Chapter 83 Just a Pawn 02
Before Ren Yi could figure out a solution, Xuanwei behind him had already combed his hair.
This was something that could have been done with a simple hand gesture, but Xuanwei insisted on combing it out by hand, just like an ordinary person, and his skill level clearly indicated that he had done it more than once before.
The jade crown used to bind the hair was made of white jade. It looked simple, but the moment it was taken out, Ren Yi could feel the surrounding immortal energy being drawn to it. It was clearly a top-grade spiritual treasure that was extremely rare even in the immortal realm. Using it to bind the hair of a puppet that couldn't cultivate was a heartbreaking waste: feeding Pigsy ginseng fruit!
It wasn't just a piece of jade that was wasted; the puppet's clothes were also anything but ordinary.
Invulnerability to swords and spears, and impervious to water and fire, are standard features of immortal robes. However, if Ren Yi's faint memories of this world are correct, this is Immortal Cloud Silk. It is made from cloud silkworms from the far east, which swallow clouds and spin silk, and then spun into yarn by immortals who are skilled in weaving. Because cloud silkworms are precious, the production of Immortal Cloud Silk is extremely limited, even surpassing that of East Sea Mermaid Silk.
Moreover, the faint golden patterns on the garments suggest they are woven from the silk of the royal silkworm. It would take thousands of years to produce even an inch of cloth to make clothes for a puppet; such extravagant and inhumane acts could only be done by the emperor of the Nine Heavens.
Xuanwei's voice interrupted Ren Yi's inner musings. After combing his hair, he gently asked, half-supporting the puppet's shoulder, "The flowers outside are in full bloom today. A-Que, would you like to go and see them?"
The puppet naturally didn't respond to him, but Xuanwei seemed to be used to it. After waiting a little while, he reached out and put his arm around the boy's waist, and picked up the puppet.
Ren Yi: ? ? ?
He was caught off guard. If it weren't for the fact that he had specially set up a barrier between his soul and the puppet to prevent the same kind of accident as before, he would have been completely exposed.
Ren Yi didn't understand: This puppet may not have intelligence, but it should still have the basic ability to walk, right? Why is it being carried?
His mind was full of questions, and he even felt a little ashamed. Having seen all sorts of storms, Ren Yi didn't know how long it had been since he had felt this way. This world was enough for him to describe it as "terrifying."
Ren Yi was carried to the corridor, which was a whole ancient immortal tree that was still full of life. It was fragrant and filled with immortal energy. However, after the baptism just now, Ren Yi would not be emotionally affected by such a gesture.
This is an emperor from the Nine Heavens; what could he possibly want that he couldn't have? No amount of extravagance would be excessive.
That's what he thought, but when he saw the sea of flowers outside, Ren Yi was still shocked.
A vast expanse of purple, stretching as far as the eye could see, burst into view, with shimmering specks of light floating on it—the concentrated divine energy condensed into dew. To be honest, such delicate, jade-like flowers were not uncommon in the immortal realm. Not to mention the jade crown on Ren Yi's head and the celestial cloud gauze on his body, even the celestial trees that formed the corridors were rarer than this.
However, this flower called "Purple Jade" has a unique characteristic: the purer the immortal energy that nourishes it, the more purplish its color becomes. Even the most renowned immortals in the celestial realm can only make most of its petals purple, with the part near the pistil remaining white. Ren Yi has only seen this pure purple without any other color once before, when Xuan Wei accidentally touched the Purple Jade flower outside his palace.
However, something related to the Emperor obviously couldn't stay with a tool or stand-in for long. Not long after Ren Yi specially moved the purple jade back to the inner palace, Yuan Que saw it. This little prince of the immortal realm, who was pampered by the entire Nine Heavens, naturally didn't know what politeness was and immediately asked for it.
Ren Yi's mind was filled with "Take it, take it, take it quickly," but his actions honestly followed his character, politely refusing according to the script. After all, how could a tool person who was infatuated with the Emperor but only dared to look up at him silently give away what his beloved had left behind so easily?
What followed was predictable chaos, and Yuan Que ultimately got his wish and took the purple jade plant.
However, the very next day, the broken branches were thrown out of the Shengyao Hall, deliberately chosen to be thrown where Ren Yi would see them.
Ren Yi: "..."
Even now, when he recalls it, he can still remember the speechless feeling he had at the time.
But looking at this sea of purple flowers without a single other color, Ren Yi couldn't help but be stumped: Could it be that Xuanwei personally nurtured all of these large areas?
His feelings were slightly complicated.
We're saying that since they're both stand-ins, isn't his treatment a little worse? He's even treated worse than a puppet!
*
The Ninth Heaven is the residence of the Emperor, perched high above the clouds, so that people can only look up at it.
But the eighth level is different. All immortals dream of having a cave dwelling here, which means that they are also powerful figures in the immortal realm, and can be respectfully addressed as "Immortal" wherever they go.
Little did they know that even the immortals in the Eighth Heaven had their own troubles, such as the uninvited guest that Immortal Xianzhang was facing right now.
Xianzhang bowed slightly, his face showing undisguised bitterness: "Your Highness Haoming, please forgive me, the Emperor has not seen anyone for a long time."
The young man opposite him was different from the elegant immortals in the Nine Heavens. His outfit was extremely eye-catching and brightly colored, but because of the terrifying aura around him, his deep features and appearance were able to suppress the brilliance of his clothes. On the contrary, it made people feel that he was just suitable for such a flamboyant outfit.
Hearing what Xianzhang said, the young man narrowed his golden eyes and sneered, "Ha, he's not going anywhere? The Western Abyss uses the Azure Branch as the array's core, and the barrier is barely maintained. Your Emperor forcibly took the Azure Branch, and you won't even let me come and seek justice for my people?!"
Xuan Zhang inwardly groaned with increasing distress. When had this Demon Emperor ever shown such concern for his own kind? It seemed that seeking justice was a pretense; his true intention was to cause trouble.
Even so, he still tried to explain: "Your Highness misunderstands. The Emperor's dealings with the Feathered Clan guarding the border were a transaction, and there was no question of 'forcible acquisition.' Furthermore, the Emperor left behind a wisp of immortal power, ensuring the Western Border's barrier will be secure for at least a thousand years."
Haoming gave a nonchalant "Oh," seemingly unconcerned about the matter, and then directly asked the person opposite him, "I want to see him. Are you going to stop me?"
Xianzhang stiffly cupped his hands again, "Your Highness, please forgive me, this is my duty."
Haoming's expression turned cold. "Xianzhang, what makes you think you can stand here and talk to me like this? If it weren't for..."
The person he was about to mention made Xuanzhang's face turn deathly pale. He didn't care about anything else and quickly interrupted, "Your Highness!!"
That person and everything related to that person have long been forbidden words in the Nine Heavens.
Haoming knew what he was nervous about, but what did the situation in the Nine Heavens have to do with his demon race?
Seeing Xianzhang's expression, he sneered, "He was the one who drove someone to their death back then, and now he's putting on airs."
Xuan Zhang was not only deathly pale, but his back was also soaked in cold sweat. If it weren't for his immortal power, he probably wouldn't even be able to stand up right now.
If the Emperor were to hear these words, neither the speaker nor the listener would escape a good end.
He said, his voice trembling, "Your Highness Haoming, please be careful with your words! ...It is for the sake of the entire Lingyuan Realm!"
He still didn't dare to mention that name.
Haoming was disgusted by the pretentious and embellished manner of the immortals in the Nine Heavens. He scoffed and said sarcastically, "That sounds nice, doesn't it? Why doesn't he sacrifice his precious disciple?"
The next topic made Xianzhang slightly less anxious, but fear still lingered deep in his eyes. He stated stiffly, without any discernible emotion, "Your Highness Yuan Que has shirked his duties and violated the laws of the Nine Heavens several times, and has already been punished."
What a nonchalant "punishment".
Haoming increasingly felt that these hypocritical people in the Nine Heavens were quite eloquent.
However, he didn't intend to speak up for that person. Those who dare to do something must be prepared to bear the consequences. Therefore, he merely curled the corner of his lips and casually remarked, "Xuanwei is truly ruthless."
Xianzhang kept his mouth shut, not daring to reply.
Haoming, however, was fed up with this pointless standoff. He raised his hand and said, "Get out of the way." Before his words even finished, Xianzhang had already been knocked aside by the demonic power. Haoming then transformed his finger into a claw, and the overwhelming demonic power swept over, intending to tear apart the barrier at the entrance to the ninth level.
The turmoil below also caused changes in the ninth layer.
This minor fluctuation wouldn't normally cause any damage to the Ninth Realm, but Ziyu's extremely sensitive nature to immortal power manifested itself at this moment. Crystal-clear purple petals peeled off from the calyx, fluttering in the air. After this brief, dreamlike scene, large swaths of the flower sea began to wither and die. If Xuanwei hadn't immediately set up a barrier upon sensing something amiss, Ren Yi would now be faced with a patch of withered grass.
Xuanwei's face was extremely ugly, but when he looked down at the puppet in his arms, his expression softened.
He said softly, in a voice that was almost coaxing, "A-Que, you go back first."
Ren Yi certainly wouldn't respond to him, even though he was so shocked by Xuan Wei's expression that his soul was about to leave his seven orifices: Is this really Xuan Wei?! Is it fake?
Xuanwei had already made a hand seal to control the puppet to walk inside (Ren Yi: Look, it can walk, can't it?!), but the newcomer was faster. In the short time that Xuanwei was setting up the puppet, the other party had already closed in and an attack came down without warning, but it was aimed at the puppet that was leaving.
Xuanwei waved his sleeve to block, but in that brief moment, Haoming was able to see the puppet's appearance clearly.
The attack paused briefly. Haoming stared at the puppet for a moment, and the demonic power that had been gathering in his hand dissipated.
A moment later, he suddenly burst into laughter, "Hahahahahahaha!"
The laughter was extremely unrestrained, echoing throughout the entire ninth level. Xuanwei's face darkened as his immortal power surged and gathered, transforming the surrounding environment from a peaceful tranquility into a turbulent undercurrent before a storm.
Hao Ming seemed completely oblivious, still laughing so hard he could barely breathe, "So that's how it is, so that's how it is!! I was wondering why you wanted that Azure Branch... You wanted to summon his soul? You think you can actually summon his soul?!"
Haoming's second half of his sentence suddenly turned cold, and an even more powerful demonic force pressed down on the puppet.
Xuanwei: "You're courting death!!"
The gathered immortal power tore towards Haoming, but the latter stubbornly insisted on destroying the puppet, even at the cost of serious injury.
Ren Yi, temporarily residing in the puppet: ? ? ?
—No, what did I do to you?! We have no past grudges or recent conflicts!!
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