Ch 27: Return

“However… the game is already set! Even if you defeat me, it won’t change anything…”

Black Emperor’s Avatar exhaled a long breath, as if he suddenly understood something, and regained his composure.

“You felt it, didn’t you?”

Chu Mo didn’t speak, only stared calmly at Black Emperor’s Avatar.

Black Emperor’s Avatar grinned, “Yes, you won! But you’ve only won for now! No matter how talented you are, you’ll eventually die! A dragon can’t be raised in shallow water…”

“This is the result of our efforts over countless eras! Dynasty after dynasty, our efforts… the accumulation of continuous planning… the Human Race, the Demon Race, other races…”

“This magnificent trend accumulated over endless years, no matter how incredibly talented you are, no matter how freakishly unimaginable… it’s not something you can defy or resist…”

“If you were born in the Shang and Zhou dynasties, perhaps… it’s truly unimaginable! But this is, after all, just a ‘perhaps’…”

“This is our fortune, and your misfortune!”

Amidst hearty laughter, Black Emperor’s Avatar shattered with a bang, turning into countless specks of black light.

The scene was silent for several breaths.

“So, the world’s degradation started from the Shang and Zhou dynasties? In other words, the Shang and Zhou periods were the true peak of humanity? A period without any suppression?”

“I remember a meme from my previous life… saying that King Zhou, or rather Di Xin, was the last Human Emperor, and those who came after could only be called Sons of Heaven… emmm, could it be related to this? And speaking of which, that guy did call me the Human Race’s Son of Heaven…”

Chu Mo was thoughtful. At the same time, he lamented inwardly, Black Emperor’s Avatar, you’re such a good person.

Look at this, even before dying… he revealed such crucial information to him! Perhaps, this statement from Black Emperor’s Avatar would be a fatal blow to anyone else who had reached this point… but for Chu Mo, who still had the chance to traverse history again… it was no less than pointing out the path forward!

“But… if he was just an avatar, then where are the real Black Emperor… and the other gods who are on par with the Black Emperor?”

Chu Mo raised his head and looked at the cave’s upper wall, thought for a long while, and finally shook his head, casting his gaze towards the Demon Emperor, whose expression was stiff and fearful.

“That… that… now, I mean, can we still be friends?” The Demon Emperor squeezed out a smile that was more unsightly than crying.

In response, Chu Mo only lightly flicked his fingertip.

A strand of divine radiance flashed, and the Demon Emperor turned to ashes.

Although the Demon Court had been completely destroyed, Chu Mo clearly had no intention of leaving any trouble for the Divine Province. Even if this trouble was insignificant…

“Based on the current rate of lifespan consumption, I can probably last for three more hours.” Chu Mo calculated the rate of lifespan consumption displayed on the Doors of Time, his mind racing, and quickly made a decision.

He stepped out of the mountain cave in Changbai Mountain, and with one step, instantly crossed countless distances…

After a short while, Chu Mo returned to Kyoto.

The outer courtyard of the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

Ji Xiaolan was reviewing documents. Although he was currently only the temporary Lord of the World, according to Chu Mo’s words before leaving, he was qualified to enter the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

However… he ultimately didn’t want to go in!

He didn’t think that he, or even anyone in the future, was qualified to sit in the position that Chu Mo once occupied… and he didn’t plan to wear the Emperor’s medal in the future either. No matter how well he did, whether his achievements met the standard…

He hoped that even when he died one day in the future, he would ultimately die as a subject of Chu Mo.

“Hmm? Your Majesty?!” Ji Xiaolan suddenly sensed something, turned his head with a face full of surprise, and saw Chu Mo, “Have you changed your mind… are you preparing to ascend to this position again…”

There was no regret over potentially losing the position of Lord of the World!

Because the plans that Chu Mo had made were too strict. The goals were too ambitious… to the point that Ji Xiaolan could only feel immense pressure.

“It’s not like that.” Chu Mo said calmly, “I just came to tell you something…”

Chu Mo roughly explained what he had seen and heard on this trip. He didn’t hide anything… after all, he was about to leave this world, what was the point of hiding anything?!

Furthermore, Chu Mo was very worried about whether those mythical beings with extraordinary power who were trying to completely bury the Human Race in this era would have any other actions in the future…

After he left, if the Divine Province wasn’t prepared at all, perhaps the future… although even with preparations, without him, the future would still be very bleak…

However, considering that Black Emperor’s Avatar was unaware of the situation before, it was also possible that they would just muddle through… who knew?

As he listened, Ji Xiaolan went from initial surprise to confusion, then to horror, then to disbelief, and finally to bewilderment, despair, and even suffocation.

◈◈◈

“Are you saying… our enemies are!” Ji Xiaolan trembled as he extended a finger and pointed towards the sky.

Chu Mo nodded, then shook his head. After all, this was just his speculation…

“But, but this means that you should be the one to lead us forward…” Ji Xiaolan’s teeth chattered, and he was somewhat incoherent, “Only you, who has slain that Black Emperor…”

“But I’m about to die!” Chu Mo said softly.

Ji Xiaolan was stunned. He opened his mouth, thousands of words stuck in his throat, but he couldn’t say anything. He could only stare at Chu Mo in bewilderment, trembling, and fear…

He had always known that Chu Mo was young. The reason why he wasn’t flustered at all before taking on this position was because he knew that Chu Mo should be able to live longer than him.

If there was a truly irreversible danger in this country beneath his feet, he would still come forward and guide the Divine Province’s path… to the right track!

But now…

Ji Xiaolan only felt dazed for a moment, and then realized that Chu Mo’s figure had disappeared at some point.

He looked around in disappointment, and after a long time, he realized that tears were streaming down his face.

It wasn’t, or rather, it wasn’t just sadness, but also a sense of bewilderment and fear about the future…

After a long time, Ji Xiaolan murmured, as if talking to himself, or as if narrating something to someone, “How could it be like this? Why?!”

On the other side.

“Young Master!” Zhao Ruchen looked at Chu Mo with surprise.

“Uncle.” Chu Mo suddenly spoke. This formal address made Zhao Ruchen’s body stiffen… since Chu Mo had taken charge of the world, he hadn’t heard this title for a long time.

“I’m about to ascend!” Chu Mo said with a smile.

After Zhao Ruchen reacted, his body trembled with excitement, “Ascending in broad daylight?” You’re going to become an immortal??? No wonder… no wonder!!”

He immediately felt that all of Chu Mo’s previous decisions could be explained.

“Yes! That’s why I’m telling you!” Chu Mo sighed, “The only pity is… you might never see me again in the future!”

Zhao Ruchen was silent for a long time, then said in a low voice, “But this is a good thing for you… I understand now why you abandoned the Emperor’s position! Indeed, becoming an immortal is more important than being an Emperor… This is great, really great! I never thought our family could reach this step… You go ahead, don’t worry about me! I can take care of myself.”

Chu Mo nodded slightly, and chatted with Zhao Ruchen for a long time. When he calculated that the time was almost up, he bid farewell, turned around, and left.

After all, Zhao Ruchen was his only relative in this world, so Chu Mo naturally wouldn’t tell him the cruel truth. Besides… he was essentially returning to the main world, which wasn’t really death…

With each step Chu Mo took, he could cross countless distances. He quickly traversed the entire land of the Divine Province… He looked at this new country that he had lived in for more than ten years and that he had deeply transformed… His heart was filled with joy, but also with a hint of melancholy.

He said to himself in his heart, “What I did should be considered pretty good, right?”

Finally…

Chu Mo arrived at the summit of Mount Everest.

He quietly gazed at the eastern direction. At the summit of the world’s roof, he couldn’t see the world, only the white snow.

In the next breath, on the Doors of Time, the countdown of his lifespan finally reached zero.

A gust of wind blew past…

Chu Mo’s figure disappeared from the world.