#135 - Chapter 135: Emperor

“Successor, congratulations on passing the second trial of strength. This trial tests the use of visceral runes by the successor. Before you, the successor named Fourth Prince used a secret method to amplify his strength to pass this trial, so I gave him a score of seven, just barely passing. But you didn't use any secret methods to amplify your strength to pass this trial. You understood the true meaning of this trial, skillfully used the visceral runes, and finally completed the sacrifice, defeating the Great Strength Black Mountain Bull. I give you a score of ten.”

The black-robed, withered old man looked at Lin Changqing with admiration. This was the most outstanding successor he had seen in so many years.

To get a perfect score in both the speed and strength trials, even in the ancient times of the Mountain and Sea Sect, there weren't many people who could achieve the same as Lin Changqing.

Afterward, the black-robed, withered old man also told Lin Changqing that those who used secret methods to amplify their strength, like the Fourth Prince, would not receive the benefits of the heart sacrifice rune.

[After listening to the black-robed, withered old man's words, you thought to yourself, 'As expected, the Fourth Prince didn't receive the benefits of this trial because he used a secret method to amplify his strength.' Then, you asked the black-robed old man what the third trial was. The black-robed, withered old man said...]

“The third trial is the most difficult trial of the Witch inheritance. This trial is a trial of illusions. The successor must undergo a hundred trials of life's illusions. In these illusions, you will become different people, soldiers, merchants, kings, to experience the myriad aspects of life. The greatest difficulty of this trial is to maintain your original heart in each illusion. I can tell you that the challenger before you withdrew automatically after completing only a small portion of the illusion trials because he was about to lose himself, lose his original heart. Losing your original heart is almost the same as dying.”

“He almost lost himself in the illusion, mistaking himself for someone else. So, successor, are you sure you want to begin the illusion trial? This trial is very risky. You may lose your true self.”

[The black-robed, withered old man told you about the third trial of illusions. After hearing that the third trial was a trial of illusions, you were overjoyed.]

[Before this, you were worried about whether you could pass the third trial. After all, the first two trials were already so difficult, who knew what level of difficulty the third trial would be. But after hearing the black-robed old man say it was a trial of illusions, you knew this one was in the bag. What are you least afraid of? Illusions!]

[With the simulator, you can maintain your original heart. Last time, when the Heavenly Wolf Demon Emperor tried to seize your body in the secret realm, you didn't lose yourself. You are confident that you can pass the third trial of illusions.]

“I've decided to begin the third trial,” Lin Changqing said. The black-robed, withered old man nodded, then snapped his fingers. Instantly, Lin Changqing felt the devouring black light engulf him.

[After being swallowed by the black light, you felt your consciousness being lost. When you woke up again, you found yourself grown into an infant. The surrounding environment seemed to be a royal palace. A middle-aged woman was holding you, and in front of you was a middle-aged man wearing royal robes, looking at you with doting eyes. You knew the illusion trial had begun.]

[The first scene of the illusion world turned you into the son of a royal family. Your father was the Sifang King of the Dayun Dynasty.]

[The Sifang King was the number one king of the Dayun Dynasty, the current emperor's younger brother, and had performed outstanding military service. As the son of a royal family, you received much attention from the moment you were born. Even the emperor of the Dayun Dynasty personally sent congratulatory gifts to you.]

“Is this life turning me into a king?” you thought. You calmly observed everything around you. But slowly, you seemed to be influenced by some force. The memories of Lin Changqing from his previous life slowly faded, and you gradually adapted to your life as the son of a royal family.

“The power of this illusion is quite strong, influencing me from the very beginning,” Lin Changqing narrowed his eyes and observed the text on the panel. The panel began to update line by line.

Writing about his life as the son of a royal family.

[At the age of three, you began to practice martial arts. You showed amazing talent. At the age of twelve, you entered the realm of the top masters in the martial world, and were known as the Little Prince. At the age of eighteen, you went to the battlefield, personally leading the Dayun Dynasty's army deep into the desert, killing 100,000 Northern Barbarian iron cavalry, expanding the territory by thousands of miles, and shaking the world with your might. The Dayun Emperor praised you for being the bravest in the three armies.]

[Everyone knew your prestige. The Dayun Dynasty produced a Little Prince who was even more outstanding than the Sifang King. At the age of twenty, the Sifang King died of illness, and you inherited the title of Sifang King, becoming the new Sifang King.]

[At the age of twenty-five, you married and had children. At the age of thirty, you led the Dayun Dynasty's army, sweeping across the world, conquering east and west, first pacifying the desert grasslands to the north, then heading west out of Yangguan, sweeping across three thousand miles. You expanded the territory of the Dayun Dynasty to an unimaginable extent.]

[At the age of twenty-eight, your prestige surpassed that of your deceased father. The entire army only knew the Sifang King, not the Dayun Emperor. Your uncle, the emperor, began to be wary of you, trying to reduce your military power.]

[At the age of thirty, you decided to act in advance. You led the army to surround the Dayun Dynasty's capital. In April of the following year, you conquered the capital, killed your uncle, and established yourself as emperor. You called yourself the supreme emperor who conquered the world. In the next ten years, from the grasslands in the north to the oases and deserts in the west, and to the large islands and oceans in the south, you sent out iron cavalry to conquer everything in the world. You accomplished unimaginable feats.]

[However, as you indulged in the great achievements of becoming a supreme emperor, you gradually forgot your original memories. The memories of Lin Changqing as a cultivator were forgotten by you. You seemed to really think that you were that ruthless emperor who killed his uncle and established himself as emperor.]

“Fortunately, I have the simulator, so I can still maintain my original heart.”

In the narrow room, Lin Changqing calmly looked at the updated text on the panel. Judging from the text, he seemed to have completely indulged in the illusion and lost his original heart.

Fortunately, this was the simulator. He was not affected by the illusion. Even if he was lost in the illusion in the simulation, it didn't matter as long as he was not affected outside of the simulation.

[Ten years passed. You conquered all the land that could be conquered, but at the same time, you began to age. You began to panic. In the year you turned fifty, you sent a ship leading a mighty army to find immortal medicine for you.]

[To your disappointment, the ship you sent overseas to find immortal medicine never returned. You waited for eight years, and even when you turned fifty-eight, you still didn't see the ship return. At the same time, you, at the age of fifty-eight, became increasingly old. You conquered all the land in the world, but you couldn't conquer time. You inevitably moved towards death and old age.]

[In the year you turned sixty, you felt that your lifespan was running out. You became increasingly panicked. You began to become irritable, but you could do nothing. Finally, in the year you turned sixty-two, you ended your life as the supreme emperor.]