Chapter Forty-Nine: Liu Tian’s True Heart

The small room was silent, so quiet that only their breathing could be heard. Liu Tian gently returned little Hua to her mother’s arms and casually unfolded the imperial edict.

It was a properly formatted decree, complete with heading, layout, and official seals—just as described, it announced Liu Zhengde’s appointment as Governor of Pei County. However, there was no mention of recruiting Liu Yun as a naval instructor.

“So it was an oral command?” Liu Tian raised his head and asked, “Where is the messenger? Did you all kneel to receive it?”

“It was an oral decree delivered by Chief Eunuch Li Lianying, the emperor’s most favored attendant in the Imperial Palace.” Reverence slipped unconsciously into Liu Zhengde’s expression, despite his earlier remarks that the Chiyun Empire’s days were numbered. When a representative of imperial authority arrived, years of ingrained deference surfaced, “Eunuch Li is in the main hall, having tea…”

“So, you knelt for it.” Liu Tian closed his eyes halfway and shook his head. “Forget it, I don’t care, as long as it doesn’t involve me. Judging by your expression, Uncle, you’re prepared to assume your post—returning home with honor. What about you, Dad, Mom? Are you ready to accept all this?”

Liu Yun and Sophie exchanged a glance, about to speak, but Liu Tian interrupted, “Right, before you decide, you two should consider—my senior brother just gravely offended the emperor. It’s only because he’s strong that there’s no retaliation.”

“If someday he grows old and weak, he might be forced to pay the price…”

“To be an official in this country? You’d best be prepared for rebellion.”

Speaking to his own family, Liu Tian was blunt and direct, but he himself looked unconcerned, utterly fearless.

After all, at this rate, by the time Bai Cinan is too old to fight, Liu Tian would have become the strongest in the land through his own relentless effort.

Genetic modification is limited by technology, martial arts by talent, but there is no limit to diligence. Even without talent points, he’d simply progress a bit slower.

With fixed growth, others would plateau as they grew stronger, but Liu Tian’s progress would only accelerate.

“In the future, don’t talk about rebellion so casually,” Liu Yun frowned, wanting to say more, but in the end he only sighed. “We have considered what you’re saying, but your senior brother is not yet thirty, in his prime, and the emperor won’t outlive him.”

“When His Majesty passes and the crown prince ascends, there will still be a buffer, and martial artists live long lives; the crown prince probably won’t outlive you two either. Even at the very end—who knows how much longer the Chiyun Empire will last?”

“For the future, your uncle needs a stronghold. Besides, after what your senior brother has done, even if we returned to the Kingdom of Tulips, our family could never live as we once did.”

“Has the Chiyun Empire really come to this?” Liu Tian recalled his travels and the standard of living among the people. “It didn’t seem so.”

“It wasn’t like this before. But after your senior brother’s dramatic deed, it is now,” Liu Zhengde explained. “The empire, long established, had accumulated many problems. It once survived by leeching from its colonies, but after losing the New World, the people’s lives deteriorated year by year, propped up only by the prestige of the royal family.”

“But with your senior brother’s actions, that last fig leaf was stripped away—a number of families are already growing restless.”

“The Son of Heaven rules by strength of arms. Is it necessary for the people to suffer for a dynasty to fall? Then let them suffer. The Chiyun Empire is already at the edge of the abyss…”

“Then why are you staying here? In a place that could change dynasties at any moment?” Liu Tian looked genuinely surprised, then quickly reined himself in. “Never mind. I suppose it doesn’t matter.”

“Son, this is not something to be indifferent about.” Sophie smiled gently. “Your father and I called you here to ask your opinion.”

“Your father has been away for so many years; now that he’s older, he wants to return to his roots. I have few attachments in the kingdom now—wherever you all are, that is home to me. As long as we’re together, anywhere is home.”

“My opinion is, do as you wish, I’m fine either way, but I won’t stay here for now,” Liu Tian declared his position plainly. “But if you two stay, it’s not a bad idea. So long as nobody does anything foolish, even if war breaks out again, it won’t reach you.”

“Wait, thinking it over, you should stay here—returning to your roots, with Uncle to look after you, and with my senior brother’s influence still strong, it’s safer here than returning to the kingdom.”

“You want us to stay while you return to the kingdom alone?” Liu Yun was suddenly flustered. “In that case, we won’t stay here either—we’ll go back with you…”

“What would you do back in the kingdom? Is whaling all that interesting? After all these years, Dad, you must be tired. It’s time for you to get some proper rest.” Liu Tian said, “And you can educate my little sister well—you always said you regretted not being there for me. Here, you’ll have plenty of time.”

“I’m going back because my studies are there, my master is there, my friends are there.” Liu Tian smiled. “Of course, none of that really matters—what matters is that the kingdom now has an opportunity, and here, for the moment, there is none. I don’t want to wait for a possible chance.”

“Seizing the moment is what’s important! Waiting only leads to missed opportunities.”

“You’re going to get involved in that?” Suddenly realizing what Liu Tian meant, Liu Yun became agitated, “Are you mad? We’ve been avoiding that at all costs, and now you’re going to throw yourself into it? Absolutely not—it’s far too dangerous.”

“Times change.” Liu Tian shrugged, unmoved. “Back then, you thought my training was a waste, a mistake. If not for me or my martial skills, we’d be finished now.”

“I stayed out before because I lacked the strength and conviction. Now, I have both.”

“If my senior brother can make such waves, why shouldn’t I seek my own glory?”

“Besides, I truly need a faction that will obey my commands—even if I must borrow another’s power.”

“You’re going to meddle in the succession?” Sophie finally understood as well, echoing her husband’s words. “No, it’s too dangerous.”

“What in this world is without danger? You could choke to death on a meal.” Liu Tian smiled, without the slightest intention of reconsidering. “And there’s something I’ve never told you. The Heavenly Martial Slaughter Way my master taught me is actually a demonic art—one that grows stronger by devouring others.”

“Yes, my master has lost his ambition and bloodlust, but sooner or later, my senior brother and I will have to fight.”

“It might be for greater strength, or for something else, but most likely, it’s because neither of us can stand the other’s potential threat, and we need to prove who is truly number one.”

“My senior brother is already far ahead—I must catch up.”

“You never mentioned any of this! That your master would teach you such a dangerous art? No, you must stop training it.” Sophie was completely distraught, even waking the child in her arms, but she could no longer worry about that. Tears in her voice, she said, “Why can’t we just live together as a family? You’re already strong enough, you’re a martial artist!”

“In the future, let’s live together, you finish your studies, get married, have children—isn’t that good enough? Please, don’t keep training, it’s too dangerous…”

“If I hadn’t, we’d all be dead now.” Liu Tian sighed, exchanged a glance with his father, then knelt before his mother, gently wiping her face and trying to comfort her. “Mom, don’t cry. You’re an adult now, you even have a second child—don’t spoil your looks.”

“You know I’ll never change my mind,” Liu Tian’s tone was unyielding. “You know, I used to feel so lost.”

“This world is so vast, and we are so insignificant.”

“Compared to the boundless universe, we’re like intelligent ants—no, perhaps not even that.”

“I couldn’t find anything to strive for, no hope for the future. Every time I thought of the inevitability of death and the return of all to nothingness, I wondered what was the point in struggling? Why not just drift through each day?”

“In the end, we all return to dust and wind; we bring nothing with us when we come or go.”

“But now it’s different. I have a goal, something I want to do.” Liu Tian stood tall, arms wide, as if to embrace the world. “I want to become stronger, see more, witness the world with my own eyes, and—keep living, always.”

“I have the ability and the potential, so why shouldn’t I give everything for the things I truly want?”

“I’m not interested in royal power, authority, or ruling the world.”

“But I want to travel everywhere, see all the sights, and do whatever I wish.”

“Yes, I want to be strong for no other reason—because at the end of power lies everything, all hope.”

“Until I reach my goal, I will neither look back nor stop.”

“But don’t worry, Mom. I am strong. I will not be defeated, I will not lose!”

“Yes, I will never lose!”