DDAM 20

Caught off guard, Chen Jin shouted as his back hit the edge of the stone table. Zhou Xuandu froze for a second before abruptly rising; he formed a hand seal and unleashed a stream of aquamarine spiritual energy directly at Chu Huaiji’s face.

Chu Huaiji did not dodge or retreat. With a turn of his fingertip, a cluster of crimson-gold flame ignited out of thin air. The moment the aquamarine spell touched the firelight, it was incinerated completely, not even a trace of mist was left behind.

Chen Jin and Zhou Xuandu exchanged a look of disbelief. They each unleashed several more spells, each one more vicious than the last, yet every single one was consumed by that cluster of flame just three inches from Chu Huaiji’s body. One spell was even driven back along its original path by the fire, setting Zhou Xuandu’s sleeve ablaze.

Zhou Xuandu hurriedly tried to beat out the flames on his sleeve, but the fire only grew fiercer; it was not until Chen Jin decisively severed the corner of the robe that the damage was halted.

Panic seized them both. They had assumed suppressing a minor Xianzi would be child’s play, but the intensity of that crimson-gold flame far surpassed ordinary true fire. The oppressive force radiating from it felt akin to the legendary “Red Lotus Karmic Fire.” Its momentum threatened to devour everything in its path.

A thought flashed simultaneously through the minds of Zhou Xuandu and Chen Jin: This is not something an ordinary Xianzi could cultivate. The man before them looked unfamiliar, could he be a powerful figure from the Upper Heavens in disguise, come specifically to make trouble for them?

Upon realizing this, their legs went weak. They took two steps back and stammered,

“Fellow immortal, in what way have we offended you to warrant such a hostile display?”

Chu Huaiji held out his hand: “The painting. Give it to me.”

Chen Jin was taken aback; he exchanged a glance with Zhou Xuandu before handing over the portrait.

Chu Huaiji’s fingers tightened slightly, crumpling the edge of the painting. The figure in the painting possessed refined features and a majestic bearing; though separated by the paper, he seemed to be gazing at him from afar.

That expression was all too familiar, as if, the very next moment, he might reach out to pinch the tip of the youth’s nose with a mix of exasperation and indulgence while pretending to give a stern reprimand: “Chu Huaiji.”

Chu Huaiji suddenly felt a lump in his throat.

Zhou Xuandu tentatively asked, “Fellow immortal, do you admire Jiewu Shangshen as well?”

Chu Huaiji remained silent, his gaze fixed on the portrait. Zhou Xuandu took this for confirmation, and his voice lightened considerably; he put on a ingratiating smile and said,

“You should have just said so! Why resort to violence?”

“Neither of us is petty. Since you admire him too, we can lend it to you for a few days. Everyone appreciates beauty. I understand, we all do.”

Before he could finish speaking, a fist slammed into the right side of his face.

Chu Huaiji growled, “Say one more word, and I’ll cripple you right here.”

Zhou Xuandu clutched his face and dared not make another sound.

Chu Huaiji lowered his head to study the portrait for a moment, before finally asking, “Is he Jun Jiewu?”

Chen Jin and Zhou Xuandu nodded cautiously.

“Y-yes…”

Chu Huaiji’s chest heaved; his expression held not only anger but also a trace of agitation. Before Chen Jin and Zhou Xuandu could fathom the situation, the youth declared in a stern voice, “I’m confiscating this portrait.”

“I’ll let you off the hook for today. But if I ever hear you speak disrespectfully of him again…I’ll beat you every single time I see you.”

At the memory, Chu Huaiji’s expression grew even colder.

He had indeed let Chen Jin and Zhou Xuandu go that day. At the time, the pair had been obsequious; with their faces bruised and battered, they had looked really terrified. Yet, no sooner had they left than they went behind his back to dig up his background. They realized he was no powerful figure, but a lowly immortal with no backing who had just ascended to the Nine Heavens, one who hadn’t even been assigned an official rank yet.

Humiliated and enraged, the pair immediately summoned two friends; the four of them cornered him at Lingyuan Pavilion and insisted on dragging him to the Minglu Hall. Chu Huaiji had been about to hit them, but he stopped the moment he heard the words “Minglu Hall.”

Over the past few days, he had gained a rough understanding of the layout of the Upper, Middle, and Lower Heavens, and he knew the Minglu Hall was located in the Upper Heavens. That was precisely where Jun Jiewu resided, along with Li Zhuochen, the man rumored to be inextricably linked to him (and suspected to be his father). It was a stroke of luck; just as he was fretting over how to gain entry to the Upper Heavens, these four had delivered the perfect opportunity right to his doorstep.

Chu Huaiji allowed the four of them to subdue him, and he let himself be hauled off to the Minglu Hall. He gave a cold, disapproving stolen content look to Chen Jin and Zhou Xuandu as he stood in the hall. Their expressions revealed their uncertainty and remorse. He then let out a disdainful scoff.

“Do the two immortals dare not speak? Shall I speak for you then?”

Without waiting for a reply, Chu Huaiji turned to Wei Ling’an.

“Your Highness, please judge this matter fairly. That day at the Tingtao Pavilion, Immortals Chen Jin and Zhou Xuandu were holding a portrait of Jiewu Shangshen while spewing filth and saying words of the utmost vulgarity.”

“I could not stand by and watch them desecrate the Shangshen, so I stepped in to teach them a lesson, hoping they would genuinely repent. Yet today, far from restraining themselves, they enlisted two other immortals to corner me.”

He paused briefly, and looked at Chen Jin’s blanched face.

“Here in the Minglu Hall, before Your Highness and the assembled deities, the truth of the matter will be impartially judged. I ask only for Your Highness’s discerning scrutiny.”

Zhou Xuandu’s complexion turned ghastly; he pointed a finger at Chu Huaiji, “You-you are saying nonsense!”

Chu Huaiji paid him no mind and bowed respectfully to Wei Ling’an.

“To prevent any further disrespect toward the Shangshen, I confiscated that portrait that very day; it is currently kept in my quarters.”

“If Your Highness does not believe it, you may send someone to retrieve it. Any object that has been handled retains an aura; there will certainly be traces of spiritual energy left behind by Lords stolen content Chen Jin and Zhou Xuandu. A simple inspection will confirm this.”

Chen Jin and Zhou Xuandu were now panicked; the color drained from their faces, and their legs gave way, causing them to kneel. They stammered,

“Your Highness, please see the truth of the matter, we were momentarily blinded by lust, we harbored no intention to commit sacrilege…”

Wei Ling’an did not look at them; instead, he turned his head to the official beside him and said,

“Go to Lingyuan Pavilion and fetch that painting.”

Silence fell over the hall. Zhao Lingjun turned to Chen Jin and Zhou Xuandu with a grim expression, his voice laced with barely suppressed anger:

“You two never told us the situation was like this before we came here. You two had the audacity to let lust cloud your judgment! Had I known, I certainly would not have waded into this mess with you.”

Xuan Ling also knelt with a dark expression:

“Your Highness, please understand, we were unaware of this matter. We were deceived by the two of them, which is why we rashly went to cause trouble for young fellow Huaiji.”

Before long, the official returned with a rolled-up painting, and reported in a low voice,

“Your Highness, I have retrieved it.”

Wei Ling’an took the painting and slowly unfurled it.

The figure in the painting possessed a detached gaze and exquisite features; it was without doubt the likeness of Jun Jiewu. He glanced at the portrait, set it down on the table, and spoke in a voice devoid of emotion:

“Chen Jin, Zhou Xuandu, what do you have to say for yourselves?”

Chen Jin took a deep breath, seemingly regaining some composure amidst his panic, and said in a low voice,

“Your Highness, please judge this fairly… We did indeed handle this matter improperly; our words were indiscreet, and we offended Jiewu Shangshen. However, there is no explicit rule or law in the Nine Heavens prohibiting the possession of a Shangshen’s portrait. Since the portrait was circulating in the market, our purchase of it for appreciation violates neither reason nor regulation.”

Zhou Xuandu, also hurriedly added,

“Regardless of the circumstances, Chu Huaiji had no right to resort to violence. He is merely a newly ascended Xianzi with no prior acquaintance with Jiewu Shangshen; yet, he flew into such a rage and took the portrait away–”

He spoke faster and faster, as if he were clutching at a lifeline.

“He says high-sounding words, but who knows what truly lies in his heart? Your Highness, consider this: when he took the portrait back, was it just for safekeeping?”

“Perhaps he harbors sordid thoughts stolen contentof his own, and used this pretext to mask his true intentions.”

“You…”

Chu Huaiji laughed in disbelief and stepped forward, only to be blocked by Qing Yuan, who was standing to the side of the steps.

“Do not be insolent.”

Wei Ling’an looked at them before speaking slowly:

“There is merit to what you both say. Chu Huaiji attacked first and caused injury; he certainly deserves punishment. As for the Nine Heavens… there is indeed no law forbidding the private possession of a Shangshen’s portrait. Traces of aura alone are insufficient to convict you.”

Chu Huaiji clenched his fists. Chen Jin and Zhou Xuandu were overjoyed and about to kowtow in gratitude when they heard Wei Ling’an add calmly,

“Let us do this.”

“Chu Huaiji must naturally be punished for his offense. As for the two of you… since the matter concerns Jiewu Shangshen, he has the right to know about it. I shall send someone to invite him here now and see what he thinks.”

Chen Jin and Zhou Xuandu instantly turned pale. Zhou Xuandu hurriedly kowtowed and said,

“Your Highness, please forgive us! Jiewu Shangshen is occupied with countless affairs; it would not be right to disturb him over such a trivial matter…”

Wei Ling’an interrupted him unhurriedly,

“Then perhaps the two of you could instruct me on the proper course of action? It is true that the Nine Heavens has no specific law for this, but you yourselves admitted to the act of blaspheming a Shangshen. We cannot simply let the matter slide. If you feel that summoning Jiewu is inappropriate, how about I ask my imperial father to make the final decision?”

Both men shuddered in unison; everyone knew that the Heavenly Emperor was protective of his own, and Jun Jiewu was someone he had raised personally. Zhou Xuandu’s expression changed; after a moment of hesitation, he leaned closer to Chen Jin and whispered,

“How about… we just ask Jiewu Shangshen to come?”

“We can simply apologize. Last time, in front of the Qinglong Tower, he was–” He glanced at Qing Yuan before lowering his voice further. “–subjected to such provocation, yet he never lost his temper; he didn’t seem like a difficult person to deal with. As a Shangshen of his stature, he wouldn’t actually… over a trifle like this…”

Chen Jin cut him off coldly, “Shut up.”

Zhao Lingjun spoke at the same moment, “Have you lost your mind? Who told you Jun Jiewu is easy to deal with?”

“Years ago, when he visited the Demon Realm, he encountered a lecherous scoundrel; with a single spell, he ground the man into dust, not even a bone remained. If we actually summon him here today, none of us will escape unscathed!”

Reduced to dust by a single spell?!

Chu Huaiji was shocked; was his frail father, the one who would pant after taking three steps and couldn’t even manage his own daily needs, actually a figure of ​unauthorized copy​such formidable power in the Heavenly Court?

Yet, upon reflection, back home, whenever Ji Heqing and Chu Chenyan discussed matters, they would often make the most ruthless decisions using the gentlest of tones.

He had witnessed the uncompromising methods hidden beneath that cool, jade-like countenance.

As expected of his father.

At this thought, Chu Huaiji couldn’t help but smile.

To Chen Jin and the others, however, that smile was terrifying. Chen Jin suddenly recalled Chu Huaiji’s extraordinary martial arts and the way Wei Ling’an seemed, intentionally or not, to side with him. His heart skipped a beat: Could this kid actually have some serious backing?

The more he thought, the more panicked he became. After weighing his options, he finally steeled himself to speak:

“Your Highness, might the two of us withdraw our complaint? When all is said and done, we were in the wrong to begin with; being taught a lesson by Huaiji Xianzi was a punishment we deserved. Could we let this matter rest here? There is no need for him to bear any responsibility, nor is there any need to trouble Jiewu Shangshen.”

Chu Huaiji raised an eyebrow.

“You want to settle this amicably?”

He looked at Chen Jin, as if he were weighing the options, then said calmly,

“That isn’t impossible.”

Zhou Xuandu was overjoyed. Knowing when to bend, and desperate to save his life, he immediately grabbed the hem of Chu Huaiji’s robe, tears and snot running down his face:

“Thank you for your magnanimity! We were blind and failed to recognize a true superior…”

Chu Huaiji sidestepped to avoid his hand, saying with disgust, “Spare me that act.”

“I have only one condition: I want you to spread the full, unvarnished truth of today’s events far and wide. Let all the immortals know that from now on, anyone who dares to privately trade or circulate portraits of others, using them for acts of disrespect or profanity, will meet the same fate as you did today.”

“Yes, yes, we certainly will.”

Chen Jin and Zhou Xuandu swore oaths that they would carry out the order without the slightest negligence.

Chu Huaiji was satisfied, but also disappointed.

So close… he had been so close to seeing his dad.

He longed to see Jun Jiewu, but not under circumstances like these. Such sordid, ugly business was a mood-killer, [unauthorized copy]and he certainly didn’t want it sullying his dad’s ears.

On second thought, he steadied himself: since he had already set foot in the Upper Heavens, there would be plenty of opportunities to see his dad later on.

With a change in his mindset, he suppressed that fleeting melancholy and bowed to Wei Ling’an.

“Your Highness, regardless of the circumstances, I was indeed in the wrong for hitting them first. I am willing to accept punishment.”

Everyone was taken aback, and Wei Ling’an frowned slightly. Then, they saw the young man speak with utmost sincerity:

“Your Highness, might I be punished by performing labor here in the Upper Heavens?”

“I ask for no wages; I am willing to do any kind of grueling work.”