Human Clan Defender-Chapter 592 - s 305 to 308: Slaying the Demon Saint, Ten Thousand Bells Tolling (Four-in-One, Seeking Monthly Votes)_4

The young Great Demon's expression shifted slightly, as if a thought had occurred to him.

「Fallen Saint Pass.」

In the temporary residence's study, Gu Xuanji sat in the main seat, while others were seated to his left and right. As for Li Shou, he stood respectfully to one side.

"The Ghost Saint has fallen. There are not many strong ones left in the Demon Evil Clan. I have expended much in the battle with the Ghost Saint, and now my days are numbered," Gu Xuanji spoke slowly.

As his words fell, the expressions of those present changed. Li Shou's face displayed sorrow, yet he dared not interrupt.

After a pause, Gu Xuanji continued, "Li Shou, help me draft my final decree."

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, Li Shou promptly took out a blank imperial edict that had been prepared in advance. He then bowed to grind the ink, holding the brush in his right hand, waiting for Gu Xuanji's next words.

"After my death, Crown Prince Gu Xing shall succeed to the throne..." Gu Xuanji spoke unhurriedly.

With every word Gu Xuanji uttered, Li Shou wrote it on the imperial edict.

About a quarter of an hour later, Gu Xuanji finished speaking. Li Shou then passed the written document to him for review. After looking it over, Gu Xuanji took out the Emperor's Seal and stamped it directly on the document.

Immediately after, Gu Xuanji turned his gaze to Yan Jing and the others. "The Crown Prince is, after all, too inexperienced and naive in many matters. As ministers, you should wholeheartedly assist him."

"Your Majesty, rest assured! We will do our utmost to assist the Crown Prince!" Yan Jing and the others stood up and promptly bowed.

"Good." Gu Xuanji nodded in satisfaction and then said to Li Shou, "Keep these items safe. When the time comes, bring my remains back to the Capital City. You have served by my side for decades. After my death, if you wish to stay in the palace, feel free to do so. If not, you may retire and return to your hometown. No matter what you decide, there will be no issue."

"I only wish to always serve by Your Majesty's side," Li Shou lowered his head, his voice somewhat heavy.

Upon hearing this, Gu Xuanji waved his hand slightly. "Alright, all of you may leave now. I have some matters I wish to discuss with Defender Shen alone."

Seeing this, everyone else rose. "We shall take our leave." After speaking, they all turned and departed.

Soon, only Gu Xuanji and Shen Changqing remained in the study.

"Defender Shen, do you know why I asked you to stay?"

"I cannot fathom Your Majesty's intentions," Shen Changqing shook his head.

Gu Xuanji smiled faintly upon hearing this. "After my death, Dongfang Zhao's time will also be short. Once he falls, if Great Qin lacks a powerful expert to maintain order, chaos will surely engulf the land. This is precisely why I appointed you as the Great Qin Defender Envoy. I can see that you may not care much for this position."

Shen Changqing remained silent.

Gu Xuanji continued, "I originally promised you a great boon, and the fall of the Ghost Saint is that boon. A Martial Artist who slays Demon Evil can gain strength from it. The power of a Demon Saint should have benefited you greatly. But I wonder, is Defender Shen satisfied with this boon?"

"Naturally, I am satisfied!" Shen Changqing nodded, aware that the Emperor was correct. Even if he had not acted, this Emperor Qin would have been capable of slaying the Ghost Saint. However, the Emperor had held back at the crucial moment, intending to give him the chance to deliver the final blow.

"It is good that you are satisfied." Gu Xuanji smiled, then his expression turned solemn. "There are some things I would rather not say, but with so little time left, I still wish to ask Defender Shen something."

"Please speak, Your Majesty."

"Is this boon enough to exchange for Defender Shen's protection of Great Qin's peace?"

To exchange for Great Qin's peace... Shen Changqing's heart trembled. He did not answer immediately, but instead fell silent. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Gu Xuanji did not press him, quietly waiting for his response.

The study fell into utter silence.

After a long while, Shen Changqing, his expression solemn, made his promise. "As long as I live, Great Qin shall not perish!"

「DONG! DONG!」

Deep and resonant bell tolls echoed through Fallen Saint Pass. The sound was filled with mournful sentiment. As the sound spread beyond Fallen Saint Pass, heavy bell tolls echoed in every city along the way.

"How many times has the bell tolled?" On the walls of Fallen Saint Pass, Shen Changqing watched the people below repairing the ramparts and suddenly asked.

Beside him, Dongfang Zhao replied calmly, "A few thousand, I believe."

"Mm." Shen Changqing nodded.

The bells tolled ten thousand times. The Saint Emperor had returned to the heavens. Gu Xuanji, after making his arrangements, had finally succumbed to the end of his lifespan and passed away. Now, upon Fallen Saint Pass, the entire populace donned garments of mourning.

Unlike the previous feigned death, this time, he had truly fallen. And with the Demon Saint slain before Fallen Saint Pass, the threat posed by the Demon Evil Clan to Great Qin had significantly diminished. In light of this, some things no longer needed to be concealed.

Dongfang Zhao stood with his hands behind his back, a reflective look in his eyes. "I met His Majesty a hundred years ago. Looking back now, it feels as if it all happened just yesterday. You shouldn't think that Great Qin's national power has declined over these hundred years. In fact, if not for His Majesty's presence, it's hard to say whether Great Qin could have survived this century."

Gu Xuanji's reputation among the common people of Great Qin was mixed. Some called him a wise ruler, while others deemed him a tyrant. Especially during his reign, anyone who violated the laws of Great Qin was treated with the utmost brutality. As a result, this naturally caused considerable problems. Nonetheless, in Dongfang Zhao's view, it was precisely those brutal methods that had stabilized the situation in Great Qin. Otherwise, the territory of Great Qin would have been even more seriously infiltrated by Demon Evil.

"I heard that His Majesty once targeted the Demon-Subduing Division?" Shen Changqing countered with a question.