CHAPTER 36: CHAPTER 33 THE WORLD’S COMMOTION, DIALOGUE BETWEEN GOD AND MAN

The solemn and majestic Divine Hall.

On both sides are stone elephants carved from giant stones.

An elderly emperor stands quietly before the hall, endless Xiaqi emanating with an indescribable loneliness.

Shiguang, Emperor Zheng, Chong Dao.

Even on the brink of death, this old man carries the slaughter, brutality, bloodlust, and defiance from a life of battles, exerting a tremendous pressure on others.

His mere presence causes the many Immortal Herbs by the pond to feel a shiver down their spines. Since this emperor arrived here, they suddenly awoke within this dreamlike game, devoid of sleepiness.

An Immortal Herb sways, twisting its body,

"Wow! Such a gaze filled with reminiscence is so flavorful. Where the eyes go, there are memories. What the heart thinks, are the past. What the eyes see, are regrets... Just one gaze vividly portrays an epic emperor facing the end of his life, reflecting on a lifetime."

An Immortal Herb flaunts its bloom, resembling a young woman,

"Has technology evolved so much now? Is this an actor or AI? I feel like I’m watching not a movie, but a vast historical epic from true history, every move so meaningful, with an ancient charm."

"The sense of history is strong, as if being there personally."

"Amazing, get the special effects artist some chicken legs!"

Some players of "World" praise the exquisite craftsmanship of this wallpaper game.

They think it’s a beautiful narrative game, not realizing that everything truly happened, and the heavy sense of history is something a movie can never replicate.

At this moment, the old man still waits.

In the sky, Xiaqi grows increasingly intense.

A figure finally descends from the clouds above.

At this time, Zhu Zhengwei used a bit of GM authority to command the winds and clouds, descending from the sky, adding a bit of godly presence.

He looks at this middle-aged traveler from the old teahouse, who was the leader of the revolutionary army, now fully accomplished, having walked the path to kingship he always dreamed of, reaching the end of his life.

Rumble!

A peal of thunder.

In this instant, the Divine Spirit marked with a teardrop mole descends step by step from the clouds, surrounded by a pure and sacred light, like the only True God in heaven and earth.

An ethereal voice says:

"Emperor Chong Dao, a timeless emperor."

"Witch Era, the great unity of the Human Race, beginning with you, granting the world immortality, chasing the wind, Qi Eating."

"You are destined to be remembered by posterity. This life has no regrets, dreams fulfilled, yet why do you still wish to see me?"

This voice carries a sacred serenity, full of the desolation of time. Each word seems to peel back the layers of history, revealing a majestic and awe-inspiring ruler—a timeless emperor of myth and human history.

The terrifying pressure suffocates the entire Divine Hall.

"Whoa, a few simple words, and there’s such an oppressive force, is this the presence of a god?"

"I am shocked to the core by this grand opening scene of the Divine Spirit, what a terrifying pressure, such an intimidating aura, is this the breath of a god? This exquisite dialogue skill, this narrative wallpaper game, is destined to become legendary!"

"Wow! Cool!"

Many are emotionally stirred.

They watch the descending Divine Spirit from the pond, like a fragile soul witnessing an immense spiritual entity, seeing the core of the world, the only True God who holds the power of the world.

That kind of soul-crushing pressure, like howling wind.

This VR game is simply too realistic.

Being immersed like this, how could one not be blown away?

They never imagined a mere wallpaper game could achieve such scale. Does this game’s production team own a special effects company, and how much money did they burn to achieve this?

"What are they all discussing?"

Zhu Zhengwei perked up his ears, listening to the conversations from the servers, and couldn’t help but chuckle.

However, he let it be, uninterested in interfering.

He treated it as the noises of the wildflowers and weeds being blown by the wind.

Considered it as the natural noise, their clamor, laughter, playfulness, joy, or anger, what has it to do with this world??

After all, in a certain sense, they were really just spectators of this "World".

At this very moment.

Emperor Shiguang Zhi showed no trace of fear, instead, there was a mark of aged wisdom on his face, "I knew you would come, from the moment I saw you at that teahouse back then, I knew we would meet again."

Zhu Zhengwei simply looked at him.

But the next second, the old look on Emperor Shiguang Zhi’s face flashed for just a moment, he raised an eyebrow and smiled: "May I ask, appearing before me, are you a divine spirit, or that traveler I met at the teahouse back then, who had a pleasant conversation?"

"And what difference does it make?" Zhu Zhengwei smiled.

Hahaha!

Emperor Shiguang Zhi suddenly laughed heartily and boldly said, "If you are a divine spirit, please enter the temple, three kowtows and nine bows! If you are a traveler, let’s recount old stories as before, sitting at the teahouse, talking and drinking, and you will be a friend seeing me off!"

Emperor Shiguang Zhi waved his hand, dismissing all the terrified and frightened ministers and guards around, strides directly leaving the temple entrance, and came to the teahouse beside, "Please sit."

Zhu Zhengwei looked at the teahouse.

He knew this extremely obsessive man with dreams, wanted to end his life at the place where it began.

The teahouse was the starting point of his destiny and also the turning point. He had ordered it to be perfectly moved in front of the temple, even planting an identical Immortal Herb on the teahouse roof.

Zhu Zhengwei took a seat.

The old man also sat down afterward, and it seemed like back in the day, he asked the same question he asked when they first met, clasping his hands in salute: "Where are you coming from, dusty traveler?"

Zhu Zhengwei looked at him and suddenly smiled completely.

This man reaching this point today is indeed no accident!

If the other sought immortality, begged for divine help, and showed fear, Zhu Zhengwei would have looked down on him instead.

Because from the first glance, he knew this man’s character.

Gallant, pure, ruthless, simply a madman disregarding life, a revolutionary leader eager for change and willing to shed blood to overthrow Emperor Shiguang Changshou!

How could such a fearless hero be afraid of death?

As Emperor Shiguang Zhi, he possessed countless Immortal Herbs, could have chosen immortality, walking a lonely path like Zhang Zhi, but he was a radical lunatic, disliked hiding things, didn’t choose long life, but chose the "Demon Dao", chose to burn his lifespan for a spectacular and brilliant life, becoming a blazing butterfly merely to hasten the development of civilization.

Under the teahouse, Zhu Zhengwei adjusted to a more relaxed pose, looked at him, and answered his question calmly, "I come from the Old Days, and go towards the future."

This emperor’s body trembled, after a moment, he suddenly laughed too, "In my youth, I once met an old man, he also said he came from the Old Days, that was a truly respectable ancient Saint, an Immortal who survived the disasters of the Old Era, he claimed he was born between the transition of the old and new eras."

Zhu Zhengwei still smiled, "I recognize him."

But Emperor Shiguang Zhi didn’t seem intent on discussing this topic further, merely smiling proudly as if addressing an old friend he had long been acquainted with, "Eternal God’s spirit, what do you think of my life’s achievements?"

"I’ve said it already." Zhu Zhengwei took a sip of tea.

But he showed a gleam of pride and arrogance, like a simple child showing off, "In my life, I have done many things! Recklessly did! Did regardless of others’ perceptions! Overturned tyranny, left behind an eternal legacy for future generations, also committed all sorts of evil deeds, yet in the future, they will understand my intentions!"

He exuded a commanding and captivating presence, pointing towards the distant coastline.

"In governing the country, I used a million slaves to build and constantly reinforce the ’Hundred-Stone City’, a miracle of this world!"

"Surrounded by giant stones, with a million crossbows at the ready, twelve cities on top of the Wall of Giant Stones, capable of deploying six hundred thousand soldiers for battle, the lighthouse shining day and night, a thousand guards watching over, patrolling the vast seas... If those oceanic monsters invade again, they will certainly go without return."

He waved his sleeve, pointed at the ground beneath him, and laughed again, "Also ruled with a heavy hand, thus the nation is tranquil and people at peace, slew all evildoers, and there were countless test subjects for research, paving the future path."

"No matter how one thinks, the empire I founded will surely endure for a thousand summers and autumns, immortal after my death!"

He recounted the various achievements of his life, the battles he took utmost pride in, the ambushes he was most proud of, and the fear he faced at Emperor Shiguang Changshou’s death, the ecstasy of discovering that Immortal Herb.

Zhu Zhengwei just listened quietly.

As time passed by the minute, dusk fell, and night was about to descend.

Emperor Shiguang Zhi kept talking, until he was parched and his breath weakened, voice growing faint,

He pointed at today’s evening glow and said:

"I should have died long ago, yet there are things hard to let go until finally completing the ’Sutra of All Living Creatures’, only then could I truly relax. To be honest, the fact this body could hold up this long is a miracle."

He smiled and stood up again, taking slow steps forward, pointing to Hundred-Stone City’s stele, "I forged that stele back then, and now the truths described within it ring truer than ever."

"Oh???"

Even at the end, the old man’s tone was still exceedingly firm, "I still believe it’s the saddest thing in this world that mortals must accept their mediocrity, and the strong must accept their deaths."

With a commanding aura of swallowing rivers and mountains, hands clasped behind him, "But as the first generation Human Emperor, I must set an example, to ’be human’, to accept a human’s life, and accept this world’s saddest thing."