Chapter 24: Erlang Shen (2)

Erlang Shen’s words carried a subtle subtext that left Hua Sheng feeling somewhat perplexed.

Taishang Xiaojun, choosing to treat the remark as mere wind passing by, said, "The General is joking. My master has long ceased to concern himself with worldly affairs, focusing only on the tranquility of alchemy. Were it not for my own meddling, the Dao Ancestor would never have deigned to deal with such trivial matters."

Erlang Shen smiled faintly, offering no reply.

Seeing that it was time to address the true purpose of their visit, Taishang Xiaojun continued, "To be frank, it was out of sheer audacity that we disturbed the True Lord today. We have come to inquire about a certain matter."

"I have long known you had something to say." Erlang Shen leaned back and crossed his legs.

Taishang Xiaojun glanced at Hua Sheng.

Hua Sheng bowed and said, "True Lord, I must be honest. Both this disciple and Taishang Xiaojun study at the Arts Academy, and its Dean, Dao Ling Xingjun, is currently imprisoned in the Blazing Wrath Celestial Prison."

Erlang Shen let out a cold laugh. "And so what? Is that not Dao Ling Xingjun’s own undoing? According to Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li, that Ming You also hailed from your Arts Academy. This is a case of a fire starting in your own backyard and wreaking havoc on the mortal realm. Now that disciples of the Heavenly Masters have suffered casualties, even if the Sacred Court remains composed, how could the Celestial Court sit idly by? Imprisoning Dao Ling Xingjun is a light sentence. In my opinion, all those fire-stoking masters in your academy should be taken into custody!"

"General, you jest! Ha! To lock up so many masters would be a waste of the Sacred Court’s treasury! Besides, if all the masters are arrested, the next generation of the Sacred Peace will be left without schooling."

Taishang Xiaojun quickly sought to soften the atmosphere. "Over the past thousand years in the Sacred Peace, many immortal and spirit clans have established various ties with the Celestial Court. Surely, the immortals in the Court would not want the descendants of their own kin to be left without an education, would they?"

Erlang Shen glared. "So, the Celestial Court is to follow the principle of 'punish the ringleaders, pardon the followers'? And that is why you lot can still practice the Dao in peace?"

Taishang Xiaojun raised a finger toward the heavens. "But the General knows as well as I do: though the Academy suffered heavy losses in the Qiankun Guardian War, we ultimately preserved many lives in the human realm. If that realm ceased to exist, it would not only be a loss for the Dao Ancestor, but the Celestial Court’s incense and offerings might also suffer, would they not? In the end, does the Academy not defend the interests of the Celestial Realm itself?"

Erlang Shen shook his head. "Xiaojun, your words are flawed. The disaster originated with the Academy; regardless of the outcome, Dao Ling Xingjun cannot escape his culpability."

Taishang Xiaojun nodded in agreement. "The General is absolutely right. Yet, in every disaster, there lies opportunity—it all depends on how the immortals of the Celestial Court judge it. While it is true that Dao Ling Xingjun is at fault, it is equally valid to praise the participating masters and disciples for their heroism in defending the mortal world and saving lives. Reporting only the good and omitting the bad is a practice seen more than once. Having spent many years in these official circles, you must be familiar with the nuances of how such matters are defined."

"Hmph! I have never heard of such a thing!" Erlang Shen smiled with disdain.

"Of course, of course! While Dao Ling Xingjun was once a distinguished Saint of the Founding Realm, he is now merely the head of an academy. If one were to assign accountability for the casualties of the Qiankun Guardian War, in what capacity would the Xingjun be held responsible? He may have acted as Dean, but the weight of this blame is likely too heavy for a mere academy administrator to bear. To use this as a pretext to erase his past contributions in founding the Sacred Peace would be excessive. Yet, if one claims his actions harmed innocent citizens, rendering his merits insufficient to outweigh his faults, one must wonder why no deity in charge of the Lingweiyang Province has stepped forward to share the blame. Surely, you have noticed this, General?"

Upon hearing this, Erlang Shen’s expression darkened.

"Taishang Xiaojun, I advise you to tread carefully! If not for the fact that we both serve under the Primordial Ancestor, I would have no interest in discussing official business. But since you are disciples of the Arts Academy, and clearly linked to Dao Ling Xingjun, I will say this much: First, while Dao Ling Xingjun has been compliant for years, who is to say that as one of the Seven Saints of the Founding Realm, he did not intend to use the war with Ming You to sway the hearts of the masses and force the Celestial Court into granting him a position in the High Heaven Hall?"

"General, this conjecture is perhaps..." Taishang Xiaojun began.

"That is only the first point!" Erlang Shen interrupted, shouting, "Second, in any struggle for power, scholars and students are almost always used as shields and spears. Can Dao Ling Xingjun not understand that? By positioning himself as a savior, he should have known that mobilizing his disciples would provide others with a handle against him. Now that he has been cast into the celestial prison, he must be willing to accept the consequences of his gamble. Who can he blame for that?"

Hua Sheng felt a surge of indignation and argued, "General, you and Dao Ling Xingjun are both among the Seven Saints of the Founding Realm. You know better than anyone that he is not a man who seeks fame through deceit. His character—"

Before he could finish, Erlang Shen erupted in fury, slamming his hand onto the table. "Who gave you leave to interrupt!"

The impact caused Hua Sheng’s ears to ring. The wooden chair he sat upon disintegrated into powder, and he nearly tumbled to the floor. He managed to stand, but with no seat left, he was forced to stand to the side.

Taishang Xiaojun quickly signaled to Hua Sheng and smoothed things over. "Please, calm your anger, True Lord. My fellow student has been in the Sacred Peace for less than a year; he is naturally unfamiliar with the customs here."

Erlang Shen grunted but remained silent.

Sensing the situation was souring and fearing that Erlang Shen was about to show them the door, Taishang Xiaojun quickly changed the subject. "What I just said was merely a passing thought, General. Please, treat it as the foolish, unfiltered babble of a junior."

He turned to Hua Sheng and said, "Oh? Didn't you say your stomach was upset and you needed to visit the latrine? Why are you still standing here? No matter, the True Lord and I still have personal matters to discuss. Go on, Hua Sheng."

Hua Sheng paused, realizing instantly that Taishang Xiaojun was trying to dismiss him. Concerned for the safety of Dao Ling Xingjun, he thought it best to leave. He bowed to Erlang Shen and exited the hall.

He hadn't gone far when a message from Taishang Xiaojun appeared on his Ruihua Treasure Mirror: "I had hoped to defend Dao Ling Xingjun and persuade Erlang Shen to show leniency. Since he remains unmoved, he will surely refuse our request to see the Xingjun. Proceed with our previously agreed-upon plan: have Mie Ying use the purple-gold thread to find a way to the Xingjun. Return quickly yourself, and do not let anyone see you. Be careful! If it cannot be done, abandon the attempt and we shall rethink the plan later."

Hua Sheng flew back to the ground, hid in a secluded spot, and whispered to his wrist, "Mie Ying! The coast is clear, come out!"

The red-gold watch on his wrist transformed into a flash of white light, and Mie Ying Xiao Qi materialized before him.

Hua Sheng hurriedly asked, "You said you could bypass the Liuli Crystal Lock Array. What immortal technique are you using?"

Mie Ying smoothed the creases of her robes and replied, "I heard my eldest sister mention this array; it is extremely difficult to break with magic. However, there are artifacts capable of passing through it. I happen to have one."

"There really is a way?" Hua Sheng urged, "Then hurry and go see Dao Ling Xingjun. Be careful, and if it's impossible, retreat immediately."

Hua Sheng turned to head back to the hall, but Mie Ying grabbed his sleeve and shook her head. "I've been thinking... it would be better if you went instead, Hua Sheng."

Mie Ying was usually straightforward, and her sudden change of heart bewildered him. "You have the artifact; you can see him yourself. Why go through all this trouble?"

Mie Ying looked down. "You survived the Qiankun Guardian War; you have more to ask Dao Ling Xingjun. Besides... Ming You was brought into the Academy by my sister. Now that the Xingjun is imprisoned and my sister is uninvolved, I feel we have no face to see him..."

"Don't say such things. You are overthinking it. He wouldn't blame you for that. Everyone knows the true reason he was imprisoned..."

Mie Ying insisted. "No! You go. I will transform into your likeness to keep up appearances so Erlang Shen doesn't grow suspicious."

"But..." Hua Sheng wanted to argue, as he had no idea how to use the artifact she spoke of.

"Enough talk!"

Seeing her resolve, Hua Sheng relented. "What method should I use to pass through the layers of the celestial prison's formation?"

"Just wait..." Mie Ying reached her slender hand into the collar of her robes.

Hua Sheng expected her to pull out an accessory like a necklace, but instead, she blushed and snapped, "You idiot! What are you staring at? Turn around!"

Startled, Hua Sheng turned his back.

After a moment of silence, he asked, "Can I turn—"

"Wait! Don't!" Mie Ying pushed his back. "If you dare turn around, I'll poke your eyes out!"

Hua Sheng waited patiently.

Finally, Mie Ying said, "It's done. You can turn around."

When Hua Sheng faced her, he saw a vibrant red silk ribbon in her hand. It was overflowing with a delicate fragrance, even at a distance.

"Is this...?"

"The Huntian Ling (Heaven-Shaking Silk)..." Mie Ying whispered, her face glowing crimson.

"Wow! The Huntian Ling? You actually possess such a treasure? Why have I never seen it?"

As Hua Sheng reached for it, Mie Ying pulled her hand back. She looked away, pressing the back of her hand to her burning cheek. "I... I have been frail since childhood. This is a magical artifact, so I have always worn it close to my skin..."

"Close to your skin? Doesn't that mean it's—" Hua Sheng stopped, suddenly embarrassed.

"Asshole! Don't you dare say it!" Mie Ying stomped her foot.

"My apologies," Hua Sheng corrected himself. "Is the Huntian Ling meant to—"

"My sister told me that if infused with the proper spell, it can bypass most of the Sacred Peace’s formations. It allows one to come and go freely. I suspect it can unlock the Liuli Crystal Lock Array. At this point, it is our only option."

"But since it is something worn so closely... how can I possibly..."

"Idiot! I'm not asking you to wear it!"