After the Immortal Disappeared

Chapter 415: Chapter 414: Recounting Beiga’s Past

”So in these past four hundred-plus years, the Beiga Kingdom itself hasn’t been very peaceful, has it?”

”That’s right. There have been wars of all sizes, both within and between the Vassal Kingdoms—and that’s not even counting the conflicts, frictions, and contradictions. When the Empire was founded, there were only twelve Vassal Kingdoms. At one point, the number grew to seventeen, which means there were both secessions and annexations. Now, it’s back to twelve again.”

”Twelve?” A thought struck Hee Lingchuan. ’Right now, it’s the seventeenth year of the Panlong Calendar, and the Beiga Kingdom only has twelve Demon Kings. But in my era, over a hundred years from now, there are thirteen—one more has been added.’

”With so much internal chaos, how has the Beiga Kingdom not fallen apart?” Hee Lingchuan sighed. ”Our own homeland, Xiluo, is currently being torn apart by its Vassal Kings.”

Sunx Fuling laughed. ”After a few hundred years of chaos, I suppose they’ve gotten quite experienced at it, haven’t they?”

”...” ’To be chaotic without collapsing is a skill in itself,’ he thought.

”Alright, no more joking.” Sunx Fuling cleared her throat. ”The authority of the Beiga Demon Emperor is unshakable. This is what sets it apart from other feudal systems, including our own Xiluo. No matter how chaotic things get within the Beiga Kingdom, no matter how viciously the Demon Kings fight amongst themselves, when the Demon Emperor gives a command, no one dares to disobey.”

”I remember, one hundred and twenty years ago, the two Vassal Demon Kingdoms, Xuluo and White Elephant, were in the middle of a heated war when the Beiga Kingdom suddenly deployed its army to conquer the Yuh Kingdom. The Xuluo and White Elephant Kingdoms immediately ceased hostilities, each dispatching seven thousand soldiers to join the Demon Emperor’s campaign. The Xuluo Demon King even sent his own son. And the funniest part? Those two armies were assigned to the same unit. One month, they were at each other’s throats, suffering casualties on both sides; the next, they had to eat, bunk, and sleep together.”

Hee Lingchuan couldn’t help but ask, ”And that worked? Did nothing bad happen?”

”Oh, things happened,” Sunx Fuling said casually. ”Historical records show a hundred casualties from infighting. But it was all private brawls and arranged duels. Publicly, the two armies still had to present a united front against the enemy. After the war ended, the Demon Emperor returned to court, and the Demon Kings led their troops home. Then, the Xuluo and White Elephant Kingdoms went right back to finishing the fight they’d started.”

”It’s truly mind-boggling.” Generally, when Vassal Kings become too powerful or rebellions break out, it’s because the central authority has weakened. It’s a natural ebb and flow of power. But the Beiga Demon Emperor keeps a firm grip on his authority, allowing the Demon Kings beneath him to fight among themselves while he remains secure on his throne, with no one able to escape his grasp.

”Other kingdoms can’t manage that. Is it because the Demon Emperor’s authority is granted by the Deities?”

”Of course.” Sunx Fuling gave a firm nod. ”Beiga’s Founding Great Emperor was a once-in-a-generation talent, to be sure. He turned a tiny nation into a powerhouse, ruling tens of millions of humans with his Demon Body. But ultimately, it was the Deities who forged the greatest unifying force for him. Otherwise, how could he command those dozen or so rebellious, untamable Demon Kings as extensions of his own will?”

’For the past two millennia, there’s a reason the Demons have been in decline, driven into the deep mountains and ancient forests by the Human Race. In terms of individual combat strength, how could humans possibly compete with Demons?’

’What they lack is a unifying force.’

”That’s why the Beiga Kingdom reveres the Deities so highly, with the entire nation worshipping them.” ’They’re worshipping the very foundation of their kingdom.’

’Of course, it could also be a requirement from the Deities themselves. Why else would they help the Demon Emperor rule the Beiga Kingdom? Surely not out of the goodness of their hearts.’

”Then why don’t other kingdoms just worship the Deities, too? Why can’t they become a second Beiga Kingdom?”

”That question has been asked for a long time, but there’s never been a definitive answer. The fact we see in the Mortal World is this: whether it’s a person or a kingdom, worshipping the Deities seems to offer a path to victory, but it almost never ends well for them. The Beiga Kingdom is the sole exception.” Sunx Fuling’s voice became a near whisper. ”My personal theory is that the issue lies with the Deities themselves. They probably aren’t a monolithic entity. We know nothing of their organization or how they communicate.”

”It’s just like your hypothesis about the Emperor’s Liquid being formed from the fall of Deities.” She gave a slight smile. ”I suspect they aren’t a monolith internally.”

”So, what do the Deities get from the Beiga Kingdom in return?”

Sunx Fuling paused at the question, gently swirling the liquor in her cup. ”For two or three thousand years, the shadow of the Deities has loomed over the entire history of the Mortal World. What do you think they’re after?”

Hee Lingchuan thought hard, then shook his head. ”I don’t know.”

The Deities left the Mortal World after the great cataclysm, so they should no longer have any connection to it. And yet, Hee Lingchuan could always feel their presence—from Sunx Fuping and Hong Xiangqian to the Beiga Empire he had just entered.

The influence of the Deities was everywhere.

”If we find that answer, maybe it will explain why they help the Demon Emperor, right?”

Just then, the sound of fluttering wings came from above. A figure descended from the sky and landed on the low wall.

It was an old acquaintance of Hee Lingchuan’s:

The Sparrowhawk.

”What are you doing here?”

”Taking a break.” The Sparrowhawk stared intently at the spiced beef on the table. ”Hungry.”

Hee Lingchuan said irritably, ”Aren’t there enough magpies in the city for you to eat?”

”I’m sick of them.” ’Having to pluck feathers before every meal is exhausting. Sometimes I just want something ready to eat.’ ”I fly around your house all the time. If I didn’t, the fish in your tank would have been long gone.”

It was here to take credit for its good deeds.

Sunx Fuling tossed it a small slice of beef. The Sparrowhawk caught it deftly and swallowed it in one gulp.

It had eaten so fast it didn’t even taste it. It opened its beak slightly.

’A little more?’

Hee Lingchuan picked up a piece of roast chicken and dangled it in front of the hawk. ”Tell me what’s been happening in the city first.”

”Nothing in the city. But there’s news from outside.” The Sparrowhawk hopped to the ground and shuffled toward the roast chicken, one step at a time.

Once the raptor was on the ground, it waddled back and forth, looking no different from a goose out for a stroll.

Sunx Fuling saw it panting with its beak open. It was clearly exhausted, so she fetched a bowl of water for it. ”You’ve been flying a long time. Drink first.”

Just as she’d thought, the Sparrowhawk drank thirstily, allowing Sunx Fuling to stroke the feathers on its back.

”The King of Xiji died three days ago. I just got back from the Xiji Kingdom and have already reported it to Commander Zhong.”

”The Xiji Kingdom?” Hee Lingchuan frowned. ”Isn’t that the nation blocking the eastern end of the Panlong Wasteland?”

”It is,” Sunx Fuling chimed in. ”Ten years ago, that land was still part of Xiluo’s territory. Then the Changhou People seized it and established the Xiji Kingdom. Their leader, the King of Xiji, was quite capable. But it seems his life wasn’t long enough, and his successors are nothing special.”

Whether a hero or a tyrant, you have to live long enough to hold onto the territory you’ve conquered.

”How can you tell his successors are nothing special?” ’As someone from a later time, Hee Lingchuan knew perfectly well what would become of the Xiji Kingdom.’

”The Xiji Kingdom is in a volatile region. A major event like the king’s death can easily trigger instability. If his son were clever, he would have kept the death a secret to buy time for a smooth transition of power. The fact that the news got out immediately... I foresee trouble for the Xiji Kingdom.” Sunx Fuling then asked the Sparrowhawk, ”Who is inheriting the throne?”

”The third son, Huyan Zhao.”

Hee Lingchuan asked Sunx Fuling, ”What do you think? Will Panlong City seize this opportunity?”

”Why ask me?” Sunx Fuling said with a grin. ”You should be asking Commander Zhong.”

The Sparrowhawk tapped his pant leg with its sharp beak. It was rewarded with a piece of roast chicken, which it savored with its eyes half-closed.

’Mmm, not bad.’

”Oh, right. I have something for you.” Hee Lingchuan washed his hands before pulling a booklet from his robes and handing it to her. ”See if you like it.”

”The... Divine Record?” Sunx Fuling’s eyes lit up. She took it and flipped through a few pages, her pace quickening. ”This is the Handwriting of the Beiga Demon Emperor Wuchen, written in his later years! Where did you get this?”

”I bought it from a traveling merchant,” Hee Lingchuan said with a slight cough. ”It’s a gift.”

He had asked Shi the Second to scour Fufeng City for it after he arrived. The Demon Emperor’s Handwriting had been widely copied and was a popular collector’s item among the nobility of the Beiga Kingdom, so he’d figured there would be a copy in Fufeng City.

He remembered Sunx Fuling mentioning on Spirit Island that she wanted to read this journal.

Sunx Fuling’s face beamed with delight as she began to read eagerly. But after a few more pages, she looked up in surprise. ”This handwriting... it looks just like yours?”

”Ah, well, I transcribed it.” The real-world copy couldn’t be brought into the Dream Realm, so he had to memorize the entire text and write it out from memory after he fell asleep. Luckily, his Divine Sense was growing stronger, so memorizing a text of a few thousand words was no trouble. ”The original was ancient and falling apart. It shed flakes every time you turned a page. I figured it would be easier if I just copied it for you... Is my handwriting too ugly?”

”Not at all.” Sunx Fuling’s smile was radiant. ”I love it. Thank you!”

They looked at each other, speechless. But in the silence, everything was understood.

The Sparrowhawk cautiously craned its neck and snatched a slice of beef from the plate, trying not to make a sound.

But the meat slice snagged an empty wine cup, which toppled over with a jarring CLINK.

Sunx Fuling glanced down at it. The Sparrowhawk shrank its neck, the slice of beef still in its beak, frozen, not knowing whether to swallow or not.

Hee Lingchuan coughed, breaking the tension. ”So, this Beiga system has held for over four hundred years. Has no Demon Kingdom ever successfully resisted it?”

”Over the past four hundred-plus years, at least seventeen or eighteen usurpers have seized power. Because the Deities wouldn’t recognize or grant them a title, they attempted to secede from the Beiga Kingdom and establish their own nations.” Sunx Fuling raised her cup and took a small sip. ”Without exception, they all failed.”

”Lingxu City’s army is too powerful, and it’s backed by a dozen other Demon Kingdoms. Facing odds of more than ten to one, these usurpers stood no chance. For the next two or three hundred years, everyone fell in line, no longer daring to challenge the authority of the Celestial God and the Demon Emperor,” she explained. ”That is, until another exception emerged about twenty-something years ago.”

”Oh?” He loved hearing about exceptions.

”The new monarch of the Yuanl Kingdom, one of the twelve Demon Kingdoms, refused to be invested by the Deities and sought to declare independence from the Beiga Kingdom. It just so happened that three other Beiga Demon Kingdoms were embroiled in a war at the time and couldn’t respond to Lingxu City’s call. Lingxu City dispatched its army three times, and all three times, they were defeated by Yuanl. The Demon Emperor was enraged and mobilized the full might of the Empire against them. Even so, the Yuanl Kingdom stubbornly resisted for more than three years before it finally fell.”

”The Yuanl Kingdom sounds tough,” Hee Lingchuan said, his curiosity piqued. ”Are there any books in the Wenxuan Pavilion about the battles from that war?”

”Very few. The Beiga Kingdom is a long way away, after all, and this was over twenty years ago.” Sunx Fuling sighed. ”Besides, the Panlong Wasteland has been under siege for more than a decade now.”