About two hours later, Sauron and Princess Zhiyan arrived at the eastern sea on a griffin.
After sailing out another hundred or so miles, they saw that massive ship anchored on the sea surface.
It was truly enormous, practically like a mountain floating on the sea, with a displacement of nearly five thousand tons.
And unlike what one might imagine, this ship did not look very militaristic. Instead, it felt like a luxury cruise liner.
A broad deck, magnificent cabins.
And unlike ordinary large ships, this vessel was covered in a layer of iron armor on its surface.
It was not a true ironclad warship, but rather a wooden ship wrapped in a layer of iron armor. But even so, it was countless times sturdier than ordinary ships.
Although it emphasised comfort, it still had three decks and over a hundred gun ports!
When fully armed, it could still hold over a hundred cannons, possessing immensely powerful combat strength.
This giant ship was regarded by Sauron as his final retreat.
If he could no longer establish himself on the mainland, all of Sauron’s relatives and family would board this ship, leading a fleet of tens of thousands of people, sailing eastward to search for a new continent.
At this moment, this giant ship had just been launched for sea trials. The cannons had not yet been installed, and many facilities within the cabins were still incomplete.
According to the design, this giant ship would not only have comfortable rooms and a massive parlour, but even a playground for the children, not to mention dedicated classrooms.
Because all of Sauron’s relatives would board this ship.
Landing on this giant ship, Sauron took Princess Zhiyan to visit the study, bedrooms, parlour, dining room, classroom, game room, and so on.
Zhiyan exclaimed in admiration, “I truly look forward to seeing it when it is completely built. Then the whole family can take it on a long voyage for fun.”
“Yes,” Sauron smiled.
Then, the two of them came to the deck.
A table was set up there, with an exquisite banquet already prepared.
Sauron poured wine for himself and said, “Ash Liren never eats. She only consumes a special kind of jade milk and flower dew. What about you?”
“I’m about the same,” Zhiyan said. “But during my time in the royal city, I only started eating with others.”
Then, Zhiyan took the wine cup and poured wine for herself as well, drinking cup after cup with Sauron.
After drinking over a dozen cups, a few traces of flush appeared on Zhiyan’s breathtakingly beautiful face, making her look even more alluring.
“Yan, I want to ask you a question,” Sauron said.
Zhiyan nodded.
Sauron asked, “In your heart, what is the most important thing?”
Princess Zhiyan thought for a moment and said, “The Raging Waves Kingdom, because it is the foundation of the Zhi Clan built up over several hundred years. And in these past few generations, the royal family has withered terribly. By my generation, the direct line of the royal family only has me, Zhi Ning, and Zhi You left.”
Sauron said, “Then I have not failed King Zhi Bian’s trust after all, handing over a complete Raging Waves Kingdom to the Zhi Clan.”
Zhiyan said, “The Zhi Clan will remember the grace of the Sauron Clan for generations to come.”
Sauron smiled and said, “Speaking of which, I haven’t played the harpsichord in a long time. Let me play a piece for you now, alright?”
“Alright,” Princess Zhiyan said. “I also haven’t heard my husband play in a long time.”
Then, with a gentle wave of her jade-like hand, she directly moved a harpsichord from inside the cabin through the air onto the deck at the bow.
Sauron held a cup of wine, sat down before the harpsichord, and placed the wine cup on the music stand.
“What piece would you like to hear?” Sauron asked.
“Fate,” Zhiyan said.
“Alright.” Sauron closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
When he opened his eyes again, his heart was as calm as still water.
His hands pressed down heavily on the keys.
“Dang dang dang dang, dang dang dang dang…”
Fierce and soaring music rang out.
Instantly, Zhiyan’s delicate body trembled slightly.
They say art can strike a person’s soul. She, Zhiyan, had not believed it before, but now she truly did.
She clearly felt her entire heartstring being violently plucked.
However, this was merely the beginning!
Next, the fierce music surged forth like tidal waves.
Like towering waves crashing against her heart, her soul, her body.
It was as if the surrounding sea surface had suddenly risen into towering waves, coming wave after wave.
The last time, Sauron had performed “Fate” at the graduation exam in the Royal City Academy, shocking the entire audience and completely conquering the Grand Art Master of the Dragon Temple, conquering everyone present, including Princess Zhi Ning.
However, that previous performance was merely a storm.
And this performance was completely like a tsunami, covering the heavens and earth, overturning mountains and seas.
Sauron was truly performing with his life, with his soul.
His despair, his unwillingness, his anger, his darkness!
From beginning to end today, he had not spoken any out-of-line words.
Yet he had contained all his emotions within the music.
The Silent Speech Butterfly, a product of the Dragon Temple’s Demon Laboratory.
The frequency at which it flapped its wings was extremely fast. The vibration frequency it created could convey any information.
So, although it could not speak, it could express thousands upon thousands of words.
Sauron continued to play, wildly, frenziedly, madly.
“Dang dang dang…”
The fierce music almost thundered across the entire sea surface.
Thundered beneath the clouds.
Thundered beneath the sun!
Suddenly, a fierce wind arose.
The calm sea surface rose into violent waves.
Dark clouds covered the sun, and the sky turned completely dark.
Countless seagulls, countless seabirds, circled around this giant ship.
“Dang dang, dang dang, dang dang dang dang…”
Sauron closed his eyes, using all his mental power, using all his strength to perform.
His music seemed to overpower the wind and waves, seemed to pierce through the clouds!
Suddenly…
The seabirds circling around vanished completely.
The sky turned completely dark!
An endless aerial legion came from the north, completely enveloping this airspace.
Tens of thousands of Demon Star Pavilion flyers, over a thousand Sky Saint Knights, over a thousand Sky Judges, like an endless black cloud covering the heavens and blocking out the sun, enveloped the entire sky above the sea surface.
The Dragon Temple’s tens of thousands of aerial legions surrounded Sauron’s ship in a 180-degree, three-dimensional encirclement.
Then, the tens of thousands of aerial legions began to circle.
Sauron ignored them completely, still playing madly, as if nothing around him existed.
Between heaven and earth, there was only him and his instrument.
Fu Lingxi let out a cold laugh and was about to wave her hand to give the order to move forward and capture him.
Huai Bingyi raised his hand and said, “Wait for him to finish playing. This is the swan song of art. There is only one chance to hear it in this lifetime.”
Then, the Dragon Temple’s tens of thousands of aerial legions circled in the air, listening to Sauron’s swan song performance.
The music reached its most intense climax.
Sauron was sweating profusely, his entire person like a frenzied dancer.
His ten fingers madly pressed the strings.
Every note was like a piercing of the soul, tearing through the air above the entire sea surface.
This was the swan song!
This was Sauron’s swan song.
The entire sea, the entire sky, was his stage.
All the people of the Dragon Temple were his audience.
The entire sea, all the air, the dark clouds in the sky, were his audience.
Finally…
Every time Sauron pressed a key.
That key would turn completely to dust, and blood would spray from his fingers.
After playing the final piece, the entire harpsichord turned completely to dust.
Then, Sauron slowly opened his eyes.
…
Ji Xiuning, Huai Bingyi, Ji Mengbai, and Fu Lingxi slowly descended, hovering at the bow of the giant ship.
“Long time no see, Lord World-Destroying Demon Emperor,” Ji Xiuning said.
Before the harpsichord turned to dust, Sauron caught that wine cup, gently sniffed it, and said, “I am Sauron, not the World-Destroying Demon Emperor.”
Fu Lingxi said sharply, “Stop quibbling. We found you, this World-Destroying Demon Emperor, based on the guidance of the false Hell Knight and the energy contract.”
Sauron said, “I am the master of the Demon Star, but I am not the World-Destroying Demon Emperor. Have you ever seen a World-Destroying Demon Emperor so powerless? Have you ever seen a World-Destroying Demon Emperor who did not go massacre cities and destroy nations?”
Fu Lingxi sneered, “No matter how you quibble, it is useless. The master of the Demon Star is the World-Destroying Demon Emperor.”
Sauron said, “Fu Lingxi, no wonder you wanted to kill Fu E to silence him. Did you already know I was the master of the Demon Star?”
Fu Lingxi said, “It was merely a guess.”
Sauron said, “A guess? Why would you have such a guess?”
Fu Lingxi said, “Because once the master of the Demon Star appears, he will definitely take the initiative to go to the Pretender’s side. Whether you call it a moth drawn to flame or the only light in the darkness. And this generation’s Pretender is my daughter, Sauron Ningbing. Ten years ago, she and I looked exactly alike.”
Sauron’s face trembled violently.
Fu Lingxi said, “It’s just that the Dragon Temple had all its eyes fixed on outsiders. You are Sauron Ningbing’s younger brother. Your appearance by her side was only natural, so everyone overlooked you. And everyone felt that the World-Destroying Demon Emperor’s martial arts should be shockingly high, while your martial arts were so low, so no one suspected you. Only I knew that you were once a good-for-nothing waste. Now that you are so brilliant and heroic, there is only one reason. You have been possessed by the Demon Star.”
Pretender!
Indeed, there would never be two people in this world who looked exactly alike. Nothing was a coincidence. Everything was a conspiracy.
Sauron felt an unbearable pain in his heart and said hoarsely, “Elder sister Sauron Ningbing is different from you.”
“Yes, she is different from me,” Fu Lingxi said. “The Pretender knows nothing about herself! Once, I too knew nothing about everything.”
Sauron’s gaze turned to Ji Xiuning and said, “Saintess, you are compassionate and pity the world. Then do you think I should die?”
Ji Xiuning said, “The World-Destroying Demon Emperor, of course, should die.”
Sauron said, “But there is no such thing as a World-Destroying Demon Emperor in this world at all. This is an enemy manufactured by your Dragon Temple. I ask you, do you think Emperor Dragon is righteous or evil?”
Ji Xiuning said, “Emperor Dragon is of course righteous.”
Sauron said, “After the Dragon and the Demon perished together, the spark of human civilisation was barely alive. After ten thousand years of recuperation, it was still in a primitive dark age. It was Emperor Dragon who saved humanity. He not only unified the entire human realm but also created a brilliant civilisation. He was the previous master of the Demon Star. According to your words, he was the previous World-Destroying Demon Emperor. Was he?”
Ji Xiuning’s face trembled.
Sauron said, “Even in the dark age, your Dragon Temple still possessed advanced civilisation. But in order to enslave countless humans, you let them struggle in the darkness. Because only weak humans are easy to control. Emperor Dragon suddenly rose up, unified the human realm, created a brilliant civilisation, and completely suppressed the Dragon Temple. He did not destroy you but turned you into a purely academic institution. Yet… you killed him? Or imprisoned him?”
Ji Xiuning’s gaze trembled violently. She did not speak.
Sauron said, “The Demon Star within Emperor Dragon’s body escaped, and you were utterly terrified. You felt that if the Demon Star appeared in this world again, a new Emperor Dragon would emerge. So thousands of years ago, you began using every means to shape the master of the Demon Star into an evil and dark World-Destroying Demon Emperor! If I am not mistaken, the so-called Thirteen Hell Knights were also the Thirteen Righteous Knights by Emperor Dragon’s side, but they were framed and died tragically, and were slandered as dark Hell Knights.”
The entire field was silent. No one made a sound.
Sauron said, “The previous master of the Demon Star, Emperor Dragon, was righteous, bright, and worked himself to the bone to save the human world, creating human civilisation. But because he blocked your Dragon Temple’s path to domination, you harmed him, and he suddenly disappeared without a trace. This generation’s master of the Demon Star, which is me! I have worked my heart out, only to liberate humanity, only to develop the human realm, yet you treat me as the World-Destroying Demon Emperor!”
Sauron’s gaze stared fixedly at Ji Xiuning and said, “Ji Xiuning, you are the most bright and righteous person in the Dragon Temple. I ask you, as the Dragon Temple, the spark of civilisation left by the Dragon outside the world, you have survived several world-destroying crises safely. However, in the matter of protecting human civilisation and strengthening human civilisation, have you made any contribution at all? On the contrary, in order to maintain your own rule, you have strived to suppress the human realm, wishing they would remain backward forever, remain in darkness forever. This way, you can rule the entire world generation after generation, enslave the entire world. Whoever wants to end your dark rule is the World-Destroying Demon Emperor!”
“To protect humanity, the Dragon and the Demon have already perished together. There is no god to supervise you anymore. Your Dragon Temple has become the supreme authority of the world, has become the shadow enveloping the entire world.” Sauron said slowly, “Ji Xiuning, I ask you now, between me and the Dragon Temple, who is evil? Who is righteous?”
Ji Xiuning was silent.
Sauron’s gaze turned to Huai Bingyi and said, “Huai Bingyi, between me and the Dragon Temple, who is righteous? Who is evil?”
Huai Bingyi said coldly, “To me, there is no righteousness or evil. I only fight for the interests of the Dragon Temple.”
“Good!” Sauron shouted loudly. “Well said. That is exactly what I want. You can kill me. You can tear me into ten thousand pieces. But do not kill me in the name of righteousness.”
“Ji Xiuning.” Sauron said, “You are the most righteous and compassionate person in the Dragon Temple. Now, I want you to tell me, between me and the Dragon Temple, who is righteous? Who is evil?”
Ji Xiuning’s face twitched, struggled for a moment, and finally her gaze calmed as she said, “The master of the Demon Star deserves to die!”
“Good!” Sauron applauded vigorously and said, “A group of dark hypocrites, having taken off their bright outer garments, now stand bare before each other. How wonderful.”
Then, Sauron came before Ji Mengbai and said, “For the sake of power and status, you abandoned your beloved Dream Taro, letting an angel fall and become a Black Widow. Then Ji Mengbai, I ask you, between me and the Dragon Temple, who is righteous and who is evil?”
“Without a doubt, you are evil,” Ji Mengbai said coldly. “Because you are the enemy of the Dragon Temple. The Dragon Temple is forever correct.”
“Even better said.” Sauron laughed heartily, then came before Fu Lingxi and said, “Mother, we are playing truth or dare. Then please answer as well. Between me and the Dragon Temple, who is righteous and who is evil?”
Fu Lingxi said calmly, “The Dragon Temple is my world. Whoever blocks my path is evil.”
“Truth. This is probably the only truth you have spoken in your entire life.” Sauron smiled.
Finally, Sauron came before Princess Zhiyan and asked gently, “Yan, finally it is your turn. Who do you think is righteous and who is evil, between me and the Dragon Temple?”
At this moment, Huai Bingyi said, “Zhiyan, be careful with your words. Whatever you say will determine your fate and the fate of the Raging Waves Kingdom.”
Ji Xiuning also said calmly, “Zhiyan, spilled water cannot be retrieved. Once words are spoken, there is no room for recovery.”
Sauron looked at Princess Zhiyan’s breathtakingly beautiful face and said, “Yan, answer me. Between me and the Dragon Temple, who is righteous? Who is evil?”
Princess Zhiyan’s face was calm, her gaze trembling. After a moment, she opened her mouth and said, “I do not care who is righteous or who is evil. I only care about my Raging Waves Kingdom.”
Sauron took a deep breath and said, “Yan, you are truly remarkable, with a very broad mind. However, unfortunately, you fell just a little short.”
“Over a month ago, on the eve of our decisive battle with Zhi Li, Duke Tu Lingtuo came to sue for peace, and I sternly refused. You disagreed with my approach at the time, but you endured it.”
“After entering the royal city, everyone thought you would kill the hounds once the hares are gone, but you did not. You still handed all political affairs to me, only focusing on cultivating your martial arts yourself, even though you possess superb political talent.”
“When the Hidden Yuan Society counterattacked and the eleven million gold coin reserve vanished without a trace, we faced a dead end. The Dragon Temple came to negotiate with you, exchanging over ten million gold coins for my life. You still did not compromise. You still chose to support me, even returning to Tianshui City with me to start over from the beginning.”
“Unfortunately, you fell just a little short. You fell just a little short.” Sauron sighed. “Who is righteous and who is evil. This is the foremost question of this world.”
Sauron pointed at Fu Lingxi and said, “You are evil.”
He pointed at Ji Mengbai, pointed at Huai Bingyi and said, “You are evil. You are also evil.”
Finally, he pointed at Ji Xiuning and said, “You claim to love the world, yet in the end, you are still evil, still a hypocrite. How is it that the Dragon Temple does not have a single righteous person, not a single bright person?”
“This world is completely dark, without any light, without any brightness, without any righteousness.” Sauron said, “The once tiny flame of light, Emperor Dragon, was extinguished by you. Now it is my turn…”
Sauron looked at this endless Dragon Temple aerial legion and said, “My martial arts are very weak. You do not need to dispatch so many people. Any one of you who comes out, I cannot defeat.”
Then, he spread his hands and said, “Who will take my life? Who will kill me? Come… Since I cannot change my fate completely, then I shall go to meet it!”
…
Seeing Sauron close his eyes, spread his arms, and stand there motionless.
Fu Lingxi instinctively stepped forward, but was stopped by the gazes of Ji Xiuning and Huai Bingyi.
Huai Bingyi stepped forward and said, “Sauron, you have argued us into speechlessness. You say we are all evil, unqualified to kill you in the name of righteousness. Then let us kill you under a different name. Kill the hounds once the hares are gone, boil the hounds once the cunning hare is dead. How about that?”
Sauron’s gaze trembled.
Huai Bingyi said, “For thousands of years, in every dynasty, such things have been commonplace.”
Then, Huai Bingyi walked to Princess Zhiyan’s side, drew a Dragon Gold sword, and placed it in her hand, saying, “Zhiyan, right now, the Flame Empire’s million-strong army is already pressing on the border of the Raging Waves Kingdom. The armies of the Western Cool Kingdom and the Northern Court Kingdom have also begun to gather. Millions of troops will pour into your kingdom, completely dismantling and dividing up your Raging Waves Kingdom. For them, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Your Zhi Clan’s century-old legacy will be completely destroyed.”
Ji Xiuning said, “Zhiyan, as Sauron’s wife, this point can never be washed away. As the woman of the World-Destroying Demon Emperor, you will die without a burial place.”
Huai Bingyi said, “The only chance now is for you to kill Sauron with your own hands. Only then can you completely wash away suspicion and completely draw a clear line with him.”
Ji Mengbai said, “If you want to save the Raging Waves Kingdom, if you want to save the Zhi Clan, killing Sauron is the only path.”
Zhiyan closed her beautiful eyes.
This morning, she had asked Sauron what love was.
Sauron told her that when one person worries about another, even willing to give their life for them, that is love.
Zhi Ning was willing to give her life for her baby. That is love.
Sauron Ningbing, Yan Nair, were willing to die for Sauron. That is love.
Then Zhiyan fell into confusion. Did she have love in her heart?
She truly did not know. She and Sauron had been intimate countless times, their bodies and souls merging countless times.
When Sauron was not around, would she miss him?
Yes!
But it always seemed to fall a little short, just a little short.
On the left was the Zhi Clan, the Raging Waves Kingdom.
On the right was her husband Sauron, her benefactor, the man she shared a bed with.
Which was heavier, which was lighter?
Taking a deep breath, Princess Zhiyan looked at Sauron and said, “Husband, just as you said, I fell a little short. I have not learned to love. I am sorry!”
With that, Princess Zhiyan aimed the Dragon Gold sword at Sauron’s heart and slowly thrust it in!
Instantly, countless tears surged forth from Zhiyan’s eyes.
“Cough…” Sauron coughed with difficulty, his eyes looking at Sauron, large mouthfuls of blood gushing from his nose and mouth.
At this moment, the entire world was silent.
The only sound was the mournful cry suddenly emitted by the griffin beast that Sauron was riding!