Summer, Hongnong.

Yuanbei Mountain, Summer Resort Mountain Villa belonging to Tian’an Commerce Assembly.

The scorching sun steams the heat upward, only the wind passes through the forest, bringing a hint of coolness mixed with the fragrance of grass and wood. Golden spots of light pass through the gaps in the leaves, jumping and cracking along the window ledge, while the sound of cicadas tirelessly washes over the villa’s silence.

Hua Hong sat alone on the bed, staring out at the flourishing forest in a daze, the room filled with a suffocating blend of herbs and rotten wood, until a very light footstep entered, breaking this stagnant silence.

He didn’t even need to turn around; the invisible pressure brought by the owner of the footstep had already made the air stagnate.

Under his gaze, a young man dressed in a Profound Black Dragon Robe appeared behind the door, without any announcement, without greeting, and straight into the sickroom of him, the President Tianan who wielded power over the world.

It was a rightful rudeness, the embodiment of greater authority.

At the instant of seeing the Profound Black Dragon Robe, Hua Hong instinctively wanted to rise to greet, which was a habit cultivated over nearly twenty years, but alas, his body’s weakness already prevented him from achieving that; all he could do was squeeze a hoarse call from his parched throat:

"Young Master."

Upon hearing this familiar gentle call, Xu Yuan stopped in his tracks, without speaking.

Ever since he assumed this position, those who dared to call him by name had become few and far between—not apart from confidantes and relatives, there were no others.

The forms of address had become the scale of social hierarchy, and those once close to him all gradually changed how they addressed him.

Xu Yuan found this somewhat unfeeling, but Dayan still held fast as a Feudal Dynasty where hierarchy was ingrained to the core, and the establishment of hierarchy was always continuously reinforced and subtly transformed in daily life.

Courtiers far from the center of power at court would call him Prime Minister, as it was a position bestowed by the current Empress, yet most courtiers of the previous generation called Xu Yuan by his title, Han King.

In these elderly courtiers’ hearts, the title Prime Minister still belonged to the man named Xu Yinhe, even though he had passed away, even though his successor had opened, but there remained some grudge hesitating to change their address.

Xu Family retainers held mostly the same mindset, those less close called him Family Head, while those closer, like core high-ranking members Hua Hong and Jiang He, maintained the former Young Master address.

Thus,

Xu Yuan should have long since grown accustomed to being called Young Master by the old man before him, yet, strangely now, he found it piercing, sharply painful.

Xu Yuan stood silently beside the bed, shadows engulfing half of his face, until a maid silently brought over an intricately carved wooden chair, upon which he slowly sat down.

But as he looked at this face carved by time, he suddenly didn’t know where to begin.

State affairs?

Or perhaps reminiscing?

Ha, reminiscing....

He had already forgotten long since when was the last time he discussed anything personal with this "elder," perhaps it was before his father passed away?

As Xu Yuan was observing Hua Hong, Hua Hong was watching him.

Suddenly,

The old man broke into a smile, his deep voice carrying a faint tremble:

"Young Master... you truly haven’t changed a bit."

Xu Yuan’s dark eyes showed a hint of surprise.

Haven’t changed?

The changes within himself had become so substantial that even those closest felt him a stranger.

Xu Yuan at heart was never someone who favored silence, initially he didn’t believe occupying a high position necessitated reticence, but over time, he perceived this as the most effortless path.

Silence could draw a distance from people, and distance invoked respect.

Gradually,

His habits slowly shifted.

Including with those closest.

"I spoke of appearance."

Hua Hong explained, diligently observing the finely dressed young man before him:

"Young Master hasn’t changed at all over the years, completely unchanged from when Prime Minister was still around..."

Xu Yuan released a murky breath, and said:

"Dao Charm, ageless."

These five words floated lightly, Hua Hong took a deep breath upon hearing them, then side glanced at the maple leaves outside the window, the light falling upon his sunken cheeks, entering the lines crafted by time, and softly said:

"I have indeed aged, too old to exert myself for you any longer."

Upon saying that, the elder forced a faint smile, his hunched body slightly trembling:

"But for you must already sense it, otherwise wouldn’t have come to see me."

Xu Yuan remained silent.

He already sensed it, even earlier than the old man himself.

Hua Hong in his view constantly sinking, due to the dead aura emanating from the depths of his body.

He was dying.

This elder, who survived three dynasties, walked through nearly sixty years, had reached the final stretch of his life.

Yet Hua Hong seemed unconcerned, softly speaking:

"Young Master, rest assured, I have made the necessary arrangements for my affairs, the work in my hands has also been appropriately handed over, although some of my disciples are lacking, they are nonetheless barely usable.

"Oh right, regarding Bai Zhao, your close aide, it’s not for lack of desire to use him...

"I genuinely like him a lot, his ability is sufficient, and has ample fortitude, but his cultivation remains his Achilles heel.....

"Young Master, the position of President Tianan requires sufficient cultivation to handle worldly affairs, Fusion Realm remains....."

"..."

"..." 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Hua Hong droned on like a regular old man, until.....

"Enough...."

At last, Xu Yuan interrupted, voice unusually hoarse.

Then Hua Hong fell silent, his turbid yet gentle eyes, silently looking upon this youth he had long believed would never mature.

Xu Yuan’s eyelids drooped slightly, as though measuring each word:

"I... tried creating a Secret Technique to extend your life, but failed; Life Dao Essence cannot be applied to others, injecting it into a living body turns it into a mindless monster, regardless how many times I tried, using whatever method.... failure without exception."

"....."

Upon hearing these words, Hua Hong’s clouded eyes slightly widened and then returned to normal, forming a gentle, relieved smile.

After the division in the power struggle, the other party had always maintained the stance of a superior, no longer being close to him in the slightest. Yet, unexpectedly... this child’s heart had remained unchanged...

The sound of cicadas outside the window became particularly clear at this moment, as if urging the passage of time.

After a long silence, Hua Hong finally sighed with relief:

"Young master...not everyone possesses the god-given talent like you and the Prime Minister. Birth, aging, illness, and death are merely common human fates. Now that I am approaching my end, I am not afraid, only regretful."

Xu Yuan did not lift his eyes, and asked with a smile:

"Mr. Hua, are you still caught up in the power struggle?"

Hua Hong heard this and smiled as well, the wrinkles on his face slightly trembling, he replied quietly:

"Twenty years have been enough for me to understand everything. The regret I hold now is not being unable to witness you ascend the throne."

At this point, the old man’s voice grew gentle:

"It is rather...not being able to watch you for a few more years, not being able to see with my own eyes the new world you wish for."

Xu Yuan finally looked at his death-shadowed eyes, filled with suppression:

"You...knew?"

"Initially, I didn’t, but this war has lasted too long. Under normal conditions, it should have ended seven or eight years ago."

"Indeed."

Xu Yuan, enlightened, chuckled softly:

"The outcome of war depends on logistics. You, old man, have overseen the nation’s logistics; when did you discover it?"

Hua Hong smiled, a light gleaming in his cloudy eyes:

"Earlier than you imagine."

For a moment, their gazes met, and Xu Yuan couldn’t help but look to the side. Only after a moment did he ask:

"Even knowing the truth...you chose to support me?"

Hua Hong, as if seeing him as a child beginning to speak, smiled gently:

"Young master, if I hadn’t supported you, whom would I support? You are someone to whom the lady, the Prime Minister, and I have entrusted our entire lives."

"..."

In that moment, the sound of cicadas outside grew piercingly loud.

Xu Yuan lowered his head.

Hua Hong coughed lightly:

"I’ve reached the end of this road and can’t assist you further, but you do not lack me alone by your side... His Majesty will help you, Lou Ji will help you, I believe in the future, many more will stand behind you...."

"After all, that is a...Human Immortal Dynasty..."

"That kind of future, I...truly yearn for..."

"You’ve prepared everything thoroughly, but...."

"You must know, from now on, anyone might become an enemy...."

"..."

"..."

The old man began to ramble again, but this time Xu Yuan didn’t interrupt him and listened quietly, just like in his childhood, when he listened obediently to his tedious teachings for a few broken silver...

All gatherings must eventually part,

Once the words stopped, the two men fell into silence, only the sound of cicadas and breathing interweaving in the room.

Hua Hong took a deep breath, looking at the child sitting at the bedside, head lowered in silence, arranged his robe, and spoke slowly as if delaying time:

"Young master, governmental affairs await you, you must leave."

"Indeed."

Xu Yuan, awoken from his thoughts, slowly stood up, responding quietly as if in casual conversation:

"Leaving, Mr. Hua."

"Young master." Hua Hong called out to him.

"What is it?" Xu Yuan did not turn back.

"Even if you do not become the emperor, you will still be a person remembered through the ages."

"...."

Xu Yuan suddenly turned around,

What he saw was the sincere and fervent gaze of the old man at the end of his life.

...

...

...

The cicadas sang mournfully, agitating the heart.

Xu Yuan left.

Hua Hong silently watched that eternally young back walking away, until it could no longer be seen, then began to tremble on the bed, as if using the last of his strength, that frail body trembling violently...stood up.

Then,

He shakily bowed,

For the final time to kneel in respect,

Towards his direction,

With a smile:

"Changtian...farewell forever."

...

In the summer of the 19th year of Yong’an, Marquis Jing, Hua Hong passed away.

Bestowed with a state funeral.