Free Web NovelChapter 497: Chapter 111: Arriving at the Celestial Court, the Immortal Gods Bow Their Heads
He recited, his voice devoid of emotion:
"However, the crime of rebellion is unpardonable. The Sinful Immortals Li Changgeng and Cui Yin assisted the Human World’s rebellion. In consideration of their past diligent service to the Celestial Court, the death penalty shall be waived. They will be stripped of their immortal offices, their immortal bodies severed, and banished to the Human World!"
As his voice fell, two Immortals bound in chains were pushed forward. It was none other than Li Changgeng and Cui Yin!
Wen Zhong furrowed his brow:
"We’re next. Master Profound Yellow’s prestige still remains, so they ultimately won’t dare to go too far, but they’re still preparing to sweep us out..."
Beside him, the East Sea Dragon King’s expression changed:
"Being stripped of our immortal offices is one thing; we’ll be fine. But if you lose your immortal office, I fear you will have to enter Reincarnation..."
Wen Zhong was also an Immortal from Biyou Palace in his time. He only ascended to his immortal position after being struck down. The last time the Thunder Division established itself independently, he was not stripped of his office, but now...
Sure enough, the Celestial Emperor continued to proclaim:
"Furthermore, after deliberation and a joint decision between Us and the Nine Venerable Ones, We have determined that the Thunder Division’s Nine Heavens Responding Element Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerate, Wen Zhong, and the Four Seas Dragon Kings, also participated in the conspiracy during the Celestial Court’s great calamity.
"Today, they shall also be stripped of their immortal offices, their immortal bodies severed, and banished to the Human..."
Before he could finish,
a clear, resonant cry of a True Phoenix suddenly rang out from beyond the Celestial Court, immediately followed by a gentle voice from outside the hall.
"The Celestial Emperor has ascended the throne. I must come to offer congratulations."
The moment this voice was heard, the assembled Immortals in Lingxiao Hall subconsciously glanced toward the hall’s entrance. That voice...
At the same time, a Junior Immortal Official outside the hall announced in a trembling, high-pitched voice:
"The Central Profound Yellow, Token Holder and Ruler, the Supreme Profound Emperor... has arrived!"
!!!
The expressions of the assembled Immortals changed dramatically. The Nine Venerable Ones, seated beside the Celestial Emperor, were aghast with terror and shot to their feet!
In the next instant,
under the terrified gazes of the assembled Immortals, a world-weary young man wearing a Bronze Mask slowly walked in. Lotuses bloomed with his every step, the Six Paths revolved behind him, and as his Emperor’s Robe billowed, infinite Dao Rhyme flowed from within it!
"Profound Yellow Emperor... Emperor Venerable!!"
"Master Profound Yellow!!"
The bound Li Changgeng and Cui Yin looked back in astonishment, crying out in pleasant surprise. Wen Zhong and the Four Seas Dragon Kings also bowed deeply!
Lu Xuan strode into Lingxiao Hall, walked over to Li Changgeng and Cui Yin, and then crushed the chains on their bodies.
Immediately after, he raised his head, looked at the utterly bewildered Zhang Bairen on the Emperor’s Throne, gave a slight bow, and said with a smile:
"I have come uninvited. I hope Your Majesty will forgive my transgression."
"No... no transgression..." the Celestial Emperor stammered.
Amidst the terror, shock, and silence of the assembled Immortals, Lu Xuan continued forward with a leisurely stroll, not stopping until he reached the foot of the nine-layered jade steps before the Emperor’s Throne.
Countless Immortal Gods were as silent as cicadas in winter. Including the Nine Venerable Ones, all of them were trembling, a chill running up their spines as the hairs on their bodies stood on end!
Xuan... Profound Yellow!!
’He’s actually still around??’
Li Jing swallowed hard, his legs feeling a little weak. He stared, terrified, at this supreme figure.
In a daze, he saw a vast, manifested divine will, as if witnessing numerous incredible Divine Spirits.
An Old Nong tilling All Realms, a vast and mighty sea of blood, the billowing dust from the fall of the Four Extremes Celestial Court, a kowtowing Immortal Mother...
In the past, these Supreme Beings and grand spectacles had been absorbed by Lu Xuan into his Form Acupoints. Now they were manifested in his divine will, and all who glimpsed them saw these scenes and figures, breaking out in a cold sweat, their hearts and souls shattered by fear!
In the deathly silence,
the Celestial Emperor was a bit dazed. ’Why are these Immortal Gods so afraid? Isn’t this Profound Yellow Emperor Venerable the one who rebelled?’
’Why haven’t the Nine Venerable Ones apprehended him yet??’
In his daze, the Celestial Emperor saw the young man standing before the jade steps speak in a low, chilling voice:
"Before I offer my congratulations to Your Majesty, I have a question."
The Celestial Emperor said cautiously:
"Please, speak."
Then, he saw the masked young man slowly ask:
"Several thousand years ago, my martial brother and my disciple were married in the depths of the North Sea. On their wedding day, a tide of Celestial Soldiers annihilated my martial brother’s Soul, leaving only a single, fragmented True Spirit to escape."
After a pause, Lu Xuan said coldly:
"So, I wonder, who was it that ordered the Celestial Soldiers to go and hunt down my martial brother?"
The Celestial Emperor was just about to answer when he saw the masked Profound Yellow Emperor Venerable step onto the jade stairs, ascending one by one!
His face was a mask of misery as he cast a pleading gaze toward the Nine Venerable Ones at his side. Seeing that no one was paying him any attention,
he finally looked at the towering figure before him and said cautiously:
"My dear minister, We have only just ascended the throne. Naturally, We would not know of matters from several thousand years ago..."
As he spoke,
the Celestial Emperor saw the Profound Yellow Emperor Venerable nod slightly, walk over to Lishan Old Mother, and, with his hands clasped behind his back, look down on her and ask lightly:
"Was it you?"
Lishan Old Mother lowered her head:
"It was not I!"
The Celestial Emperor sucked in a sharp breath. For days, he had seen all the Immortal Gods bow their heads whenever they saw Lishan Old Mother, and yet now...
"Hm."
Lu Xuan then walked over to the Water Official Emperor and asked softly:
"Then was it you?"
"No, no!!" The Water Official Emperor shook his head like a rattle drum.
"She says it wasn’t her, you say it wasn’t you. Then who was it?"
Lu Xuan placed his hand on the Water Official Emperor’s head and, under the terrified gazes of the assembled Immortals, said with a smile:
"How about this: you tell me who it was, or I’ll crush your head?"
The Water Official Emperor felt the sea of blood surging faintly from the palm on his head. His heart hammered in his chest, and gritting his teeth, he said:
"It was the Celestial Official..."
"You!!" The Celestial Official Emperor’s face contorted with fury. He turned to flee, only to see Lu Xuan suddenly sprout nine arms, each holding things like a Six Paths Dharma Seal, Chaos, Panic, and Calamity.
The nine arms struck as one. The Innate Infinite Blood Sea materialized and slammed down on the Celestial Official Emperor’s head!
The latter was pierced through by the blow. His body cracked apart, and before he could even let out a muffled groan, he collapsed with a BOOM!
"Go."
Lu Xuan pointed a finger. The Innate Blood Sea, in which countless Immortal Corpses floated, began to churn. Following the threads of Cause and Effect, it struck out across the Celestial Myriad Realms simultaneously, annihilating all of the Celestial Official Emperor’s other selves!
A titan of the Celestial Realms had been utterly annihilated!
Feeling his Physique instantly depleted by more than half, Lu Xuan’s expression remained unchanged. He turned his head, his smile as gentle as a spring breeze:
"Well, Your Majesty, the Nine Venerable Ones are now one short... How about this? I shall give Your Majesty a congratulatory gift: two new candidates for the Nine Venerable Ones."
The Celestial Emperor nodded, trembling.
Lu Xuan pointed casually:
"Venus can be one of the Nine Venerable Ones. Wen Zhong can also be one of them. They shall jointly assist Your Majesty in overseeing the Celestial Court... Hmm, no, that’s not right."
Under the horrified gazes of the assembled Immortals, Lu Xuan smiled and muttered to himself:
"Looking at it this way, there’s still one too many among the Nine Venerable Ones..."
As if completely capricious, he struck out domineeringly once more. The sea of blood churned and swept up the fleeing Water Official Emperor, killing him as well!
Feeling his completely depleted physical shell and listening to the chaotic, frantic heartbeats of the Immortals in the hall, Lu Xuan glanced sideways at the profusely sweating Celestial Emperor and the seven remaining Venerable Ones:
"Now the numbers match."
"Since the congratulatory gift has been delivered, I will take my leave. As for this banquet, it’s best I skip it."
With that, Lu Xuan leisurely strolled out of the great hall, not forgetting to take Cui Yin with him.
Long after he had gone,
not a single person in Lingxiao Hall dared to speak.
(There will be another Chapter later, which will be the final Chapter of this volume.)
