Chapter 449: 448. Chapter 443: The Pass of the Base

448. Chapter 443: The Pass of the Base

Bu Yingyin gazed at Ding Huan in a daze, her face slightly flushed, her body involuntarily taut.

She liked this kind of man—only a man like this was worthy of lying beside her, Bu Yingyin.

Her usual lofty mindset left her completely unaware of her current predicament.

She had also never considered what would happen if Ding Huan took over her case.

Bu Yue did not share Bu Yingyin's relaxed mindset; his face was dark and grim.

Clearly, this Ding Huan was not an easy man to deal with.

Fortunately, Ding Huan had only just joined, while Ying Fang had long ago recorded the Dao Rhythm Law Crystal Ball—even if Ding Huan could give Ying Fang a show of force, Lu Chongdao's crimes still could not be escaped.

He glanced at Emperor Pingwei. If not for Emperor Pingwei protecting Ding Huan, the moment Ding Huan left this Immortal Court Treasure Hall, he would find a way to kill Ding Huan, or have him dragged into the Immortal Chancellor's residence.

Now he only hoped Ding Huan would not take over Xiu Lun's case.

The strongman had already pressed Ying Fang onto the Court Punishment Stone, his immortal yuan sealed.

This kind of court staff was graded—for great crimes, the offender had to be stripped. Not only beaten, but beaten with humiliation.

Ying Fang's crime was not a great one, so only his immortal yuan needed sealing; there was no need to strip him.

Crack! Crack!

Staff after staff came down, flesh and blood a blur.

After a hundred strokes, Ying Fang's immortal yuan seal was lifted.

For someone like Ying Fang, a Luo Heaven Immortal, this kind of court staff was more an insult than anything.

After Ying Fang stood again, killing intent suffused his whole being. He swore that if he did not kill this little grasshopper Ding Huan today, all his years serving as Banner Bearer in the Immortal Law Department would have been for nothing.

"Ding Luguan, may I now proclaim the articles of the Nine Court Immortal Law I have laid upon Lu Chongdao?" Ying Fang said slowly.

Everyone could feel Ying Fang's fierce killing intent.

Ying Fang had laid out every charge against Lu Chongdao clearly and plainly, all drawn from the Nine Court Immortal Law—thoroughly reasoned and well-supported, one could say.

Everyone here had already heard it, except Ding Huan.

Because Ding Huan was Lu Chongdao's Luguan, Ying Fang had to say it once more for Ding Huan.

"Please go ahead," Ding Huan said with a smile, looking at Ying Fang, utterly unconcerned with what Ying Fang would say.

Through the Grand Cosmos Art he had repeatedly studied the Nine Court Immortal Law, and precisely because of that repeated study, Ding Huan had reached a conclusion.

This was not a body of law at all—it was a piece of baseness.

The reason he called it a piece of baseness—

was because Ding Huan had once heard this saying: baseness is the passport of the base.

Perhaps the baseness in that saying referred only to a kind of character, but for Ding Huan now, baseness was this very Nine Court Immortal Law.

Within this body of law, there was nothing that could not be argued both ways—it all depended on how you understood it, how you laid out the statutes.

Ying Fang drew a deep breath: "Because Lu Chongdao insulted the Immortal Chancellor.

According to Article 736 of the Court Statutes of the Nine Court Immortal Law, one who offends a superior, and directly offends an official of the Eighteen Departments, shall have eleven meridians severed and be imprisoned for nineteen thousand years.

The Immortal Chancellor is the head of the Eighteen Departments, so the punishment is doubled: twenty-two meridians severed, imprisoned for thirty-eight thousand years.

At the time, because of Lu Chongdao's insults, the Immortal Chancellor's qi and blood were impeded, his Dao Law affected, and for years afterward he made little progress. According to Article 70,021 of the Sub-Statutes of the Nine Court Immortal Law, an additional thirty thousand years of imprisonment is added, and the Purple Mansion is to be torn apart…"

After speaking, Ying Fang took out the Dao Rhythm Crystal Ball and activated it.

The image within the crystal ball showed the Dao Rhythm Law clearly—entirely scenes of Lu Chongdao insulting Immortal Chancellor Bu Yue, and of Immortal Chancellor Bu Yue's face turning ashen, even to the point of spitting blood.

Ding Huan looked toward Bu Yue, laughing inwardly.

With Lu Chongdao's level of cursing ability, to curse a old fox like Bu Yue until he spat blood—who was he fooling?

Only, Bu Yue was clearly a sly old hand; the Dao Rhythm fluctuations and anger he displayed on the crystal ball were indeed genuine.

No wonder Helian Aodong had no confidence—once this kind of Dao Rhythm Law Crystal Ball came out, there was almost no room for rebuttal.

Ding Huan truly did not take this to heart; what he looked at was a fellow standing behind Bu Yue.

That fellow was the gray-clothed man who had stripped the life force from the Immortal Spirit Rice at the Immortal Agriculture Department. He hadn't expected this fellow to be Bu Yue's man—clearly, wiping out all the Immortal Spirit Rice at the Immortal Agriculture Department had been Bu Yue's doing all along.

Then Ding Huan's gaze fell on a man farther away, a fellow with a face full of honest simplicity.

If one were to compare honest looks, Lu Chongdao beside this fellow would seem a fearsome fiend.

Ding Huan was certain that no one in this Immortal Court Treasure Hall would have guessed that this honest-faced, careful fellow was the one who had destroyed Qianyuan Immortal Manor, right?

What matter if his appearance had changed? The great Dao Rhythm fluctuations on this fellow's body, Ding Huan could see at a glance.

If this had been before, Ding Huan's not answering directly and instead looking around would have given Ying Fang the opening to act, and he would have produced the relevant Nine Court Immortal Law articles to add charges against Ding Huan.

Now Ying Fang knew that small skirmishes would not take Ding Huan down; he had to win this case outright, then slowly torment Ding Huan.

So even though Ding Huan was looking around, Ying Fang still held his composure.

Not only did he not seize the chance to act, his expression didn't even change, while inwardly he was thinking how to use the Nine Court Immortal Law to hurl Ding Huan into an irretrievable ruin.

The rest kept their eyes on Ding Huan. Many figured Ding Huan should have no rebuttal. If he could rebut, would the earlier Mu Jiuting have been silenced? At the very least he would have said a few words.

Just as when Ding Huan had produced his Law Crystal Ball earlier, Ying Fang immediately backed down.

Now Ying Fang had produced the Dao Rhythm Law Crystal Ball charging Lu Chongdao, and Ding Huan was equally at a loss for words.

The most formidable evidence under the Nine Court Immortal Law was the Dao Rhythm Law Crystal Ball.

To rebut this kind of evidence, one had to have an even more formidable Law Crystal Ball, or pull together several entirely unrelated articles of the Nine Court Immortal Law and combine them.

Combining them was not enough—one had to state what state the party would be in after these statutes were combined, and provide a corresponding Law Crystal Ball.

What he had not expected was that Ding Huan ignored him, and instead looked toward Lu Chongdao:

"Lu Sanguan, why did you take on the cases of Xiu Xu and Bu Yingyin?"

Regret flickered in Lu Chongdao's eyes:

"Because I am a Sanguan of the Immortal Court, I felt I had contributed little to the Immortal Court. This time I happened to receive an imperial decree, so I prepared to put in some effort on the Immortal Court's behalf."

Ding Huan bowed to the Emperor: "Your Majesty, may you thrive forever. The scattered official Lu Chongdao claims he received Your Majesty's imperial decree—could this be a lie to evade guilt?"

Everyone exchanged uneasy glances; Mi Mi nearly shouted at Ding Huan: "Remember, you're here to assist Lu Chongdao! You're Lu Chongdao's law official—what do you mean by that? Are you planning to betray him?"

Falsely invoking the Emperor's divine decree is a far graver crime than insubordination or embezzlement.

Bu Yue felt Ding Huan could not be so shallow; otherwise, he wouldn't have struck Ying Fang a hundred lashes the moment he arrived.

Before the Lou Wushang Emperor spoke, he slowly said:

"Because the Emperor was in seclusion, I personally issued the imperial decree appointing Lu Chongdao as chief judge in this case. There is no such thing as 'not receiving it'—many witnesses can attest to this."

The Lou Wushang Emperor also said: "Correct. During my seclusion, the Imperial Chancellor has the authority to issue imperial decrees appointing chief judges on my behalf."

"So that's how it is."

After sighing, Ding Huan finally turned to Ying Fang:

"Before pointing out your errors, Law Official Ying, I have a few questions for you."

Ying Fang was about to refuse, but suddenly remembered Article 9 of the Nine Courts Divine Law: before opposing law officials formally challenge each other, any question relevant to the case must be answered—or it is a violation of law.

Ying Fang inwardly cursed: This guy is setting traps everywhere—I can't guard against everything.

When I first spoke, no one thought to record the Dao-rhythm crystal ball—but he did. I must be careful with my answers.

"Ask, Law Official Ding," Ying Fang said coolly.

"When you present charges and convict others, Law Official Ying, don't you consult the Nine Courts Divine Law's Imperial Code?" Ding Huan said coldly.

Ying Fang snorted: "The Imperial Code is the opening of the Nine Courts Divine Law—it's mandatory reading. How do you know I don't read it? The Imperial Code applies only to our Emperor. Our Emperor holds all things in his heart—how could he break the law? Besides, we're dealing with cases of subordinates—what does the Imperial Code have to do with that?"

His tone was sharp, yet his reply was cautious—he would let Ding Huan find no loophole whatsoever.

"Then let me ask you, Law Official Ying: what is the first article of the Imperial Code?" Ding Huan gave him no pause.

"The first article of the Imperial Code states: The Emperor represents the Divine Court, supreme and unrivaled, holding absolute power over life and death," Ying Fang answered instantly.

Trying to catch me off guard with Article One of the Nine Courts Divine Law? Hmph—you've misunderstood, Ding Huan. Is this your attempt at 'darkness beneath the lamp'?

The first article of the Imperial Code is as obvious as the rising sun—anyone with eyes can see it.

"What is an imperial decree?"

"Naturally, it is the Emperor's command—as if the Emperor himself were present."

"Good. It seems you've done some studying."

After praising Ying Fang, Ding Huan turned and bowed to the anxious Lu Chongdao:

"Scattered Official Lu, my admiration for you is beyond words… You possessed the authority to kill the Imperial Chancellor, yet you merely scolded him a few times.

Officials with such broad-mindedness are rare in the Divine Court. It's a pity someone locked you in the dungeon."

"Ding Huan, what nonsense are you spouting?" Ying Fang roared. Is he losing the argument and resorting to baseless chaos?

So many officials of the Divine Court are here—and the Emperor himself is present. Spouting nonsense is suicide.

Ding Huan's face turned icy as he fixed his gaze on Ying Fang: "When Lu Chongdao took over the case of Xiu Lun and Bu Bu Yingyin, he received an imperial decree from the Divine Court.

At this moment, Lu Chongdao does not represent Qian Yuan Divine Estate, nor does he represent a scattered official. He represents the face of the Divine Court—the Emperor's decree.

Article Six of the Divine Law's Imperial Code states: The meaning of an imperial decree is as if the Emperor himself were present. Law Official Ying, you just repeated it yourself—surely you don't forget?"

A cold sweat instantly broke out on Ying Fang's back. Could it be done like this?

But Ding Huan had no intention of letting him off:

"When Chief Judge Lu arrived at the Imperial Chancellor's residence, he did not represent Lu Chongdao as an individual—he represented the Emperor's decree, the dignity and honor of the Divine Court.

At that moment, the Imperial Chancellor, before the Emperor's decree carried by Chief Judge Lu, was merely a minister of the Divine Court. Chief Judge Lu, in his official capacity, could have executed a minister—how much less could mere scolding be a crime?

Yet a minister of the Divine Court, unable to endure a few rebukes from one who embodied the Divine Court's honor and the Emperor's decree, turned around and joined the Divine Law Department's Flag-Bearer General to trample the Divine Court's dignity underfoot, then imprisoned that honor in a dungeon.

This happened precisely during the Emperor's seclusion—a coincidence too perfect to ignore. It's chilling to think… could it be…?

Ding Huan paused, then suddenly seemed to understand. He pointed at Ying Fang's nose: "Ying Fang, Bu Yue—you two are planning rebellion? Otherwise, how could you dare trample the Imperial Decree?

According to Article Three of the General Code of the Nine Courts Divine Law, what crime is treason? Answer, Law Official Ying!"

Ding Huan's voice grew louder, his finger now touching Ying Fang's nose. Every soul in the Divine Court Hall felt a chill run down their spines.

Ruthless—this was more than ruthless; this was annihilation.

Ruthless — no, this goes beyond ruthless. This is annihilation, leaving none alive.