World's First Traitor System (385)

Chapter 385 - Heaven's Price

Fan Li glanced at Qing Qiu, who stood silently beside him. Yan Shifan lay unconscious on the ground. Chang Le’s voice still echoed in the air: Live, or die.

He smiled wryly. So this was what it felt like to be threatened by your own woman. He looked up at Chang Le, her beauty undeniable, yet her imperious gaze filled him with a profound sense of unease.

He couldn't help but wonder, if Wu Zetian's lover had known that the woman who had once been so gentle in his arms would one day become like this, how would he have felt? A strange sense of uncertainty washed over Fan Li.

“I’m sorry, Chang Le,” he said, shaking his head. “I can’t agree.”

“You refuse me?” Chang Le’s demeanor shifted. One moment, she exuded warmth, the next, a cold, steely resolve, as if two distinct personalities warred within her. Then, her voice softened, surprising him with its gentleness.

“My dream is half fulfilled, thanks to you. I want you by my side for the other half. When I rule all under heaven, I will share that joy with you.” She paused, her smile breathtaking. “Fan Li,” she whispered, “agree, won’t you?”

That single, whispered endearment, "Fan Li," shook him to his core. He was transported back to the Han palace in Chang’an, to that night of shared intimacy. How could he refuse his own woman? He almost agreed, the word “yes” on the tip of his tongue. But he stopped himself. He shook his head,. “Fate… it’s a good thing I’m a scoundrel.”

“I’m sorry, Chang Le. I can’t help you. I promised Xiang Ning I would return the Great Chu to her, unharmed. That is my promise to her.”

As his words faded, an icy chill swept over him, making him shiver. There was no wind, only the growing coldness in Chang Le’s eyes.

“Dong Zhuo once said, ‘Those who follow me prosper, those who oppose me… perish.’”

The irony was almost unbearable. Dong Zhuo, the man who had brought about the downfall of the Han Dynasty, his words quoted by Princess Chang Le?

Fan Li looked up at her.

All traces of warmth had vanished from her beautiful face. In that moment, Chang Le, Wu Zetian, and Yao Guang seemed to merge into a single, terrifying entity. Regret and a profound sense of alienation washed over him.

“Your Majesty,” Shangguan Wan’er suddenly said, “what are your orders regarding these outsiders?”

Fan Li glared at her. How insidious, to subtly goad Chang Le into killing them! Was she seeking to vent her frustration over Wu Zhao’s failed resurrection on him?

Silence. A heavy, unsettling silence, descended upon them. The world seemed to hold its breath, awaiting Chang Le’s judgment. Kill, or not kill?

“Fan Li.” Her voice, like her gaze, was cold. The warmth, the gentle beauty, had vanished. She floated down from the sky, landing before him. They stared at each other for a long moment, then Chang Le turned and walked towards the wordless stele.

BOOM!

With a single palm strike, she shattered it. Fragments scattered, revealing a dragon throne hidden within. Chang Le seated herself, facing south, towards Fan Li, yet her gaze seemed to look beyond him. Her eyes reflected the image of a vast empire. In that moment, she fully embraced her role as the Holy Emperor of the Great Zhou Celestial Empire, severing all ties to her former identity as a Han princess. The man who had aided her so greatly, who had shared her intimacy, seemed reduced to a mere fleeting memory.

“Since our paths diverge, Duke Jin, you are free to go. I will not force you.”

Both Fan Li and Shangguan Wan’er were stunned.

“Your Majesty?!” Shangguan Wan’er’s voice was filled with disbelief. This wasn’t how an Emperor should act! Why would Chang Le let Fan Li go? If the former Emperor had been present, anyone who defied her, regardless of their relationship, would have been executed!

Fan Li drew a deep breath, a strange sense of relief washing over him. Perhaps, one day, he and Chang Le would face each other on the battlefield. But he would remember this act of mercy. The world believed actors were fickle, yet Emperors were even more ruthless. From an Emperor’s perspective, Chang Le had treated him with surprising kindness.

“I… take my leave, Your Majesty.” Since she addressed him as Duke Jin, he responded in kind. He turned and, taking Qing Qiu’s hand, walked away. Under the influence of the Soul Cleansing Wine, they were as weak as ordinary mortals. He didn’t look back. To do so would be unwise.

…

“Chancellor.”

“I am here, Your Majesty.”

“I intend to conquer the world. What are your thoughts on establishing our kingdom here, in the Southern Ridge Mountains?” Chang Le asked, frowning when Shangguan Wan’er didn’t immediately respond. “Why aren’t you answering?”

“Your Majesty, we are out of time.”

A flicker of unease touched Chang Le's heart. She had merged with a fragment of Wu Zhao's soul, inheriting her power, knowledge, and memories, but they were incomplete. Something important… something vital… seemed to be missing.

“What do you mean, Chancellor?” A hint of menace entered her voice. Moments ago, she had spoken of unifying the world. Why was Shangguan Wan’er now saying they were out of time?

Shangguan Wan’er slowly raised her head. Her expression was respectful, yet a flicker of triumph gleamed in her eyes.

“Your Majesty, before her death, the former Emperor begged Heaven for a chance to be reborn. Heaven’s gifts come at a price…”

“Speak!” Chang Le roared. “What price?!”

Shangguan Wan’er smiled, offering no answer. Then, as if responding to the Emperor’s question, a celestial phenomenon unfolded in the sky above. A gigantic Heavenly Gate materialized. Chang Le felt a powerful force pulling at her, drawing her upwards.

“What’s happening? What’s going on?! Chancellor! I command you to tell me the truth!”

Shangguan Wan’er, also being drawn towards the Heavenly Gate, now hovered in the air, still kneeling, her smile widening, as if mocking Chang Le’s triumph, a triumph that had become her own undoing.

“Your Majesty, the former Emperor begged Heaven for a glimmer of hope, a chance to be reborn. The price… was to return to the immortal realm immediately upon resurrection, to continue battling for Heaven. You inherited the throne of Great Zhou. The former Emperor’s debt… is now yours to repay.”

Then, a scene beyond mortal comprehension unfolded. One hundred thousand Great Zhou subjects, drawn towards the Heavenly Gate, ascended en masse. Among them… was the newly crowned Emperor, Chang Le.

“We respectfully send Your Majesty to Heaven!”