After the heavenly guard brought such a message, Qiu Ling, of course, wouldn't return to the mortal realm. Together with Bai Fen, he hurried to the high hall in the heavenly emperor's palace.
His face paled upon seeing the people already there: There was the heavenly who looked all but well, Jing He's uncle, the god of war, who was sporting an especially grim expression, some unknown guy that looked like a young guard, some other guy he didn't know and who was looking at some scroll with a pale face, some haughty-looking, unknown woman and …
"Eh? Little goddess?" Qiu Ling noticed Hong Bao and lifted his brows. Wasn't that the woman he dreamed he had met in the mortal world? Maybe … that hadn't been a dream after all?
Bai Fen and Qiu Ling had just managed to appear when Shun Tao had looked at Jing He's scroll of fate to make sure their crown prince was alright. The sudden interruption let the gods in the hall turn around.
Rong Su's expression worsened when he saw Qiu Ling. "So you've had a part in it, too! Great, just great! We knew you spelled trouble when you dared to approach our son back then! Are you satisfied now? You nearly got our son killed!"
"What did you say?"
This wasn't Qiu Ling asking. The words 'our son' coming from the heavenly emperor combined with the mention of 'killed' had completely floored him. Had he not still held onto Bai Fen's arm he might have lost his balance and fallen to the ground.
This … This couldn't be? Jing He had … had been killed?
His hand went up to his chest, feeling for his still beating heart. It couldn't be. They might not have been married but they were an official couple already. He would have felt it if Jing He really …
It isn't true. It isn't true. It definitely isn't true. Jing He is alright. I've only left yesterday. Nothing could have happened to him in such a short timeframe. He's alright.
"Rong Su, what happened? How is my son?" Bai Fen repeated her question while simultaneously grabbing Qiu Ling's elbow. Damn this! Her son-in-law had gotten so pale that she was really afraid he might faint the next second!
The heavenly emperor finally noticed his wife. So that was why that hateful Longjun had come here. He must have run to his wife again to coerce his beloved son to show him some affection and must have heard the heavenly guard calling her over.
Rong Su curled his lips and ignored Qiu Ling, turning to his wife instead. "We're afraid it's grave this time. Someone", he said while looking at Hong Bao and Yin Lin Lin, "stole the soul-devouring dagger and tried to assassinate Jing He's mortal reincarnation."
Soul-devouring dagger.
Qiu Ling trembled. No … not that thing. Not that. If they had just so much as scratched him with that cursed weapon …
Bai Fen hugged Qiu Ling, pressed his forehead onto her shoulder and patted his head. "It's alright. Nothing has happened to him. I'm sure of it. A mother would know."
"I … I have to go. I have to see him." Qiu Ling wanted to pull away but Bai Fen held him as tight as she could. If something really happened to her son, she definitely wouldn't let his lover run out now. He might never come back! Jing He loved him so much. Even if he was dead he would want Qiu Ling to live on. She couldn't let anything happen to him.
"Rong Su! What happened to my son? Damn this! Just tell me straight up! Is he dead or not?!"
Rong Su winced. "This … We don't know. Scribe's fate! Didn't you have a look at his mortal fate just now? Why haven't you still not said anything?!" The heavenly emperor transferred the anger his wife directed at him onto the next person. This wasn't his fault!
Shun Tao who had been interrupted before he could say anything nodded without a complaint. "To answer Your Majesty: His Highness is alive. He wasn't hurt with the soul-devouring dagger either."
Qiu Ling and Bai Fen both heaved a sigh of relief. "So he's alright …" Qiu Ling still held onto the heavenly empress. Damn this! He should have never returned to the nine heavens just to see Jing He's immortal body. He had nearly lost him. The real him.
What if … What if someone had really hurt him with that thing? He would have died. Not just in the mortal realm but forever. His soul would have dissipated, unable to reincarnate for all eternity. Just because he had craved to see him again he had nearly lost him. He nearly would have been left with nothing but a soulless husk.
Qiu Ling tightened his grip. How had this happened?
Before Qiu Ling had time to descend into regret Shun Tao cleared his throat and furled the scroll of fate again. "There is one more thing, Your Majesty."
"Speak!"
"It seems like … His Highness finally managed to complete a medium trial."
Bai Fen tensed. "What is this about? Jing He has already been gone for a week! He should have long passed some trials."
Rong Su coughed. "It's … a little complicated." He didn't know what else to say and looked at his brother-of-law pleadingly.
Qiang Yan sighed and turned toward his sister and his nephew-in-law. "Somehow, the fate the fate's scribe wrote for him has gone off track. Jing He couldn't complete any of his trials until now. Because this young lady there was afraid the fate's scribe would be heavily punished and because somebody", he added with a glance at Yin Lin Lin, "told her that everything could be solved if she just injured Jing He's mortal reincarnation with the soul-devouring dagger, she stole the weapon and tried to assassinate him. Until a moment ago, we actually thought she might have succeeded. But it seems that wasn't the case?" He looked at Shun Tao to explain the rest of the situation.
The fate's scribe nodded. "I can't read the whole situation from His Highness' scroll of fate but I guess that Hong Bao injured the wrong person. A while ago Zhong Lei, the father of His Highness' mortal reincarnation, died rather mysteriously. It seems likely she injured this Zhong Lei instead of her actual target Zhong Jing Yi."
The heavenly emperor closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "So, you want to say that the woman who tried to assassinate our son instead helped him pass his first trial and saved his life through that?"
"Uh …" Shun Tao took another look at the scroll of fate. So unlikely it sounded but … "Yes, that seems to be the case."
"It's just a medium trial, though", injected Qiang Yan. "If he only passes this one he'll still be punished by heaven."
The heavenly emperor nodded gravely. One medium trial … It was good since that would mean that he wouldn't die but still. The punishment would be rather heavy: Only passing one medium trial would equal losing at least half of his powers and most likely even a heavy corporal punishment would be exacted. It could very well be that his son would lose one of his senses.
"Fate's scribe … Even with involving this woman you couldn't find the one behind all this?"
Shun Tao shook his head. "I'm sorry. I was unable to, Your Majesty."
Rong Su sighed. In a sense, the thing this woman did was to their advantage. But they couldn't count on luck for the rest of Jing He's trial period. He had to at least pass one major trial to be safe from a harsh punishment.
Bai Fen slowly turned her head and looked at the head of dark hair on her shoulder. "I … might know who is responsible for this."
All gazes locked onto her. Even Qiu Ling raised his head and stared at her with anxious eyes.
Bai Fen coughed. "Longjun, let me ask you a question: Besides the things you told me about already … Did you do anything else in the mortal realm?"
The gods present could already surmise what had happened just based on this question. But Qiu Ling was still unaware and innocently nodded.
"Of course! You don't know, mother-in-law! There were so many bad things happening around him as if he was haunted by bad luck! So, of course, as his future husband, I couldn't just stand back and do nothing and lent a helping hand."
Bai Fen's left eye twitched. Hearing Shun Tao's summary she had already suspected as much. "What exactly did you do?"
Qiu Ling smiled happily. What a great possibility to show off in front of his in-laws! "I saved his mother's life twice: Once when she nearly died while giving birth to Jing He's mortal reincarnation and once when she got into an argument with the other villagers. And then when the villagers were talking badly about Jing He's mortal reincarnation I showed myself to squash the rumors. Oh! And one time his family was attacked by bandits so I defeated them. Really, how dare they attack his mortal family?!" Qiu Ling was filled with righteous indignation.
The heavenly emperor's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He slowly stood up, looming over the other people in the room. He wanted to abuse that damned dragon king at least verbally if he couldn't do anything to him physically. His wife was faster, though.
Bai Fen grabbed the ear of her son-in-law. "Longjun! Do you have any idea what you have done? You nearly got my son killed!"
Qiu Ling's eyes bulged. What? Now it was his fault? How come?!
He really didn't understand these trials of the gods.
"Mother-in-law, what are you saying? How come I don't understand a word?" Qiu Ling tilted his head and tried to wriggle out of her grip.
Bai Fen wouldn't let him get away so easily, though. "You still dare to talk back at me! Do you really want to claim you don't know what you've done?"
"I really don't know! But I'll apologize!" He grabbed her wrist and looked at her pleadingly.
Bai Fen relented under his gaze. She also didn't want to punish her son-in-law. Although he had made a — no, several — mistakes he had done all of that because he loved her son so much and couldn't see him suffer. As a mother, could she wish for a better lover for her son? Furthermore, Qiu Ling's eyes told her that he really didn't know about the trials. Well, he wasn't a god, after all. It was to be expected. It was partly their fault for not making sure that he knew beforehand.
Bai Fen let go of him and even went as far as to pat his head when she saw his disgruntled look. "You really did something wrong."
"Mn." Qiu Ling didn't argue. Whatever his mother-in-law said had to be true. Had his father-in-law tried to get him to apologize he wouldn't give in no matter what!
"Qiu Ling." Bai Fen gripped his hands and sighed. "Since you're going to marry my son in the future —"
"We'll see about that!", the heavenly emperor injected but he was ignored by both his wife and future son-in-law.
"— you should learn more about the gods. There are some things that need to be considered."
Qiu Ling's head drooped. He didn't know what this was about but he understood that he must have done something wrong because he didn't know something. Indeed, he knew next to nothing about the gods. Even after he and Jing He became a couple he hadn't tried to learn anything about them. He had been content with learning everything he could about Jing He himself. What did he care for the gods?
"These trials. They are extremely important to us gods. Heaven's law dictates that we pass them."
Qiu Ling blinked. "Huh? I thought his father had forced Jing He to descend?"
The heavenly emperor clenched his fists. "What are you talking about? We'd never force our son to anything!"
Bai Fen shook her head. "It has nothing to do with that. Rather it's the way we gods fulfill the law of balance. That is why the trials can't be ignored. Each of us has to descend someday and pass these trials. Now, if someone went and tried to help in the mortal life we got, we might not pass any trial. You can certainly imagine what would happen if a god returned without having passed the trial issued by heaven."
Qiu Ling gulped. "Death?"
Bai Fen nodded. "Yes. It's commendable that you are trying to stand by Jing He's side even in his mortal life. But with the way you're doing it you're endangering his life here in the nine heavens. So please, let him take the trials normally from now on and don't interfere. If he manages to pass all of them in one go, he won't have to descend anymore. He'll stay with you for the rest of his life."
Qiu Ling looked at his mother-in-law and even went as far as looking at the heavenly emperor for confirmation.
The heavenly emperor nodded. He didn't really like this future son-in-law of his' … Well, no, in fact, he didn't mind him that much. It was just that he felt that no man was good enough for his precious son. He wanted a true born god with excellent manners, handsome looks and the greatest powers ever seen in their race. Only if such a man appeared before him would he be satisfied and think about allowing him to wed his son! Yes, he'd at least think about it. And he'd rigorously test that bastard if he actually dared to have dirty thoughts about his son!
Qiu Ling gulped and nodded. He couldn't believe he had endangered Jing He's life. All of this was his fault. He frowned. No, in all honesty, this was heaven's fault! What was with this dumb law of balance? The gods were immortal and could use nearly all magic there was, but so what? Why did they have to be subjected to such suffering? This was unfair!
Since Qiu Ling had nodded and thus more or less promised not to interfere again with Jing He's trial, the heavenly emperor turned toward the other culprits behind this incident. Everything might have started with Qiu Ling's intervention but the final problem had surfaced because of Shun Tao, Hong Bao, and Yin Lin Lin.
Rong Su looked at the three of them and frowned. He didn't even know where to begin. He took a moment to observe them and finally turned toward the woman on the right.
"Yin Lin Lin. Do you know what you did wrong?"
She pursed her lips. "I didn't know the reincarnated god she spoke about was the crown prince."
The heavenly emperor once again slammed his hand down on the armrest of his throne. "What kind of excuse is that? You convinced someone to steal the soul-devouring dagger that cost hundreds of our people their lives in the last war and made her kill someone with it. You of all people should have known better!"
Yin Lin Lin finally lowered her head. She had nothing to say to her defense. Indeed, she should have known better because one of the people losing their lives to this weapon in the war with the demons had been her father, the previous god of war. She should have been the last person to even mention that thing!
"Furthermore, you once again proclaimed yourself to be the goddess of love. Yue Xia already said he would never take you in even as a helper. So stop it already. If we hear one more time that you dared to assume that title you'll be punished for that, too. In regards to your latest offense …" Rong Su tapped his armrest and narrowed his eyes. Her matters really were the last he wanted to rule on. But with her character and the history between them she wouldn't give the god of justice, Li Yin, any face and just ignore whatever he said. No, unfortunately, he had to do this himself.
"Considering that you didn't commit the crime yourself but were still partially responsible in the loss of a soul and endangered the life of the crown prince your status as an idle goddess, as well as your right of possession to your palace, will be revoked and you will be reduced to the status of a servant aiding in the ascension of the new deities for a hundred mortal years. After that period you are to report to the god of justice, Li Yin, to be judged once again."
Yin Lin Lin wanted to retort but one cold glance from the heavenly emperor let her keep quiet. If Jing He's father wanted, he could be pretty terrifying.
Rong Su turned to the next culprit. "Servant Hong Bao." He stared at her for a moment. The woman in front of him was obviously not a true born god but an ascended deity. He didn't know when she had made her way into the nine heavens but she must have been pretty young when she did. Everything she did had not been out of bad intentions and certainly wouldn't have happened if Yin Lin Lin hadn't conned her. But she still had brought not only a few problems and it might go on like this if he didn't rule harshly over this crime.
"Because of personal interests, you broke into the palace of the god of war, stole the highly dangerous soul-devouring dagger and through its use destroyed a soul. Furthermore, you originally plotted to kill the crown prince. All these crimes are worthy of a death penalty."
Hong Bao looked up at the heavenly emperor with shock. She had always only thought about how she could help Shun Tao. She had never even considered that she herself could get into trouble because of what she did.
"In consideration of the fact that you were able to save the crown prince's life through some stroke of luck and were the deciding factor in bringing this whole problem to light we won't punish you as harshly. You will keep your life but you will be banished from the nine heavens. First of all, you will return the soul-devouring dagger to the god of war Qiang Yan. Then, you will be allowed one day to say your farewells to friends and — should there be any — family and settle any matters pertaining to the nine heavens. After that, your memories, as well as any abilities cultivated after your ascension, will be taken from you. Finally, someone from the palace of justice will escort you back to where you came from."
Hong Bao was utterly floored. Banished from the nine heavens? Losing her memories? She would … even forget him? Hong Bao turned to the side and looked at Shun Tao but the scribe's fate didn't pay her any attention. She wanted to say something but no sound came out. What was there to say? After one day they wouldn't be able to see each other anymore. Their beautiful love story … it had ended before it could even start.
The heavenly emperor paid no heed to Hong Bao's grieving expression and turned toward the last culprit. "Fate's scribe Shun Tao. We are disappointed in your performance this time."
Shun Tao hung his head. He had expected as much. In fact, this evaluation was quite light in comparison to the things he had imagined.
"Our son's fate going off track and you not being able to salvage the situation on your own is to be expected if the person involved is Longjun. But you keeping quiet for a week and even trying to hide the matter from us is not a behavior fit for your station. You were lucky this time that nothing happened to our son and that the heavenly empress was able to figure out the reason.
For the next hundred days, you will stay in your palace and use the time to reflect on your inappropriate behavior as well as write a new fate for our son. Since your recent actions upset our truth in you, you will come over to our palace once a day to report on our son's situation in the mortal realm. After the end of that period, you will be judged by the god of justice Li Yin according to your results."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Rong Su didn't pay attention to the three gods anymore and turned toward Qiang Yan instead. "God of war Qiang Yan, we task you with investigating everything related to this case in detail. You should pay special attention to the question of how a servant was able to steal the soul-devouring dagger from your palace in the first place. You're excused."
He waved at the people in the room and everyone except for Bai Fen and Qiu Ling hurried out of the high hall. Some of them relieved, some in a grave mood.
One of those who were relieved was Shun Tao. He had kept his life and his position and even his punishment was rather light. At least that was what he thought. Had Shun Tao taken at least a short look at Jing He's scroll of fate in this moment he might have coughed up blood and hurried right back inside and asked for a harsher punishment because what was going on in the mortal world right now might have even harsher consequences then Jing He's mortal form taking its sweet time to pass the trials.
Time for punishing the culprits. Well, everyone but Qiu Ling. Being the dragon king does have its perks :D
Btw, did any of you notice that OMF made it into the Trending Original Stories on the front page this week? Well, it's a good time for that because ... Next chapter will already be the last one of Volume #1 A Mortal Child! :o
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