This person is Hei Anjing. At first, he thought he wouldn't be allowed to enter the hall in such an open way as his body would always freeze whenever he tried to show himself in front of the Emperor but this time nothing had stopped him. It could only mean one thing, his beloved, A'Xia is already on the brink of death and nothing could save him anymore. His ending is set on the stone. He is destined to die like in his other lives.
He took steps by steps towards the Court hall. His every step was heavy and left the others who heard it tremble. The aura he is emitting is something even stronger than what the dying emperor possesses. Yes, like meeting a God. They could only prostrate in his presence. Without anyone's control, all people in the hall had kneeled before Hei Anjing except for one person.
The one who was seated on the throne looked sickly. His face is frighteningly pale and bloodless paired with those purple thin lips Hei Anjing could help but not his lips to hold back his anger and tears. This man even when he is dying is still giving him a sweet smile and those eyes full of love and yearning.
Hei Anjing could only walk towards him step by step until his strides got larger and faster. His armors faded and changed to the pure white robe he usually wears in his God form. His black hair turned light brunette and grew longer, almost reaching his foot. With his brown hair half braided with a white hairpin with dangling snowflakes, his white robe glows under the light as if he is the sun himself then those silvery irises which possessed the shade of moonlight.
He looks so untainted and unattainable. Aloof presence and ethereal aura that no mortals could possess. His Godly presence is that of an immortal descending in the mortal realm. His eyes were usually cold yet at the figure of that man sitting on the throne as if the ice had melted the feeling of spring breeze can be felt. Gentleness and undeniable love. This person's argent orbs emit such strong emotions. Yet at this time those phoenix-shaped eyes were mixed with sadness and grief especially when the corner of his eyes had longed turned red.
The duke, even the newly arrived Crown Prince, and his entourage had witnessed this scene. An extremely elegant man whose beauty is unparalleled and godly suddenly threw himself to Emperor Ye Xiajie hugging him tightly.
Like a wife finally allowed to see his husband for a long time. Ye Xiajie caught him in his embrace and hugged him. He was his world and everything.
Ye Xiajie murmured, "Finally~ I can see you. My darling wife, Jing'er~"
Everyone could only watch as the couple hugged each other without the care of everyone's eyes. The former emperor even carried Hei Anjing like a princess and placed him on his lap as they sat on the throne. He was coaxing his beloved as he gently wipes his tears. They've been wanting to see each other for the longest time. They've already become so obsessed with each other that they ignored everyone below them.
The Crown Prince who is now the new Emperor ordered his men to capture the duke and his people. The difference in the strength of the men cultivated by the former emperor is beyond normal soldiers. They are men who were soaked in the blood of their enemies. They've been at war for all they know and they are extremely loyal to the former emperor and now to the new one.
Ye Qingjing had faced his original father but his face is as cold as ice and as well as menacing. He hated how much this person had done. Not only had he abused him and treated him as trash when he was young. He even schemed against his own brother. On the way, he heard from the old eunuch that his foster father is poisoned by the unknown, it doesn't have any name nor any antidote. No wonder his Empress mother had run away like that just to see his foster father. They are finally meeting but they would also bid farewell.
The duke spoke, "Who the hell is that man? How can someone of his great standing hug that tyrant ah???"
"Are you talking about my Empress Mother? He is the sole person Emperor Father had loved all these years. He had also emptied his harem to appease Empress Mother. The only man Emperor Father loves the most." answered Ye Qinjing.
"Impossible. Impossible. That's a God. How can he love a mortal!"
"What are you talking about? The Empress has always been secretly protecting his father but he never interfered on the surface. We already knew about your poisoning but Empress Mother says that it is destined. They…."
Only then Ye Qinjing recall that his Empress Mother would say that he could only meet his Emperor Father at the moment of his death. Because only after this he would be able to leave this world with his father. Recalling this the Crown Prince had run back to the hall. Only he had met his foster parents while the others were not allowed to see them.
"Emperor Father! Empress Mother!"
Hei Anjing looked at him. Even though he had no smile on his face he could see his soft gaze on himself.
"You're here. Your father wanted to say something to you. Come over, child." said Hei Anjing.
Ye Qinjing went to where his poster parents are. He could see his father's current state withering at each second that passed.
Ye Xiajie looked proud at this moment as he stared adoringly at him. His face looks as stern as before but he looks kind as a father.
"You're here, son."
"Y-Yes, father…"
"Good. Listen, the people we will leave to you are loyal but their hearts are still with me. You need to win them okay. The country is already at peace but you still need lots of time to stabilize the whole land. Remember you are now the emperor."
"Yes, Father. This child would listen to all your words."
"I suggest you split your people into different fields. One who would help you control the court. One who would control your finances. One who would oversee your territory. One who would be protecting the inside of the palace and the outside. You also need to create laws. These laws would help you stabilize the whole picture."
"Yes, Mother. This child would remember."
Ye Xiajie pats his head like a child. He had always placed his hope on this child this way. After that Hei Anjing had lightly hugged this child whom they watched grow up to this. They are proud of him.
"Listen. Mother will give you a blessing but don't abuse it much. This blessing for me would allow you to call upon rain. Stop the flood and control the winter itself. You can do it a bit but don't overuse it. It takes lifespan as energy. Use it only when there is no other option."
At this moment, the father and son looked at Hei Anjing in astonishment. The power to control one's weather is something only the Gods can use. Now they are so sure that Hei Anjing before them is a Godly existence that is even rarer than dragons.
But Ye Xiajie is frowning for a different reason, "Stop hugging him already!"
"Sigh~ you're even jealous of your son."
"Yes, you can only hug me."
In this scene, Ye Qinjing couldn't hold back his laugh and smiled at this peaceful scene. Then he saw his father laid his head on his Mother's lap and was groggily closing his eyes. Under those eyes is black skin which signifies his current poisoned state.
"Father is so tired already. Let me sleep for a bit," said Ye Xiajie but all of them knew that once he closed his eyes he would never ever open his eyes again.
Ye Qinjing wanted to beg his father to not sleep but seeing his Empress Mother's tears he stopped his words. He even saw him shake his head stopping him from speaking.
He couldn't only hold back all his sadness in his heart and cheerfully said, "Sleep well, Father. Leave everything to Xiao Qin!"
"Um! Today happens to be the happiest day in Zhen's life. I could now accompany your mother anytime." said Ye Xiajie who held his wife's hand tighter.
"En. We should get going, my love," said Hei Anjing as he kissed his husband's lips for the last time.
"Yes, we… Should… go…"
At that last word, Ye Xiajie once again took his last breath. At this moment, Hei Anjing and the newly crowned Emperor could no longer hold back their tears and cried their eyes out.
Hei Anjing whispered, "He is… gone."
The sound of crying was endless near the throne. This was the first time Emperor Qin had cried out like a child at his age upon his father's death.
It took a while before the two of them had calmed down, especially Ye Qinjing. He stopped crying when he saw what his mother was doing. He took something from inside the body of the former emperor. A glowing ball of light appeared in his Empress Mother's palm. It looks like a glowing light yet it emits darkness from within. He knew that this was his Emperor Father's soul. He got sure of it when he saw his Empress Mother cuddling at the white orb-like it was the most precious thing in his world. It was because of this gentleness and irrefutable love that his Empress Mother shows that certified that identity of the soul.
"Empress Mother, is that Emperor Father?" asked Ye Qinjing with a gentle voice.
A rare expression of his Empress Mother's lips slightly upturned was witnessed by him. His Empress Mother only smiles at his Emperor Father and no one else.
"Yes. It is my task to watch over his life without interference. This is why even though I can heal his poison, I never did. Because we couldn't stay too long in this world. Child… I treat you my son so I will tell you the truth of this world. This world is not everything. This isn't the only world that existed. Worlds are called stars and these stars gather in a universe. But the origin is vast and there are countless universes that live. This is just one of the stars within a universe. There are rankings for each world. The lowest is F and the highest is SSS. I and your father came from the sole SSS world called Vearth.
In Vearth, only deities and gods live there. There are also demon gods and evil gods. Mythical creatures who had attained Godhood like Dragons and Phoenixes are normal to where I came from. Child, with my blessing you were given an opportunity to ascend as a God in the future. If you work hard you should be able to meet us again. Your father's real name is Ye Xiajie and mine is Hei Anjing. If you ever come to Vearth you should be able to find us with our names." explained Hei Anjing as he softly caressed Ye Qinjing's forehead and an imprint of snowflakes appeared on his skin.
Ye Qinjing was stunned by what he was hearing. He was already shocked enough to learn that this man who had become his Empress Mother is a God. Now, his Empress Mother had enlightened him with the truth of the world. But before he could ask anything he could only watch his parents fade into nothingness. Only a veil of snowflakes was left behind and his Empress Mother's lingering words.
"You might be a child related to us by blood but to us, you are indeed our first child. Xiao Qin, Father, and Dad will wait for you above. Live to the fullest and never regret. Always remember, you are my and A'Xia's beloved child."
The current emperor could no longer hold back his tears to cry once again. On this day, the day the newly titled emperor had cried like a child who had lost both his parents who had supported and loved him all this time.
A grand funeral was held for his parents. There is a body for the former emperor but there is no body left behind by the Empress Mother. Those who were in the court hall that day knew that the Empress Mother of the current Emperor is a God. So no one asked the emperor where the Empress Mother had gone. Among his former father's subordinates, only the old eunuch had asked where the Empress had gone.
The current Emperor had only said, "Empress Mother and Emperor Father had ascended to heavens. They are both alright."
After hearing those words the old eunuch had no longer continued asking, this might be a secret that only the Gods above knows. In his heart, he reveres the former Empress and Emperor as Gods.. He had continued doing so until the end of his life.
