Where Immortals Once Walked

“The elixir of youth case has already spread throughout the entire divine realm. You cannot escape that charge.”

“I do not seek to escape the crime. I only wish to avoid death.” State Preceptor Qing Yang sighed softly. “That much should still be within your power, shouldn’t it?”

True Monarch Tongming said nothing.

State Preceptor Qing Yang knew that it was also weighing its calculations. These heavenly gods stood high above the mortal realm, as though untouched by worldly smoke and fire, but in truth, the schemes in their bellies were no fewer than those of humans.

She had come prepared. She rose all at once and took seven short tube-shaped objects from her robe, holding them up before the smoke and giving them a slight shake.

“This is my thanks.”

“Hm?” True Monarch Tongming was rarely this surprised. “Dragon Punishment Pillars? Where did you get so many?”

That color, that shape... They’re definitely Dragon Punishment Pillars!

What State Preceptor Qing Yang had revealed were seven Dragon Punishment Pillars!

She turned the Dragon Punishment Pillars one by one for the smoke to see. “Look carefully. Every one of them is filled with nightmare qi.”

True Monarch Tongming could, of course, see the red substance roiling inside the Dragon Punishment Pillars.

Each Dragon Punishment Pillar could store the nightmare qi of 200,000 newly dead. These seven Dragon Punishment Pillars represented 1.4 million vanished lives!

“That is none of your concern. In any case, obtaining them was far from easy.” State Preceptor Qing Yang smiled faintly. “This much nightmare qi should be enough to support one divine pregnancy, shouldn’t it?”

She casually tapped one of the Dragon Punishment Pillars. “Without this thing, if you heavenly gods had to rely entirely on natural gestation, I fear you might not produce a single infant in hundreds or thousands of years.”

True Monarch Tongming did not refute her. That was as good as admission.

If anyone else had heard this, they would have been horrified.

Nightmare qi condensed from 1.4 million living humans in the mortal realm was only enough for the gods to gestate one infant!

That ratio of life to life was 1.4 million to one.

There was no need to say how precious nightmare qi was to the gods. True Monarch Tongming thought for a moment. “I can try. Exonerating you will be very difficult, but keeping you alive is quite hopeful.”

The corner of State Preceptor Qing Yang’s mouth curved faintly, but True Monarch Tongming continued, “Even if I can plead for you, you still need to explain the source of the divine blood. When I asked you a few days ago, you said you would think of a way. What about now? The crisis is imminent. Have you come up with one?”

State Preceptor Qing Yang gave a soft murmur of assent. “I have.”

“Speak!”

“In all of Lingxu City, I am not the only one who possesses divine blood.”

True Monarch Tongming gave a surprised sound. “Aside from the Heavenly Palace, who else?”

As far as it knew, even in Lingxu City’s ghost markets and underground trades, divine blood had never appeared.

“Dong Rui.”

“...Who?” The name was unfamiliar. It had never heard it before.

“Do you remember my cast-off disciple, Xi Yunhe, using an aberrant creature to harvest jiang beads, even swallowing Zhongsun Mou in front of everyone?” State Preceptor Qing Yang walked to the table and took a few sips of hot tea. “That aberrant creature was called a snail toad. Its back shell came from the Spring Palace’s treasure from over ten years ago, Snail Dwelling, while the aberrant creature itself resembled both a ghost toad and a snail. It was not a natural thing. I investigated many clues. I eventually learned that it was a man-made monster puppet, and its maker was very likely the monster puppet master Dong Rui!”

True Monarch Tongming waited for the rest. This woman had always handled matters with method and structure.

“This monster puppet master was wanted by Beijia many years ago, but he was later pardoned. Guess who obtained that pardon for him?”

True Monarch Tongming did not care.

“It was State Preceptor Shuang Ye!” State Preceptor Qing Yang could not help sneering. “Therefore, Dong Rui should be one of State Preceptor Shuang Ye’s men.”

State Preceptor Shuang Ye’s arrangements in the elixir of youth case had been linked one after another, from Xi Yunhe to Dong Rui, every piece aimed at her, yet he himself remained entirely outside the matter.

No matter how loudly the elixir of youth case raged, on the surface, it had nothing to do with him.

True Monarch Tongming grew somewhat impatient. “Why are you mentioning Dong Rui? What does that have to do with divine blood?”

“He has divine blood in his possession.”

“Ah?” True Monarch Tongming asked in surprise. “Where did he get it?”

“I don’t know, but I studied the monster puppets he made in the past. For an ordinary aberrant creature to mutate into a monster puppet, only divine blood could provide such a powerful catalyst.” She then sharply enunciated, “Capture him, and you capture the source of the divine blood.”

True Monarch Tongming gave a light laugh. “You mean State Preceptor Shuang Ye?”

If Dong Rui truly is State Preceptor Shuang Ye’s subordinate, then State Preceptor Shuang Ye must be the source of the divine blood!

This woman really is ruthless. Even at the edge of desperation, she doesn’t forget to drag her mortal enemy into the water with her.

The more it thought, the more wonderful it found the idea, and it could not help but laugh loudly and say, “I knew you wouldn’t simply admit defeat! But I didn’t expect you to strike from this angle.”

State Preceptor Qing Yang said calmly, “If I obsess over whether Kong Jiaxiang is real or fake, or whether the evidence in the elixir of youth case is true or fabricated, then I will have fallen straight into Shuang Ye’s hands.”

State Preceptor Shuang Ye must have made extremely thorough arrangements in those areas, waiting for her to step into the trap.

She could only find another path.

True Monarch Tongming was very pleased. “Good. I will do my best to preserve your life. As for the rest, you’ll have to rely on yourself.”

If State Preceptor Qing Yang could prove that the source of the divine blood was Dong Rui or State Preceptor Shuang Ye, then True Monarch Tongming would have no involvement whatsoever in the elixir of youth case.

Naturally, it was happy to see that happen.

State Preceptor Qing Yang put away five Dragon Punishment Pillars. “These two are the advance payment. I will give you the rest after I succeed in preserving my life.”

True Monarch Tongming snorted, but did not object.

This time, the smoke finally dispersed, and the god’s will departed.

State Preceptor Qing Yang took a deep breath and pushed open the window to look at the sky.

There were still another two hours before dark.

She ate a few honeyed tangerine segments, peeled two red, soft, sandy persimmons, and even ate several pieces of osmanthus jelly candy. Only then did she clap her hands clean, lie down on the soft couch, and close her eyes to rest.

Whether she lived or died would be decided after nightfall.

* * *

Less than an hour later, State Preceptor Qing Yang heard movement outside Sweet Spring Hall.

With cultivation as deep as hers, how could such chaotic footsteps and voices escape her ears?

Who else but the Lord Emperor could move through the palace with such fanfare?

That he had returned early showed how seriously he regarded this matter.

State Preceptor Qing Yang sat up at once and silently circulated true energy.

In just three to five breaths, her eye sockets had sunken in, fine lines filled the corners of her eyes, and her complexion became haggard.

The pampered elegance and dignified grace she had possessed before were immediately diminished by half.

She had just pushed the door open when an enormous head appeared above the wall of the hall, looking down at her from on high.

Doors were made for people. It did not need them.

The afterglow of sunset was blocked by him as well, and a vast shadow fell from above. State Preceptor Qing Yang immediately kneeled and said in a clear voice, “Greetings, Lord Emperor!”

The Lord Emperor did not exchange courtesies with her, asking directly, “The heavenly gods accuse you of privately refining and selling elixirs of youth. Is it true?”

Anger steamed in his eyes. The old osmanthus tree beside State Preceptor Qing Yang could not bear the pressure and trembled with a rustle, shedding countless petals.

The air became heavy, almost tangible.

State Preceptor Qing Yang lowered her head and secretly drew in a breath. “Yes... This old minister lost her senses.”

Her answer was so frank that the Lord Emperor was left unable to respond for a moment. Its foreclaws rested on the roof tiles of the wall, and with a crack, it crushed countless tiles as easily as tofu.

“Why?” Its booming voice was filled with grief and anger. “You have served as a state preceptor for more than 160 years. Did my father and I ever treat you poorly?”

State Preceptor Qing Yang bowed her head. “The kindness both Lord Emperors have shown this minister is as heavy as a mountain.”

“Then were you lacking money or lacking power? How dare you violate the heavenly gods’ taboo!”

State Preceptor Qing Yang said calmly, “Once a person enters the court, they are no longer free.” She pressed her forehead to the ground. “Qing Yang has committed a grave mistake and is willing to accept punishment.”

The Lord Emperor said nothing. Its heavy breathing rumbled like muffled thunder.

Officialdom, heh.

Both father and son had been immersed in it for many years. They had long understood that it was an ecosystem, and all those who entered it were firmly bound to it.

What one did not wish to say, what one did not wish to do, was not decided by oneself.

After floating and sinking in the sea of officialdom, even State Preceptor Qing Yang had not been able to reach shore.

Only after a long while did it say, “Since you admit guilt and are willing to submit to the law, why did you flee the Spring Palace and come to Sweet Spring Hall?”

State Preceptor Qing Yang said, “I wanted to have one last deep conversation with the Lord Emperor. If Bai Ziqi arrested me and took me to the Heavenly Palace, how would I still have such an opportunity?” If she became a prisoner of the Heavenly Palace, any meeting she had with anyone would be watched.

The Lord Emperor exhaled heavily. “What do you want to say?”

“Privately refining elixirs of youth was this old minister being possessed by greed and delusion. There is no defense.” State Preceptor Qing Yang said softly, “But if I leave the Spring Palace, with the war on the eastern front so urgent, who will oversee the allocation of origin energy?”

“By the rules, the one with the most seniority is State Preceptor Shuang Ye.”

“I fear he will be overly aggressive regarding the war.” State Preceptor Qing Yang said, “Behind State Preceptor Shuang Ye... stand the heavenly gods!”

“Isn’t this trouble you created for me?” The Lord Emperor said unhappily. “If not for your mess, how would he have the chance to interfere in the war on the eastern front?”

With a sweep of its tail, a large section of carefully pruned flowers and plants suffered, breaking and scattering with a crackle.

State Preceptor Qing Yang did not dare argue. After a while, she said, “Could the Lord Emperor wait until the eastern war ends before removing me from the position of state preceptor?”

The Lord Emperor laughed in anger. “You want to redeem yourself through merit? That’s much too wishful. The Heavenly Palace will never agree!”

“The eastern battlefield has already shown signs of turning. The State of Mou intends to negotiate. This war will last another month at most.” State Preceptor Qing Yang said quietly, “The gods possess long lives. Are they unwilling to wait even this short a time?”

“It is not only the gods who are unwilling to wait. The common people want results, and the vassal monster states want results too! Four letters have come in succession from the ruler of Chiyan, and even the Baoshu King has urged me twice. That is not even mentioning the other vassal states. All of them are waiting for the case to be closed. Do you think they can keep waiting?”

State Preceptor Qing Yang said in a low voice, “If I am imprisoned, the balance among the four palaces will be broken. At that time, the Lord Emperor’s position will become even more difficult.”

The Lord Emperor said coldly, “Now you begin to show consideration for me?”

“After I leave, the Spring Palace should have a new master.” State Preceptor Qing Yang said, “Does the Lord Emperor already have someone in mind?”

“I have my own arrangements.” The Lord Emperor breathed out, and the courtyard seemed to be struck by a whirlwind. “I hurried back to Tianxin Island as soon as I received the news, and the Heavenly Palace guards are still waiting outside. You...” It hesitated for a moment before continuing, “Do you have the account book and list?”

Here it was. The main topic had arrived. State Preceptor Qing Yang revealed a trace of confusion. “You mean?”

“Stop pretending ignorance!” Lord Emperor glared at her. “You know exactly what I mean. I’m asking about the list of people who privately purchased the elixir of youth! With your temperament, you must have kept records!”

State Preceptor Qing Yang could not help but smile faintly. “After almost two hundred years, Lord Emperor still understands me best.”

She and the Lord Emperor before her had grown up together since childhood. Their relationship had once been as close as Yao Xingning and Crown Prince Huan’s.

“I recorded every buyer.” She took an account book from her storage ring and held it in her arms. “A total of 75 households, with 327 purchases.”