Chapter 1

The sky was a brilliant blue, the sea a deep emerald green, and a gentle breeze blew across the golden sand.

The beaches of the Maldives, indeed, were among the best places in the world for leisure and relaxation.

At the entrance to a private beach, a crowd of hundreds gathered, bustling with activity. Some held cameras, others carried camcorders, and still others held microphones. Most were young men and women, holding posters and wearing matching shirts. A common feature on their shirts was the portrait of a well-known figure, a man who had become a household name, a man who had created a legend.

Just five minutes later, a convoy of luxury cars approached from the distance. The lead car, a dazzling silver Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, was one of the world's most famous luxury vehicles, worth 1.5 billion and with fewer than ten in existence.

The crowd erupted in cheers.

The convoy moved at a high speed but came to a steady stop at the entrance, forming a straight line with each car precisely twenty centimeters apart.

As the car doors opened, the crowd surged forward. Numerous men in black suits, with shaved heads and imposing builds, quickly formed a human wall. No matter how the crowd pressed, they could not cross the line.

Following the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, a young man stepped out, wearing sunglasses and a classic floral-patterned short-sleeved shirt and shorts.

The young man was well-built, and if he had been wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses, he would have looked like a future warrior.

"Qin Feng! I love you!"

"Emperor Hongwu!"

The crowd erupted as the man appeared. Young men and women waved their signs and screamed his name. The media photographers snapped away, the flashbulbs lighting up the scene and consuming countless rolls of film.

Qin Feng, a world-renowned actor, had won the highest award at the Oscars for his epic film "Emperor Hongwu." However, he had since faded from the entertainment industry. Despite this, "Emperor Hongwu," which had swept various awards, remained deeply ingrained in people's hearts. As a result, he still had countless fans worldwide and was a constant subject of media attention.

Notably, the character of Emperor Hongwu was based on a real historical figure. More importantly, the historical Emperor Hongwu was also named Qin Feng. From the historical paintings that survived, people were astonished to find that the actor Qin Feng who portrayed Emperor Hongwu looked exactly like the historical figure.

Historically, Emperor Hongwu emerged at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, rising from humble beginnings to defeat powerful warlords like Cao Cao, Liu Bei, Sun Quan, and Yuan Shao, ending the chaos of the Three Kingdoms and founding the Great Qin Empire.

During the First and Second World Wars, he defeated the three major empires of the ancient world—Rome, Kushan, and Parthia—thus achieving global dominance, surpassing even the First Emperor of Qin, Ying Zheng, and becoming the universally recognized true First Emperor of China, the Ancestor Dragon, in the hearts of Chinese people worldwide.

Emperor Hongwu was the son of China, the son of the Chinese nation, and also the son of the world, a revered emperor by all ethnic groups. Under his leadership, the people of the world had completely escaped darkness and poverty over 1,800 years ago.

He was universally recognized as the greatest, wisest, and most enlightened emperor in the world. His appearance had put world civilization on a fast track. His contributions were unparalleled, and his works, even in modern times, were considered foundational classics by scholars.

World history began to change when Qin Feng, the historical figure, emerged on the stage at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty. However, no one knew about this change.

But now, the actor Qin Feng knew about this change.

Because he was the Emperor Hongwu from 1,800 years ago, a time traveler from the modern era to the Eastern Han Dynasty. He had unified the empire and ascended the throne, making great contributions to the revival of China. As a result, heaven had shown him favor, allowing him to return to the modern era after his death.

His genuine love for his consorts had moved heaven, and after the deaths of his consorts, including Cai Yan and Diaochan, heaven had restored their youth and sent them back with their memories intact.

World history had changed significantly due to Qin Feng's time travel. After returning to the modern era, Emperor Hongwu Qin Feng lived a life of bliss with his consorts.

As Qin Feng got out of the car, over twenty beautiful women, each with stunning beauty, stepped out of the other cars.

The crowd became even more excited.

"Look, they look exactly like the portraits found in Emperor Hongwu's tomb!"

"This is Cai Yan, this is Diaochan, this is Sun Shangxiang!"

"Wow, they really look the same! I thought it was just special makeup before!" Some fans, seeing Qin Feng and his consorts in person for the first time, were extremely excited.

Qin Feng smiled helplessly.

Behind him, Sun Shangxiang, still looking like a porcelain doll, pouted and said, "What do you mean 'look the same'? We are the real ones!"

"Shh, keep it down. We can't let outsiders know about this," the mature and graceful Cai Yan said, then put on a pink pair of sunglasses for her.

Qin Feng's consorts, after experiencing so much, finally understood all the facts and were very grateful to be able to stay with Qin Feng forever.

As the former Emperor Hongwu, Qin Feng loved his consorts deeply and could not bear to keep them at home. Therefore, they often traveled the world together for leisure and relaxation. This time, they had come to the Maldives for the winter.

Three hours later.

On the private beach, beautiful figures played and splashed in the water.

Qin Feng lay on a beach chair under a sun umbrella, wearing sunglasses to block the light. Listening to the laughter and joy around him, he smiled. He felt that heaven had been very kind to him, giving him a life of bliss in the modern era after the tumultuous years of the Three Kingdoms.

However, many times, during his leisurely days in the modern era, Qin Feng would recall the passionate life of the Three Kingdoms. That was what a man should truly experience. He would often think of his loyal ministers and generals, as well as his former rivals.

"Zilong, Yuanzhi, Wenhe... I'm back, it's been a year. I wonder... where you are now. And my brother Mengde, I wish I could return to that era and see you all again."

As Qin Feng thought, the scene before him suddenly changed.

He found himself on an ancient battlefield, riding his beloved steed, Zhuiyun, and once again donning his golden Xuanlong armor and wielding his golden Zhenwu Taiji spear.

"Charge!"

"Charge!"

"Charge!" The cries of battle echoed from all sides, the sky and earth filled with countless soldiers.

Too many bloodthirsty enemy soldiers surged forward.

Although Qin Feng had suddenly appeared here, and the change was immense, his mind quickly focused, recalling the days of iron horses and golden armor.

Behind him were the brave warriors of China, and before him were the butchers of the enemy. His eyes became fierce, his gaze cold. He raised his spear, the sharp tip glowing with a golden light that made the heavens tremble. "Sons of China! Today is the day of our final stand. We will fertilize our land with the blood of our enemies, and their souls will tremble before our blades! Even if our hands are stained with blood, our souls remain pure and unblemished!"

Qin Feng charged with his golden spear, and wherever the golden light swept, enemies fell. The sons of China rose, and Qin Feng rose. However, the enemies were too numerous, countless in number.

"Qin Zijin, prepare to die! Here, you have no right to call yourself king!" A man led the charge, riding a horse and wielding a sword.

"Severus!" Qin Feng was shocked to find that the leader of the countless soldiers was Severus, the Roman emperor he had killed 1,800 years ago.

Countless cold blades flew toward him, and one finally struck him, sending him flying. He felt the world gradually fading away. He finally understood the taste of being killed and the taste of complete defeat, a pain that tore at his heart. Looking down at the enemy's grotesque faces, hearing the mournful neigh of Zhuiyun, his heart was filled with various emotions—resentment, anger, thoughts of his family, a desire for victory, and a thirst for the truth.

As Qin Feng's consciousness began to fade, a familiar face appeared before him, a lifelong enemy and friend, "Meng... Mengde!"

"Zijin, you... came too late... too late... If there is a next life, we will all rely on you..."

Qin Feng rose higher and higher, his body beginning to disintegrate into countless stars that drifted away with the wind, but his consciousness became more solid. On the battlefield that made the gods weep, his voice seemed to echo, "If there is a next life... if there is a next life... I will surely sweep away all the enemies and uncover the truth of everything!"