Chapter One Hundred Thirteen
"Rise, all you ladies. I have always been casual in nature. In the future, when you see me, there is no need for such heavy formalities; a simple bow will suffice."
Though Feng Yin's appearance was majestic and extraordinary, her voice was truly gentle. With just a few calm words, she eased the hearts of the ladies who had been holding their breath, allowing them to settle down and rise after offering their grateful thanks.
The ladies exchanged glances as they stood up, each seeing a favorable impression of Feng Yin in the other's eyes. Who would have thought that the Phoenix Sovereign, with her imperial dignity, could be so approachable?
"Your Majesty, the Phoenix Sovereign." Hua Shu's voice came from behind the crowd.
Feng Yin's gaze passed over the group of ladies by the Liuxian Pond, looking far beyond them.
Hua Shu walked toward Feng Yin, and the ladies quickly stepped aside to make way for her.
She stopped three steps away from the stone steps outside the Hall of Imperial Cosmos and bowed gracefully.
"Hua Shu of Hundred Birds Island pays her respects to Your Majesty."
Hua Shu's bow startled the nearby ladies. Venerable Hua Shu had been quite authoritative during her years overseeing the Heavenly Palace, treating even the other four Venerables of the Heavenly Palace as equals. Who would have thought she would bow to the Phoenix Sovereign today?
Yu Feng, standing behind Feng Yin, quietly sighed in relief when he saw Hua Shu restrain her temper and not offend Feng Yin. After all, she had once been Lan Feng's fiancée, and he still held a trace of care for her as an old acquaintance.
A flicker of surprise passed through Feng Yin's eyes. Just as she was about to raise her hand to allow Hua Shu to rise, she saw Hua Shu lift her head and take two steps back, creating a subtle distance between them.
Feng Yin raised an eyebrow and looked at Hua Shu.
"Upon Your Majesty's ascension to the throne, I should have personally gone to Wutong Phoenix Island on behalf of my father to offer congratulations. However, I am burdened with the mundane affairs of the Heavenly Palace and have been unable to spare the time, thus failing to visit Wutong Phoenix Island to pay my respects to Your Majesty. I hope Your Majesty will not take offense." Hua Shu slightly raised her hand and bowed once more.
Before Feng Yin could speak, Hua Shu lifted her head again and smiled. "I have one more matter to report to Your Majesty, the Phoenix Sovereign. A thousand years ago, the Celestial Emperor and Divine Lord Yuan Qi appointed me as one of the five Venerables of the Heavenly Palace, granting me authority over the vast Four Seas. Therefore, although I am Your Majesty's subject, in order to uphold the weight of the Celestial Emperor and Divine Lord's decrees, I fear I cannot treat Your Majesty with the full rites of a subject in the future. I ask for Your Majesty's understanding."
Hua Shu smiled gracefully, looking at Feng Yin with a noble and proud demeanor.
Silence fell outside the Hall of Imperial Cosmos. Venerable Hua Shu was using the Celestial Emperor and Divine Lord Yuan Qi to pressure the Phoenix Sovereign!
But the two figures Hua Shu invoked were precisely those the Phoenix Sovereign could not ignore.
The Celestial Emperor was not only the ruler of the Heavenly Palace but also the Phoenix Sovereign's Master Sovereign. Divine Lord Yuan Qi was the son of a True God, and his decrees were not to be disobeyed by the Immortal Tribe, let alone anyone across the Three Realms.
Although the peacock was a subject among the hundred birds, the Venerables of the Heavenly Palace were not under the Phoenix Sovereign's jurisdiction. In principle, Hua Shu indeed had the status to meet the Phoenix Sovereign without bowing.
However, no one expected that such a matter, which could have been glossed over, would be brought up by Hua Shu in front of all the ladies of the Heavenly Palace and Venerable Yu Feng. This was clearly meant to force the Phoenix Sovereign to publicly acknowledge, before everyone, that Hua Shu was no longer a subject among the birds and would never again be under the Phoenix Sovereign's rule.
Throughout the hundreds of thousands of years of the Ancient Realm's history and the sixty thousand years of the Three Realms and Nine Provinces, the phoenix clan's royal status among the hundred birds had always been as stable as Mount Tai, never once challenged by any bird tribe. Hua Shu's actions today were the first of their kind since the dawn of creation.
Everyone's gaze turned toward Feng Yin on the stone steps. She had just ascended to the throne, and no one knew whether she could uphold the royal authority of the Phoenix Clan in such a difficult and ambiguous situation."Princess Hua Shu." On the stone steps, Feng Yin finally spoke, her eyes slightly lowered, her majesty unfathomable. "To see the Phoenix Sovereign and not bow—is this your intention, or that of the Peacock King?"
"It is Hua Shu's intention." Hua Shu frowned slightly and said, "What does the Phoenix Sovereign mean by this? My father and Hundred Birds Island have never harbored any disrespect toward Wutong Phoenix Island."
Feng Yin looked at her. "I have never doubted the loyalty of the Peacock King. However, if I recall correctly, the Peacock King will also attend the birthday banquet tomorrow evening."
As soon as Feng Yin spoke these words, everyone instantly understood the deeper meaning behind her words and could not help but marvel at the Phoenix Sovereign's cleverness. Although Venerable Hua Shu was now one of the Five High Venerables, the Peacock King held no official title in the Heavenly Palace. At tomorrow evening's banquet, the Peacock King would undoubtedly have to kneel and bow to the Phoenix Sovereign. As Hua Shu was Hua Mo's daughter and would accompany the Peacock King to the event, how could it be that the father bowed while the daughter did not?
A flash of anger appeared on Hua Shu's face. She had momentarily forgotten that the Peacock King would also attend tomorrow's banquet. Since her father held no title in the Heavenly Palace, he would inevitably have to pay homage to the Phoenix Sovereign with the rites of a subject. If her father performed the rites while she remained an onlooker, the old deities of the Immortal Realm would surely label her as unfilial.
"Furthermore," Feng Yin's voice sounded again before Hua Shu could respond, "just now, the princess mentioned that she was conferred the position of one of the Five High Venerables of the Heavenly Palace a thousand years ago. However..." Feng Yin's voice rose slightly, "I, isolated on Phoenix Island, have not heard of this matter. I wonder if the Celestial Emperor's imperial edict and decree are still available?"
Hua Shu and Yu Feng were stunned upon hearing Feng Yin's words. Back then, the Celestial Emperor had intended to confer the Peacock King as one of the Five High Venerables, but the Peacock King declined due to severe injuries and allowed Hua Shu to enter the Heavenly Palace to take the position. Although the Celestial Emperor permitted this, whether out of forgetfulness or laziness, he never issued a decree formally appointing Hua Shu as one of the Five High Venerables. And because the Peacock King had declined the position, the Heavenly Palace also withdrew the decree originally intended for him. To be honest, although Hua Shu had served as one of the Five High Venerables of the Heavenly Palace for a thousand years, she had never received an imperial decree from the Celestial Emperor. It was just that no one had ever brought this up before, and over time, everyone had overlooked it.
It was only when the Phoenix Sovereign openly asked this question that the immortals remembered that Venerable Hua Shu had indeed never received an imperial decree from the Celestial Emperor. They exchanged glances and looked toward Hua Shu.
"His Majesty has traveled the Immortal Realm these years, residing overseas on Phoenix Island. Although no decree was issued, the imperial order from that time is still recorded in history. Phoenix Sovereign, are you questioning the imperial order of His Majesty the Celestial Emperor?" Hua Shu, unwilling to let Feng Yin challenge her position as one of the Five High Venerables, raised her head and retorted angrily.
"Yes." Feng Yin showed no anger. She clasped her hands behind her back, her gaze sweeping over the faces of the assembled immortals before finally settling on Hua Shu, her expression solemn and profound. "The sovereign of the Phoenix Clan is me, not my Master Sovereign. Today, it is me you refuse to bow to, not my Master Sovereign. The imperial authority of my Phoenix Clan has been inherited since ancient times, and for hundreds of thousands of years, no one has dared to defy it. Since you no longer wish to honor me as your sovereign, you must give my Phoenix Island an explanation."
"Either produce the Celestial Emperor's decree, and I will have nothing more to say. Otherwise, from this day forward, your Peacock Clan, because of you, shall never again serve as subjects of the Hundred Birds."
As Feng Yin's words fell, the immortals by the Liuxian Pond gasped in shock. If Venerable Hua Shu did not yield today, the entire Peacock Clan would be implicated. Wutong Phoenix Island was an ancient divine clan that even the Three Realms of immortals, demons, and ghosts dared not provoke. If word spread that Hundred Birds Island had been abandoned by the Phoenix Clan, the Peacock Clan's status within the Immortal Tribe would immediately become precarious.Venerable Hua Shu had originally intended to risk gaining a foothold before the Phoenix Sovereign, never expecting that although this young Phoenix Sovereign appeared amiable, her majesty was no less imposing than that of the Celestial Emperor himself. She was entirely the type to repay an inch of offense with a foot of retaliation.
"You!" Hua Shu was so infuriated by Feng Yin's words that she momentarily forgot even the proper honorifics. With a sweep of her long sleeve, she angrily declared, "Even if this venerable one lacks the Celestial Emperor's edict, so what? Back then, Divine Lord Yuan Qi personally granted me the position of the Fifth Venerable. If Your Majesty has any doubts, you need only go to Clear Pond Palace and ask Divine Lord Yuan Qi for clarification!"
As soon as Hua Shu spoke these words, Yu Feng's heart sank. He immediately looked toward Feng Yin, and sure enough, Feng Yin's expression, which had only been slightly stern before, had now completely darkened.
"Oh? Divine Lord Yuan Qi granted you the position of the Fifth Venerable?"
Feng Yin's voice sounded faintly, carrying not a trace of emotion. Her gaze fell upon Hua Shu, and suddenly, the image from a thousand years ago flashed through her eyes—the six paths of Heavenly Thunder on the Azure Dragon Platform, leaving her battered and wounded, and that moment of turning to ashes over the Abyssal Marsh.
She wronged me, humiliated me, heaped all blame upon me, making me an outcast in the Three Realms.
After my death, you actually let her become the supreme ruler of this world.
Yuan Qi, when I was the Water Condensation Beast, I entrusted my entire life, my joys and sorrows, to you. I had thought that even if you never treated me with the same heart as I did you, there was at least some sincerity in you.
Now it seems, it was all just a joke to me.
Unable to conceal the sorrow in her heart, Feng Yin looked at Hua Shu and slowly descended the stone steps.
Seeing her expression shift, Yu Feng, fearing that the Phoenix Sovereign might recall the hidden pain from a thousand years ago and lose her temper, striking Hua Shu down with a single palm, hurried forward to intercept Feng Yin and speak a few good words on Hua Shu's behalf.
Just then, a ripple of divine power stirred, and a figure in white robes appeared without warning on the stone steps outside the Hall of Imperial Cosmos, blocking Feng Yin's path.
Feng Yin's steps toward Hua Shu halted, and she stopped on the stone steps.
"Divine Lord Yuan Qi!"
Upon seeing the newcomer, Yu Feng was the first to regain his composure. He descended several steps and bowed respectfully toward the white-robed Divine Lord beside Feng Yin.
At Yu Feng's call and bow, a wave of exclamations arose beside the Lingering Immortal Pond. The Ladies did not dare even to glance at Yuan Qi's face, hastily prostrating themselves on the ground and respectfully calling out, "We pay our respects to Divine Lord Yuan Qi!"
Heavens, Divine Lord Yuan Qi, who had not entered the Heavenly Palace for a thousand years, had suddenly appeared? Hadn't Venerable Hua Shu said that Divine Lord Yuan Qi had declined the Heavenly Palace's birthday banquet and would not be attending? The Ladies each had their own speculations, but they could not help feeling a secret joy in their hearts. After all, the one most admired by the Ladies across the Three Realms was none other than Divine Lord Yuan Qi of Clear Pond Palace.
If one could earn even a glance of his favor, not to mention the Lower Three Realms, even in the Ancient Divine Realm, one could ascend to the heavens in a single step.
Regardless of the Ladies' inner speculations and hidden joys, for a moment, outside the Hall of Imperial Cosmos, only Hua Shu remained standing, along with Yuan Qi and Feng Yin on the stone steps.
By convention, given Yuan Qi's status, aside from the Celestial Emperor, the Demon Emperor, and the Ghost King, all immortals, demons, gods, and ghosts in the Three Realms were required to bow to him upon meeting—Hua Shu was no exception. Yet, Yuan Qi now stood beside Feng Yin, and Feng Yin showed not the slightest intention of bowing.
The Phoenix Sovereign simply stood there with an air of calm composure, not even granting Divine Lord Yuan Qi a direct glance. Divine Lord Yuan Qi had been raised by the Celestial Emperor since childhood, and Feng Yin was the Celestial Emperor's disciple. Setting aside their statuses, their connection ran deep. The Phoenix Sovereign's refusal to bow naturally came with the confidence to do so.
But Hua Shu had no such confidence. Yet, if she were to bow now, she would not only be bowing to Yuan Qi but also to Feng Yin.The situation she could discern was naturally clear to everyone else as well. The immortals couldn't help but feel suspicious—wasn't it said that Divine Lord Yuan Qi held Venerable Hua Shu in high regard? Why did his timing of appearance seem to favor the Phoenix Sovereign more?
The assembled immortals had been kneeling in reverence for a long time, yet Yuan Qi on the stone steps showed no reaction—neither accepting their respects nor speaking.
Yu Feng quietly glanced upward and saw that although Yuan Qi appeared indifferent, his gaze toward Feng Yin held a hidden tenderness. Only he could understand the deeper meaning behind this scene. Divine Lord Yuan Qi's appearance at this moment was likely to stand up for his junior sister, Lady Ayin.
Yu Feng sighed softly and whispered to Hua Shu, "Venerable Hua Shu, the Divine Lord is present. We must not be disrespectful."
Hua Shu looked up toward the white-robed Divine Lord on the stone steps, only to find Yuan Qi's gaze fixed solely on Feng Yin. She pressed her lips together, a flicker of shame and resentment passing through her eyes, yet she knew the tide had turned today—it would be difficult to contend with Feng Yin any further.
"Greetings, Divine Lord Yuan Qi," Hua Shu finally bowed in Yuan Qi's direction, a gesture that naturally included Feng Yin as well.
"Rise, all of you," Yuan Qi's voice sounded faintly, as detached and cold as the legends described.
The immortals rose to their feet. Many of the female lords stole glances at Yuan Qi on the stone steps, their faces flushing slightly at the sight of his ethereal appearance. Even the bolder Female Lord Mu Rong couldn't help but marvel inwardly. A thousand years ago, she had seen Yuan Qi on Wutong Phoenix Island before he attained divinity. Little did she expect that Gu Jin had not only changed his identity but had also undergone a complete transformation in presence, utterly unlike his former self.
Yuan Qi's arrival dispelled the tense atmosphere from moments before. Just as the immortals breathed a sigh of relief, they saw the Phoenix Sovereign turn to look at Yuan Qi.
Her gaze toward Yuan Qi was profound, her obsidian eyes unusually deep. Yet when she spoke, her words carried a cool, teasing edge: "Well, what a coincidence, Your Highness. We were just talking about you, and here you are. It's been a thousand years since you last visited the Heavenly Palace. Surely you're not just passing by today? Could it be that you're afraid this sovereign's domineering nature might bully the princess, and you've come specifically to uphold justice for her?"
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