Sacrifice to the Sun

The sky is a cage, the earth is a shackle.

The fact that Wang Lan brought it out represented Sima Honglin's supreme respect for the law, as well as the magnificent power of the Great Jin!

But at this moment, the imperial decree suppressing the heavens shattered with a sound like glass falling to the ground. What broke apart was not just a decree, but also the fear in the hearts of people all over the world.

A thick, earthy yellow light surged from the depths of Ye Capital, merging with the whisk-shaped edict hanging from the sky in mid-air.

Yellow represents earth, and green represents wood. Earth and wood generate each other, and heaven and earth are in harmony.

In that instant, the lightning shattered inch by inch, and the imperial decree that had suppressed the entire Ye Capital of Ye turned into countless broken runes, falling like withered leaves.

The ban has been lifted.

The Cold Qi is out of control.

"No..." Sima Ying murmured.

"I... I cultivate the true path of Cold Qi! I have the Supreme Decree! I..."

His complexion turned extremely pale, and even his thoughts and Dao heart began to waver!

He recognized the aura of the True Lord that flashed by with that [earth-attribute] power.

It should be Wu Earth).

It must be Wu Earth)!

That person, it's rumored, has long since retired from worldly affairs!

The old monster, who hadn't shown his face since Emperor Wei launched the war between the North and South, has suddenly appeared!

He suddenly realized that this situation was unlikely to end well!

Am I going to die too!?

Why didn't the Supreme One save me? I am not like Li Fire Wang Lan, a patriot who has ulterior motives but is willing to risk his life. I am someone who wants to save the Great Jin from its impending doom, but is adrift and beyond his control!

I possess the blood of the Sima Clan, yet I desire to serve as a servant of this family. I have always been a blade, a knife, and have already committed countless murders!

Why has Your Majesty abandoned me?!

I, Sima Ying, am innocent! Your Majesty!

Before he could think any further, a sharp sword light cleaved through the sky.

Sima Ying! You deserve to die!

He looked up and met a pair of eyes burning with rage.

Cao Huan stood there.

The boy's body was still thin and his clothes were still tattered, but the light in his eyes was frighteningly bright.

He held a sword in his hand. The sword was not a physical object, but was formed from pure Mingyang energy, with dazzling imperial runes flowing across its blade.

"That's... the Emperor's Sword?!" A former official of Cao Wei exclaimed in shock from the crowd.

Cheng Fasi, of course, heard that decisive sound.

This time, Mingyang was born!

Those individuals, it seems, are plotting to overthrow the Jin Imperial House. Perhaps they intend to overthrow the Jin Imperial House dynasty and its state, instigate change throughout the land, and seize the throne (Nascent Soul) through sheer power?!

Upon realizing this, Cheng Fasi, dragging Purple Mansion crippled body, slowly knelt down, supporting himself with his single arm, his Divine Ability surging!

His voice trembled, a tremor of suppressed excitement. "Your subject greets Your Majesty!"

That sound was like the first pebble thrown into stagnant water.

The old soldier who had previously protected Cao Huan as he walked out of the dilapidated house finally burst into tears, and knelt down with a thud. "A former official of the Office of Investigations greets Your Majesty!"

Then came the third, and the fourth.

Your Majesty, I pay my respects!

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

"His Majesty--"

The sounds came from all directions, initially chaotic and fragmented, but gradually coalesced into a torrent.

Sima Ying's face was terribly gloomy. As he watched the kneeling worship spread like wildfire, a violent killing intent surged from the bottom of his heart.

"Court death."

With a wave of his sleeve, the [Heavenly Cold Yin Qi Life and Death Record] was opened with a bang.

Countless vengeful spirits shrieked as they emerged, transforming into a black tide that blotted out the sky and surged towards the kneeling people.

But this time, his Divine Ability failed.

Another sword light descended from the sky, cleaving the black tide in two.

There are other people!!?

Sima Ying was now like a venomous snake cornered against a wall...

It was a man in plain clothes carrying a sword.

He arrived silently, as if he had emerged from the wind and snow, or as if he had always been there.

The rusty longsword in his hand was now humming, with pieces of rust peeling off to reveal the clear, autumn-water-like blade beneath.

Xiahou Xuan.

Sima Ying's pupils contracted. "And who are you?!"

Xiahou Xuan did not answer. He simply raised his sword slowly, the tip pointing towards Sima Ying's brow.

At the same time, another figure appeared behind Sima Ying.

Xun Mozhi.

He formed hand seals, and mysterious hexagrams appeared around him, encompassing the sun, moon, stars, mountains, and rivers. These hexagrams layered upon each other, forming an invisible cage that imprisoned Sima Ying within.

"The Heaven-Governing Spirit-Locking."

Sima Ying realized that this situation seemed to have deviated from the plans of the person far away in Luoyang!

But no, there wasn't!

"Ha ha ha ha..."

At this moment, a restriction in Sima Ying's sea of consciousness slowly dissipated.

A pre-existing deduction and calculation screen appeared.

"The entire Cao Clan was exterminated!"

"It is also his sins of bloodshed, desecrating graves, and slaughtering people over the past century that have left his restless spirits!"

He was thrown out as a scapegoat to vent public anger.

Hahaha, it's not just me!

"Wang Lan is the same. Sima Honglin, I am utterly loyal to you. He, Wang Lan, even suppressed his younger brother for hundreds of years, preventing him from attaining the Dao of the Xia Dynasty. For a prophecy, he even sent his nephew to the Xiao Clan as a hostage!"

"Sima Honglin! How dare you claim to be supreme?! You've used false promises to deceive heroes and warriors across the land, causing countless deaths and injuries!"

"I was hurt by that pampering; you never even considered letting me cultivate the Cold Qi!"

I thought of what Prince of Chen had said.

Divine Ability are wrong!

What is obtained through deception will never be truly respectable!

His illegitimate son cultivated his life force with [Heavenly Cold Qi].

But I was permitted to cultivate that [Cold Yin World], using the Netherworld's Cold Qi, which is used to excavate the Yin and retrieve souls, as its foundation!

[Cold Qi] Since Prince of Chen Cao Zhi ascended the throne, he has used the sun and [Zhou Clearing Snow] to represent sunshine, purity, change, and transformation, borrowing the power of the Mingyang.

My position is not open to me!

They've built a dead end!

Sima Ying is becoming increasingly deranged!

"Yes! What you've always wanted is not powerful allies; in your heart, there's only ever been yourself! The supreme ruler never relies on the strength of others; his power and authority are absolute; I am the world..."

"Good, very good." Once Sima Ying understood, everything became clear.

He laughed loudly, his laughter filled with madness and arrogant pride!

"Do you think you can kill me with just a few Purple Mansion?!"

Even if I die, I will drag you all down with me!

The book, titled "[The Heavenly Cold Yin Qi Life and Death Record]", was flipped through frantically. The chilling energy surging from between the pages materialized and condensed into a thick layer of ice armor around him.

At the same time, five Divine Ability within him erupted simultaneously—[Nether Stillness Condensation], [Snow Buries Spirits], [Cold Yin World], [Near-Death Breath], and [Yin Sha Devouring].

Five Divine Ability powers intertwined!

At this moment, Sima Ying was like a chilling evil spirit descending upon the world!

[Cold Yin World] seals off the Qi of heaven and earth, while [Near-Death Breath] can preserve life and spirit within the body for balance.

The remaining three Divine Ability are all primarily focused on killing and offensive power!

His entire being exuded a murderous aura, and the biting wind seemed intently intent on devouring anyone who dared to approach him!

Moreover, Sima Ying, who possesses unparalleled combat prowess, is, in any case, a Divine Core (Half-Step Golden Core True Lord).

Without the True Lord's intervention, who can stop us!

"Who among you is going to die!"

Xiahou Xuan's sword light slashed at Sima Ying's [Yin World Cold] restraints, leaving only a shallow white mark.

Xun Mozhi's Soul-Locking Cage was shaken to the point of collapse by the impact of that chilling death energy.

Sima Ying stood in the wind and snow, his eyes filled with madness.

Watching them come on stage, and then watching them helpless against their own limitations.

He sneered at Cao Huan, "You little brat, you think you can kill me? You dare to claim the title of the new emperor of Wei?!"

And at that moment--

Xiahou Xuan's sword has changed.

The light on the sword suddenly subsided, becoming deep and heavy.

An autumnal hue appeared on the sword.

A sense of solemnity and impending doom.

"This sword strike is named Qiu Yan Vast Sky."

Xiahou Xuan's voice was very soft, as soft as a sigh. But the sword intent was terrifyingly heavy, as if the entire chill of autumn had been condensed into this one sword strike.

It is a clear autumn day, the vastness of the world is desolate, the Qiu Yan is profound and clear without dust.

The endless killing intent before all things in heaven and earth return to silence.

This sword strike came from the Ye Clan.

Sima Ying's Divine Ability were like autumn frost meeting the midday sun, instantly melting away before this sword strike.

He tried to retreat in terror, but Xun Mozhi's Soul-Locking Cage held him firmly in place.

"No--"

Sima Ying let out a shrill scream.

He pushed the [Heavenly Cold Yin Qi Life and Death Record] to its limit, and the pages burst into raging Yin Fire. Countless Yin spirits screamed in the flames and turned to ashes, all to block this sword.

It was unstoppable.

The moment Qiu Yan's sword intent struck, another Divine Ability silently descended.

It was a breeze, an extremely light and gentle breeze. The wind came from the south, carrying the dampness of the river, and also the sounds of war and battle from the Jianghuai!

This wind, however, caused the circulation of Divine Ability within Sima Ying's body to suddenly stagnate.

It's that same [East Wind Break] from back then!!

The master of heaven measures the changing mechanism, which is [belonging to the wind element]. Borrowing the power of the east wind, he breaks the mechanism of all Divine Ability flowing.

"The former Great Wei dynasty possessed six virtues that the world possessed."

Xun Mozhi's voice rang out from the side, slowly recounting a past event.

His voice was calm, as if he were revealing the cause and effect to the public!

"He upheld the law, implemented the kingly way, destroyed mountains and temples, and annihilated the underworld to suppress evil spirits. He promoted the poor and honored the noble families, and suppressed the Aristocratic Clan. He restored order and distinguished the virtuous and filial. How loving was the Mingyang!"

"At that time, the Great Wei had an emperor whose wisdom shines like the sun and moon, Prince of Chen with his extraordinary talent, a court full of civil and military officials, and a mighty army of a million."

"The world, after a long period of unity, tends to divide; after a long period of division, tends to unite. Great Wei, having received the Mandate of Heaven and following the path of benevolent rule, should destroy Shu Han and Eastern Wu, unify the world, and usher in an era of peace for all generations."

"Thus, the Great Wei marched south. A million men, both immortal and mortal, conquered Jingzhou, captured Jiangling, and sailed eastward with the current, their ships stretching for a thousand miles, banners obscuring the sky. They poured wine by the river, brandishing their spears and composing poems—what a magnificent spirit, what unparalleled heroism!"

"Then what?"

Xun Mozhi's voice suddenly became shrill.

"When Heaven unleashes its murderous intent, stars shift and constellations change. When Earth unleashes its murderous intent, dragons and snakes rise from the land. When Man unleashes his murderous intent, Heaven and Earth are overturned!"

"The world, after a long period of unity, tends to divide; after a long period of division, tends to unite. When this order collapses and the transformation of Yin and Yang manifests, dragons and snakes rise from the land, and demons and monsters emerge—"

"They are immortals! A single word or two conveys profound mysteries! They sit serenely in the heavens, observing the rise and fall of mortals!"

"But they are human too! They cannot tolerate an emperor who is all-powerful, autocratic, and tyrannical!"

His voice was filled with deep-seated hatred.

"Above the Cangxuan sky, beyond the clouds dwell immortals. Immortals are transformed from humans, but I fear the hearts of mortals are not steadfast! Mortals, oh mortals... Mortals cannot relinquish fame and fortune, nor can they relinquish their physical bodies; desires and thoughts constantly intertwine and sprout within their hearts. There is good, there is evil."

"And them? In the eyes of the world, they are immortals. Precisely because they are immortals—they are high above, unattainable, without desires or wants, worthy of worship and faith!"

"But they also have desires and calculations. They do not want to see a true emperor who can act on behalf of Heaven, nor do they want to see a dynasty that can let the Mingyang shine on all corners of the world."

"So they joined forces, so the Sima Clan rebelled, so on the Luo River, a million loyal souls perished in the belly of fish!"

"The East Wind Break shattered the dynasty's long-standing rule, and Wu and Shu once again held sway over a corner of the land for hundreds of years..."

Xun Mozhi's voice echoed in the sky above Ye Capital after the snow had cleared.

Then, silence...

There was no more sound.

Until Sima Ying's laughter rang out again.

"This... this is Ye... hahahaha... good... scheming!"

Sima Ying didn't finish her sentence.

The Qiu Yan sword intent pierced through his brow, East Wind Break shattered his Divine Ability.

His body began to disintegrate, starting from his brow, turning into ashes bit by bit.

The book, [The Heavenly Cold Yin Qi Life and Death Record], let out a mournful cry, and all its pages burst into flames, vanishing into nothingness along with its owner's demise.

Finally, what faded away were Sima Ying's slender eyes. Resentment lingered, tinged with bitterness...

But he will never have the chance to know.

The moment Sima Ying fell, the entire Ye Capital fell into a deathly silence.

The countless ghosts dispersed, and the chilling aura that had shrouded the city for over a hundred years also dissipated.

The snow had stopped sometime earlier, and a ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds, falling on the people kneeling on the ground.

Some people looked up at the long-awaited ray of sunlight, and tears streamed down their faces silently.

Cao Huan stood in that ray of sunlight; his role seemed to be nothing more than stepping forward with the imperial sword in his hand.

His gaze swept over the kneeling people, over Cheng Fasi, over Xiahou Xuan, over Xun Mozhi, and over those who came from all directions, calling themselves "Wei ministers".

Cao Huan smiled.

He was born into this world, and in their eyes, in the hearts of those high and mighty beings, he was merely a pawn!

They want me to be emperor, so I will be emperor and show them!

Then, Cao Huan shouted loudly.

"The most important affairs of the state are sacrifice and war."

He slowly raised his hand, pointing to the spot where Sima Ying had just fallen. "Today, the traitor has been executed." Then his finger pointed to the ray of sunlight on the horizon, "Let us offer sacrifices to the Greater Yang, to thank the heavens for their light."

"To comfort the martyrs and to illuminate the path for all."

Cheng Fasi knelt on the ground, and Xun Yu and Xiahou Dun also quickly knelt down!

They bowed their heads and shouted with all their might, "We obey the imperial decree!"

Behind them, thousands of people echoed in unison.

The sound pierced the sky, dispelling the gloom Ye Capital had lingered over Yedu for a century.

Unbeknownst to anyone, Prince of Chen's coffin had long since turned into specks of light and dust, dissipating into the wind and snow.

In the final moment before the coffin dissipated, a faint wisp of Cold Qi silently merged into Cao Huan's brow.

"If I have the chance... I will make them fall from grace and see the anger and resentment I feel for those whose lives are manipulated!" Cao Huan suddenly had this thought, and it burned fiercely and unstoppably!

"I only regret that I cannot hang his head in Ye to appease the spirits of Prince of Chen and the loyal souls who died in battle."

Then he turned around and looked in the direction of Luoyang.

"Worship the Greater Yang, so that its light may shine upon all directions."

Luoyang.

A terrifying Daoist thought soared into the sky from the Luoyang Palace, piercing through heaven and earth, and crushing towards Ye Capital.

The sound echoed throughout heaven and earth, carrying the supreme pressure and fury—

"Zhang Chen! How dare you defy the world!"

A whisk gently rippled through the void.

Zhang Chen's figure did not appear; only a calm voice came down from the extremely high and distant sky.

"To defy the world's will?"

The voice chuckled.

"Heaven's mandate is in Jin--"

He paused.

"Even if we defy the will of Heaven, what can we do?" How can the Jin dynasty last long?

"If I gain merit in Jin, why shouldn't I seize the opportunity to ascend to the Heavenly Emperor's throne?"

"Sima Honglin! Don't forget, the prophecy 'three horses eating from the trough' has a follow-up.

I was merely obeying my master's orders!

I do not wish for the Divine Land to crumble, nor for the world to be squandered by your family! Moreover, fellow Daoists have also reached their limit of tolerance!