Chapter 135: Take My Head to Apologize to the World (First update, seeking monthly votes)

"You cannot do it?"

The artifact spirit did not speak, quietly watching the eyes of this Emperor.

"I command you, return my prince to me."

【Unable to do so.】

"……Tsk."

Li Long had not considered that the artifact spirit had changed, assuming it was due to other reasons.

His brows furrowed slightly, and Li Long narrowed his eyes, pondering the situation before him.

Just moments ago, he had been happily playing the role of Jia Ming inside the Qian Mirror, not paying attention to the changes regarding Li Jiyang.

It was not until the third stage began that he noticed the situation had changed; he sent a clone into the Qian Mirror to investigate and found that blood-written farewell letter.

By then, it was already too late.

Li Jiyang had already acted.

In the recording the Qian Mirror played back for Li Long, this Eldest Prince first performed three kowtows to the void, then straightened his attire and took a short sword from his bosom.

First, he used the short sword to cut off a lock of long hair and placed it before him, then, after a deep breath, he swung the sword to sever his own head.

Without a moment's hesitation.

He personally severed his own head, sacrificing his living soul to merge into the Qian Mirror.

He left not a single word of testament, nor did he put up a shred of struggle.

In the moment between life and death, he controlled his headless body, trembling yet resolute, to lift his own head and place it before him.

Take my head to apologize to the world.

Yellow robes stained with blood, white paper with red characters.

Every word pierced the heart.

But fortunately, the environment within the Qian Mirror was special, preserving his soul from destruction; as long as the timing was right, there was still a chance for revival.

This was also the reason why Li Long could maintain his sanity until now.

Letting out a long sigh, Li Long shook his head wearily and asked:

"……Give me a reason."

【After he wrote down his grand vow, he was not influenced by any external force; all his actions stemmed from his own heart.】

This was something the former Qian Mirror artifact spirit would not have said, for there was no need, and it would not have cared.

But now, the Heaven Mirror, after thinking for a moment, said it anyway.

After being consecrated, although it was truly only a little bit, it could somewhat understand Li Long's current emotions.

It wanted to observe a bit more; perhaps it could understand even more.

【He does not wish to see you right now.】

The Heaven Mirror maintained the original mode of the artifact spirit and spoke woodenly:

【He said: "I have shame in my heart and sin upon my body; until I have repaid the Evil on my body, I have no face to meet with the Father Emperor."】

Upon receiving this result, Li Long let out a long breath, and his slightly hunched back straightened once more.

Adjusting his expression, he asked:

"How much time will it take?"

【This sin is a Questioning the Heart; at its longest, a hundred years, at its shortest, a single thought—it concerns himself.】

He who tied the bell must untie it.

This was the Heart Demon Li Jiyang had created for himself, and only he could resolve it.

Of course, if he were to use cruder methods, Li Long, as the nominal master of the Qian Mirror, was not without ways to drag him out of the Qian Mirror……

But there was truly no need for that.

He closed his eyes, thinking of the newborn infant, the child who circled his legs saying he wanted to be Emperor, and the youth who became increasingly steady and increasingly silent.

Finally, the image of the young man resolutely swinging the short sword flashed before his eyes.

That short sword was a gift he had given Li Jiyang when he came of age.

"The sword is named 【Evil-Punishing】; I hope you can use this sword to punish all the treacherous and evil people in the world."

Li Long had never imagined that the sword he had given away would become the murder weapon that killed his own child.

After a moment of silence, Li Long suddenly spoke in a loud, clear voice:

"Li Jiyang."

He called out the Eldest Prince's name, conveying his emotions.

"I do not blame you."

"It is I who have been single-mindedly Asking Dao all these years, neglecting your feelings."

"It is my fault."

Ever since ascending the throne, this was the first time Li Long had frankly admitted his own mistake.

It was just that he had never thought it would be in such a scenario.

"Whenever you are willing to forgive me, come out."

Staring deeply into a certain part of the Qian Mirror, he could feel that there was a pair of eyes watching him from behind it.

Li Long did not expose it and added one last sentence:

"Forgive me sooner; if it is too late, your mother the Empress…… will miss you."

After saying this, Li Long waited for a moment, and receiving no response, he turned and left.

He had said his piece; whether Li Jiyang could take it to heart was up to him.

"……"

After Li Long departed, the void he had been staring at gradually dissipated, revealing two figures.

Beside the child Tianjian, Li Jiyang knelt in the direction Li Long had left, remaining there for a long time without rising.

【He has already left; why are you unwilling to see him?】

【Is he not your father?】

Regarding the affection between father and son, it was slightly curious.

"I..."

Li Jiyang slowly stood up; there was a deep scar around his neck, looking exceptionally hideous.

His expression was somewhat complex as he slowly shook his head and whispered:

"I do not know what expression I should use to face him."

【Even though you are father and son?】

"It is precisely because we are father and son that I cannot... Sorry, you might not understand even if I told you."

A father is a father, and a son is a son.

Just because Li Long could adjust his mood does not mean Li Jiyang could come to terms with it.

【Oh, I will try to understand.】

Li Jiyang: "..."

Regarding the state of Tianjian, Li Jiyang knew more than Li Long.

After all, if it were not for Tianjian taking the initiative to act, he would not even be able to maintain his current state and would have long since completely merged into the Mirror.

After having died once, Li Jiyang was indifferent to many things.

The Mirror artifact spirit has developed independent intelligence? What does that have to do with a dead man like me?

Far from being a disaster for Beigan, Tianjian was actually his benefactor.

"... Ha."

However, there were some things that, even if they came from a benefactor, he had to ask about clearly...

Taking a deep breath, Li Jiyang slowly asked Tianjian:

"Lord Artifact Spirit, what is your... relationship with my ninth sister?"

Why do you look so much like Li Qiushui!?

Li Jiyang was the Eldest Prince; by the time Li Qiushui was born, he was already nearly an adult, so he could naturally remember what she looked like when she was young.

And now, Tianjian, while not completely identical, at least shared seventy or eighty percent of a resemblance to Li Qiushui in the brows and eyes.

The shock of this matter was even harder for Li Jiyang to accept than the artifact spirit having intelligence.

To him, the status of the Mirror was comparable to that of the Ancestor.

And now, the Ancestor actually looked like his younger sister; what kind of situation is this!?

【She...】

Tianjian thought about the relationship between Ren Yidao and Li Qiushui, deliberated for a moment, and then said:

【She is a female who might become my mother.】

Li Jiyang:?

Unable to care about anything else, Li Jiyang pressed both hands onto Tianjian's shoulders.

"Ah!?"

Pop.

Under the force of his agitation, accompanied by a soft sound, the head on Li Jiyang's neck rolled off and fell to the ground.

Splat.

But the headless body still maintained its previous motion, shaking Tianjian's body back and forth.

The head that had fallen to the ground could not care about anything else; it rolled on the ground and asked in bewilderment:

"You, you explain yourself clearly!"