Chapter 12
In the Purple Empyrean Palace on Kunlun Mountain.
The Heavenly Emperor massaged his forehead as he looked at the documents on his desk.
He knew that the news of the East Abode Master’s death would cause some ripples, but he didn’t expect so much trouble in just three days. He did intend to find a new East Abode Master, but he didn’t want to erase all traces of Ming Jian Su so quickly. He cared about his reputation and didn’t want to hear complaints and criticism from wandering immortals. But if he let Feng Chiyue continue like this, who would be the next to come complaining? The Heavenly Emperor couldn’t help but think that Feng Chiyue was being unreasonable.
He had considered ordering the Phoenixes to rein her in, but everyone knew that Feng Chiyue had practically no contact with the Phoenix lineage. She was like a dodder vine clinging to a sturdy tree, inseparable from Ming Jian Su.
When an attendant reported that Chang Li, the South Vermilion Lord, sought an audience, the Heavenly Emperor’s first thought was that she was here to complain. He frowned but didn’t turn her away.
Chang Li entered the Purple Empyrean Palace gracefully and bowed to the Heavenly Emperor. “Is Your Majesty troubled by Master Feng’s recent actions?” she asked directly.
The Heavenly Emperor sighed. “She is, after all, the East Abode Master’s junior sister. I cannot treat her harshly. However, her behavior…” He shook his head, not finishing his sentence. He couldn’t put all the blame on Feng Chiyue. Why did those immortals provoke her in the first place? Was it as if his Heavenly Court couldn’t afford some Cinnabar Jade, elixirs, and refining materials?
Chang Li raised an eyebrow. “In the past, the East Abode Master provided for her, but things are different now. She cannot rely solely on her late sister’s legacy. Why not give her a position? Once she has a foothold in the Heavenly Court, Your Majesty can reclaim Dong’e Mountain or have her buy it back. Then no one can say anything.”
The Heavenly Emperor’s eyes lit up. “Excellent idea!” he exclaimed, clapping his hands together. But then his expression turned troubled. “The number of official positions is limited, and many Heavenly Immortals are already in line for promotion. I’m afraid there’s no place for Feng Chiyue.”
Chang Li said calmly, “Isn’t the position of Morning Sun Emissary in the Heavenly Mechanism Department vacant?”
The Heavenly Emperor: “…” That was a position that both Heavenly Immortals and Human Immortals avoided like the plague. The Morning Sun Emissary was responsible for receiving cultivators ascending from the Morning Sun Continent and was stationed at the Morning Sun Gate to register them. It was supposed to be a relatively leisurely job. However, the cultivators from the Morning Sun Continent were known for their unruly nature and quick tempers. They were quick to resort to violence, and the Morning Sun Gate had been destroyed several times. Even the previous Morning Sun Emissaries had been seriously injured. They had considered closing the gate, but there were also many wandering immortals from the Morning Sun Continent who had formed a powerful faction known as the Morning Sun Assembly. If they closed the gate and forbade cultivators from the Morning Sun Continent from ascending, they would surely cause trouble, and the Heavenly Court couldn’t afford that.
The Heavenly Emperor sighed. “I’m afraid Feng Chiyue’s cultivation is insufficient for such a task.” He feared that if she took on the position, she would be torn apart by the ascending Human Immortals.
Chang Li smiled. “Although the East Abode Master has fallen, her magic sword, Undefeated, is in Master Feng’s possession.”
The Heavenly Emperor looked at Chang Li in surprise. No one had told him about this. Feng Chiyue alone might not be reliable, but with Undefeated, could she really cause any major trouble? This arrangement would solve two problems at once. Pleased, the Heavenly Emperor immediately picked up his vermilion brush and wrote a decree, ordering a messenger to deliver it to Dong’e Mountain.
After Understanding was repaired, Feng Chiyue didn’t leave the Dharma Hall, as if trying to make up for lost time.
With her not going out and causing trouble, Zhu Wan was relieved. However, deep down, she couldn’t shake off a sense of unease. After all, this peace was borrowed. Sooner or later, Dong’e Mountain would belong to someone else.
She tried to talk to Feng Chiyue about their future plans, but Feng Chiyue had a way of blocking out all unwanted sounds. Compared to her previous taunts and sarcasm, Zhu Wan actually considered Feng Chiyue’s silence a blessing.
As she worried, the Heavenly Emperor’s decree arrived at Dong’e Mountain.
Feng Chiyue… well, Feng Chiyue didn’t even bother leaving the Dharma Hall to see the messenger. Instead, Undefeated shot out with lightning speed, snatching the decree from the stunned messenger’s hands, leaving behind only a white blur.
Zhu Wan: “…” She trembled in fear.
Between apologizing and playing dead, she resolutely chose the latter.
Inside the hall, Feng Chiyue was in a good mood, painting.
After listening to Ming Jian Su’s voice over and over again, a new desire had taken root in her heart. Perhaps insatiable greed was human nature. Now that she could hear the familiar voice, she yearned to see Ming Jian Su’s face. She had tried to get Undefeated to transform into Ming Jian Su’s likeness, but the sword, deeply offended, had refused. With no other choice, she could only resort to other methods, such as bringing her painting to life.
As long as she painted Ming Jian Su and used spiritual objects to nourish the artwork, wouldn’t the painted figure be able to walk out of the paper?
If she couldn’t have the real Ming Jian Su, she would create her own!
After adding the final stroke, Feng Chiyue hung the painting on the wall. However, she only had a moment to admire it before a whooshing sound cut through the air. A flash of silver sliced through the painting, tearing it to shreds.
Her “reunion” with Ming Jian Su was shattered.
Feng Chiyue wasn’t angry.
Undefeated spun around and tossed the decree it had been carrying at her feet.
Feng Chiyue frowned and sighed dramatically. “If only Elder Sister were here, she wouldn’t make me read this. She would read it to me.”
Undefeated buzzed in response, then shot out the window. It returned shortly after, dragging a reluctant Zhu Wan with it.
At first, Zhu Wan didn’t understand. But when Undefeated pointed its tip at the decree, realization dawned on her. This lazy bum couldn’t even be bothered to read a decree. Resigned to her fate, she picked up the decree and scanned through it. Her eyes widened in shock. “Master, the Heavenly Emperor has appointed you as the Morning Sun Emissary of the Heavenly Mechanism Department!”
The gate emissaries held a mid-level position in the Heavenly Court with considerable authority. They were often the target of flattery from ascending Human Immortals because they wrote evaluations in the immortal registry, which could affect their future prospects. Heavenly Immortals and Human Immortals alike would fight tooth and nail for the chance to become a gate emissary.
“Wait, the Morning Sun Gate? The Morning Sun Continent?” Zhu Wan shrieked, her initial delight replaced by a deathly pallor. If the other gate emissary positions were coveted, the Morning Sun Emissary position was a death sentence. The cultivators from the Morning Sun Continent were known for their powerful fists, bad tempers, and lack of ambition. After ascending, they banded together to form the Morning Sun Assembly, a notorious faction among the wandering immortals. Could Feng Chiyue really handle it? Wouldn’t she be injured within two days of taking office? But Feng Chiyue was notoriously lazy. She probably wouldn’t even accept the position, right?
“The Morning Sun Emissary?” Feng Chiyue raised an eyebrow, a spark of interest flickering in her eyes.
Zhu Wan’s heart skipped a beat. She wanted to hug Feng Chiyue’s leg and scream, “Don’t do it!”
Feng Chiyue continued, “Elder Sister once said that when she first ascended to the Immortal Realm, she was tricked by one of those gate emissaries. They promised her a carefree life after ascension, but it turned out to be worse than being a servant in the mortal realm.” A bright smile spread across her face. “It’s only right that I avenge Elder Sister!”
Zhu Wan: “…” She didn’t understand. What did other gate emissaries deceiving her Master have to do with Feng Chiyue becoming the Morning Sun Emissary?
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