Chapter 393: The Final Finale
The heavenly voice came too suddenly, and it was even a female voice. The crowd of Deities and their little companions were all dumbfounded. After staring blankly in the air for a short while, they then regained their senses. The moment they digested the information, the entire Divine Realm instantly exploded.
The hell was a high level court? What’s this authority to mete out punishments? And where was this Divine Punishment Platform? When did Lightning Divine Palace start managing such things? Not to mention not a single discussion was made about this at all? Were they trying to take over the Divine Realm?
And what’s with this forbidding of all slaughtering activities? Though on the surface, the number of people killed for no reason in the Divine Realm was few, among those who could ascend and become Deities, who hadn’t stained their hands in blood? Furthermore, in secret, putting aside taking others’ lives, the number of measures they had taken to scatter souls and stop people from reincarnating were countless. Killing people and taking their treasures happened everywhere. With just a single announcement made by Lightning Divine Palace, they think it was possible to prohibit them from happening?
However, after experiencing the battle with Lightning Divine Palace back then, everyone knew that Lightning Divine Palace had birthed someone whose cultivation was comparable to a God’s. With this experience still fresh, for a moment, the Deities maintained a doubtful attitude. After all, cultivating was tough. If they were truly going to be banished to the mortal realm with their cultivation crippled, they couldn’t guarantee that they could make it back.
With thoughts of better being safe than sorry, the various Deities abided to the law for a period of time. The various sects in the continent had all commanded their disciples to restrain themselves, and even the Scattered Fif Hall that was formed by Wandering Deities issued several warnings. The internal conflicts within the sects were now kept rather low-key. Though there were several verbal conflicts, there hadn’t been a case where they actually truly made a move against each other.
The Divine Realm calmed down for a period of time, but this peace did not last for long.
As time passed, Lightning Divine Palace did not make anymore movements. Three months later, some people could no longer contain their urges, and there were traces of conflicts sprouting.
Another three months passed, yet there still wasn’t any movement made by the Lightning Divine Palace. The Deities felt at ease now, so they went and did anything they wanted. They had completely thrown the strange heavenly voice they heard on that day out of their heads, believing that this was all an elaborate display made by Lightning Divine Palace to exaggerate their authority. How could controlling the entire Divine Realm be an easy feat? Furthermore, who would know if someone committed murder? Unless Lightning Divine Palace could follow behind every single person every single day and watch their every move?
However, just when everyone felt at ease and began to continue on their quest to level up, fight monsters, kill Deities and rob treasures, a new heavenly voice resounded across the skies once more.
“Disciple of Advent Cloud Hall, Zhao Xiangyan, disciple of Thisthower Mountain, Wei Junxiang, disciples of Fluorescent Wind Clan, Ji Bo and Qian Ning, disciple of Soaring Enlightenment Palace, Chai Yunliang, and Wandering Deity Dongfang Xi. These six abovementioned people robbed the belongings of their victims and led to the deaths of the victims. They are convicted of murder, and shall receive their punishments at the Divine Punishment Platform of Lightning Divine Palace at noon tomorrow.”
These words were straight to the point, and there was not the least bit intention to give any further explanation. The Deities were only stunned for a short moment, and they immediately exploded right after. Putting aside those that came from the prestigious Deity Sects, among the names listed, there were two of them who came out of Lightning Divine Tower. Among the various Deity Sects, their names were widely known. Even if they were to make mistakes, they should be dealt with within their own sects. What right did Lightning Divine Palace have to convict others? Furthermore, they even had to have their celestial bones removed and be banished to the mortal realm. How could they allow that to happen?
No, they could not agree to it at all.
The various sects clamoured exasperatedly, and they were not going to hand over the convicts at all costs. There were even voices declaring another massive attack on Lightning Divine Palace. However, the clamour did not last for long. When the various sects investigated, they realized the six people had all disappeared.
Everyone was dumbfounded, and only then did they recall that the heavenly voice did not request them to hand over the convicts at all. They made the move on their own. What shocked the people even more, was the fact that some of them had seen the six people right before the heavenly voice rang. However, after the declaration made by the heavenly voice, they disappeared. What did this prove? This proved that Lightning Divine Palace could mysteriously bring away six people at different locations in an instant, and without anyone noticing either. Such capabilities were simply out of the Deities’ imagination.
The various sects began to feel a little afraid at that moment, and the thoughts of launching another attack on Lightning Divine Palace died down. Just like that, they made a ruckus for an entire day, and on noon of the second day, everyone headed towards Lightning Divine Palace while carrying different sentiments.
It wasn’t for trouble this time. Rather, they wanted to see just how big this trouble was. Naturally, there were many who harboured intentions of taking this opportunity to snatch whoever they could. There were after all two people among them who were High Deities that had entered Lightning Divine Tower, how could the Deity Sects bear to let them go? After all, even if the heavenly voice said that the six people had committed murder, evidence of their acts were still needed. Lightning Divine Palace wouldn’t possibly throw just anyone up onto the Divine Punishment Platform, right? The various Deity Sects had been in the Divine Realm for so many years, and each one of them had their own countermeasures. As long as they did not admit to their crimes, Lightning Divine Palace couldn’t possibly do anything to them either.
Lightning Divine Palace was rather generous this time, as there was not the slightest bit of obstruction, and had even openly brought down their barrier, allowing Deities to enter and exit freely. However, the moment the crowd arrived at the so-called Divine Punishment Platform, all of them were dumbfounded. The rebuttals that they had spent an entire day preparing, had all been swallowed back into their bellies.
It’s not because from witnessing the rumoured Divine Punishment Platform, but it was rather due to that white stone wall erected on the platform. It stood on the right of the platform, and six groups of videos were being played on loop on it. The main characters of the videos were the six people on the stage who had been binded like a dumpling with mystic arts. The videos that were being broadcasted were scenes of the six people murdering their victims and stealing their treasures.
The Deity Sects that were initially filled with confidence of getting back their disciples, instantly broke down. They silently looked for a corner to stand on, and acted like spectators among the crowd.
Other than the six convicts on the Divine Punishment Platform, a dozen other people were present as well. Other than a pink-robed woman at the back, the others were all people of Lightning Divine Palace that stood against them during the assault back then. Standing next to the woman was the person with immeasurable cultivation, who rained “dumplings” down onto the ground with just his power alone.
Strangely however, he was not the one in-charge, and the person standing at the center was instead the former Floor Master Yu Jin. Yu Jin did not seem to be in a good mood, as his expression was filled with bitterness. He was completely ignoring the increasing number of spectators, let alone giving them a warm welcome.
He raised his head and looked at the time. Right after, he solemnly said. “The time has come.” Then, with a wave of his sleeves, he straightforwardly pushed the six convicts to the center of the Divine Punishment Platform.
The six of them did not even have time to let out a scream when they disappeared without a trace. The auras of the six convicts had instantly been severed.
The Deities felt really conflicted.
“Why are you all still here?” Yu Jin’s tone was extremely venomous, as he swept a cold glance at the crowd. “Do you all wish to stay behind for lunch?”
The faces of the crowd stiffened. Those who rode on swords rode on swords, and those who rode on clouds rode on clouds, as every single one of them hurriedly left. The questions and suspicions that they had prepared for an entire day ended up stuck in their throats. Everything the heavenly voice had declared was true! Lightning Divine Palace really had a Divine Punishment Platform! Just by entering it, one would be sent into the recycling center. Furthermore, the heavenly might emitted from the platform could even leave the past Lighting Divine Tower to dust. It had to be known that heavenly might would only appear in places that were heavily influenced by the Heavenly Dao, and since the Divine Punishment Platform possessed heavenly might, it proved that it was birthed from the Heavenly Dao. Since Lightning Divine Palace did not seek the opinions of the various sects and pulled out such a stunt, they must have comprehended bits of the heavenly path from it.
The Deities could go against the Lightning Divine Palace, but who had the ability to retaliate against the Heavenly Dao? Thus… The Divine Realm’s second Lightning Divine Palace retaliation operation was once again declared a failure. From then on, the Deities understood that the prohibition was not a joke, and the number of deaths in the Divine Realm had a beeline drop. From that moment forth, the Divine Realm began to develop in a harmonious and beautiful direction.
Other than single person.
“Why me? Why is it still me? Why is it me again?” Yu Jin felt uncomfortable all over. The old ancestors of other sects were busy fighting to gain authority, but why was Lightning Divine Palace the exact opposite? “Why is Lightning Divine Palace still being managed by me? Even if we rank our aptitudes from top to bottom, or from bottom to top, I wouldn’t even get a turn, right?” With a face filled with bitterness, he tugged onto the person next to him who had the highest seniority around here. “Old ancestor, you have already returned from the tower, and since we are all your disciples and grand disciples, this Floor Master position should be returned to you, right?”
The old ancestor stroked his beard with a smile, and then patted on his shoulders. “I say, Little Jin! Though I’m the oldest here, my cultivation isn’t the highest. Furthermore, are you willing to see me continue working at my age?”
I’m willing!
“Also, it can be said to be fate that the Divine Punishment Platform appeared in our Lightning Divine Palace.” He said with a stern expression. “Furthermore, didn’t Little Yan and Little Yao explain to us? The heavenly path that they sensed was the reorganization of Divine Realm’s order. We Lightning Divine Palace are duty-bound to see it through.”
“What does whatever they sensed have to do with me?” Why am I executing everything? I want to cry so much.
Zhu Yao immediately turned around. “You’re our mighty and wise Floor Master, aren’t you? Who should we pass this important duty of protecting the Divine Realm to if not you?”
“Now that the tower is gone, why do I still have to a Floor Master?”
“Uh…” He made a lot of sense. “Why don’t we change the tile to… Platform Master?”
His expression turned darker. You’re the main character, your entire family is made of main characters!
“No, that can’t do. In any case, I’m done with being a Floor Master. Little Yanyan, the divine imprint is on your forehead, and you have the highest cultivation as well. No matter what, you should be the one taking this responsibility.” He switched targets and looked at Yu Yan, determined to not carry this burden. I want to escape, I want freedom, I want to live unrestrained.
“No, that can’t do!”
“Why?”
Yu Yan glanced at him, and coldly said. “Because you can’t beat me.”
“…” He was shot in the chest!
The hell, I really hate this type of people that goes according to facts.
“Then why not little little grand-disciple…”
“No, that can’t do!”
“Why?”
“Because you can’t beat my master.”
“…” The hell! This two husband and wife are bullying me!
“Master, let’s leave now! Otherwise, we won’t make it in time. They are about to close.” Zhu Yao pulled her master, and then turned and walked off.
“Mn.”Yu Yan nodded and held her hand in return.
Yu Jin was startled. “Wait a minute! Where are you two going?”
“Civil Affairs Bureau.”
Civil Affairs Bureau? What kind of Secret Realm is that?
Before he could even ask, the two had already completely disappeared.
————————————
Altering the Heavenly Dao was similar to changing the main engine of a game. Everything had to be changed. The Lightning Divine Tower had disappeared from the face of the Divine Realm, but there was now a Divine Punishment Platform that maintained order. However, the changes in the mortal realm could not be seen with the naked eyes.
Because of the closure of the Heavenly Doors, there was no longer anyone in the Three Realms who could breakthrough the Demigod stage and ascend. However, they slowly began to realize that after the Foundation stage, with every breakthrough, they had to face a heart-discovering trial. The content of the heart-discovering trial differed across people, and it usually came along with the lightning tribulations. There was only a single meaning behind this trial – do not forget your initial beliefs.
Other than that, with every improvement of a huge realm, the practitioners would also face a tribulation of karma, and they would all be absorbed into a karmic illusory realm. Those who conducted evil acts would receive the consequences of their actions in the illusory realms, and they would never be able to escape from the illusory realms. Instead, people with pure will and intentions who be able to clear the trial easily.
Furthermore, this trial was comparable to a heart demon, and could not be intervened in any way. Those who passed the trail would naturally grow further, while those who failed would easily lose their cultivation completely, with the worst case scenario being loss of life and entering the reincarnation wheel once more.
Cultivation reached an incredibly high level of difficulty for a short period of time. Practitioners labelled these two trials as the ‘cultivation of the heart’, and only by growing their state of mind together with their cultivation could they step into a higher cultivation realm.
Zhu Yao suddenly understood why Realmspirit decided to close all of the Heavenly Doors. If practitioners could hold fast to their beliefs and were unafraid of karma, then why would they be incapable of comprehending the path of ascension? The Heavenly Doors were indeed closed, but as long as one comprehended the path of ascension, then he could open the Door of Ascension himself. However, one would have to face more difficulties and spend even more time to study it, that’s all. This was especially so for the practitioners who were living in the era where the Heavenly Dao had just been updated.
However, time was something the current Three Realms had.
——————————
Modern era.
Two years later.
“Master, add two more dishes!” Zhu Yao put down her phone, turned to the kitchen and shouted. “Guoguo is coming over later for dinner.”
“Mn.” The person in the kitchen nodded.
Zhu Yao looked around. “Where’s Yue Ying? He was still here earlier.”
“Went out to buy soy sauce.” Yu Yan casually replied.
Zhu Yao was a little shocked that he took the initiative to buy soy sauce. He was making improvement. Back then when she first brought Yue Ying over to this world, probably because the environment was too foreign, he followed her around like her little tail like how he did when he was young. He was completely different from her master who had incredible curiosity and wanted to dismantle everything he saw.
However, two years had passed, and Yue Ying was much better now, and he could even go out on his own. She had all along known about Yue Ying’s problem, and had even though of many solutions as well, but she was not a professional. There were, however, professionals in her world!
Back then when she decided to make a movement permit for him, she had considered this point. That’s why, when they arrived on this side, she brought him to a psychologist several times. She had even crammed tons of knowledge regarding psychology into her mind, before she was able to slowly alter Yue Ying’s extremely stubborn personality.
Though he still did not like to talk to others, at the very least, he was not entirely rejecting everything outside of his world. He was becoming more of an actual little brother. Even the empress of her family liked Yue Ying a lot, treating him like her own son. Though when it came to Zhu Yao, the empress gave her many cold shoulders, as though she was the one who was picked up from the streets instead.
Yue Ying’s and Yu Yan’s identification problem was solved by the manager on this side. With Guoguo’s divine aid, he agreed without a single blink of his eyes. This proved how important it was to have a good homosexual buddy.
The matters over at the cultivation world were more or less solved. With Lightning Divine Palace being the legal authority of Divine Realm, the number of deaths had a beeline drop, and cases of murder and looting rarely appeared now. The number of opportunities for her master to make an appearance had decreased as well, and he had basically become the mascot-like existence in the Divine Realm. He would only show his face every once in a while when a stubborn convict were to appear. The number of fights in the Divine Realm reduced dramatically. Though there was no guarantee that these people who had gotten used to killing had truly changed for the better, at the very least, they were now behaving more like actual Deities.
Compared to her master, Yue Ying was walking on the path of an idol. Just as Realmspirit had warned, with the changes in the Heavenly Dao, when there was extreme kindness, there would be appearances of extreme evil as well. As the final boss monster of all Devils, Yue Ying had never appeared before a Devil, instead, he used the inheritance of devillic energy to directly imprint the existence of a Devil God in their minds. He thus became an existence to revere to, while at the same time he prevented the Devils from rebelling. It was similar to the bloodline inheritance of demonic beasts.
As for Zhu Yao, she was still running around the frontlines fixing bugs, and they were even bugs that Realmspirit had left behind back then. When she first started, dying from overwork was a legitimate concern of hers, and only recently did things finally calm down. It had been a long time since the system that checked for loopholes rang.
“Yaoyao.” A knocking sound could be heard from outside the door.
“That quick?” She had just dropped the call, right? Zhu Yao immediately opened the door. “Guoguo, you…”
Before she could even finish, Guoguo had already walked in and pulled her into the house as well. Her brows were furrowed, looking a little angry.
“Yaoyao, I’m going to live here for a few days. I won’t be going back for a while.”
“Ah?” Zhu Yao was stunned. What’s this now? “Does that person in your house know about this?” It had to be known that the manager in her house was not someone to be messed with.
“Don’t bring him up already. I want some peace and quiet in your home for two days. I don’t want to see him.”
“You guys got into a fight?”
Guoguo glanced at her. “You think the two of us would even get into a fight?”
“Uh…” Indeed. The person in her house was a typical wife’s slave, and the type that was completely without any morals as well. The eyes that he had for Guoguo looked as if he would kneel down and lick her feet at any moment. “Then why?”
Guoguo picked up a cup of water from the coffee table and gulped it down. Zhu Yao casually filled it up for her once more, and then poured one for herself.
“He brought back a person.” Guoguo said with a strange expression.
Zhu Yao’s heart sank. “Male or female?”
She pondered for a moment, and after awhile, she said. “Female…”
“The hell, he’s cheating now?” Zhu Yao suddenly stood up. This old lady shall castrate him!
“No.” Guoguo’s expression turned even weirder. “He said… she was his child.”
“Ch… He was married in the past?”
“No.” Guoguo said with a stern expression. “What he meant was, that was ‘our’ child.”
Zhu Yao was stunned for a moment, and could not help but reach out to touch Guoguo’s belly. “You… When did you give birth?” Why wasn’t she aware of it? Yesterday, they still went to shop on the streets, and she actually did not see anything amiss at all.
Guoguo instantly slapped away her hand. “I’ve yet to give birth.”
“Then where did that child come from… Wait a minute!? Yet?” Zhu Yao suddenly widened her eyes. “You can’t be trying to tell me… that she’s your child from the future, right?”
“Mn.” She nodded. “I don’t know where he learnt the term ‘shotgun marriage’, but ever since then, he thinks that I will marry him once we have a child. Then…”
The hell! Such things are actually possible!? Guoguo was in the staying unmarried faction, and Zhu Yao knew of this point.
In order to chase after a wife, that person sure is putting out all the stops! Zhu Yao had to drink down a cup of water to calm her nerves.
However, when she thought about his identity, controlling time and seeing their future daughter might not be impossible after all.
“You don’t believe that she’s your child?”
“I do!” She nodded.
“Then why do you need to hide over at my place?”
The corner of her lips twitched. She turned around and carried out a round object from her bag, and then carefully presented it to Zhu Yao. “The main point here is… my child looks like this!”
Puuf…
Zhu Yao spat out a mouthful of warm water. “Kuh kuh… You… You gave birth to a ball!”
“No!” Guoguo shook her head, and explained with a stern face. “I wasn’t the one who gave birth to her, he gave birth to her.”
“…” Nani!? He was the one who gave birth!? He!? May I ask if it’s that ‘he’ without an ‘s’ in front?
Oh my god! Is this still the Earth that I’ve lived all my life in? I’m waiting online, I need an answer, quick!
****
Zhu Yao felt like her mind was in a mess, and Yue Ying came back with a bottle of soy sauce in his hand at this moment. “Big sis…”
The moment his voice fell, the round ball that Guoguo was hugging suddenly flashed brightly white. It began to inflate at a speed visible to the naked eyes, and in a blink of an eye, it grew from the size of a rubber ball to that of a basketball. Pong! It bounced and then fell onto the ground.
“Baby!” Guoguo was frightened, and hurriedly held out her hands to grab it.
At the same time, Guoguo’s man appeared inside the house in a flash. Just as he was about to grab the ball, it did a turn and rolled towards Yue Ying. Pa. It bumped into his foot and stopped. Immediately after, crackling sounds could be heard. The ball actually split open! A white and tender little hand suddenly reached out and firmly tugged onto the corner of Yue Ying’s pants.
A small little head popped out from the ball’s interior, and she shouted crisply at Yue Ying. “Papa!”
Everyone present: “…” All of them turned to look at Guoguo.
Guoguo looked at the person next to her with narrow eyes. “What are you looking at? Aren’t you the one who gave birth to the child?”
Manager: “…”
Zhu Yao: “…”
Yue Ying: “…”
Yu Yan: “Where’s the soy sauce?”
Why did it feel as if a storm was brewing…
(Story End)
T/N: And… we’re done! Hope you guys have enjoyed the story as much as I do! Though we don’t get to see what happened to the rest of Zhu Yao’s merry friends, I think that the story has wrapped up really nicely, compared to many other Xianxia or Xuanhuan novels that I’ve read. Well anyway, I will leave more of what I want to say in the afterword!