Xiang Yu walked forward and issued a calm command.
"Yes, sir."
The soldiers promptly lowered their flintlock rifles and retreated with precision.
So it was true—the sisters had been seen.
But it wasn't just Xiang Yu who noticed them. Even ordinary humans could now perceive their presence. That was impossible. Normal humans shouldn't be able to see across the temporal barrier where the Valkyries stood.
This felt less like observation and more like… they had truly entered this era.
Entered this era?
Brunhilde's expression changed dramatically.
No way. Could it really be?
It was the only explanation that made sense.
Was this some kind of joke? Had they inexplicably crossed into this time period?
And this era had suddenly leapt into an industrial revolution?
It was as if yesterday had still been the ancient world, and today—steamships and flintlocks.
If they had jumped forward a few decades, maybe it could be rationalized. But Brunhilde had seen Xiang Yu's cavalry—clearly still fleeing Han forces, still confused by the anomalies around them.
She couldn't understand it.
Maybe… she had begun to suspect something. But she couldn't bring herself to believe it.
And now, with Xiang Yu's imposing figure approaching, Brunhilde's body tensed to the extreme. Her fists clenched, ready to defend or retaliate.
Xiang Yu stopped three meters in front of her, a playful expression on his face.
"Welcome to the Empire of Qin, Valkyrie Brunhilde."
Chapter 039 – One Must Stay as the New Consort?
Her long black hair gleamed, adorned with a wing-shaped ornament. Her face was striking and bold, even without makeup. Her tall frame was clad in knightly attire.
She looked like someone who had survived countless battles—her entire being radiated a fierce, martial aura.
She looked like a Valkyrie from legend.
And in truth, she was one—Brunhilde.
At this moment, she tried to appear calm, but the cold sweat on her face betrayed her nerves.
Her once-sharp eyes, filled with resolve, now flickered with unease.
She was wound tight, like a startled bird.
Xiang Yu—White Moon—smirked at her reaction.
Another proud warrior, shaken.
Oh, and the girl beside her wasn't the easily frightened little one this time, but another beautiful woman.
Long brown hair shimmered, her delicate features soft and luminous, her skin pale and translucent. She radiated gentleness.
"Welcome to the Empire of Qin, Valkyrie Brunhilde."
That line made Brunhilde's pupils contract violently. Her tension spiked.
"Empire of Qin? What is this place?"
Her voice trembled with disbelief.
"What is it? Perhaps you already know deep down."
His words made her flinch again. She shook her head slightly.
She looked like she couldn't accept the truth.
Her companion grew visibly uneasy.
"Then how do you know I'm Brunhilde?"
No point in panicking. Better to stay calm. Brunhilde voiced her confusion.
Xiang Yu narrowed his eyes.
"The Akasha System told me."
That answer shook her again.
The Akasha System told him?
Impossible.
No—maybe not impossible.
She had originally used the Akasha System to jump to 221 BCE, the founding of the Qin Empire.
But she had inexplicably landed in the time of Xiang Yu's defeat at Gaixia.
Then, after witnessing a version of the Ujiang suicide that deviated from history, she tried to jump to the Great Wall's construction era—and ended up here.
It had seemed like a system malfunction.
But if Xiang Yu claimed the Akasha System told him—then someone had tampered with it.
And since only Valkyries had access to the system between Solomon's end and now, how could it have been altered?
Unless… someone entered the Akasha realm before her and programmed a trigger—so that when she entered a specific time and place, this scenario would unfold.
Yes. That seemed the most likely explanation.
Brunhilde's gaze hardened. She parted her lips.
"What's the purpose?"
She couldn't show fear now. She had to face this head-on, as a Valkyrie should.
"The purpose?"
He laughed—a laugh so powerful it made the air tremble.
Then his eyes sharpened, piercing both women. They froze, cold sweat dripping.
"You were sent to me as a gift."
Brunhilde's face darkened.
"A gift?"
"Yes. History says I had a consort—Yu Meiren, famed for her beauty. But I never met such a woman. So they sent you to be her."
His mocking tone made Brunhilde's expression grow stormy.
So White Moon was serious?
Of course not. He was just toying with her—this proud, unyielding Valkyrie.
"But I've changed my mind."
"Changed your mind?"
So she wouldn't be Yu Meiren?
His gaze shifted—to Lantigris.
Brunhilde's face turned iron-gray.
"I want her. You can go free. Deal?"
Just as she feared.
"Don't even—"
"If you refuse, you won't be able to return. What about Ragnarok?"
Brunhilde gritted her teeth.
"Think carefully. See that portal? It's closing. Once it's gone, you're stuck."
She looked. The portal's light was shrinking, fading.
"Then please let my sister leave, Lord Xiang Yu. Lantigris will stay."
Lantigris stepped forward, walking to his side.
"Lantigris!"
Brunhilde wanted to scream, I won't abandon her! But she had more pressing duties. Was she to sacrifice her sister?
She hated it. But she had no choice.
White Moon grinned—classic villain.
But wait. Wasn't he just a holographic character in a movie?
How could he see her? Speak to her?
Had Brunhilde been pulled into the movie world?
Had she truly crossed time into his era?
The answer: both yes and no.
She wasn't in 202 BCE.
She was in Year 20 of the Great Qin Calendar.
What difference did that make?
Everything. It meant this was a parallel timeline.
202 BCE was recorded history.
But Year 20 of the Great Qin Calendar was unwritten—not part of the Akasha records.
"Then, I wish you a pleasant journey~"
With a wave of his hand, a mysterious mark struck Brunhilde before she could react—and she vanished.
Lantigris was struck too—and disappeared.
He had kicked them out.
Behind him, in the direction of Xianyang, the clouds parted.
A colossal tree pierced the sky.
Chapter 040 – The World Tree
First, the Fusang Tree—a divine tree from Eastern mythology, a classic symbol of creation.
Classic of the Ten Continents: "Fusang, ever-changing, without fixed form, can split into a hundred bodies." Classic of Mountains and Seas: "Above the Tang Valley stands Fusang, where ten suns bathe." Taiping Yulan: "The tallest tree under heaven, Fusang has no branches, reaches the sky, coils downward, and connects three springs."
Across texts, Fusang is tied to the sun—a resting place for celestial fire.
The sun resides in the heavens, which ancient people believed to be the realm of immortals. Thus, Fusang was said to support the heavens—its branches reaching the divine.
Some legends say climbing Fusang leads to the world of gods.
Others say Fusang connects the heavens, earth, and underworld—a gateway between realms.
In short, Fusang is a world tree.
Then there's Yggdrasil—a name few understand. It's the world tree of Norse mythology.
"Ygg" means terrifying—also one of Odin's names. "Drasill" means horse. Together: "Odin's horse."
Legend says Odin hung himself from this tree, pierced by his spear Gungnir, to discover the runes.
He called this act "riding the horse"—thus the tree became Yggdrasil.
In Norse myth, Yggdrasil's branches reach the heavens, forming the structure of the world. It holds nine realms:
Asgard – realm of the Aesir gods Jotunheim – land of giants Alfheim – home of the elves And more…
Its three massive roots reach:
Asgard, beneath which lies the Well of Urd, where gods gather daily. Jotunheim, beneath which lies Mimir's Well, source of wisdom. Niflheim, the icy realm of the dead, beneath which lies Hvergelmir, and the dragon Nidhogg, who gnaws at the roots.
When Nidhogg finally severs the tree, Ragnarök—the twilight of the gods—will begin.
Thus, this tree too is a world tree.
And finally, in the center of Eden, there is the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, also called the Inverted Tree.