[125] To Ashes

"A perfect person is selfless, a spiritual person is selfless, a sage is nameless. My power and disposition are inferior to yours, Zhang Jue."

Those who attain true freedom understand the heart of the ultimate being.

Compared to this ten-year-old boy, the once carefree old man suddenly felt that his own freedom was not so significant.

Pursuing freedom is also a form of bondage...

The old man smiled bitterly. Even without further divination, he could foresee the dangers awaiting this young one in the future, yet he could only sigh in regret without finding the words to express it.

To hold up the sky...

How could it be so easy to hold up the sky?

Why did the gods and the immortals retreat to the inner sea of the planet, never to reappear in the mortal realm?

Because... faced with the extramundane plague that could erode even the soul, resulting in a corrupt and festering disease that leaves one begging for death yet unable to die.

They were... afraid.

Like defeated commanders retreating to their island, they dared not glance across the shore, deceiving themselves into a sense of security by covering their eyes, thus gaining a fleeting period of peace.

With a way out, they dared not fight. When the sky falls, everyone expects someone taller to hold it up.

Immortals, after all, are human first.

These immortals... have decayed.

"No need for any formal ceremonies. From now on, this mountain is your home. Rest here as long as you need, after your weary travels."

The old man's lips moved slightly, but he only managed to utter a few sentences.

Such character, such talent... what a pity.

With this old body, he would do whatever he could to help.

"Thank you, old man."

Understanding the old man's sentiment, Reinhard respectfully bowed.

In front of the bronze mirror in the temple, the slender young man donned the robes. After some thought, Reinhard chose a yellow robe.

Yellow is the color of the earth, the color of emperors.

It also symbolizes the pure and simple hearts of countless laborers in the fields.

To change this azure sky to a yellow one.

To ask the vast earth, who will dictate its fate?

The black-haired woman stood behind the young man, tying his long black hair into a neat topknot.

As twilight descended, Yu Mei-ren stood in a daze, staring at Reinhard's handsome reflection in the mirror.

"Junior brother, did you know?" She teased, "You are actually much better looking than Sima Yi."

Reinhard chuckled softly at her words and shook his head.

"Senior sister, are you trying to get me to dress as a woman?"

Good heavens, gender reversal... now it was his turn?

"With this face... if you wore fine silk and satin, you'd look very easy to bully, with a beauty that rivals the sun and moon."

Yu Mei-ren's face blushed slightly. Just the thought of her junior brother in elegant female attire, wielding a long whip and acting dominantly, made her react uncontrollably...

Bullied...?

Slap!

A crisp slap suddenly landed on her body. Reinhard, adhering to Xu Fu's teachings, knew not to give this Incarnated Elemental any chance to rise in arrogance.

Regrettably... he held back his strength.

"You want to bully me? I think it's you who wants to be bullied." The young man said with a half-smile.

"Yes... I want to be bullied by you, junior brother."

"Then come over here."

Yu Mei-ren softly murmured her assent, suppressing her surging shame, and obediently moved closer, regardless of the servants and the chubby fox in the room.

It seemed she had truly become a tamed creature.

Obedient...

Because if she wasn't obedient, she wouldn't get to eat.

The insatiable Incarnated Elemental needed the young man to satiate her hunger.

Thus...

Slap! Slap! Slap...

A series of continuous slaps, like spring rain falling gently, with a hint of tenderness.

"Junior brother, your strikes are so gentle..."

Yu Mei-ren knelt at the edge of the couch, her voice breathless, her smooth skin marked with red.

"Will you still act so presumptuously in the future?"

"Was it mentioning Sima Yi that triggered you? He looked at you longingly when we parted, his expression dark and sorrowful, pitifully delicate."

"We're just fellow disciples... no, Sima Yi isn't even part of Water Mirror Manor or Forgetfulness."

"Fellow disciples? It's known that women always dress up for those they like."

Yu Mei-ren's head gently shook with each slap, her breath quickening as she teased the young man.

"In my view, Sima Yi will spend his life dressed in skirts, with his heart only holding you. What a pity..."

As her words faded, Reinhard tenderly caressed her for a moment, then...

Slap!

"Senior sister, you're jealous that I paid attention to him."

"Mm... hmm..."

These scorching slaps, rather than punishment, seemed more like a form of affection, making the Incarnated Elemental feel both pain and pleasure.

Even Xu Fu couldn't help but comment, "Lady, you're somewhat too perverse."

"Mind your own business, you're just jealous of me!"

Yu Mei-ren pouted, biting her lip. Back at the mountain, she seemed like a lioness returning to its nest, shedding all inhibitions and decorum, shamelessly seeking the young man's affection.

"Let's not joke about him..."

Reinhard shook his head, half-amused by his Slaanesh charm. Even men could be ensnared, and now Yu Mei-ren used it to tease him.

This Slaanesh charm is like a flood, corrupting the youth of the empire!

Oh? I am Slaanesh? Well, that makes sense...

Closing his eyes, Reinhard recalled how he had spent the past month praising Sima Yi's delicate charm, trying hard to activate his Pure Heart.

But, whether he had truly been turned into a woman by his Pure Heart, Reinhard couldn't be sure...

He couldn't just lift Sima Yi's skirt to check, could he?

Although... he probably wouldn't refuse if he did.

... Am I really that perverted?

"If I don't joke about Sima Yi, then I can only joke about you, master. You seemed to have taken Xu Fu's teachings to heart, didn't you? Despite having me as your maid, you don't let me do anything. So... what does master like?"

The tall woman knelt at the bedside, bowing low, her slender neck exposed. Her voluptuous body was lowered excessively, and her crimson eyes blinked innocently as she looked up at Reinhard, her gaze seemingly pure.

Even her address had shifted from junior brother to the more provocative master.

A soft, delicate whimper escaped her lips.

"Woof..."

You said you would take care of me, so you should do it properly... An immortal like me can't be easily cast aside.

Damn, she's good!

Unfortunately, having faced countless battles, Reinhard easily saw through this charade.

"What do I like...?"

Lowering his dark eyes, he leaned in close to Yu Mei-ren's ear, whispering softly, brushing against her earlobe.

"Of course, I like the poppy."

For a moment, the room fell silent.

Blushing deeply, the silence seemed to heat up.

Her heartstrings plucked, her heart ignited.

"What did Master just say..."

Even though she had cried upon hearing his words while pretending to nap on the rock earlier, Yu Mei-ren couldn't help but shyly ask again now.

"I like the poppy." He whispered against her ear, his breath soft and intoxicating. "Didn't you hear?"

"Couldn't hear... say it again."

"I like the poppy, I like the poppy, I like the poppy, the unwanted poppy, I'll personally take care of."

"Ah..."

Yu Mei-ren curled up in embarrassment, hiding her face.

Clearly, she had been the one teasing and advancing, but faced with this relentless counterattack, even the immortal felt weak, unable to help but shrink back.

But what was she afraid of now?

... No need to be weak anymore.

Summoning her courage, she stared at his lips and kissed him deeply.

"I like you too, junior brother..."

If you like me, you'll kill me.

Yu Mei-ren, you're still so yandere.

A surge of bloodlust was triggered, their lips pressing together in a fierce kiss as if trying to consume each other.

Reinhard responded with equal passion, and what started as intimacy turned into a wild, animalistic battle.

In the end, the immortal was defeated, pinned against the wall with no room for resistance.

Her crimson eyes gazed at Reinhard, her long hair cascading like a dark night, illuminated by the flickering flames.

"Remember the thirteen precepts, the thirteen precepts! Lady should abstain from indulgence..."

Returning from his ascetic training, Xu Fu clasped her hands, deeply concerned about Lady's... well-being.

"Mind your own business..."

Yu Mei-ren huffed, unwilling to admit defeat, and kissed Reinhard again, using all her strength as if she was suffocating.

The delicate fabric of her skirt fluttered to the ground, revealing the thin dress she wore underneath, her voluptuous thighs wrapped in black silk, the dress adorned with elegant patterns and a single, fiery poppy.

Reinhard caressed and toyed with this poppy, eliciting soft, tearful moans from Yu Mei-ren.

"I'm quite wicked, as you said. The most detestable. What do you like about me, Master?"

Her overwhelming bloodlust twisted into submission, the more she submitted, the more Reinhard felt joy. He prepared a nutrient solution ten times richer than blood, ready to nourish this poppy, ensuring her nerves remembered who was master.

"I just want to suck your marrow, devour you whole..." Knowing she couldn't hurt him now, Yu Mei-ren didn't hide her bloodthirsty desires, breathing heavily, "What do you like about me, junior brother?"

Reinhard pondered for a moment and answered concisely.

"Feet."

I've revealed my hand. I'm not pretending anymore.

It's true that people can't always understand each other's preferences, but surely no one doesn't have a foot fetish, right?

Never mind the debates between black stockings and bare feet, whether one prefers the arch, the instep, or the ankle, we're all in this together. Let's kick out those who don't appreciate it enough!

Damn it, a foot fetish isn't something to be ashamed of! Reinhard wasn't into extreme fetishes, he appreciated the tactile sensation of legs. He had no interest in bizarre aesthetics.

"...Pervert."

Yu Mei-ren blushed, scolding him lightly.

"Yes, a pervert... But shouldn't my master prefer my breasts instead?"

Jade waiting her turn, stood with poise, glancing down at her deep cleavage before looking at Xu Fu, who had a completely opposite body type. Her tone was tinged with resentment.

"Master especially enjoys being nursed by me, as that's how people are nurtured. Isn't that natural?"

"Young Master you're the most honest person Xu Fu has ever met."

Indeed, I am honest. I am a lecher.

"That's right... Or should I say that you seemed so pitiful, so I felt compassion and decided to take you in?"

Reinhard whispered teasingly into her ear.

"You're so temperamental, unrefined, and unproductive. You write fanciful and indulgent articles all day and take out your frustrations on Xu Fu..."

He reached out and patted Yu Mei-ren's face.

"If it weren't for your pretty face, which is somewhat useful, who would adopt such an unlovable dog?"

"Guh!"

"So, what should you say?"

"..." Embarrassed, Yu Mei-ren struggled to respond. She wrapped her arms around his neck and softly whispered in his ear.

"Please treat me as an object to use at your will, Master."

And so, once again, she was shattered under the moonlight like a delicate piece of gem.

Perhaps it's because the immortal has a self-repair function.

Reinhard's lips were bitten until they bled, and the blooming poppy once again shed its crimson petals, trickling down her exquisite thighs, past her slender calves and delicate ankles, melting into the frosty moonlit night.

Her cries were so pure and melodious that even her wails seemed graceful and affectionate.

Twisted.

As Reinhard toyed with her both mentally and physically, he felt an indescribable, twisted pleasure.

Leaning close to her ear, he whispered softly.

"Aren't you going to fix your Xiang Yu, senior sister?"

Xu Fu smiled subtly. Ever since Reinhard was visited in the dreams by their master, Yu Mei-ren had been anxiously pacing around, seemingly forgetting her mission to restore Xiang Yu.

Yu Mei-ren thought for a moment, biting her lip and struggling for a while. Four years had passed this way, so what's one more night?

Xiang... Xiang Yu should understand, right?

So...

"... We'll discuss it... later!"

[Yu Mei-ren's response to deal with it later revealed that she had completely succumbed, merely waiting for time to temper her murderous intent.]

[Although the physical strength of your body was somewhat inadequate against the dual assault of the voluptuous fox and the Incarnated Elemental, it seemed you didn't need to move as they would come to you themselves.]

[Your magic reserves had reached A+, with an endless supply of energy from the world, so in terms of endurance, giving them a hot bath wasn't much of a challenge.]

[However, when you heard Yu Mei-ren mention that Xiang Yu's remains were in the next room, it inexplicably heightened your excitement.]

[Yu Mei-ren, having eaten her fill, unconsciously activated her killing intent again, her elongated nails carving bloody marks into your body.]

[You immediately pinned her arm back, with an irresistible force pressing her against the wall where Xiang Yu's remains were stored.]

[Poppy soon became a limp, collapsed heap, finally lying on the bed with unfocused, anxious eyes, turning into a spring roll of an Incarnated Elemental.]

[...Who ever heard of a spring roll filled with cream?]

[Both Yu Mei-ren and the voluptuous fox had passed out, and noticing your lingering desire, Xu Fu began to clean up the final battlefield.]

[You discovered that this alchemist's techniques were indeed the most exquisite of the three, her tongue soft and serpentine, exceptionally agile, and unbreakable no matter how much it was played with.]

[The next day, feeling refreshed and as if your brain had been upgraded, you finally saw the broken and decaying body of Xiang Yu in the temple. However, the armor covering the warlord's chest seemed excessively thick...]

"Senior sister, why did you never tell me Xiang Yu is a woman?!"

A nearly three-meter-tall, burly robotic figure with arms reminiscent of a certain Asura stood in the center of the temple's altar. It was riddled with scars and damage, with no part left undamaged...no, undamaged components.

The core at its chest, shaped like a beehive, emitted a dim and overly gloomy green glow, filled with terrifying cracks that seemed like they would shatter with the slightest touch.

It was like a broken glass glued back together.

Reinhard examined it closely...and realized this green core was indeed glued together, even missing some pieces.

Good grief!

But...those weren't the key points.

That's a breast...a breast, right?! Damn it, that's so thick.

Faced with his question, Yu Mei-ren was left speechless.

"Junior brother, you never asked..."

"Oh, right." Reinhard suddenly realized that he had never actually inquired about Xiang Yu's gender.

"But, should that even need asking? Shouldn't you be Xiang Yu's concubine? Everyone knows about the tragic history of this relationship."

"I indeed was her concubine. If I got angry, she would kill whoever made me angry, even breaking through her own programming limitations."

"Programming...?"

As Yu Mei-ren explained with a complex expression, Reinhard finally understood Xiang Yu's background within the moonlit world.

Everyone knew that Type-Moon developed technology through archaeology.

Xiang Yu's intelligent machine body came from the ruins, meticulously crafted by the first emperor and named Kuaiji Model Zero.

The first emperor, who had base-level permissions, gave it the directive to maintain a "peaceful world" before dying, not having completed its construction.

Kuaiji Model Zero interpreted this directive, believing that a female image would significantly enhance its ability to maintain peace, hence it created a simulated skin and greatly thickened its chest armor, becoming a three-meter-tall ultimate big-breasted woman.

Eventually, a certain shameless person discovered and activated it, publicly claiming it was his niece, just unfortunately suffering from gigantism.

When the empire fell into chaos and the people suffered. Xiang Yu judged that the dynasty could no longer maintain peace, thus starting a rebellion.

"Being a machine, she couldn't break her base-level directives...nor understood human ethics. Only that brat had the potential to unify the world, but the entire empire was too difficult for that brat to control."

"...So Xiang Yu decided to play the villain, initiating brutal massacres to destabilize the cities?"

Reinhard instantly grasped the historical truth and why Yu Mei-ren had said the world was handed to the emperor by Xiang Yu.

Wow, playing both the villain and the hero.

Faced with this realization, Yu Mei-ren hesitated briefly before nodding.

"..."

Realizing the truth, Reinhard had no interest in debating the ethics of a machine, he just thought...

Damn it, first emperor, your programming is terrible!

In the end, it was all the first emperor's fault!

No wonder Xu Fu wanted to delete the database and run away.

The base structure was utterly terrible, worse than pigeons. Such logical flaws were glaringly evident.

Setting the goal of a peaceful world without any reward or punishment training, or even constraint conditions.

It was like training an AI to catch sheep, only for the wolf to find it simpler to smash its head against a rock.

Luckily, Xiang Yu didn't gain the wisdom to slaughter the whole world, otherwise, the world would have been too peaceful.

Damn...Reinhard realized he was dealing with a mech girl with chest armor weighing 50kg.

What was he even doing? This exceeded his understanding as an Azur Lane player, even Azur Lane players thought it was too much.

And...whom was he even supposed to rival?

It seemed like no one!

Watching Reinhard's increasingly perplexed expression, Xu Fu added with a subtle smile.

"Technically, Young Master, a machine doesn't have a gender. The so-called chest armor is just flexible filling material, and the personality is merely a simulation of programming."

"So...you always thought Xiang Yu had a male personality."

Yu Mei-ren seemed to suddenly realize.

"So, that's how it is! Junior brother! Were you so vigorous last night because you were excited about this...?"

Reinhard covered his face.

As Yu Mei-ren spoke, she suddenly realized that she might have been the garnish to his enjoyment, and her face turned a shade of embarrassed red.

Though her body had healed...she still trembled slightly when walking.

"Well, can you pretend you didn't hear any of that?" She stammered, blushing. "Xiang Yu wouldn't mind... You can think of her as a man... We can continue tonight...even in front of her..."

"Eww..."

Jade looked at her with disgust, people on this mountain are really something.

"Lady, you're quite the deviant."

"Shut up! Don't think I can't smell you, Xu Fu! You ate the most! You were even burping in the morning!"

They started bickering about who had eaten the most, though Reinhard remembered that Yu Mei-ren's combat strength was the weakest.

Sigh... They're not lovers, but close friends.

Reinhard suddenly felt a wave of disinterest. The thought of apologizing to Xiang Yu and praising Yu Mei-ren's allure didn't seem appealing anymore.

No...to be precise, Reinhard found himself intrigued by Xiang Yu.

What man doesn't love a giant robot?

"Can you repair her?"

Although Xiang Yu did not hope to be repaired, choosing self-destruction because she believed the world would be more peaceful without her.

"I need to examine her first. I can't promise anything, but if I can't do it, no one else in this world can.

"After all... no one understands Machine Gods better than I do."

Reinhard indeed had expertise in mechanical repairs, but he was familiar with repairing Machine Gods starship equipment, not this technology. It was like trying to use a crucifix to exorcise a ghost from an other mythology.

"Overall damage is at 76%, core energy at 3%, memory module missing... damn, it's like asking to resurrect someone who's been quartered and left with only bones."

From morning until dusk, Reinhard examined Xiang Yu's entire system, calculating various parameters on paper, muttering to himself.

"Wow, this cup size is almost a K! Wait, that's not important.

"Broken armor can be fixed, the core can be refilled and re-energized. The main problem is the memory module. Xiang Yu's memory module is completely destroyed, waterlogged, and declared irreparable.

"Even if I could restructure matter, I can't recreate Xiang Yu's memory module... because I don't know her data.

"But, I can imagine Xiang Yu...

"This requires imaginative support, and I need you to describe Xiang Yu to me.

"No... Xiang Yu actually doesn't want to be resurrected. If she were brought back, she'd self-destruct immediately. I have to reprogram her base directives.

"Is this a form of...corruption?"

Reinhard felt a surge of excitement. He decided to turn Xiang Yu into a cold, emotionless, large-breasted mech girl with red eyes, a Gundam of his own.

"It's not enough... I can deceive the world, make them believe Xiang Yu is still alive, using their perception to complete this impossible repair."

He smiled, already envisioning the new, improved Xiang Yu, a fusion of ancient technology and modern ingenuity.

...

[If you could repair Xiang Yu, you would, otherwise, you would offer her remains as a place for Yu Mei-ren and the fox to seek comfort and affection.]

[When you had spare time, you would don your red mask and descend the mountain to demonstrate your mystical abilities. You would irrigate fields, promote agriculture, and teach local farmers in the province how to combat drought, floods, and pests.]

[Six months passed, and with the sparkling eyes of Yu Mei-ren watching, you managed to roughly repair the damaged armor of Xiang Yu. You inscribed magical spells and gradually powered her core.]

[You further reinforced Xiang Yu's chest armor, enhancing her energy storage capacity for longer endurance. You equipped her with silver hair, red eyes, and a third module with fully automatic vacuum suction functionality.]

[Now you could roughly operate this terminal body, unleashing a formidable power capable of cleaving a mountain with a single slash, making her a match for a thousand soldiers in a regular army.]

[However, this could only be called the Kuaiji Model Zero, not Xiang Yu that Yu Mei-ren knew.]

[You examined the water and soil conditions of the province, calculating soil pH, and in your spare time, you wrote the Forgetfulness Manual, a scientific agricultural guide far surpassing the ancient. This detailed atlas instructed people on pest control, observing planting seasons, seed selection, and determining suitable lands for various crops.]

[Sima Yi, upon receiving your atlas, marveled at your extensive knowledge, instantly recognizing it as a lifesaving and poverty-relief manual. He mobilized his family's commercial network to secretly transcribe and distribute it in bulk, providing a continuous supply to the traveling senior brothers as resources.]

[Messages from the Water Mirror Manor kept arriving, with the senior brothers expressing their longing for you and your teachings.]

[Your work on repairing Xiang Yu reached a bottleneck, prompting you to shuttle between two provinces. ]

[When you reunited with Sima Yi, he had blossomed into a graceful and elegant young woman. From Zhuge Liang, you learned that Sima Yi had dressed in fine silk and brocade specifically because he knew you were coming back.]

[You didn't dare ask him if he was still a man, but his smile always carried a subtle undertone when he looked at you.]

[The geniuses of the Water Mirror Manor gathered once again. Each young member now possessed techniques capable of holding their own in any situation. Seeing that the time was ripe, you all began extensive missionary activities.]

[Sima Yi managed logistics, using his family's resources to robustly support the operations of the Forgetfulness. Your missionary efforts across various states and counties yielded significant results.]

[Since the spring planting and until the harvest in autumn, in the seven states where Forgetfulness was active, despite ongoing natural disasters, the fields under Forgetfulness's care saw significant improvements.]

[There were rituals to ward off floods, summon rain during droughts, and perform pest control. With scientific guidance and protection, the autumn harvests, which should have been bountiful in the age of the gods, saw a substantial increase in yield.]

[The fame of Forgetfulness grew more prominent, with farmers knowing of the mysterious figures wearing masks who wielded various magical arts, mechanical spells, and distributed precious atlases that boosted crop production, allowing people to eat rice and wheat instead of tree bark and roots.]

[The gameboard as a recreational game, became increasingly popular and more widely sold, becoming the Sima family's flagship product and bringing considerable financial gain.]

[The renown of Forgetfulness soon reached the capital.]

"The Forgetfulness? They're just a bunch of charlatans hiding behind masks, playing tricks, and pretending to be gods!"

In the grand palace hall, the officials bowed their heads deeply in reverence. The young emperor, his face pale from indulgence and pleasure, lay reclining on the dragon throne, adorned with a crown.

With the delicate eunuch attending to him, The current emperor squinted his narrow eyes, reading the report presented by the great scholar. Frustrated, he threw the report to the ground.

In the report, he detailed the year's harvests across various provinces and mentioned the activities of the Forgetfulness. He described them as "elusive, their appearances constantly changing, yet their actions were virtuous, widely promoting agriculture."

An agricultural manual titled Forgetfulness Manual also reached his hands. He found the farming techniques tedious after flipping through a few pages. However, the drastically increased grain yields reported by him were alarming.

"Damn it, fewer pills to distribute?"

"Damn it, so many more peasants surviving!"

"Who the hell are these Forgetfulness people?!"

The great scholar shook his head and reported, "Your Majesty, my students and I have investigated. The Forgetfulness are elusive, all wearing masks. It is said they can summon wind and rain, call down lightning, and they appear in every province. They are a newly risen cult, but their identities are unknown."

"This dynasty is my dynasty. With my elixirs for disaster relief, how dare they heal? The people now praise these charlatans, slapping my face in the process!"

The empror cursed, slapping his own face in anger, until the eunuch by his side gently pulled him back.

"Your Majesty, please calm down. Why not summon the Forgetfulness to the palace and reward them?"

"Yes... the Grand Eunuch is right." The empror thought for a moment and then smiled. "They benefit the fields, so I shall reward them. Summon the Forgetfulness to the palace! I will bestow honors upon them! Five million coins for each one who comes!"

"And also, announce that this year's good harvest is due to my divine protection. Raise the taxes!"

The officials bowed their heads, remaining silent.

The great scholar, standing at the bottom of the hall, sighed deeply, but some officials smiled, thinking of the new opportunities for corruption.

The emperor smirked, taking a sip of wine from the cup offered by the eunuch. "Yes, heal, heal all you want! But in the end, it's all under my dynasty. How dare these charlatans try to usurp my throne!"

"Oh, and those who come claiming to be Forgetfulness, real or fake..."

He sneered.

"Receive them with grand ceremony, then imprison them and execute them all. Investigate their families."

"With their arts and numbers, where do these wild brats come from? Could they be rebels... Ha, let my general lead a thousand armored soldiers and form a blood formation in the capital. Let them come but never leave."

"Catching one is a win."

As he finished speaking, an unnoticed ripple of water appeared among the guards outside the palace. The blurred figure gradually became clear, seemingly just having a moment of distraction.

Suddenly, the sky darkened.

The officials on the court looked up, seeing the once bright palace sky now covered with dark clouds, and torrential rain poured down.

"Wait... Look, it's only raining over the palace!"

The guards outside the hall looked in astonishment at the sunny sky beyond the palace walls. This...

The emperor and court officials were stunned.

The noise seemed to fade away, as if voices were being pushed further away, drowned out by the rain.

The eaves dripped with water, the enchanted lamps swayed in the wind, and the few candle flames inside the hall flickered and wavered.

"With my true energy, combined with the forces of heaven and earth..."

A clear chant echoed from the sky.

"Thunder Lord, assist me!"

Boom!

Without warning, a dazzling golden lightning bolt shot down from the sky, shattering the glazed tiles of the grand palace and reducing the exquisite porcelain inside to dust.

Crash!

"Heavenly... heavenly lightning?!"

"Magecraft... it's magecraft!"

"Summon the celestial master! Where is the celestial master?!"

The great scholar stood, stunned by the overwhelming power of nature, but he remained calm. The other officials, however, were in a state of panic, desperately seeking shelter.

The emperor and the eunuch beside him scrambled under the dragon throne in fear.

"The Son of Heaven guards the gates, the king dies for the state."

"You emperor shit, you are far inferior to your ancestor."

"Pathetic."

Though the voice traveled from hundreds of miles away, the young emperor heard it clearly in his heart, turning his face pale with fear.

Standing at the top of the Water Mirror Manor, the slender youth in a yellow robe lowered his hand, which had summoned the thunder. His fellow disciples looked at him with awe and reverence as he turned back to them.

Facing his comrades, all wearing masks, the youth clasped his hands and smiled gently.

"You have all heard. There is no room for negotiation or compromise between us."

"They are as lowly as ants, while we are like gods."

"Killing the current emperor is not enough. We need to change this world."

"To have enough to eat, to wear warm clothes, and not starve to death... and maybe even eat meat..."

"Such simple wishes are met with hostility from this world. Since ancient times, no one has ever cared about the peasants' needs."

"So... is this right?"

"Please, my friends, let's burn this Sky."

The geniuses looked at the slender youth before them. He was thin, but his eyes burned like a blazing fire.

"Let's burn this dynasty to ashes together."