"There is no right or wrong in matters of the heart, let alone events from those bygone years that we juniors could possibly understand."
Tang Manqing's words came, but Shui'er was displeased, pursing her lips as she said, "Princess Royal, Empress Empress is your aunt, your own flesh and blood! Not only are you not siding with your own aunt, how can you speak up for that heartless scoundrel Monarch Chixiao?"
"I am not speaking up for Monarch Chixiao," Tang Manqing replied calmly, "I am merely stating a fact. The feelings between my aunt and the Monarch were known only to the two of them. Even if there were rights and wrongs, those were matters between them alone; none of us have the right to comment."
Tang Manqing was always composed, treating everything with the same level-headedness, even matters concerning her own aunt. She continued, "Moreover, if Monarch Chixiao truly were a heartless scoundrel, I don't think my aunt would have left everything behind for him back then..."
"Alright then," Shui'er sighed, then asked, "But, Princess Royal, after the Monarch was judged by the Immortal Dao and reduced to ashes, Empress Empress refused to believe he was truly dead and abandoned everything to search for him... Hasn't she returned at all in all these years?"
"I heard from my parents that my aunt did return..."
"And then?"
"I don't know."
Tang Manqing shook her head slightly. "Perhaps she left again... Or perhaps she's been waiting for the Monarch somewhere in this world all along."
"Does Empress Empress know that there are so many Monarchs in this world now, real and fake, hard to distinguish?"
"That... I don't know either."
"Empress Empress probably doesn't know. If she did, she'd definitely be able to tell which of these Monarchs is real and which are fake."
As Shui'er spoke, she suddenly remembered something and asked, "Princess Royal, do you think the Monarch that Big Tycoon, that dead fatty, enshrines as an Honored Guest is real or fake?"
There were many in this world who claimed to be Monarch Chixiao.
And each possessed extraordinary abilities, making it difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood.
These self-proclaimed Monarch Chixiaos were scattered about—some in the Southern Sea, some in the Azure Sea, others appearing and disappearing like dragons, elusive. Unfortunately, the Yanluo Kingdom also had a Monarch Chixiao. Though few had ever seen this Monarch Chixiao, he was indeed in Yanluo—this was something Big Tycoon had personally stated.
Who was Big Tycoon?
Not only was he the wealthiest man in Yanluo Kingdom, he was a financial magnate whose name thundered across the Divine Continent.
He possessed all manner of spirit veins, rare treasures, and resources, conducting business with many major sects and great clans.
His estates, brothels, and other pleasure houses were spread across the world.
However.
His identity was not merely that of a great tycoon; his other identity was even more extraordinary.
He was also one of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars and Seventy-Two Earthly Fiends under Monarch Chixiao's command back in the day—the Black Buddha Fiend, known as Lord Black Buddha.
"Princess Royal, haven't you seen that Monarch with your own eyes?"
Tang Manqing nodded. She had indeed seen that Monarch Chixiao, and not just once—roughly three times in total.
But what did seeing him three times matter?
The Southern Sea Emperor enshrined several Monarch Chixiaos precisely because their true identities could not be verified!
And the Monarch Chixiao enshrined by Lord Black Buddha was similarly impossible to verify as genuine or false.
Whether it was the Southern Sea Emperor or Lord Black Buddha, both were figures who had followed Monarch Chixiao through countless campaigns north and south. If even they couldn't tell the difference, how could she possibly discern it?
"Oh right, Princess Royal, I haven't asked you yet—was the Monarch Chixiao you saw identical to the one in the paintings?"
"Exactly the same. There was no difference whatsoever in physique or appearance. Even his demeanor, speech, and mannerisms were nearly identical to how I had imagined the Monarch."
Because her aunt was the Empress Empress, Tang Manqing had studied Monarch Chixiao extensively.
She had diligently practiced the techniques, calligraphy, paintings, music, and other arts he had created.
Though she was born after the Monarch's passing, through the immortal arts and texts he left behind, she could more or less imagine what kind of person he was.
For this reason.
When she encountered that Monarch Chixiao, she had even tested him.
Not with matters known to all, but with private affairs—things only Monarch Chixiao and her aunt, the Empress Empress, would know.
In Tang Manqing's mind, if that Monarch Chixiao didn't know these private matters, he was most likely a fake. Yet, to her surprise, not only did that Monarch Chixiao know them, but he also knew more details about the affairs between her aunt and the Monarch than she did herself.
Thus.
Even Tang Manqing could not distinguish the truth.
However.
For some reason, Tang Manqing always felt a sense of familiarity with that Monarch Chixiao.
As for why she felt this way.
She herself did not know.
Just as Tang Manqing was lost in thought, Shui'er's sighing voice came: "Ah! If only the Monarch Chixiao enshrined by Big Tycoon were real..."
"What if he were real?"
"Princess Royal, how could you forget? Empress Empress was, after all, involved with the Monarch once. Even if just for your aunt's sake, the Monarch wouldn't stand by and watch our Yanluo Kingdom be bullied by the Immortal Dynasty, would he? If he were willing to stand up for us, surely the Immortal Dynasty wouldn't dare act too recklessly. Even if he were fake, the Immortal Dynasty would still be wary..."
"The Immortal Dynasty of the Present Era is already incomparable to the Immortal Dynasty of the Ancient Era. Even if the Monarch Chixiao enshrined by Lord Black Buddha were real, I'm afraid he would be powerless."
"It can't be that bad, can it? If the Present Era's Immortal Dynasty were truly that formidable, they would have long since killed off these Monarch Chixiaos. Even if they're fake, the Immortal Dynasty wouldn't tolerate their existence. Yet all these years have passed, and we haven't seen the Immortal Dynasty do anything to these Monarch Chixiaos."
"Whether these Monarch Chixiaos are real or fake, no one knows—not even the Chizi Head. Precisely because of this, they can only enshrine them. If the Immortal Dynasty dared to move against any of these Monarch Chixiaos, the Chizi Head would likely not let the matter rest."
"But... there are so many Monarch Chixiaos, and only one can be real..."
"Indeed, only one can be real. But who can tell which one it is? Precisely because no one knows, the Chizi Head will not allow the Immortal Dynasty to touch any Monarch Chixiao. Most importantly, each of these Monarch Chixiaos possesses extraordinary abilities. Even if the Immortal Dynasty wished to eradicate them, it would be no easy task. Otherwise, faced with so many Monarch Chixiaos, the Immortal Dynasty wouldn't remain indifferent."
"Heavens! Why would these people impersonate Monarch Chixiao in the first place? Who among them is real and who is fake? Or are they all fake? Not a single one real..."
"That question, I'm afraid, only the heavens know."
Seemingly equally helpless regarding those indistinguishable Monarch Chixiaos, Tang Manqing couldn't help but sigh. Yet just as she was lamenting, she suddenly sensed something amiss. Looking up, she was startled to discover something seemed to be descending from the sky.
"What is that?"
Shui'er had noticed it too.
The distance was too great for Tang Manqing to discern with the naked eye, so she immediately released her divine sense to investigate.
It appeared to be a person.
A person was falling from the heavens.
Without further thought, Tang Manqing immediately flashed forward.