Volume 14, Chapter 901 – Hand Over the Imperial Weapon

The Fengming Empress did not show any excessive emotion. With a mere thought, a jade-colored bow engraved with phoenix patterns appeared in her slender, pale hand. This was her Imperial Weapon, Fengxiang.

“Does the Empress really believe what Yan Yi said? She doesn’t look like someone that naive,” Cheng Hongling said, puzzled.

“So what if she believes? So what if she doesn’t?” An Xuan’s face showed sympathy. “Right now, the power lies with him. Any resistance means certain death. And not just for her, but also for the Tianjizi and her people. She can only place her hopes in Yan Yi’s sense of morality. That’s the helplessness of the weak in the Immortal Realm.”

Qi Huang could understand too. After all, she was the leader of the Dao Alliance herself and knew what it meant to be in a position of power. One couldn’t just act on impulse and pursue personal vengeance freely.

The Fengming Empress gazed gently at the bow in her hand, occasionally wiping the polished surface. Her face was full of sorrow and reluctance.

“Your Majesty, please retrieve the blood essence from the bow,” Yan Yi urged impatiently.

The Fengming Empress said nothing. She reached out, and a few droplets of blood essence floated out from the bow and returned to the pale palm of her hand.

After finishing, she handed the bow over without the slightest hesitation.

Yan Yi took it, inspecting it closely. At first, admiration showed on his face, but then he remarked regretfully, “Made from the feathers of the Phoenix King… truly an exquisite bow. Pity it’s water-aligned. Useless for men.”

But the female high-level members and disciples of the Immortal Alliance around them were all staring with fervent eyes, because they knew exactly what that bow represented.

In the inn, Qi Huang’s gaze was just as fervent. She turned to the other two women. “Getting this bow—isn’t that the same as gaining control over Fengming Immortal Kingdom?”

“My lady,” An Xuan replied without reservation, “an Imperial Weapon only brings power, not authority. By possessing it, you merely control the Heavenly-grade Feng Shui site of the Fengming Immortal Kingdom. As for becoming the next Empress, you’ll have to see if the Immortal Alliance agrees.”

“What, are you thinking of robbing her?” Cheng Hongling’s expression darkened as she chastised her. “That Empress clearly has the bearing of a wise ruler. Besides, the enemy of our enemy is a friend. Even if we take it, we should return it to her. We can’t keep it for ourselves.”

“Haha, what are you thinking?” Qi Huang laughed nervously. “I’m not some thief. I do plan to take it, but only to give it back to her. This thing’s a ticking time bomb in the hands of the Immortal Alliance.”

Back in the palace, Yan Yi continued admiring Fengxiang for a long moment before finally tossing it to a middle-aged female immortal behind him. “Yan Ying, this bow is now yours. From this moment on, you’ll temporarily assume the title of Empress of Fengming Immortal Kingdom.”

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“Thank you, Father!”

The middle-aged female immortal was so excited she almost dropped the longbow. She bowed deeply and thanked him without thinking.

“How many times have I told you to call me Grand Elder in public.”

Yan Yi frowned, clearly displeased.

“Yes, yes, thank you, Grand Elder!” she quickly corrected herself.

Although the other female immortals were consumed with jealousy and envy, none dared voice any objections.

“Grand Elder, this is the throne of an Immortal Kingdom we’re talking about. It’s no small matter. Shouldn’t we discuss it with the Alliance Leader first?” one male elder dared to raise an objection.

“I said she’s ‘temporary’. Do I need to explain what ‘temporary’ means to you?”

Yan Yi glared at him with his weathered face.

“N-no, of course not…”

The elder was so terrified he trembled and immediately shut his mouth.

“So brazen in his nepotism, not even trying to hide it.” Qi Huang shook her head, visibly annoyed.

Yan Yi turned his gaze toward the Fengming Empress and Fang Yuan, his expression full of smug satisfaction. “Very good. The two of you have been cooperative. As promised, I won’t pursue the matter further. But there’s one condition: Fang Yuan must make a public statement to clear the air and minimize the impact.”

“Impossible. This is a serious matter. If I do that, I’d be disregarding the safety of the entire cultivation world.”

Fang Yuan struggled to protest.

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“Still so stubborn?” Yan Yi’s expression darkened, and a sword appeared in his hand with a mere thought.

“Wait!” The Fengming Empress grew anxious this time and turned to Fang Yuan. “If he insists, then just do it. If you can’t even protect yourself, how can you protect anyone else?”

Fang Yuan was stunned for a moment, then a look of pain crossed his face. After a long silence, he finally relented. “Fine. I agree to your terms.”

“That’s more like it. I really didn’t want to stain this blade.” Yan Yi sneered and put the sword away. Then he turned to his daughter. “Yan Ying, you’re now the acting Empress of Fengming Immortal Kingdom. You’ll handle this matter. Choose an auspicious date for the public clarification assembly and make sure the entire Immortal Realm knows about it.”

“Yes, Fa—Grand Elder!” Yan Ying accepted the order respectfully.

Fang Yuan’s face turned bitter at those words. He knew this wouldn’t just be a clarification meeting, it would be a public execution of his reputation. For a Tianjizi to openly admit his “prophecy” was wrong… what a disgrace. But for the sake of the Immortal Realm, he had no choice but to swallow the humiliation.

The matter was temporarily settled. The members of the Immortal Alliance shamelessly settled into the royal palace, while the Fengming Empress took her relatives and loyal retainers and left.

“Is that really it?” Qi Huang said with some regret. If this was truly over, then she had no justification to get involved. After all, neither party had turned completely hostile.

“Forget it. If they want to kneel, you can’t force them to stand,” Cheng Hongling said, equally disappointed.

“Let’s wait and see. Fang Yuan hasn’t made the public statement yet. This might not be over,” An Xuan consoled.

Meanwhile, inside the Immortal Alliance tower, the Grand Elder Lu Hong was still trying to contact his ancestor in the Celestial Realm. His health had grown worse by the day.

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On this particular day, when the oil was almost burnt out and the lamp nearly extinguished, Lu Hong finally managed to reach his ancestor once more, Lu Wei.

“Finally… I’ve reached you again, Ancestor,” Lu Hong said, voice choked with emotion.

“Sigh… You’ve suffered.”

Lu Wei couldn’t help but offer comfort.

“It’s worth it for the sake of the Immortal Alliance. Ancestor, about that matter I asked you to investigate. Any progress?”

Lu Hong quickly got to the point.

“I asked someone to look into it. In the Thirty-Second Intermediate World, several celestial bodies have shown suspicious trajectory shifts,” Lu Wei replied truthfully.

“That’s great! In the cultivation world, no one can move a star. It must be the evil spirits at work. Ancestor, which planets are we talking about?”

Lu Hong asked excitedly.

Lu Wei then listed the stars that Qi Huang had recently shifted.

“Now we’ve narrowed down their possible location. But to eliminate them, we’ll need to use Assimilation Qi,” Lu Hong muttered to himself. Then he asked again, “And the second matter? I asked if you could get the Celestial Court to permit us to use the Assimilation Qi.”

“I couldn’t do it. It’s impossible. Why waste time on what cannot be done?”

Lu Wei was blunt.

“Please, Ancestor! Without Assimilation Qi, we’re powerless against those spirits. If the Celestial Court holds us accountable, how will we explain ourselves?”

Lu Hong pleaded again.

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“Sigh. Fine. You’re my descendant, after all,” Lu Wei sighed. “I’ll go visit the official in charge of that matter, but I can’t guarantee anything.”

“That’s enough. Thank you, Ancestor!”

Lu Hong thanked him repeatedly, then shifted topics. “There’s one more thing. Recently, a Tianjizi has been spreading word that nineteen years from now, on the 18th day of the sixth lunar month, all cultivators will face annihilation. Have you heard anything about that in the Celestial Realm?”

“What?”

Lu Wei’s voice suddenly rose in pitch. After a pause, he said, “Utter nonsense. I’ve never heard anything like that up here.”

“So he really was lying…” Lu Hong muttered to himself.

“That date—June 18, nineteen years from now—is the deadline the Celestial Court gave you all. His statement was clearly insinuating something about the Celestial Court. This is an unforgivable offense.”

Lu Wei was furious.

“Exactly. That’s why the Alliance Leader has already sent people to deal with him,” Lu Hong responded quickly.

“Slandering the Celestials is a grave crime. Dealing with him alone isn’t enough. I’ll report this to my superior in the Celestial Court. Tell your Alliance Leader to find out who that Tianjizi’s ancestor is in the Celestial Realm. Uproot the entire bloodline.”

Lu Wei gave his command.

“Yes!” Lu Hong accepted the order solemnly.

“Our Lu Clan has invested generations into repairing the image of the Celestial Court and the Celestials in the cultivation world. We will not allow anyone to destroy our efforts. We must make an example out of him.”

Lu Wei’s tone was laced with naked killing intent.