Chapter 42 Public Judgment: Your dress today is really beautiful. ...
To frame a fellow immortal, he didn't hesitate to harm all living beings in the celestial realm. This is an extremely serious breach of divine conduct in the heavenly realm. According to the heavenly rules, he should be publicly punished as a warning to others.
Finding the person who moves the star chart to the lower realm is very easy, because those who hold official positions in the Nine Heavens and travel to the mortal world must report their whereabouts.
The four duty officers were responsible for keeping records, including which attendants to bring and what official duties to perform.
Only with the approval of the Celestial Emperor himself or his attendants can one descend to the mortal realm.
The Celestial Emperor has been guarding the celestial sphere and the yin-yang sundial for many years, neglecting his duties in the celestial realm.
He himself was like a living celestial sundial, without any attendants. The public duties that should have been handled by him had been handed over to him shortly after Mingguang was born.
During the years that Bitao and Mingguang spent together, Bitao helped him with many of his official duties in the Nine Heavens while she was cultivating.
Mingguang was equivalent to the "regent prince" of the heavens, so all the public duties of these nine celestial beings who traveled to the mortal world were handled by him.
Although Mingguang's talent was described as dull by General Kunyi, compared to Xiaotaozhi and even his brother Dongjun, whom he had only visited once and had not yet met, he seemed to be slower to learn many things.
But he wasn't really dull-witted; compared to other immortals, he was already incredibly talented.
Moreover, diligence can make up for lack of talent, and Mingguang's two hundred years of hard work and diligence have not been entirely fruitless.
He was meticulous in handling official duties, and he could even recite all the official documents he handled, especially the slightly important ones, from memory.
Therefore, upon discovering that the immortals were interfering with the star charts in the lower realm, he quickly located the person who had passed through this realm based on the official positions he had reviewed.
After quickly apprehending the person, they continued their investigation, which implicated a number of involved immortals.
They colluded, sowing the seeds of future trouble, and even interfered with the selection of the Star Realm.
Even the Star Goddess Sun Rabbit, who connects the immortals to the mortal realm for their competition, is inevitably implicated.
Thus, while the competition was still ongoing, all the celestial beings of the Nine Heavens received the "assembly order" on the Milky Way in the Heavenly Realm.
The imperial edict commands that at Chenshi (7-9 AM) tomorrow, all the celestial beings of the Nine Heavens will gather at the Six Imperial Platforms of the Heavenly Palace to witness the Earth Official's pardon and to publicly judge the celestial beings involved.
When Bitao received the "assembly order," she was being pestered by a group of little fairies.
"Let me work as your waiter. I promise I'll be diligent; I'm very good at cleaning!"
"Let me do it, Peach, cultivation is so hard for me. Let me absorb some pure immortal essence from you, I'll give you my life!"
"Your place is so big, it would be so empty without anyone here. Look, these past two days, the houses that were smashed have been almost repaired. I may not have done anything special, but I've certainly put in a lot of effort!"
"Sister, dear sister, please take me in! I'll do anything, massage your meridians, rub your back, wash your feet, even warm your bed!"
"puff!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Bitao raised her eyebrows and couldn't help but look over, only to find that the male immortal speaking was actually Fuyao, the attendant of the True Immortal Yunchuan of the Ministry of War.
Although he is a lower-level deity, he shares the same divine position as Bitao. I don't know why he's here to join in the fun!
He looked completely sincere, showing no backbone whatsoever in his pursuit of a "kept man's" life.
With her almond-shaped eyes blinking, she offered herself as a bedmate with such confidence.
Bitao laughed and said, "Immortal Fuyao, you should go back quickly, go back... What if Celestial Immortal Yunchuan comes to fight me later..."
Immortal Fuyao shook his head: "I'm not going back. What's the point of the Ministry of War? A bunch of roughnecks are training all day long, laughing and joking. I feel like I'm going to go crazy from all the training!"
"What you're saying is much more interesting."
He was the brave male immortal who had sworn on the Silver River that if Bitao returned to the Heavenly Realm, he would leave the Ministry of War and become her servant.
And he wasn't joking; he's naturally outgoing and loves excitement.
As a result, the immortals in the Ministry of War did nothing but practice their skills. They were all muscular, but their brains were like wood. Sometimes they couldn't even understand a joke!
He doesn't want to go back.
Bitao assumed he was just joking and joining in the fun, so she didn't chase him away.
After all, Yun Chuan Tian Xian wouldn't actually go so far as to challenge her to a fight.
This immortal, having had his fill of fun, should head back now.
"Waiter, I definitely can't accept that many..."
Bitao's head was buzzing from all the noise.
He sighed helplessly, "If I accept them all, someone from Shangqing Realm will come to arrest me tomorrow. They will say that I am trying to seize all the immortal positions in the Nine Heavens with ulterior motives, and that I am going to overthrow the Heavenly Realm and rebel against the Immortal Emperor."
After all... there are just too many people who want to stay in the Peach Blossom Palace. Although they are all low-ranking immortals, it is only a rough estimate that thousands of people have come and gone in the past two days.
If she accepted them all as servants, regardless of whether the already dilapidated palace could accommodate them, she truly had no intention of "rebellion or treason."
After all, this is different from the traitors who amassed troops and seized power in the lower realms, who raised their arms and called upon the capital.
The gap between celestial ranks in the Heavenly Realm is as vast as the ocean. Before her "rebellion" could even be officially confirmed, without the Celestial Emperor's intervention, General Kunyi's Five Thunder Whip struck, and the group of lesser immortals were left lying dead everywhere.
Moreover, many of these people are junior immortals of the new generation of the ancient immortal clan, so they can't really be called "traitors." After all, not everyone in the ancient immortal clan abuses their power and is arrogant and disdainful.
Some people can't even control their elders, their own parents.
That's fine, but there are even dozens of them who are successors in the palaces of various celestial beings. The successors in the celestial realm are passing on celestial positions, the positions of stars.
It's similar to the eldest disciple who will take over as the sect leader in the lower realm.
What's the deal with her turning people into waiters?
"Isn't this tantamount to you provoking the various palaces of the Nine Heavens?"
Zhu Ming gloated, "I won't help you then. After all, the Star Gods who don't participate in the fighting just hang quietly in the sky when they're not fighting. Their cultivation isn't judged by their immortal rank, but they all have the immortal power of faith that governs the people of their respective star realms. There are some that I can't even beat..."
Bitao pointed to herself: "How could I, a mere novice in the realm of immortals, possibly defeat him?"
"So I dared not accept it. I just told them that they could come and go as they pleased, and absorb the immortal spirits as they pleased, but they should not mention the matter of the servants again."
"Wouldn't that be extremely noisy?" Zhu Ming asked with feigned pity.
In fact, he was somewhat envious of Bitao's network of connections.
He does not adhere to the idea that one must be free from all desires and emotions to attain immortality. If that were the case, how could one empathize with mortals and know the suffering of all living beings?
Whether you're an immortal or a human, in the end, don't you all live a life where someone cares about you, likes you, and loves you?
"That's why I've come here to hide..." Bitao rested her head on her hand, sipping tea with a plum-scented aroma.
After taking several sips, my mouth felt refreshed and my whole body felt comfortable.
I couldn't help but ask, "Why do you brew tea using your own physical form, just like Yugan?"
Zhu Ming glared at her: "Then don't drink it!"
"May I ask which part you used to brew it?" Bitao was drinking with great gusto.
After all... Zhu Ming is a Xuanxian, and his true immortal spirit is overflowing with pure energy.
Drinking this tea has the effect of clearing the meridians for someone like her who has just ascended to the immortal realm.
Zhu Ming sneered: "It's from soaking your toenails."
Bitao smiled at him, knowing that Zhu Ming had specially brewed this for her. She picked up the cup and gulped it down right in front of him.
But since you've benefited, you still have to tease me: "Those things that were framed against you on the Silver River weren't all fake, were they?"
Bitao asked cheekily, "You really have no wife, no children, no relatives, no friends, no teachers, and no acquaintances. Is this cursed fate of being a lone star something you were born with or something you did?"
Zhu Mingye said to her, "I killed my father and brother, so what relatives or friends do I have? As for teachers and friends... ha."
Zhu Ming laughed with extreme disdain: "The Grand Tutor who taught us in the Imperial Study back then refused to acknowledge me as his student, and in the end, he died at my hands, torn apart by chariots."
"In the palace, a prince who is ridden like a dog is worse than a dog. How can he have any friends?"
"Naturally, I have neither teachers nor friends."
Bitao clicked her tongue, but did not become more cautious in her words just because he talked about his tragic past.
There are many kinds of friends, and there are many different levels of friendship.
True friends won't feel sorry for your scars; they'll just rub salt into them, repeatedly peel back the layers, and then laugh at how ugly they are.
Bitao said, "When you ascended to heaven, you were already thirty years old in the mortal world. Why did you have no wife or children? Did you not have worldly desires?"
Zhu Ming, who usually maintained an air of supreme dignity, was now somewhat unable to keep up, clearly having been touched on a sore spot.
"...Are you never going to stop? Are you sent by the Shangqing Realm to inspect the merits of immortals?"
Bitao narrowed her peach blossom eyes, pursed her lips, and smiled like a malicious weasel.
Zhu Ming had a gut feeling that she wasn't up to anything good, so before she could speak, he angrily said, "What noble lady would marry a prince whose rank is lower than a slave, who lives next to the cold palace and can't even afford to eat?"
Bitao at least didn't actually say "Are you impotent?"
He feigned a sigh and said, "So it's because no one wants to marry you... Don't you have anyone you like? After all, you were once young and infatuated, weren't you?"
Zhu Ming pointed to the door and said to Bi Tao, "Get out of here."
Back then, the only person who still paid attention to him and took care of him was an old nanny left behind by his mother!
She can't even get enough to eat and she's already experiencing first love? Screw her!
Why on earth would he be so foolish as to pull out his own hair to have this wretched thing treat his meridians?
Bitao chuckled, but refused to leave.
"Okay, okay, I won't say anything more, how about another cup of tea?"
Don't even think about it.
Zhu Ming snorted, looked at Bitao for a moment, and said, "But why don't you suspect anything else? For example, is the ascension really my scheme?"
Bitao smiled outwardly, but thought to herself, "Forget it."
If it is truly a scheme, then regardless of whether it can deceive the heavenly rules.
How could someone who wants to ascend to immortality end up with a mangled corpse?
Zhu Ming never gained the love of the people throughout his life, and as a prince, he never enjoyed wealth and honor.
He killed his brother and father because the emperor was incompetent and betrayed the country, and his brothers were cruel and killed his mother.
Ultimately, it was those military generals and court officials who pushed him to the position of crown prince. Seeing that the country was in decline and the situation was hopeless, they pushed him out to buy time so that they could escape with their families.
Back then, the capital of Wuling Kingdom was indeed engulfed in flames.
Zhu Ming was not burned to death at all; he set fire to create a wall to protect the people who could not escape.
Outside the wall of fire, they fought to the very last moment, only to be trampled into mincemeat by the chaotic army.
The rebel leader was moved by his soaring courage and righteous indignation, which is why he did not massacre the city.
Zhu Ming's blood flowed to the foot of a plum tree, and by chance, his soul attached itself to the plum tree. Thus, with the wood as its body, he was guided to ascend to heaven.
These records were seen by Bitao when she was studying public service in Mingguang.
Every immortal position in the Netherworld has such an earth-shattering past.
However, the Ming Dynasty suffered an exceptionally tragic fate.
That's why, when Bitao learned of this frame-up scheme, she felt that the person behind it was truly despicable for fabricating lies.
Mingguang couldn't stand the despicable methods of the person behind it all. He had just returned from the underworld and hadn't even used the vast immortal spirit that had entered his body after he ascended to the Xuanxian realm, so he rushed off to the Shangqing Realm to rescue the person.
Bitao didn't continue the topic, because a true "close friend" would laugh at your ugly scars, but would never actually hurt you with a knife.
Bitao said solemnly, "You received the 'assembly order' from Yinhan Gu, didn't you? This matter involves many people, and they will all pay the price for their mistakes tomorrow."
Zhu Ming himself didn't seem to care much about this kind of harmless framing.
Hearing this, he nodded and then said, "By the way, did you retrieve your final gift from my dressing case?"
Bitao: "No, your dressing case is bigger than my bedroom, I couldn't find it."
Bitao didn't even bother looking for a gift. A gift is only a gift if the other person delivers it to you in person.
Moreover, since Mingguang went to Shangqing Realm with Dongwanggong, Bitao knew that Zhu Ming would return soon, so she naturally wouldn't rummage through his things.
His dressing case was ridiculously large... It was covered with some mustard seeds that could expand space, and the jewelry and such were enough to give each immortal a piece of their own in the Nine Heavens.
Zhu Ming got up, went into the inner room, and came out shortly after, handing Bitao a box.
His smile had a somewhat meaningful quality to it.
Bitao opened it with great anticipation, thinking it might be some kind of magical artifact.
It turned out that inside was a jade pendant.
Well, gold and silver were things that Zhu Ming never got until his death, which is why he occupied a whole room for his dowry.
She dresses herself up like a chick that has become a spirit.
Moreover, Bitao likes all kinds of gifts.
But when Bitao turned the jade pendant over... the smile on her lips disappeared.
This is a seal of the Ministry of War, with the inscription "Binglun" on it.
"This... is it the one Binglun threw at me when I was teleported to the lower realm?"
"Yes," Zhu Ming said.
Bitao held the jade pendant to feel it, but there was nothing special about it; it was just an ordinary pendant she carried with her.
However, there is a lot of evil spirit here, and if released, it can trigger the celestial array to clear away the evil spirit.
Bitao was very clever and quickly understood the key to it.
Looking at Zhu Ming, she said, "So, True Immortal Binglun was planning to use this ominous energy to mess with my mind during the teleportation, and that's why she threw this thing at me."
Zhu Ming nodded: "But you don't need him to put in any effort at all; you can turn yourself into an idiot on your own."
Bitao: "..."
"But giving this to me now is actually of no use."
Bitao was insightful: "Even if this kind of thing is reported, Binglun can find many excuses to cover it up."
"Even if I am really affected by this thing, I can only blame myself for my low cultivation level."
Zhu Ming laughed: "That's how it seems for now."
“However, I suggest you keep this for now,” Zhu Ming said to Bitao meaningfully. “You’ll discover it soon; it’s wonderful.”
The two often spoke in riddles. Although Bitao couldn't figure it out for the time being, she knew that Zhu Ming would never do anything meaningless.
Therefore, Bitao hung the item directly on her waist and said, "Then I'll thank Zhu Mingxiandu for the gift in advance."
That night, many more immortal positions were returned to their places on the Milky Way, but Bitao didn't see them, nor did she have any particularly close friends there. At most, she would greet them with a word of congratulations if she encountered them in the Heavenly Realm later.
She and Zhan Kui, whose lower body had recovered but whose upper body was still a fish head, drank some wine that night and slept soundly.
The next morning, he got up and followed the other immortals to gather on the Six Imperial Platforms of Chongxiao.
This gathering of celestial beings from the highest heavens was truly massive.
There's nowhere to sit, let alone stand. The only saving grace is that Bitao just finished the competition and is still a participant.
On the Six Imperial Platforms of Chongxiao, a special area was set up with seats for the victorious contestants to watch the competition.
Bitao, with Zhan Kui whose head was wrapped in a cloth but not as neatly as when it was not, gathered many familiar faces along the way and arrived at Chongxiao Liuyutai just before the end of Chenshi (7-9 AM).
Zhan Kui didn't sit in the designated seats; they were more conspicuous there. Her head was now so big it could take up two seats.
His sitting there made him even more the center of attention.
I wonder when this punishment from the heavenly rules will finally end...
She has no teeth to chew her food and can only swallow it raw, which is really inconvenient.
Bitao went up to the spectator stands alone, and with a casual glance, she saw that many familiar faces had already arrived.
The people from Youtian waved to Bitao, who smiled and then walked past the group of merit-based immortals.
Finally, he walked to the very front row of the viewing platform and, under the subtle scrutiny of the crowd, sat between Yun Chuan Tian Xian and Ming Guang Xuan Xian, who had been there for quite some time.
There are no rules specifying which seat belongs to which participant, since no one can predict who will be among the departed immortals.
However, it is a common practice for close friends and acquaintances to sit together.
The ancient immortals sat in groups far apart from those holding the positions of merit immortals, as if following some unseen rule.
Bitao's sudden sitting in the "domain of the ancient immortals" naturally puzzled others.
This drew the attention of a group of ancient immortals to her.
Yun Chuan was on the left, and Ming Guang was on the right; both of them were of much higher celestial rank than Bi Tao.
Even the ancient immortals wouldn't specifically go and sit next to a "God of War" and a "future immortal emperor".
Moreover, sitting between the two of them...
Therefore, even before the judgment on the disqualification of the immortal position began, Bitao had already become the focus of attention because of her seat.
Yun Chuan and Ming Guang, who were sitting next to her, naturally also cast their gazes toward Bi Tao.
Yun Chuan was alright; he had long known that Bi Tao was incredibly audacious, and recently even his servant had betrayed him, running off to her place and refusing to leave.
This caused Yun Chuan to be the subject of much gossip and embarrassment.
But Yun Chuan has never liked causing trouble, and in his eyes, Bi Tao is a very big problem.
This person is cunning, has extensive connections, and possesses superb skills. His potential was already evident when he was a Spirit Immortal, and now he has leaped to the upper level of the Divine Immortal realm, becoming a True Immortal in one step. He should not be underestimated.
Most importantly, she has now been personally recognized as an attendant by the Great Emperor of the Eastern Azure Flower.
Yun Chuan wished he could stay as far away from her as possible, but he remained seated and didn't move.
It's easy to understand why she's sitting here; isn't she here to see Mingguang?
As for the messy entanglements between the two of them in the lower realm, that had nothing to do with him.
She came in first place in the competition, so it was only natural that she should sit in the front row, in the middle.
Yun Chuan glanced at him sideways and then sat up straight.
I silently told myself: It has nothing to do with me. It has nothing to do with me.
Even if Bitao sat next to him, it wouldn't matter to him whether she sat on Mingguang's lap or not.
In contrast, Mingguang is a different story.
From the moment Bitao gathered her friends and went up to the Six Imperial Platforms of the High Heavens, even without turning her head to look, he was constantly sensing her movements with his peripheral vision and all five senses.
Mingguang naturally assumed that she would sit with Youtian in the position of the Immortal of Merit.
When he saw her walk past the group and head towards him, his chest began to pound uncontrollably.
She turned away from him just yesterday. Clearly, she had no intention of speaking to him or making amends.
Are you here to see him today?
Then Bitao sat down right next to him.
Mingguang didn't show it on his face, but his hands were clenched into fists under his sleeves, as if he could feel that tearing pain in his palms again.
I turned my head to look at her.
Bitao looked at Yin Hangu, sitting relaxed, without looking at him.
Mingguang had no choice but to turn his head away, but his senses still instinctively fell on Xiaotaozhi, wondering how she would speak and how he would respond.
During the four years he spent in the lower realm, he pondered and interpreted everything that had happened between the two of them countless times.
Just as Bitao had predicted, after his anger subsided, Mingguang would try to see things from Xiaotaozhi's perspective.
It turned out that he had failed to express many things clearly.
She begged him to postpone the investiture ceremony, but he failed to understand her true meaning at the time.
And even if he understood, Mingguang asked himself, would he really agree to it?
During the competition, he had the Imperial Grandson's Seal made for his own selfish reasons, hoping to help Xiao Taozhi ascend to heaven.
But when it comes to the rankings for her death, can he really disregard all his subordinates and make concessions for her?
Countless times in the still of the night, Mingguang questioned himself, and the pain and rage were gradually extinguished by helplessness in the long night.
Moreover, they had little communication when they were in the mortal realm, and he always felt that she had no memory of it. He believed that once they returned to the celestial realm, they would naturally understand each other's intentions.
Just like when we were together before... we understood each other so well that we could know each other's thoughts instantly without the other needing to say a word.
As for the sword that Xiao Taozhi stabbed him with, Mingguang felt a dull pain in his heart every time he recalled it, and he was indeed very sad.
But in the end, he couldn't bear to truly sever all ties with her.
She didn't intend to kill him; she brought him medicine. She just wanted to win, to win with the immortals of Youtian who followed her.
They didn't actually cripple Binglun, who struck first, or destroy his path to heaven.
Moreover... they are now on opposing sides, and Mingguang has been torn between reason and emotion for years.
At first, Mingguang thought that if he returned to the Heavenly Realm, he would destroy Xiaotaozhi's hat and clothes and have no further connection with her.
A year later, Mingguang thought that if he returned to the Heavenly Realm, he would definitely clarify things with Xiaotaozhi.
A year later, Mingguang wanted to return to the Heavenly Realm so he could have a proper talk with Xiaotaozhi and tell her how sad and horrified he had been after being stabbed.
He wouldn't tell others about his pain, but he would tell Xiao Taozhi, who was awkwardly waving to him under the big peach tree.
Another year has passed, and he even thinks that stabbing him won't kill him. Even if he does die... he's still a celestial being, at most his cultivation level will drop.
In that final year... Mingguang figured out all of Xiaotaozhi's influence, walked along her path to death from afar, understood her actions, and was even somewhat happy for her.
She was indeed exceptionally intelligent and resourceful, even managing to use a cult to develop followers, set things right, and speak out for the people—her merits were immeasurable.
He had no resentment about losing. Xiao Taozhi had finally stopped worrying about love and was willing to focus on advancing to the immortal realm. What was wrong with that?
Another six months passed, and on the day he truly passed away, Mingguang only hoped that if he saw her again, they would be just like before.
But to his surprise, Xiao Taozhi was unwilling to reconcile with him.
Fortunately, after a night, she seemed to have come to a realization.
Mingguang was filled with uncontrollable joy, waiting for Xiaotaozhi to speak, and silently observing all of Xiaotaozhi's movements.
Seeing that she wasn't even looking at him, he guessed that she was embarrassed.
After all... because of the Thunder Pattern Curse, he had been estranged from her for a hundred years, and he had also accidentally injured her twice.
So, all things considered, that sword strike wasn't very painful.
As Xiao Taozhi adjusted her movements, he couldn't help but wonder whether she would grab his sleeve as before, or... grasp his wrist.
He was even relieved that the wide robe he was wearing today made it easy to pull.
Mingguang gritted his teeth, vowing that no matter how uncomfortable he felt, he would never release his immortal spirit to harm her again.
He didn't know what was wrong with him; just the thought that Bitao might touch him made him feel as if countless ants were crawling all over his body.
That itchy feeling started from the place he imagined being touched, extending all the way to his internal organs and meridians, and finally it felt as if even his heart needed to be scratched.
However, Xiao Taozhi never turned her head or glanced at him.
She tried several different positions with her hands on her lap, but couldn't grab his sleeve or arm.
In the end, even the change in Xiao Taozhi's breathing frequency made Mingguang's heart skip a beat.
But he waited for a long time, until he was above the clouds, when the official in charge of pardoning sins began to punish those who had lost their immortal status, and Xiao Taozhi did not utter a single word.
It was as if she had just randomly chosen a seat and didn't care at all who was sitting next to her.
Although Mingguang holds public office in all realms and is skilled at commanding immortals, he is now over two hundred years old and, apart from Xiaotaozhi, has no one he can call a friend, so that he can practice how to get along with people.
He felt that Xiao Taozhi should speak first, since he didn't care about their positions or the outcome of the competition.
The sword wound was really painful, and he was bedridden for a long time. He also spent more than four years in the mortal realm with a heart ache that would be unbearable on rainy days.
He was really upset and sad.
When the two of them used to cultivate together, even if he accidentally cut his finger on the slightest part of the sword, she would make a big fuss, hold it in her mouth, and suck on it for him.
He just wanted Xiao Taozhi to show him some concern.
But then he couldn't help but wonder, after Xiao Taozhi returned to her immortal position and remembered everything, would she also be very sad?
During the more than one hundred years that he did not recognize her, she chased after him and was injured by him. Did she hide away and grieve in secret?
Therefore, Mingguang thought, why don't I speak first?
The two of them can't go on like this forever.
But what... should he say?
—Congratulations on your ascension to the rank of a deity.
Mingguang sighed inwardly, "This won't do. Competition in the mortal realm is fierce, so it's best if the two of them don't mention the immortal position."
—My lightning rune has dissipated, we…
That won't work either.
Xiao Taozhi already knew that he had regained his memory, so saying this made him seem like he was just making conversation.
Can we go back to how we used to be?
no.
I'm sorry I didn't think of you before.
no.
—How did you end up sitting here?
That's terrible.
—I wish we could go back to the way things were before.
no.
—You rarely wear blue; your dress is beautiful today.
This should work, right?
He had heard the two fairies praise each other in this way; it must be a common greeting between the best of friends.
However, getting an opening is not so easy.
Until the clouds flashed with lightning, those disqualified gods were brought up, while Mingguang and Bitao remained seated there.
Nothing happened.
During this period, the immortals who had witnessed the life-or-death struggle between the two on the Silver River had been secretly observing them.
After waiting for a long time, they found that the two were just sitting there, not even looking at each other. Since there was no ancient immortal clan driving away the Peach Blossom Immortal, they found it too boring and stopped paying attention to them.
With a thunderous roar that shook the heavens and the earth, the official in charge of pardoning sins appeared in the clouds.
All the immortals involved were imprisoned by the Thunder Department generals above the clouds. Some looked panicked, some were pale, and some bowed their heads in shame.
Some people are stubborn and incorrigible, yet they still hold their heads high and believe they have done nothing wrong, even after reaching this point.
The one who showed no shame or remorse was none other than the mastermind behind this incident, Dou Bu Fenglian Shenxian.
Thunder and wind swayed, whipping up the ashen hair of the official in charge of pardoning sins. He stood on the shore amidst the clouds and waves, his face ashen and lifeless.
Holding a death warrant in his hand, like an executioner wielding a scythe, he looked at the assembled sinful immortals with an icy gaze.
His voice was flat and emotionless, not shrill or piercing, but rather like the cawing of a crow in the night or the whisper of a ghost.
"Ten years ago, the constellation Fang was in its proper place, the star chart was tilted, and two Emperor Stars hung in the sky, one bright and one dark."
"The immortal god Dou Si Feng Lian descended to the mortal realm by imperial decree to rectify the celestial sphere and correct the Purple Palace. He then transformed into an old monk of the Buddhist temple, personally nurturing the Emperor Star, and remained in the world for several decades. Later, he assisted Liang Yingwei of the Purple Palace in quelling the chaos of the world, and the universe was restored to its former glory."
"However, Dou Bu was corrupt and harbored malicious intentions. He forged the 'Record of the Crown Prince's Ascension to Immortality' and engraved it on a so-called 'Ancient Strange Stone' to mislead the Purple Star Emperor and bring disaster."
"Thus, the star god fell into its trap, causing: the celestial realm to tremble, the celestial sphere to lose its order; the common people to be displaced, and all living beings to suffer."
“Now, in the name of the Earth Official who pardons sins, I hereby punish you for your crimes: I imprison you in the human world to suffer the same torments as all people.”
"When the immortal roots decay and the spiritual light fades forever; only when the soul dissipates and the spirit is scattered can liberation be attained."
"Otherwise—you will be forever condemned to mortal damnation, unable to escape for countless lifetimes."
The official in charge of pardoning the guilty, holding a talisman, touched the brow of the immortal Fenglian. Instantly, Fenglian's mind cracked and his face became distorted.
The pain of having one's soul torn apart is beyond what ordinary people can endure; Feng Lian, the immortal, let out a heart-wrenching scream in an instant.
At this moment, the immortals on the Six Imperial Platforms, looking down at the clouds, all had solemn expressions.
Some people who knew Feng Lian the Immortal and had dealings with him on a regular basis showed expressions of reluctance.
The Earth Official who pardoned the sins, the Immortal Fenglian, was permanently suppressed within the celestial veins that he had wreaked havoc upon.
Until his soul was completely annihilated.
However, his immortal power will not be retained, lest he continue to wreak havoc on the world.
Therefore, his spiritual altar must be shattered.
When the altar shattered, the official in charge of pardoning sins uttered the final judgment: "Do you submit to your punishment?"
"I... will not submit." Feng Lian, the immortal, bled from all seven orifices, yet stubbornly kept his back straight.
"I refuse to accept this!"
Their blood-red eyes gazed at someone in the distance, their gaze unseen.
A moment later, he roared in a hoarse voice: "The ancient immortal race is born to be immortals, and they sacrifice their entire lives for the common people. Even after they die, they are filled into the star dial, life after life, without end!"
"But over the years, we've been gradually suppressed by the 'merit dogs' who ascended from the lower realms. Why?!"
"We are the immortals born of heaven and earth, our ancient immortal clan is the will of heaven, and destiny is in our hands!"
"Mingguang...Mingguang!"
"Mingguang Xuanxian, how can you, as the future Immortal Emperor chosen by the ancient Immortal Clan, collude with You Tian, the dog of merit?!"
"You actually gave in to that wild fairy spirit repeatedly, and even let her plot against you, causing you to lose the opportunity to return to heaven first, which made your ranking in the immortal competition for those who followed you to the mortal realm fall behind. Aren't you ashamed!"
"With your actions driven by selfish desires, what right do you have to command the Six Ministries?!"
Because his mind was shattered and his ego was dissipating, his words were incoherent and fragmented.
He lay prone above the clouds, blood flowing from his seven orifices staining his immortal robes crimson.
But he still stubbornly shouted, "I refuse to accept this... the ancient immortal clan refuses to accept this!"
However, what he thought were earth-shattering words that would awaken the fighting spirit of his people ultimately turned into a crimson warning mixed with blood.
Some of them believed that Zhu Mingxiandu, who had only falsely accused You Tian, was not worthy of death.
But the most serious aspect of this matter is not the false accusation against the immortals, but the harm done to the common people.
Some people have been gods in the heavens for too long, and they look down on all living beings as if they were ants, so they think that crushing a few ants won't incur any serious punishment.
Now, when the official in charge of pardoning sins issues his judgment, it is as if the soul is scattered and the earth's veins are forever suppressed.
Tens of thousands of people stood on the Six Imperial Platforms of Chongxiao, watching this scene with utter silence and fear.
No one even glanced at Mingguang, whom he was questioning.
Mingguang himself remained calm and composed.
He was actually openly daydreaming.
The soul has gone to his side.
However, above the clouds, this was not the end of it.
The official in charge of pardoning sins waved his hand, sweeping the already deranged Fenglian Immortal off the clouds. The Thunder General, responsible for suppressing him, immediately flew after him.
The official in charge of pardoning sins turned his head and looked at the other immortals who were implicated.
"You disciples, knowing full well that he is poisoning the lives of the people, yet you still aid and abet the tyrant, deceiving Heaven and the Emperor. According to the laws of Heaven, you shall be punished equally."
"However, Heaven cherishes life, embodying the benevolence of Heaven's heart: The judgment is now made—"
"Your celestial status is revoked, and you are cast into the netherworld; you will endure the eighteen hells and a thousand years of punishment before you can be reincarnated, never to become an immortal again."
"Do you all accept this judgment?"
For a moment, gasps filled the air throughout the Six Imperial Platforms of Chongxiao.
The discussions were like waves, rising and falling.
That's too harsh a punishment...
Before the sinful immortal above the clouds could even utter a word of "surrender," the Earth Official of Pardons held a scepter and drew it across the crowd from afar.
In an instant, the immortal spirits shattered, and blood stained the sky. The sinful immortals had all had their heads chopped off by invisible, sharp instruments of torture.
As Tongxian's head rolled off the clouds and his body convulsed and fell to the ground, all the immortals fell silent once more.
Although this public trial was intended to intimidate the immortals.
The Heavenly Realm's merit-based immortal positions and the ancient immortal race have been fighting for a long time. The immortal venerables should indeed use their methods to let these younger generations know the consequences.
But this is too bloody!
No wonder the pardoning official couldn't make any friends!
Just as the verdict was being handed down, someone passed away to prove their position.
According to the celestial time, it is now the morning of the fifth day since the start of the competition.
Ordinary people at this age are already over fifty.
The one who passed away was a female immortal from the Supervisory Department, whom Bitao also knew. This immortal was named Qingyan, and she was the youngest member of the Water Cloud Rabbit clan of the Supervisory Department of the ancient immortal race.
Its true form is a chubby white rabbit.
They are gentle and easy to get along with.
She is extremely, extremely, extremely timid.
The slightest breeze or even a tap on her from behind can startle her so much that she reveals her true colors, her ears standing straight up.
The Supervisory Department, also known as the Nine Heavens Supervisory Department, is the department in charge of the reproduction of all beings in the universe.
In the mortal realm, Qingyan worked as a midwife. She started assisting her master in delivering babies when she was just a few years old. Later, she became independent and worked on her own, regardless of whether the babies were human or animal. She saved countless lives and accumulated profound merit.
Because she successfully delivered the baby of a concubine who was having a difficult childbirth in the palace, the king of the country she was born into issued an imperial edict to thank her, bestowing upon her the title of "Miraculous Healer" and building a Taoist temple for her.
He finally accumulated enough faith to pass away.
Just as they ascended into the clouds, they were met with the official in charge of pardoning sins, who had just committed murder, his long hair and face deliberately splattered with blood, looking like a demon or rakshasa crawling out of hell.
Then I saw the immortal's body separated from his head, lying across the clouds.
Startled, it turned to jump back to the human realm, but the official in charge of pardoning it grabbed it by the back of the neck in a moment of panic, thus preventing it from failing at the last minute.
Fortunately, the Five Thunder Formation was quickly completed, and several fierce bolts of lightning struck down.
As the lightning dissipated, the official in charge of pardoning sins returned to the competition platform, and the bloodshed above the clouds was completely cleansed.
But Qingyan was still scared and cried.
She had worked diligently in the mortal realm for decades, and her ascension from a supreme immortal to a lower-level deity was a momentous occasion.
But I was really frightened just now. She was crying, and her appearance reflected her inner state—Faxiang was holding a swaddled baby and crying as well.
He cried so hard his eyes looked like a rabbit's, and in the end he couldn't control himself, and two trembling long ears popped out of his face.
The celestial beings, still shaken by the experience, didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
But at least it somewhat lessened the shock of the bloodshed from before.
Seeing this, Bitao couldn't help but laugh out loud.
She smiled, and all the senses around her focused on her. They barely even noticed the bright light of the bloody judgment above the clouds. Her back, which had been taut for so long and was now aching unbearably, swayed slightly.
After the verdict was handed down, all the celestial beings returned to their original positions, but Bitao did not rush to leave. She remained seated in her original spot, her face still beaming with smiles.
Yun Chuan, who was beside her, couldn't wait any longer and immediately transformed into a crimson immortal spirit and disappeared.
Mingguang, however, did not move.
He even tried to speak up several times, but Bitao wouldn't even glance at him.
Moreover, once Bitao mustered up the courage to speak, she would turn her head and talk to a familiar immortal.
This torment continued until the Six Imperial Platforms of Chongxiao, where, apart from the supervising immortal who remained in office, all the other immortals had already departed.
Bitao slowly stood up, shook off the wrinkles in her dress, and turned around to face Mingguang...
Mingguang felt like his back was about to break, but soon, Bitao strode past him.
Mingguang panicked and reached out to grab her, but Bitao suddenly transformed into a pale green fairy and flew away!
Mingguang's hand grasped at empty air, frozen in mid-air. Only the sensation of the wind lifting Bitao's skirt and brushing against his wrist remained.
The veins on his arm bulged, gleaming with light, and an itch arose from within, lingering for a long time.
He pulled his hand back into his wide sleeve and rubbed the itchy spot through the sleeve.
The words I had prepared but couldn't say were silently repeated in my mind.
Your dress looks really beautiful today.
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