a long while, Li Jinshui regained his composure, and a smile once more hung on his face.

"The melancholy words have been said. Hurry and let me see what kind of coffin you prepared for me."

Faced with Li Jinshui's "urging," Chen Changsheng took a brand-new coffin from the System Space.

"Senior Brother, I prepared an excellent Golden Silk Nanmu coffin for you!"

"Golden Silk Nanmu can preserve a corpse from decay for a thousand years. Feel it."

As he spoke, Chen Changsheng helped Li Jinshui over to the coffin.

Running his hand over the grain of the wood, Li Jinshui nodded in satisfaction.

"Very good. I didn't dote on you for nothing."

"Have you prepared a coffin for Grandmaster?"

"I have."

"Thousand-year Lightning Strike Peach Wood, inscribed with every formation I've learned. It'll ensure Grandmaster never rises as a corpse."

"When the time comes, I'll bury Grandmaster together with all of you, so you can slowly discuss the old days with him."

"Ha ha ha!"

Hearing Chen Changsheng's answer, Li Jinshui burst into laughter.

"Little Junior Brother, you really have thought it through!"

Having said that, Li Jinshui straightened his body and smoothed out the wrinkles in his clothes. Then he was forever frozen in that motion.

Looking at Li Jinshui, who had completely lost all signs of life, Chen Changsheng calmly began handling his final affairs.

Once everything was done, Chen Changsheng buried the coffin in the grave Li Jinshui had dug himself, then erected a gravestone for him.

The inscription on the gravestone was still the three words: "Undertaker."

Looking at the gravestone he had erected with his own hands, Chen Changsheng silently took out a jar of wine.

"Senior Brother, this is Hundred Flowers Wine I brewed according to an ancient recipe."

"Back in the Boundless Secret Realm, I held Yuanshan back and didn't let him fight the others."

"By custom, Master would definitely scold me again."

"To avoid punishment, I brewed this Hundred Flowers Wine. Part of it was meant for Master, in hopes that he would show restraint."

"The other part was meant to bribe you, so you'd put in a good word for me."

"Who would have thought that after we emerged from the Boundless Secret Realm, one thing after another kept happening? It took until today for you all to drink this jar of Hundred Flowers Wine."

"But that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Seventy years of aging have elevated the flavor of this Hundred Flowers Wine to another level. You and Master will surely like it."

As he spoke, Chen Changsheng poured the Hundred Flowers Wine before the graves of his Third Senior Brother and Nascent Soul Immortal.

After pouring out the Hundred Flowers Wine, Chen Changsheng said,

"One jar for two people is indeed a little stingy, but I only have ten jars in total, and I still need to drink the rest. You'll have to make do."

"Besides, you can't jump out from down there and beat me up."

After saying this, Chen Changsheng turned and left the dilapidated Supreme Clarity Temple.

Yet as he departed, Chen Changsheng waved with his back to the nine graves.

"Master, Senior Brothers, I still need to bring Grandmaster to see you. I'll be going now!"

There was not the slightest trace of sorrow in Chen Changsheng's voice, as though in his heart, this was only a brief parting from old friends.

The horn signaling Xuanwu Kingdom's attack soon sounded.

Although Night Moon Kingdom had already annexed the Great Qian Dynasty, the foundations of both nations had been greatly depleted during the process.

Now, faced with the immensely powerful Xuanwu Kingdom, Night Moon Kingdom could only suffer defeat after defeat.

There was no reason, and no unnecessary talk.

Emperor Zuo ignored every negotiation from Night Moon Kingdom and simply swept through everything with overwhelming strength.

In just one month, Emperor Zuo had beaten Night Moon Kingdom into a state of utter ruin.

At the same time, the locations of the two Bronze Ancient Halls were surrounded by Emperor Zuo's forces.

"Father Emperor, the Boundless Secret Realm is already under our control. Now only the Night Moon Kingdom forbidden ground occupied by Master Yuhua remains."

"Also, the people of Heavenly Buddha Temple wish to seek an audience with Father Emperor."

Zuo Xinghe reported the battle situation to Emperor Zuo.

Hearing this, Emperor Zuo said calmly, "Surround the Night Moon Kingdom forbidden ground but do not attack. As for those people from Heavenly Buddha Temple, make them wait."

"One must see things through from beginning to end. This matter began because of Chen Changsheng, so it must naturally be brought to an end by him."

As he spoke, Emperor Zuo paused and then looked into the distance.

"What a coincidence. We just mentioned him, and here he comes."

A speck of light appeared on the horizon. It gradually grew larger, before finally landing upon the deck.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. Chang Sheng went to handle some personal matters and arrived late."

Seeing Chen Changsheng cup his hands in salute, Emperor Zuo's lips curled upward.

"You're not late at all. Your timing is perfect."

"I have trapped your Grandmaster inside the forbidden ground. I was simply waiting for you to come bury him."

"I must say, your Grandmaster does have some skill. It took me two moves to blow apart his avatar."

"Also, it seems your old acquaintance knows you have returned."

"So, are you planning to bury your Grandmaster first, or meet your old acquaintance first?"

Faced with the choice Emperor Zuo offered, Chen Changsheng grinned.

"Of course I'll meet my old acquaintance first. Though my Grandmaster is nothing in Your Majesty's eyes—"

"I'm no match for him. If Grandmaster makes one last desperate counterattack before he dies, I won't be able to take it."

"So Your Majesty and I should split up and act separately."

"Ha ha ha!"

Hearing Chen Changsheng's words, Emperor Zuo laughed and pointed at him.

"This is precisely what I admire about you—how steady you are in handling matters."

"Very well. I'll leave your Grandmaster with a breath of life, so you disciple's disciple and master can properly reminisce."

After saying this, Emperor Zuo instantly appeared above the forbidden ground, clenched his right hand into a fist, and swung it down viciously.

Boom!

A colossal fist imprint appeared upon the earth. The mountains and rivers within a hundred li were all smashed apart and turned to dirt.

Chen Changsheng: !!!

That fierce?