Chapter 494: 493. Chapter 488: The Emperor-Chancellor Gap

493. Chapter 488: The Emperor-Chancellor Gap

Emperor Wuchang also looked at the Immortal Chancellor and said: "Then, it's a burden on you, Immortal Chancellor."

As Ding Huan had predicted, Bu Yue pulled out the Nine Courts Immortal Statutes, opened them, and pretended to read:

"According to Statute Two, Emperor Wuchang has the right to nullify one statute as invalid. I humbly beg His Majesty to cherish his ministers."

This guy clearly hadn't produced the golden sheet of the Statutes. He obviously planned to deceive him later, thinking he couldn't extract the Statutes from the Nine Courts Immortal Statutes.

Emperor Wuchang sighed: "Then nullify Statute 1,412,300 of the Detailed Statutes—the provision that earlier-numbered statutes have higher priority.

From now on, within the Nine Courts Immortal Statutes, any statutes of the same level have no priority over one another."

Emperor Wuchang didn't want to use this privilege at all, but he had to use it.

Ding Huan was someone he absolutely had to take away; if Ding Huan won, taking him would inevitably cause complications.

Both Brother Pingwei and Emperor Jinhe seemed to value Ding Huan greatly. So he must take Ding Huan by legitimate means.

Ding Huan can cultivate Immortal Spirit Rice, and Immortal Spirit Rice is indispensable for his path to Semi-Sage.

Moreover, Ding Huan can freely alter his own Dao resonance and casually grasp Dao principles—clearly, he harbors a tremendous secret.

"Your Majesty, may I ask: does this mean the First Statute of the General Statutes and the Last Statute of the General Statutes are of equal rank?" Ding Huan stepped forward to ask.

Emperor Wuchang nodded: "Correct. From today onward, whether General Statutes, Court Statutes, Sub-Statutes, or Detailed Statutes, within the same level, sequence number cannot serve as evidence of priority."

Though he gave this answer, he clearly sensed Ding Huan's tone had lost all respect for him—he no longer even called himself "this humble cultivator."

Ding Huan turned to Min Yuan: "Min Flagbearer, the Imperial Statute just issued by Emperor Chong is invalid. Continue. By the way, when you next see Ying Flagbearer, pass on my greetings."

Min Yuan involuntarily shuddered—it was a clear message: go join Ying Fang. Where was Ying Fang? Locked in the dungeon.

Min Yuan dared not respond to Ding Huan, so he turned to Emperor Chong: "Please, Your Majesty, root out this menace from the Immortal Agriculture Department."

Emperor Chong spoke slowly: "According to Statute One of the Statutes, as the creator of the Nine Courts Immortal Statutes, I have the right to designate an unfixed piece of evidence as valid."

Therefore, I designate the image crystal ball of Chu Flagbearer Immortal as a valid crystal ball, and it may serve as valid evidence for conviction."

This was cheating.

Once this evidence was fixed, it meant Ding Huan was the one who secretly destroyed the Immortal Spirit Rice.

Brother Pingwei snorted:

"Emperor Chong, we've heard of the Statutes, but no one has ever produced them. Who can be certain they're real? Winning by such a method is dishonorable."

This was an attempt to forcibly convict Ding Huan.

Emperor Chong spoke slowly: "The Statutes inherently carry certain privileges. If the original contributor has no privilege at all, who in the future would dare to make such sacrifices?

Besides, though I've used this privilege, Ding Luguan can still present evidence to refute my privilege."

Most people in the Immortal Court Hall didn't find this odd.

To them, this was normal.

As officials of the Immortal Court, they themselves held certain privileges. Without privileges, who would bother doing this job?

Without privileges, could they sit here calmly arguing while the human cultivators of the Great Immortal Realm constantly risked death?

"Ding Luguan, do you have anything to say? If not, then let Emperor Chong issue his statute." Emperor Wuchang said coldly, expressionless.

Once Emperor Chong began issuing the statute, Ding Huan would surely be captured.

Ding Huan stepped forward and said: "I certainly have something to say. It is true that the Immortal Spirit Rice of the Immortal Agriculture Department lost its vitality—but the one responsible is not me. It is Mi Zhong, Deputy Flagbearer Immortal of the Immortal Medicine Department."

Mi Zhong's heart leapt, then he jumped up three feet: "Ding Huan, this is the Immortal Court Hall—everything requires evidence. If you dare slander, it's a capital offense!"

Without saying another word, Ding Huan pulled out a crystal ball and activated it.

The crystal ball displayed a scene beneath a lake: a formation activated, revealing a seven-foot-tall, five-leaved Immortal Spirit plant before them.

"Imperial Vitality Fruit?" Emperor Wuchang stared in shock at the Dao fruit. Then a man of ethereal bearing appeared in the surveillance footage—could it be anyone but Mi Zhong?

Mi Zhong looked at the already withered Immortal Spirit Rice and sighed:

"The Immortal Agriculture Department really raises a bunch of fools. This Immortal Spirit Rice is dead—just replant it immediately. Do you expect me to move locations?"

The surveillance footage faded. Ding Huan stared coldly at Mi Zhong.

Without a word, Mi Zhong turned deathly pale.

How could this be?

He had been so careful—how had Ding Huan recorded his image crystal ball?

The Immortal Court Hall fell silent. Some realized it was the thief crying "Thief!"

But most were thinking of the Imperial Vitality Fruit—the priceless treasure, impossible to find. Mi Zhong had the audacity to use Immortal Spirit Rice to grow it.

Emperor Wuchang glared coldly at Mi Zhong. He had brought Mi Zhong out to confront Ding Huan and bring him to justice.

He never imagined Mi Zhong would stab him in the back. Mi Zhong was Bu Yue's eldest son-in-law.

If Bu Yue didn't know about Mi Zhong's actions, even a Bai Chi wouldn't believe it.

The one who truly stabbed him in the back was Bu Yue, the man he trusted most.

If even Bu Yue betrayed him, who in the Immortal Court Hall could he trust?

Bu Yue wanted to chop Mi Zhong into pieces and feed him to dogs. This worthless dog couldn't even handle a simple task—and now he'd been caught with such damning evidence.

"It's fake. The footage is fake…" Mi Zhong's lips trembled as he muttered, pointing at Ding Huan's crystal ball.

No one paid him any attention.

The authenticity of such a crystal ball image was obvious at a glance.

But Ding Huan suddenly asked: "Mi Zhong, where is this Dao fruit now?"

"No, this isn't real," Mi Zhong still protested.

Ding Huan chuckled: "Whether it's real or not, we'll find out now. I suspect that Immortal Spirit Dao fruit is still in the lake, not yet mature."

"Send someone to bring that Immortal Spirit Dao fruit here. Chu Xingren, open the seals." Emperor Wuchang ordered coldly.

"Yes." Two strongmen dashed out of the Immortal Court Hall at once.

Chu Xingren dared not delay and quickly pulled out the formation flag to activate the Immortal Agriculture Department's protective array.

Once the array was opened, countless divine senses swept inside and confirmed that the depths of the lake in the Immortal Agriculture Department were sealed by forbidden restraints.

Under the simultaneous assault of several Immortal Emperors' divine senses, the forbidden restraints quickly collapsed.

That immortal spirit fruit tree had borne a single purple fruit, but the fruit was not yet ripe and was still absorbing immortal spirit energy and vital essence.

Very shortly afterward, two laborers arrived at the Immortal Court's Treasure Hall carrying the imperial vital essence fruit.

"Great Emperor, this fruit cannot be taken away yet—it must be preserved as evidence."

Seeing that Great Emperor Wu Chang intended to seize the imperial vital essence fruit, Ding Huan hurried forward to speak.

Without waiting for Wu Chang to respond, Ding Huan continued: "Ladies and gentlemen, Mi Zhong sabotaged the immortal spirit rice in the Immortal Agriculture Department and plotted against me.

According to Article 16,902 of the General Code, maliciously destroying resources of the Thirty-Six Departments and causing severe adverse consequences warrants execution."

Great Emperor Wu Chang deliberately softened his tone: "The Great Emperor has confirmed that Ding Lüguan has provided valid evidence, and Ding Lüguan has also presented valid evidence against Mi Zhong.

The two cancel each other out—both parties are innocent."

At this moment, Great Emperor Wu Chang finally understood why Ding Huan had earlier pressured him to invoke his privilege and declare Article 1,412,300 invalid.

If that article had not been nullified by his privilege, the Great Emperor would have won this case.

Because the Legislative Code is equivalent to Article One of the General Code.

Comparing Article One with Article 16,902, the earlier article takes precedence—clearly favoring the Great Emperor.

Unfortunately, that article had just been revoked by him.

Great Emperor Wu Chang glanced at Ding Huan; this man had not only gained tremendous fortune but also possessed an intimate knowledge of the Nine Courts' Immortal Laws and a deeply calculating mind.

It wasn't that he hadn't considered this possibility—he simply lacked expertise in the Nine Courts' Immortal Laws and had no idea Ding Huan possessed concrete evidence.

"Great Emperor, I've won this clause," Ding Huan said.

He then pulled out the Nine Courts' Immortal Laws: "According to Article 3,642 of the Nine Courts' Immortal Laws, when both parties' evidence is equally compelling, the side with more physical evidence shall be deemed the victor.

I possess not only the physical evidence of this immortal spirit fruit, but also a clear visual record and the cosmic resonance of Mi Zhong's cultivation. Mi Zhong has presented no tangible evidence whatsoever."

Great Emperor Wu Chang turned his gaze toward Great Emperor Chong; he could not kill Mi Zhong.

Killing Mi Zhong would create a rift with Bu Yue.

Bu Yue was his most loyal servant—where else could he find such a useful Immortal Chancellor?

Moreover, Mi Zhong's move against Ding Huan had been tacitly approved by him.

Great Emperor Chong remained silent.

He wasn't incapable of refuting it—he had decided to give Ding Huan the benefit of the doubt and would stop here.

Great Emperor Wu Chang sighed; it wasn't that he thought Great Emperor Chong deliberately refused to defend himself, but under these circumstances, no one could argue.

Great Emperor Chong had already exhausted his privilege—what else could he do?

"Great Emperor, Article Four of the Legislative Code states…" Bu Yue stepped forward, desperately trying to speak on Mi Zhong's behalf.

Mi Zhong was his eldest son-in-law—he couldn't be executed.

"Chancellor, think before you speak, or your head might not stay on your shoulders," Ding Huan's voice cut in sharply.

Bu Yue fell silent as he stared at the golden Legislative Code in Ding Huan's hand.

This…

He had assumed Ding Huan could not obtain the Legislative Code, so he could freely add clauses at will—yet the man hadn't just obtained it, he'd now displayed it publicly before everyone.

At that moment, every divine sense in the hall fixed upon the Legislative Code in Ding Huan's hand, its clauses clearly perceived by all.

Great Emperor Wu Chang silently thought: Ding Huan truly had found the Legislative Code.

Great Emperor Chong said nothing; his suspicion had been correct—Ding Huan had touched the Spatial Law, and his understanding of it might even rival his own.

"Someone, take Mi Zhong out and execute him," Great Emperor Wu Chang said coldly.