BXBX NOVEL Chapter 301 - 300: The Past of the Old Human Emperor
“Human Emperor, it has been a long time. What brought you here?” An elderly woman slowly gets up from her rocking chair with a chuckle and bows to Jiang Li.
Jiang Li quickly supports her, “Elder Yu Jue, no need for such formalities. I am just here to reminisce.”
Five hundred years ago, Jiang Li called upon the old Human Emperor to deal with the South Jiao Dragon Tribe. Back then, the Clan Leader of the Jin tribe was this elderly woman known as Yu Jue.
Jiang Li recalls the captivating charm of Elder Yu Jue. Her elegance and charm attracted the hearts of many men, outshining even the beauty of the Southern Seas.
Unexpectedly, after five hundred years, Elder Yu Jue has aged considerably.
Jiang Li notices this and realizes Elder Yu Jue, being at the Divinity Transformation Stage, should still have a few hundred years of lifespan remaining. She should not look as she does, but rather like a middle-aged beauty or a stunning maiden.
A cultivator’s appearance is related to their mentality. It seems that Elder Yu Jue must have suffered a significant setback.
“Who would have thought that the youngster who used to always visit the old Human Emperor has now become the guardian of Nine Provinces. Time truly waits for no one.” Elder Yu Jue comments nostalgically upon seeing Jiang Li.
Jiang Li reacts similarly, “I never expected that the solitary old Human Emperor would have descendants.”
Elder Yu Jue stiffens at his words.
Jiang Li continues, “Elder Yu Jue, if I am not mistaken, the current Clan Leader is the old Human Emperor’s daughter, and Rain Little Meng is his granddaughter.”
Recalling Jiang Li’s cultivation level, Elder Yu Jue relaxes and nods resignedly, “Indeed, I can’t hide the truth from you. Yes, I had a daughter with Lu, the previous Human Emperor.”
The surname of the last Human Emperor was Lu.
“I see.”
Jiang Li is unsurprised by this revelation. His divine sense had detected more than just the Jin Tribe’s blood flowing within Rain Little Meng and her mother; they also have the blood of the old Human Emperor.
They are his descendants.
Jiang Li had thought he was mistaken initially, as the old Human Emperor was known to be indifferent to women and rarely seen with a smile, making it hard to believe he had any romantic relationships.
Apparently, Jiang Li had only seen one side of the old Human Emperor.
“Five hundred years ago, I was deeply infatuated with Lu, the Human Emperor. Especially when he aided our Jin Tribe in overcoming obstacles and securing our position, ensuring that we were no longer bullied. I fell deeply in love with him,” Yu Jue confesses.
“Lu returned my feelings and one night, we…”
“Afterwards, he proposed marriage to me, but I refused him.”
“Why?” Jiang Li asked, puzzled. There was no rule stating that the Human Emperor couldn’t marry.
With a bitter smile, the elderly woman responds, “Because Lu cared too much about love, or perhaps he cared too much about me.”
“He once whispered into my ear, telling me he no longer wanted to fight the Heavenly Demons and wished to spend the rest of his life with me.”
“If he had stayed by my side, who would protect the Nine Provinces?”
“Back then, you were merely a child at the Nascent Soul Stage, not the invincible figure at the Mahayana Realm that you are today.”
Jiang Li remains silent. In history, a Human Emperor once failed to give his all in battle because he couldn’t let go of his wife and children. During that battle, instead of him, it was two Transcendence Tribulation Stage cultivators who fought tooth and nail, exhausting their vitality, to eliminate the Heavenly Demon.
No one noticed it back then, thinking the Human Emperor had already done his best. Only he himself knew that his cowardice and hesitation had resulted in the death of his two allies.
If he had fought with all he had, he and his two comrades might have killed the Heavenly Demon at the cost of serious injuries.
Haunted by regret for the rest of his life, the Human Emperor eventually allowed Nine Provinces Earth Veins to select a new Human Emperor and ended his own life.
This story is hardly known. Jiang Li only learned about it after he became the Human Emperor, it was Commander Liu who told him.
“I told Lu back then that I spent the night with him as a way of repaying his kindness for disciplining the South Jiao Dragon Tribe. I had no feelings for him, and he mustn’t mistake it otherwise.”
“After that, he never visited the Jin Tribe again, and he never learned that he had descendants.”
“Did Commander Liu know about all of this?”
“He knew. He regularly provided us with resources and took care of us. He even knew that Lu had descendants. However, I begged him not to reveal this to anyone, including Lu.”
“Later, Liu told me that he informed Lu of this on his deathbed. Lu died with a smile.”
Lu, the old Human Emperor, had sustained secret injuries from fighting with the Heavenly Demon and died suddenly over 300 years ago due to the recurrence of his injuries. Jiang Li wasn’t able to see him one last time; it was Commander Liu who ushered him on his last journey.
Jiang Li supposes that the stunning beauty who had once surpassed the Southern Seas, Elder Yu Jue, had aged so much due to heartbreak upon learning of the old Human Emperor’s death.
“Does your daughter know about her origins?”
The elderly woman shakes her head gently, “I only told her that her father was a great hero, an unparalleled cultivator. There is no man in the entire Nine Provinces who can surpass him. She may have guessed it by now.”
Jiang Li feels that Elder Yu Jue might not be able to distinguish whether her feelings towards the old Human Emperor are of admiration or love.
After all, even now she continues to refer to him formally as Lu, the Human Emperor, rather than using a more affectionate term.
“All these are matters of the previous generation, there’s no need to dwell on them. You don’t need to worry about going through what I did, with someone falling in love with you but not confessing because they fear it may affect their fighting spirit. With your abilities, you can effortlessly protect the Nine Provinces,” she reassures.
“I have taken note of your advice.”
Jiang Li bows to the old woman. He didn’t expect to have such a profound connection with the Jin Tribe.
If he hadn’t called for the old Human Emperor back then, perhaps none of this would have transpired.
One can never predict life; everything is a matter of fate.
After Jiang Li leaves, the old woman reclines on her rocking chair, softly swaying back and forth with a faint smile on her lips as if reminiscing about something.
“Human Emperor.” The current Clan Leader of the Jin Tribe approaches Jiang Li.
“What can I assist you with?” Jiang Li responds politely, he had always refused to accept formalities from the Clan Leader, guessing that she was the only daughter of the old Human Emperor.
“I have an inconvenient request, hoping that you can assist.”
“Feel free to speak. I will definitely help if I am able.”
“It is such that Elder Immortal Chang Cun borrowed a book from our tribe two thousand years ago. It was left behind by an ancestor who ascended to the Immortal Realm.”
Although the Jin Tribe’s talent for cultivation isn’t particularly high, there were exceptions in history who broke through their bloodline’s shackles and ascended to the Immortal Realm.
“Elder Immortal Chang Cun has not returned it since. Perhaps he has forgotten about this matter.”
“I would like to request that you remind Elder Immortal Chang Cun about this,” the Jin Tribe Clan Leader quickly continues, “Of course, if he hasn’t finished reading it, he can continue.”
“Sure, I will talk to Elder Immortal Chang Cun,” Jiang Li readily agrees, as it was merely a small matter.
Jiang Li visits Qi Sha Daozi again, offering some words of encouragement, especially reminding him to treat Rain Little Meng well. Qi Sha Daozi is puzzled but nods in agreement.
What Jiang Li reminds him of is exactly what Qi Sha Daozi intended to do.
Jiang Li also gives Rain Little Meng some pointers, indicating some deficiencies in her cultivation practice and advising her not to focus only on bloodline cultivation. Demon cultivators have more than one path to follow.
Rain Little Meng feels invigorated upon receiving guidance from the Human Emperor. She believes that Jiang Li’s advice is due to his respect for Qi Sha Daozi.