Dragon Kingdom Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Manifestation of the Human Emperor (Part I)

The sky was suddenly saturated with rich hues, as if an artist’s canvas had been blanketed by recklessly splashed pigments. Immediately following this, a surreal scene began to unfold: maple leaves, like summoned spirits, drifted down from the endless void. They danced lightly in the air, draping the city in a golden gown.

This sudden "rain of maple leaves" plunged the entire city into a brief, frozen stillness. Pedestrians stopped in their tracks, gazing up at the dreamlike spectacle as if time itself had solidified. The clamor of traffic on the streets gradually faded, leaving only the soft "rustle" of leaves hitting the ground, weaving with the melodic melody of the breeze through the treetops to form a tranquil and distant symphony.

In this fleeting quiet, every corner of the city seemed touched by a mysterious aura. The gold of the maple leaves and the deep blue of the sky intertwined to create a breathtaking masterpiece, leaving one intoxicated and unable to pull away. In this moment, it felt as though the entire world had been immersed in a beautiful dream, sharing an unprecedented encounter with the city.

Deep within this tapestry, a subtle light quietly spilled out from between the towering city buildings. It moved like the trajectory of a shooting star crossing the firmament, or a brief, brilliant streak across the night sky. Though it arrived silently, it was like the dawn, quietly illuminating everything around it.

Bathed in golden sunlight, each blend of red and yellow on the maple leaves shone with the allure of meticulously carved gemstones. They seemed imbued with a soul, each one pulsing with the rhythm of life, shimmering with infinite longing and anticipation for the future. Amidst this warm and magnificent interplay of light and shadow, a figure emerged.

He was dressed in white as light as a summer morning mist, as if a gust of wind might scatter him. His long hair cascaded like a silver galaxy, flowing with the soft luster of moonlight. His features were elegant and handsome, resembling a delicate ink wash painting, exuding a faint poetic grace.

He approached with light, rhythmic steps, as if fearing to break the tranquility of this mysterious scene. His gait was poetic, each step seemingly carrying an ancient legend or a moving melody. His eyes were as deep as the sea, seemingly able to absorb all the vicissitudes and secrets of the world, yet also like the brightest stars in the night sky, capable of peering through worldly chaos to reach the softest depths of the human heart, flashing with an unfathomable brilliance.

Ye Heng’s pupils contracted sharply, a surge of indescribable shock rising in his heart: "This... is this the power of a domain? An ultimate secret technique that only an SS-rank peak Martial God can unleash!"

As that invisible pressure surged again like a tidal wave, he felt bound by an unseen, colossal force, his body rigid and unable to move. Even Ai Xi, an S-rank Martial God, felt unprecedented helplessness and fear in the face of such power. It was a sensation of being sucked into an abyssal vortex, unable to struggle, unable to escape.

The figure drifted toward Ye Heng, then struck a blow to his abdomen. The force was like a landslide or a tsunami, as if intending to tear apart Ye Heng’s seemingly resilient yet actually fragile body, plunging him into the depths of endless pain and darkness.

Ye Heng gritted his teeth, relying on the last shred of conscious willpower to support his crumbling frame. Like a wounded lone wolf, though covered in scars, he stood stubbornly unyielding.

"Is this the so-called 'Child of Light'?" his cold voice echoed in the air, every word dripping with icy mockery and contempt. His gaze was like a blade, piercing Ye Heng’s heart, as if to strip away all his pride and dignity.

"A future savior? The hope of the world?" The corner of his mouth curled into a sneer, his voice filled with disdain. "To be so fragile." Each word was like an icy arrow, piercing Ye Heng’s heart and leaving his already delicate resolve flickering like a candle in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment.

"Ah Heng..." Ai Xi’s shout did not earn the stranger's sympathy; instead, it only made his reasoning seem more justified.

"It is truly absurd that such a weakling is regarded as a savior. Are there no others among the Five Nations? I have nothing to say to those who sacrifice their lives to practice crippled lightning techniques to quickly boost their strength."

Ai Xi’s eyes flashed with firm resolve. Her voice was slightly agitated, yet she remained rational: "Your words, while logically clear and well-supported, are they truly the absolute truth? Have you ever truly experienced the lives of ordinary people shrouded in the ravages of war? They do not possess the immense power of a Martial God, nor lethal poison arts, nor can they command mysterious magic, let alone the myth of spirit-possessed blades. Their lives consist only of endless hardship and suffering. For them, studying abroad or the glory of the Ke-Dao nation are unreachable dreams."

"Especially in this turbulent era, for ordinary people, being able to live peacefully and enjoy a moment of tranquility is already a great blessing. Instead of empty talk of ideals here, why not convert that power into practical actions to protect the innocent and weak behind you? Give them a chance to find shelter in this chaotic world, and give them the opportunity to pass on our faith and our hope."

"Bullying the weak is beneath a human being."

The mysterious man suddenly burst into wild laughter. "Hahahaha... 'Bullying the weak is beneath a human being.' Good, very good." His voice echoed, every syllable like a finely honed arrow piercing the hearts of everyone present.

The mysterious man’s gaze sharpened. He stared intently at Ye Heng, as if trying to see right through him. He frowned slightly, as if in thought, then raised his sword and thrust it rapidly toward Ye Heng’s throat.

However, the mysterious man’s arrogance was short-lived. The next moment, a bitter chill descended, sweeping in like a primordial force. The cold was piercing, like a freezing blade falling from the heavens, shattering the sky and instantly shrouding the colorful world in a desolate, icy gloom.

The surrounding air seemed to freeze, heavy and oppressive, as if a weight of ten thousand pounds pressed upon the chest, making it hard to breathe. In this moment, time itself seemed to stagnate, leaving only the biting cold and the whistling wind.

In this frigid air, fine snow began to fall. Like countless sharp ice crystals, they drifted silently to the ground, quickly coalescing into a thick blanket of white. The snow, like meticulously carved jade, was pure and dazzling, reflecting a faint light and turning the once fiery-red maple world into a silver-clad kingdom of ice.

Looking out, the entire world was dominated by this chill and white snow, as if everything had been frozen at that exact moment. The biting cold, the whistling wind, and the pure, dazzling snow formed a grand and shocking tapestry that left one in awe.

"My domain?" The mysterious man’s eyes were deep as he gazed at the territory that was gradually collapsing and disintegrating, a sense of indescribable doubt rising in his heart. His power had already surpassed the mundane, being more than ten thousand times stronger than an SS-rank peak Martial God. His own realm had long since transcended the limits of the so-called SSS-rank peak Martial God, surpassing it by another level entirely.

Yet, at this moment, he felt an unprecedented sense of helplessness under this silent attack. His domain, like fragile paper, was easily torn apart, shattering into countless fragments and dissipating into the air.

The mysterious man’s brow furrowed, his thoughts racing. He knew that whoever could break his domain was no ordinary person. Looking across the entire martial world, only the legendary realm of the Human Emperor could reach such a state.

"Could it be... a survivor of the Dragon Nation? I was, after all, the last Human Emperor of the Dragon Nation," he whispered to himself, his voice tinged with undisguised shock. Since the fall of the Dragon Nation, the inheritance of the Human Emperor had been severed, and no one had been able to touch that supreme realm. This left him incredibly confused; was there still a powerful existence in this world unknown to him?

At that moment, a dazzling ice-blue sword light, like a galaxy pouring down from the nine heavens, surged with fierce momentum, instantly dragging the mysterious man back to the cruel reality.

As the sword light flashed, a woman descended gracefully. She wore a deep, midnight-blue robe, as if woven from the purest blue stars of the night sky, shimmering with a deep and mysterious luster. Her sleeves danced with the rhythm of the wind, extraordinary and ethereal; it seemed as if even the wind was captivated by her. She appeared like a fairy descending from the heavens, untainted by the dust of the world.

Her features were as exquisite as fine porcelain crafted by a master, fresh and refined, devoid of any worldly aura. Her jade-like skin seemed to reflect the soft luster of moonlight, and her eyes were as deep as the sea, sparkling with the brilliance of stars, as if capable of perceiving all the world's secrets. Her icy eyelashes, long and dense, trembled slightly like frozen feathers; it seemed as if even her gaze could freeze all the world's chaos.

Her nose was not sharp, but its lines were soft, complementing her face perfectly. Her lips were the color of cherry blossoms, with a slightly upturned corner revealing a hint of imperceptible resolve. She was simply a queen who had stepped out of a painting, carrying an otherworldly beauty that left one captivated.

She moved her wrist lightly, and the long sword drew an elegant arc in the air, like a dancer performing a silent melody on a quiet stage. The blade was like a piece of flawless crystal—translucent and shimmering with a bone-chilling cold light. The radiance was icy and sharp, as if it were an ice crystal from the furthest north, condensed from the essence of millennial frost.

With every slight turn of her wrist, the air wherever the tip of the sword passed seemed frozen by this chill, forming a layer of visible thin ice. The ice layer trembled slightly in the air, emitting a crisp, subtle cracking sound, like icicles hanging from branches in the winter morning breeze—swaying gently, yet tough and unbreakable.

The words, "You lowly rats, how dare you bully my son," further embodied her immense majesty.

Ye Heng looked at the woman, his eyes revealing a heart-wrenching emotion.

"Mom... Mother..." he called out softly, his voice trembling and full of emotion. These simple words seemed to carry all his longing and expectation, all his waiting and unease.

Six years, like a bottomless river, had separated Ye Heng from his mother. Since their parting at the Jade Spirit Palace, he had not seen her face, able only to reminisce about those distant memories on quiet nights. Every New Year, rumors would spread through the streets that Lady Xuan Bing had returned to the capital, but Ye Heng had never caught a glimpse of that familiar figure in the crowds.

Yet, in the early hours after the New Year's Eve dinner, when the entire manor was immersed in deep sleep, Ye Heng would always feel an incomparably familiar warmth. He would be awakened by a gentle force, and upon opening his eyes, he would see a blurred figure gently kissing his forehead. That warmth, that familiarity, made Ye Heng deeply believe it was his mother.

Each intimate contact felt like a dream, yet it was so real. Ye Heng could not believe he could feel his mother’s presence so clearly, but he could not explain it. He only knew that the warmth and familiarity were something he would never forget.

Now, seeing that figure again, all his longing and expectation turned into tears welling in his eyes. He wanted to rush over and hold her, to tell her how much he missed her, but he feared it was all a dream. He feared that when he woke up, he would lose the person who gave him endless warmth once more.

"Mother..." Ye Heng’s voice rang out again, filled with endless longing. He stared intently at the figure, as if to carve every detail of her into his heart.

Suddenly, a silver figure cut through the night sky like a shooting star and flew rapidly toward Ye Heng. It was his mother, Xuan Bing! She was like a goddess who had stepped out of a dream, breathtakingly beautiful. Her eyes were filled with deep care and tenderness, and she stretched out her arms, pulling Ye Heng into a tight embrace.

At this moment, Ye Heng’s heart beat like a war drum. He felt the truly real warmth of his mother, that warm and powerful embrace that seemed to melt away all his loneliness and pain. He closed his eyes and buried his cheek deep into Xuan Bing’s arms, indulging in this long-lost maternal love, letting the tears fall—tears of happiness, tears of reunion.

He knew this was no dream. This was the real world, and his mother, Xuan Bing, had truly returned.

"Mother, I missed you so much."