You're Strong But Now You're Mine-Chapter 543 - 541 Responsibility

"But don't be nervous, because the final decision lies with me, and I have yet to decide whether to call forth the Holy Sword Glorious."

"So even if you readily accept to ascend to the supreme position, I might find it uninteresting and refuse to call forth the Holy Sword Glorious; conversely, if you are cowardly and reluctant for the throne, I might find it intriguing and randomly appoint someone to ascend and cancel the Holy Sword suspension, allowing the new emperor to save the world."

"Therefore, follow your inner desires and speak your true thoughts."

Cha Shiyin smiled and said, "Your sisters have all submitted acceptable answers, I believe you will be no exception."

"Shuiyun Palace!"

At this moment, a cabinet minister couldn't hold back any longer and loudly said, "Please consider—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Ling Jiangli's palm silently pressed onto his shoulder. His words were immediately stuck in his throat, and he flew out like a kite with a broken string.

Prepared in advance, Cha Huan blasted open the director's office door from afar with a shock, allowing the minister to roll roundly out. The outside guests understood the situation at a glance, politely closed the door, blocking the minister's screams, abruptly cutting them off.

"You've seen the attitude of the adults," Cha Shiyin smiled and said, "Don't feel pressured, you don't need to be responsible for anyone."

You don't need to be responsible for anyone.

This statement was like a stone, creating rippling waves in Ming Shuiyun's heart lake. She tightly gripped the note in her hand, recalling last night's encounter.

...

Covered in blood, Qin Le Yin staggered out from the ruins. Just as excitement surged in Ming Shuiyun's heart, she saw him voluntarily rush over to embrace her, leaving Ming Shuiyun flustered.

"Are you okay? You're bleeding a lot— I need to find a medical officer— I'll first help you to a safe place—"

"I'm fine, listen to me." His voice carried a hint of blood: "You need to go back quickly, pack your belongings, and remember not to let anyone see. Come find me before noon, we need to leave Yanjing as soon as possible."

"Why?"

"Yanjing is no longer safe; we can't stay here any longer. I'll take you to a safe place."

"But— the Holy Sword Glorious—"

"The Holy Sword Glorious can't be used, and even if it could, it wouldn't be you who uses it. The quest for the sword has lost its meaning; let those tall enough bear the heavens collapsing."

"But what about the Steam Chamber? The Unrivaled List? The Qin Family's assets? These can't be transferred in a day!"

"Compared to life, these external possessions are insignificant. Take what you can, abandon what you can't. In any case, we must leave quickly."

"But what about my ambitions? Your aspirations?!" Ming Shuiyun shook her head: "We've already invested so much in the quest for the sword and the throne... the Eye of Omniscience, the Unrivaled Kill, the Blood Essence Stone... You see you've been injured because of the Blood Essence Stone, how can we just abandon this, just leave?"

"Why can't we? And the throne is no longer a good thing, it's merely a hot potato, not worth pursuing—"

"But if even Yanjing is unsafe, where in Glorious would be safe? You can choose to flee now, but what if other places start warring in the future? The world is already broken; you can avoid for a while, but not forever! Escaping doesn't solve the problem!"

"Escape can solve problems. If I can avoid for a while, I can naturally avoid forever."

The red-haired man was unmoved by her words, he raised his hand seemingly intending to pat her head, but noticing his hands were covered in blood, he put them down: "Life is neither long nor short, in a few decades, it's still possible to hide away. Moreover, this civil war could last twenty years at most, ten years at least, and will certainly come to an end one day."

"For ten years, unless yellow earth white bones, I will guard you without worry for ten years."

Ming Shuiyun continued to shake her head: "But there are so many people... classmates, teachers, and you—"

"Owner." He suddenly showed an enchanting smile, white teeth stained with bright red blood, making Ming Shuiyun's neck feel itchy: "You might have misunderstood something— I'm not discussing with you, I'm notifying you."

Ming Shuiyun kept her mouth shut, but her face was full of defiance.

He restrained his smile and calmly said: "Shuiyun, this situation may have other solutions, but none concern us. After all, you have only one life, and it can't be squandered lightly."

"You don't need to be responsible for anyone."

...

"Shuiyun Palace?"

Hearing Cha Shiyin's greeting, Ming Shuiyun took a deep breath and seriously asked, "If the Holy Sword continues to remain suspended, will there be any place in Glorious that's safe?"

Cha Shiyin was somewhat surprised but soon shook his head: "No."

"Not a single district? Like Dongyang, Summer Sunset, Lei Yin..."

"They just haven't reacted yet. Once the capital falls, it will turn into a period of chaotic warfare among various factions. Until a real ruler emerges, the war won't cease." Cha Shiyin said, "There have been four chaotic periods in history, lasting twelve to twenty years. But it's often these dozen years of chaos that halve the population of Glorious, clearing out large areas of uninhabited farmland, so after great chaos, there will certainly be great order, because there are many lands and few people, and resources are abundant."

Ming Shuiyun looked somber: "What kind of power do you need to protect yourself and save your loved ones in such chaotic times? Can the Peak of Perfection realm escape?"

"In chaotic times, even those at the Peak of Perfection are just stronger ants," Cha Shiyin calmly said. "At Shuiyun Palace, you must understand, humans are social animals. Even the Peak of Perfection needs to eat, drink, and sleep; they cannot survive alone, detached from society. To seek something is to inevitably become involved in disputes, especially now that firearms are so advanced—a stray bullet can take down a martial pillar."

"The only certain way to protect oneself and one's loved ones is to lead an army, to become a leader, or even a victor."

"Escaping won't solve the problem. When the world becomes difficult, taking the path of escape is the worst policy. The harder you run, the more wars you'll encounter; only by facing difficulties can you carve out a path of peace."

Ming Shuiyun fell silent, and everyone nervously watched her. Cha Shiyin remained calm and patiently waited for Ming Shuiyun's response.

"So, if I wield the Holy Sword Radiance, can I really end the chaos and protect everyone?"

"Yes."

"Because of the violence of the Holy Sword Radiance?"

"It's not just about violence," Cha Shiyin smiled. "Perhaps you can see it in history books, but many might not know—as long as the emperor wields the Holy Sword once and fully controls its radiance, they can unlock secrets within their body, continuously improve their physical strength, and their mental capacity will swiftly surpass that of mortals."

"An emperor who controls the Holy Sword Radiance, whether or not they previously practiced combat techniques, will surely reach the Peak of Perfection realm in as little as fifteen days or as long as three months. Moreover, the emperor's ability to learn will be beyond imagination, even able to see through people's hearts, understand truths, with unprecedented spiritual power, their every move causing subjects to kneel and all beings to worship."

"Throughout history, any emperor who has ever wielded the Holy Sword Radiance has been a wise ruler of their generation, not only a wise monarch but also a commander in chief, praised for their civil and martial achievements."

"But the power of the Holy Sword Radiance rarely spreads because even emperors know it's not worth it—just a single swing consumes half of one's lifespan. No matter how great the gains, one must have the life to enjoy them. Who would want to wield the Holy Sword unless there was no other option?"

"So," Ming Shuiyun said softly, "as long as I wield the Holy Sword Radiance, I can be an unquestionable king?"

"Yes."

"Can I do whatever I want?" 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"In theory, no, but once you reach that level of thought, you'll know how to fool the subjects, hiding personal desires within public interests."

"What if I... out of personal desire, place someone without qualifications in a high position in the Imperial Court?"

Cha Shiyin paused, then chuckled, "What you're saying is like taking a gold coin to a bun shop and asking if you can buy a bun."

"If you're asking whether you can promote someone to the position of Chief Minister, make their family prominent for a century, grant them a noble title, assure them lifelong wealth and ease, allow them to shine in the court hall, leave them a lasting reputation—then I can clearly answer you—absolutely, you can even go further, like letting them live in the Imperial Court..."

"But, is it worth it?"

Is it worth it?

Ming Shuiyun was also asking herself. Is it worth it? Is it necessary? Will I regret it?

She lowered her head and suddenly realized that the note Laiya secretly slipped her was soaked with sweat. Although everyone was watching her now, Ming Shuiyun felt no fear at this moment. She openly unfolded the note to check the information passed to her from outside:

"Come out quickly"

"I'm waiting for you"

Ming Shuiyun folded the note and put it in her pocket, then fell into a long silence.

"At least two swings, right?" she suddenly asked.

"At least, and at most. Two swings are enough to solve all problems."

"With two swings, how many years of life do I have left?"

"Now the average lifespan is fifty to sixty years. If cared for well, you can live to the age of someone like Chancellor Cha... But after wielding the Holy Sword, you've lost the chance to live long," Cha Shiyin thought for a moment. "Assuming a lifespan of sixty years, you still have over forty years left."

"After one swing, only twenty years are left. After another swing, only ten years remain. Theoretically, it should be a bit more, but it's more appropriate to count on ten years."

"Ten years...?"

Ming Shuiyun murmured, her eyes gradually becoming firm. She pressed her lips together and nodded gently.

"That's enough."

Cha Shiyin looked curiously: "I can probably guess why, but Shuiyun Palace, would you mind saying it?"

"As you said, I don't need to be responsible for anyone."

Ming Shuiyun gazed at the Platinum Tower outside the window, her expression gentle and her eyes soft.

"I just want to be responsible for him."