Chapter Two: The Martial God of the North

In the demon realm, the lower ranks defied their superiors, causing chaos that spilled over into both the human and demonic worlds. This war began when the Demon King vanished and the demon race lost its deterrent power; it ended with the overwhelming might of the Fifth Emperor, Xiao. After this battle, the gods came to a new understanding of the Fifth Emperor.

This wanderer, who seemed only to roam mountains and rivers in the eyes of all, harbored immense power within. The scenes of the Fifth Emperor’s battles on the demon battlefield were displayed to the entire Celestial Court through the Mirroring Platform. All the gods and celestial generals were astonished by the techniques wielded by the Fifth Emperor.

He had fused the arts of both gods and demons, journeyed through countless realms under the heavens, and, enlightened by myriad spirits of gods and demons and his own brilliance, created his own unique techniques. Though seemingly chaotic, his spells were methodically cast, layered and intricately connected.

Even the Heavenly Emperor, upon witnessing the Fifth Emperor’s arts, could not help but take notice. He realized that his second son was by no means inferior to his eldest, the Ninth Emperor. It was only that the Fifth Emperor had never been willing to display his true strength before the gods.

Once the internal strife among demons and devils was quelled, the Fifth Emperor did not immediately return to the Celestial Realm. Instead, he lingered in the Demon Realm, returning the Demon King’s decree—a token entrusted to him before the king’s departure—to the Council of Elders. He then spent some time traveling through the Demon Realm, gaining much from his journey before finally bidding farewell and returning to the Celestial Realm.

Upon his return, the Fifth Emperor was immediately summoned to the Divine Palace to receive his title. Before all the gods and generals, the Heavenly Emperor appointed him as the God of Northern Martial War, granting him the Palace of the War God as his residence and place of cultivation. The Fifth Emperor, unconcerned about where he would dwell or cultivate, gave a hurried thanks and left the palace straight for Qinggui Palace.

News of his appointment and the bestowal of a divine residence soon reached the ears of the Ninth Emperor. When he intended to congratulate his younger brother, his master stopped him.

Puzzled, the Ninth Emperor looked at his teacher. It was thanks to his brother’s intervention that he had escaped when trapped during the demon war. He had also witnessed his brother’s battle.

He alone knew the reason for his capture in the demon formation. Their mastery of the divine arts should have been on par, but his younger brother had traveled far and wide, gaining vast knowledge and experience, and, under the Demon King’s guidance, had become far more adept in real combat.

In recent days, the Ninth Emperor felt a tinge of inferiority whenever he thought of this. He had spent his days studying the great divine arts of the Celestial Realm, yet never found true tempering. He and the other gods had once believed the Fifth Emperor’s wanderings to be frivolous, a waste of precious cultivation resources—a gross ignorance, as it turned out.

Now, the Ninth Emperor saw that it was he who had been foolish, pleased with flattery and small advances, not realizing his brother had forsaken traditional methods to seek the very source of the dao.

“Teacher, why do you stop me from congratulating my brother?” the Ninth Emperor asked, looking at his master, Xuanming Celestial Venerable, one of the founders of the Celestial Realm.

Xuanming Celestial Venerable was his father’s senior, who had also once instructed the Heavenly Emperor. Now, at his father’s command, the Ninth Emperor studied under Xuanming Celestial Venerable, understanding his father’s intentions but not always approving of them. Yet, he could not defy his father’s will.

“Do you know why the Heavenly Emperor appointed the Fifth Emperor as the God of Northern Martial War?” Xuanming Celestial Venerable sat cross-legged on a golden reed mat, his eyes closed, his deep voice rippling with subtle power. The Ninth Emperor shook his head, feeling his spirit unsettled by the waves of sound.

Since returning from the battlefield, he had been sent directly here to study. From the moment he saw Xuanming Celestial Venerable, he felt for the first time a burning yearning for higher divine arts.

Now, as he heard again the resonant spiritual tone in his master’s voice, a trace of greed flickered in his eyes, which he quickly suppressed, casting a furtive glance at his master, relieved to see his teacher’s eyes still closed. He exhaled quietly, even feeling a touch of fear.

“Teacher, my father’s appointment of my brother as God of Northern Martial War is naturally to honor his achievements, and the grant of a divine residence is a reward,” the Ninth Emperor said, relaxing only when his teacher remained still.

He knew that, as a god, he was bound by certain rules. If his teacher sensed the greed in his heart, he might be expelled from tutelage.

“In the Celestial Realm, if a prince is appointed before coming of age, he loses forever the right to ascend the throne. Do you understand?” Xuanming Celestial Venerable stroked his long beard, his tone tinged with emotion.

Since discerning the Heavenly Emperor’s intentions, he had kept a close eye on the two princes. Outwardly, the Ninth Emperor seemed far superior to the Fifth Emperor, but after the recent war, even he had to admit the Fifth Emperor’s performance was extraordinary.

To repel tens of thousands of demon soldiers single-handedly was a feat worthy of praise. Though the demon race had not sent their highest powers against him, and so he alone quelled the rebellion, all knew that if the Fifth Emperor continued to grow, he would become a peerless force under the heavens.

“Teacher, I do not understand,” replied the Ninth Emperor, though he well knew the implications. In the Celestial Realm, to be granted a title before coming of age meant forgoing the right to vie for the throne. For this reason, his father’s generation had learned patience and restraint in the struggle for succession.

He cared little for the throne. Otherwise, he would not have led troops into the war, nor would his brother.

“As long as you understand your father’s intention,” said Xuanming Celestial Venerable softly. The mere mention of his father’s plans irritated the Ninth Emperor.

“Teacher, I understand my father’s intent, but I do not wish to. If you and my father truly believe I am less than my brother, and seek to deprive him of his right to the throne by such means, then I feel my claim would be dishonorable. I want to face my brother fairly—I do not believe myself inferior and have no need to avoid a direct contest,” the Ninth Emperor declared with conviction.

He truly did not wish to accept his father’s designs. He knew the Emperor wanted him to succeed easily, but he wanted to claim the throne openly, not through manipulation. If his teacher and father insisted on suppressing his brother, he resolved within that he would rather leave the Celestial Realm than win thus.

“You are in no way lesser than the Fifth Emperor. In fact, your character is even more suited to the throne. The Heavenly Emperor’s intentions are well meant; reflect on them well. When you ascend the throne, if you wish, you may have your contest with the Fifth Emperor. Now, go and offer your congratulations,” Xuanming Celestial Venerable replied with a smile of approval.

Had the Ninth Emperor meekly accepted these arrangements, Xuanming Celestial Venerable would never have endorsed him as heir apparent.

“Your teachings will never be forgotten,” the Ninth Emperor bowed and withdrew, only then turning toward the Palace of the Northern Martial War God.

After he left, Xuanming Celestial Venerable rose and bowed toward a screen behind him. The screen glowed gold, and the Heavenly Emperor, robed in gold, stepped forth and raised him up. Xuanming Celestial Venerable laughed, inviting the Emperor to sit.

“It seems the Ninth Emperor is unwilling to follow your wishes,” he said, summoning a white-feathered crane with a gesture. The bird brought forth a pot of immortal wine, and he poured a cup for the Emperor, then produced his own gourd, taking a sip, his face aglow with purple light and fragrant with wine. The Heavenly Emperor picked up his cup, sniffed, and smiled.

“The Ninth has desire, yet dares not let it free. This is the root of his stagnation. If he cannot release his desire, how can he overcome it? I wonder if you, Celestial Venerable, can help draw it out, so he may break through and truly touch the higher dao of the Celestial Realm,” the Heavenly Emperor remarked, his words filled with paternal warmth. Yet to Xuanming Celestial Venerable, none of that love extended to the Fifth Emperor, who, perhaps, courted his father’s displeasure by growing too close to the Demon King.

“Have you thought of the Fifth Emperor? His potential is in no way less than the Ninth’s. If you only cultivated him a little, he could surpass all former war gods and become the ultimate. If the Fifth and the Ninth joined forces, your dream of unifying the Three Realms would be within reach,” Xuanming Celestial Venerable said, drinking again, his tone wistful. He still favored the Fifth Emperor, but sadly, the second prince was not favored by his father.

“The Fifth is indeed remarkable. But I have glimpsed the dao, and his fate does not lie in the Celestial Realm. Do you really think I ignore him simply because he is close to the Demon King? Both he and the Ninth are my sons. The Fifth has always loved to wander; I do not know what fate awaits him, but I know he will surpass the Ninth in time,” the Heavenly Emperor said, draining his cup.

“You have glimpsed the Heavenly Way?” Xuanming Celestial Venerable asked. The Emperor nodded, waving away the mist that shrouded him.

Seeing this, Xuanming Celestial Venerable was shocked. He had warned the Emperor not to seek the Heavenly Way, or he would suffer its backlash. Yet, to learn his sons’ destinies, the Emperor had braved it, and now endured its consequences.

“It has merely cost me a century’s cultivation—no matter,” the Emperor said, waving aside his teacher’s concern. Xuanming Celestial Venerable sighed, fetched a jade bottle from his inner chambers, and placed it in the Emperor’s hand, shaking his head in resignation.

All the way to the Palace of the War God of the North, the Ninth Emperor pondered his teacher’s words. However he turned them in his mind, he could not accept such a fate. For him, seeking a duel with the Fifth Emperor was not just about the throne—there was another reason, one that made their confrontation inevitable. Clenching his fists, he soared toward the palace.