Chapter 1403: The Road to Immortality is Cut Off

I originally thought that since I hadn't even heard of Si Wenming, even if he was formidable, he couldn't compare to legendary figures like Gonggong or Chiyou. But now you're telling me Si Wenming is Yu the Great? Who is Yu the Great? He's the founder of the Xia Dynasty, and only a handful of people throughout history have been honored with the prefix "Great." The critical point is that, assuming no surprises, this unknown land is clearly connected to the Xia Dynasty. And you want me to deal with their ancestor on their territory? I should probably start thinking about the different ways to write the character for "death."

At this point, the voice said, "That's why I'm sending you to retrace Yi's heroic journey. Once you obtain the divine artifact, you will have the ability to deal with him."

Zu'an was speechless.

After a long while, he came back to his senses and couldn't help but ask, "Why do you want to deal with him? Didn't historical records state that you abdicated the throne to him?"

"Historical records?" The three women beside him blinked their beautiful eyes, finding the term peculiar.

"History?" The voice contained a hint of sarcasm. "History is merely written by the victors."

"Could there be some hidden secret from back then?" Zu'an asked curiously. He figured it was best to understand the full context before deciding whether and how to undertake the task.

The voice hesitated for a moment before saying, "This matter isn't particularly glorious for me, but since you asked, there's no harm in telling you."

"After I ascended to the throne back then, many major disasters throughout the land had been resolved, but the Great Flood continued unabated. For the sake of the common people, I set aside past grievances and promoted Gun's son, Yu, entrusting him with the task of flood control."

Zu'an looked peculiar. "His father died because of you, and you still dared to employ him?"

The voice replied, "Royal family ties are different from those of ordinary people. Paternal and fraternal affections are not as important; instead, interests are paramount. As long as interests align, even if you execute the head of a family, the remaining members will still support you."

"As I mentioned before, the Xuan Emperor lineage was greatly suppressed by the Bai Emperor lineage for many years. Most descendants of the Xuan Emperor were in fact dissatisfied with the Bai Emperor lineage, and I represent their interests. Individuals like Gun, who belonged to the Xuan Emperor lineage but were fiercely loyal to the Bai Emperor lineage and betrayed their own kind, were a minority."

"I had thought that dealing with Gun was a way to restore order. Furthermore, the relationship between Yu and his father Gun was not good; their political views were quite different, especially concerning flood control, where their philosophies were practically diametrically opposed."

"It was precisely for this reason that I felt confident promoting Yu, offering his family a chance to return to the Xuan Emperor lineage."

"In fact, I was not mistaken. There was indeed little paternal affection between him and Gun, and he showed no desire for revenge for his father. Moreover, his flood control efforts during those years were remarkably effective, proving worthy of my trust."

"If he didn't even contemplate avenging his father, then why did he break with you?" Zu'an was utterly perplexed.

The voice said with a strange tone, "Do you think someone who doesn't even want to avenge his father is trustworthy?"

Zu'an was startled, then immediately understood. Duke Huan of Qi, one of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn period, had a miserable old age precisely because he doted on several treacherous officials. Once, when Duke Huan had a poor appetite, one of these officials even cooked his newborn son for him to eat, making him feel the meat was delicious and greatly improving his appetite. Later, learning the truth, Duke Huan was moved, thinking this person was incredibly loyal to him, willing to sacrifice even his own son. Guan Zhong had advised him, saying that if someone was willing to kill their own son, how could they truly be loyal to you, a non-relative? Unfortunately, Duke Huan wouldn't listen and was indeed eventually harmed by that treacherous official. Yu could even cast aside his father's vendetta, which proved his ambition was immense.

The voice sighed. "I only understood the rationale behind it much later, but by then, it was already too late."

"During his flood control efforts, Yu accumulated immense prestige and attracted numerous skilled individuals and extraordinary talents. Furthermore, because I replaced Yao, many from the Bai Emperor lineage secretly defected to him, seeking revenge."

"So, he successfully supplanted you?" Zu'an thought to himself that these ancient abdications were truly dark, completely subverting his understanding of the world.

"If it were just that, he wouldn't have been able to overcome me. The crucial point is that during his flood control efforts, Yu also received help from the Yan Emperor clan." The voice said resentfully, "It was the alliance of these powerful forces that led to my downfall by his scheme."

"Yan Emperor?" Zu'an was stunned. How was this lineage connected to him again?

The voice explained, "During the conflict between Yan and Huang Emperors back then, the Yan Emperor was defeated by the Yellow Emperor. However, the Yan Emperor lineage had always been unwilling to submit, leading to various rebellions. Gonggong and Chiyou were prominent figures among them, and the Great Flood was the most severe consequence of their revolt."

"Just as our Xuan Emperor lineage has many internal divisions, there were also many within the Yan Emperor lineage who did not agree with the actions of Gonggong and Chiyou, believing their conduct had harmed the common people. A key figure among them was Yao Ji, the Yan Emperor's third daughter."

"When Yu passed through Mount Wu during his flood control efforts, he received assistance from Yao Ji. The Yan Emperor lineage has historically been skilled in water control, so with their help, Yu gradually brought the Great Flood under control."

"As his flood control efforts succeeded, his prestige grew, even threatening me. It was only then that I realized a vast power had gathered around him, making it impossible to oppose him."

"However, I was also magnanimous at the time. After all, he was also from the Xuan Emperor lineage and genuinely talented. There seemed to be no harm in passing the Imperial throne to him. I was not a pedant who insisted on passing the position to my son, and I had indicated this intention to him multiple times, both openly and subtly."

"Unfortunately, I didn't expect him to be so impatient. While I was touring the Cangwu Plains, he suddenly launched a sneak attack and ambushed me. Then he announced my death to the world, buried me on the south side of Jiuyi Mountain, and claimed I had abdicated the throne to him. Haha, what a cunning scheme."

Yan Xuehen, standing nearby, was startled. "You're already... dead?"

"That's right, in a sense, I am indeed dead," the voice said with a sigh. "What remains of me now is merely a wisp of divine consciousness I left behind as a precaution when I sensed something amiss years ago. I never imagined the worst scenario would actually come to pass."

Zu'an was secretly astonished that even a mere wisp of lingering consciousness could persist until now. How terrifying must this being have been in its prime?

Yun Jianyue said, "Forgive my frankness, but the events you're describing happened tens of thousands of years ago. If your enemy didn't ascend, they're probably long dead. Asking Azu to help you get revenge might be pointless."

Yu Yanluo, concerned for Zu'an's well-being, chimed in, "Exactly. Even in your prime, you weren't a match for Yu. And now, this wisp of your consciousness is beyond our comprehension. Expecting us to avenge you is probably unrealistic."

"The path to immortality was broken back then, so Yu couldn't have ascended. But given his power, it's not impossible for him to still be alive—no, he must still be alive. I can still sense his presence in this world." The voice seemed to grow agitated as it continued. "Moreover, at Cangwu Plains, I was far from my peak state, whereas Yu was at his zenith, and he also had the assistance of top experts from the Bai Emperor and Yan Emperor lineages. That's why I was defeated."

Yu Yanluo secretly stuck out her tongue. It seemed every powerful individual was unwilling to admit defeat, and her question had apparently offended him.

"What does 'the path to immortality was broken' mean?" Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue were more concerned with this point, asking in unison. For countless years, no matter how brilliant or talented cultivators were, none had truly achieved immortality. Was this the reason?

The voice said faintly, "This matter involves a monumental secret, and I cannot tell you now. However, if you fulfill my wish, I might consider revealing it to you."

Zu'an was speechless. This guy was a bit manipulative; he showed no sign of being the embodiment of virtue recorded in history.