Chapter One Hundred Thirty-Two
The massacre of Great Marsh Mountain? The assassination attempt on Demon Emperor Sen Hong? The death of Lanfeng Supreme Lord?
Weren’t these matters settled a thousand years ago? Even if the Demon Emperor was controlled by the Demon Tribe to carry out the massacre, what does that have to do with the Peacock King? Wait, the Peacock King Hua Mo had already cultivated Demonic Power. Could it be that the events of a thousand years ago truly involved the Peacock King?
The immortals and demons on the Azure Dragon Platform turned their gaze toward the Phoenix Sovereign, suddenly grasping the meaning behind her words, “my master’s sect, Great Marsh Mountain.” The immortals were visibly shaken, unable to conceal the astonishment in their eyes.
Only three people survived the tragedy at Great Marsh Mountain back then: Divine Lord Yuan Qi, the last disciple Qing Yi, and that female disciple Ayin, who died in Rakshasa Land under the Heavenly Thunder Tribulation.
Though they had their suspicions, hearing the Phoenix Sovereign personally confirm it left the immortals still struggling to believe it.
The first Fire Phoenix in the history of the Lower Three Realms, born against the heavens and descending as a god, was actually that Lady Ayin of Great Marsh Mountain, who a thousand years ago endured endless scorn and turned to ashes.
No wonder the Phoenix Sovereign said she had endured the Thunder Tribulation. The six Heavenly Thunders on the Azure Dragon Platform back then, along with the divine thunder struck down by Divine Lord Yuan Qi’s divine sword, were the trials of her ascension to godhood.
No wonder, after her descent, the Phoenix Sovereign insisted on reinvestigating the events of Great Marsh Mountain, and why Divine Lord Yuan Qi protected her so deeply. So Feng Yin was that Lady Ayin from back then!
“Great Marsh Mountain…” Hua Shu stared directly at Feng Yin, her expression complex and difficult to decipher. “Feng Yin, so you really are that Ayin!”
Then she snorted coldly, her resolve unshaken by Feng Yin’s earlier words. “So what if you are Ayin? Feng Yin, back then, the Mirror of Observation showed that Lanfeng was killed by a Nine-Tailed Fox Demon, and the weapon that wounded him was the demon fox tribe’s Divine Artifact, the Nirvana Wheel. As for Great Marsh Mountain, even if he was controlled by the Demon Tribe, doesn’t that mean Hong Yi was the one who personally killed your fellow disciples!” She pointed at Hong Yi as she spoke. “He was the one who carried out the events of that year. Even if I have now fallen into the demonic path, this demon’s crimes cannot be washed clean! Don’t think you can confuse the issue and shift the blame for Lanfeng’s death and the destruction of Great Marsh Mountain onto my father.”
Seeing Hua Shu’s stubbornness, Feng Yin’s expression remained unchanged. Ice three feet thick does not form in a single day. If not for these undeniable pieces of evidence, how could she and Hong Yi have become figures despised and condemned by the Immortal Tribe a thousand years ago?
Feng Yin looked at Hua Shu and said calmly, “Hua Shu, everything shown in the Mirror of Observation is true. Lanfeng was indeed killed by a Nine-Tailed Fox Demon, and he truly died under the Nirvana Wheel. But have you never doubted one thing?”
“What thing?” Hua Shu’s expression remained cold, assuming Feng Yin was trying to exonerate Hong Yi.
“Only Lanfeng could break the seal of the Hall of Imperial Cosmos. How did that Nine-Tailed Fox Demon enter silently? And why would Lanfeng go to a hall sealed for a thousand years on your wedding day? Have you never questioned the strangeness and peculiarity of these details?”
Hua Shu’s expression faltered, and a trace of doubt finally appeared in her eyes. These two matters had indeed lingered in her mind, but Lanfeng’s death back then was too tragic, and the Mirror of Observation had revealed the true form of the culprit, so she buried these doubts deep in her heart and never thought of them again.
“What exactly are you trying to say? What do you know?” Hua Shu spoke, her gaze fixed intently on Feng Yin. “Why did Lanfeng go to the Hall of Imperial Cosmos?”Concerning Lan Feng's death, no matter how much Hua Shu trusted the Peacock King, she would inevitably ask this question. She vaguely sensed that what Feng Yin was about to say was not what she wished to know, but she had to seek clarity. She needed to understand what truly happened on that day that altered the course of her life.
"Hua Shu, do you remember that over the past thousand years, an imperial decree was issued from your palace, banishing thirteen immortal attendants from the Heavenly Palace to undergo trials in the mortal realm?" Instead of answering Hua Shu's question, Feng Yin suddenly posed this seemingly unrelated inquiry.
Beside them, the Peacock King, who had remained expressionless all along, narrowed his eyes slightly. A dark gaze fell upon Feng Yin as he gently rubbed his hands behind his back, a flicker of killing intent flashing in his eyes. So, the Phoenix Sovereign and the Celestial Emperor had indeed uncovered the truth.
Hua Shu was taken aback, failing to notice the change in the Peacock King's expression, and blurted out, "How do you know about that?" She frowned. "It was merely a trivial matter. What does it have to do with the events of a thousand years ago?"
"Naturally, it is connected. These thirteen immortal attendants resided in different palaces within the Heavenly Palace. Why did you banish them all to the mortal realm at the same time?"
"Immortal attendants who committed offenses were simply banished. What is there to investigate?" Hua Shu replied impatiently.
"Minor offenses?" Feng Yin paused. "Given their past service to High Lord Lan Feng in Lingyu Hall, why would you banish them to endure a thousand years of reincarnation in the mortal realm for such trivial mistakes?"
Hua Shu's expression froze. "Lingyu Hall? You mean those thirteen were once immortal attendants of Lingyu Hall?"
After the great war between immortals and demons, Yuan Qi secluded himself in Clear Pond Palace, the Celestial Emperor returned to Phoenix Island, and Yu Feng entrusted the administrative affairs of the Heavenly Palace to her. One year, during a Heavenly Palace banquet, Hong Que reported that several immortal attendants had been negligent in their service and offended her father. At that time, she had just taken charge of the Heavenly Palace and, without further inquiry, banished all the immortals who served at that banquet to the mortal realm. How could she have known that the attendants who offended her father happened to be the former servants of Lan Feng?
"I didn't know..." Hua Shu said, frowning.
"Of course, you didn't know. Someone meticulously and quietly sent the immortal attendants of Lingyu Hall to the mortal realm for reincarnation, ensuring that everything that happened on the day of High Lord Lan Feng's wedding would remain buried forever." Feng Yin's gaze swept toward the Peacock King beside them. "Your Highness Hua Mo, am I not correct?"
Upon hearing Feng Yin's words, Hua Shu's expression changed, and she turned to look at the Peacock King beside her.
The Peacock King, who had remained silent since Feng Yin brought up the events of a thousand years ago, narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "This king has no idea what the Phoenix Sovereign is talking about. However, since Your Majesty is the Lady of Great Marsh Mountain from a thousand years ago, Ayin, if you wish to avoid bearing the infamy of that time while holding the esteemed position of Phoenix Sovereign and instead shift the blame onto this king and Shu'er, there is nothing this king can do to stop you."
Hearing the Peacock King's words, Hua Shu, who had just begun to waver, steadied her expression.
Feng Yin raised an eyebrow. "Peacock King, even now you still twist words and distort the truth. In my past life, I underwent trials in the mortal realm as a Water Condensation Beast. Life and death are fated, and I blame no one. But you, in order to incite conflict between immortals and demons, caused the death of High Lord Lan Feng and the annihilation of my Great Marsh Mountain. Your heart is truly deserving of punishment. Venerable Yu Feng!"After speaking, Feng Yin turned to look at Venerable Yu Feng. Venerable Yu Feng nodded, his face pale as he stood up, raising his hand to materialize a small pagoda—the Immortal Locking Pagoda passed down to him by the former Heavenly Emperor Mu Guang. With a slight movement of his palm, thirteen faint figures drifted out from the pagoda. These thirteen individuals had no physical form, only ethereal, barely perceptible spirits, yet they were indeed the thirteen Immortal Attendants who had once served Lan Feng in the Hall of Imperial Cosmos and were later demoted by Hua Shu.
Who would have thought that Feng Yin and Yu Feng had brought the spiritual forms of these thirteen Immortal Attendants, who were undergoing mortal trials, back to the Heavenly Palace!
"Greetings to the Heavenly Emperor, the Phoenix Sovereign, and the High Venerables." The thirteen figures, having drifted out of the pagoda and glimpsed the scene outside the Azure Dragon Platform, expressed their surprise as they bowed to Feng Ran and the others.
"You are undergoing mortal trials; there is no need for such formalities," Feng Ran waved a hand dismissively. "Just answer whatever the Phoenix Sovereign asks."
"Yes, Your Majesty." The thirteen Immortal Attendants rose in unison, their eyes filled with confusion, yet they obediently nodded in acknowledgment.
"Immortal Lord Zi You, on the day of High Lord Lan Feng's wedding, why did he suddenly go to the Hall of Imperial Cosmos?" Feng Yin looked toward Immortal Lord Zi You, who had once been the leader among the Immortal Attendants of the Hall of Imperial Cosmos.
Zi You had already been asked this question once by Feng Yin when he was abruptly brought back from the mortal realm to the Heavenly Palace. Now, answering again, his response remained the same: "Your Majesty, Phoenix Sovereign, on the day of High Lord Lan Feng's wedding, although he was handling official duties in his study, an Immortal Lord came to visit. That Immortal Lord transformed directly and entered the High Lord's study. The High Lord received him courteously, and they conversed inside the room. The High Lord dismissed all attendants, not allowing anyone to serve. Later, when the auspicious hour arrived and Her Highness the Princess noticed that High Lord Lan Feng had not appeared for a long time, she sent someone to inquire. It was only then that we entered the study courtyard to request the High Lord to proceed to the Azure Dragon Platform for the ceremony. However, by then, there was no sound of conversation between the High Lord and that Immortal Lord in the study. When we rushed into the study, it was empty. While searching, the High Lord happened to transform into a dragon above the Hall of Imperial Cosmos and break through the seal..."
Zi You paused, glanced at Hua Shu, and did not continue. His account was exactly the same as the one he had given a thousand years ago when questioned by the immortals. At that time, the immortals also suspected the mysterious Immortal Lord who had entered the Hall of Imperial Cosmos in stealth. However, that Immortal Lord had transformed directly and entered Lan Feng's study, and the attendants of the Hall of Imperial Cosmos had been dismissed by Lan Feng. They had not even heard the voice of that Immortal Lord, let alone learned his identity. The tragic scene of Lan Feng's battle with the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon was later replayed in the Mirror of Observation. With Great Marsh Mountain facing successive calamities, the immortals focused all their efforts on capturing the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon and no longer spared any energy to investigate the mysterious Immortal Lord.
Feng Yin had long known this answer, yet she remained unhurried. She turned to the other twelve Immortal Attendants and said solemnly, "As attendants within the palace, did none of you ever catch a glimpse of that Immortal Lord's appearance or hear his voice?"
The other twelve frowned, their expressions troubled. Clearly, this question had been asked of them before, and if they had known, they would have spoken up long ago.
Seeing this, the Peacock King relaxed slightly and snorted coldly. "Phoenix Sovereign, if you wish to clear yourself and the Demon Emperor of guilt, you should find more substantial witnesses. These lowly Immortal Attendants..."
Before the Peacock King could finish his angry rebuke, a young boy in green robes among the twelve Immortal Attendants suddenly widened his eyes, staring blankly at the Peacock King. He abruptly rushed out from the group of thirteen and pointed at the Peacock King. "It's you! You are the Immortal Lord who was in the study on the day of the High Lord's wedding! I remember your voice!"
As soon as the boy spoke, the entire assembly erupted in uproar. Hua Shu turned sharply to look at the Peacock King, her hands trembling as she held the Demon Gathering Banner.
"Father...""Utter nonsense." The Peacock King's expression turned stern, his features darkening. "Just now, Ziyou from Lingyu Hall clearly stated that when Lanfeng met that immortal, he dismissed all attendants, and none of the immortal attendants saw or heard the person..." His gaze swept over the young attendant's cyan robe, and he angrily said, "You're merely a gatekeeping attendant—what right do you have to approach the study?"
Ziyou also looked toward the young attendant in cyan, puzzled. "Mensheng, weren't you guarding outside the hall? When did you ever get close to the High Lord's study?"
Mensheng trembled under the Peacock King's dark glare, his spirit flickering with fear.
Feng Yin's voice sounded from the side. "Mensheng, why weren't you guarding the hall that day? Instead, you went to High Lord Lanfeng's study?"
Seeing both the Celestial Emperor and the Phoenix Sovereign present, Mensheng steadied himself and looked toward Hua Shu. "It wasn't just me. There was another person who heard that immortal's voice that day."
"Who else?" Hua Shu took a few steps toward Mensheng, her eyes tinged with red.
Mensheng scanned the immortals gathered on the Azure Dragon Platform. Disappointed not to find the person he was looking for among the crowd, he still spoke up.
"That day, I was guarding the entrance of Lingyu Hall when the Red Sparrow Immortal from Xiuyang Hall came to request an audience with the High Lord. She said that Princess Hua Shu was trying on her wedding dress but couldn't decide between two pairs of earrings, both gifted by the late queen, as she cherished them equally. The Red Sparrow Immortal wanted our High Lord to help choose. Seeing how anxious Sister Red Sparrow was and fearing it might delay the auspicious timing for the High Lord and the princess, I quietly led her through the rear hall into the courtyard of the study. Just as we approached the study, we heard that immortal say to the High Lord..."
Mensheng paused. "That person said..."
"'Emperor Mu Guang once showed great kindness to our clan. Today, on this grand occasion for our clan, I wish to enter the old hall to pay respects to the late emperor's legacy. May I?'"
The immortals were taken aback. It was well-known that a statue of the former Heavenly Emperor Mu Guang was enshrined in the Hall of Imperial Cosmos.
"The High Lord readily agreed. Just as we heard these words, I knocked on the door to report the princess's matter to the High Lord. Afraid that Sister Red Sparrow would be punished, I didn't mention she was with me. The High Lord didn't open the door to summon me but simply laughed from behind it and said..."
Mensheng's eyes reddened as he looked at Hua Shu. "'Whichever pair the princess chooses, she will be his most beautiful bride.'"
"After saying that, the High Lord dismissed me," Mensheng whispered. "Sister Red Sparrow, hearing the High Lord's words, didn't press further and returned to Xiuyang Hall. Later... later, when news came of the High Lord's murder, everyone said he was killed by the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon. I secretly asked Sister Red Sparrow whether we should report what the immortal said to Venerable Yu Feng. She replied that we only heard a vague sentence or two from that immortal, which couldn't serve as testimony. She also said that the Mirror of Observation had already confirmed the High Lord was killed by the Nine-Tailed Fox Demon, and that you, Princess, were heartbroken over the High Lord's death. She told me never to mention what the High Lord and that immortal said that day to anyone again, lest it cause you more grief."
Mensheng lowered his head, his voice humble and small. "I am merely a gatekeeping attendant. I've only seen the Peacock King from afar a few times and never heard his voice, so it never occurred to me that the immortal in the High Lord's study that day could be... could be the Peacock King."
He suddenly raised his head and looked straight at Hua Shu. "But I absolutely cannot be mistaken. The immortal who invited the High Lord to the Hall of Imperial Cosmos that day was the Peacock King. If you don't believe me, Princess, ask the Red Sparrow Immortal—she can testify!"Before the disciple's words had even finished, Hua Shu abruptly raised her hand and waved it. The ink-black demonic power at her fingertips tore open a spatial rift, pulling a person out and throwing them onto the Azure Dragon Platform.
That person wore a light red palace dress, her expression one of terror. Even before she could fully take in the scene of immortals and demons confronting each other across the sky, she was already trembling with fear. It was Hua Shu's personal maid, Hong Que. Originally left by Hua Shu within the clan to guard Hundred Birds Island, she had suddenly been dragged by a force to the Heavenly Palace's Azure Dragon Platform. Lifting her eyes and seeing Hua Shu's eyes, red as if about to drip blood, she still did not know what had happened.
"On the day Lan Feng died, did you go to Lingyu Hall?"
Hong Que's already terrified face turned deathly pale the moment Hua Shu asked this question.
"While you were there, whose voice did you hear?"
Hua Shu reached out, gripping Hong Que's neck from a distance and lifting her from the Azure Dragon Platform into mid-air. Word by word, she asked coldly.
Not a trace of emotion could be seen between her brows.
The entire Azure Dragon Platform was left with nothing but suffocating silence and Hong Que's trembling sobs.
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