Righteous Judgment: Slanderers Expelled from Manhood!

Ancestor Ziyuan was weighed down with worry, profoundly disappointed in that person within the Black Demon Abyss. "Damn it! If I ever beg you again, I'm worse than a pig or a dog!" A surge of fury burned in his chest, driving him to curse aloud, completely abandoning the dignified bearing befitting a Great Ultimate Principle powerhouse. To help Hei Jian advance and pave his path, over all these years, for the sake of the big picture and the Black Demon Abyss, Ancestor Ziyuan had repeatedly set aside his differences with his master and depleted his own vitality multiple times. It could be said that he had done more than his fair share. Now, his master's conduct chilled his heart and left him helpless. "One blessed with great providence will not perish so easily. Besides, his... his talent far exceeds anything Guiyu Heaven could have envisioned, and he still has the protective talisman I bestowed upon him. He will surely be fine!" Ancestor Ziyuan consoled himself. *** Elsewhere, inside the curious land, a baleful wind howled fiercely. Fiends and monsters materialized before them, spreading throughout the void. A Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner hung high in the firmament, its blood-red pennant billowing with malevolent energy as countless yin souls wailed. The ground below looked like a living purgatory on earth, ravaged and scarred in every direction. A pair of pallid giant hands descended from the heavens, so enormous that they could be seen from anywhere within the fractured curious land. A terrifying voice thundered across the space. "Blood Robe, don't bother hiding. I see you." Heavenly Venerable Da Le's figure appeared. His face was beaming, bearing a genial smile like a Laughing Buddha. Upon entering the curious land, his strength had plummeted to the peak of the Mythological Realm. Such was the nature of a curious land. Outside of it, he might have been able to refine the curious land with vast, profound magic. Yet once inside, one was at its mercy, reduced to the Mythological Realm. Such were the rules of heaven and earth. Only by comprehending an ultimate principle could one mount even a shred of resistance. Down on the ground, Qi Yuan—clad in his blood-red robe—looked completely calm. He gazed at the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner, his eyes lighting up with pleasant surprise. "Isn't this the banner of my dreams, the Human Sovereign Banner?" Qi Yuan's reaction did not surprise Heavenly Venerable Da Le. A prodigy of this caliber naturally possessed protective charms. A Yang God like himself, once stepping into a curious land, might not necessarily prevail against a monster like Blood Robe. "You may still feel secure and fearless now, but in a moment... you won't be smiling," Heavenly Venerable Da Le said, brandishing the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner as a chilling aura radiated in waves. "Who are you to make wild assumptions about me? What does whether I smile or not have to do with you?" Qi Yuan retorted. Hearing this, Heavenly Venerable Da Le's smile deepened. The happier Blood Robe smiled right now, the greater his despair would be shortly. "Blood Robe, you didn't expect... it would be me, did you?" Suddenly, behind Heavenly Venerable Da Le, a boundless, horrifying aura spread forth. A familiar face appeared. It was none other than Heavenly Venerable Shenxue. He glared at Qi Yuan, his eyes churning with unmistakable killing intent. "Huh? Shenxue?" Qi Yuan looked somewhat surprised to see the newcomer. Heavenly Venerable Shenxue was very pleased by that reaction. Then he heard Qi Yuan speak up. "Hey, didn't you already admit back then that Heavenly Venerable Motong killed your granddaughter? Heavenly Venerable Motong and I don't even know each other, so your granddaughter's death has nothing to do with me. Why are you coming after me?" Qi Yuan grumbled indignantly, carrying an imposing, righteous air. Generally speaking, when carrying out an assassination, one spoke as little as possible. In reality, at their level of cultivation, these exchanges took place in the span of a single breath. During that breath, Heavenly Venerable Da Le and Heavenly Venerable Shenxue were not merely talking; they were also sealing off this entire area to prevent Qi Yuan from escaping and to block any probing by other Yang Gods. Hearing Qi Yuan's words, Heavenly Venerable Shenxue grew even angrier, gnashing his teeth. "Back in the Ultimate Principle Heavenly Realm, when you humiliated me like that, did you ever consider the consequences?!" Heavenly Venerable Shenxue remembered Blood Robe's conduct in the Ultimate Principle Heavenly Realm with bitter clarity. His granddaughter had been killed, yet Blood Robe had lied through his teeth, claiming he didn't know the killer, Heavenly Venerable Motong. Anyone with half a brain knew Blood Robe knew Heavenly Venerable Motong. Moreover, the acting had been so laughably shoddy, essentially pressing Heavenly Venerable Shenxue's head down and forcing him to agree. Back then, he had no choice but to swallow that staggering humiliation. "How did I humiliate you? I have witness testimony and material evidence! Heavenly Venerable Motong and I don't know each other at all. Do you want me to call him out to confront you?" Qi Yuan had always been a reasonable man. "Blood Robe, playing dumb won't work, and neither will stalling for time. "This stretch of heaven and earth has already been sealed by us. Even Ancestor Ziyuan wouldn't be able to find this place; no one can save you. "Heavenly Venerable Motong... even if he were your dog, could never appear here!" Heavenly Venerable Shenxue said in a low voice, feeling an immense sense of vindication. With the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner sealing heaven and earth, only the three of them remained in this dead, desolate realm. Absolutely no one else could possibly show up. "You shrimp-headed creep! Not only do you slander me, you're spreading rumors about Heavenly Venerable Motong!" Qi Yuan yelled in fury. For some inexplicable reason, as Heavenly Venerable Shenxue heard Qi Yuan's roar, he suddenly felt a terrifying, mighty force wash over him. In an instant, his head genuinely turned into the head of a shrimp. A moment later, he frantically morphed it back, staring at Qi Yuan with deep wariness. "Ancestor Ziyuan truly lives up to his name as a Great Ultimate Principle. Is this a trump card he left you?" Though wary, Heavenly Venerable Shenxue was not afraid. No matter how strong Ancestor Ziyuan was, his true body had not descended here. Killing Blood Robe in this place would be effortless. "Typical tactics! You can't win an argument, so you change the subject? "Hmph, lucky for me I'm clever and always keep my witnesses and evidence on hand just in case people try to frame me. "Heavenly Venerable Motong, come out quickly! Tell them: do we know each other? Did I order you to kill Heavenly Venerable Shenxue's granddaughter?" Qi Yuan called out loudly. Heavenly Venerable Shenxue's heart tightened for a moment, but then he relaxed. "This place is sealed. No other Yang God Heavenly Venerable can enter. Blood Robe, such tricks... are useless!" Heavenly Venerable Da Le chuckled, looking at Qi Yuan. "Even if you scream until your throat bursts, no one will come to save you." Now the seal was in place, and all preparations were complete. It was time to strike. The nonsense... had gone on long enough. Yet at that very instant, Heavenly Venerable Shenxue and Heavenly Venerable Da Le's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. A hole suddenly opened in Qi Yuan's dantian, right in his torso. A terrifying aura spilled out from within. In the blink of an eye, a powerhouse clad in gray-black appeared, wearing a genial smile. "I testify! Heavenly Venerable Motong does not know any Blood Robe whatsoever!" The one who had abruptly stepped out of Qi Yuan's body was none other than Heavenly Venerable Motong! Seeing Heavenly Venerable Motong appear out of thin air, Shenxue and Da Le were frightened out of their wits, their expressions twisting in shock. This was impossible! This made no sense! Right now, not even a Great Ultimate Principle could enter right under their noses. How could Heavenly Venerable Motong come out of Blood Robe's stomach? What was going on? The entire matter reeked of bizarre unreality. "The witness is here. What do you have to say now?" Qi Yuan said smugly. "Heavenly Venerable Motong and I do not know each other. That is an absolute truth!" "Indeed. Motong and Blood Robe are not acquainted," Heavenly Venerable Motong answered. The scene was extraordinarily absurd. For some reason, a sudden wave of dread welled up in Heavenly Venerable Shenxue's heart. It was a long-lost, visceral fear. It was just like the terror he had felt when he encountered a ghost cultivator back before he had even set foot on the path of cultivation. Thinking back to how his head had suddenly turned into a shrimp head, his scalp tingled even more. Nevertheless, he declared in a heavy voice, "We have the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner! Heavenly Venerable Motong, even if you came, you cannot escape death!" "One witness isn't enough?" Qi Yuan's anger flared upon hearing this. The moral climate of the cultivation world was truly rotten. A witness had testified, yet they still refused to admit their guilt. "It seems I need a jury and judges to appear before you will confess!" Qi Yuan felt exasperated by their stubborn refusal to mend their ways. "Manifest, righteous judges! Manifest, righteous jury! Today... let this shrimp-headed creep receive his due punishment! "Radiant and vast, let the Divine Infant emerge from the divine treasury! Obey my command and judge the heavens!" Following Qi Yuan's command, a terrifying black hole materialized before his abdomen. One fearsome aura after another strode forth from within the dark vortex. "Dongji Qinghua Great Emperor, heed my command! Govern the Hell of Wind and Thunder, wield the majesty of lightning, and record the wicked in the black ledger!" "Nine Heavens Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Celestial Venerable, heed my command! Thunder is the pivot of yin and yang, the root of all things! Without thunder, the Three Realms cannot be governed!" ... "Gaoyao, heed my command! Clarify the five punishments to aid the five teachings!" In an instant, nearly a hundred Yang God Heavenly Venerables stepped out, flanking Qi Yuan like imperial guards and personal retinues. Every single one of them exuded an overwhelming, ocean-deep aura. These were no ordinary Yang Gods! Heavenly Venerable Shenxue and Heavenly Venerable Da Le stared with bulging eyes, their complexions deathly pale. What kind of monster was this? How could so many terrifying, unknown Yang Gods crawl out of his body? Wasn't this supposed to be a simple assassination? The two felt as though they had inadvertently stumbled into a horrifying vortex. Terrified and trembling, thoughts of retreat instantly flooded their minds. Just then, Qi Yuan's arrogant, overbearing voice rang out. "These individuals are all renowned chief judges, members of the jury, and gods of justice! Now, tell this old codger Shenxue: do I know Heavenly Venerable Motong? "Has this Heavenly Venerable Shenxue been slandering me?" Gaoyao, the God of Justice, stroked his beard with an aura of solemn, effortless authority. "Our Master has laid eyes upon Motong before, but merely imprisoned him. That hardly constitutes knowing him. "Therefore, Shenxue's slander against our Master... is found guilty as charged!" Delighted by the verdict, Qi Yuan crowed, "See that? Even the God of Justice declared I'm innocent! Yet you still dare to slander me, you shrimp-headed creep! "You've single-handedly lowered the moral standard of all men! You deserve to be expelled from manhood!" Remembering something, Qi Yuan quickly added another remark. "Even though Gaoyao calls me Master, he is the God of Justice—completely fair and impartial, with absolutely zero bias toward me! Heavenly Venerable Shenxue, will you confess your guilt or not?!" Qi Yuan bellowed, his voice crashing like thunder. Heavenly Venerable Shenxue looked at Qi Yuan, his expression churning with complicated emotions. He suddenly recalled his head turning into a shrimp head earlier—that sensation felt eerily like an ultimate principle. Pair that with the sudden appearance of Heavenly Venerable Motong and all those bizarre Yang Gods... "You... you are Heavenly Venerable Mochi?!" Heavenly Venerable Shenxue was thoroughly shocked and horrified. The person before them was none other than Heavenly Venerable Mochi! Hearing this, Heavenly Venerable Da Le was equally shaken. It was actually that monstrous Mochi! If it was him, then this made sense. After all, Mochi had managed to comprehend two Supreme Ultimate Principles. Having so many strange Yang Gods around him was no longer quite as impossible to accept. Without the slightest hesitation, Heavenly Venerable Shenxue and Heavenly Venerable Da Le turned on their heels and fled. Everything here was far too bizarre. This Blood Robe—or rather, Heavenly Venerable Mochi—was nothing like a normal Yang God. What kind of Yang God housed nearly a hundred other Yang Gods in his belly?! Qi Yuan watched the two flee without any rush, declaring righteously, "Hmph, don't try to cozy up to me! Since you admit your guilt, you deserve to die!" At that moment, Old Geezer Shenlei stepped forward. "Thunder of the Nine Heavens, condense into a thunder prison—trap!" Dongji Qinghua Great Emperor stood boundlessly majestic, his voice impassive. "Da Le, Shenxue, your names enter my black ledger!" The remaining Yang God Heavenly Venerables spoke in succession. Their divine voices acted like decrees, transforming into chains of order that firmly bound Heavenly Venerable Shenxue and Heavenly Venerable Da Le. Heavenly Venerable Shenxue panicked, struggling frantically. Heavenly Venerable Da Le waved the Ten Thousand Ghost Soul Banner in an attempt to break free, sending countless yin souls roaring. Yet besieged by nearly a hundred Yang Gods, their resistance appeared comical and futile. "Expelled from manhood!" At that moment, Qi Yuan began executing the sentence upon Heavenly Venerable Shenxue and Heavenly Venerable Da Le. In his current Myriad Dao Martial God Realm, having comprehended two Supreme Ultimate Principles, he could easily crush powerhouses of the Ultimate Principle Realm. Let alone two people whose cultivation realm and status had dropped upon entering a curious land. In fact, even without these Divine Infants, he could have handled them effortlessly. Qi Yuan, however, always placed great value on evidence. *** Meanwhile, within Guiyu Heaven. Three Faces Heavenly Venerable sat atop the clouds, the expressions across his three faces inscrutable. "How are things progressing?" "They are trapped in the curious land, and the outcome remains unknown. However... Hei Jian will likely be hard to kill. The old ancestor of the Black Demon Abyss personally brought out a Creation Treasure to divine heaven's will and prolong Hei Jian's life!" Hearing this report, Three Faces Heavenly Venerable was not surprised. "Indeed. Even if a Great Ultimate Principle takes action, killing Hei Jian would be difficult. "Still, depleting the heart's blood of that old turtle from the Black Demon Abyss this time around is a decent outcome in itself!" Three Faces Heavenly Venerable mused inwardly. Killing Hei Jian would have been a great accomplishment, but failing to do so was of no consequence. Their main objective was simply to wear down that old ancestor of the Black Demon Abyss. "What about Blood Robe? Given the timing, they should have succeeded by now?" Three Faces Heavenly Venerable murmured softly. Suddenly, he sensed something and cast his gaze toward the Astral Realm. A peculiar expression flashed across his eyes. "This is... Da Le's astral projection? What is going on? Could Da Le have run into danger?" Within the Astral Realm, the astral projection belonging to Heavenly Venerable Da Le suddenly blazed with brilliant light, as if struggling fiercely. "Wait, Heavenly Venerable Shenxue's astral projection is having issues as well. Could the Black Demon Abyss have set an ambush?" Surprised, Three Faces Heavenly Venerable stared fixedly at the astral projections in the Astral Realm. "No, this isn't an astral projection converging power; this is the astral projection resisting of its own accord. What is happening? What could they have encountered?" Three Faces Heavenly Venerable felt bewildered. At first, he had assumed Heavenly Venerable Shenxue and Heavenly Venerable Da Le had encountered a formidable enemy and were channeling the power of their astral projections into their physical bodies to fight back. Now, however, it seemed that was not the case. The astral projections themselves were resisting. It was as if a transcendent, magnificent power was actively affecting their astral projections in the Astral Realm. This sight reminded Three Faces Heavenly Venerable of when Ancestor Ziyuan had "popped" the astral projection of that Guiyu Heaven Yang God. Yet the current situation was completely different from that crushing destruction. Ancestor Ziyuan had pulverized the Yang God itself, causing the manifestation of the astral projection being crushed. Currently, Heavenly Venerable Da Le and Heavenly Venerable Shenxue had not yet fallen, so why would their astral projections undergo such a change? In the very next breath, Three Faces Heavenly Venerable's eyes went wide. The astral projections of Heavenly Venerable Da Le and Heavenly Venerable Shenxue underwent violent convulsions, shifting frantically as though about to shatter, only to recondense once more. After countless transformations... The astral projections of both figures abruptly shattered... and condensed into the character for "Woman" (女)! Indeed! The two Yang Gods were stripped of their manhood, their astral projections transforming into the character for woman! At that moment, the heavens trembled. Countless Yang Gods watched in utter shock and confusion, finding the scene entirely incomprehensible.