ZenpaiTrans
patreon
World's First Traitor System (329)
🕑 Added 2024-10-24 17:00:06 +0000 UTCChapter 329 - This Hatred, Unending
"Don't you dare call my name!" Xue Susu’s voice turned icy.
“I am the Emperor’s woman, the Imperial Noble Consort of the Great Ming, bestowed with the title ‘Rou’!”
Tang Bohu, chastised, felt a wave of despair wash over him, a deep shame burning in his chest. For a fleeting moment, he wished he could turn and flee the grand halls of the Forbidden City. Yet, his feet seemed rooted to the spot, refusing to obey his command.
He had once turned his back on this woman, walking away without a word.
Could he truly repeat that heartless act today?
“Yes, I was wrong. Please… please forgive me, Imperial Noble Consort.”
Finally, Tang Bohu chose to accept the humiliation.
He suddenly realized that he deserved this. Looking at Xue Susu in her lavish palace attire, she was so beautiful, like a skylark soaring through the heavens, unattainable.
He, however, resembled a field mouse, just emerged from the dirt, only able to look up at her as she chased the sky.
"Kneel." Xue Susu commanded coldly.
"What?!"
The humiliation, it seemed, had only just begun.
The woman’s commanding tone made Tang Bohu wonder if he had misheard.
Had she truly forgotten their past love? Was she being so cruel?
“I said, kneel! And kowtow!”
Xue Susu’s voice was filled with rage.
She had every right to be angry.
So many years had passed.
Abandoned by this man, she had been left alone and helpless, until the Brahma Sound Pure Land had taken her in.
And because of her talent and beauty, she had caught the eye of the Supreme Sage Ruler, Yao Guang, who had trained her to become the Painting Sage.
Throughout those years, her heart, once filled with sorrow, had turned to ashes. She was like a living corpse.
And all the suffering she had endured, it was all because of this man standing before her.
Xue Susu had once fantasized about the day she would see him again.
She would use the Brahma Sound Pure Land's power and influence to humiliate and punish him.
However, Tang Bohu, the Master of Peach Blossom Hermitage, was known throughout the Great Ming as the Twin Saint of Poetry and Painting.
He was the most eccentric and renowned figure in the land.
To punish him?
That would be a slap in the face of the Great Ming Dynasty. How could she, for the sake of personal revenge, risk harming the Brahma Sound Pure Land and her sisters?
But to leave a grudge unavenged, the pain would only deepen.
Therefore, when the Pure Land required someone to infiltrate the Great Ming and assassinate Emperor Jiajing, Xue Susu had stepped forward without hesitation.
She, a Sage Ruler, had mingled among the common people, assuming the identity of a courtesan, becoming the most famous beauty on the Qinhuai River.
It was a great humiliation!
But it was also a rare opportunity!
She was willing!
She would repay the kindness of her elder sister and the Pure Land.
And she would have the chance to see him again, to finally exact her revenge.
"Tang Bohu, did no one teach you manners when you entered the palace?"
Xue Susu’s icy voice rang out once more.
Tang Bohu’s face flushed.
Kneel?
He should kneel.
According to the Great Ming’s laws, Xue Susu was the Emperor’s woman, while he was nothing but a commoner.
There was a clear hierarchy. He should kneel.
But they had once been lovers. Now, only this hierarchy remained?
His pride as a man, how could Tang Bohu possibly kneel before her?
And yet, despite his pride, his keen senses, honed by his eighth-rank Unity Realm cultivation, picked up the sound of her rapidly beating heart.
Ah, woman!
Your heart is clearly in turmoil as well. Why do you wear this cold mask?
Tang Bohu thought to himself.
He had caused her so much pain. Perhaps enduring this humiliation was his way of atoning for his past sins.
Kneel!
He owed her this much.
Slowly, Tang Bohu bent his knees, preparing to atone for his past.
As he knelt, he spoke in a gentle voice. “Please don’t be angry. Everything that happened back then, it was all my fault. I brought it upon myself. Whatever punishment you deem fitting, I will accept…”
Suddenly, a wave of killing intent descended upon him. An immense spiritual energy, powerful and overwhelming, threatened to crush him into dust!
The hairs on his body stood on end. Instinctively, using his eighth-rank Unity Realm cultivation, he realized that he couldn’t withstand the attack directly. He had to dodge!
Retreat!
With a single thought, Tang Bohu unleashed all his strength, instantly shifting his position ten feet away.
And in the spot where he had been standing moments ago, the palace’s golden bricks had been reduced to powder. Even the ground beneath them was now a terrifying crater!
What terrifying power!
Tang Bohu was drenched in cold sweat!
To flatten and crush the earth was a completely different matter from simply digging a hole.
He stared at Xue Susu in disbelief. He had sensed something strange earlier. He couldn’t see through her cultivation.
At the time, he hadn’t thought much of it.
After all, this was the imperial palace. The Emperor showered his consorts with gifts.
Perhaps she was wearing a spirit treasure that concealed her cultivation.
Now, it seemed his assumption was wrong.
Her cultivation was far above his. That’s why he couldn’t sense it!
“You want to kill me?!” Tang Bohu exclaimed. “No, wait! Your cultivation… it’s Great Vehicle Realm? Then… you are the Painting Sage of the Pure Land?!”
Xue Susu frowned, her beautiful face now a mask of killing intent.
She had failed?
She cursed her own hesitation.
She had deliberately used words to provoke him, hoping to disrupt his focus, to create an opportunity for a decisive strike.
But a Great Vehicle Realm cultivator’s full strength, its power was terrifying!
She couldn’t use her full strength. It would surely alert Emperor Jiajing.
Only a sneak attack, a silent and swift execution, could ensure her identity remained hidden.
Unfortunately, her plans had gone awry.
Who would have guessed that Tang Bohu, a man who had lived a life of carefree indulgence, would possess such keen senses?
Reducing her strength, her attack had been weakened.
And he had escaped!
Xue Susu couldn’t help but feel regret.
Perhaps if she had used a bit more strength, she would have succeeded?
She could kill Tang Bohu, then fabricate a story to conceal her actions. It would be difficult, but at least it was worth attempting. Surely it was better than allowing him to expose her true identity.
“No, wait!”
As the initial shock subsided, Tang Bohu noticed something strange.
“The Painting Sage… How could she possibly be the Emperor’s consort?”
“Could it be… that you infiltrated the palace to assassinate him?”
Xue Susu’s eyes widened in anger.
She had to act now, even if it meant exposing herself.
She would rather die fighting than allow Tang Bohu to escape!
She had once been his woman. She knew him better than anyone.
His carefree demeanor was his way of coping with his failures. His arrogance was a mask for his sorrow.
Given the opportunity to serve his nation, to become a respected official, Tang Bohu wouldn't be any different from the countless moral gentlemen and learned scholars of the Great Ming.
He would become another loyal subject, his eyes only for the Emperor, his heart only for his nation.
“I will tell the Emperor!”
As expected.
Tang Bohu turned and fled.
He didn't possess the strength to defeat the Painting Sage. And he lacked the courage to kill the woman he had once loved.
To leave everything to the Emperor, to reveal her treachery… It was a decision that aligned with his loyalty.
“Don’t even think about escaping!”
Xue Susu pursued him.
From the main hall of the Zhongcui Palace to the palace gates, it was a short distance. But she couldn't close the gap between them!
How was this possible?
His cultivation was weaker than hers. His speed shouldn't be her equal!
She suddenly remembered an event from the Great Ming’s history.
The Ning rebellion.
Prince Ning had attempted to recruit Tang Bohu, but he had escaped.
Clearly, the man possessed a certain talent for running away.
“The Emperor has arrived!”
An even more bizarre event occurred.
Emperor Jiajing, who should have been discussing matters of state with his officials, had arrived at the Zhongcui Palace, only moments behind Tang Bohu.
Xue Susu instantly stopped, suppressing her spiritual energy, desperately trying to maintain the appearance of an ordinary woman.
However, she typically used the ‘Immortal in the Painting’ divine ability to conceal her cultivation.
To simply suppress her spiritual energy, could she truly deceive Emperor Jiajing?
And Tang Bohu was also here! He would surely expose her!
Panic and fear twisted Xue Susu’s beautiful face, making her pale.
She was conflicted.
What should she do?
Flee?
Her chances of success were less than ten percent!
Continue her charade, rely on the Emperor’s favor… Perhaps she could survive this encounter?
“Your Majesty!”
“Your Majesty!”
“This humble subject, Tang Bohu, has a grave matter to report! A matter of great treachery!”
As expected.
Tang Bohu, without a moment’s hesitation, the instant he saw the Emperor, rushed forward, shouting his accusations.
Was her mission truly about to fail?
Xue Susu felt her blood rushing, her head spinning. She almost collapsed.
This man, who had abandoned her so cruelly, was now about to betray her without a second thought?!
“Your Majesty…”
She had also seen the Emperor. He was about to cross the threshold of the Zhongcui Palace.
Was this her end?
To be exposed by a man she had once loved, to die by the hand of another man she had been intimate with?
She met the Emperor’s gaze.
His eyes were fixed upon her.
The Emperor’s steps were swift.
Was this a sign that he was preparing to attack?
Tang Bohu’s voice, frantic and urgent, reached her ears.
“Your Majesty, this humble subject has discovered that Imperial Noble Consort Rou… she is not who she appears to be. Her origins…”
His words trailed off.
He was dead.
A single palm strike, silent and swift, landed upon Tang Bohu’s head.
As simple as a flick of the wrist. And as Jiajing’s palm retracted, the man’s skull shattered.
Death had come so suddenly.
Tang Bohu’s face was frozen in an expression of shock and unwavering loyalty!
What a complex expression!
In the entire world, perhaps only the Confucian scholars of the Great Ming Dynasty, having endured a thousand years of civil service examinations, could maintain two such disparate emotions simultaneously.
Jiajing didn’t even glance at Tang Bohu’s corpse. He simply said, “Nonsense. Do you think I need you to tell me?”
His gaze remained fixed upon Xue Susu. But she stood motionless, as if she had been possessed, completely forgetting how to react.
Resist?
Flee?
She did neither!
She simply stood there, dazed, until Jiajing reached her. She looked up at the tall, imposing figure of the Emperor.
“What’s wrong? Did that wild man frighten you, my love?”
My love?
Xue Susu desperately tried to discern any hint of mockery or sarcasm in his voice.
There was none.
Instead, she sensed concern, even affection?
“Your Majesty?”
She couldn't believe it. Had her true identity remained hidden?
Yes, beauty was a powerful tool, capable of deceiving even the most astute men. That was the answer.
“Lü Fang, clean this mess up.”
From the palace gates, an old eunuch’s voice replied immediately. “This servant obeys. I will ensure that Imperial Noble Consort’s palace is cleaned thoroughly. Please rest assured, Your Majesty.”
Jiajing smiled in satisfaction, taking Xue Susu’s hand, leading her towards the main hall of the Zhongcui Palace.
But she still didn't move.
Her thoughts were in turmoil, her mind a blank slate. She stood there, frozen, unable to decide what to do.
“Susu, did I frighten you?” Jiajing asked again.
Xue Susu didn’t know how to answer.
She nodded vaguely, then shook her head.
“Alright, I understand.”
Jiajing laughed heartily, then suddenly lifted her into his arms.
“Hold onto my neck. Don’t fall.”
Xue Susu’s eyes widened in surprise, but she obediently wrapped her arms around Jiajing’s neck.
This was a perfect opportunity!
His neck was vulnerable, even for a Great Vehicle Realm cultivator.
‘If I use my full strength, Jiajing’s head will… Wait, what’s happening?!’
By the time Xue Susu realized what was happening, she had been thrown onto the dragon bed.
And lying beside her, of course, was the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty, Jiajing.
At that moment, only one thought remained in Xue Susu’s mind:
I failed to complete my assassination mission, but the Emperor avenged me?
…
Two women stood facing each other, each atop a solitary mountain peak, separated by a vast distance.
Wu Gang was dressed in black, her long hair dancing in the wind, her aura heroic. Ah Chang was dressed in rough, simple clothing, her face concealed behind a mask, her appearance unremarkable.
But upon closer inspection, an arrow protruded from Wu Gang’s shoulder.
Although she appeared human, she was a black dragon, her physical body powerful and resilient.
To injure a black dragon with a single arrow, its power must have been immense.
Ah Chang was also injured.
A claw mark upon her abdomen, tearing through flesh and bone, revealing a deep, gruesome wound.
Wu Gang’s hands were slender and delicate, but that wound was undeniably hers.
The two women, both deceivingly powerful.
“Beyond five miles, you are no match for me,” Ah Chang said, breaking the silence.
Wu Gang nodded, acknowledging the truth of her words.
“Within five miles, you are no match for me. Within a hundred feet, I will kill you.” Wu Gang’s voice was filled with confidence, a battle lust burning in her eyes.
Ah Chang remained silent.
Her silence was acceptance.
The way of the arrow, its advantage was distance. Its weakness was close combat.
Her cultivation level was higher than Wu Gang’s. But the black dragon’s physical body was incredibly powerful, her strength unmatched in close combat!
What should she do?
To continue fighting was a guaranteed defeat.
Therefore, only one option remained.
Retreat.
“Another time… another battle.”
Ah Chang left those words behind, staring at Wu Gang for a moment longer.
The dragon didn't seem to intend to attack?
They had reached a silent agreement, a truce. But this trust would only last for this encounter.
If Ah Chang dared to lie, to pretend to retreat then circle back, Wu Gang would pursue her to the ends of the earth, until she was dead.
The arrow wound in her shoulder throbbed with pain.
But Wu Gang didn’t seem to notice. Her gaze was fixed upon Ah Chang’s retreating figure, cold and vigilant.
She had to confirm that the woman was truly leaving the battlefield.
Ah Chang was gone.
She had no obligation to fight for Wanli. In truth, she had already offered him far more support than he deserved.
She had even extinguished the Seven Stars Lamps, saving his life. That should have been enough.
“Alas…”
“This battle… seems pointless.”
Wu Gang shook her head sadly.
She had driven back the Archery Sage, but she knew that her master couldn’t use this as an excuse to declare war on the Great Ci Dynasty.
Ah Chang had remained masked. She had never appeared before the Han army.
The Great Ci Dynasty’s actions had been incredibly malicious. But what could they do?
Great Chu, Great Han, Great Wei, and Great Wu. Their military strength paled in comparison to Great Ci.
Ultimately, they could only endure this humiliation.
Her master had once said, “A weak nation has no diplomacy.”
