Category: The Number One Good-for-Nothing in the Celestial Realm

Chapter 25 p3

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The next morning.

Que Chen Yi went to the Celestial Feather Hall for her duty.

After she had cleaned the tables several times, Feng Chiyue arrived, tossing a stack of dismissal notices onto the table without a word.

Feng Chiyue yawned, sent Undefeated to handle the paperwork, and lay down on her couch, saying lazily, “Take those to the side hall and get them stamped.”

Que Chen Yi was shocked. “Dismiss everyone?” she asked. If that was the case, what was the point of the assessment?

“Keep the dismissal notices for those who passed,” Feng Chiyue said.

Que Chen Yi: “…” Did she write these dismissal notices in advance because she intended to fire all the emissaries and attendants? She offered Feng Chiyue a polite but awkward smile and left with the notices. But before long, she returned, carrying a brocade box on top of the documents.

“The Junior Minister said that you’re the Minister, so you should keep the seal,” she said cautiously, stealing a glance at Feng Chiyue.

Feng Chiyue frowned. “Can’t he even handle being a stamping clerk? Useless!” She didn’t even look at the box. “You do it,” she said.

Que Chen Yi could only obey.

She thought for a moment and understood. Bi Feng had been withholding the Minister’s seal, trying to assert his authority. However, the Minister didn’t seem to care and had simply sent him all the documents that needed stamping. Now, she was dismissing dozens of officials, a move that would undoubtedly offend many. The seal had become a hot potato. Why would Bi Feng want to keep it? With the Minister acting so recklessly, wouldn’t she be finished soon? Should she start preparing to escape?

Lost in her thoughts, Que Chen Yi stamped the dismissal notices. After stamping the last one, she turned to Feng Chiyue, who was smiling brightly. “I’ll deliver these,” she said. After spending a couple of days with Feng Chiyue, she had figured out her personality and didn’t expect a response. But as she was about to leave, a sharp sword hum rang out. Feng Chiyue had sat up at some point. She patted Undefeated’s blade and said, “Let it go.”

Que Chen Yi sighed in relief. She had been afraid of being beaten up by the emissaries and attendants when she delivered the notices. It seemed the Minister still had some humanity. But as soon as the thought crossed her mind, Feng Chiyue spoke again.

“No one would listen to you. It would be a waste of time.”

Que Chen Yi: “…” She could have kept that to herself.

Dismissing officials, especially on such a large scale, was unprecedented, both in the Celestial Feather Ministry and the entire Heavenly Court. The emissaries and attendants knew their assessment results weren’t good, but dismissing them solely based on that was too harsh. They suspected that Feng Chiyue was deliberately targeting them because they were from the lineages of Danxue Mountain, who had a thousand-year-old grudge against the Phoenixes.

Naturally, they were dissatisfied. However, Undefeated stood before them, its sword intent so powerful that it felt like it could slice their throats if they uttered a single word. No matter how angry they were, they had to accept their dismissal notices, remove their official hats, and return their seals. But they weren’t going to give up so easily. After leaving the Celestial Feather Hall, they marched towards the main office of the Heavenly Mechanism Department.

The Star Monarch of the Heavenly Mechanism Department didn’t show his face. He sent his deputy, the Junior Monarch, to deal with them. He was secretly grateful that he had gotten rid of Feng Chiyue early on. Otherwise, the main office would have been plagued by her eccentric ideas. However, this matter wouldn’t be resolved simply because the Heavenly Mechanism Department chose to do nothing. Complaints and criticisms filled both the Chaos Mirror and the real world, reaching the ears of the Heavenly Emperor.

The Heavenly Emperor: “…” He knew that Feng Chiyue had been promoted to the Celestial Feather Ministry by the Star Monarch. He had even planned to use her as an example to attract Human Immortals and wandering immortals. Who could have imagined that little Feng Chiyue would cause such a commotion?

Chu Yi, ever eager to prove herself, was the first to praise Feng Chiyue, even suggesting that all departments in the Heavenly Court should follow suit. Unfortunately, her lengthy speech was cut short by the Heavenly Emperor, his face grim.

Changing long-established practices would cause significant upheaval. He provided benefits to the immortals, and they supported him in return. He wasn’t willing to disrupt the current balance of power in the Heavenly Court.

“It’s a matter for the Celestial Feather Ministry. We shouldn’t interfere,” the Star Monarch said, his expression indifferent, as if the fate of other races had nothing to do with him.

“I actually think it’s a good idea. Perhaps the Four Seas Ministry could implement it as well,” a Dragon King chimed in, a jovial smile on his face.

“What are your thoughts, South Vermilion Lord?” the Heavenly Emperor asked. Chang Li, as a Vermilion Bird, was the most representative figure of the feathered race among the Star Monarchs and Generals.

Chang Li smiled. “All lineages of the feathered race are treated equally. It’s very fair.” She didn’t argue or try to gain any advantage for Danxue Mountain. However, as soon as she spoke, the Heavenly Emperor’s expression changed. He certainly didn’t treat all lineages equally. He intended to suppress Phoenix Mountain. That incident had humiliated him and alienated him from his friends and family. He feared the Phoenixes’ resentment.

If Feng Chiyue had been from Phoenix Mountain’s main branch, he would never have allowed her into the Heavenly Mechanism Department. However, he couldn’t voice his true thoughts.

He lowered his eyelids, pondered for a moment, and said, “Minister Feng’s intentions are good, but drastic changes can lead to chaos. We shouldn’t take such a big step all at once. In my opinion, it’s best to suspend the assessment for now. As for those who were dismissed, they have served diligently, even if they haven’t achieved great feats. Let them return to their positions.”

The Heavenly Emperor’s words were law. As he spoke, they formed a decree. However, before the attending Star Monarch could even touch it, it crumbled into stardust.

The Heavenly Emperor’s expression changed drastically. Silence descended upon the hall.

It was Chu Yi who broke the silence, calling out, “Mother.”

Cold moonlight flooded the Purple Empyrean Palace. A female immortal, her face as cold as ice, emerged from the moonlight, her entire body radiating a chilling aura. It was Chu Yi’s mother, the other master of this palace – the Great Yin(Taiyin) Celestial Mother.

The Heavenly Emperor shifted uncomfortably. He forced a smile and said, “Why have you left seclusion?” When he was still the Crown Prince, his Dao companion had devoted most of her energy to cultivation, spending most of her time in seclusion. He had almost forgotten her existence. The last time she had appeared in the Purple Empyrean Palace was over a thousand years ago, when the Phoenix Sovereign had fallen into the Demon Abyss. She had lashed out at him on the Phoenix Sovereign’s behalf, showing no mercy. He had been furious but helpless. Fortunately, she had returned to seclusion soon after, and the matter had been dropped.

“Return to their positions?” the Great Yin Celestial Mother asked coldly.

“You misheard,” the Heavenly Emperor denied hastily. He no longer had any interest in dealing with the Celestial Feather Ministry. He just wanted to send the Great Yin Celestial Mother back to seclusion.

Chang Li remained silent.

The matter wasn’t resolved in the Purple Empyrean Palace, and it was unlikely to be brought up again.

With the Heavenly Court indifferent and the Heavenly Mechanism Department trying to appease both sides, what would the dismissed officials do?

“Chang Li.” A voice whispered in her ear. Chang Li turned and saw Ming Yuheng, the North Star Lord. They weren’t close. She offered him a polite smile and returned his greeting. “Fellow Daoist Yuheng.”

“Many wandering immortals from Danxue Mountain have gone to look for the East Abode Master?” Ming Yuheng asked.

Chang Li was unaware of this. Surprise flickered in her eyes.

Ming Yuheng ignored her reaction and continued, “My disciple is also going. He’ll travel with the fellow Daoists from Danxue Mountain.”

Chang Li: “…” Wasn’t he implying that they were deliberately hiding Ming Jian Su? She wasn’t fond of Human Immortals who ascended from the Immortal Realm. She discreetly took a step back and nodded. “Very well.”

—

In Dong’e Mountain.

Zhu Wan scrolled through the Chaos Mirror, her mood fluctuating like a bucket on a rope.

“Immortal Monarch, they’ve filed a complaint against you with the Heavenly Emperor. The Great Yin Celestial Mother has left seclusion.”

“The Heavenly Mechanism Department is truly skilled at passing the buck.”

“Many people on the Chaos Mirror are cursing you.”

“Many wandering cultivators from Danxue Mountain have appeared on the battlefield between the Immortal and Demon Realms. They seem to be searching for a lost treasure belonging to the East Abode Master?”

Zhu Wan’s voice suddenly rose.

Feng Chiyue, who had been indifferent, sat up abruptly, her brow furrowed. “Did Elder Sister have other treasures that I don’t know about?”

Zhu Wan: “…” Were they really doomed? Was that really what she should be focusing on?

“They’re looking for Master. Are they going to silence her?” Zhu Wan asked, her voice lowered, her eyes wide with fear.

“They should be silenced. Their existence is a waste of pure spiritual energy,” Feng Chiyue said without hesitation.

Zhu Wan was speechless. “I’m talking about Master! What if she was injured on the battlefield before? No matter how strong she is, she can’t withstand a siege from those immortals!”

“Don’t think so poorly of immortals,” Feng Chiyue said, glancing at her. “Didn’t you believe that Ming Jian Su was fine before?”

It was normal to worry. Concern naturally led to fear, didn’t it? It had nothing to do with whether there was actual danger. She found Feng Chiyue impossible to reason with, but she still tried to appeal to her conscience, which was barely there. “Aren’t you worried about Master?”

“I am,” Feng Chiyue said.

Zhu Wan sighed in relief. There was still hope.

But then, Feng Chiyue continued in a melancholy tone, “Without her, I’m worried that my alchemy skills will deteriorate.”

Zhu Wan stared at her, dumbfounded. “You know alchemy?” Since she had arrived at Dong’e Mountain, she had never seen Feng Chiyue practice alchemy. Wait, something was wrong! “What does Master’s presence have to do with your alchemy?” she asked.

“Everything,” Feng Chiyue replied matter-of-factly. “The person who eats my elixirs is gone. Why should I bother making them?”

Zhu Wan was speechless. She understood. Apart from her Master, they were all unworthy. So why had she gone to the Supreme Palace to demand elixirs before? Was it just to cause trouble for Jing De Immortal Monarch because she disliked him?

Chapter 25 P2

…

Unrelenting mockery appeared on the Chaos Mirror in the form of cold, heartless words.

Feng Bu Liu’s face flushed red and white, his anger building up like a volcano about to erupt. He had prepared himself for a fight, but what kind of questions had Feng Chiyue asked? Not only had she humiliated him in the hall, but she had also uploaded the jade slips to the Chaos Mirror for public humiliation! How could anyone endure this?

“She’s deliberately making things difficult for me! She doesn’t want me to pass the assessment! What’s the point of knowing those things? They didn’t know them in the past, but they still became officials, didn’t they?” Feng Bu Liu, summoned to the hall, vented his frustrations without restraint, not noticing the change in the elders’ expressions.

“Everyone received the same questions. She didn’t single you out,” Feng Yao said fairly.

Feng Bu Liu’s face stiffened. After a moment, he said angrily, “She’s just being absurd! The Heavenly Court is actually letting a good-for-nothing like her be the Celestial Feather Minister!”

“Silence!” An elder sitting behind the bronze table slammed his cane on the ground. “In the year 1308 of the Heavenly Emperor’s reign,” he said calmly, “an attendant from the Celestial Feather Ministry went to the Man Man tribe. Because he didn’t understand their taboos, he offended them and was skinned and dismembered. Although he survived, he was left to live in endless agony.”

“They’re just savages,” Feng Bu Liu muttered. If no one could answer those questions, it meant that Feng Chiyue’s method was wrong. She was clearly making things difficult for them, wanting to see them make fools of themselves.

The elder looked at him and said, “The Five Phoenixes and Three Feathers are known as the Eight Lineages of the Feathered Race. But in reality, there are thousands of smaller lineages within the feathered race. You know this, right?”

Feng Bu Liu nodded. However, those thousands of smaller lineages only accounted for twenty percent of the feathered race. They were insignificant.

“Then do you know why Chang Li, after leading those lineages in rebellion, couldn’t become the next Phoenix Sovereign?” the elder asked slowly.

“Because she wasn’t strong enough to suppress the entire feathered race,” Feng Bu Liu mumbled.

The elder’s gaze sharpened, piercing Feng Bu Liu like a sword. “Do you think the Phoenix Sovereign relied on brute force to rule the lineages?” he asked, his voice raised. Seeing Feng Bu Liu’s pale face, he continued, “That’s not entirely wrong. But more importantly, the Phoenix Sovereign had a deep understanding of all the lineages of the feathered race and respected their customs and traditions.”

“Wasn’t it to exploit their weaknesses?” Feng Bu Liu asked.

The elder’s face stiffened. After a moment, he exploded. “Shut your mouth!” His chest heaved as he struggled to control his anger. Finally, he pointed at Feng Bu Liu and said, “You, no, all the candidates for selection from the Phoenix, Azure Dragon, Mandarin Duck, and Chongming lineages, go to the library and copy ‘The Records of the Feathered Race’ a hundred times! You’re not allowed to leave until you’re done!”

Feng Bu Liu: “…”

Feng Yao stood beside him, trembling, not daring to speak. She could only offer Feng Bu Liu a helpless look.

There weren’t many voices criticizing Feng Chiyue in Phoenix Mountain, but it was a different story in Danxue Mountain. Both the Vermilion Birds and Bifangs couldn’t understand the purpose of this assessment, convinced that Feng Chiyue was deliberately making their lives difficult. The elders, however, thought more deeply. After the assessment of the candidates for selection, it would be the turn of the attendants and emissaries. Would Feng Chiyue really dismiss those who failed? If so, where did she get the courage? Was she relying solely on the Emperor’s Daughter’s name seal? They knew that although the Emperor’s Daughter had shown her support, she wouldn’t interfere if conflicts arose within the feathered race. Feng Chiyue had Undefeated, but could it withstand a siege from all the other immortals?

“Why is she doing this?” the Vermilion Bird elder asked, searching for a reason.

“She’s even more arrogant and domineering than before,” the Bifang elder said after a moment of thought. “In the past, she only dared to act this way because of Ming Jian Su. So now…”

“Could it be that Ming Jian Su isn’t actually dead, but hiding somewhere, cultivating in secret?” someone voiced the Bifang elder’s suspicion.

“We never found her body. We simply declared her dead based on the assumption that anyone missing for a certain period of time is deceased,” the Vermilion Bird elder said thoughtfully. “Perhaps we should send someone to the battlefield between the Immortal and Demon Realms to search for traces of her.”

“It would be best if she truly is dead.” A collective sigh echoed through the hall. Among the Four Generals of the Heavenly Court, Ming Jian Su was the most formidable. Even Chang Li was overshadowed by her. With her gone, the soldiers under her command now answered directly to the Heavenly Emperor. But if she were still alive, many would be willing to serve her. Among the soldiers, the admiration for strength was deeply ingrained.

—

Feng Chiyue was unaware that someone had already decided to search for Ming Jian Su on the battlefield between the Immortal and Demon Realms. She was lying on a hammock under the peach tree, contemplating life.

The attendants and emissaries also had to be assessed, but she didn’t want to bother coming up with new questions. Should she just reuse the previous set? But as soon as the thought crossed her mind, she dismissed it. After all, the previous questions had already been publicly displayed on the Chaos Mirror. She was starting to regret her actions. Although she had enjoyed the drama on the Chaos Mirror, the subsequent troubles were now flooding towards her like a tidal wave.

“Why can’t you handle everything?” she asked, frowning, her voice filled with frustration.

Zhu Wan, passing by, thought the question was directed at her. She instinctively replied, “This disciple is incompetent.” But then she realized, wait a minute, why should she be capable of handling everything? Seeing Undefeated buzzing in protest, she suddenly understood. Feng Chiyue was trying to exploit Undefeated.

What sword had ever been reduced to such a state?

Feng Chiyue heard Zhu Wan’s voice. She turned and stared at her for a moment, then said slowly, “Incompetence is simply a lack of practice.”

Zhu Wan: “…” She wished she were deaf and blind.

Feng Chiyue took out a large book and tossed it to Zhu Wan. “Can you write test questions? Choose some content from ‘The Records of the Feathered Race’ and come up with a hundred questions.”

Zhu Wan had also seen the drama on the Chaos Mirror. She had initially felt sorry for the candidates for selection, but now, she was about to become the “merciless executioner” herself. She looked at Feng Chiyue, her expression troubled. “I’m from the human race. I don’t know what the feathered race should know. Immortal Monarch, if you’re trying to select talented individuals, I’m afraid I’m not qualified to write the questions.”

Feng Chiyue raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with you writing them? They should know everything in ‘The Records of the Feathered Race,’” she said lazily.

“But… isn’t that unreasonable?” Zhu Wan asked.

“That’s the point,” Feng Chiyue replied matter-of-factly.

What else could Zhu Wan do? Under Feng Chiyue’s “benevolent” gaze, she embarked on the path of “aiding the evildoer.” She feared that if she refused, the assessment would be held in Dong’e Mountain, even though currently, it was only her, Feng Chiyue, and a few wood spirits pretending to be dead.

When it was time to assess the attendants and emissaries, Feng Chiyue didn’t show up.

Que Chen Yi, who had just taken office, was entrusted with a major responsibility. She stood on the platform, clutching Undefeated, her body stiff with tension.

She had reviewed the assessment questions beforehand and couldn’t help but feel grateful that she hadn’t been selected as an attendant last year. Otherwise, she would have been dismissed for failing and even publicly humiliated on the Chaos Mirror. The thought of it made her want to hide.

This time, the Minister had given her specific instructions: instead of selecting based on the percentage of correct answers, she was to choose only the top twenty-eight individuals. She glanced at the attendants and emissaries below. There were about fifty of them. More than half would be dismissed. She wondered how they would react when they learned the truth. She had read the regulations and knew that the total number of officials in the Celestial Feather Ministry was thirty. Including the Minister and Junior Minister, there were only a few positions left. Wait, if she selected twenty-eight, what about her? Que Chen Yi frowned and discreetly changed the number of successful candidates to twenty-seven. She was just following the rules. No one could fault her for that. The Celestial Feather Ministry was overstaffed. It was time to correct that.

An hour later.

Undefeated, without waiting for Que Chen Yi’s instructions, collected all the jade slips.

Que Chen Yi couldn’t multitask like Feng Chiyue. She had to patiently review them one by one.

She worked until midnight, uploading the jade slips to the Chaos Mirror. Finally, she stretched, her legs wobbly, and left the Celestial Feather Hall.

The cold moon, like a silver disc, hung above the magnificent Heavenly Palace. Moonlight washed over the long corridors, where immortal clouds drifted lazily.

Que Chen Yi was fortunate enough to be assigned a room in the dormitory. Upon returning to her room, she took out the Chaos Mirror and contacted the elders in her village.

— The Minister is incredibly knowledgeable. The rumors about her being incompetent are clearly false. It seems many immortal officials are blind.

— There’s going to be an assessment. I’m going to be nailed to the pillar of shame.

— Tell my younger sisters not to come to the Heavenly Court to be officials. There’s too much work and the salary is too low. It’s better to stay on the mountain and eat wild fruits.

After sending her messages, Que Chen Yi transformed into her true form, a small bird with fluffy feathers. She curled up in a hanging basket and fell asleep.

Chapter 25 p1

In Danxue Mountain.

The elders of the Vermilion Birds, Bifangs, Swan Geese, and other feathered lineages gathered for a meeting. The Celestial Feather Minister held considerable authority. Although they hadn’t obtained the seal yet, with Bi Feng’s limited abilities, he couldn’t possibly control Feng Chiyue. Besides, the Emperor’s Daughter had already stamped her seal on the announcement. The assessment was inevitable.

“Didn’t the Emperor’s Daughter have a grudge against her? Why is she speaking up for her?” the Swan Goose elder asked, puzzled.

“Who knows? Perhaps they’re birds of a feather,” the Vermilion Bird elder sneered. He wasn’t fond of the arrogant Emperor’s Daughter. In his opinion, she should show some respect to them, the elders, even if she was the Emperor’s Daughter. But in reality, she treated them with disdain, showing no respect whatsoever. Her gaze seemed to say that they were nothing but trash.

“The assessment is in three days. Should our juniors participate? What if they don’t? Will she really dismiss them?” someone asked.

“Why wouldn’t they participate?” the Vermilion Bird elder retorted. He squinted and shook his head. “Do you think our juniors will lose? They won’t lose to anyone in a fight. This is a perfect opportunity to show those from Phoenix Mountain who the true masters of the feathered race are!”

The feathered immortals of Phoenix Mountain were equally confident. Feng Bu Liu and Feng Yao, initially enraged by Feng Chiyue, fell into a long silence after seeing the announcement on the Chaos Mirror.

“Did she… reject you to prepare for the assessment?” Feng Yao wondered, trying to decipher Feng Chiyue’s motives. If she was truly wicked and ungrateful, the East Abode Master wouldn’t have raised her for over two hundred years. Perhaps it was just her sharp tongue? She glanced at Feng Bu Liu, who looked like he was about to collapse. “Everyone on the Chaos Mirror is saying that Feng Chiyue is impartial,” she said.

“Impartial? She’s merciless!” Feng Bu Liu retorted, unable to hold back his sarcasm. He massaged his temples and said, “She’s not just humiliating me. She’s humiliating the entire Phoenix race. If we had kept her back then, could we have straightened her out?”

“I’d rather not,” Feng Yao said, shuddering. What had Feng Chiyue done after returning to Phoenix Mountain? She had demanded that they transplant precious trees from Danxue Mountain, excavate the Phoenix Pool, and build a magnificent palace for her. She wanted a golden chariot to accompany her everywhere… The elders had disagreed, and she had thrown tantrums. The Phoenixes were already in a precarious state. How could they afford her extravagance? In the end, they had hastily sent her back to Dong’e Mountain, sighing in relief. “Are you confident?” she asked, changing the subject.

A cold glint flashed in Feng Bu Liu’s eyes. “Yes,” he said firmly.

In Dong’e Mountain.

Zhu Wan was also asking Feng Chiyue about the assessment.

She had ascended from the mortal realm. Back in her sect, they had climbed the ranks through countless assessments and competitions, starting as outer disciples, then becoming inner disciples, direct disciples, and finally, leading disciples. The sect’s resources were limited, so they could only nurture those who excelled. But in the Immortal Realm… there didn’t seem to be such concerns. Would an assessment even be effective?

“What did you assess back then?” Feng Chiyue asked curiously. Ming Jian Su had told her about life in the mortal realm, but she herself… wasn’t a good reference point for assessments.

“Mostly combat skills,” Zhu Wan replied honestly. She paused, then added, “Or trials in secret realms, to see who could obtain the most treasures. Or slaying demons and heretics.”

“That’s it?” Feng Chiyue raised an eyebrow.

Zhu Wan: “…” That was already a lot. It took up about eighty percent of a mortal cultivator’s time.

“How are you planning to assess them? Combat?” she asked. There were no ancient secret realms in the Immortal Realm. As for the battlefield between the Immortal and Demon Realms… it was guarded by immortals taking turns. They wouldn’t allow candidates for selection to train there. That left only combat, just like in the mortal realm, where strength spoke for itself.

Feng Chiyue’s answer was irrelevant. “The five elements have their strengths and weaknesses. Techniques have their levels of power. But compared to magical powers, being a good person is also important.”

Zhu Wan: “…” Coming from Feng Chiyue, that was rich. Seeing her expression, she decided not to worry. Perhaps Feng Chiyue would just call off the assessment before it even started.

The announcement remained on the Chaos Mirror for three days.

On the appointed day, emissaries, attendants, and feathered immortals waiting for selection all arrived, filling the hall with a cacophony of noise. Feng Chiyue, unusually, sat on the head table. The noise gave her a headache, so she grabbed Undefeated and slashed it through the air. The sharp sword intent shook the formations within the hall, threatening to collapse the entire structure. Everyone was startled and fell silent.

Satisfied with the silence, Feng Chiyue instructed the attendants to lead the candidates to their designated seats. With a flick of her wrist, a hundred streaks of light shot out, landing in front of the immortals like falling stars. She tapped the table with her sword and said casually, “Begin.”

Begin? Begin what? The immortals exchanged confused glances. After a moment, someone channeled their consciousness into the jade slip in front of them. A single glance, and many of their expressions changed! How many lineages were there in the feathered race? What were the taboos of the Man Man(蛮蛮) tribe? Why was the Gu Diao so hated? Was the Kun Peng a fish or a bird? How were they supposed to know? What did this have to do with the assessment?

Feng Chiyue knew what they were thinking from their expressions. This was exactly the reaction she wanted: complete bewilderment. Her eyes flickered, and she discreetly activated the “Virtuous Sound” technique. “The Celestial Feather Ministry was established for the benefit of our feathered race,” she said. “If you don’t even understand your own race, how can you understand other races? ‘Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles.’ Don’t tell me you’re going to fail at the first step?”

The candidates: “…” They couldn’t help but think that what she said made sense.

Bi Feng wasn’t participating in the assessment, but out of curiosity, he also requested a jade slip from Feng Chiyue. He scanned through the questions related to the feathered race. Apart from those concerning the Bifangs, he couldn’t answer a single one. But that was normal. Only immortals from the past would bother remembering such things. Now that the feathered race was fragmented, who cared about the well-being of other lineages or their customs?

Feng Chiyue announced her standard. “After half an hour, those who answer eighty percent correctly will stay. As for the rest, go back and start over.”

Bi Feng frowned at her harsh words. “Minister, isn’t the standard too high?” he asked.

Feng Chiyue looked at him, intrigued. “Is the Junior Minister part of the bottom twenty percent?”

Bi Feng: “…” He was, but he couldn’t admit it.

The candidates below scribbled furiously.

Feng Chiyue, on the head table, took out the Chaos Mirror and started watching plays, ignoring everyone else.

Half an hour passed quickly. Feng Chiyue stretched lazily and tapped the table. Undefeated immediately understood. It shot down, collecting the jade slips, its posture threatening to strike anyone who refused.

Was she going to let Undefeated review them? Bi Feng wondered. But this time, Feng Chiyue picked up the jade slips herself. She wasn’t that hopeless. She multitasked effortlessly, quickly discarding most of the jade slips like trash, keeping only one in her hand.

“Minister?” Bi Feng called out.

“Keep the Dust-Rejecting Clothes from the Silver-Tailed Titmouse clan. Everyone else, get out of my sight. I’ll upload the jade slips to the Chaos Mirror. You can learn from each other’s experiences as failures,” Feng Chiyue said. She paused, then added, “Attendants and emissaries, choose a good day for your own assessment.”

So many jade slips… it was exhausting!

She was starting to regret this. She should have just slashed anyone who dared to complain at the Drum of Grievances Hall with her sword, setting an example for others. This would have saved her so much trouble. It was all Ming Jian Su’s fault, that heartless and unfeeling wretch! If she were here, she would have stopped her, wouldn’t she? She wouldn’t have let her strain her brain and do such tedious work.

Her face darkened, and Undefeated hummed in response.

The atmosphere in the Celestial Feather Hall grew heavy and oppressive. All the feathered immortals, regardless of their lineage, felt a sense of unease and fear. Was the East Abode Master’s sword intent truly that terrifying? Even though she was gone, her sword intent lingered. No wonder both the Supreme Palace and the West Sea had suffered defeat.

Who would dare stay any longer? Without a word, they all turned and fled, as if chased by a monster. Only one female immortal remained, dressed in a silver-gray robe. It was Que Chen Yi, the one Feng Chiyue had chosen to keep.

She had initially been overjoyed to pass the assessment, but seeing the fear on the faces of the other immortals, she wasn’t sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing. She was the only one from her village who had the chance to become an attendant. She couldn’t afford to mess this up.

“Come here,” Feng Chiyue beckoned. She had mentioned uploading the assessment jade slips, but she didn’t have the time to do it herself. “You’ll be working at the Celestial Feather Hall from now on. First, copy all the assessment jade slips to the Chaos Mirror,” she instructed Que Chen Yi.

“Is that… appropriate?” Que Chen Yi asked hesitantly. But as soon as she spoke, several sharp gazes pierced her like swords. She shut her mouth, regretting her words.

The ones glaring at her were the emissaries and attendants who hadn’t left yet. According to Feng Chiyue’s announcement, they would also be assessed. If they didn’t participate, they might lose their jobs. If they did, they needed to prove their worth. Thus, the content of the assessment that had terrified the candidates was something they desperately wanted to know. As for whether the candidates were embarrassed, what did that have to do with them?

Bi Feng, however, had a strange smile on his face.

He knew that Feng Chiyue’s actions would offend even more immortals—and that was exactly what they wanted.

If the immortals didn’t erupt in outrage, how could they drive Feng Chiyue out of the Celestial Feather Ministry?

There weren’t many questions on the jade slips, only fifty. Que Chen Yi felt ashamed as she answered them because she couldn’t answer several of them. But now, after reviewing all the jade slips, she realized that very few immortals had answered even half the questions correctly. Many of the candidates were from prominent lineages like the Vermilion Birds, Swan Geese, and even Phoenixes, yet they didn’t know the answers either. Was their basic education truly that lacking?

On the Chaos Mirror, many wandering immortals and officials were waiting for the drama to unfold. In past assessments, there would always be injuries, and then the elders of the injured parties would come seeking revenge, leading to feuds between clans. What kind of excitement would the feathered race provide this time? They waited and waited, but instead of news about someone getting hurt, they saw the assessment jade slips publicly displayed.

“What is this?”

“Common knowledge about the feathered race? I know all of this. I should have been the one taking the assessment.”

“So many mistakes? Don’t they have any self-awareness?”

“As expected, those beast spirits are mostly illiterate. Our ancestors were right. I think we should let humans manage the Celestial Feather Ministry. They can’t govern themselves.”

Chapter 24

Feng Yao hadn’t been to the Celestial Feather Ministry in a long time.

Not all Heavenly Immortals from Phoenix Mountain were willing to join the Heavenly Court and wait for selection. They yearned for revenge and were willing to try any path that could increase their power and influence.

Within the Celestial Feather Ministry, there was a hall called the Drum of Grievances Hall. It was overseen by the Drum of Grievances Emissary, who was responsible for receiving complaints from dissatisfied officials and recording their grievances. Of course, unless one had wealth, power, or connections, such protests were pointless. Thus, the hall was usually deserted, and the emissary and attendants were quite lazy. However, today, the Drum of Grievances Hall welcomed some “dissatisfied immortals.” The attendant, quite astute, immediately sent word to Bi Feng.

Bi Feng had been anticipating this outcome. He chuckled coldly and gave his instructions. “Don’t turn them away. Let the Minister handle it.” The more chaos, the better! Was being the Celestial Feather Minister really that easy? Why should he be the one getting scolded for Feng Chiyue’s decisions?

In the Celestial Feather Hall, Feng Chiyue had just finished watching a popular immortal drama. The ending was unsatisfactory, and she was filled with frustration. Hearing that Feng Bu Liu and Feng Yao were here, she frowned. “What do they want?” she asked, her voice laced with displeasure. The illusory images from the drama dissipated. She glanced at Undefeated and said coldly, “Bring them here.” The Drum of Grievances Hall was a hundred paces away. She couldn’t be bothered to move.

The attendant, seeing the sharp sword intent, didn’t dare disobey. He read the Chaos Mirror every day. Both Jing De Immortal Monarch and the West Sea Dragon Prince had been severely beaten. He didn’t want to share their fate.

Within a quarter of an hour, Feng Yao and Feng Bu Liu entered the Celestial Feather Hall.

Although Feng Yao hadn’t expected much from Feng Chiyue, seeing Undefeated handling documents while Feng Chiyue lounged in the sun, she still gasped, a feeling of suffocation washing over her. There was no need to ask. The scene before her eyes provided the answer. Feng Chiyue wasn’t even looking at the documents!

“What do you want?” Feng Chiyue asked, her expression cold.

Before Feng Yao could speak, Feng Bu Liu burst out angrily, “I’ve been waiting for selection for five years! Why did you reject my application, Minister?”

Feng Chiyue fiddled with the bell hanging from her waist, her face filled with mock admiration. “Five years? You’re quite patient.”

Feng Bu Liu: “…” He wanted to punch her right now! He couldn’t suppress his anger. His eyes flashed dangerously. “Aren’t you going to give me an explanation, Minister?”

“Explanation?” Feng Chiyue scoffed. Apart from Ming Jian Su, no one had ever dared to demand an explanation from her. She glanced at him and asked casually, “Is this your first time at the Drum of Grievances Hall?”

“Yes,” Feng Bu Liu said, his face sullen.

Feng Chiyue laughed. “The previous Minister and Junior Minister suppressed your application, and you didn’t even dare to question them. Why are you so bold now that I’ve rejected you? Where did you get the courage? You’ve endured for years. Can’t you endure a little longer?” She stood up, crossed her arms, and studied Feng Bu Liu’s furious face. Raising an eyebrow, she said arrogantly, “If they can suppress you, why can’t I?”

Feng Bu Liu’s mind reeled, as if a thousand thunderbolts had exploded simultaneously, almost shattering his sanity. If Feng Yao hadn’t grabbed him, he would have attacked.

Seeing the anger on their faces, Feng Chiyue’s smile widened. She continued to add fuel to the fire. “If you can be trampled underfoot by the Vermilion Birds and Bifangs, what’s wrong with me stepping on you? We’re family, after all. If I rise to power, you’ll benefit too, won’t you?”

Feng Yao couldn’t believe how shameless Feng Chiyue was to claim they were “family.” She stared at her, her eyes filled with disappointment. “Apart from driving you out of Phoenix Mountain, we haven’t mistreated you. After the East Abode Master’s death, we even prepared many things for you. It seems we were being sentimental.” Her heart sank like a stone. She pulled Feng Bu Liu down with her, bowed to Feng Chiyue, and left the hall. She looked up slightly, the sunlight stinging her eyes. It seemed that whether it was Feng Chiyue or a Vermilion Bird sitting in the position of Celestial Feather Minister, the outcome would be the same.

Feng Bu Liu stopped in his tracks and glanced back at Feng Chiyue, his teeth gritted. “You traitor to the Phoenix lineage!”

Feng Chiyue shrugged, unfazed. “It’s in my blood. I can’t help it.”

Feng Bu Liu was about to explode. He transformed into a Phoenix and soared into the sky, a streak of crimson fire staining the heavens.

Feng Yao followed closely behind.

In the side hall.

Bi Feng listened to the attendant’s vivid description, laughing so hard he almost fell off his chair. But soon, a new question surfaced.

Feng Chiyue had antagonized Danxue Mountain and refused to give Phoenix Mountain any face. What was she thinking?

Meanwhile, Feng Chiyue, having sent Feng Yao and Feng Bu Liu away, had lost her interest in watching plays. She let her consciousness wander aimlessly through the Chaos Mirror.

Someone was performing for alms. Someone was complaining about their poverty. Someone was cursing their superiors. Someone was grumbling about assessments. The first time she saw a message about assessments, she ignored it, but when she came across it again, she took a closer look. It was a sect founded by a wandering immortal, still adhering to the rules of the mortal realm, completely incompatible with the Heavenly Court. Perhaps it was the stark contrast that had sparked countless complaints about the “assessment.”

An idea suddenly struck Feng Chiyue. Weren’t there many Heavenly Immortals and Human Immortals from the feathered race waiting for selection? Today, the Phoenixes had set a bad example. Tomorrow, other lineages might come knocking, and she would be annoyed to death. She now had a perfect solution. As for whether those below would suffer, what did that have to do with her? Using her authority as the Celestial Feather Minister, she posted an announcement on the Chaos Mirror: All members of the feathered race serving in the Celestial Feather Ministry or waiting for selection were to participate in an assessment at the Celestial Feather Hall in three days. Those who were absent or late would be considered to have abandoned their positions.

The announcement sent the Chaos Mirror into a frenzy.

— Am I seeing things? What does this mean?

— Assessment? What kind of assessment?

— Can someone from the Celestial Feather Ministry explain?

Bi Feng was also dumbfounded.

He couldn’t understand Feng Chiyue’s motives.

He had a choice: ask Feng Chiyue directly or inquire with the Heavenly Mechanism Department. He chose the latter. Soon, the Heavenly Mechanism Department gave him an answer: They didn’t know. As long as it didn’t interfere with their own affairs, they wouldn’t concern themselves with Feng Chiyue’s actions.

Shortly after, a glowing name seal appeared below the announcement. It belonged to Chu Yi, the Emperor’s Daughter, from Qingjun Palace.

“Feng Chiyue has certainly become more sensible after the East Abode Master’s death,” Chu Yi commented casually. She knew that some wandering immortals liked to assess their disciples, but in the Heavenly Court, where connections reigned supreme, it was difficult to implement. Regardless of whether Feng Chiyue succeeded or failed, she decided to show her support.

In the crevice on the battlefield between the Immortal and Demon Realms.

Ming Jian Su sat cross-legged on a cushion, a long sword resting on her lap. She trailed her fingers across the phoenix feathers, thinking to herself that they couldn’t possibly be as soft as her junior sister’s. But then again, Feng Chiyue never transformed into her true form in front of her. Touching her feathers was an impossible dream. A bittersweet feeling welled up in her heart. She took out the Chaos Mirror.

Feng Chiyue was trending again!

Ming Jian Su gritted her teeth. This was bad. She couldn’t wait any longer. Feng Chiyue was about to turn the heavens upside down. If she didn’t return to the Heavenly Court soon, the mess would be impossible to clean up!

As she stood up, strands of sword intent wrapped around her legs like silver threads.

Ming Jian Su: “…”

The sword contained an inheritance. As expected, there was no such thing as a free lunch.

The sword hummed, rising and falling.

Ming Jian Su understood. It was reminding her that her fifteen-minute break was over.

But she had only taken a quick glance! How was it already fifteen minutes?

Chapter 23

The faint sword intent echoed within the narrow crevice. Ming Jian Su stared at the sword, which was clearly a treasure, her mind racing.

Undefeated was with Feng Chiyue.

She needed a sword, and heaven had delivered one to her. As expected, the heavens favored her.

A sword without an owner was hers for the taking. However, she needed to replace the phoenix feathers. Feng Chiyue would definitely be unhappy seeing them. But they were so beautiful. Feng Chiyue had never been willing to give her any of her feathers. How could she convince her to willingly offer some to decorate the sword?

Lost in thought, Ming Jian Su continued forward. She didn’t care which demon the skeleton belonged to. With a single palm strike, she shattered the remains into dust and flicked her sleeve to disperse the particles. The sword remained firmly embedded in the ground, its sword intent growing stronger.

The sword’s spirit had weakened over the centuries, but even a sliver of it remained. Anyone who wanted to subdue it would have to put in some effort. Ming Jian Su cultivated the sword path. In the past, she had only had Undefeated, but now, seeing this sword, she suddenly felt like having another one wouldn’t be a bad thing. She circled the sword twice, then finally reached out to draw it.

The moment she touched the hilt, sharp sword intent erupted, and a buzzing sword hum filled the air. The ground trembled, and rocks tumbled down, sealing off the narrow passage she had come from. Ming Jian Su paid no attention. She was focused on the sword, testing its strength. The instant she grasped the hilt, she knew.

The sword’s name was Eternal Calamity. Its owner was Suxin Jianzhu, known for slaying the previous Demon Sovereign, Ming Ji.

Why wasn’t Suxin Jianzhu’s sword called “Suxin”? The thought crossed her mind but quickly vanished.

Ming Jian Su didn’t dwell on it. She gazed at the sword, its history filled with glory. Good, it was hers now.

Back in Dong’e Mountain, Undefeated, resting on its ornate sword rack, suddenly leaped into the air, buzzing angrily.

Feng Chiyue, half asleep, casually flicked a pine nut at the sword and mumbled, “What’s all the noise about?” Undefeated, sensing the approaching projectile, tried to dodge, but the pine nut split into several pieces, blocking its path. With a soft thud, the nut disintegrated into powder upon contact with the blade. Undefeated trembled and flew to Feng Chiyue’s side, poking the bed with its tip. But Feng Chiyue ignored it.

Undefeated: “…” Still sleeping! Its owner had found a new love!

The next day.

Feng Chiyue arrived at the Celestial Feather Hall.

As usual, she placed Undefeated on the head table and found a sunny spot to settle down, continuing her entertainment on the Chaos Mirror.

Undefeated was filled with resentment but didn’t dare disobey Feng Chiyue. Its owner had found a new love. If it didn’t work hard, wouldn’t the newcomer steal its place? What if its owner abandoned it? Where would it find another skilled sword cultivator?

While Feng Chiyue slept soundly, Bi Feng, the Junior Minister of the Celestial Feather Ministry, spent the night deep in thought. He had spent an entire day as a “stamping fairy,” and it had brought him nothing but trouble. He couldn’t let Feng Chiyue push him around like this again. He no longer feared the sword intent in the documents. His clan had given him a “Sword Devouring Jade.” As long as the sword intent didn’t exceed the jade’s absorption limit, it would absorb it all.

In his quarters, Bi Feng carefully took out the Sword Devouring Jade. He now had the confidence to oppose Feng Chiyue. He would reject everything she approved. He picked up the topmost document and scanned through it, his expression changing abruptly. The application was from a Phoenix named Feng Bu Liu. According to the old rules of the Heavenly Court, the waiting period for selection was three years. However, the Phoenixes had been deliberately suppressed, and it had already been five years. He should have become an attendant long ago. Bi Feng had assumed Feng Chiyue would approve the application, but a large cross marked the document, rejecting it outright.

How did Feng Chiyue, or rather, Undefeated, review these documents? Was it based on mood? He couldn’t understand, but it didn’t stop him from feeling pleased. He slammed the Minister’s seal down and immediately sent an attendant to deliver the document to Phoenix Mountain. He had a brilliant idea. He couldn’t deal with Feng Chiyue, so he would let the Phoenixes handle her. Now that she was the Minister, did the Phoenixes think their chance to rise again had come? How unfortunate. A Phoenix raised outside their ranks would never be one of them.

In Phoenix Mountain.

Although they hadn’t seen any preferential treatment from Feng Chiyue, the Phoenixes still harbored a faint hope. They didn’t expect to be favored, but at least they could be treated fairly, right? After the East Abode Master’s death, they had sent a considerable amount of Cinnabar Jade and treasures to Dong’e Mountain.

Feng Bu Liu was one such hopeful Phoenix.

He was capable and talented, considered one of the best in his clan. However, he had been waiting in the Heavenly Court for five years, still a mere candidate, not even an attendant.

“Senior Brother, Senior Brother, the document is here!” A fluffy little Phoenix, carrying the document in its beak, flew in so hastily that it tumbled on the ground. It flapped its wings, got back on its feet, and crashed into Feng Bu Liu’s arms.

Feng Bu Liu’s face lit up. “Did it pass?” he murmured. In the past, the Celestial Feather Ministry wouldn’t even respond to him. They would just hold onto his application, neither approving nor rejecting it. He had inquired several times, but the answers he received were always vague and dismissive. Now that the document had finally arrived, he didn’t think too much about it, assuming his long wait was finally over.

But when he eagerly opened the document, he was struck by a bolt from the blue. The joy on his face vanished, replaced by a deathly pallor. His hand trembled violently. After a long silence, he let out a strangled cry, as if he had been dealt a heavy blow.

“Junior Brother?” Feng Yao happened to be passing by. She looked at the devastated Feng Bu Liu, her eyes filled with concern.

“F-Feng Chiyue… she… she rejected my application!” Feng Bu Liu’s eyes were bloodshot, his voice filled with resentment. “Is she even a Phoenix?”

Although Feng Yao also thought Feng Chiyue was a good-for-nothing, she still tried to defend her. “Most of the officials in the Celestial Feather Ministry are from Danxue Mountain. I heard that even the Minister’s seal is in Bi Feng’s possession. She might be the Minister, but she’s alone and outnumbered. She can’t withstand the pressure from those villains from Danxue Mountain.”

Feng Bu Liu disagreed. He chuckled coldly. “Wasn’t she alone and outnumbered when she attacked the Supreme Palace? And when she targeted the other gate emissaries? But she didn’t back down. I think she’s just holding a grudge, angry that we drove her out of Phoenix Mountain.” He paused, then said, his voice tight with anger, “I can’t let this go! I’m going to confront her and demand an explanation!”

Feng Yao frowned, worried that he would do something rash. “I’ll go with you,” she said quickly.

 

Chapter 22

Scolded by Feng Chiyue and pressured by the other members of the feathered race, Bi Feng lost all his enthusiasm. He felt like all his efforts were for nothing. He decided to just give in to Feng Chiyue and stamp all the documents she sent him. As for those who were dissatisfied with the decisions, they could take it up with Feng Chiyue!

Feeling vindicated, Bi Feng returned to Danxue Mountain with a spring in his step. However, before he even reached his clan’s territory, he was intercepted by a group of Heavenly Immortals from the feathered race. Those who served the Heavenly Court were called immortal officials, including those who were still in the selection process and hadn’t been assigned a position yet. They were waiting to become attendants, and the attendants were hoping to be promoted to emissaries. All these transitions were handled by the Heavenly Mechanism Department. Feng Chiyue’s sudden transfer to the Celestial Feather Ministry had given them hope that Bi Feng could pull some strings, but he had turned out to be useless!

Bi Feng’s smile vanished under their barrage of accusations, his smugness replaced by a different emotion. He couldn’t understand what he had been thinking before.

Back in Dong’e Mountain, Zhu Wan was also asking Feng Chiyue about the situation at the Celestial Feather Ministry.

She was truly afraid of another incident like the Morning Sun Assembly’s siege. Last time, they had been in the wrong, targeted for their own misdeeds. But if it happened again, would they be so lucky? Zhu Wan pondered for a moment and arrived at an answer: They might actually be.

Feng Chiyue’s cultivation was more profound than she had imagined. And if her Master wasn’t dead… she would probably twist the heads off anyone who dared to offend Feng Chiyue. As for reason and logic, those were meaningless.

Feng Chiyue glanced at Zhu Wan, her expression impatient. However, she had already vented her anger outside and was still in a relatively good mood, so she didn’t bother scolding her.

Zhu Wan knew from that look that she was being annoying. She quickly shut her mouth, not wanting to provoke Feng Chiyue. To her surprise, however, Feng Chiyue didn’t mock her. She sighed in relief. Then, Feng Chiyue’s lazy voice reached her ears.

“Are you asking how I made Bi Feng obey?”

Zhu Wan’s eyes lit up, her curiosity piqued. She nodded vigorously.

Feng Chiyue extended her hand.

Zhu Wan stared at it, confused. “Your fist?” she murmured.

“Cinnabar Jade,” Feng Chiyue corrected.

Zhu Wan: “…” Her first thought was that Feng Chiyue had bribed Bi Feng, but then she remembered that no one, except her Master, could actually use her money. So she was asking for Cinnabar Jade? Zhu Wan pondered for a moment, then took out a piece of Cinnabar Jade and placed it gently in Feng Chiyue’s palm.

Feng Chiyue closed her hand, not complaining about the small amount. She patiently explained, “All birds pay homage to the Phoenix. The Phoenix lineage possesses a technique called ‘Virtuous Sound.’”

Zhu Wan took out another piece of Cinnabar Jade. “If it’s so powerful, why are the Phoenixes in such a state?”

“The power of the technique depends on the strength of both parties.” Feng Chiyue paused, then chuckled disdainfully. “Besides, those Phoenixes… what could they possibly achieve?”

Zhu Wan blinked. It was clear that Feng Chiyue still held a grudge and didn’t hide her disdain for Phoenix Mountain. But even now, wasn’t Phoenix Mountain still somewhat reliable? Taking advantage of Feng Chiyue’s good mood, Zhu Wan couldn’t help but voice her thoughts.

Feng Chiyue smiled. “Besides the dead, nothing is reliable.”

Zhu Wan: “…” Were they talking about the same thing? Was this “dead person” a reference to her Master? Although Feng Chiyue didn’t show it, she must be missing her Master dearly. Otherwise, why would she suddenly go crazy and cause trouble everywhere? Her gaze softened with sympathy. She sighed and said sincerely, “Immortal Monarch, Master must still be alive. Even facing the Demon Sovereign, Master wouldn’t lose, let alone anyone else. She must be trapped somewhere we haven’t found yet.”

Feng Chiyue raised an eyebrow. “Do you know who the Demon Sovereign is?” After the previous Demon Sovereign, Ming Ji, was slain, the Demon Abyss was in chaos, with no leader. The Heavenly Court avoided talking about those matters. Someone like Zhu Wan, a clueless nobody, couldn’t possibly know what was happening in the Demon Abyss.

Zhu Wan had blind faith in Ming Jian Su. “No matter who it is, they wouldn’t be a match for Master.”

Feng Chiyue fiddled with the two pieces of Cinnabar Jade for a while before speaking. “The current leader of the Demon Abyss is a fox. She wasn’t born a demon.”

Zhu Wan was surprised. “A fox? From Qing Qiu?”

“Yes,” Feng Chiyue confirmed. She took another piece of Cinnabar Jade from Zhu Wan and continued, “A purebred nine-tailed white fox from Qing Qiu. Her name is Tushan Liusu. She was the Holy Maiden of Qing Qiu before she fell into darkness.”

Zhu Wan was puzzled. “Why did she fall?”

Feng Chiyue said slowly, “That lecherous old fool wanted to force her to become his Heavenly Consort. So…” She trailed off, looking at the gossip-hungry Zhu Wan with an expression of amusement.

“So what?” Zhu Wan asked.

“So the second war between immortals and demons is inevitable. If you don’t want to die, stop wandering around and focus on your sword practice. There won’t be another Phoenix to sacrifice for a ‘Fall of the Phoenix’ pact between the two realms.” A hint of mockery flickered in her eyes. She looked at the horrified Zhu Wan and said coldly, “But perhaps a ‘Sacrifice of Heaven’ pact is possible.”

Zhu Wan wasn’t completely stupid. Hearing the emotionless tone of that last sentence, she quickly realized that “Heaven” referred to the Heavenly Emperor. She had no respect for him. She looked around, making sure no one was listening, and lowered her voice. “If the Heavenly Emperor becomes a captive, who will be the new Emperor? Do you want to be Emperor?”

“Why would I bother?” Feng Chiyue said impatiently.

Zhu Wan chuckled awkwardly, thinking to herself, wasn’t that exactly what she was doing? Even her documents were being reviewed by Undefeated.

Undefeated truly lived up to its name. It was unique in the entire Immortal Realm.

It could handle documents and decapitate enemies. When would her own sword reach such a level?

After sending Zhu Wan away, Feng Chiyue didn’t watch plays on the Chaos Mirror. Instead, she stood by the window, gazing at the enormous peach tree outside.

The wind blew, scattering peach blossoms on the ground, covering the green grass. A few petals landed on the windowsill, trembling delicately.

Ming Jian Su had planted this peach tree. It bloomed all year round.

Feng Chiyue flicked her sleeve, brushing away the petals that had fallen on the table. She frowned slightly.

Enjoying the flowers together was romantic. Doing it alone was… pathetic.

Ming Jian Su had promised to watch the flowers bloom and wither with her. It was all a lie.

On the battlefield between the Immortal and Demon Realms.

Ming Jian Su’s ears felt hot. She rubbed her forehead and continued searching for a suitable location to stage her “unfortunate demise.” Her efforts paid off. After days of searching, she finally found a crevice near the Demon Abyss. A wave of turbid energy washed over her, making it difficult to breathe. Suddenly, she sensed a faint trace of sword intent, pure and righteous, unlikely to belong to a demon.

Could it be that a fellow immortal had fallen here? She muttered to herself and cautiously followed the sword intent. After walking for about a hundred feet, she saw a headless skeleton impaled by a simple-looking six-foot-long sword. Three phoenix feathers were tied to the pommel, swaying gently in the wind.

Ming Jian Su’s eyelids twitched, her mind filled with questions.

Whose sword was this? The demonic energy lingering on the skeleton was faint. The flesh had completely decayed, indicating it had been here for centuries.

Chapter 21

The Celestial Feather Ministry was located in the southeast corner of the Heavenly Mechanism Department’s complex.

Feng Chiyue left early that day, deliberately taking a detour past the heavenly gates. Seeing her former colleagues’ ashen faces brought a smile to her lips as she drove her chariot towards the Celestial Feather Ministry. The main office of the Heavenly Mechanism Department was mostly staffed by humans, but the Celestial Feather Ministry was different. Hardly any humans could be found there. It was filled with members of the feathered race: Vermilion Birds, Golden Pheasants, Swan Geese, Bifangs… They bowed to her reluctantly, their faces grim. Feng Chiyue didn’t care about their true feelings. Seeing their displeasure brought her joy.

It turned out that watching others seethe with resentment was quite satisfying.

Second only to being with Ming Jian Su.

Upon entering the main hall of the Celestial Feather Ministry, Feng Chiyue saw Bi Feng sitting at the head of the table, dealing with documents. He didn’t even look up. Immortals had sharp senses. Unless someone deliberately concealed their presence, how could he not sense her arrival? He was doing this on purpose, trying to intimidate her. His mind wasn’t on the documents. He was secretly wondering how long it would take for Feng Chiyue to lose her temper.

But after a long silence, he still hadn’t heard anything. He frowned, about to look up, when a sharp “crash” echoed from outside the hall. It wasn’t Feng Chiyue’s voice. Was she throwing a tantrum outside? He waited, expecting the commotion to escalate, but instead, an eerie silence fell. After a quarter of an hour, Bi Feng couldn’t hold back any longer. He stood up and walked outside.

There was nothing unusual.

But the expressions on the faces of the immortal attendants were strange.

Bi Feng followed their gazes and looked up. The large plaque above the main hall was gone! He questioned them and learned that Feng Chiyue had taken it down! Stunned, he rushed towards the direction they pointed. He found the plaque, with the three characters “Celestial Feather Hall” written in bold calligraphy, hanging above the side hall. As for the original plaque of the side hall, it lay abandoned on the ground.

Bi Feng: “…” He had imagined all sorts of scenarios, but this was beyond anything he had anticipated. He took a deep breath, suppressing his boiling rage, and strode into the hall. The first thing he saw was a gleaming sword resting on the head table! Its tip was carefully dipped in ink, swiftly writing on the documents. The resentment emanating from the sword transformed into sharp sword intent that filled the hall, shaking the surrounding formations. Bi Feng had no doubt that if he took another step forward, he would be pierced through the heart. He discreetly retracted his foot and followed the sound of laughter to Feng Chiyue’s couch.

She was reclining on the couch, playing with the Chaos Mirror. She seemed to be watching something amusing, laughing heartily. Bi Feng suddenly felt like he should bring her a plate of fruits and melon seeds.

“Minister!” he finally snapped.

“Is something the matter?” Feng Chiyue frowned, interrupted from her entertainment. She glared at Bi Feng, her expression annoyed. Undefeated on the table hummed in response, its cold light flashing like snow. The single sword hum triggered a chorus of responses from the sword intent within the hall. It wasn’t just one sword. It felt like thousands upon thousands of swords, swirling like a meteor shower. Bi Feng, chilled to the bone, quickly withdrew his hand from the doorframe. He didn’t want to lose a finger!

“You’ve just taken office, Minister. You might not be familiar with the affairs of the Celestial Feather Ministry. Would you like me to give you a tour?”

In Feng Chiyue’s mind, his words translated to two simple words: “Work.”

“No, thank you,” she refused curtly. She glanced at Undefeated and said, “These documents were given to me by the attendants. I’ve already reviewed them. You can take them back and stamp them.”

Bi Feng: “…” Reviewed by her? Did she think he was blind? It was clearly the sword that had reviewed them. But how had the East Abode Master trained her sword? Why could it do her work for her? Before he could ponder further, a stack of documents flew towards him like snowflakes. He hastily reached out and gathered them in his arms. It wasn’t until he returned to his own quarters that he remembered the plaque incident. And Feng Chiyue hadn’t mentioned the Minister’s seal. The excuses he had prepared were useless.

“Junior Minister, what should we do?” an attendant asked anxiously.

Bi Feng didn’t answer. He sighed and took out the Minister’s seal. He opened a document and saw that there were no written comments, only check marks or crosses. Because Undefeated had handled them, the documents were imbued with sharp sword intent. Bi Feng was dissatisfied with Feng Chiyue’s decisions. All the personnel changes from Danxue Mountain had been rejected. Was she deliberately opposing them? He couldn’t stamp and issue these documents. He closed the file with a frown.

Suddenly, the sword intent within the document surged, transforming into a blinding sword light that shot towards his face. Even with his quick reflexes, a long, thin cut appeared on his cheek. His pent-up anger exploded. He jumped to his feet and roared, “Feng Chiyue!”

A timid knock came from the door. Another attendant entered cautiously, bowed to Bi Feng, and stammered, “T-The Minister asked me to inform you, J-Junior Minister, that the M-Minister’s seal can suppress the sword intent.”

The implication was clear. Every document was imbued with sword intent. If he didn’t stamp them, the sword intent would lash out. Did Feng Chiyue think this would make him submit? Bi Feng chuckled coldly, wiping the blood from his cheek and bringing it to his lips. He pointed at the attendant. “Come here,” he said, his voice menacing.

The attendant shuffled forward nervously and, under Bi Feng’s orders, opened and closed a document. The sword intent within surged, filling the hall and rushing towards Bi Feng! As long as a single trace of sword intent remained in the document, every time it was opened and closed, it would activate, targeting him specifically! Bi Feng’s face darkened as he realized this.

Who could have imagined that Feng Chiyue would use such a method against him?

Fine, he would just ignore the documents! Did she think she could control him like this?

Bi Feng enjoyed his freedom for less than two days before Feng Chiyue showed up at his door.

Her expression was calm, her demeanor regal and elegant.

“I heard you haven’t issued any documents these past two days. What’s the matter? Are you getting old and forgetful? If you can’t handle the workload, we can find a younger official to replace you.”

“I thought you were experienced and capable, but it seems you’re just another incompetent fool, wasting your position and disappointing my expectations. How disappointing.”

Bi Feng’s ears buzzed, his vision blurring. He felt like he truly was an incompetent and useless immortal.

It wasn’t until the clear, articulate scolding ended that he snapped out of it.

Wait a minute, what right did Feng Chiyue have to criticize him?!

How had he been swayed by her words? Her tone was different from before. Could she be using the Phoenixes’ “Virtuous Sound” technique? Impossible. The Phoenix lineage rarely mastered this royal technique, and someone as wicked as Feng Chiyue couldn’t possibly use “Virtuous Sound.”

Chapter 20

Although her past impressions had been shattered, Ming Jian Su believed that she was still the person who understood Feng Chiyue the best in the entire Immortal Realm.

Feng Chiyue was arrogant and self-centered. She would never get along with the other immortal officials. The Heavenly Court was full of pompous old fools. If Feng Chiyue encountered one, she might humiliate them mercilessly—or rather, she might make them disappear from her sight. After all, she wasn’t hiding anymore, and she had Undefeated to protect her.

Ming Jian Su channeled her consciousness into the Chaos Mirror and carefully searched for the announcement from the Heavenly Mechanism Department.

It wasn’t a rumor. The Star Monarch had promoted Feng Chiyue from Morning Sun Emissary to Minister of the Celestial Feather Ministry. Within the Heavenly Mechanism Department, apart from its main office, there were three major departments: the Celestial Feather Ministry, the Four Seas Ministry, and the White Tiger Ministry. They managed the promotions of non-human immortals from the feathered race, the aquatic race, and the beast race, respectively, and had a high degree of autonomy. The Ministers held a position second only to the Star Monarch and his deputy, the Junior Monarch. It was a coveted position, often leading to power struggles and infighting. For the past thousand years, the position of Celestial Feather Minister had always been held by a Heavenly Immortal from the Vermilion Bird lineage. The Star Monarch promoting Feng Chiyue to this position was clearly a malicious act.

He wasn’t senile. He was deliberately being cruel! Damn him! Why were there so many villains in the Heavenly Court?

She had to return.

But if she went back like this, Feng Chiyue would definitely mock her. And the Heavenly Court might force her to write a ten-thousand-word report explaining her absence. It would be different if the Heavenly Court came looking for her. She could arrange a suitable location, and the officials would understand what had happened without her having to say a word. But they all believed she was dead and wouldn’t bother searching for her. She needed to leave a clue on the battlefield between the Immortal and Demon Realms.

After a moment of contemplation, Ming Jian Su took out a brush and paper and wrote five characters.

She infused the paper with several layers of magical power and embedded numerous formations to protect it from the elements.

In South Vermilion Mountain.

Chang Li sat on her jade throne, her gaze fixed on the center of the hall. Nine lamps burned silently, their flames flickering in the wind, casting long, distorted shadows of the figures seated behind the bronze table, making them look like monstrous creatures lurking in the darkness.

“The Heavenly Mechanism Department has already made the announcement. Both the Star Monarch and the Heavenly Emperor have stamped their seals. The matter is settled and cannot be changed,” Chang Li said calmly.

However, the Vermilion Bird elders weren’t as calm. “Didn’t we agree that the position of Celestial Feather Minister would be reserved for Zhu Yuan Yuan?” one of them asked through gritted teeth. They had swallowed their pride when Zhu Huai Xuan was kidnapped because mere insults were harmless. But this was different. Feng Chiyue’s existence threatened their interests in Danxue Mountain!

“I can’t interfere with the decisions of the Heavenly Mechanism Department,” Chang Li said, opening her eyes slightly.

“What if Feng Chiyue can’t take up the position?” another elder asked, looking up suddenly. His face flickered in the dancing candlelight.

Chang Li chuckled briefly, leaning forward slightly. “Are you confident that you can intercept her in Dong’e Mountain or Kunlun Mountain?” she asked.

The Vermilion Bird elders fell silent. They had been waiting to watch the show, but the Morning Sun Assembly had turned out to be so useless, wiped out by the Emperor’s Daughter alone. It made them, who had always feared the Morning Sun Assembly, seem incompetent.

“She has Undefeated,” Chang Li murmured.

The very name “Undefeated” reeked of arrogance, but Ming Jian Su truly had the skills to back it up. Among all the Human Immortals who had ascended to the Heavenly Court, perhaps only one could compare to her. Distant memories flooded back, a recurring nightmare haunting her mind. Chang Li’s expression hardened. She massaged her forehead and said, “You all know what happened on the Morning Sun Continent. Feng Chiyue broke the unspoken rules, and the other gate emissaries couldn’t tolerate her, so they transferred her to the Celestial Feather Ministry.” She suspected that the Star Monarch was trying to get back at her, but she didn’t need to tell the elders that.

“So you’re saying that if the officials in the Celestial Feather Ministry refuse to cooperate, we can kick her out?” one of the elders asked, an idea forming in his mind.

“Why not try?” Chang Li said.

“The Junior Minister of the Celestial Feather Ministry is from the Bifang lineage.”

“Phoenix Mountain has no significant officials in the Celestial Feather Ministry. It’s all our people from Danxue Mountain. We can just isolate Feng Chiyue and leave her with an empty title.”

…

The Vermilion Bird elders discussed their plans, while Chang Li’s figure, like a dying flame, slowly faded away.

In Danxue Mountain, within the territory of the Bifang lineage, they were also discussing the new Minister of the Celestial Feather Ministry. Bi Feng, their leader, was the Junior Minister, the deputy to the Minister. He had assumed that with the position vacant, he would be promoted, but the Vermilion Birds had other plans, intending to install one of their younger members. Bi Feng was unwilling to be subordinate to a junior. The Bifang had joined the Vermilion Birds in their rebellion, but they hadn’t become their servants. It wasn’t until the Vermilion Birds offered him a sufficient quantity of “Fire Li Stone” that he relented.

Who could have imagined that Feng Chiyue would suddenly appear, ruining the Vermilion Birds’ plans?

But compared to being under the thumb of the Vermilion Birds, having a Phoenix as his superior was even more unbearable. The word “betrayal” was etched into their souls. Seeing a Phoenix made them feel inferior. The shame and guilt that had festered for a thousand years, mixed with hatred and envy, had slowly transformed into ruthlessness and killing intent. Only by crushing the Phoenixes could they, as victors, truly find peace.

“Senior Brother, I believe you have the Minister’s seal?” a young Daoist priest, who looked no older than thirteen or fourteen, approached Bi Feng and asked.

Bi Feng nodded, his narrow eyes half-closed, a shrewd glint hidden behind his lazy demeanor. Since the previous Minister had been promoted, he had been handling all the affairs and keeping the seal, waiting to hand it over to the new Minister.

“Are we going to give it to her?” the young Daoist priest asked.

Bi Feng smiled but didn’t answer.

The position of Celestial Feather Minister had become a focal point of intrigue and hidden agendas.

Feng Chiyue, the new Minister, slept soundly until dawn, listening to Ming Jian Su’s voice.

Zhu Wan, however, hadn’t slept a wink. She was filled with unease. It was said that “the tree that stands out in the forest will be the first to be struck by the wind.” The Immortal Monarch’s rapid promotion from Emissary to Minister was unusual. If she had achieved some great feat, it would be understandable. But what had she done as the Morning Sun Emissary? She had obliterated all ascending cultivators from the Morning Sun Continent and gone around filing complaints against the other gate emissaries… Technically, she hadn’t violated any laws, but blending in and avoiding trouble was the way to survive.

Seeing Feng Chiyue walk out of the Dharma Hall, a confident smile on her face, Zhu Wan couldn’t help but offer some advice. “Immortal Monarch, ‘water that is too pure has no fish*,’” she said earnestly.

“Fish? What fish?” Feng Chiyue looked at Zhu Wan in surprise. “I don’t like fish. You can keep them.”

Zhu Wan: “…”

****************************************

Water that is too pure has no fish*: this idiom might suggest that a relationship or situation that is too perfect or too idealized can be unrealistic or unsustainable.

 

Chapter 19

Feng Chiyue left a parting remark, flicked her sleeve, and departed, as if she had merely been passing by.

Throughout the day, the other gate emissaries had been thoroughly spooked, their complaints echoing through the heavens. However, they didn’t have the time to deal with Feng Chiyue. The immortals who had previously bribed them with Cinnabar Jade and rare fruits were also furious. They refused to listen to any explanations and demanded the return of everything they had given, along with compensation for their losses. It took several days for the gate emissaries to resolve the situation, their faces covered in soot and ashes.

Seeing Feng Chiyue’s carefree and contented demeanor, their resentment grew. They joined forces and submitted a petition to the Heavenly Mechanism Department, demanding her removal from office. They couldn’t use the rules against her, as their own actions had been improper. Instead, they accused her of negligence, laziness, and not fulfilling her duties as a gate emissary.

The Star Monarch of the Heavenly Mechanism Department had long wanted to get rid of Feng Chiyue. However, the Morning Sun Assembly, on whom he had placed his hopes, had been completely wiped out. He could only find another way. Receiving the petition from the other gate emissaries, he seized the opportunity and summoned Feng Chiyue to the hall for questioning.

Feng Chiyue, as always, showed no respect for authority. Upon arriving at the Heavenly Mechanism Department’s Dharma Hall, she casually pulled up a chair and sat down, looking even more imposing than the Star Monarch. The Star Monarch was furious, but he needed her cooperation. He forced down his anger and said sternly, “You’ve been accused of negligence. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Feng Chiyue raised an eyebrow. “Have I? I wasn’t aware.”

The Star Monarch: “…” He had never met an immortal with thicker skin than Feng Chiyue. He gave a signal, and an official beside him cleared his throat. “Since you became the Morning Sun Emissary, not a single cultivator has ascended. This is unprecedented.”

Feng Chiyue glanced at the official, her fingers tapping the armrest of her chair. “Does the Immortal Monarch think the Emperor’s Daughter has too much free time and needs some new members for the Morning Sun Assembly to practice on?” she asked casually.

The official was speechless. He tried again. “By registering their names and keeping them in the Heavenly Mechanism Department until they’re assigned a position, we prevent them from falling astray.” He sounded unconvincing, not even believing his own words. They had kept a few ascending cultivators from the Morning Sun Continent in the past, but without exception, they had all run away after a few months, showing no respect for authority.

“Alright,” Feng Chiyue said, as if she believed him. She stood up and said slowly, “I personally handled every ascension at the Morning Sun Gate, following the instructions of the Merit Mirror without any deviation. If there are no ascending cultivators from the Morning Sun Continent, perhaps they should reflect on themselves. The standard is set by the Heavenly Dao. How is it too strict? After all these years of cultivating their bodies and minds, have they truly been sincere in their efforts?”

The official: “…” He had no response. He turned helplessly to the Star Monarch.

Who actually followed the rules these days? Those who were too exemplary were the odd ones out.

“The Heavenly Mechanism Department punished some gate emissaries before, but they knowingly violated the rules. It seems they didn’t take the Star Monarch’s words seriously,” Feng Chiyue added, her tone icy, her intention to sow discord clear.

The most disobedient person in the entire Heavenly Mechanism Department was Feng Chiyue!

Disgust welled up inside the Star Monarch. He glared at the officials below, annoyed by their disobedience. At a time like this, they couldn’t even restrain themselves. Were they idiots, or were they doing this on purpose? His gaze slowly shifted to Feng Chiyue, and he deliberately released a bit of his aura. However, it was immediately met with a surge of sharp sword intent. With a loud crack, the Star Monarch’s seat shattered. Everyone gasped, including the Star Monarch himself. He stared at Feng Chiyue, who remained calm and composed. A buzzing sound filled his ears. He saw a blue sword hovering beside her.

It was Ming Jian Su’s Undefeated.

The Star Monarch’s pupils constricted. He masked his fear and said, “As the Morning Sun Emissary, you shouldn’t leave your post during your duty.”

Feng Chiyue replied calmly, “Then add that rule.” There was no strict attendance policy in the Heavenly Court. After all, some immortals sent their avatars or disciples to handle their duties while they stayed in their secluded retreats, focusing on other matters. She was the most dedicated and well-versed in the law.

The Star Monarch: “…” He felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. His desire to get rid of Feng Chiyue intensified. After a moment of thought, he said, “Immortal Monarch Feng, being a gate emissary is a waste of your talents.”

Feng Chiyue looked at him, surprised. “Is the Star Monarch planning to step down and yield his position?” she asked, offering him a sweet smile. “How self-aware of you.”

The Star Monarch felt dizzy with anger, regretting his decision to handle this personally. He should have just delegated the task to his subordinates. Now he was stuck facing Feng Chiyue, unable to argue or fight back. He forced a smile onto his stiff face. “The previous official in charge of the Celestial Feather Ministry has been promoted, and the position is currently vacant. We haven’t been able to find a suitable candidate. Would you be interested, Immortal Monarch Feng?”

The Celestial Feather Ministry was a department within the Heavenly Mechanism Department that managed the affairs of the feathered race. It oversaw the appointments and transfers of all feathered immortals and had a high degree of autonomy. The claim that they couldn’t find a suitable candidate was a lie. In reality, the feathered race had been fighting tooth and nail for this position. It had originally been promised to the Vermilion Birds, but Chang Li had played him, and he intended to return the favor. They wanted to fight? Fine, let the feathered race sort it out themselves!

Feng Chiyue knew the Star Monarch’s malicious intentions. She raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Very well.”

The Star Monarch: “…” Just get rid of her already.

Although Feng Chiyue hadn’t been completely kicked out of the Heavenly Mechanism Department, at least she wouldn’t be causing trouble at the heavenly gates anymore. The other gate emissaries sighed in relief. They had lost their desire for revenge and were now eager to see what new drama would unfold. The position of Celestial Feather Minister had always been held by a Heavenly Immortal from the four feathered lineages of Danxue Mountain. Now, for the first time, it had fallen into the hands of a Phoenix. Would the Vermilion Birds accept this?

When the news spread, the Vermilion Birds were indeed furious.

However, no one in Phoenix Mountain was celebrating either. They would have been happy with any other Phoenix taking the position.

But it was Feng Chiyue…

This wasn’t an opportunity for the Phoenixes to rise again. It was a nightmare they didn’t want to relive.

“Why her?” Feng Yao complained. After being scolded by Feng Chiyue before, she refused to go to Dong’e Mountain again. Feng Chiyue was doing just fine. She didn’t need their help. She had told the elders about Feng Chiyue’s words, but they had fallen into an eerie silence. Feng Yao realized that the past might not be as she knew it. The truth might shatter their understanding—but what did that have to do with Feng Chiyue? What right did she have to say those things?

In Asura City.

Ming Jian Su took out the Chaos Mirror as usual.

Many people were still discussing Chu Yi’s annihilation of the Morning Sun Assembly. No one mentioned her.

She searched for news about Feng Chiyue. Good, there were no rumors about the Emperor’s Daughter being entangled with her junior sister.

As she read, Ming Jian Su suddenly noticed something was amiss.

Why had Feng Chiyue been promoted? Had the Star Monarch gone senile?

Chapter 18

The annihilation of the Morning Sun Assembly was a cause for celebration.

Before the East Sea’s official report even reached the Heavenly Emperor, the Chaos Mirror was already abuzz with discussion. A wandering immortal living in seclusion on the East Sea even uploaded an image of the devastated Morning Sun Island.

— As expected of the Emperor’s Daughter! But is the spiritual energy of Morning Sun Island completely depleted? Is the Emperor’s Daughter truly that terrifying?

— The world has suffered under the Morning Sun Assembly for far too long!

— Haha, I was hoping to see Feng Chiyue suffer, but the Morning Sun Assembly turned out to be so useless. Wouldn’t it have been better if they had waited a few more days?

— Has anyone noticed that anyone who offends Feng Chiyue always suffers a terrible fate? It goes without saying when the East Abode Master was alive, but even after her death, Feng Chiyue’s life… is still quite comfortable.

— Is there something strange about Feng Chiyue? The Heavenly Court should investigate her!

Some people always wanted to see those in power fall from grace, but Feng Chiyue, carefree and content, shattered their fantasies with her strength.

They might as well dream if they wanted to see her suffer.

Zhu Wan, after finishing her sword practice, should have urged Feng Chiyue to go to the Morning Sun Gate early for her duty. However, seeing Feng Chiyue peacefully munching on melon seeds, her lips moved, but a different sentence came out. “I suspect Master isn’t dead.”

Feng Chiyue raised an eyebrow, a small flame flickering from her fingertip to incinerate the melon seed shell. She turned to Zhu Wan lazily and asked casually, “What makes you think that?” When the news of Ming Jian Su’s death had arrived, Zhu Wan had been the one crying the loudest. They hadn’t even found a body, yet they had declared Ming Jian Su dead. It was… typical of the Heavenly Court’s hasty judgment.

“The Morning Sun Assembly is dead,” Zhu Wan said, frowning. She looked at Feng Chiyue, who was sitting on the veranda. The morning sun bathed her in a golden glow, making her seem almost holy. Her brows were delicate, her eyes captivating. As long as she didn’t speak, she was a pearl of beauty, worthy of her title as the “Most Beautiful Woman in the Immortal Realm.”

“Didn’t they say Chu Yi killed them? What does that have to do with Ming Jian Su?” Feng Chiyue asked.

No insults. Zhu Wan sighed in relief. “If the Heavenly Court had the ability to eliminate the Morning Sun Assembly, why would they let them run rampant? They even interfered with the Heavenly Mechanism Department’s recruitment process. The Emperor’s Daughter also clarified on the Chaos Mirror that she wasn’t involved.” She paused, then added, “If there’s anyone in this world capable of doing such a thing, besides Master, I can’t think of anyone else.”

Feng Chiyue was in a good mood. She stretched lazily, grabbed Undefeated, and lightly swiped it across the ground. Without responding to Zhu Wan’s words, she summoned her golden chariot and flew out of the mountain.

Zhu Wan stared at the mark left by the sword intent. It was as if the sword intent had come to life, twisting and turning like a miniature figure demonstrating sword techniques. It was the exact move she had been practicing, the one she had been stuck on for a long time. She quickly replayed the movement in her mind, and suddenly, everything became clear. She practiced the move a few times, finally breaking through her bottleneck. Perhaps the Immortal Monarch wasn’t so bad after all.

At the Morning Sun Gate.

The two immortal attendants trembled, not daring to move without Feng Chiyue’s orders. The rumors about her on the Chaos Mirror were getting more and more outlandish, exceeding the realm of Heavenly Immortals and portraying her as some kind of terrifying monster.

Feng Chiyue found their incompetence irritating. Out of sight, out of mind. “Notify me when someone ascends,” she said before leaving.

The two attendants exchanged glances, relieved that the oppressive aura had lifted.

“Where is the Immortal Monarch going?”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s not us who’ll be bullied.”

The “monster” they had sent away didn’t return to Dong’e Mountain to laze around. Instead, she went to the nearby Vermilion Bright Gate, which received ascending cultivators from the Vermilion Bright Continent. When she arrived, a female cultivator had just successfully ascended after enduring the tribulation lightning. The Vermilion Bright Emissary was eloquently describing the wonders of the Heavenly Court, eager to register the female cultivator and send her to the Heavenly Mechanism Department.

He caught sight of Feng Chiyue out of the corner of his eye and remembered her previous actions. He couldn’t help but feel annoyed. It was something the Heavenly Mechanism Department had tacitly approved, but after she exposed it, she was rewarded, while they were penalized three months’ worth of salary. How could he not be angry? But if he started arguing with Feng Chiyue now, the duck he had almost caught would fly away. He had to suppress his anger.

“Wandering immortals might be free and unrestrained, but they have to find their own blessed lands and treasures. They wander the world, exposed to the elements. It’s a hard life. Being an immortal official in the Heavenly Court is different. You’ll be granted an immortal residence, attendants to take care of your needs, and access to countless scriptures and Daoist texts in the Wen Qu Treasure Pavilion–”

“Indeed,” a wistful voice interjected. The Vermilion Bright Emissary’s heart sank, but before he could stop her, Feng Chiyue’s laughter rang out.

“The ‘immortal residence’ is a tiny shack the size of a stable. The ‘attendants’ are yourself. As for your salary, after all the deductions, the amount of Cinnabar Jade you actually receive depends on your ability to flatter and fawn. And the Wen Qu Treasure Pavilion? Its doors might always be open, but you won’t be allowed in unless you’re there to clean.”

The newly ascended immortal was initially confused, then shocked and horrified. She had occupied an entire mountain in the mortal realm, with dozens of disciples serving her. Now, in the Heavenly Court, she would have to start as a cleaning maid? The immortal officials at the gate didn’t seem that much stronger than her. Glancing at the Vermilion Bright Emissary’s changing expression, she understood. She grabbed a brush and paper and wrote down two large characters: “Wandering Immortal”! This Heavenly Court wasn’t suitable for someone as straightforward as her.

Fury built up inside the Vermilion Bright Emissary. When he saw that the female cultivator had vanished, his anger reached its peak! He slammed his fist on the table, ready to unleash a torrent of curses, but when he looked up, Feng Chiyue was gone.

The wind whistled through the corridor, scattering the clouds.

Feng Chiyue, a mischievous smile playing on her lips, moved on to the Evergreen Gate.

There were no ascending cultivators here. The Evergreen Emissary and his attendants were happily playing with the Chaos Mirror. Feng Chiyue frowned, slightly bored. But just as she was about to leave, the Merit Mirror above the gate suddenly erupted in a brilliant light. The Evergreen Emissary and his attendants snapped out of their reverie.

“Who’s ascending this time?” the Evergreen Emissary asked without even bothering to look at the Merit Mirror.

“A cultivator from the Evergreen Sect. They sent a message earlier,” the attendant replied.

The Evergreen Emissary snorted and finally glanced at the Merit Mirror. After a moment, he exclaimed, “How many evil deeds did he commit? If we unleash the full force of the tribulation lightning, he’ll definitely die.”

“That’s why they asked you to be lenient,” the attendant said.

The Evergreen Emissary frowned, sighing heavily. “If we reduce it by thirty percent, do you think he’ll survive?” He paused, then shook his head and muttered, “Cinnabar Jade is so hard to earn. I wonder when I’ll be able to make up for the losses I suffered because of Feng Chiyue.”

“I-I-Imm–” the attendant stammered, his face pale.

“Stop stuttering!” the Evergreen Emissary snapped.

Feng Chiyue chuckled. “Perhaps he’s calculating how much more Cinnabar Jade you can afford to lose.”

The Evergreen Emissary looked up and froze, his expression as if he had seen a ghost: “…”

His hand trembled, and he accidentally increased the tribulation lightning by thirty percent instead of reducing it. In the blink of an eye, the ascending cultivator was obliterated, leaving no trace behind.

Why was that menace Feng Chiyue here?!