Inside the Carefree Pavilion, Fan Yue, who had been cultivating in concentration, opened his eyes and frowned.
At the gate of Wutong Phoenix Isle, the thunder faded. A young man's figure now stood before Fuling, the sleeves of his robe marked with three bands of flowing cloud like water. He was a disciple of an immortal sect.
Fuling looked up in a daze. When she saw who was shielding her, she stared in shock and murmured, "Chongzhao..."
She said it so softly that no one but Chongzhao heard.
Chongzhao spat out a mouthful of blood. His face was deathly pale and his body swayed.
"Junior brother!"
Fuling was about to help him, but Erwen burst out of the crowd, pushed her aside, and caught Chongzhao as he was about to fall.
Fuling's outstretched hand stopped. She curled it into a fist inside her sleeve.
"It's Chongzhao of Piaomiao!"
"The winner of the Wutong Martial Banquet? Why him?"
"Why would he save a demon?"
Since returning to Phoenix Isle, Chongzhao had been recovering quietly in Songhe Court. Apart from the immortal disciples who had been with him in the Foreign City, few people knew his face.
Zhenyu watched the scene as if he were not surprised at all, and the corner of his mouth curved up for no clear reason.
The young immortals whispered among themselves. The sect leaders kept their composure better, though they could not help speculating. Fuling was Jinyao's daughter, and word was that Jinyao meant to personally name Chongzhao to receive spirit bestowal in the Heavenly Palace. Chongzhao's saving her might well be a way of repaying Jinyao's favor.
Among the sect leaders, only Xiyun of Yunxiao looked displeased. Nanwan, standing beside him, was about to speak, but Xiyun stopped him.
"No need to hurry. Watch how this unfolds."
"Yes, Master."
"Has that boy gone mad? He's an immortal. Why save Fuling?" Mu Jiu glared with his fox eyes and put his hands on his hips.
"Jinyao had already chosen him. There was no need for a move like that, and it only invites suspicion."
"Then what's his reason? A beauty in distress and he couldn't help himself? Pfft, pfft, pfft. An ugly flower makes the most trouble. Our little Flower is the prettiest."
With a thud, the noisy fox was kicked into the air.
Hua Hong frowned at Chongzhao. In the Foreign City she had seen clearly how he stood up for Bai Shuo. So why had he now saved Fuling? What was this about?
In the distance, Jinyao saw that Fuling's life was safe and looked at Chongzhao with growing warmth.
The three of Yufeng's group let out a breath as well. Lightning landed awkwardly on the ground. Before he could speak, Zhenyu's voice rang out.
"The incense stick has burned down. In this contest, my Cold Spring Palace has lost."
"Palace Master!" Fuling's face changed.
"A loss is a loss. It is only a hundred years. You have waited a thousand. As long as you do not forget your purpose, why mind this one hundred?" Zhenyu said calmly.
"Yes." Fuling glanced at Chongzhao and, to everyone's surprise, did not argue. She fell silent.
"I never expected the immortal race to produce such a heroic young man. You are only at the first stage of Lord level, yet you took Immortal Lord Lightning's heaven-piercing thunder. Boy, which sect do you belong to?"
Zhenyu smiled as he looked at Chongzhao.
"Chongzhao of Piaomiao." Though Zhenyu's words held plenty of admiration, Chongzhao remained cold toward this demon demigod. Instead he turned toward Lightning and apologized. "Chongzhao acted rashly and spoiled Your Lordship's contest. I beg Your Lordship's forgiveness."
Seeing that he was neither flattered by praise nor shaken by rebuke, Lightning gave a slight nod. "Since it was a contest, no one's life should have been at risk. The fault was mine just now."
It was Fuling who had fought desperately and forced Lightning to strike back, yet he took the blame on himself. He was every bit the immortal who had held his place in the Heavenly Palace for a thousand years.
Zhenyu, a demon demigod of high standing, had just been brushed off by an immortal youth. He was not angry in the least, and only raised an eyebrow with interest.
"Chongzhao."
Jinyao suddenly spoke from the side. Chongzhao quickly cupped his hands and bowed. "Greetings, Immortal Seat Jinyao."
"Come here."
Chongzhao hesitated for only a moment, then walked to Jinyao and stood before him respectfully.
"Immortal Seat."
Jinyao waved a hand, and a stream of divine power settled on Chongzhao. At once the color returned to his pale face.
"Your spirit platform is injured. Forcing it to heal with divine power would only damage your foundation. This divine power of mine will clear your spirit platform and protect your dao heart."
"Thank you, Immortal Seat." Chongzhao answered quickly, his face flushed with feeling.
He had entered the immortal path young and held the great dao in reverence, so receiving Jinyao's guidance stirred him deeply.
"So this is the winner of the Wutong Martial Banquet, a rare young talent for the immortal race in a thousand years. Immortal Seat Jinyao has a sharp eye indeed," Zhenyu said with a laugh. Then he turned to Jinyao. "Immortal Seat Jinyao, the second palace master of my palace is injured and must return to the Demon Realm to recover, and I have no wish to linger on Phoenix Isle. Why don't our two races move tomorrow's great banquet up to today?"
The immortals glanced at the four of Yufeng and at Fuling, and privately agreed. Fuling's position was delicate, and she had a bloody feud with the four Immortal Lords of the Heavenly Palace. If she lost her head again and the killing resumed, it would leave both races in an awkward spot.
"I was thinking the same," Jinyao said slowly, and turned to Fengxian. "Elder Fengxian, what do you say?"
"Phoenix Isle prepared everything for tomorrow long ago. Everyone, please proceed to Phoenix Hall."
Fengxian gestured.
The three great figures on the isle had decided. The master of Haoyue Hall never concerned himself with outside affairs, so naturally none of the other immortals or demons objected. They were about to follow Fengxian when someone in the crowd spoke.
"Wait!" Everyone turned and saw Xiyun, sect leader of Yunxiao, step out from among the immortals and cup his hands to Jinyao. "Immortal Seat Jinyao, I have a matter to report."
Jinyao said, "The great banquet of both races is about to begin. Let us first settle the division of the blessed lands. Then at Phoenix Hall I will bestow the Wutong heart-fire on Chongzhao and grant him spirit bestowal. Speak after that."
"It cannot wait. This concerns the very foundation of our immortal race. Before this Piaomiao disciple enters the Heavenly Palace, I must report it to Your Seat."
Chongzhao froze. The eyes of the immortals turned toward him.
"Oh?" Jinyao glanced at Chongzhao. "Sect Leader Xiyun, does your report concern Chongzhao?"
Behind Zhenyu, Fuling's expression shifted slightly. Looking at Chongzhao's pale face, she, always so hard of heart, seemed faintly to regret what she had done. She was about to speak, but Zhenyu gave her a cool glance.
Fuling bit her lip and lowered her eyes.
Things had gone too far. It was no longer within her power to control.
"It does," Xiyun said. He looked at Chongzhao and declared in a clear voice, "Immortal Seat, our two races have been at peace for a thousand years, but immortals and demons remain different. The Nine-Layered Heavenly Palace is the sacred ground of our immortal race. This boy has dealings with the demon race and must never enter the Heavenly Palace for spirit bestowal!"
Xiyun's words stunned the whole gathering. Even the demon race began whispering and turned to look at the Piaomiao group.
In the distance, Mu Jiu's jaw dropped. He poked Hua Hong. "Did I hear that right? That old Daoist says Chongzhao colluded with demons? With you?"
Hua Hong rolled her eyes. Mu Jiu quickly raised a hand. "I swear, it wasn't me either!"
The Piaomiao group instantly became the target of every eye. Chongzhao looked shocked. Erwen was furious. "You're lying! My junior brother would never..."
Chongzhao held back the angry Erwen and was about to speak, but Jinyao waved a hand. He fixed a heavy gaze on Xiyun and said gravely, "Sect Leader Xiyun, do you understand that what you just said bears on the thousand-year reputation of Piaomiao? You must not speak carelessly."
Questioned by Jinyao, Xiyun could not hide his anger. "Immortal Seat, my Yunxiao has stood for a thousand years and ranks among the Three Mountains. Without proof, why would I slander a lowly Piaomiao disciple?"
Jinyao frowned. "Where is your proof?"
"Nanwan." Xiyun turned to the disciple beside him. "Tell the Immortal Seat what you know."
"Yes, Master." Nanwan stepped out of the crowd and gave Chongzhao a disdainful look. "I report to Immortal Seat. Chongzhao did not hold out against the evil dragon at the Wutong Martial Banquet in the Foreign City, or protect the immortal disciples and take first place, by his own strength alone." Nanwan looked at Shouan beside him. "Junior Brother Shouan of Wuliang Mountain saw with his own eyes that Chongzhao was protected by demon power."
At this, the immortals erupted and turned to look at Shouan.
Chongzhao's body stiffened. Erwen noticed that something was wrong with him and looked uneasy.
"Junior brother?"
Chongzhao lowered his eyes, avoiding her anxious gaze.
"I... I..."
Shouan had always been timid and had never drawn this kind of attention, least of all in front of Jinyao and so many Immortal Lords. He cowered behind Nanwan and did not dare step forward. Nanwan lost patience, dragged him out, and warned him in a low voice.
"Junior Brother Shouan! You told me this yourself. If you lied, your entire Wuliang sect will answer for it."
"No, I didn't lie!" Shouan went pale with fright and quickly knelt before Jinyao. "Immortal Seat, in the stone hall of the Foreign City I saw with my own eyes that when Chongzhao fought the evil dragon, demon power was protecting his body! Oh, and Lord Beichen of Kunlun and Mu Jiu of the fox race were there that day too. They can testify!"
Named so suddenly, Mu Jiu, who had been watching the show, folded his arms and looked at him in disbelief when he heard he was being called as a witness.
"Why are you looking at me? Your immortal affairs have nothing to do with me. And what's your name again? Shouan? Are you stupid? If some demon really had colluded with this Piaomiao disciple, and he was about to enter the Heavenly Palace for spirit bestowal, I'm a demon. I'd be delighted. Why would I testify for you?"
Mu Jiu's words were truly insulting. The demons burst into laughter, the immortal elders looked grim, and even Jinyao's face darkened.
Shouan, put down by Mu Jiu, wished he could crawl into a crack in the ground. His face turned red. "Lord Beichen was there too. He must have seen it!"
Beichen had not shown himself since arriving on Phoenix Isle. Jinyao also suspected this Wuliang disciple was simply making false accusations, but Chongzhao was about to enter the Heavenly Palace, so he had to be proven clean in a way that left every immortal convinced.
"Summon the Kunlun swordsman," Jinyao said gravely.
At the shore of Purple Moon Lake in the Demon Realm, Bai Shuo was uneasy and paced back and forth. She stepped into empty air at the water's edge and fell into the lake.
"Cough, cough, cough..."
She choked on a mouthful of water and scrambled toward the shore with hands and feet. The remaining divine aura drifting on the small purple moon in the lake suddenly gathered into one stream, hauled her out of the water, and before Bai Shuo could recover, a powerful divine aura bound her limbs.
The instant it wrapped around her, a scene appeared before Bai Shuo's eyes.
On a floating bridge that seemed to link heaven and earth, a goddess in an old goose-yellow robe stood behind a god in purple.
"You're leaving?"
The god in purple did not turn his head. His figure looked desolate, and strangely familiar.
"The divine realm holds many things you cannot let go of. Is Shanggu the only one weighing on your heart? Tianqi."
Tianqi? The Demon God Tianqi?!
In the scene, the Demon God sighed and was about to turn around. Bai Shuo could not help leaning forward to look, and countless streams of purple divine aura poured into the center of her forehead.
Bai Shuo's eyes went wide and her pupils shrank. Then her eyes closed limply.
Above Purple Moon Lake, Bai Shuo's body hung slack, and the powerful divine aura enveloped her completely.
In the ancient Wutong forest, Qingyi, who had been cultivating in concentration, suddenly opened his eyes. A talisman flew out of his sleeve for no reason he could name. It was the one Bai Shuo had thrown that day in the Yuanling marsh.
"Bai Shuo?" Qingyi frowned slightly.
Purple flame suddenly wrapped around the hovering talisman, and Qingyi swept out a hand and seized a broken piece of it.
"The power of the Demon God?!" Qingyi rose abruptly. "How did she come to be tainted with the Demon God's power?"
His fingers moved slightly and his face changed again. "She isn't on Phoenix Isle..."
Qingyi waved his hand, and the damaged talisman flew off toward the window on its own. He did not hesitate. He went after it.
At the same time, at the gate of Wutong Phoenix Isle.
"There's no need. This disciple is here."
Jinyao had only just spoken when a flash of spirit light appeared. The Kunlun swordsman, in white robes with a stern face, stood before them all.
"Greetings, Immortal Seat Jinyao." Beichen stepped forward and bowed.
Kunlun had always cultivated the way of stillness, and each of its lines had only one direct disciple, so the swordsman of the new generation was basically the next Kunlun sect leader. Though Beichen was only a Lord, his standing matched that of the sect leaders.
"Beichen, Shouan just said that in the stone hall of the Foreign City, when Chongzhao fought the evil dragon, he was protected by demon power. Did you see it?"
The Kunlun swordsman fell silent at the question. The immortals' expressions changed, and even Jinyao's eyes darkened.
Could what this Wuliang disciple said be true?!
"That day, this disciple did see a spirit armor protecting Chongzhao's body."
Beichen spoke slowly. The immortals erupted. Chongzhao's brow twitched and he said nothing. Erwen's hand on Chongzhao stiffened and her eyes filled with worry.
Shouan beamed. "I told you! He has dealings with the demons!"
"But that day, facing the evil dragon, with life hanging by a thread and the situation desperate, this disciple could not tell whether the armor's power was demon or immortal."
Beichen said it gravely, and Chongzhao froze.
Shouan's cultivation was weak and he could not tell the difference, but Beichen had seen the armor. With his eyes, how could he fail to recognize it as the spirit-soul armor of the blood-mist demon flower?
Shouan was stunned. "Lord Beichen, you..."
Jinyao's face eased. The immortals, who had been holding their breath, let it out.
Why couldn't this Kunlun swordsman speak more plainly? He had nearly stopped their breath.
Beichen did not hesitate and turned to Jinyao to go on. "Though I cannot tell where the armor came from, this disciple believes Junior Brother Chongzhao did not collude with the demons."
"Why do you say that?"
"That day in the Foreign City, whether facing the corrupted golden core of the late Sect Leader Rong or the god-slaying formation, Junior Brother Chongzhao took the lead and protected the immortal disciples and the Piaomiao people with all his strength. If he had any disloyalty toward the immortal race, why go that far? Moreover, in the Foreign City this disciple saw him run all over the place for a sick child of another race, which shows his character is good. This disciple believes it is unfair to conclude from the power of a single armor that he has dealings with the demons."
Beichen was young, but he spoke with weight. Kunlun was the oldest sword-cultivating immortal sect after Dazhe, and one word from him counted for a great deal. Some of the immortals immediately looked ashamed and turned contemptuous eyes on Shouan.
Chongzhao was faintly moved, and his throat tightened.
"Quite right," Jinyao nodded. "On the strength of one armor that cannot be identified, we certainly cannot..."
"Immortal Seat." Seeing that Jinyao seemed inclined to defend Chongzhao, Nanwan suddenly spoke. "Even if the armor of unknown origin on Chongzhao does not prove he has dealings with the demons, what if he tried to assassinate the Ziwei Star and ruin the fortune of the human world?"
"What? Assassinate the Ziwei Star?!"
The immortals were in an uproar. Chongzhao, who had stayed calm until now, suddenly looked up at Nanwan, his face going slightly pale.
Jinyao paused, thinking of something, and his gaze passed over Chongzhao and Fuling in turn.
On the night the Ziwei Star was attacked, Qingyi had brought back a broken cloud-fire arrow, and Fuling had also appeared in the human imperial city. Could Chongzhao and Fuling have known each other long before? Was his saving her today not merely a matter of righteousness?
Though Fuling was his daughter, this concerned the safety of the immortal race and the human world, and Jinyao could not help being troubled.
The four immortals nearby changed expression as well at the news of the attack on the Ziwei Star. Lightning and the other two looked at Yufeng.
Yufeng studied Chongzhao heavily, his brow slowly furrowing.
"This disciple heard that not long ago an immortal broke into the human imperial city to assassinate the Ziwei Star, and that Lord Qingyi found traces of the demon race on the dragon-guard formation. Ever since this disciple learned Chongzhao had demon power protecting him, I thought of this. So I went to Piaomiao myself to investigate. Sure enough, from the Piaomiao disciples left on the island I learned that on the day the Ziwei Star was attacked, Chongzhao was not at Piaomiao."
The lead had originally come from Shouan, but exposing Chongzhao's ill intent toward the immortal race would be a great merit, so Nanwan naturally claimed the credit for himself.
Nanwan looked at Erwen. "Lady Erwen, Chongzhao is your junior brother. On the night of the full moon three months ago, he was not on Piaomiao Isle. Am I right?"
Erwen said angrily, "Stop spitting blood on people! My junior brother often leaves the island to train. Even if he was away that day, that doesn't prove he was the immortal who tried to assassinate the Ziwei Star!"
"The dragon-guard formation carries the breath of the true dragon. Anyone who harms it beneath the dragon soul and above the golden core is bound to be marked with a dragon seal. Take out Chongzhao's golden core and see, and we will know whether I speak truth or lies!"
The immortals' faces changed at this method.
For a cultivator, having the golden core removed was no different from having bones stripped and flesh cut away, and it would also ruin the spirit meridians. The method was far too vicious!
"I'll go," Mu Jiu said, rubbing his hands and shivering with disgust. "These immortals are full of talk about benevolence and righteousness, but when they act, they're far nastier than we demons."
Hua Hong frowned. She had not expected a great sect like Yunxiao to act so cruelly.
Even if Chongzhao was not the immortal who attacked the Ziwei Star, once his golden core was forcibly taken out, his spirit meridians would be damaged and he could never achieve anything great in cultivation. But if it was not done, Chongzhao could not prove his innocence, and it would be hard to ever convince the immortals to accept his entering the Nine-Layered Heavenly Palace.
"Exactly. Just take out the golden core and look, and the truth will be clear," Xiyun said heavily, and looked at Jinyao. "Immortal Seat?"
Jinyao shook his head at once. "Sect Leader Xiyun, the golden core is the root of an immortal's cultivation. Forcing it out would damage the spirit meridians. There is no solid proof in this matter. It cannot be done this way."
Jinyao turned to Chongzhao and said gravely, "Chongzhao, you are the one I chose to personally bestow spirit on. I ask you now: did the attack on the Ziwei Star have anything to do with you?"
"Immortal Seat, I..."
Chongzhao had taken the immortal path to avenge his family. His own life was a small matter, but Piaomiao had treated him with great kindness. If he admitted to attacking the human emperor, he would surely drag down the already weak Piaomiao.
Afraid the high immortals would really take out Chongzhao's golden core, Erwen hurriedly shielded him. "Immortal Seat, my junior brother thinks only of the immortal race. He has always made the great dao his own duty. He would never do such a thing!"
"Insolence! The attack on the Ziwei Star is a grave matter. How dare a lowly Piaomiao disciple speak so carelessly?" Nanwan snorted and scolded Erwen.
"I think you're just jealous that my junior brother won the Wutong Martial Banquet and gets to enter the Heavenly Palace for spirit bestowal, so you're making up these charges to frame him!"
"You!" Nanwan, stung because she had hit the mark, flew into a rage and wanted to say more, but Xiyun stopped him.
Ever since Nanwan proposed taking out Chongzhao's golden core, the immortals had been murmuring. If today they could not prove Chongzhao was the criminal who attacked the Ziwei Star, then the laughingstock of the three realms would be Yunxiao.
Xiyun's eyes darkened. His mind was made up.
"My Yunxiao ranks among the Three Mountains, and protecting the immortal race is our duty. Since the Immortal Seat is merciful, let this bad name fall on me!"
Xiyun suddenly waved his hand. A surge of immortal power swept out and knocked Erwen to the ground.
"Senior sister!" Chongzhao was furious and rushed to help Erwen, but a burst of spiritual force pinned him where he stood.
Before anyone could react, Xiyun was already in front of Chongzhao. He reached out and slapped toward his forehead, and a terrible scream rang out at the mountain gate.
"Junior brother!"
"Chongzhao!" Fuling's face changed and she moved to act, but Zhenyu put out a hand and stopped her.
No one had expected Xiyun, a sect leader, to lay hands on a disciple who had only just reached Lord level.
"Sect Leader Xiyun, stop!"
Jinyao's expression changed. He sent out divine power to stop it, but held back.
Chongzhao, his face deathly pale, was kneeling on one knee. A golden core slowly rose from his forehead.
On it, a golden dragon seal faintly showed.