Journey to the End of the Night Chapter 1588 - 966: Desperate Ambition (Part 2)

With utmost humility and reverence, Fang You adopted a subservient stance, his words conveying deep respect, yet a current of profound suspicion ran beneath.

Mortals were often regarded as mere ants, their existence hanging precariously at the mercy of those in positions of authority.

If the Azure Emperor's identity were truly within Baili An, then it was inexplicable why he would be present here in this manner.

A stalemate had been reached.

This also signified that if Baili An were indeed the Azure Emperor, Shifang City, by all logical accounts, should have ceased to exist.

However, given that Shifang City remained miraculously intact, with no discernible signs or news to suggest otherwise...

The conclusion was that he could not possibly be the Azure Emperor.

As a mere mortal, presumptuously donning the title of Emperor, Fang You possessed more than enough justification to eliminate him on the spot.

It was clear that Fang You was not easily deceived; Baili An would need to provide a truly compelling explanation.

The peril that ought to have befallen Shifang City this very night might now fall squarely upon his own shoulders.

Baili An exhibited no trace of apprehension on his countenance. A subtle smile touched his lips as he spoke with an air of unhurried ease, "City Lord Fang has yet to address my initial inquiry."

His first question had been...

Fang You faltered for a moment, the implication eluding him.

Then, Baili An produced a sprig of plum blossoms from the depths of his sleeve, its delicate petals already showing signs of wilting.

Yet, against the backdrop of the wind and snow, it still managed to exude a measure of its inherent frosty elegance.

Baili An articulated slowly, his gaze steady, "Miss Xue hailed from the snow-capped peaks of Kunlun, graced with an immortal physique and blessed with an exceptionally long lifespan. Yet, her destiny was inexplicably cut short beneath the chilling walls of Shifang City.

Miss Xue and I shared a long-standing acquaintance, and Shifang City has inexplicably found itself teetering on the brink of a dire predicament.

While I possess the authority to report these matters to the Emperor and, by extension, to eradicate the impending calamity, this place holds significance as the homeland of an old friend. Until such a moment becomes absolutely necessary, I harbor no desire to witness it engulfed by disaster and ruin."

He rotated the plum blossom branch with deliberate slowness in his hand, then lifted his eyes to meet Fang You's, inquiring, "Does this reasoning suffice?"

Fang You's gaze lingered upon the nearly faded plum blossom branch for an extended period, his voice a low murmur, "Hardly anyone aside from myself knew of A'Fu's fondness for the moonlit night and plum blossoms. For an Immortal Lord to possess such a profound connection with my late wife..."

Perceiving his peculiar reaction, Baili An inclined his head slightly, posing a question, "Is City Lord Fang perhaps disinclined to believe?"

"No, no, absolutely not..." Fang You forced a smile, attempting to smooth over the situation. "It is simply that my departed wife possessed a rather detached and eccentric demeanor. She rarely formed close bonds, whether with Immortals or mortals.

Even after many years of marriage, the person I observed was more akin to a meticulously crafted order than a living, breathing individual.

It is difficult for me to fathom that someone with her temperament could have harbored an old friend who would remember her so fondly."

Truly a wily, old strategist.

While his words appeared to be a hasty attempt at placation towards Baili An, the underlying current of probing inquiry remained unabated.

Baili An emitted a soft chuckle, his tone measured, "Why must City Lord Fang insist on such candid explanations?

The world recognizes the Ten Directions Sword solely as the ancestral blade of Shifang City, but those dwelling within the Six Realms are unaware...

That what this sword truly restrains is the progenitor of the Evil Gods, a being of immense destructive power that wreaked havoc in antiquity, the very genesis of all calamities.

The Ten Directions Sword was never intended as a mere heirloom; rather, it was Miss Xue's sacred duty to bear the seal against this source of disaster.

To successfully seal the True Ancestor Evil God, the wielder of the Ten Directions Sword must achieve a state of utter detachment, eradicating the seven emotions, renouncing the six desires, and severing all familial bonds and ties of kinship.

Her aloofness was not her inherent nature, but a consequence of worldly joys and sorrows being beyond her purview.

Prior to this, Miss Xue was simply a person like any other, subject to the full spectrum of human emotions. However, even after her familial ties were severed, her memories of old friends remained. It is for this reason that I have come of my own accord."

Baili An's concluding statement utterly dismantled Fang You's psychological defenses.

The secret enshrouded within the Ten Directions Sword far surpassed the magnitude of the Witch Plague! Even his own two sons were entirely ignorant of such a truth.

Regarding this matter, he had maintained absolute silence, a tightly sealed vault. Even his most trusted confidant, Qin Lou, possessed only partial knowledge, unaware of the complete picture.

He found it utterly incomprehensible how anyone could possess such an intimate and thorough understanding of the Ten Directions Sword's origins.

Despite being besieged by a swarm of doubts, every one of them was eradicated without a trace by Baili An's meticulous and flawlessly presented exposition.

If this individual were not a being of the Immortal World, how could he possibly know Xue Fu?

If he were not of exceptionally high immortal standing, how could he freely traverse the sacred precincts of Kunlun's pristine mountains?

And if he were not genuinely an old comrade of Xue Fu, how could he possess such profound insight into the Ten Directions Sword?

He was even acutely aware of her severing of the seven emotions.

At this precise moment, Fang You’s mouth felt as though it had been stuffed with bitter herbs, an overwhelming bitterness consuming him.

Though the future Qing Emperor had arrived with the stated purpose of aiding Shifang City in overcoming its dire straits,

with such a formidable individual present, who could ascertain if this presence heralded fortune or disaster?

His physique resembled a deflated balloon, slowly collapsing, his hand propping up his weary forehead as his tone turned somber.

"Indeed, I possessed prior knowledge of Li Qiuxing's investigations into the Witch Plague technique."

Had I not implicitly sanctioned his endeavors, Shifang City would not find itself in its current dire predicament."

Baili An reflected inwardly, his thoughts confirming his suspicions: 'So, it was as I surmised.'

"What was City Lord Fang's underlying objective in undertaking such a course of action?"

A note of painful resignation laced Fang You's voice: "I am merely a common mortal. Without A Fu's guidance and unwavering support, ascending to the position of City Lord would have been an impossible feat for me.

Following A Fu's demise, while I was fortunate enough to assume leadership of Shifang City, regardless of my diligent and arduous efforts, I could still acutely perceive the vast chasm separating me from those blessed with immortal bodies.

The prospect of witnessing Shifang City's decline under my stewardship was unbearable. Can the Immortal Lord comprehend my plight?

To occupy a position of great responsibility, bearing everyone's expectations, yet lacking the inherent ability to fulfill them all, the resulting state of mind must be one of profound powerlessness.

I could not bear the thought of the world branding A Fu's husband as 'useless' after complete disillusionment with Shifang City; the cruelty of such a label would be unbearable, both to myself and to her memory!"

An ordinary individual, thrust into a position of authority, elevated by expectations beyond their innate capabilities.

The internal struggle, the pervasive despair, the profound and suffocating sense of powerlessness – no one understood these feelings better than Baili An.

There was a period in his own life when he too was ensnared in a disorienting nightmare of self-imposed confinement.

During such critical junctures, one clings desperately to any available lifeline, striving for self-preservation.

This is the instinctive response of a soul teetering on the precipice of despair.

Baili An's lips tightened, a complex swirl of emotions within him, and he maintained his silence.

Fang You continued his somber confession: "I was aware of Li Qiuxing's inherently dubious character and his insatiable ambition.

However, I had personally witnessed the two self-aware puppets my wife, the original 'Yinghuo,' had brought into existence.

Merely those two creations, upon their inception, possessed martial combat prowess rivaling tens of thousands of ordinary Mechanical Puppets.

Even more astounding was their absolute adherence to their creator's commands, displaying both formidable strength and unwavering loyalty, coupled with an almost transcendent level of wisdom.

The disparity was as vast as that between heaven and earth when compared to the Mechanical Puppets on the battlefield, which necessitate spiritual power for their control!

These exceptional beings could autonomously absorb the ambient Qi of the world, cultivating and evolving much like mortals.

I had never before witnessed such a magnificent creation, and I remain profoundly awestruck by A Fu’s unparalleled skills.

Yet, fate intervened, and before I could acquire such a profound Puppetry Technique from A Fu, she tragically passed away.

Following A Fu's departure, the wider world remained oblivious to the covert military coup that convulsed Shifang City, an event during which my own life hung precariously in the balance.

Without A Fu's presence, Shifang City, due to my inherent incompetence, had become as fragile as thin paper."

"Should I continue to falter and achieve nothing, Shifang City would inevitably become a mere target for plunder, its skilled artifact refiners and talisman masters subjected to exploitation as their talents are siphoned for others' gain.

My desire to prevent A Fu's people from becoming pawns in the schemes of others fueled my decision; Shifang City must achieve greater strength, and though I knew Li Qiuxing's methods were as venomous as poison, I was compelled to drink it to quench my thirst."

Fang You’s eyes were awash with sorrow and profound helplessness, his mournful voice descending into a choked, near-hoarse whisper.

Reflecting upon the years of internal torment and relentless struggle, it was an unending ordeal that relentlessly tore at his very soul.

"Indeed, through repeated trials utilizing the spreading Witch Plague on various experimental Mechanical Puppet subjects, the results consistently demonstrated that puppets endowed with self-awareness were vastly superior to their conventional counterparts.

My initial conviction was that I, too, could forge warriors as formidable and invincible as 'Yinghuo' through my own efforts.

But who could have foreseen that this very ambition would mark... the genesis of a catastrophic disaster."

At this point, Fang You emitted a sigh of utter powerlessness: "It was also a consequence of my own arrogance and profound foolishness; years later, Jiushijiu and Xiao Wu harbored ambitions of rebellion, plunging Shifang City into utter chaos.

Even my own daughter narrowly escaped death at their hands; you see, even the puppets meticulously crafted by an Immortal like A Fu harbored such significant hidden dangers and inherent risks."