Before long, Lady Duan Shou arrived with several of her officials, accompanied by Prince Zen Yu and Princess Zen Zee.
The rare sight of laughter filling the courtyard brought warmth to their faces as well.
With them came the Fengxian family, and the moment they stepped forward, everyone bowed first to the one they revered as the God of Ruin, ruler of an entire dimension forged by the Gods of Love themselves...
the great Black Heaven King, High King Yu Sui.
That realm, Black Heaven, was no ordinary land. It was a prison where every wicked soul was confined, where each vile crime was punished in a single place. It could be called hell itself.
And yet, the tenderness of Yu Sui's love and the purity of his heart made it clear: he was chosen by fate...and by the Gods of Love.....to reign as Emperor of Black Heaven.
All bowed deeply in reverence. Seeing this, the others followed...Su Nian, Duie, Wuzu, Lao Duan, and even Mo Yan himself. This was no ordinary respect; it was an honor rarely bestowed upon anyone, especially one bound to a demonic spirit.
---
Not long after, all had gathered in the council hall, the very chamber whose walls had, only a day earlier, borne witness to heavy secrets.
The hall was not silent...it throbbed with expectation. A proclamation was about to be made. Truths would be unveiled. Justice would be given.
Before the seasons could turn again, Lady Duan Shou began to speak. Time was already slipping away; she had erred once by letting Azhai Rong slip away in silence. Now, the burden of truth lay heavy upon her.
She began with warmth, her words returning first to the tale of the stolen prince. In the end, she revealed the prophecy's truth.
Su Nian's true place was declared: heir to the Langshan Sect, and emperor of the Nian clan.
The Xuemo Sect was split into three parts:
One part was given to Duie, who was crowned King of the Zhiang Sect, rightful heir to the Zhiang bloodline.
The second was granted to Lao Duan, for the Duan Sect, since he was the true heir of Lin Chaoyuan. Though Lin Chaoyuan had built his legacy through deceit, Lady Duan Shou knew the children bore no guilt for the sins of their parents.
The third was entrusted to Yin Fengxian, carved from the lands of Azhai Rong, and he was named King of the Fengxian Sect.
Meanwhile, Yu Sui and Mo Yan...already High Kings.....were declared the supreme rulers of Xuemo Sect, Linyan Clan, Meilan Clan, Fuzi Xion Clan, and Yanlog Clan.
Yet one title shone brighter than all others. Yu Sui was bestowed an unmatched decree:
The Sole High King of All Realms.
From this day forth, every sect, every clan, would march beneath the command of the Great King.The Almighty and High King Yu Sui
---
Tears and joy mingled as each new sovereign received their place.
Duie smiled through his tears, thinking of his lost sister. If only she had lived to see this day… how proud she would have been to see me find my true name.
His heart overflowed with joy and sorrow alike.
Lao Duan, too, trembled with disbelief. Never in his life had he imagined a throne awaiting him. He had never even known the love of a father.....and yet today, he was crowned King. He proved, before all, that no matter how great the crimes of one's parents, walking the righteous path could never be denied its reward.
Su Nian, once starved even for a sip of water, once tormented beyond measure, who had never even understood the meaning of affection.....
today, he was crowned the ruler of a clan.
His tears said what words could not. He and Duie looked upon each other with pride.
Yin Fengxian, who had at times walked astray but always sought to correct his path, was not punished but rewarded. Not only for standing with justice, but for choosing to change his very blood, turning from falsehood to truth.
The Fengxian family swelled with pride, even as their eyes glistened with tears of relief.
Wuzu and Wey Xiong could not contain their delight. Their masters had finally received their rightful places.
The burden of generations lifted from Lady Duan Shou's heart as well.
And at last, Mo Yan's coronation was completed. Every eye wept. Every mouth smiled. Yu Sui had won.....not only for himself, but for love itself.
---
Prince Zen Yu and Princess Zen Zee were left stunned. Before them stood not only legends, but the ancestors spoken of in tales...Su Nian among them.
They could scarcely believe it. We thought these were only stories…
Their open mouths and speechless awe said what their voices could not.
Then, in a thunderous voice, Lady Duan Shou issued her final decree. The officials straightened, awaiting command.
"Azhai Rong shall be arrested!"