Chapter 171 – Listening to the Bell

After Fan Xian descended into this world, from the time he was still in the form of a small baby, he began to study the nameless gong knack that his mother supposedly left for him, it was a thin book with yellow pages, the gong knack was divided into two books, the upper and lower books, Five Bamboos had once told him that the upper book was called the Hegemony, what about the lower book?

Only an irresponsible male nanny like Wuzhu would so casually throw this sinister book around a baby, and only a monster like Fan Xian would start practicing when he couldn’t even run.

Fan Xian napped and napped again, sixteen years of napping was sixteen years of meditation, because of his greed for life and fear of death, his perseverance was amazing, and even after he entered the capital, his cultivation still did not slacken off a bit. Twenty years of hard cultivation, he has been familiar with the two volumes of nameless skills to the point of no longer familiar, from the age of three years old has stopped reading books, all deeply imprinted in his mind.

When he was twelve years old, he was hit on the top with a stick by Wuzhu, breaking the barrier of the hegemonic gong skill, and then through the subsequent life and death battles in a number of years, the meridians in the Kyoto Alley after the Hanging Temple were shattered, and the Jiangnan Xingzhong and the Haitang mutually participated in the nucleus, and healed his injuries with the natural mind of TianDaoDong, which led to his great success, and his mastery of the hegemonic true qi had already come to a near-perfect realm.

Nowadays, he was one of the youngest few ninth grade masters in the world, but he knew that he was not a genius like Haitang and Wang Xulang, he just had a meridian in his body that was a bit different from the rest, and he had put in the time and effort for it that others couldn’t possibly put in. The way of heaven rewards diligence, and Fan Xian was victorious in the word diligence.

However, he was still unable to do anything about the second half of the Nameless Technique, because the second half of the book’s true qi refining method, as well as its trajectory, appeared to be so strange. Not to mention normal people in the world, even he, a little monster with thick and different meridians, had no way to get his hands on it at all.

Yes, there was a treasure mountain in the air, but he couldn’t even find a way up the mountain. Because the clear light on the mountain was attracting him, yet to climb the mountain, he would be forced to dig up this mountain, who could do that?

If the Overbearing True Qi required grand and extensive meridians to support it, the second half of the book required something even more terrifying. Every time Fan Xian made no progress in his cultivation and was beyond disappointed, he would occasionally think that unless there were no meridians in the entire body, or to put it another way – the meridians in a person’s body were all open and dispersed between the king’s internal organs and limbs, only then would it be possible to cultivate the second half of the volume.

For many years, Fan Xian had been plagued by this problem, unable to find any possibility of a breakthrough. Uncle Wuzhu had not practiced true qi, and had occasionally spoken vaguely with Haitang when he was in Jiangnan, but Haitang had only shaken his head in disbelief, because this true qi method, which required a person with no meridians, was obviously a joke.

A person without meridians was undoubtedly a dead man, so during this period of time, Fan Xian gradually faded away from the idea of practicing the second half of the Nameless Kung Fu Technique. If Uncle Five Bamboo hadn’t said many years ago that someone had once practiced this gong knack, I’m afraid Fan Xian would have thought that the second half of the volume was a horrifyingly naughty joke used by the sages before him to harm people.

However, today, Fan Xian was outside the curtains of the Hall of Containing Light, and felt that kind of realm clearly and with incomparable shock. That kind of realm that he had never reached before, or even seen before, seeped out from behind the curtain and assaulted his heart.

If the overbearing true qi was a mountain axe, then the breath in the tent was like the electric blade held by the god of heaven, the breath was more pure and exquisite, neutral and calm, upright and upright, and it came abruptly, spreading between heaven and earth, making people feel like worshipping at once.

Fan Xian knew that he would not be mistaken, because this kind of breath, and his own body’s domineering true qi is definitely from the same source, just a few levels higher realm – when an up and down more than ten years, bitter meditation can not be understood realm, suddenly appeared in front of his eyes, his body stiffened up, fell into some kind of imperceptible excitement! He was so agitated that he fell into some kind of unrecognizable excitement.

On top of the excitement, he even felt a trace of fear.

His Majesty the Emperor lifted the curtain and walked out, glancing at the crowd and saying softly, “The Empress Dowager is tired, so you all go wait outside the palace.”

Not knowing what His Majesty was about to explain, the crowd bowed to receive the order, with Fan Xian the only one still standing somewhat bewildered, his head half-lowered, staring at His Majesty’s dragon robe in disbelief.

The corners of the Emperor’s lips curled slightly and he smiled, knowing that this son of his had sensed something. The flavor of that finger, if not for this boy who had been practicing the Hegemony Kung Fu Technique since his childhood, where would an onlooker be able to have such a deep experience, such a strong shock.

Fan Xian’s bewildered appearance at this moment was actually mostly feigned, but he knew that in front of His Majesty, it was impossible to hide the shock in his heart, so he simply let go of his defenses and naturally revealed the thoughts in his head.

His Majesty was a great master, His Majesty had practiced the second half of the scroll, and Fan Xian knew that His Majesty knew that he could know, so he had to show his shock and trepidation.

The Emperor looked at him and said slowly after a long time, “Go wait for me in the East Palace, and say anything later.”

Fan Xian swallowed a mouthful of saliva, smiled faintly and exited the Hall of Containing Light after performing a salute. The temple at this time repeated quiet, in addition to lying on the bed can not issue a word, has reached the end of life of the empress dowager, and quietly sitting on the bedside of his majesty the emperor.

The emperor sat beside the empress dowager in silence, gently holding her hand in his palm, looking down and thinking about the previous scene. That child should have known and guessed. The emperor was not prepared to continue hiding these things from Fan Xian, after all, after the battle of Dadong Mountain, there was no point in continuing to hide it, and apart from Fan Xian, there should be no one who could detect the special skill that the emperor had cultivated.

Thinking about Fan Xian’s shocked expression earlier, the emperor’s face softened, secretly thinking that all these years had been hard on him, and that he had to compensate him for it, but with regard to this skill, I’m afraid that if he wanted to compensate him, Fan Xian wouldn’t have the means to accept it either.

He glanced at the empress dowager again, and the emperor’s face was a bit bleak. Just as Fan Xian had guessed, there was no way for the Grand Master to detect the tiniest of changes within the old man’s body. The pressure-box drug that Fei Jie had solemnly delivered really did have its own marvelousness.

The emperor just sat on the edge of the bed, not knowing what he was thinking. After a long time, he suddenly opened his mouth and softly said, “Mother, my son still has a lot of words he wants to tell you, and a lot of glory he wants to share with you ……”

His hand gently gripped the Empress Dowager’s hand, his body was not how upright, but rather a bit cowering. Any is the world’s most heartless people, watching their own mother this gradually left the world, the heart will only have a few points of anxiety and sadness.

Faint curtains in the early fall in the Hall of Containing Light fluttering. The emperor’s face was getting whiter and whiter, his grip on the empress dowager’s hand was getting tighter and tighter, and a large amount of pure and king’s dao true qi was constantly being poured into the empress dowager’s body.

Maybe it is the realm of the great master, can really slow down the pace of the arrival of death, maybe it is any person in the dying, there will be a moment of return, the empress dowager’s eye curtains slightly trembled, the eyeballs turned a trace, seems to be about to open her eyes to wake up, but always …… failed to open her eyes.

The emperor knows that this is the last time his mother can hear the voice, the body felt a chill. He knelt by the bedside in a regular manner, cupped his hands in his mother’s pale hands, and put his lips to the empress dowager’s ear, saying: ”Mother, the child did not disappoint you. The Bitter Lotus and the Four Gu Swords are both dead, and this world, after all, will be the world of Daqing ……”

The Emperor, like a child, affectionately and reluctantly recounted in the Empress Dowager’s ears what had happened, and even told the secret that he was a Great Master, like a happy little child telling his mother that he had gotten a perfect score on today’s exam.

Because he knew that his mother only had a very short time, he wanted her to go away happier.

However, at the end of the final farewell, a to the east mountain collapsed in front of the emperor does not change color, his face suddenly became a little heavy, seems to be thinking about some very important issues. After deliberating for a long time, he finally made up his mind and opened his mouth in the empress dowager’s ear, “Mother, twenty years ago, I listened to you. Twenty years later, I decided to listen to my own …… Anzhi, is a good child.”

The Empress Dowager, whose vitality was gradually extinguished and whose dying body was as feeble as wood, did not know whether she had heard this sentence and understood the shocking news hidden in this sentence, but the old Empress Dowager’s body suddenly stiffened.

The Emperor frowned once and turned his eyes to look at his mother’s face.

The Empress Dowager’s eyes snapped open!

However, her throat desperately ho-ho-hoed, but she could not utter a single sound due to the relaxation of her vocal cords. The last burst of life’s power still could not allow her to break through the energy of life itself and the effects of the drugs, but in the end, it just turned into endless resentment, remorse, and unwillingness in her eyes!

Fan Xian walked into the Eastern Palace, preparing in advance for His Majesty’s arrival. He knew that the scene that was about to take place next would undoubtedly be a father-son conflict not uncommon in the history of the Thousand Year Continent. His mood couldn’t help but be a little chilly, not just because of Li Chengqian’s fate over the years, but also because of the facts he had learned earlier within the Hall of Containing Light and His Majesty’s last words.

“Say anything later.”

A cold smile spread on the corner of his lips, it turned out that the Emperor’s old man was the one who had practiced the nameless Kung Fu Technique before himself, it turned out that he was the most mysterious Grand Master in the palace, no wonder he was able to come back alive from the Dadong Mountain, no wonder that Eunuch Hong could not be seen in the procession back to the capital.

It seems that the sign of Hong Si-Itch has fulfilled his historical mission. His Majesty, with the dignity of an emperor and the strength of a Grand Master, on the top of the Great Eastern Mountain, from the role of prey to hunter, coupled with Ye Liuyun, it was no wonder that the Four Gu Swords and the Bitter Lotus had ended up in such a state.

He sighed, his mood a little bleak, once again confirming His Majesty the Emperor’s cold-blooded ruthlessness. Thinking about that year when his meridians were shattered and he nearly lost his life, or at least his cultivation, the Emperor had sent Eunuch Hong into the Fan Mansion to check on his injuries, so with his strength as a Grand Master, how could he not know what had happened? Especially since he himself is also someone who practiced the Nameless Kung Fu Technique ……

If there was anyone in the world who could break the side effects of the Overbearing Kung Fu Technique, it would only be the Emperor, but he hadn’t shown anything. If it wasn’t for Haitang’s help, I’m afraid that at this point in time, he would only be paralyzed in his bed, unable to get up for the rest of his life–thinking about this matter, Fan Xian’s heart chilled two more points.

“Father returned to the palace peacefully, it seems that you are not in a very good mood.” Crown Prince Li Chengqian, sitting behind a clean table, with a gentle smile on his face, looked at him and took a sip of the slightly cold remnants of tea, with a very moderate intention, as if he was enjoying his last moments in this world.

Fan Xian forced a smile, always felt that this sentence seems to be where I have heard. It was as if all of his enemies could guess that he was in a somewhat bad mood.

“His Majesty will arrive later.” Fan Xian looked at Li Chengqian’s eyes.

Li Chengqian did not flinch in the slightest. Things had come to this point, he no longer had any other thoughts, and the few days of seclusion were enough for him to think clearly about many issues, especially since the successive deaths of his mother and aunt had made his mood as clear and crisp as a cold pool.

“Everyone is going to die. Mother died, aunt died.” Li Chengqian slowly put down the teacup in his hand and looked at Fan Xian, “Father will always die in the future as well. It’s just a matter of sequence.”

Fan Xian thought for a moment and said softly, “The second one is also dead.”

Li Chengqian lowered his head. He was secluded in the deep palace. There was no way to know what had happened in the past few days. Immediately, he raised his head and said with a complicated expression, “I’ve been fighting with him for so many years, and I didn’t expect that in the end, I would even have to fight for death first.”

“We die first and go first.” Li Chengqian looked at Fan Xian and said, “And then wait for you.”

Fan Xian smiled to himself, knowing that each other had each other’s pride, and said mildly, “Then you’ll have to grab a good position for me.”

Li Chengqian waved his hand daintily and said, “People can be as lively as they want when they’re alive, but death is a lonely thing, so of course you have to grab your own position.”

Fan Xian slightly stunned, in the heart thought of a sentence: “live together, die alone.” When I saw this sentence in my previous life, I always found it difficult to use Chinese to express the hidden meaning, and recently watched countless deaths one after another, and heard Li Chengqian’s words, and only then realized that the original sentence is just a myriad of realities. It was only after hearing Li Chengqian’s words that he realized that the words were just a superposition of numerous realities.

At this moment, Fan Xian’s heart suddenly tightened. He did not know that the Empress Dowager had opened her eyes in the Hall of Containing Light, but subconsciously looked toward that place with slight fear. If the Empress Dowager really woke up, he was afraid that he would be in bad luck.

This is from his heart fear. In previous years, no matter who he was dealing with, he had never really been afraid, but now that he knew that His Majesty the Emperor was a great master, a person who stepped on the two pinnacles of the martial realm and worldly power, what was the difference between that and a god who had landed on the mortal world?

Immediately afterward, the sound of bells buzzed in the palace, resounding all around. Fan Xian lowered his head and silently counted the number of times the bell rang, confirming the news of the Empress Dowager’s death, and his mood relaxed a little, then became empty again. Li Chengqian, who was on the opposite side of him, had a completely different reaction. Hearing that the empress dowager, who loved him the most, had also left in such solitude, his face turned a little pale, and he said to Fan Xian in a trembling voice, “There’s no need to send her off.”

Fan Xian calmly bowed his hands and said, “Go on your way without fear.”

Li Chengqian’s words are not entirely correct, death is indeed the loneliest thing in the world, but before death, but often is the most lively time in the world, the old man in bed to meet the god of death, while his loved ones younger generation is surrounded by the bedside, chattering non-stop, so tiresome.

Today, the East Palace is also the same. Fan Xian waited outside the palace, and after a long time, he heard the sound of dense footsteps. His Majesty the Emperor, surrounded by many people, came to the East Palace and then entered single-handedly.

Li Chengqian did not stand up to greet his father, nor did he loathe the hustle and bustle of this moment before his death. He rejected Fan Xian’s risky proposal, unwilling to go to the end of the world to hide his life, and didn’t rush to take poison to kill himself before His Majesty the Emperor came back, just because, he had a lot of things he wanted to say to his own father, he wanted to spit out the grievances in his heart in the past twenty years, and if he couldn’t express them to the fullest, I was afraid that he would turn into a spiteful ghost after death.

“How exactly will the history books describe this section?” Li Chengqian looked at his father, at the most powerful monarch in history, without a trace of fear.

When a person did not fear death, he no longer feared anything. The Crown Prince, who had made a lot of progress over the past two years, said extremely directly, “I waited for you to come back because I wanted to know if you really don’t care about anything.”

The Qing Emperor, who was dressed in civilian clothes, quietly looked at his son and said, “History books are always written by the victor, and …… could it be that you think that I still have something to apologize to you?”

The crown prince sat behind the netted table, frowned and thought for a long time, then smiled and shook his head, “Of course not. Mother is weak, but you still set me up as the Crown Prince and let me sit in this position for so many years, of course you can afford me.”

This was not the truth, as the thick mockery inside was revealed.

The emperor said indifferently, “Don’t learn the cowardly sour words of a woman’s family.”

“Cowardice? That was forced by you. You are too radiant, no one dares to rob you of your radiance.” The Crown Prince closed his eyes and stubbornly said, “I have been thinking about a question, since you have never thought about passing on your power to the next generation from the bottom of your bones, why did you bother to establish me as the Crown Prince?”

The emperor’s face was unusually calm as he stared at him and slowly said, “Chengqian, you are very disappointing to me. I have been sharpening you non-stop all these years, for what?”

Li Chengqian suddenly opened his eyes and said with cold irony, “I’m not a knife that will break if I sharpen it more.”