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?
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