On this day, it was almost noon.
Lao Mei's expression was as calm as still water, unruffled as he strode out of the room. Lao Mei was imprisoned in a secret chamber in the palace, not a prison cell, and he was not shackled.
Someone came to put the shackles on Lao Mei. Lao Mei's expression was still indifferent; there was nothing strange in his eyes as he allowed the person to do as he pleased.
The person then led him to a carriage. The carriage moved slowly and left the palace.
Lao Mei closed his eyes in the carriage, his previous composure gone.
The scene of the young emperor Yu Qiankun coming to speak to him last night flashed before his eyes. Lao Mei, who had prided himself on knowing everything, could not help but smile mockingly.
"Bao 'er greets Grandfather Mei."
"I don't deserve it."
"You're too kind, Grandfather Mei. Bao 'er is here to bid farewell to you."
"Bid farewell? Have I reached the end of my lifespan? "
"Grandfather Mei, you're thinking too much. This is a plan … It's like this …"
"Grandfather Mei, I have no other choice … This is the situation now. If we don't adapt soon, the world will be in turmoil again and chaos will return at any moment … Without Ninth Uncle's reappearance, I have no way to deal with it. Right now, the lives of all the civil and military officials in the imperial court are in someone else's hands. The situation is as bad as it is now."
"If there's no hope of Ninth Uncle's reappearance, then we can only watch helplessly as the world is plunged into chaos again. Grandfather Mei, you've been through this, you should know that the world has only been peaceful for a few years. There are many countries that have the intention of restoring the throne, and there are many ambitious people who want to replace me. One wrong move and the people will suffer and the people will fall … "
"However, as long as Ninth Uncle returns to this world, he can conquer the world and Tianxuan with a single battle. Grandfather Mei, I have no choice but to do this. Please understand Bao 'er's love for the people. "
"At the end of the day, this old man's life is the straw that draws Lord Supreme Cloud back, a bet?"
"If I had a choice, why would I do something that would hurt my own family and delight my enemy? If Ninth Uncle had returned, he would have saved Grandpa Mei immediately. However, if I didn't do this, I wouldn't have been able to deal with the current situation … Sigh, Grandpa Mei, how could I not know that this is the last time I'll see you after I've made my decision? Ninth Uncle has arrived and saved you, but how could he possibly forgive me? He would naturally take you far away …
"This is indeed the last time I'll see you. Lord Supreme Cloud has come again and saved this old man, never to return to Yutang. While this is the last time I'll see you, if Lord Supreme Cloud doesn't come and this old man dies, it will also be the last time I'll see you, won't it?"
"Grandfather Mei … if Ninth Uncle doesn't come, then it's fate. Everyone's fate is as such. No one is lucky. You're just a step ahead. If you didn't go to such extremes, how could you have triggered the response from the other world?"
Lao Mei laughed heartily. "Well said! Those who want to achieve great things don't bother with trifles. My execution is just a little trick. Whether or not I can fulfill my long-cherished wish, today will be the last time I see you, kid. Either we go to the ends of the earth or the netherworld!"
"Please understand Bao 'er, Grandfather Mei."
"This old man is about to die. You want me to understand you?"
"Whether Grandfather Mei understands Bao 'er or not, Bao' er still wants to see Grandfather Mei one last time …" Yu Qiankun's face was filled with melancholy. "Grandfather Mei, you're the only one left of my past …"
Lao Mei lifted his head abruptly. "Only one left? I'm the only one left of those who once escorted and protected you? "
"They've left, they won't be coming back anymore …" Yu Qiankun said sadly, "Ever since I ascended the throne as emperor, Bai Yixue and Fang Mofei have brought those people away …"
Lao Mei frowned and sneered, "This old man doesn't believe it!"
Yu Qiankun sighed. "It's true …"
Lao Mei snorted and said, "If Bai Yixue and Fang Mofei wanted to leave, why wouldn't they tell me? Both of them vanished without a word. If it wasn't for Your Majesty, who else could've erased all the traces? "
Yu Qiankun stood up. "Grandfather Mei, we shall not meet again after today's farewell. Please … take care. "
Lao Mei laughed out loud again. Silence ensued.
Even now, as he sat in the carriage heading to the execution ground, Lao Mei could not help but chuckle inwardly when he recalled their meeting yesterday.
How hypocritical, how pretentious!
You've ordered me to be executed and beheaded in public, yet you've told me to take care of myself …
Sitting in the carriage, Lao Mei chuckled coldly.
"Bao 'er, oh Bao' er … If Lord Supreme Cloud had known that you'd become like this, I wonder if he would've brought you back to Yutang. I've always heard that the imperial palace is the biggest dye vat in the world. Today, I've finally witnessed that it's true. Even a pure heart can't withstand the corrosion of this dye vat! Hahaha … "
Lao Mei sneered as if there was no one else around him on the way to the execution ground.
…
At this moment, the execution ground was already crowded with people.
Mei Wenjian, the steward of the Residence of King Yun, had been beheaded.
Mei Wenjian had colluded with evil to frame King Yun, causing the latter's whereabouts to be unknown and his fate unknown. His crimes were heinous and he was to be executed at a quarter past noon.
Countless people heard the news and flocked over to watch the execution.
"An evil slave betrayed his master, he should be killed and his bones crushed. It's unforgivable!"
"He's wicked and insane!"
"One look at his ugly face and you can tell he's not a good person!"
"Kill him! Kill him! "
The echoing voices of the crowd grew louder and louder.
Lao Mei, who was tied up, had his eyes closed as he stood upright on the execution platform. He did not have to open his eyes to confirm, for he could sense that the sun in the sky was slowly moving towards a quarter past noon with his warrior's sense of touch.
It was already noon; there were still three quarters of time left before the execution.
Perhaps, this would be the last three quarters of time he had left in this world!
Around him, there was a sea of people, their voices boisterous. It was as if everyone was filled with righteous indignation, shouting at the top of their lungs to denounce him for betraying His Highness and framing him as an unjust person!
Everyone seemed to be overwhelmed with grief and indignation. This was what it meant to be condemned by the masses.
However, Lao Mei did not feel sad, nor did he feel fear. Instead, he only wanted to laugh, to laugh out loud.
Do you know who King Yun is?
Do you know King Yun?
Do you know the cause and effect of all this?
Imperial edict?
Hahaha …
King Yun, that's my eldest brother!
My eldest brother and I have been risking our lives together since we were young, roaming the world, leading thousands of soldiers and killing our enemies in a flash. This old man has gone through the brink of death for my eldest brother!
My eldest brother was willing to sacrifice his life for me!
In the midst of thousands of soldiers and horses, we charged back and forth, in front of Yutang's gates, we fought a bloody battle!
Now, I've actually become a traitor and murderer who betrayed my eldest brother!
How laughable!
How pathetic!
Do you know that if my eldest brother wanted me dead, he wouldn't even need to say a word, just a glance would suffice!
On the other hand, if I wanted my eldest brother's life, he would definitely tie himself up and pass the saber to me!
If I couldn't bear to do it myself, he would do it himself, cutting off his head and sending it to me!
This is the bond between us brothers!
What do you all know?
Lao Mei stood on the execution platform, suddenly feeling more and more disheartened. The bloody battle, the narrow escape, everything that had happened; the hundreds of scars on his body …
What was it for?
What was it for?
Everyone was responsible for the rise and fall of the world?
The sighing of the living, the suffering of the people?
"Hahahaha …" Lao Mei closed his eyes and suddenly laughed at the sky, his laughter growing louder. "Hahahaha …"
"It's a quarter to the afternoon!"
A loud shout rang out.
The crowd fell silent.
An arrow of command was tossed down from above, followed by an icy command, "Behead!"
It was only one word.
The executioner strode forward, the Ghost Head Saber glinting coldly as it pointed at Lao Mei.
The executioner reached out and plucked out the Death Saber from Lao Mei's back, shouting, "You and I have no enmity in the past, no enmity in the present. This is my duty, and I have no choice but to do it. Rest in peace on your way to the netherworld, and may you enjoy riches and glory in your next life!"
A bowl of strong wine was served to Lao Mei.
The Decapitation Wine, drunk to the netherworld!
Lao Mei laughed, his head moving as he knocked the bowl of wine to the ground.
Could one still see their original intentions in this demon's world?
Was this filthy mortal world still worth remembering?!
Even if there's a next life, I don't want it anymore!
The executioner was unconcerned. He made a living by beheading and had spent half his life immersed in this art. He had faced too many people who were about to be beheaded and had seen all kinds of reactions. He poured himself a bowl of strong wine and drank half of it with a tilt of his head. He then poured the rest of the wine onto the Ghost Head Saber and raised it up high, shouting, "The gates of hell have opened, please be on your way!"
The Ghost Head Saber whistled as it fell.
This was a decisive slash, a slash that severed everything in its path!
Just as the decapitation was about to land, a low grunt rang out from afar.
The muffled sound could be heard from afar, but it did not seem to be particularly loud, as if someone had made the sound nearby. However, with this sound, the space within a thousand feet radius of the execution ground suddenly collapsed.
The Ghost Head Saber in the executioner's hand was split into two.
Then, a faint voice rang out, "Who dares to kill my brother?"
It was Yun Xiaoyao's voice.
Yun Yang, who was about to make his move, was startled, an inexplicable joy that he could hardly contain rising in his heart.
His father was not dead!
Before this, Shangguan Lingxiu and Shui Wuyin had comforted Yun Yang many times, and Yun Yang had analyzed the situation thoroughly, trying to tell himself that Yun Xiaoyao was not dead, that he had only disappeared for some reason, that no news was good news, and so on.
However, how could Yun Yang not be worried? How could he not miss him?
Ever since he vaguely knew that some of the Nine Supremes' elder brothers might not be dead, or even that most of them were not, Yun Yang had subtly invested more of his feelings into Yun Xiaoyao. He was not related to him by blood, but he seemed to be related by blood. Yun Yang was even afraid that if Yun Xiaoyao had really died because of Yu Qiankun, could he really let him go?
Now, Yun Xiaoyao had actually reappeared and appeared in the execution ground to save Lao Mei. It was a blessing from the heavens, making Yun Yang overjoyed!
"How dare you, thief!"
Just as Yun Xiaoyao's silhouette appeared and his voice rang out, five grey silhouettes appeared, tearing through the air from five different directions and charging towards Yun Xiaoyao.
Then, an unusually intense battle broke out!
Yun Xiaoyao let out a long howl. "Whoever wants to kill Mei Wenjian will be my, Yun Xiaoyao's, mortal enemy!"
The five strange enemies did not respond, but launched their attacks in unison, launching a ferocious assault on Yun Xiaoyao. Although Yun Xiaoyao would not be defeated on the spot, he could not spare any time to help Lao Mei.
But the fact that he had arrived was already very clear. He had revealed his identity at the first instant.
I am King Xiaoyao!
King Xiaoyao is me!
I, Yun Xiaoyao, am not dead, so the accusation of Mei Wenjian murdering King Xiaoyao will naturally fall apart!
The battle grew more intense, but the battle was also pulled further away. It was obvious that the enemies had forced Yun Xiaoyao far away, as the sounds of the battle grew further and further away from the execution ground.
Just then, the executioner on the stage snorted coldly. "How dare a thief impersonate King Xiaoyao with malicious intentions!"
After a pause, he continued, "Malicious intentions? Wishful thinking. Guards, continue the execution!"
Right at this moment …
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh …
The originally clear and cloudless sky was suddenly filled with the sound of howling wind. It only took a moment for the wind to howl, growing more and more ferocious. Gradually, it was so strong that the people present could barely open their eyes.
Far away, Yu Qiankun and a masked man in black beside him, who were incognito and watching from a higher stand, had a serious look in their eyes.
From the start to the ferocity of this gust of wind, it was only a matter of a split second. It was unusual.
This … someone was obviously making a move!
Just as the wind was about to die down, countless clouds surged and rolled in the sky. It was as if a pot had been boiled, and they were gathering in this direction from all directions!
North, south, east, and west, white clouds as thick as mountains could be seen. They rolled and surged, growing thicker and more numerous!
They rolled and rolled, surging over.
As the saying goes, the wind rises and the clouds gather, and the wind sweeps away the clouds. But today, even though the wind was like a dragon, sweeping across the world, the thick white clouds in the sky were completely unaffected by the wind, and continued to pour in from all directions.
Everyone instinctively lifted their heads to look at the spectacle; it was a marvelous sight.
There was still an azure blue sky in the sky, surrounded by white clouds that resembled a raging sea. Further out, more clouds were surging in, gradually joining the four directions. In the end, only the blue sky above their heads was left!
No, even the remaining blue sky was shrinking bit by bit, being devoured and devoured by the sea of clouds.
When the white clouds had completely covered the blue sky, the howling wind had reached its peak. When it swept past the ground again, it stopped abruptly. There was no wind at all.
Only the white clouds in the sky were still tumbling endlessly. They were like towering mountains that kept piling up in the sky.
Down below, the entire execution ground – no, the entire Tiantang City – was dumbfounded, rooted to the spot.
This feeling … it was clearly a very familiar feeling!
It was so familiar that the long-buried memory was suddenly recalled. The name that had controlled the world's winds and clouds all those years ago was uttered uncontrollably, unable to be suppressed.
Lord Supreme Cloud!
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