Chapter 688: The Three Questions of Qingluan — Whence Comes Justice? (Too Late, Bright)

The borderlands of Shenzhou, bounded by water, are divided into four regions, collectively called Hongze.

The sects temporarily set aside their differences, redrew the four Hong treasure lands, rested and recuperated, and showed faint signs of thriving prosperity.

Only within those clear waters, it seemed, a certain lingering stench still refused to dissipate.

That grand slaughter of years past still echoed in the minds of Hongze's living beings.

Everyone knew where this present blue sky had come from.

But a few days ago, dense, dense golden streams of light shattered the calm of this sky.

Once, a single streak of golden light transformed from an Immortal Court's reply was enough to shake the hearts of many Dao Merging cultivators, making them think heaven and earth were about to change, filling them with unbridled excitement.

But now, the Immortal Court had truly dispatched its celestial soldiers and generals to descend upon Hongze.

In the hearts of this land's living beings, only a thick, lingering dread remained!

"Has he returned?"

The only three remaining sect masters among the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong all hurried to East Hong, their faces rather unsightly.

"Just arrived. Please, seniors."

After the White Dragon siblings departed, the one in charge of the East Long Gong became the younger generation's Zilan.

She led the group into the hall, where they saw Senior Zi Xian and Ziyang standing with solemn faces before a writing desk, and above the desk, a clean dragon head hovered in midair, staring intently at the petition on the desk.

"Senior Zixuan!"

Lingyun Sect Master Qi Yansheng froze for a moment, then joyfully cupped his hands in greeting.

Back then, the other had been slain by Lingyun Shiren, his head hung high in the Long Gong, his soul imprisoned — a most wretched fate. Now, though still in the form of a mere head, at least he was alive again!

"This is the Earth God of Jianyang Prefecture."

Crown Prince Ziyang introduced the unfamiliar old man beside him: "Senior Min is an eighth-rank immortal official of the Immortal Court. It was he who escorted us back this time."

"We pay our respects to the immortal."

The several sect masters bowed again, ripples stirring in their hearts.

Truly worthy of the lands of Shenzhou — in such a short time away, the siblings had already befriended a true immortal and even secured an escort all the way back. What immense face that was.

"No need for such ceremony." Min Zhiyan returned the courtesy politely, equally curious as he surveyed his surroundings.

He found it hard to imagine that that Lord Shen had actually come from such a remote, backwater stretch of water.

"Indeed. The fact that this old man could return to East Hong at all is entirely thanks to your Shen Zongzhu. If we must count properly, it should be I who bows to you all."

The East Long Wang finally drew his gaze back from the petition, forcing a smile as he quipped: "Pity I have no body now, so I can only mark it down and repay you next time."

"……"

But Qi Yansheng, Deng Xiangjun, and the others could not laugh.

They searched the hall carefully once more, yet never found that figure from their memories.

"He… he didn't come back?"

Ever since the moment Lingyun Shiren fell, Shen Yi had already become the very backbone of all of Hongze.

Everyone's feelings were complicated — they did not wish for him to be dragged back into this muddy water, yet when they truly did not see that young man, an inexplicable unease stirred in their hearts.

"Lord Shen's status is noble, his affairs many. We minor cultivators truly cannot reach him."

Before anyone else could speak, Min Zhiyan had already shaken his head helplessly.

He had done his utmost, but the relationship between the Immortal Court and the Divine Dynasty was now far too complicated. He could no longer casually inquire into the affairs of the imperial court as before. Even his life-and-death friend, the Prefect of Jianyang, would tell him nothing more.

Hearing this, the several sect masters of Yu Nanhong all froze where they stood.

A true immortal, speaking of their own Shen Sect Master of Nanyang, had used such a humble tone.

In such a short span of time, Shen Yi had actually become a being above even the immortals!

"It's fine… it's fine."

Qi Yansheng waved his hands repeatedly, his mindset shifting in an instant.

Their own Shen Zongzhu was doing so well now — not returning was, in fact, a good thing.

"Being busy is good." Deng Xiangjun's face also broke into a smile. Nanyang's Gao Sheng now not only illuminated Hongze, but cast the radiance of the great sun across all of Shenzhou.

He had truly carried the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong to new heights!

A newly risen blazing sun — how could it bear stains and blemishes? Better to let these matters be buried here in Hongze.

"So what exactly is the matter?"

Min Zhiyan finally could not help but ask. From his observation, the upper limit of cultivators here was merely ninth rank. By rights, matters of this level should not have been able to affect Lord Shen at all.

Yet the immortal light gathered at North Hong was absolutely not on the scale appropriate for handling such a matter — that display would be more than even a Taiyi Demon Immortal could bear.

Silence fell in the hall; no one answered.

After a long while, Ziyang folded up the page of the petition on behalf of his father: "Since things have come to this, then let us do once more what we failed to do back then."

"We can only hope now that that Qingluan General of Spreading Majesty is truly as just and selfless as the rumors say."

For ordinary mortals, many things left no choice.

Before that lofty, unreachable Immortal Court, the best card the people of Hongze now held in their hands was Ziyang, who served as a Rain-Praying Envoy in the Divine Dynasty.

Even such a status was barely sufficient before an Earth God like Min Zhiyan, let alone proper celestial soldiers and generals, much less a fourth-rank Qingluan General.

The good news was that most of those talented individuals had already left Hongze, each with their own futures and destinations — a spreading of branches, in a manner of speaking.

Even if Hongze were destroyed, at least its vitality would not be cut off.

After the long passage of ages, who was to say a great power of a region might not emerge from among them? When that time came, clearing Hongze's name would not be too late.

As for the Ziyang siblings, who had gone out and then come back —

They were native-born Hongze dragons, their great vengeance already avowed, with no more attachments. Naturally, they would live and die with this place.

"Let's go!"

Ziyang, rare for him, walked ahead of the East Long Wang. His father now had only a head left — how could he let this old man shield his juniors from the storm any longer?

Even if I die, I must seek justice!

In his hand he held a petition stamped with the Great Seal of Si Hong, each character bearing the grievance and fury of countless lives in Hongze.

Based solely on Shi Ren's final order to cleanse Hongze, how could he deserve the title of Immortal? Is it not right to rebel?

Outside the grand hall, countless Hongze cultivators waited with bated breath.

At the very front stood Baohua Zongzhu and Baohua Xianzi.

The old woman and the young Miss stared fixedly at the crowd emerging, yet never saw the one they longed for.

Xuan Qing had not returned. Shen Yi was not here.

The fallen prodigy had been reborn, and perhaps the lord of Hongze now had more important matters to attend to.

Hongze was merely a trivial scenery along their Dao path; they themselves were but even more insignificant flowers and grass within that scenery.

The cultivators largely understood the scene before them; their disappointment vanished swiftly, and soon they steadied their hearts, gazing silently toward the north of Hongze.

Even the Immortal Court cannot erase the innate human instinct to survive.

Hongze is innocent!

Under Zi Yang's leadership, a vast crowd of cultivators soared skyward on their magical artifacts, heading northward!

…

North Hong, the Immortals' abode.

Vast legions of heavenly soldiers and generals surrounded the sky, all clad in gleaming armor, wielding long spears.

Inside the hall, two sat seated, two stood straight.

Even as an observer, Qi Feng Xingxiu boldly claimed the main seat, while Qing Luan, the commanding general, sat in the secondary position.

General General Hongjing stood respectfully behind Qing Luan, while Lady Qinghua stood in the center of the hall.

"Such thick malevolent energy."

General General Hongjing gazed far beyond the hall, his face frozen with frost.

Having personally arrived in Hongze for many days, he knew well of Shi Ren's disappearance.

The parents of Hongze, a celestial official, vanished so silently—absurd!

Moreover, this man was connected to me, barely a nephew; how could I not be enraged?

Added to this thick malevolent energy and stench, it is clear what horrific atrocities were committed here.

Horrifying!

A band of mortals dared to conceal such inhuman acts from the Immortal Court!

Had Qing Luan not refused to give up, these beasts might have succeeded in hiding it all.

They even dared kill a celestial official—what would they not dare do?

"…"

Qi Feng closed his eyes to rest.

Before arriving here, even he had never imagined witnessing such a scene.

Before the truth was fully revealed, as a rightful deity of the Immortal Court, he would not interfere.

Qing Luan, however, seemed to have anticipated this, remaining as calm as ever.

She even had the composure to ask other questions.

"Qian Qing, since your ascension to heaven, no one has ever inquired about your origins—you are, after all, a merit-immortal recognized by heaven and earth. But now, this general wishes to ask one more thing."

Qing Luan slowly raised his gaze to the Golden Body before him: "Where do you come from?"

Upon hearing this, Lady Qinghua bowed respectfully, remained silent for a long while, then spoke softly: "Your servant comes from Hongze."

At this point, concealment has no meaning.

Upon hearing "Hongze," Qing Luan turned his gaze away again, a faint mockery slowly appearing on his face: "Still flesh and blood nourish men—such a place, like a hell, could produce such merit? You've endured much."

"…"

Lady Qinghua was unmoved by the sarcasm; she lowered her palms, turned, and gazed toward the hall's entrance.

The vast sky filled with cultivators had drawn near the boundary guarded by the heavenly soldiers.

"Let them in," she raised her hand slightly.

The heavenly soldiers hesitated—clearly, General Qian Qing, though the commander, was the one under investigation.

You Yunshan's face was solemn; he gave a signal, and his five hundred troops quietly dispersed, forcibly shoving aside their comrades to carve out a path.

"Thank you, heavenly general."

Zi Yang murmured his thanks.

"No need for courtesy. Be sure to explain everything truthfully—do not mislead yourselves, nor others."

You Yunshan sighed; he did not believe General Qian Qing was a treacherous villain. Now, only these mortals could save him.

Zi Yang nodded, then stepped forward with the few cultivators of highest cultivation, marching into the Immortals' abode.

"Hongze's Dragon Demon, Divine Dynasty's Rain-Praying Envoy Zi Yang, pays homage to your Excellencies!"

He knelt with a thud, raised the petition high above his head, his voice resolute.

With only ninth-rank cultivation, standing before celestial officials of at least fifth rank without a trace of fear—his growth over these days was evident.

Qing Luan did not rise, only gazed calmly at the motley crowd of mortals and wild cultivators, then said softly: "You've had ample time. Speak plainly."

Under the watchful eyes of countless Hongze beings.

Zi Yang turned to look at his father, took a deep breath: "All I have to say is written on this petition. I beg your Excellencies to read it!"

Lady Qinghua stepped forward swiftly, took the petition, and silently placed it upon Qing Luan's desk.

"Celestial Official Shi Ren, greedy for pleasure, cruel and unjust, delegated power to wicked demons, inciting chaos across his domain for personal desire, igniting a ten-thousand-year massacre in which countless innocents perished…"

Though kneeling, Zi Yang's voice grew louder.

"And afterward, he personally issued the order to purge, treating human lives like weeds, ordering the Northern Hong cultivators to join forces with the demons and monsters, intending to slaughter every sect — all to bolster his immortal authority!"

Listening to these indignant words, the Qi Feng Star Lord slowly opened his eyes.

General General Hongjing flew into a rage: "Bullshit!"

The person they spoke of — what immortal official was this? He sounded more like a demon lord.

Qing Luan's gaze darkened. She pressed her palm down to stop General General Hongjing's outburst, then swept her eyes across the crowd below: "Understood. This general will send people to investigate this matter. If it is true, the punishment will be carried out strictly according to the Heavenly Law, without favoritism."

With those words spoken.

Joy rose on the faces of Zi Yang and the people behind him.

But before they could praise the immortal general's fairness, everyone's expression changed drastically.

Qing Luan's tone shifted, and she said calmly: "But right now, what this general is asking about is your matter."

"We…" Zi Yang looked over in confusion.

"Where did the immortal official of this place go?" Qing Luan slowly rose to her feet.

"He… he was utterly irredeemable…" Zi Yang said, somewhat at a loss.

"This general will repeat it once more — I already know. His affairs will be dealt with according to the Heavenly Law, and you shall be given justice. But right now, I am asking where he went."

Qing Luan walked down the long steps, slowly arriving before Zi Yang.

A fourth-rank immortal general — merely the aura radiating from her body was enough to make the souls of these mortal demons and wild cultivators tremble, nearly suffocating them.

Seeing this, the Qi Feng Star Lord instinctively furrowed his brow.

"Speak up and tell the truth at once. If there is so much as one false word, this general will personally escort you to the Demon-Slaying Platform!" General General Hongjing exhaled, his expression dark as he swept his gaze over them.

Just then, Lady Qinghua stepped forward in silence, placing herself between the people of Hongze and the immortal general Qing Luan.

She cupped her hands in a solemn bow: "Originally, when this lowly officer received the merit bestowed by Heaven and Earth and was preparing to ascend for her report, Lingyun Shiren forcibly intercepted me, abducted me into this hall, bound me with immortal methods, and forcibly seized my merit."

A single, simple sentence — yet it made the Qi Feng Star Lord abruptly rise to his feet.

As a righteous god of Heaven and Earth, an embodiment of the great Dao's order, how could he possibly tolerate such a thing?

General General Hongjing's face also went deathly pale.

One had to know that Lingyun Shiren came from the same lineage as himself; if he truly committed such an act, it could even implicate his own sect.

If these words had come from someone else, it might have been fine — but this was spoken by General General Ganqing, a fifth-rank immortal general; it was most likely not false.

Thinking of this, even he did not dare speak again now, and slunk back.

"Another charge."

Qing Luan looked at this Golden Body dharma-form, gave a slight nod of her chin: "This general has noted it down. So where is he?"

The same question asked three times — even the dullest person could sense something was off.

Zi Yang's breathing grew rapid. He stared fixedly at this fourth-rank immortal general, famed for her name of fairness. After a long while, as if summoning every ounce of courage in his body, his eyes reddened and he roared in a low voice:

"He's dead!"

"He's dead!"

(End of this chapter)