Chapter 196

"Hurry up and learn how to kowtow and admit your mistake; on the court, it won't be just one kowtow."

"Shen Qingli's clear yet arrogant remark startled Jin Wu and Tai Jin again—what on earth is this?"

"Lou Guanxue was so angry she felt like exploding! But with no divine venerable protecting her nearby, she could only continue to shrink back and retreat."

"If Shen Ting hadn't prohibited flying, she would have already fled far away by rolling and flying!"

"Oh dear! Your silent, turtle-like demeanor now matches a green-headed turtle perfectly!"

"Jiu Li still let out a childish shout! He enacted the beating of a drowning dog thoroughly and exhaustively."

"But after shouting, it felt unsatisfied, turned its head and discussed with Shen Qingli—"

"A Li, A Li! Next time in such a situation, call out my infant brother—he has nine heads! His cry can be heard in all directions, like nine loudspeakers blasting at once—so powerful!"

"... You're the type to find work for your little brother." Shen Qingli laughed and cried at once.

"Of course!" Jiu Li tucked his hands, "otherwise it'd be too boring."

"Ferocious beasts and divine beasts are different; they grow by devouring, and cannot cultivate at all."

"Shen Qingli only recently learned this, and she also thinks what Li Li said makes sense; from now on she should let the infant appear more often so it can grow."

"Di Xia, should we head back first?" Jin Wu was full of doubts, but knew this wasn't a place for chatting.

"Let's go." Shen Qingli nodded, and also thanked Tai Jin.

"Tai Jin was equally full of questions, and even glanced deep into the inner court!"

"If he couldn't clearly sense the Queen Mother of the West's fierce, vicious aura, he would have doubted her presence."

"So, Young Emperor Shen charging into the inner court, and possibly even into the Young Lord's sleeping chambers, would be fine?"

"Exactly! After all, he belongs to the Young Lord."

"Indeed, the Young Lord had this person come for a special arrangement."

"But just as he had put his heart back at ease, he exploded his heart and liver right here in the Vermilion Bird Hall!"

"What do you mean?" Tai Jin, the emperor, almost lost his voice!

"Jin Wu pressed his shoulder, saying, 'Don't be surprised by the unfamiliar.'"

"How could that just be being unaccustomed? Your Vermilion Bird Young Emperor did away with the Young Lord!"

"Tai Jin's eyelids twitched wildly, he could barely keep his eyes open; maybe it's better to let him keep sleeping, not wake him up!"

"What do you mean 'our Young Emperor'? You said earlier, 'our Young Emperor'." Jin Wu felt Tai Jin was being distant.

"Tai Jin just wanted to cry; he shouldn't have picked a side so quickly! But he was just thinking, staring eagerly at Jiu Li, wondering why the Young Lord would treat him like this."

"That's the ruler, after all!"

"Besides, if you could secretly send them off, that would be easier to talk about."

"You you you were even caught red-handed..."

"Tai Jin really wanted to cry; after all, according to Shen Qingli's intention, she couldn't have the ruler and the Young Lord come out to testify for her."

"As a result, the Queen Mother of the West's fierce deity outright didn't believe her words, demanding she summon the ruler within three days, or else—"

"Young Emperor, you'd better just run away quickly." Tai Jin felt the only thing he could do now was help her flee.

"Is the Queen Mother of the West very strong?"

"That's not an unnecessary question!"

"Tai Jin looked at the still-composed Shen Qingli and could only say, 'A newborn calf fears no tiger.'"

"Put it this way, she's the strongest in the Dao Palace! Even the Young Lord can't beat her. Probably only the ruler could restrain her? We dare not speculate, after all, the ruler's strength is unknown."

"But the Queen Mother of the West? Even your mother and all of the Vermilion Bird Palace combined couldn't beat her. Maybe they could tie, but—"

"If she brings troops, she can't win, right?" Shen Qingli helped say.

"Not bad." Tai Jin really didn't want to clash with that fierce deity.

"Then running would be pointless; she said, if you run, she'll bring troops to level the Vermilion Bird Palace."

"……" Jin Wu fell silent, or rather, withdrew.

"How to put it? The sovereign stirs things up, but still has limits."

"This Young Emperor has no limits at all!"

"Tai Jin also fell silent—what else can be done?"

"Don't panic; although I can't have my master and your Young Lord help me prove anything, I can demonstrate it to the gods." Shen Qingli had already devised a plan, and moreover, the pawn had just shown up on its own.

"No matter how you demonstrate it, if she doesn't acknowledge it, the other gods won't either." Tai Jin already held his head, his brain aching! How on earth is he supposed to protect this reckless Young Emperor Shen?

"Jin Wu had already given up—let whatever happen, happen."

"Anyway, since it's come to this, it's about time the sovereign had a headache!"

"Before, the sovereign always rushed ahead, and he cleaned up the mess behind."

"Now it's even better—there's someone even more reckless and headstrong!"

"If he can't handle it, shouldn't the sovereign personally come to clean up after his precious highness?"

"No way, I'll make them acknowledge it." Shen Qingli was confident.

"And all this confidence came from Lou Guanxue bringing it to her."

"Lou Guanxue can?"

"How could she not?"

"Thus—"

"The next day's court hearing, Shen Qingli refused."

"She told the Dao Palace's criminal prison overseer, Liu Rousong, 'Lou Guanxue has stayed in your Dao Palace too long; I fear your Dao Palace will show favoritism. Isn't the day after tomorrow the opening day of the Dao Classic? Let's hold the public trial then.'"

"Liu Rousong was naturally displeased! But Jin Wu had prepared in advance, producing Zhong Minglan's divine edict: 'Our sovereign also means this. The Four Direction Gods can, by tradition, request a public judgment from the authorities.'"

"As gods tasked with guarding the four directions, Zhong Minglan and the like are rarely in the central Shen Ting, so they're not very familiar with the Dao Palace inside and out; to ensure a fair legal judgment, those from the Four Direction Divine Palace who commit offenses in the Dao Palace can indeed apply to not be judged solely by the Dao Palace criminal prison."

"Yes, fine." Liu Rousong had no way to refuse, "But I also want to remind you two, Young Emperor Shen, you have indeed overstepped. In the Dao Canon public judgment, only you will be shameless."

Liu Rousong felt he was acting with good intentions!

Jiu Li has already rolled their eyes at him!

Jin Wu also couldn't be bothered to speak further, gesturing for him to leave.

Liu Rousong stormed out of the Vermilion Bird Hall, feeling that the people of the Vermilion Bird Divine Palace were truly ungrateful! Arrogant and conceited!

If it weren't for remembering that the Vermilion Bird Empress truly has unmatched combat prowess, having earned countless merits for Shen Ting, he wouldn't have bothered to remind them!

Give face, don't lose face!

When Liu Rousong looked back at the Vermilion Bird Hall, he felt Lou Guansue's words were not empty; the Vermilion Bird Palace from top to bottom was like barbarians, utterly lacking any immortal refinement.

Southern barbarians, southern barbarians! Indeed so.

Liu Roushi went back, muttering curses.

Then, on the day of the Dao Canon—

He and Lou Guansue alike were preparing to wait and see Shen Qingli come to kowtow and apologize!

Overstepping one's rank—what rules are those? Making amends, kowtowing, apologizing are all necessary.

Just as the ceremony ended, immortals from all directions of Shen Ting were about to enter the Dao Palace to enjoy jade nectar and ambrosia, delicacies and rare treats, when Liu Rousong spoke up: "Everyone, before the banquet begins, the Criminal Justice Office has a case to adjudicate."

All the immortals furrowed their brows, "The case should be judged in the Criminal Justice Office; holding it here at the Dao Canon is against the rules."

"As a minor immortal, I have no choice; the accused is none other than the Young Emperor of the Vermilion Bird Divine Palace, Shen Qingli, who requests a public judgment today at the Dao Canon." Liu Rousong directed all his words toward Shen Qingli.

The immortals all turned their gazes toward her, a lowly immortal who seemed utterly ordinary?

Compared to the worthless junior god of the Black Tortoise Divine Palace, she's a bit stronger, but does she even deserve to preside over a public judgment?

The immortals were already dissatisfied! But Liu Rousong still said, "This is at the request of the Vermilion Bird Empress; Her Majesty's achievements are illustrious, and with such a request, we cannot coldly reject her."

This is clearly implying that Zhong Minglan is leveraging her military achievements to act high-handed and domineering!

Jin Wu's face had darkened; Shen Qingli patted his arm, signaling him to stay calm and not be agitated.

Liu Rousong then said, "Now, Young Emperor Shen, please come to the center of the hall."

Shen Qingli raised an eyebrow, "Steward Liu, you're mistaken; it should be Lou Guansue who comes down and kowtows before me to apologize."

"Hah!" someone snorted coldly, "Such a big mouth! Senior Immortal Lou's cultivation and seniority far exceed yours—truly lacking in manners!"

"Lou Guansue is merely a Kunlun foot-washing maid! I am the Young Emperor of the Divine Palace; her publicly framing and humiliating me—even having her kowtow and apologize—is too lenient!"

Shen Qingli did not rise, remaining upright in her Vermilion Bird Chair, her expression cold but her tone resonant—

"What Senior Immortal? Without the protection of a primordial true god like my mother, during the Great Cataclysm, Shen Ting had already collapsed! All immortals would have vanished into thin air!

Only ten thousand years have passed, and she, a mere little immortal, dares to openly humiliate the Vermilion Bird God? Who doesn't know? I'm here! I represent my mother! The Vermilion Bird God, that first war god who fought a hundred years without retreat during the Great Cataclysm!

What right does she have to frame and humiliate me? And she says I lack upbringing—what kind of miserable upbringing do you all want? Let a lowly servant insult my mother!

On the field, suddenly all fell silent.

Even the celestial music stopped..

Yes, Shen Qingli represents the Vermilion Bird Palace, Zhu Que Nu Di!

Walking through the Dao Palace, she is not merely a lowly minor immortal in appearance, nor is she some arrogant godling sheltered by her mother.

She is a primordial deity, the daughter of the first war god, a venerable one who represents Zhu Que Nu Di and has come to attend the ceremony.

"Dao Palace, the lord is in seclusion, and yet you humiliate the war god like this? Queen Mother of the West, is this your justice?"