mesbooks Chapter 300 The Heavy Responsibility for the Throne
Chapter 300 The Heavy Responsibility for the Throne
King Ling nodded to indicate that his injuries were better, then looked at the broken arrows scattered all over the ground, his eyes revealing helplessness and exhaustion.
"Chaos is imminent, like a raging torrent that cannot be stopped by the efforts of one person alone..."
Her voice was filled with a deep sense of helplessness.
"I've guarded it for so many years, but in the end I still couldn't stop it."
Xiao Lie's heart sank: "Is there really... absolutely no way?"
"At least for now, there's nothing we can do."
King Ling shook his head slightly, a glimmer of hope flashing in his eyes before quickly fading away.
"Let's see how much longer we can hold out. I wonder... if Brother Wang has already obtained that item."
"What is it?" Xiao Lie pressed.
"Spirit Pendant".
"A spirit pendant? What's that?"
King Ling smiled wryly and said, "I don't know!"
"I've only heard of this rumor. It's a treasure buried by our ancestors, said to be able to stabilize the country and ensure the imperial dynasty's longevity."
It was only passed down by word of mouth, and no one ever saw the treasure's true form.
She paused and slowly began to recount the past: "Back then, my brother chose to leave and let me temporarily assume the throne of the Ling Kingdom because the Ling Kingdom was caught between the three powerful kingdoms of Gu Xuan Dynasty, Si Dynasty and Qin Kingdom, and was in a difficult situation."
He said he would search for the spirit pendant, saying that only by finding it could the Spirit Kingdom truly escape its predicament and no longer be controlled by other nations.
"But this departure lasted for a full eighteen years!"
King Ling gazed at the sky, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
"I kept this secret, I protected this country, thinking that as long as I held on until he came back, everything would get better."
But I never expected... his return would begin in this way.
The Five Spirits listened quietly, their expressions solemn.
Having followed the Empress for many years, they naturally knew that she was not a man.
Little did anyone know that such a complex and winding past lay behind this.
Xiao Lie was also filled with mixed feelings. He looked at the Spirit King's pale face and suddenly clenched his fist.
Even if chaos truly descends, we may not necessarily be the losers.
At least... we can fight side by side.
The Spirit King looked at him, a hint of warmth flashing in his eyes.
In the end, he just sighed softly.
"You don't understand how terrible this chaotic world is, but..."
Back then, Liu Lingzhen's strength was only at the Middle Yuan Realm.
Although he was incredibly brave on the battlefield, single-handedly striking fear into the hearts of the enemy, he ultimately could not change the predicament of Ling Kingdom being devoured by the three powerful nations.
The Ling Kingdom is located between the Gu Xuan Dynasty, the Si Dynasty, and the Qin Kingdom.
Like a chess piece caught in a storm, it could be swallowed up by other countries if it is not careful.
Liu Lingzhen did this for the sake of the survival of the Spirit Kingdom and to break through her own realm to become stronger.
Therefore, he had no choice but to place his hopes on the treasure buried by his ancestors, which was rumored to be there.
Because, in his view at the time, it was the only opportunity for the Spirit Kingdom to escape its predicament.
However, the clues to the treasure are too distant and have long been blurred by time. We only know that it exists, but we don't know where it is hidden.
What puts him in an even more difficult position is that if he leaves the Spirit Kingdom to search for clues...
Then the Ling Kingdom will be leaderless, and its destruction will be accelerated.
Moreover, both the Empress and Liu Lingyu were young at that time.
They were utterly powerless to support this precarious spiritual kingdom.
Liu Lingzhen could only suppress her obsession for the time being.
When the Empress turned thirteen, Liu Lingzhen finally made up her mind to tell her younger sister that she was entrusting the throne of the Spirit King to her.
But at this time, the empress was still young, and at this age she should have been protected and loved by her older brother.
She naturally refused to let her brother leave and take the throne from her.
But Liu Lingzhen said something like this to her.
"If you are unwilling, the Ling Kingdom will be divided up by the three kingdoms within three years."
Seeing the weariness in her brother's eyes, the empress was ultimately forced to agree, for she had no other choice.
Thus, Liu Lingzhen entrusted the precarious Ling Kingdom to her young sister.
He himself quietly left the Spirit Kingdom and embarked on the unknown path to the treasure passed down from his ancestors.
The Empress was appointed to a critical position and took control of the government in the name of King Ling, but her methods were far more decisive and ruthless than others had anticipated.
She knew that the court was riddled with deep-seated problems, and if she didn't take drastic measures, the Ling Kingdom would collapse sooner or later from this internal strife, not just because other countries attacked it.
In just nine months, she exposed and dealt with all the officials who formed cliques, engaged in corruption and bribery, either demoting or executing them. Her actions were swift and decisive, leaving the court and the public in awe.
From then on, the Empress began switching between her dual identities.
Whenever there were matters of court, she would change into this Lingwang robe and wear a square-topped, right-angled crown.
After leaving court, she returned to the Illusionary Spirit Pavilion, removed her heavy crown and court robes, and transformed back into the woman with clear eyes and a hint of weariness between her brows.
A year passed in the blink of an eye as he swiftly rectified the court and balanced the various factions with a gentle approach.
Once the court situation stabilized and there were no major worries on the border, the Empress, in the name of King Ling, took the initiative to send a letter to Liu Xinhao, the Minister of the Court.
She knew that to save the Ling Kingdom, she had to find reliable assistance amidst the three kingdoms.
Among the rulers of the Three Kingdoms, Gu Xuanchao Yingtian Wang Wu Baihan was an ambitious man.
The Qin emperor Zhao Ying was extremely cunning, while only Liu Xinhao, the chief minister, was bold and unrestrained in nature, with relatively restrained ambition.
She was gambling with this idea, taking a chance to give the Ling Kingdom a chance to breathe.
During that meeting, the two drank and talked freely in the Sichao Palace, and Liu Xinhao talked all night long before they stopped.
Although the Empress is a woman, in the past year, sitting on the throne of the Spirit King, she has been able to freely restrain her feminine gentleness.
His conversation, imbued with the sharpness and candor of a young monarch, surprisingly found him quite agreeable with Liu Xinhao.
However, Liu Xinhao was sometimes secretly surprised. The Spirit King, who was rumored to be decisive and ruthless on the battlefield, was actually so handsome and gentle, with a hint of ruthlessness between his brows. He was completely unlike the violent aura he had imagined.
Over time, thanks to Liu Xinhao's boldness, the two countries actually reached a tacit understanding.
Si Chao also stopped putting pressure on Ling Kingdom.
The Empress also naturally gave the Ling Kingdom a chance to catch its breath.
Later, regarding the Tianshan Snow Lotus incident, they encountered Princess Qiulan on their way to Sichao.
The Empress, disguised as the Spirit King, encountered the intelligent Princess Qiulan of the Si Dynasty on her journey, which is why she was recognized by her.
After listening to the Spirit King's story, Xiao Lie instantly understood how much hardship the Empress had endured for the Spirit Kingdom.
He looked at the King's pale face and said softly, "So the reason you've been sitting in this position all this time is because of your brother."
So now that he's back, does that prove...?
"This proves that he has gotten what he wanted."
King Ling took over the conversation, his voice trembling slightly, and continued, "That treasure is rumored to be able to bring peace to the world."
"So that's why he left for eighteen years?"