Bai Shuo Shang Shen | Chap 73: Chongzhao Takes the Blame and Is Sentenced to Thirty-Six Thunder Lashes
The dragon race came from the ancient age, and the oldest dragon in the world was Zihan, the azure dragon, divine beast of the heavens. In the six myriad years since Twilight had taken the Heavenly Emperor's seat, most of the seals on the world's forbidden grounds had been built around dragon seals. They were meant to keep the mortal realm clear of the strife between immortals and demons. The dragon-guarding formation over the place where the Ziwei Star was born as the mortal emperor had been laid by Twilight's own hand.
And the seal on Chongzhao's golden core was a golden dragon mark.
"The golden dragon mark!" Before Xi Yun could speak, Shou An pointed at Chongzhao, eyes lit with excitement. "It's him! He's the one who broke through the dragon-guarding formation to assassinate the Ziwei Star!"
"Shou An, step back," Xi Yun said sharply. He let go of Chongzhao, glanced at the sect heads with their mixed expressions, then turned to Jin Yao and bowed slightly. "Immortal Lord, assassinating the Ziwei Star and disrupting the fortunes of the mortal realm is a crime that deserves death!"
The grove fell silent. Fu Ling's face changed and she started to speak, but Zhen Yu's warning sounded in her ear.
"If he doesn't turn his back on the immortals, how will he ever walk the same road as you?"
Fu Ling went rigid. Her hand tightened, then withdrew, and she pressed her lips together and lowered her eyes.
The corner of Zhen Yu's mouth curved, though his face stayed grave as he turned to Jin Yao.
"Immortal Lord Jin Yao, since this is an internal matter of your immortal clan, it isn't proper for me to stay. I'll take my leave."
He gave Chongzhao a long, meaningful look, then spoke suddenly. "Boy Chongzhao, we demons repay kindness and grudges as we please, and we don't have all these pointless rules. If the immortals have no room for you, the doors of my Cold Spring Palace will always be open."
Zhen Yu laughed aloud and waved his hand, and the demons of Cold Spring Palace vanished from the front of the grove.
Not far off, Mu Jiu still wanted to watch the spectacle, but Hua Hong gripped his arm and bowed to Jin Yao from a distance.
"This is a matter within the immortal clan. It isn't proper for my Bright Moon Hall to remain either."
Hua Hong and Mu Jiu disappeared. In moments, the demons at the grove had followed them and were gone.
In a flash of demonic light, Hua Hong and Mu Jiu appeared outside Carefree Pavilion. Mu Jiu clicked his tongue, not ready to let go. "Little Hua, a show this good, and you dragged me away? Besides, Chongzhao is little Bai Shuo's senior brother. Now that we've left, there's no one even to speak up for him."
Hua Hong looked at him as though he were a fool. "Are you stupid? If we speak for him, he'll only die faster. He saved Fu Ling today, so Jin Yao may well be inclined to protect him. With us standing there, we'd only make things awkward for Jin Yao."
He walked into the courtyard. The pavilion was empty, with no trace of Fan Yue's presence. Cang Shan stood in the yard with a miserable face.
"Where is the Hall Master?"
"Master just left Phoenix Isle."
Leaving at a time like this? He must have gone to Boundless City.
Hua Hong frowned. Chongzhao had tried to assassinate the Ziwei Star, so he had no hope of entering the Heavenly Palace and would be punished besides. However clever Bai Shuo was, she could never get Chongzhao out of this unscathed. That girl was stubborn, and he feared she'd dare to punch a hole in the sky for Chongzhao's sake...
A thought struck him. He conjured a paper crane and sent it into the sky. It circled once in the air and flew straight toward the demon realm.
"Chongzhao, why is there a golden dragon mark on your spirit platform?"
In front of the Parasol Grove, Jin Yao spoke in a heavy voice, looking at Chongzhao, who knelt on one knee.
Before Chongzhao could answer, Er Yun stepped in front of him, anxious.
"Immortal Lord, my junior brother has devoted himself to protecting the Way. He would never assassinate the Ziwei Star. There must be a misunderstanding! Junior Brother, say something!"
Chongzhao kept his eyes lowered, his lips pale, and said nothing.
He had joined Piaomiao for the sake of revenge, but in his years as an immortal, his long-held wish of rising to the Nine Heavens and protecting the people had taken root deep in him. But killing the Ziwei Star was a grave crime among immortals, and he had no defense.
"Absurd. The dragon formation's mark is inside his spirit platform. If not him, then who?" Nan Wan snorted. "And why are you shielding him like this? Could it be that Piaomiao knew about this all along and had a hand in the assassination too?"
"You're slandering us!"
"It was I who broke into the mortal imperial city and tried to assassinate the Ziwei Star."
The voice that spoke in front of the grove was pale and weak. It was Chongzhao.
"Junior Brother!" Er Yun's face changed and she tried to stop him, but Chongzhao shook his head at her and walked up to Jin Yao.
"What Chongzhao did, he did out of private grievance. I acted alone, and Piaomiao has nothing to do with it. Whatever punishment the Immortal Lord decides, I accept it willingly. I only ask that the Immortal Lord not turn his anger on Piaomiao."
"You are only a Lower Lord. How would you dare commit such a monstrous act?" Xi Yun said mildly. "Immortal Lord, the Piaomiao sect cannot be cleared of this."
What he had done today had thoroughly offended Piaomiao. The sect had fallen on hard times, but who could say whether it might rise again someday? Better to use Chongzhao's grave crime to drive Piaomiao out of the Eastern Sea. Once a sect lost its blessed mountain, it would never rise again.
Jin Yao frowned, but he couldn't object outright. Chongzhao had just saved Fu Ling, and if Jin Yao protected Piaomiao as well, the sects would surely say he was playing favorites and losing authority among the immortals.
"How many years have you been at Piaomiao?"
Not far off, Lord Yu Feng, an immortal of high rank, looked at Chongzhao and spoke suddenly.
"Answering Lord Yu Feng, my junior brother has not yet been at Piaomiao for four years," Er Yun replied quickly.
"Four years..." Yu Feng looked Chongzhao over carefully, then bowed to Jin Yao. "Immortal Lord, this boy did try to kill the Ziwei Star out of private grievance, and Piaomiao has no part in it."
The grove fell quiet. The young disciples didn't understand, but the sect heads glanced at one another, unsurprised by the certainty in Yu Feng's words. Xi Yun's eyelid twitched. He sensed trouble, and sure enough, Yu Feng spoke again.
"Since it was private grievance, he did not set out to ruin the fortunes of the mortal realm. The Way of the immortals is supreme goodness. The boy's fault does not amount to a capital crime."
"Since Lord Yu Feng pleads for him, Chongzhao, I will spare you the death penalty..."
"Immortal Lord, Chongzhao has entered the ranks of the immortals. Even if it was private grievance, there is no reason to let him off lightly!" Nan Wan said angrily, interrupting Jin Yao outright.
"Nan Wan, how dare you!" Xi Yun snapped, but he waited until Nan Wan had finished before turning to Jin Yao with a bow of apology. "Immortal Lord, my disciple is rash, please don't hold it against him. Still, his words have some merit. Even if it was private grievance, the rule that immortals and demons do not interfere in the mortal realm is an iron law of the Three Realms. Chongzhao has committed a grave wrong. If he isn't severely punished, it sets a precedent. Later, whenever someone from either race goes into the mortal realm to cause chaos, they'll all plead private grievance. Wouldn't that shake the foundation of the Three Realms?"
At Xi Yun's words, the sect heads nodded in unison. Jin Yao frowned and looked at him. "Then in your view, Sect Head Xi Yun, how should Chongzhao be punished?"
Xi Yun's expression turned stern. "This boy disregarded the iron law of the Three Realms and has no great Way in his heart. He must not be champion of the Parasol Feast, and he must never enter the Nine Heavens."
"His immortal bones are exceptional, but in the end the heart of one's Way matters more." Jin Yao nodded and sighed. "Chongzhao, the Heavenly Palace is the foundation of our immortal clan. I will strip you of the title of champion of the Parasol Feast. Do you have anything to say?"
"Chongzhao has nothing to say." Chongzhao bowed his head.
"In that case, you will return with your master..."
"The death penalty may be spared, but the living punishment cannot be escaped. I ask the Immortal Lord to bring down the thirty-six lashes of thunder, to uphold the law of our immortal clan and warn others."
Xi Yun's voice was heavy.
"Sect Head Xi Yun!" Jin Yao's face changed slightly.
Chongzhao's spirit platform was already damaged. Thirty-six lashes would be enough to break his immortal bones, and his cultivation would never advance again. With these words, Xi Yun meant to cut off Piaomiao's future.
Seeing that Jin Yao would not agree, Xi Yun suddenly turned to Chongzhao. "The Way of the immortals is merciful, and the Immortal Lord values talent and can't bear to do this, which is only natural. In that case, I don't wish to press too hard. Chongzhao, if you are willing to admit your fault to the Ziwei Star in person before the sect heads, then in consideration of your saving the disciples of every sect in the Strange City, I will waive the thirty-six lashes for you. How is that?"
Jin Yao's expression eased and he was about to speak, but Chongzhao refused flatly. "No need."
His face was cold and set. The immortals stirred in uproar, but in Xi Yun's eyes a flash of satisfaction showed. He had long seen how resolute this Piaomiao disciple was. A man who dared to assassinate the Ziwei Star must carry a blood feud in his bones, and there was no way he would admit fault to the Ziwei Star.
"Junior Brother..." Er Yun said urgently, wanting to say more, but Chongzhao had already turned to Jin Yao. "This Lower Lord is willing to take the thirty-six lashes of thunder, life or death be damned. I ask the Immortal Lord to pass sentence."
Seeing his resolve, Jin Yao could say no more. He swept his sleeve and spoke heavily.
"Tomorrow at noon, Chongzhao will receive the thirty-six lashes of thunder. After the punishment, I will consult the sect heads about who should be champion of the Parasol Feast. Guards, lock Chongzhao in the Phoenix Hall."
"Yes, Immortal Lord!"
Jin Yao left behind a sigh, and in a flash of immortal light he vanished. Immortal generals stepped forward and led Chongzhao away.
The immortals dispersed in twos and threes. Er Yun, her face full of worry, headed toward the center of the isle.
In a flash of azure light, a figure landed on the shore of Purple Moon Lake. He gazed at the girl sleeping on the water and let out a soft "Hm?"
Countless strands of purple moon divine breath circled Bai Shuo, turning into points of starlight that all streamed into her body.
"The purple moon power of the Demon God?"
At the same moment, in Bai Shuo's spirit platform, on the floating bridge that joined heaven and earth, the god in purple robes slowly turned his head.
Bai Shuo's consciousness couldn't help reaching forward. In the instant she saw those eyes, a streak of red light crossed the sky and came straight toward Boundless City in the demon realm.
On the lake, Bai Shuo's eyes snapped open, dazed. A moon mark seemed to flicker in her eyes for a moment. The man in azure robes at the shore felt his heart lurch, and when he looked closer, the mark was gone.
What was that? Impossible. Since the Goddess of Stars and Moon fell, no one in the world could command the stars. How could a mere stray immortal like Bai Shuo carry a god's mark?
"Aaaaaaah!"
Qing Yi was still shaken and uncertain when Bai Shuo came to herself, found that she was floating above the lake, screamed, and plunged toward the water.
"Careful!" Qing Yi sent out a surge of immortal power to catch her, but someone was faster. A red light flashed, and Fan Yue, standing on the water, caught Bai Shuo in his arms. He moved and carried her down onto the grass.
Bai Shuo looked up and met Qing Yi's strange gaze, then turned her head and met the chilling stare of the Bright Moon Hall master. What she had seen in her mind a moment ago was forgotten completely.
Mother of mercy. A half-god of the demon race and the first disciple of Daze Mountain. What kind of curse had she brought on herself that the two of them had shown up together?
"You two know each other?"
Both asked the same question at the same moment, one curious, the other amused.
Bai Shuo didn't even glance at the great demon behind her. She bounded over to Qing Yi, waving her hands frantically. "Lord Qing Yi, it's not what you think. I, I have no ties with the demon race!"
Only last night she had sworn that Chongzhao had never colluded with the demons. Today she was tangled up with the master of Bright Moon Hall. If she told anyone, not even a pig would believe her.
Sure enough, Qing Yi looked the two of them over and said nothing.
"No ties?" The slightly cold voice came from behind her. "If you have no ties, how did a stray immortal like you get to Boundless City in the demon realm overnight?"
"Because you insisted on bringing me here!" Bai Shuo blurted, then clapped a hand over her mouth and looked helplessly at Qing Yi.
Seeing how anxious she was, Fan Yue frowned and said lightly, "What are you afraid of? One Daze Mountain. I don't take it seriously."
Bai Shuo rushed to cover his mouth. You might not be afraid, but I am!
"Lord Qing Yi, please don't be angry. He's just like this. His mouth is bad, but his heart is good!"
She stammered out the explanation. Fan Yue's brows had been drawn together, but when the girl's warm palm touched his lips, he went quiet without knowing why and let her babble on.
Qing Yi stared at the motionless Fan Yue as though he'd seen a ghost. Then something seemed to dawn on him, and he even nodded.
"Yes, I've also heard that the master of Bright Moon Hall has always had a good temper."
What? Had the boy lost his mind? What ghost story was this? This time it was Bai Shuo who ran out of words. She gave a stiff, dry laugh and couldn't think of a thing to say. It was the first disciple of Daze Mountain who, strangely enough, came up with the next line.
"I sensed from Phoenix Isle that you had entered the demon realm, so I came to see. Since you're fine, I won't disturb the two of you. Tomorrow the Immortal Lord Jin Yao will confer spiritual power. Bai Shuo, about the old affairs of the Chong family, could you..."
Qing Yi was about to remind her when a paper crane flew in from the sky and landed in Fan Yue's palm.
Whatever news the crane carried, Bai Shuo was curious and took a look, but Fan Yue didn't change expression. He turned it to dust at once and looked at Qing Yi, unhurried.
"Chongzhao is about to become Jin Yao's disciple. What do the Chong family's old affairs have to do with her?"
Daze Mountain had come down from the ancient age and, unlike other immortal sects, did not care much about the line between immortals and demons. Otherwise it would not have fallen silent for a thousand years for taking in Hong Yi, young master of the fox clan.
Qing Yi could see the unspoken understanding between Fan Yue and Bai Shuo, and it was awkward to force Bai Shuo away. While he hesitated, an immortal talisman flew in from the sky and landed before him.
One glance at the talisman and his expression changed sharply. Bai Shuo's unease grew and she asked quickly.
"Lord Qing Yi, what happened?"
Qing Yi looked at her. "Heaven has learned that Chongzhao went into the mortal imperial city to assassinate the Ziwei Star. Chongzhao admitted the crime but refused to repent before the Ziwei Star. Immortal Lord Jin Yao has stripped him of the title of champion of the Parasol Feast and sentenced him to thirty-six lashes of heavenly thunder."
"How could this happen! My lord, take me back to Phoenix Isle, quickly!"
Qing Yi nodded and raised a hand. A circle of immortal light appeared above Purple Moon Lake. "Flying back would be too slow. This is a secret art of Daze Mountain. It can cross ten thousand miles in an instant."
"Thank you, my lord!" Bai Shuo turned and leapt toward the circle, but someone caught her wrist. She turned and met Fan Yue's angry eyes.
"A punishment handed down by Jin Yao. What can a half-immortal like you do by going back?"
"A-Zhao is so stubborn. He surely didn't defend himself at all. If he knew the Chong family wasn't destroyed the way he thinks, and sincerely repented before the Ziwei Star, maybe his master could step in and spare him the thunder lashes."
"Naive. Piaomiao is in decline, and one of its disciples tried to kill the Ziwei Star. If Song Feng can keep Piaomiao from being dragged down with him, that's already a lot."
"Then I still can't do nothing."
"What more can you do? Fire and Ice Isle, the Piaomiao contest, the Strange City purge, haven't you done enough for him? Bai Shuo, do you really think you're a fox with nine lives who can't die?"
Seeing Fan Yue's cold expression, Bai Shuo thought of the despair in her little disciple's eyes in the stone hall of the Strange City when he was forced to awaken. Something scraped at her heart like thorns, painful and helpless.
"Great Demon, I..." She tugged carefully at Fan Yue's sleeve. "One last time, all right? If A-Zhao takes the thunder lashes, his immortal meridians will be severed. After he gets through this tribulation, we can go back together..."
Her hand was brushed aside, and a cold mockery curled at the corner of Fan Yue's mouth.
"Why are you telling me this? Bai Shuo, in my eyes you are nothing but an ant, a toy to play with when I'm bored. If you want to die, what is it to me? Get out!"
Fan Yue turned away as though he couldn't bear to look at her again.
Bai Shuo shuddered, and the color drained from her face. She reached out to catch the hem of his robe, but her hand fell limply and she lowered her eyes.
"Bai Shuo is only a half-immortal. It was ignorant of this small immortal to dream of befriending the master of Bright Moon Hall, and I have offended you." She slowly raised her eyes. "Though Piaomiao has cast me out, I entered the immortal path and joined a sect, and I have my own roots as an immortal. Even if I am small and weak, I must at least try. Immortals and demons are different, and what happens on Phoenix Isle is no concern of yours, my lord."
She looked at Fan Yue's back and said not another word. She turned and leapt toward the immortal circle in the sky.
In a flash of immortal light, Bai Shuo vanished into the circle. Qing Yi did not follow. He looked at Fan Yue and spoke suddenly.
"Yesterday, when she was on Phoenix Isle, I noticed her spiritual meridians were disordered and she had an injury inside. Little Bai hasn't been cultivating long. In the chaos just now, she probably didn't notice herself, but in a single night, with the purple moon divine breath entering her body, she has become an Upper Lord. Master of the Hall, if you care for her, why..."
"I didn't know the people of Daze Mountain were so fond of idle speculation. Isn't 'immortals and demons are different' what your immortal clan says every day? How would a mere half-immortal earn my concern?"
Seeing Fan Yue's cold face, Qing Yi sighed softly and leapt into the immortal circle.
The lake settled into stillness. Beside the purple moon at the center of the lake, Fan Yue lowered his eyes, his expression unreadable.
After a long while he turned and started toward the far north of the demon realm, then stopped.
Fan Yue looked down. At his feet, a flower pouch lay alone on the ground, a few dried petals and leaves showing at its mouth.