In the Lingxiao Baodian, the Jade Emperor sat upon the dragon throne, reviewing memorials.
As a scroll unfurled slowly, he asked casually, “Has there been any news of that child’s grandfather’s whereabouts?”
Celestial Master Zhang stepped forward, whisk in hand, his face visibly weary. “Your Majesty, I have consulted the Department of Destiny regarding the celestial stars and the rosters of immortal attendants in the generals’ mansions, and I have also pulled up the registry of Heavenly Soldiers. There is no such person as Shen Yuanling.”
People differ from people, and gods differ from gods. Just moments ago, King Li, Bearer of the Pagoda, could take sick leave upon leaving the Medicine King’s residence, but he himself had to return to his post.
No wonder everyone wanted to climb the ranks—one rank higher meant privileges and treatment as different as heaven and earth.
“Nothing?” The Jade Emperor slowly stroked his beard, lost in thought. “Perhaps the child made a mistake. Her grandfather may have already been reincarnated.”
Recalling Shen Fuxing’s stubborn insistence that day, he let out a long sigh. “Very well, I did promise her after all.”
He instructed Celestial Master Zhang, “Go to the Underworld and have Yama check the Book of Life and Death to see which family Shen Yuanling was reincarnated into.”
“Yes.” Celestial Master Zhang accepted the order verbally, but inwardly cursed.
Couldn’t they just send any ordinary divine attendant for something like this? Why did he have to travel all that way?
Still injured and not yet recovered, working while on duty. It was nice being the boss—treating their workers like dogs. If you couldn’t work them to death, you worked them to the bone.
He hadn’t been complaining for long, and before he could even step out the door, a blur of a figure flew in with a whoosh.
It moved so fast that it knocked the distracted Celestial Master Zhang into a spinning top, sending his fly-whisk flying.
Celestial Master Zhang, steadying himself against the doorframe, was burning with rage.
He was the Jade Emperor’s personal secretary—whoever dared to bump into him would forget about having any good days in the Heavenly Court from now on!
He turned and looked carefully.
Disheveled hair, rumpled robes, dropping to his knees before the Jade Emperor with a thud, like a pitiful soul lodging a grievance before the gates of Kaifeng Prefecture.
You had to admit, with that wronged silhouette, Celestial Master Zhang really couldn’t recognize which immortal it was.
His gaze swept down to the feet—seeing those familiar large feet, and then noticing no shoes, he immediately figured out the person’s identity.
There was only one eccentric in the Heavenly Court who walked barefoot without shoes—the Barefoot Immortal.
Previously at the Medicine King’s residence, he’d stayed in the ward right next to his.
Of course, none of that mattered now. Whoever dared to bump into him—even if it were King Li himself—he would accuse them of breaching court decorum!
Celestial Master Zhang retrieved his fly-whisk and rolled up his sleeves, ready for a fight.
But before he could speak, the Barefoot Immortal was already pouring out his grievances before the Jade Emperor with tears and snot, like a bitter wife.
“—Your Majesty! My Your Majesty! You must do right by me!! King Li, Bearer of the Pagoda, has gone mad! He, he, he—he actually molested this official!”
Whoa!
Celestial Master Zhang’s eyes bulged like copper bells, pupils brightening like a light switch being flipped.
Forget the Underworld—he pricked up his ears and nonchalantly shuffled back to the Jade Emperor’s side.
Up on the throne, the Jade Emperor blinked, his CPU overloaded.
Before he could react, King Li, Bearer of the Pagoda, stormed in with a face full of black lines, two Heavenly Soldiers flanking Shen Fuxing, whose cheeks were flushed and shoulders trembling. The group swept in with great fanfare.
Taibai Jinxing followed close behind, fly-whisk draped over his arm, Daoist robes billowing as he crossed the threshold.
Quite the procession.
Li Jing, holding the Seven-Treasure Exquisite Pagoda, glanced sidelong at the Barefoot Immortal kneeling on the ground, then turned his head slightly away, a mix of shame, indignation, and embarrassment flashing in his eyes.
Steeling himself, he put on a stern, furious expression and bitterly denounced Shen Fuxing before the Jade Emperor—how she had been poisoning his medicine for days, and today had even used Illusionary Passion Powder to toy with him.
With each accusation, he shot a glare at her, his eyes practically wishing to slice her into a thousand pieces.
At first, the Jade Emperor saw Shen Fuxing’s shoulders convulsing and her cheeks flushed with heat, and assumed Li Jing had scared her half to death, that she was crying that hard.
Turns out, she was holding back laughter.
The Jade Emperor gave her a helpless, amused look. This child was a mischievous sprite—she even dared to prank King Li. Truly audacious beyond measure.
Yet, having heard what Li Jing had suffered these past few days, he found himself not so inclined to punish her.
Among all the great deities of the Heavenly Court, if anyone was the most arrogant and overbearing, it was definitely Li Jing.
Three sons—the eldest served by Tathagata’s side, the second often accompanying Guanyin Bodhisattva, and the third, Nezha, possessed formidable Dharma Power, having single-handedly subdued the Demon Kings of ninety-six caves.
Across the entire celestial realm, aside from the Jade Emperor himself, there wasn’t a single deity Li Jing deemed worthy of his regard.
Today, for once, King Li had been humbled—and by a minor, underage immortal attendant at that. Most onlookers watched with gleeful schadenfreude.
Li Jing glared at Shen Fuxing with fury, already mentally preparing to have her escorted to the Execution Platform the moment the Jade Emperor flew into a rage, to be beheaded as a public example!
Little did he know that from the leadership above to the colleagues around, not a single person could sympathize with him.
Especially the Barefoot Immortal—he’d been kind enough to visit Li Jing, and nearly had his purity ruined in the process.
If not for that little immortal attendant named Shen Fuxing barging in just in time and splashing a bowl of black medicinal sludge to snap King Li back to his senses, he might well have been defiled by now…
That shameless old lecher, committing such a heinous act.
Now that his evil deeds had been exposed, he actually pushed such a young child forward to take the blame—never had anyone been seen so shameless!
“Your Majesty, King Li speaks with conviction, but words alone are no proof. We cannot convict this young immortal based solely on his claims.”
The moment he finished speaking, Li Jing immediately turned the dagger-like glare he had been giving Shen Fuxing onto the Barefoot Immortal, his expression furious and utterly baffled. “Get your facts straight—she secretly slipped Illusionary Passion Powder into my medicine, and that’s what caused this farce today.”
“She is the culprit!” He pointed directly at Shen Fuxing.
The Barefoot Immortal let out an angry laugh. “The refining process for Illusionary Passion Powder is extremely complex. Even the Medicine King’s estate only keeps two boxes in stock, under the strictest control.”
“How long has Shen Fuxing been in the Heavenly Court? A mere attendant in the Crown Prince’s palace—how could she possibly get her hands on that?” He didn’t bother hiding his disdainful roll of the eyes at Li Jing, then asked with a cold sneer, “For the King to insist so firmly, it can’t be that she brewed it herself, can it?”
A powder that even first-rank Medical Immortals had to expend considerable Dharma Power to refine—how could a lowly immortal attendant possibly replicate it?
Not to mention a potency that even the King could not resist.
The Jade Emperor nodded upon hearing this. “Hmm, that makes sense.” He turned to Li Jing with a stern expression. “King Li, you claim Shen Fuxing poisoned you and used Illusionary Passion Powder on you—do you have any solid evidence?”
Li Jing raised his pagoda and clasped his hands toward the Jade Emperor, his face cold, supremely confident in what he was about to say. “Your Majesty need only send someone to the Medicine King’s estate to investigate, and all will be made clear.”
“No need.”
The moment he finished speaking, Taibai Jinxing, who had been observing for some time, suddenly spoke up.
He bowed to the Jade Emperor and said slowly, “Your servant heard of the King’s poisoning and has already ordered the Medicine King to be summoned and await your decree outside the Lingxiao Baodian.”
The Jade Emperor waved his hand grandly. “Summon him!”
The Medicine King entered the hall, took Li Jing’s pulse publicly, and asked him a few simple questions.
After a thorough examination confirmed everything was in order, he turned and reported to the Jade Emperor: “The King has taken my prescription for three days, and his constitution is stronger than before—there is not the slightest sign of poisoning.”
“As for the Illusionary Passion Powder in the Medicine King’s estate, I specifically had my subordinate Medical Immortals conduct a detailed inventory before coming here—the quantity has not diminished in the least.”
“Utter nonsense!” Li Jing roared.
The medicinal broth Shen Fuxing had served him was emitting black vapor, its appearance horrifying, and drinking it had nearly cost him half his life—if that wasn’t poison, what was?
“Very well, you may withdraw.” The Jade Emperor waved his hand, signaling the Medicine King to leave.
Li Jing wanted to argue further, but Taibai Jinxing beat him to it.
A mouthful of rage lodged in his chest, unable to rise or fall—utterly maddening.
“Your Majesty, this humble priest also visited Cloud Tower Palace to check on things. According to those who serve in the King’s bedchamber, Shen Fuxing personally fed the King his medicine spoonful by spoonful—three days of utmost dedication, barely sleeping at night.”
“To say she harbored intent to harm the King—this humble priest does not believe it.”
Li Jing listened with an expression of utter disbelief, trembling with fury.
What was wrong with the Heavenly Court? Had everyone been bewitched?
Shen Fuxing was merely a lowly immortal attendant in his Cloud Tower Palace—what magic did she possess? Why was everyone speaking up for her!?!
Blinded by rage, the King of Li lost all reason and dropped all pretense. He snatched a sword from the waist of a Heavenly Soldier and lunged to cut Shen Fuxing down.
Before the Jade Emperor himself, no one had expected Li Jing to be so impulsive.
By the time they snapped back to their senses and tried to stop him, it was already too late.
At the critical moment—CLANG—a tremendous sound rang out as the Universe Ring, carrying immense Dharma Power, flew into the hall and collided with the sword the King had brought down.
CRACK—
The long blade snapped instantly.
The young man, returning from vanquishing demons, burst into the hall wreathed in killing intent, riding wind and fire.
He did not kneel. He did not bow. He simply fixed his icy gaze upon the man who was his father in name only.