Ch 256: Chu Mo: Bangzi, please enter my Human Emperor… cough cough, Blood River!

Black Sky’s heart was filled with a myriad of emotions, but compared to him, Liu Bang was much more unrestrained. He glanced at Chu Mo and placed a piece as well, then watched Chu Mo make his move.

He didn’t care at all that the person he was playing chess with had changed midway.

Time flowed by, bit by bit.

In the end, naturally, Chu Mo achieved the final victory.

After all, if Chu Mo wanted to, he could even gather the chess skills of all the grandmasters from later generations, up to the end of the Qing dynasty…

“Too strong, I even feel… you didn’t use your full strength at all.” Liu Bang stared at Chu Mo with a serious expression.

Chu Mo: “…”

What, are you also an invincible Gojo Satoru with two and a half?

Forcibly suppressing the urge to retort, Chu Mo glanced at Black Sky, who had finally calmed down, and sighed, “You’re really letting me down… how are you even worse than Liu Bang?”

Black Sky was stunned. He opened his mouth several times, but in the end, he couldn’t utter a single word.

“Your Excellency,” Liu Bang said, crossing his legs, “What brings you to us… if it’s something we can do, I’ll definitely do it for you before I die… Oh right, or are you just here to play chess with me? That’s fine too, I have plenty of time now anyway.”

Black Sky’s emotions shifted several times, and he suddenly flipped the table over. His body erupted with a terrifying black light, and he clearly wanted to escape.

However, Chu Mo calmly opened his palm, as if it contained an entire world within. The black mist that Black Sky scattered was gradually gathered and solidified in his palm. He was wailing miserably.

“Really… it’s really like this! Why… I’m not willing.”

“Impossible… I don’t believe it… there’s absolutely no reason for this! How exactly did you do it?!”

“No, you’re not… but you’re also not the newborn Heaven… I see… so you were…”

“The future Heavenly Dao! To actually… be able to do even this kind of thing…”

Black Sky’s words were cut short as he completely collapsed.

Chu Mo reformed his body and then gradually devoured and absorbed him. This time, he didn’t even use the authority of the Heavenly Dao to summon a fierce beast and then hunt it down.

Because Chu Mo suddenly realized something, it seemed… the Heavenly Dao didn’t seem to have any issues with lifespan? After all, the Heavenly Dao existed as long as Heaven and Earth! If Heaven and Earth didn’t perish… the Heavenly Dao wouldn’t die.

A hundred years of lifespan, easily digested!

The third aspect of Heaven, Black Sky… took shape!

“…The future,” Liu Bang muttered, stunned. Then, as if he understood something, he lightly exhaled, “Did my descendants cause you trouble?”

“Why… not yourself?” Chu Mo stared at Liu Bang with interest.

“I’m about to die, what trouble could I possibly cause you? By rising from the dead?!” Liu Bang said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

“…Have you really never thought about using various methods to live on?” Chu Mo rubbed his brow.

“I’m not Qin Shi Huang.” Liu Bang was very unrestrained. The subtext was obvious… Qin Shi Huang might stop at nothing for eternal rule… but he wouldn’t! In his eyes, the common people, the world, and billions of living beings were far more important than himself.

Chu Mo took a deep look at Liu Bang. It was no wonder he was the father of Emperor Wen of Han. Although he had always been called a rogue emperor in later generations, this man truly had an extremely powerful personal charisma! No wonder he was called the most outstanding emperor by the great man…

But at the same time, Chu Mo felt a sincere confusion at this moment. How could such an unrestrained person like Bangzi choose to rely on black qi in later generations… in order to quickly become stronger?!

Or, were the people who inherited the Heroic Spirits ultimately not the real Liu Bang… and the difference between them was extremely great?

Chu Mo thought of many things, and he finally made a decision. He stared at Liu Bang sincerely, “I’m sorry, but… please die at my hands!”

“?!” Liu Bang glanced at Chu Mo strangely, “Are you kidding me? I don’t sense any killing intent from you? Why are you suddenly… wait!”

Liu Bang’s gaze suddenly sharpened, and his tone was uncertain, “Do you have some kind of method… that can allow me, even after death, to maintain my own consciousness… and then take me to the future! To achieve some kind of goal with me?”

Chu Mo: “…”

Although it wasn’t exactly as Liu Bang said, he did intend to use the Blood River to gather Liu Bang’s soul. That kind of acuity… no wonder he was Bangzi!

“So… you wouldn’t be thinking of using me to strike at my descendants, the emperors, right?” Liu Bang narrowed his eyes, “If that’s really the case, then maybe I should just die here… to avoid causing trouble for future generations… Now that I think about it, with your strength, it should be easy to deal with me and the entire Han dynasty, right… Could it be that the future Han dynasty can cause you trouble!”

Liu Bang scratched his head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, “If it’s really like that… then I don’t know if I should cry or laugh…”

Chu Mo: “…?”

Damn it, I just praised you… and now you’re starting to make wild guesses, huh?!

“It has nothing to do with those things…” Chu Mo said expressionlessly, “Also, shut up! When it’s time to use you… I’ll naturally tell you. If you keep rambling…”

Chu Mo opened his palm.

“I understand.” Liu Bang’s expression turned serious, and he quickly nodded. He had already tested it out. Even if he didn’t want to, the person in front of him could still achieve his goal by killing him. Since that was the case, then he should try to negotiate for favorable conditions as much as possible.

He said sincerely, “Can you give me a month?”

Chu Mo and Liu Bang stared at each other for a long time, thoughts flashing through his mind. In the end, he nodded. The founding Emperor of the Han dynasty was worth him wasting a month of time for… Of course, the main reason was that only if Liu Bang was convinced would he be able to summon a version of him with intelligence! Otherwise, he would just be a mindless husk with the energy of the founding Emperor of Han.

Watching Liu Bang turn and leave, Chu Mo quietly sat in the Black Emperor Temple, able to sense everything Liu Bang was doing with his all-knowing authority.

He… didn’t describe everything that happened in the Black Emperor Temple to others! Nor did he summon a large number of troops to besiege Chu Mo, in order to fight for a sliver of life.

He simply quietly issued an imperial edict, ordering the nobles of all the realms to come to Chang’an World to listen to his last imperial words!

In the end, he tried his best again to replace his Crown Prince, but he still didn’t succeed due to Empress Lu’s obstruction.

He didn’t have any major regrets anymore. The demons from the north had been repelled by him. Although he hadn’t completely exterminated the demons, he was able to maintain a certain degree of stability. Internally, the more threatening nobles had also been pacified by him… Or rather, the reason why he was about to die was also related to the heavy injuries he suffered in the previous battle with the nobles, which damaged his foundation and origin.

More than twenty days later.

The members of the Liu family arrived one by one. Liu Bang held a banquet, recounting the past years, recounting the interesting things from their childhoods…

The banquet lasted for several days.

“…What a remarkable person.” Chu Mo said with emotion. He had originally thought that Liu Bang would force his children to promise something, such as not attacking each other, or that the Liu family nobles would forever be loyal to the emperor… But the result was just a family meeting.

Perhaps it was because Liu Bang himself knew very well… that kind of thing was useless to say! It was better to talk about the interesting things from their childhoods, to see if he could deepen their family ties a little more…

Finally.

On the night of the thirtieth day.

Liu Bang quietly, alone, returned to the Black Emperor Temple.

◈◈◈

During this time, Chu Mo had naturally already completed his re-cultivation, allowing his cultivation to break through to the peak of the eighth level.

“…Please, do it!” Liu Bang spread his arms out frankly.

Chu Mo looked at him deeply for a few moments and sighed, “You really have gotten old!”

“…Huh?!” Liu Bang was stunned for a moment, then reacted. His expression changed drastically, and he turned his head in disbelief.

Primordial radiance erupted.

Strands of killing intent flowed.

One terrifying existence after another, wrapped in an aura that was difficult to describe in words, walked in from outside the Black Emperor Temple.

“…Father!” King Qi, Liu Fei, said in a hoarse voice. He was stout, and at this moment, the aura of the eighth level flowed out. A hint of blood color flashed in his eyes, and he was clearly prepared to fight to the death.

He wasn’t Liu Bang’s legitimate son, but he was also the eldest son!

“You, who exactly are you?!” Emperor Hui of Han, Liu Ying, stared at Chu Mo with a ferocious expression. Even though he was known throughout the world for his gentleness, he also rarely felt killing intent rising in the face of the culprit who might be forcing his father to die.

Cao Shen’s expression was cold, and the corners of his eyes twitched uncontrollably. To be honest, he really didn’t want to come. Not because he had no feelings for Liu Bang… but precisely because he understood Liu Bang too well.

Liu Bang was famously someone who didn’t believe in fate! Even when he was forced to that point by Xiang Yu, he was still tenacious, persevering through countless defeats and battles, and finally successfully seizing the world. Such a person wouldn’t choose to summon troops, but would choose to send himself to his death in front of one person… so he must have his own reasons!

Either his death could stabilize the Liu family’s empire… or he realized that even if he gathered all the power he could muster in the entire world, he wouldn’t be able to win against the enemy.

The decisions Liu Bang made had never been wrong!

So… he really wanted to honestly follow the decision Liu Bang had made in the end…

But… even if he thought so, Empress Lu had invited him over and explained the situation. How could he dare not come? If he dared, unless all the Liu family royals who participated in this event were dead afterward… otherwise, he would inevitably face a reckoning… and even his entire Cao family would be wiped out!

Liu Bang’s expression was extremely gloomy. He suddenly stood up and walked a few steps to Empress Lu, who was standing at the front. He slapped her, almost gnashing his teeth as he said, “Get out… I’m telling you to take the children and get out!”

Xiao He: “…”

Cao Shen: “…”

The others: “…”

What did those words mean? Did it mean that as long as his son didn’t come, there wouldn’t be a problem?!

“Your Excellency,” Empress Lu said, without the slightest emotional fluctuation, as if she hadn’t been slapped at all. She cupped her fist toward Chu Mo’s direction and said respectfully, “May I ask… is there anything that can save my husband’s life?”

She didn’t seem like she had brought heavy troops to besiege at all… she was being unbelievably polite.

Chu Mo sensed the top-tier divine generals present, sensed the most elite army of the Han dynasty surrounding the entire Black Emperor Temple, and then glanced at Empress Lu’s attitude at this moment. He said with emotion, “Bangzi, at first, I really thought… that your wife would be overjoyed to see you about to die.”

Liu Bang: “…”

Empress Lu: “…”

“Withdraw!” Chu Mo said casually, resting his chin on his hand, “I’m just simply taking Liu Bang… to the future! If you insist on stopping me… then I’ll have to consider taking you all to the future as well…”

Chu Mo stretched his body, and his gaze gradually became sharp and cold.

Empress Lu’s expression changed for the first time. She turned to look at Liu Bang in disbelief, clearly asking if what the other side said was true.

Liu Bang shrugged and cursed, “You spendthrift woman… how would I know if it’s true! Hurry up and take your people and get lost.”

Empress Lu took a deep look at Liu Bang, then looked at Chu Mo again, and sighed softly. She cupped her fist toward Chu Mo respectfully, and then led the group to retreat.

“…Mother,” Liu Ying’s face turned green.

“Shut up! Listen to your father.” Empress Lu’s emotions didn’t fluctuate at all. She actually hated Liu Bang very much… but she also trusted the final decision Liu Bang made… The reason why she had summoned so many people was just out of unwillingness.

Liu Ruyi’s face was pale. He gritted his teeth and directly stood next to Liu Bang. He stared straight at Chu Mo, and said, one word at a time, “If you’re going to die… please let me die with my father!”

A hint of gratification flashed in Liu Bang’s eyes, but he still said in a low, hoarse voice, “Cao Shen, Fan Kuai…”

He called out the names of one divine general after another from the early Han dynasty.

In the end, he emphasized, “Carry out my orders!”

“…Yes!”

Many divine generals knelt on one knee, and then the aura on their bodies exploded. They made their move… At this moment, the Han dynasty princes, who averaged the seventh and eighth levels, were also captured… Although these Han dynasty princes hadn’t mastered the Dynasty Law that only the emperor could control! They had also mastered the Luck Law.

As the lords of their respective fiefdoms, they could use this law to control the power of the seventh and eighth levels! But… compared to the Dynasty Law, the power used by the Luck Law was ultimately limited and very obscure. They were naturally no match for these divine generals who had experienced hundreds of battles.

Not to mention that the army that Empress Lu had brought from the outside was also connected to the aura of these divine generals.

Reluctantly watching his children leave, Liu Bang returned to Chu Mo’s side again.

“…Don’t worry!” Chu Mo comforted, “It won’t hurt at all.”

Liu Bang: “…”

Several breaths later.

Chu Mo re-entered the Chaos Sea.

Then, after half an incense stick’s time.

Chu Mo, with the same ninth level fourth realm, entered the River of Time.

“…It seems that the fourth realm really is my limit.” Chu Mo sighed. He stared at the River of Time and found that the River of Time still hadn’t split. He fell into deep thought for a long time. Killing Bangzi a little earlier was the same?

Oh… Chu Mo understood somewhat. It should be that Liu Bang was originally waiting to die, having completed everything he was supposed to do in history… If he had previously wiped out all the Han dynasty princes, including Emperor Wen, as well as the top divine generals and civil officials of the Han dynasty, he probably would have seen a split…

Silently smiling, Chu Mo took a deep look at this River of Time, watching everything develop according to plan… Liu Ying died young, Emperor Wen entered the capital, and achieved the peerless Emperor Taizong. Becoming that Li Shimin’s idol!

Shaking his head, Chu Mo stepped into his unknown territory with a solemn expression… the Qin Dynasty Era!