Chapter 660
Purifying the Divine Path
The changes in the Southern Mountain Divine Palace in the past two days have been enormous. All the righteous gods and immortals in the palace know that Minister Ye Meicang is borrowing money and incurring debts everywhere.
After making a few inquiries, it was learned that Ye Meicang had voluntarily surrendered himself to Zhuang Yan and confessed his crimes, and was willing to hand over all the bribes he had received.
Zhuang Yan also promised that as long as Ye Meicang handed over these purple coins, he would be pardoned for his crimes.
This is like buying a talisman for peace. Think about it, you've worked so hard to climb to the fifth rank, but you have a lot of blemishes on your record. You could be found out at any time and be dismissed from your post, or even lose your head. How could you not be trembling with fear?
However, now as long as you hand over the bribes you received, you can be pardoned for all your past sins. That's like being cleaned up and starting over!
Having climbed this far, who wouldn't want to repent, cleanse themselves, and start over? They just don't have the chance!
Now that the opportunity is right in front of them, all the celestial officials and gods of the Southern Mountain Divine Palace, upon learning of this matter, have taken the initiative to write down their confessions to Zhuang Yan and expressed their willingness to reform themselves.
However, there are conditions for reforming oneself. First of all, you must not have committed any heinous crimes.
The act of accepting bribes and then changing the duties of deities in various parts of Jambudvipa, as Ye Meicang did, actually caused very little disruption to the order of the human world, and even had little impact on human beings.
After all, even if the mountain gods, land gods, and water gods change locations, they still have to stick to their duties and do what they are supposed to do; nothing will change.
That's why Zhuang Yan gave Ye Meicang a chance to reform, since at least he didn't harm any living beings.
However, some people are different. For example, there are records of General Jiang Mo, General Lou Ding, and Envoy Yuan Deng of the Southern Mountain Divine Palace supporting great demons to harm living beings.
They confessed to half of these crimes themselves, while Aka Aya discovered the other half.
"Considering their voluntary confession, their families will not be implicated; only the individuals themselves will be executed," Zhuang Yan decreed.
Meanwhile, Jiang Mo, Lou Ding, Yuan Deng, and others were discussing, "If we confess our crimes and hand over the illegally obtained purple coins, we can be absolved of our guilt," Jiang Mo said.
Lou Ding laughed and said, "It's a pity that Marquis Anlu didn't encounter such a good time, otherwise he could have survived."
Marquis Anlu was none other than Zhu Yu, who had already been executed, so everyone nodded in agreement upon hearing Lou Ding's words.
At this moment, Yuan Deng said, "But has His Majesty of Nanyue truly lost his mind? I keep feeling that something is not right."
Jiang Mo said, "This may be a scheme by His Majesty the Southern Mountain and Emperor Shenxiao."
"Oh?" the crowd asked. "What do you mean?"
Jiang Mo said, “Think about it, everyone. Now that the Imperial Gazette from the Human Realm has caused such a huge uproar, His Majesty the Southern Mountain has lost a lot of prestige, so it is not appropriate for him to deal with these matters anymore. We are all old followers of His Majesty the Southern Mountain. If he punishes us too harshly, His Majesty the Southern Mountain will not be able to bear it. If he punishes us too leniently, he will not be able to convince the people and will cause gossip in Luoyang. So he simply conspired with the Divine Firmament Emperor. His Majesty the Southern Mountain pretended to have lost his mind and let the Divine Firmament Emperor pardon us.”
"Wonderful!" the crowd exclaimed. "The two emperors are indeed emperors; their thoughts and plans are beyond our comprehension."
Jiang Mo was extremely pleased with himself, believing he had seen through the schemes of the Southern Mountain Emperor and Zhuang Yan. Amidst the praise of the crowd, he said, "In the end, we are the 'one of us.' Those immortals, cultivators, and beings are just the creatures under our rule. Would the Divine Firmament Emperor make things difficult for us?"
"That's right, that's right," everyone nodded in agreement.
But as soon as they finished speaking, a group of elite warriors rushed up into the pavilion where they were. Jiang Mo and the others looked back and saw that the elite warriors quickly rushed forward and surrounded them.
Immediately afterwards, Zhang Xianzong stepped forward, holding a golden talisman, and said, "By imperial decree, arrest Jiang, Lou Ding, Yuan Deng, and thirteen other criminals, and escort them to the Execution Platform in Nanyue for execution."
"What?!" The generals, led by Jiang Mo, Lou Ding, Yuan Deng, and thirteen others, were shocked. Zhang Xianzong didn't wait for their reaction before ordering their arrest.
Thirty powerful generals rushed forward. These were all immortals who had achieved physical sainthood, so Jiang Mo and the others had no time to resist and were captured in one fell swoop. They were then escorted to the Execution Platform of Mount Heng.
Then, a team of generals from each side rushed into these people's homes and began to ransack them. Jiang Mo's wife and family members, unaware of what was happening, rushed forward to stop them, but were all knocked to the ground by the generals.
As Ling Feiling escorted Qi Ying'e and the others back to the Southern Mountain Divine Palace, they witnessed Jiang Mo and the others being led to the Execution Platform by the Divine General Zhechong just as they entered the mountain gate.
Ling Feiling was very puzzled and quickly stepped forward to ask, "Generals, what happened to Jiang Mo and the others?"
Ling Feiling was the Grand Commandant of Nanyue, and Jiang Mo and the others were his direct subordinates. As soon as they saw Ling Feiling return, Jiang Mo and the others immediately cried and begged, "Grand Commandant, save us!"
"Grand Commandant, the Divine Firmament Emperor wants to kill us. Please, Grand Commandant, save us."
"Grand Commandant, save me!"
Ling Feiling was greatly surprised and quickly asked Zhang Xianzong, who was overseeing the execution, "Brother Zhang, what's going on with them?"
Zhang Xianzong showed Ling Feiling the charges against these people and Zhuang Yan's edict. After reading it, Ling Feiling fell silent.
After regaining her senses, Ling Feiling ignored their pleas and slowly said, "If they really did these things, then they deserve what they got."
Zhang Xianzong turned around, first read Zhuang Yan's edict, and then ordered Jiang Mo and others to be beheaded.
With a flash of light, thirteen heads fell to the ground, and thirteen sixth-rank celestial officials were executed.
The underworld officials who had been waiting nearby immediately stepped forward, seized the soul, and then escorted it directly back to the underworld.
Ling Feiling's expression was solemn as he escorted Qi Ying'e and the others to the Sitian Hall. However, when he saw the Sitian Hall in ruins, he was taken aback and asked the immortal official of the Southern Mountain Divine Palace standing to the side, "What happened here?"
The celestial official hurriedly came forward to report, recounting everything that had happened at the Southern Mountain Divine Palace during the days Ling Feiling had been away. After listening, Ling Feiling fell into a long silence.
"Has His Majesty the Southern Mountain really gone mad?" Ling Feiling's eyes were filled with shock.
"Reporting to the Grand Commandant, it is absolutely true. The Jade Emperor has issued a decree, and the Empress has also ascended to Heaven," the celestial official reported, bowing.
It took Ling Feiling a long time to process this news before she asked, "What is the Divine Firmament Emperor doing now?"
"He is in charge of affairs at the Ministry of Personnel," the celestial official said.
So Ling Feiling went to the Minister's residence. Although Qi Ying'e behind him was tied up, she showed little fear on her face. She just asked curiously, "Can a god like the Great Emperor of Nanyue go mad?"
Ling Feiling simply walked without saying a word.
But he remained silent. Qi Ying'e, however, started to speak, "I think he's faking madness to protect himself! Otherwise, he'll end up like Lord Huangzhou."
"Shut up," Ling Feiling snapped, turning around.
Qi Ying'e chuckled and continued, "The Great Emperor of the Southern Peak is much smarter than Lord Huang Zhou. He first killed his own criminal son, and now he's pretending to be crazy. The Jade Emperor, remembering his past merits, took the initiative to protect him."
At this point, Qi Ying'e laughed again: "Whether the Great Emperor of the Southern Mountain is truly insane or pretending to be insane, and whether others believe it or not, as long as the Jade Emperor says he is insane, then he has passed this test."
Ling Feiling remained silent, but he couldn't help but hope that this was indeed the case, after all, the Great Emperor of Nanyue had been kind to him.
"If His Majesty can really overcome this hurdle and retain his throne, that would be the best outcome," Ling Feiling thought to himself. On his way to capture Qi Ying'e, he had already witnessed the sensation that the official gazette had caused in the Southern Continent.
The divine palaces in various parts of the Southern Continent are currently in turmoil, with great resentment among all living beings and cultivators. Some demons are already taking advantage of the situation to attack the divine palaces.
When Ling Feiling arrived at the Minister's residence to request an audience, he was stopped. A general said, "His Majesty Shenxiao is currently receiving Minister Ye Meicang. Please wait here for a moment, Grand Commandant Ling."
Inside the main hall of the Minister's residence, Ye Meicang presented a mustard seed bag containing three million purple coins.
Zhuang Yan didn't even glance at it before ordering Chi Ling to put it away. Then he said to Ye Meicang, "I heard your wife has been borrowing money and incurring debts everywhere these past few days?"
"Yes." Ye Meicang said gratefully, "If it weren't for her, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to hand over these three million purple coins."
Zhuang Yan smiled and said, "It's rare that your wife is such a kind and righteous woman." After saying that, Zhuang Yan raised his hand and waved, and a golden edict flew down in front of Ye Meicang. "This is your pardon."
Ye Meicang tremblingly accepted the edict of pardon, then carefully put it away, and finally kowtowed to Zhuang Yan, saying, "Your subject thanks Your Majesty for your great grace."
"Rise," Zhuang Yan said. "As the Minister of the Southern Mountain Divine Palace, you still have much to do."
Upon receiving the edict of pardon, Ye Meicang felt a great sense of relief, as if he had been reborn. Therefore, upon hearing Zhuang Yan's words, he immediately bowed his head and replied, "Your subject will certainly do his utmost to assist Your Majesty in purifying the divine path of Nanzhanbuzhou."
"Hmm." Zhuang Yan nodded, then said, "Summon Ling Feiling into the hall."
Ye Meicang stepped aside, and then Ling Feiling led Qi Ying'e and the others into the main hall.
"Your subject Ling Feiling pays respects to His Majesty the Great Emperor Shenxiao." Ling Feiling walked into the hall and bowed to Zhuang Yan.
Zhuang Yan smiled and said, "Grand Commandant Ling, please rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Ling Feiling bowed and rose, then said, "I have been ordered by the Southern Mountain Divine Palace to go to the Two Realms Mountain to capture Qi Ying'e and the others and bring them back to report. I request Your Majesty's decision." Zhuang Yan nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to Qi Ying'e and the others.
Despite Qi Ying'e's lack of fear after being captured by Ling Feiling, she was still able to analyze the affairs of the Southern Mountain Emperor with reason and evidence.
But when Zhuang Yan's gaze fell on her, Qi Ying'e immediately thought of Jiang Mo and the others who had been killed in front of the gate of the Nanyue Divine Palace.
Qi Ying'e and the others knelt on the ground and bowed to Zhuang Yan, saying, "Your subject Qi Ying'e pays respects to His Majesty the Great Emperor Shenxiao." The staff of the Imperial Gazette branch behind her also bowed.
Zhuang Yan laughed and said, "You stirred up a storm in the entire Southern Continent with just a piece of paper, and even drove the Great Emperor of the Southern Mountain crazy. You are really something else."
Upon hearing this, Qi Ying'e broke out in a cold sweat and quickly bowed, saying, "What virtue or ability do I possess to have such abilities? This is all due to Your Majesty's divine might, which has subdued the Southern Continent. My presumptuous words are not worth mentioning."
Zhuang Yan smiled slightly, then said to Ye Meicang, "Set aside a peak on Mount Heng in Nanyue and let her set up a branch of the official gazette office. Since it is a branch of the Southern Continent, it should naturally be set up on Mount Heng in Nanyue. Why go to the Two Realms Mountain?"
Without any hesitation, Ye Meicang immediately cupped his hands and accepted the order, saying, "Your subject obeys the decree."
Qi Ying'e looked up in surprise and asked, "Your Majesty, will you not punish me?"
Zhuang Yan laughed and said, "If what you said in the official gazette is false, then naturally you should be punished; if it is true, then it is a merit."
Qi Ying'e was greatly shocked upon hearing this and immediately bowed her head, saying, "Your Majesty is wise!"
Zhuang Yan continued, "After you go down there, immediately set up your branch of the Imperial Gazette in Hengshan. I am going to purge the Southern Jambudvipa, and your Imperial Gazette must follow up on the whole process and write it down to report to all sides."
Qi Ying'e was overjoyed upon hearing this and bowed again, saying, "Your subject obeys the decree!!!"
On Yunluo Mountain, the Immortal Qingya looked at the latest official report and excitedly said to his fellow Daoists around him, "The Divine Firmament Emperor is indeed wise and decisive. In just a few days, he has already killed more than thirty evil gods and criminal officials."
The surrounding immortals and cultivators gathered around. Immortal Qingya said, "Look, everyone, thirteen military generals from the Southern Mountain Divine Palace, including the Straight Sword General, the Straight Talisman General, and the Ten Directions Commander, will be executed. In addition, more than twenty civil officials will be executed. They are all sixth and seventh-rank officials. More than thirty people have been killed in one go."
"Great!" Everyone applauded and cheered. Then someone asked, "What about Ye Meicang? This guy isn't exactly clean."
Qingya Immortal looked at the official gazette and said, "Yes, Ye Meicang accepted more than three million purple coins in bribes. Emperor Shenxiao confiscated all of his bribes, but pardoned him because he surrendered himself and confessed his crimes immediately."
"That's alright," one of the immortals said. "Bribery is a matter that can be big or small."
That's true. Corruption and bribery are serious crimes in the human court, but they're not a big deal in the celestial realm.
Who doesn't exchange favors? Besides, the Heavenly Court has a rule of 'offering gifts'. As long as one doesn't cause harm to the local area or kill living beings, it's really not a crime.
"And what about Ling Feiling?" someone asked again. "Is he clean?"
Qingya Immortal said, "I searched through the official gazette and found nothing about Grand Commandant Ling, but as far as I'm concerned, this Grand Commandant Ling is definitely clean."
This statement was immediately agreed upon by everyone, "Grand Commandant Ling is indeed a good person."
"Yes, I remember asking him for help to save my apprentice a hundred years ago. I prepared 10,000 purple coins, but after I finished explaining, Grand Commandant Ling didn't ask for a single coin and directly led troops to wipe out the Gray Moth Demon King, rescuing several of my apprentices."
"Grand Commandant Ling also helped me."
"I also received help from Grand Commandant Ling."
It must be said that Ling Feiling has a very good reputation. Many people in the Southern Continent have benefited from his kindness, and he does not accept any benefits for helping others.
You should know that even if you ask the local earth god for directions, he will charge you several coins for asking the way. There are very few celestial officials like Ling Feiling.
Just as everyone was discussing this, a divine light suddenly flew from afar and landed in front of them.
Everyone looked closely and then quickly stood up. It was the mountain god of Yunluo Mountain who had arrived.
The Yunluo Mountain God, leading three generals—the Mountain Patrol General, the Mountain Guardian General, and the Mountain Suppressor General—appeared and strode forward with imposing manner.
Immortal Qingya and the other cultivators who lived and practiced in Yunluo Mountain immediately stepped forward to pay their respects, but the Yunluo Mountain God snorted coldly and snatched the gazette from Immortal Qingya's hand.
"Why is this mountain lord doing this?" the Green Cliff Immortal asked in astonishment.
The Yunluo Mountain God tore the gazette to shreds, then looked down at the crowd with disdain and said, "By order of the Southern Mountain God's Palace, all gazettes containing heretical and misleading information are hereby confiscated and destroyed."
"What?!" Everyone was shocked. "How could it be spreading rumors? Everything written here is the truth!"
The Yunluo Mountain God said coldly, "What facts? This is nothing but slander and deception, an attempt to defame my Southern Mountain Divine Palace and all the major divine palaces and deities of the Southern Continent. Do you also intend to rebel in defense of this false report?"
"What makes you say that?" the Green Cliff Immortal asked. "What rebellion are we talking about?"
The mountain god of Yunluo Mountain said, "Since you are not going to rebel, why are you reading this demonic report? And why are you defending it?"
“This…this…” At this moment, a cultivator stepped forward and said, “Mountain Lord, the newspaper also reported on the Divine Firmament Emperor. Could it be that the Divine Firmament Emperor has also rebelled?”
"Hmm?" The Cloud Luo Mountain God was furious. He looked at the little cultivator and said, "You, a mere cultivator, dare to discuss the Divine Firmament Emperor! This is utterly lawless and blasphemous! Guards, seize him and take him back for questioning!"
The patrolling general and the guarding general immediately stepped forward to capture the young cultivator, while Qingya Immortal and others immediately stepped forward to protect him.
Upon seeing this, the Mountain God of Yunluo immediately shouted, "What? Do you intend to defy the divine power of Heaven?"
Once that serious accusation was leveled, people's expressions immediately changed, and they no longer dared to protect the young cultivator.
Only the Green Cliff Immortal argued vehemently, "Mountain Lord, he did not blaspheme against the Divine Firmament Emperor, how can you so arbitrarily condemn him?"
The God of Yunluo Mountain sneered and said, "I am the God of Yunluo Mountain! The right to interpret the laws of Heaven lies with me, not with you!"
At this point, the Yunluo Mountain God said again, "You all better get out of the way immediately, or I will report to the Emperor that you are resisting the law and intending to rebel against Heaven!"
This time, even Qingya Immortal's expression changed drastically. Seeing this scene, Yunluo Mountain God immediately stepped forward and pushed Qingya Immortal and the others aside. Then, he led the gods to capture the little cultivator and take him back to make an example of him.
But at that moment, eight fully armored gods flew down from the sky and landed at the location of the mountain god's palace on Yunluo Mountain.
Upon seeing this, the Yunluo Mountain God immediately said, "Is someone from above? Let's go quickly."
After saying this, the Yunluo Mountain God, along with three mountain generals, escorted the young cultivator back to his divine palace.
Seeing the young cultivator being taken away, the immortals and cultivators present were at a loss and asked one after another, "What should we do?"
Immortal Qingya remembered the divine generals who had just landed at the Mountain God's Palace and said, "Let's go and take a look." So Immortal Qingya led everyone to the Mountain God's Palace.
When the Yunluo Mountain God and his companions returned to the Mountain God's Palace, they found the eight divine generals already waiting for him in the main hall of the Mountain God's Temple. So he quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "I am the Yunluo Mountain God. May I ask where you divine generals have come from?"
A general stepped forward, took out a talisman, and said to the Yunluo Mountain God, "I am Li Qin, the general of the vanguard. I have come here to cleanse the Yunluo Divine Palace by order of the Great Emperor of Shenxiao."
After saying this, Li Qin waved his hand, and two generals immediately rushed up and pressed the Yunluo Mountain God to the ground.
The God of Yunluo Mountain was terrified and hurriedly shouted, "I am the God of Yunluo Mountain, a seventh-rank celestial official of the Heavenly Court! Why are you arresting me?"
Li Qin shouted loudly: "By imperial decree: The Yunluo Mountain God has abused his power for personal gain, threatening human beings with disasters to make offerings and build temples. His crimes are heinous. According to the law, he shall be stripped of his official rank and deity status and beheaded as a warning to the public."
After reading it aloud, Li Qin used a vermilion pen to cross out the name of the Yunluo Mountain God on the 'Purge List', and then waved his hand and said, "Take him out and behead him."
A golden divine light flew out from between the eyebrows of the Cloud Luo Mountain God and vanished into the world in the blink of an eye; that was his Celestial Official Jade Register. After being stripped of his official rank and divine status, the Celestial Official Jade Register was naturally cancelled.
Then, the group of Qingya Immortals who had just arrived at the Mountain God's Mansion saw that the Yunluo Mountain God, who had just been swaggering around, was being dragged out like a chick by several tall and majestic divine generals. No matter how much the Yunluo Mountain God shouted, he ignored them. After one of the divine generals pinned him down, another divine general beheaded him with a single stroke.
The head of the Yunluo Mountain God was propelled high into the air by the pillar of blood, then fell to the ground with a 'thud'. Next, the three generals under the Yunluo Mountain God—the Mountain Guardian, the Mountain Suppressor, and the Mountain Patrolman—were also dragged out and beheaded.
Immediately afterwards, Li Qin, without pausing, led the gods and generals on a cloud, leaving Yunluo Mountain and heading to the next place.
The immortal cultivators outside stared blankly at the scene, at the head of the Yunluo Mountain God and the headless corpse on the ground, and for a moment they were still in shock.
Only the junior cultivator who had been captured earlier slowly emerged, looking at the corpses of Yunluo Mountain God and the others, as well as Qingya Immortal and the other cultivators outside. He then scratched the back of his head with a bewildered expression. (End of Chapter)