Chapter 231 The Grand Ceremony of Granting Titles
Chapter 231
The atmosphere in the Taiji Hall was eerie. Under Su Yuyao's coercion, everyone had no choice but to drink the bitter wine in their cups. The indescribable smell filled everyone's mouths and went straight to the top of their heads!
"Ugh... why does this wine taste like this..."
"Not only is it bitter, but it also has a... fishy smell?"
"Stop complaining! As long as I can leave the Heavenly Palace safely, I'll accept whatever I drink!"
...
Su Yuyao listened to the murmurs below, her calm gaze unwavering. Was this the feeling? Sitting in a corner, listening to all directions, with her heart focused on nature, the whole world was within her sight!
"Gentlemen," Su Yuyao began slowly, "since this is a bestowal of titles, there must be a hierarchy of rank. However, your situations are far too complex. Some of you ascended to godhood with the late Lord Xuanyi; some followed Lady Yimu into the Heavenly Palace and were subsequently bestowed titles; and many more are attendants brought by their respective husbands, rewarded because their masters were favored. If we were to determine the order according to the original hierarchy, it would be absolutely impossible under the current circumstances. If we were to determine the order according to the extent of the damage, it would disregard the distinction of rank and status. Therefore, I have come up with a good idea!"
Everyone looked up at Su Yuyao with a puzzled expression.
"Girl!" Xuan Feng stared at Su Yuyao with his azure eyes. He didn't know what Su Yuyao was planning, but he knew her style of doing things all too well. If you call it a plan, to put it nicely, it was a terrible plan. If you think about it in the conventional sense... well, you really can't imagine it... because you simply can't think of it!
"Your Majesty, don't worry," Su Yuyao said with a smile, "My idea is excellent—an exam!"
"What?! An exam?!" Everyone was shocked again!
"Exam?...Exam?!" Xuanfeng frowned deeply, asking incredulously, "You mean...exam?!"
Su Yuyao nodded solemnly, "That's right!"
This… I really didn’t expect this! Xuanfeng rubbed his forehead and smiled wryly. This girl doesn’t even like to write a single character, yet she’s taking an exam?!
Xuanfeng let out a long sigh of relief and asked with a smile, "Since there's going to be an exam, how are you going to take it?"
Su Yuyao raised her eyelids and looked at the giant python wall. Her pupils rotated slightly, and the giant python disappeared instantly. The Xuan Water became clear again, and the Xuan Gate was once again covered with a silver water curtain.
"Don't rush," Su Yuyao's eyes slowly emitted a red aura, "Wait... for the question setter."
"Wait?" Xuanfeng looked at Su Yuyao with a hint of doubt. "Who is it?"
"Xuanfeng... oh, no, it should be... Emperor Xuanyi now!" A familiar voice pierced through the layers of Xuanshui, stabbing into Xuanfeng's eardrums, causing Xuanfeng's brain to twitch with pain.
Flying Flowers?! Xuan Feng abruptly closed his eyes and clenched his fists. Why did she come at this time?!
Su Yuyao wasn't surprised; instead, she secretly curled the corners of her lips...
"Su Yuyao, long time no see, how have you been?" The voice grew closer, but no one could see Feihua's figure.
Just as everyone was searching around, suddenly, the Eight Directions Mysterious Water Gate, along with the Eight Pure Trigrams of Yaochi, began to slowly rotate. When the Mysterious Gate "Xun" turned in front of Xuanfeng and Su Yuyao, it stopped abruptly!
A graceful figure slowly emerged from the Xuan Gate; it was Fei Hua, who had just been neglected at the Tian Gate!
Feihua was not afraid of the eerie Yaochi. Instead, she channeled her Qi and lightly stepped on the water, walking step by step onto the Taiji diagram.
"Feihua greets Your Majesty!" Feihua bowed slightly to Xuanfeng and said softly.
Xuanfeng raised an eyelid to look at Feihua. With delicate eyebrows, bright eyes, red lips and white teeth, and a graceful figure, Feihua, who was already dignified and elegant, became even more... charming after experiencing the calamity...
Su Yuyao glanced at Xuanfeng and sneered, "Why doesn't the Emperor recognize her? This is the Fairy Flying Flower, who lost her mother and then developed hysteria!"
Xuanfeng's heart trembled slightly, and he looked at Su Yuyao with a hint of displeasure, only to meet Su Yuyao's icy gaze. "Why is Your Majesty looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong?"
Knowing he was in the wrong, Xuanfeng rolled his eyes at Feihua and changed the subject, "Feihua, are you here to attend the enfeoffment ceremony?"
Feihua smiled charmingly and shook her head. "Yao'er didn't give me an invitation, so I didn't even have the right to watch the show! If it weren't for Granny Guiyue going to Tianmen to talk to Lord Qimen and bringing me in, I would still be trapped in Tianmen!"
Su Yuyao said with a half-smile, "I didn't give you an invitation because I was afraid that revisiting this place would bring back memories. If it only adds to your troubles, that would be fine, but I was afraid that it would further agitate you and worsen your hysteria. Wouldn't that make me a sinner in the Emperor's eyes?"
"Girl!" Xuanfeng said softly, "Don't talk nonsense!"
Fei Hua's gaze paused slightly, then she smiled gently, slowly turning to Su Yuyao. She said teasingly, "Yao'er has always been outspoken and speaks without thinking. I'm used to her being like that! I just didn't expect that even now that she's the Mother Goddess, she still hasn't changed this bad temper!" As she spoke, she took a few steps closer to Su Yuyao, a wicked smile playing on her lips. "With such a bad temper… can she really shoulder the heavy responsibility of the Heavenly Mother?"
"Feihua." Xuanfeng looked coldly at Feihua and said solemnly, "This is the enfeoffment ceremony. If you are not among those invited, please... return..."
Xuanfeng suddenly awoke with a start! How did Feihua get in?! Those troublemakers from a few days ago are still swirling inside the python's belly. Feihua had no invitation, no fireflies to guide her, how could she... have walked into the Taiji Hall?
Xuanfeng looked at Su Yuyao, whose aura was calm. "Girl, you did this on purpose! Why did you do this?!"
Su Yuyao smiled slightly, glared at Feihua, but then turned her attention to Xuanfeng, "Why is Your Majesty in such a hurry to ask Feihua to leave so early? I was thinking that since she's already here, I'd let her stay and catch up with us! However... judging from Feihua's words just now, she seems to have some doubts about my abilities. Perhaps we should clarify things now. If there's any truth to it, I will correct it; if there's any misunderstanding, we can take this opportunity of the investiture ceremony to explain it clearly in front of everyone!"
Something's not right, something's really not right! Xuan Feng couldn't quite put his finger on what was wrong, but this was definitely not Su Yuyao's usual style!
"Grandma Yuqing and Uncle... Feihua brought them here..." A mysterious voice suddenly echoed in my mind, "Father believes Mother, but does Mother believe Father?"
believe……
Xuanfeng felt a sudden sense of relief. He looked at the girl he had raised, now a master of heaven and earth. What was there for him to worry about? Since he chose to trust her, why should he question her? Since she didn't trust him, why should he create trouble for himself...?
Xuanfeng smiled contentedly and looked at Su Yuyao with doting eyes, "Since you have such thoughts, I have no objection!"
Su Yuyao turned to look at Xuanfeng. How long would she keep that infatuated look in her eyes?
Fei Hua watched as Xuan Feng and Su Yu Yao exchanged flirtatious glances right in front of her, and couldn't help but feel a surge of resentment.
“Su Yuyao,” Fei Hua said bluntly, “isn’t Sahan, the leader of the Wolf Clan, your adoptive father?”
Su Yuyao's eyes flickered, and she slowly turned her head, maintaining a gentle expression, and said, "That's right."
She appeared calm, but her thoughts were racing! She quickly organized all the information she had gathered: "All is well on the Xuanhuang Ancient Road," "The Xuanhuang Ancient Road has received orders," "The Xuanhuang Ancient Road has completed its instructions," "The Xuanhuang Ancient Road is sealed off," "The Xuanhuang Ancient Road has broken through," "All is well on the Xuanhuang Ancient Road," "The Xuanhuang Ancient Road has received orders"...
Break through...break through? Su Yuyao slowly turned her pupils...
On the ancient Xuanhuang Road, the blizzard raged on, the thick snow almost completely burying the cave where Su Yuyao once lived. On the mountain range, a blood-soaked she-wolf held her head high, sniffing the air.
Mother… Su Yuyao gradually clenched her fists.
Behind Mrs. Sa, a young male wolf with blood scabs on its fur bared its scarlet fangs and warily surveyed its surroundings.
“Dim light…” The fingertips of the armor gradually dug into Su Yuyao’s wrist.
On the hillside behind Weiming, a pack of wolves had just fought a bloody battle...
Fei Hua looked smugly at the stunned Su Yuyao, and turned slightly to the side, "Su Yuyao, look who this is?"
As the water curtain swayed, a golden flower bud floated into the Taiji Hall. The base of the bud faintly revealed dark red bloodstains, leaving a bloody mark on the mirror-like Yaochi Pool!
Su Yuyao's heart tightened as she stared at the slowly blooming golden petals. A strong, pungent stench of blood immediately filled the air, causing everyone present to feel nauseous.
"Su Yuyao, look who this is!" As soon as she finished speaking, the petals suddenly unfolded, revealing a bloody, mangled human figure with exposed bones on its limbs!
Su Yuyao looked at Sa Hanyi, who was like a corpse, and her eyes instantly filled with red blood. She suppressed her surging anger and slowly got up by pressing her fist against the table.
Fei Hua looked at Su Yuyao with great smugness, "Qilan is the Emperor's concubine, and now she has been humiliated. As the Mother of Yao, how will you protect the face of the Heavenly Palace?"
Sa Hanyi's eyes were covered in blood and scabs, but he still managed to find Su Yuyao by her scent. He struggled to open his broken lips and, with all his might, said, "Ning...Baby...Father...didn't......"
Upon hearing Sa Hanyi's voice, Su Yuyao's Qi and blood surged even more violently. Although her outward appearance remained unchanged, the Tai Chi diagram beneath her feet began to tremble slightly, and water droplets gradually began to ripple on the surface of the pool. A noisy sound of flowing water emanated from the Eight Pillars of Profound Water, mixed with the sounds of pythons flicking their tongues and desperate roars!
Xuanfeng frowned, gathered his Qi in his palm, and slammed it down on the table. The light waves instantly spread out, smoothing out the tremors of Yaochi and stabilizing Xuanshui.
Xuanfeng looked at Su Yuyao, whose aura was trembling, and gently called out, "Girl."
Su Yuyao took a deep breath, slowly closed her eyes, circulated her Qi to eliminate any anomalies, and coldly asked, "Where is Qilan?"
Fei Hua raised her eyelids with a wicked smile, "Qi Lan has been rescued by us. She is an important witness and cannot be shown casually! The perpetrator is already here and can be executed immediately! As the ruler of the Heavenly Palace and the mother of all things, you are showing leniency. Are you trying to engage in favoritism and corruption?!"
Su Yuyao sneered and said, "Although not all the gods and immortals have been invited to today's investiture ceremony, all of you present can serve as my witnesses. I will never show favoritism or engage in any corrupt practices!"
"Fine!" Fei Hua pointed at the barely recognizable Sa Hanyi and demanded, "Since you say you won't engage in favoritism or corruption, how do you intend to deal with Sa Hanyi?!"
Su Yuyao looked at Sa Hanyi. Now she didn't believe that men could always be faithful, nor did she believe that men could resist all temptations, but she believed in Sa Hanyi's character and believed that Sa Hanyi would never do such a despicable thing to Qi Lan!
"Since you have asked me to deal with Sahanyi, then I must uphold the law impartially and personally interrogate Qilan! Once the truth is clear, I will make my own judgment!"
Sahan realized that the truth was no longer important. If Su Yuyao cleared his name, Feihua would exploit Su Yuyao's selfish motives, and the world that had just begun to settle down would be thrown into turmoil again. If Su Yuyao disposed of him herself, she would not only be branded as ungrateful but would also tarnish the reputation of the wolf clan. At that point, how could the heavens and all living things willingly submit? Should I... still persist...?
“Ha… Ningbao…” Sahan used all his Qi to utter a difficult sound, “Your mother… Wolf Clan… Weiming…”
Before he could finish speaking, drops of blood began to appear on Sahan's battered body.
Oh no! Dad can't hold on any longer!
Su Yuyao quickly raised her hand and sent the Qi ball flying! Fei Hua's palm trembled, and the golden petals suddenly retracted to defend, but were mercilessly pierced by a surge of green Qi! The petals scattered, turning into ashes and disappearing into the Jade Pool!
The green Qi enveloped Sahanyi tightly, shrinking into his already broken body and quickly taking control of all his meridians and blood vessels.
"Chief Sa," Xuanfeng said solemnly, his eyes sharp and his fingertips twitching slightly, "the matter is not yet settled. If you perish here, it may cause the wolf clan of the Xuanhuang Ancient Path to harbor resentment towards the Yao Mother. At that time, the wolf clan will be unstable, which will surely lead to disaster! Please hold on a little longer!"
Ah...yeah...
Sahan's hazy consciousness slowly cleared. He smelled the faint scent of grapevines on the tip of his nose. Even though his whole body was numb with pain, he felt at peace.
Seeing that Sa Hanyi's condition had stabilized, Su Yuyao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She glanced at Feihua again and said sternly, "Feihua, if I were to punish anyone or settle any matter based solely on your word, how could I convince the world? Only if Qilan personally testifies can I act according to the rules!"
As Fei Hua watched Xuan Feng shatter her flower bud, her hatred for Su Yu Yao intensified.
"Fine!" Fei Hua glared at Su Yuyao and said loudly, "I can let Qi Lan out, but how can you guarantee she won't take the opportunity to kill someone?!"
"Hmph," Su Yuyao sneered, and said leisurely, "If I wanted to kill someone, would I need an opportunity?"
"Ouch!" A familiar figure stumbled and fell out of the water curtain.
"Be careful!" Guiyue followed closely behind and helped Yimu up after she fell to the ground. The two of them hurriedly hid back in the Xuanshui Water.
Everyone was shocked to see Yi Mu in such a disheveled state. Although her attire remained unchanged, her demeanor was no different from that of an ordinary old woman!
Su Yuyao stared at the hurried backs of Yi's mother and Guiyue, and sighed softly.
Xuanfeng watched as Yi's mother and Guiyue appeared on the field, his head throbbing with pain. "That brat! How could she even think of that! So audacious!"
Feihua looked at the Xuan Shui Gate where Yi Mu was hiding with suspicion. Ever since they met, there had been an inexplicable strange feeling about her...
Something's not right! Even if the Mother Goddess had lost her aura, she wouldn't act like this! Could it be... these two are imposters?! She re-examined the Taiji Hall—the Xuan Shui, the Bagua, the Earth Mirror... seemingly unpredictable, yet she always felt this was... a trap... luring someone into a jar... catching a turtle in a jar?!
Oh no! We've been tricked!
Feihua hurriedly circulated her Qi, but her feet felt like they were stepping in water, unable to gain any footing. She spun around, creating golden flowers, which then vanished in an instant!
Oh no! This Bagua diagram is secretly draining my Qi! Fei Hua exclaimed in alarm!
She glared fiercely at Su Yuyao and shouted, "Su Yuyao, you schemed against me?!"
"Hahaha!" Su Yuyao laughed a few times, then her face darkened, and she said coldly, "Didn't you scheme against me?"
Feihua glanced at the silent Xuanfeng, and her heart shattered...
Su Yuyao smiled calmly and said, "Feihua, you asked me to enforce the law impartially, and I promised you I wouldn't show favoritism. Yet you're delaying the appearance of Qilan. What are you afraid of?"
"Your Majesty Yao!" A heart-stirring voice pierced through the water curtain, transforming into a force that rushed into Fei Hua's heart. "This humble servant is willing to testify against Sa Han Yi in person. Please do not make things difficult for Fairy Fei Hua!"
As the words fell, a delicate and graceful figure emerged from the water curtain. Qi Lan's long hair was half-gathered and draped over a semi-transparent pink blouse, the raised scars on her back and chest faintly visible through the thin gauze. She bowed her head and walked behind Fei Hua, kneeling on both knees and prostrating herself, saying, "This humble servant Qi Lan pays respects to Emperor Xuan Yi and Mother Yao!"
Su Yuyao squinted at Qi Lan and asked in a low voice, "Qi Lan, were you assaulted?"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Qi Lan said firmly.
Su Yuyao nodded and turned to look at Sa Hanyi. Sa Hanyi had regained steady breathing after Xuan Feng's treatment.
“Sahan Yi,” Su Yuyao asked softly, “did you violate Qi Lan?”
“Ha…” Sahan struggled to catch his breath, “No… no…”
Su Yuyao nodded slightly and turned to Feihua, "Feihua, I believe that it is true that Qilan was violated, and I also believe that Sahan's words are not all nonsense. The key question is, who violated Qilan?"
Feihua had regained her composure and was carefully considering Su Yuyao's words, afraid of falling into Su Yuyao's trap again.
Looking at the increasingly cautious Feihua, Su Yuyao said slowly, "I ask you, how can you prove that Qilan's humiliation was caused by Sahan?"
Feihua sorted out her thoughts and replied, "Back then, Consort Qingyue was worried about leaving me alone on the Immortal Mountain, so she took me back to the Ice Wheel Palace to recuperate. She also took my maid, Qilan, with her. Not long ago, during a trip down the mountain to buy supplies, the Wolf Clan suddenly appeared and kidnapped Qilan! At that time, Consort Qingyue was not in the palace, so I had to lead people to the Wolf Clan to rescue her. After learning about what happened from Qilan, I captured the culprit, Sahan, along with everyone else!"
"How can we prove that the people who kidnapped Qilan were from the wolf clan?"
"Yu Chuanzi, who went down the mountain to buy things with Qi Lan, can testify to this!"
What was the purpose of the wolf clan kidnapping Qilan?
"The wolf clan of the Xuanhuang Ancient Path will be at your beck and call to eliminate any dissidents..."
"Eliminate dissidents?" Su Yuyao laughed disdainfully. "She's just a maidservant, not worth my trouble at all! Besides, given my style, if I wanted to eliminate dissidents, I wouldn't leave any survivors. Why would I let a living creature go back and report?"
"If it wasn't to eliminate dissidents, then it must be that Sahan had long coveted Qilan's beauty and was therefore deliberately doing this!"
"Hahaha..." Su Yuyao raised her hand to cover her nose and laughed loudly, then her face turned cold and she said, "The wolf clan is the king of all beasts, living off prey, and has always revered strength as beauty and ability as glory! People like you seductive creatures are not even worthy of the wolf clan's attention!"
"Su Yuyao! Don't forget, Sahanyi is not a wolf!" Feihua glared and shouted.
Su Yuyao didn't press Fei Hua's questions. Instead, she paused, looked at Fei Hua with a half-smile, and asked leisurely, "How can you prove that Qi Lan's words are true?!"
Fei Hua paused for a moment, then replied, "Qi Lan is a mere woman; how could she unjustly smear herself and bring shame upon herself?!"
"Sahan is the leader of the wolf clan. How could he make such a low-level mistake and bring shame upon the wolf clan and me?!"
Fei Hua was startled and shouted angrily, "Su Yuyao! You're covering for her!"
"Feihua! You have no evidence whatsoever. You've convicted Sahan and the Wolf Clan solely based on Qilan's presence in the Wolf Clan and her one-sided testimony. You even kidnapped Sahan, subjected her to violence, and tortured her to extract a confession!" Su Yuyao slammed her empty palm onto the table, shouting angrily, "Who, you or I, is eliminating dissidents?!"
A massive energy field suddenly exploded, causing the Taiji Hall to vibrate and hum...
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