Chapter 198 Chapter 198 “He finally paid with his life…
The news of Chongli's wanton insults in prison was soon reported to the Jiu Zhao seat.
After listening to the immortal official's detailed report on every detail of the meeting between the two, Jiu Zhao Jiaoyan's face turned frosty.
"Stubborn."
She opened her lips slightly, uttering a cold final word. She decisively issued an order, "I hereby decree that the sinful fox Chongli has repeatedly rebelled against the upper realm, slaughtered his fellow warriors, and defied the law with remorse. His crimes are unforgivable. He is sentenced to death by thunderbolt, to be annihilated, body and soul destroyed. Execute immediately!"
As soon as the decree was issued, many immortals and gods who had suffered from the betrayal of the Nine-tailed Fox Clan felt happy.
The place of execution was still set up at Changshengtai, and the immortals stood on the four-sided cloud platforms to watch.
On that day, the wind was strong and powerful, and the usually bright sky of Sanqingtian was covered with a thick haze.
The rolling thunder appeared and disappeared between the clouds, and occasionally a dull and suppressed rumble was heard.
Four immortal officials came forward, escorting Chongli, who was wearing a yoke around his neck.
As the jailer exerted force on the shackle, he fell to his knees under the execution rack with a lightning rod, looking extremely embarrassed.
The immortal officials were all under the command of Yishan, the god of punishment, and were very familiar with the entire execution process. One of them undid the shackles, while the other three used their immortal magic to connect the four chains that shackled Chongli's hands and feet to the execution frame. The mechanism suddenly made a sound of turning, and Chongli was slowly hung in the air in a spread-eagle position.
Witnessing firsthand the millennia-long feud and the utter dissolution of sworn enemies, many of the immortals watching the execution felt a sense of sadness, in addition to feeling happy.
As the focus of countless eyes, Chongli seemed completely indifferent.
His disheveled black hair fell to the sides of his face. He suddenly raised his head high, looked at the thunder that was so close to him, and laughed out loud:
"The immortals live as long as the heavens, but the heavens themselves will die one day—
"I'm only a step ahead. I'll be waiting for you in the depths of hell!"
He changed his smooth and false attitude and laughed wildly, which was extremely harsh, but his laughter stopped abruptly when it touched the face of the executioner.
“…”
His Adam's apple rolled up and down twice, and he managed to squeeze out two words from deep between his teeth: "Ah... Lie Qing?"
One is the betrayed husband, the other is the betrayed wife.
On the throne, seeing Chongli's suddenly pale face, Jiu Zhao said as if he didn't notice:
"The time is approaching, Lieqing Immortal Officer, and you will oversee the execution."
"Yes, Emperor's Throne."
Lie Qing turned around and bowed to Jiu Zhao, then met Chong Li's trembling eyes and whispered:
"...You owe me this."
These few light words contain countless surging and complex emotions.
Resentment, hatred, attachment, joy, pain...
Finally returning to the silence of farewell.
After she finished speaking, she stopped looking at him, put two fingers together, and her immortal power flowed, quickly lighting up the lightning rod on top of the execution rack that was pointing straight to the sky.
The lightning that was initially cruising slowly suddenly emerged from the clouds in the shape of a ferocious snake, aiming at the criminals below, ready to strike!
Just as the thunder was about to strike, a powerful demonic energy came out of nowhere and blocked Lie Qing's output of immortal power.
Jiu Zhao raised his eyebrows slightly, and saw Zhu Yan's figure as fast as lightning, walking through the crowd and coming straight to the throne.
Without the slightest hesitation, he lifted his robe and knelt heavily on the ground: "Your Majesty, I am willing to take the blame for my father."
Before he finished speaking, he had already kowtowed three times.
When she raised her head again, her cheeks were as pale as snow, and in those emerald eyes that always contained a graceful charm, there was now only an almost broken sorrow.
He finally came.
Jiu Zhao was not surprised at all.
After all, he is his biological father who is connected by blood and has worked hard to pave the way for him for thousands of years. It is reasonable for Zhu Yan to come or not.
She could understand his inner struggle and pain.
However, understanding is one thing, but the law does not allow favoritism, and the imperial power cannot be challenged.
"No!" Jiu Zhao's attitude was firm, leaving no room for compromise. "The law is clear, and the blame belongs to the master. How can I allow someone to take over?"
Just as Jiu Zhao guessed, Zhu Yan couldn't make up his mind, and there was a 50% chance that he would come to plead for mercy today—
The young man expected her refusal.
Zhu Yan lowered his neck and looked at the hard, reflective ground.
The scene in the prison of Bu Jiantian where Chong Li cursed and forced him to leave reappeared in his mind.
It was not resentment or rupture, but the last refuge that a father could give in a hopeless situation.
Gratitude and love, filial piety and loyalty, it was as if two huge mountains were sandwiching him in the middle, and Zhu Yan could hardly breathe.
He had betrayed his blood, his people, and his responsibilities for her.
Now... am I going to have to watch my father turn to ashes while I live alone?
A deep, irreconcilable despair took the young man's breath.
Perhaps, there is only one way to repay the kindness of giving birth, and also to leave an eternal mark in Jiu Zhao's heart...
After a moment of silence, Zhu Yan spoke again, the hesitation in his eyes replaced by a resolute emotion: "Heaven's way is fair, and the laws are clear. I am also one of the leaders of the Nine-tailed Fox Clan's rebellion against the Three Pure Heavens. I am willing to bear the thunder punishment and responsibility together with Chong Li. Please grant your approval, Your Majesty!"
His repeated disobedience to the decree and his public pleading finally ignited Jiu Zhao's wrath. She pursed her lips, bent her knuckles, and tapped the armrests of the throne, like a sharp awl, hammering heavily into Zhu Yan's heart.
By the fifth time, she finally stopped moving, all the emotions on her face subsided, and she nodded in agreement:
"Since you insist on defying my orders and disregarding the decrees of Heaven, then I will grant you your wish—we will be punished together."
"Your Majesty, I bow to you and thank you."
Zhu Yan kowtowed deeply, as if what he received was not a death sentence, but a gift.
He stood up, walked to the hanging Chongli, knelt on the ground and closed his eyes.
First, the former wife supervised the execution, and then the beloved son who had high hopes for him asked for death.
Suffering two devastating blows in just one day, Chong Li could no longer maintain his previously carefree demeanor. He looked down at Zhu Yan, who knelt upright, eyes closed, awaiting death. Unable to suppress the tears welling in his eyes, "Ayan... why are you doing this..."
Zhu Yan did not respond, and had no way to respond.
He just felt exhausted, and the world was desolate and silent.
…
"Execution!"
Staring at the father and son who died side by side, Lie Qing shouted loudly.
Thunder punishment suddenly fell!
The bright lightning tore through the sky, and with the mighty power of heaven, it suddenly fell on the execution platform!
Unimaginable pain exploded, the yang energy like thousands of red-hot steel needles piercing Zhu Yan's meridians, burning his soul and tearing his flesh apart. His teeth instantly bit through his lip, and sweet blood spurted out, but he forced a groan of pain deep in his throat.
That year, Jiu Zhao, in order to cure his weakness, broke into the Sunless Abyss and fought with Zhulong.
Is this the same kind of pain you are experiencing?
Because of his betrayal, she spent the next three thousand years struggling between a life worse than death, with a reincarnation cycle of seven days.
Is that pain more lasting and intense than it is now?
One, one, and another—
His vision began to blur, and all that remained in his ears was the roar of thunder and the groaning of bones and flesh straining under the weight. His consciousness rapidly shrank and dissipated amidst pure, devastating pain. Zhu Yan no longer counted the number of strikes, but passively endured, waiting for his final death.
In the moment before his consciousness completely sank into darkness, he suddenly felt relieved.
Facing your own mistakes
He finally paid with his life.
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