The autumn dusk showed no hint of bleakness; the amber sunlight felt lazy and warm.
Dressed casually, Liu Sheng chuckled like an ordinary old man.
"Not bad. The children in your Trial are all good kids."
Liu Chudong wore a proud look. "Your granddaughter picked every one of them out with great care, after all!"
Whether it was Chi Changle or Wang Kong, Liu Chudong had personally vetted and invited them into Trial.
At that moment, Liu Sheng raised an eyebrow and remarked casually, "What about that Qi Yuan from the State of Ning? Why don't I see him?"
Liu Sheng had his suspicions.
How could this Qi Yuan from the State of Ning happen to appear at such a coincidental time?
He might very well share a special connection with that revived Divine Descent.
Only then did Liu Chudong remember something, muttering, "I wonder if he's back yet. Come on, Grandpa, let's head over to his courtyard."
Liu Chudong led Liu Sheng toward Qi Yuan's courtyard.
A light knock sounded on the door. Chen Kangbao poked his head out, looking curiously at the two.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you, the Young Master is back." As usual, Chen Kangbao was munching on a stuffed bun.
"He's back? My grandpa wants to meet him," Liu Chudong said, moving to step into the courtyard.
Chen Kangbao reached out an arm to block Liu Chudong. "The Young Master is sleeping. He gave orders that no one is allowed inside."
"Sleeping?" Liu Chudong grew anxious. "Wake him up!"
Her grandfather was rarely in such high spirits when visiting; this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Who in the world wouldn't want to meet a God-rank weapon wielder and receive his guidance?
Chen Kangbao shook his head, saying earnestly, "The Young Master said no one is to disturb his sleep."
His gaze was resolute as he barred Liu Chudong's path.
Liu Chudong flared with anger. "If you delay an important matter, you—"
"The Young Master's sleep is the important matter," Chen Kangbao retorted bluntly.
At this, Liu Chudong fell somewhat silent.
In her heart, she felt a pang of regret on Qi Yuan's behalf.
At that point, Liu Sheng chuckled and asked, "How long until your young master wakes up?"
"Don't know." Chen Kangbao shook his head.
Liu Chudong felt even more speechless.
Liu Sheng cast a glance toward the inner courtyard. "Since I have nothing else to do, I'll just wait here for a bit."
Hearing this, surprise and bewilderment flashed through Liu Chudong's eyes.
Wait?
Grandpa is going to wait for Big Brother Qi to wake up?
Liu Chudong was thoroughly baffled.
She certainly didn't believe her grandfather was waiting on her account.
Her grandfather was a God-rank weapon wielder; even as his kin, she had to treat him with utmost reverence.
Her grandfather always had a profound reason for what he did.
Lowering her head, unsure what to think, she waited patiently beside him.
From dusk till late into the night, Liu Chudong and Liu Sheng waited outside the courtyard.
The door to the room never once opened. A look of doubt lingered in Liu Chudong's eyes. "Big Brother Qi still isn't awake? When will he wake up?"
Chen Kangbao shook his head. "Don't know."
"It's fine. He'll be up by tomorrow morning at the latest. Grandpa, you..." Liu Chudong looked at Liu Sheng, slightly worried that he might take offense.
After all, leaving a God-rank weapon wielder waiting outside half the night—or even all night—Big Brother Qi's conduct was truly unprecedented.
Liu Sheng smiled genially, casting a glance toward the room within. "No rush. As it happens, I have plenty of free time right now."
Right then, Chen Kangbao chimed in, "The Young Master might not wake up by tomorrow morning."
"Huh?" Liu Chudong froze. "He didn't get injured, did he? How could an ordinary person sleep this long?"
"Hmph, the Young Master is a heavenly god descended to earth. What if he sleeps for three thousand years?" Chen Kangbao declared proudly.
Liu Chudong fell silent. This Chen Kangbao really was out of his mind.
Beside them, Liu Sheng narrowed his eyes as if struck by a thought, scrutinizing Chen Kangbao's eyes.
After a long while, he chuckled. "To think such a curious thing exists in this world. This old man will wait right here for your young master to awaken, and see just how many months he can sleep."
***
A drizzle began falling over Linhai City, pattering softly.
As the wind blew, it stirred ripples across the water.
Inside a tavern, a storyteller with a snow-white beard and hair stood short of stature, his clothes bearing six or seven patches stitched with fine, dense needlework.
He cleared his throat.
"Now, on that day, as the tale goes, frost fell in midsummer! Five horses were positioned in the cardinal directions, while the courtesan was bound in ropes.
"Slaying an imperial prince warranted the punishment of dismemberment by five horses!
"Yet who could have foreseen that frost would fall in midsummer!"
Though the storyteller was aged, his voice was resonant, rich with dramatic cadence.
Hearing this, the patrons in the tavern wore diverse expressions, full of anticipation.
Meanwhile, a young man in scholar's robes lowered his head, panic written on his face. "Is this something we're allowed to listen to?"
Granted, he had heard the tale of the courtesan slaying the Third Prince with a sword since childhood.
Yet Rakshasa Country had long forbidden the spreading of such stories.
Even if whispered, it was done strictly in secret.
How could someone bring it into broad daylight—even here in Dingbo Province?!
"In the end, the God of Judgment descended, and the courtesan was acquitted without crime!
"Hmph, so what if he was an imperial prince? He committed a crime, and he answered to the same law as the common folk!" The old storyteller spoke with fiery vigor.
"Well said!"
The patrons in the tavern clapped and cheered in succession.
Suddenly, one diner lowered his head and whispered, "Have you heard? The Blood Cloud Bandits, who wreaked havoc far and wide, have been wiped out—and the one who struck was this very God of Judgment!"
"You must be from out of town! Why would anyone need to 'hear about' that? The news spread throughout Linhai City days ago!"
"Heh heh, the God of Judgment... has returned!"
"He... has finally returned," murmured an old man clad in drafty hemp garments, sipping cloudy yellow wine.
"If anyone meets the same plight as that courtesan..."
On the other side, in a secluded corner, an old woman sat dressed in plain cloth garments. As the chatter drifted into her ears, a reminiscent look surfaced on her face.
"To think that looking back, one hundred and twenty years have already slipped by."
Though she wore coarse hemp, it could not conceal her distinctive air; from the contour of her face and the curve of her brows, one could tell she had been a great beauty in her youth.
"Vice Master, it has been a century since Divine Descent vanished, and at last, our wait is over." The speaker was a lame old man.
He came from humble origins; because he failed to kneel before a noble, one of his legs had been broken.
It was Divine Descent who had restored justice to him.
It was Divine Descent who had given him dignity.
And that old woman was the protagonist of The Courtesan Slew the Third Prince with a Sword, as well as one of the two Vice Masters of the Council of Judgment.
Aside from the Master, who was trapped in the Royal Capital and unable to extricate himself, the other Vice Master was required to oversee the Council of Judgment.
This time, when news of Divine Descent surfaced in Linhai City, the old woman had come in person.
Her aged, withered face was filled with yearning.
"The Rakshasa Country of today... how can it compare to what it once was?" the old woman murmured, her eyes distant with memories.
When people grow old, they love to look back on the past.
Yet she was not merely living in the past!
It was because... even though the imperial court had relentlessly suppressed the Council of Judgment and wiped away every trace of the God of Judgment's existence, among the common folk, the deeds and faith surrounding the God of Judgment had never died out.
Many secretly offered worship to Divine Descent, simply praying that one day, Divine Descent would reappear.
If all the court ministers and nobles were lined up and every second person was dragged out to be beheaded, there might be innocent ones among them, but among those left behind, plenty would have blood on their hands.
How could today's Rakshasa Country still be the country of old?
To secure their throne, the imperial family was willing to cede whole cities!
To earn military honors, commanders chopped off the heads of commoners!
Sitting in a carriage, there was no need to visit a menagerie—pull back the curtains, and the people filling the city were treated like beasts of burden!
No, they were treated worse than oxen and horses—after all, oxen and horses were precious!
In a world like this, even though Rakshasa Country had Seven Gods reigning supreme over the realm, aside from Dingbo, across the realm's thirteen provinces, hundreds of uprisings and rebellions broke out every year.
If they could survive and fill their bellies, why would those commoners refuse to starve peacefully as docile corpses, choosing instead to be like mantises waving their forelegs against a carriage?
As the saying went: "Today we cheer the Great Sage Sun, only because the demonic mist returns once more."
"Yet... where is Divine Descent right now?" A look of hesitation appeared on the old woman's face.
Back then, when Divine Descent fell, she had ceased embroidering and painting; she began to cultivate, becoming a weapon wielder and joining Judgment.
Now, traces of Divine Descent had revealed themselves.
In a mere ten days, lanterns and banners were hung throughout Linhai City, across Liuye Commandery, and all over Dingbo Province. Joy adorned the people's faces.
Many citizens boldly began to worship Divine Descent out in the open.
Meanwhile, the local authorities of Dingbo Province maintained silence during this time—an intriguing stance that seemed all the more to substantiate the reality.
Divine Descent... had truly returned!
***
At the same time, inside the military camp's command tent.
Prince Dingyuan paced back and forth incessantly.
For a God-rank weapon wielder, exhibiting such restlessness was exceedingly rare.
The composure he possessed ten days ago had vanished from his face.
After several dozen breaths, the leader of the Blood Hand bowed his head and entered, his expression respectful.
"How is it?" Prince Dingyuan asked anxiously.
Ever since he had secretly scouted Blood Cloud Stockade, he had felt restless, gripped by dread.
"The annihilation of the Blood Cloud Bandits and the descent of Divine Descent have spread throughout Dingbo Province; it's the talk of every street and alley!"
"What about the authorities? What is their stance?" Prince Dingyuan asked.
"They turn a blind eye, and are even... fanning the flames!" the Blood Hand leader answered.
If no hidden hand were pushing it, how could the news of Divine Descent's return spread across Dingbo Province so swiftly?
Moreover, if this had happened in any other province, it would have been impossible for it to circulate at all.
What did such an ambiguous stance from the authorities signify?
The government of Dingbo Province represented the Liu family!
"Old Man Liu has always been timid and cautious. For him to secretly propel this... could it be..." Prince Dingyuan grew frantic, stripped of his former calm and poise. "Where is Old Man Liu right now?" Prince Dingyuan asked hurriedly, struck by a thought.
"He went to Linhai City ten days ago and hasn't left since. It's unclear what exactly he is doing."
"He actually stayed in Linhai City for so long... That is completely unlike him."
Prince Dingyuan was truly frantic now.
A terrifying suspicion arose in his mind.
Could it be... Divine Descent has truly revived?
Is Old Man Liu... conspiring something with Divine Descent?
If so...
"What occurred here must be reported to His Majesty. This old man will depart immediately for the imperial capital!" Prince Dingyuan made his decision, speaking grimly.
Hearing this, the Blood Hand leader's expression shifted slightly. "My Lord, if you leave, what of your achievements here in Dingbo Province?"
Returning to the capital without an imperial summons would infuriate the Emperor.
The credit for securing Dingbo Province would surely no longer belong to him, and his previous efforts would go down the drain.
Hearing this, Prince Dingyuan's voice sounded weathered: "If one's life is gone, what use is merit?"
The Blood Hand leader felt disappointed and astonished. He had never expected the prince to be this cowardly.
"Divine Descent is merely a divine artifact. If Your Highness holds down the military camp and waits for reinforcements from the imperial family, you can rest easy without worry!" the Blood Hand leader advised.
In his eyes, the prince was also a God-rank weapon wielder; why should he fear the God of Judgment?
Both were God-rank—even if he couldn't win, surely he could flee?
Prince Dingyuan glanced at the Blood Hand leader without explaining much. "You have never seen the God of Judgment. You have no idea... what kind of existence He truly is!"
Back then, in Luofeng City, he had seen with his own eyes Divine Descent repel enemy armies seven times.
That kind of power, that kind of invincibility—Prince Dingyuan could not muster even the slightest thought of resistance.
He... had truly achieved invincibility under heaven, matchless even against foes descending from the skies!
"Keep the news of my return to the Royal Capital strictly secret for three days. Do you understand?"
Prince Dingyuan warned him, and his figure vanished into thin air.
Of course, before leaving, he placed a restriction on the Blood Hand leader; should the leader leak his whereabouts within three days, he would detonate and perish.
Why three days? Because after three days, the prince would have reached the Royal Capital.
Only while staying in the Royal Capital could he feel a sliver of safety.
Divine Descent had not even truly shown His face, yet a God-rank weapon wielder was already scared into fleeing.
***
"It has been half a month."
Outside the courtyard, Liu Chudong's figure appeared.
Looking at her grandfather seated inside the courtyard, countless thoughts welled up in her mind.
At first, she had been baffled by her grandfather's actions.
Yet later, when she learned of Divine Descent manifesting His power and obliterating the Blood Cloud Bandits, monstrous waves surged in her heart.
How could the timing be so coincidentally aligned?
A suspicion immediately formed in her mind.
Now, it made perfect sense why her grandfather, as a God-rank weapon wielder, had remained waiting outside all along.
Just then, the creak of a door opening suddenly sounded.
A handsome man in white robes stepped out. The fine drizzle dampened his hair without leaving it disheveled.
He stretched lazily, looked at everyone, and drawled, "Morning!"
Seeing the person emerge, Liu Chudong's expression was complicated. "Big Brother Qi!"
"Young Master!" Chen Kangbao beamed with delight.
Liu Sheng rose at this moment. Looking at Qi Yuan, an odd look flashed through his eyes. "This old man, Liu Sheng, greets the young master."
Qi Yuan swept a glance over Liu Sheng, unperturbed, and nodded in response.
He glanced at the sky, watching the fine rain form curtains of mist. "The rain is coming down harder and harder. Going outside right now... is asking for misery."
"Big Brother Qi... you're leaving?" Liu Chudong was taken aback.
Leaving right after waking up?
A smile flickered in Qi Yuan's eyes. "Now that I've had my fill of sleep, it's naturally time to head out."
During this half-month of deep slumber, his role-play assimilation rate for Divine Descent had soared wildly, reaching a limit.
He had also received a new boon.
With his strength elevated, a new idea naturally formed in his mind.
Why not take this opportunity to max out his Divine Descent role-play assimilation rate?
To do that, he needed to journey across Rakshasa Country and make his way to the Royal Capital.
"Where does the young master wish to go?" Liu Sheng asked at this point.
"Hmm... Leave Dingbo Province, head to Xianle Province, pass through Cuixian Province, Longgu Province... and finally go to the Royal Capital," Qi Yuan answered earnestly.
He had chosen a winding route.
This path traversed twelve provinces across the realm, taking the most convoluted circuit before arriving at the Royal Capital.
"The rain is a bit heavy. Weather like this is great for sleeping, but I've always been diligent. Even when it's pouring and travel is rough, I'll still set out!" Qi Yuan remarked casually.
At that moment, Liu Sheng suddenly spoke up: "With such heavy rain and rolling thunder, the horses might easily spook. This old man started out as a groom—how about I lead the horse and hold the whip for the young master, accompanying you on part of your journey?"
Hearing this, Liu Chudong's expression changed abruptly.
Lead the horse?
Grandpa leading the horse for Big Brother Qi!
Although she knew Big Brother Qi might share an intimate connection with Divine Descent, surely that shouldn't warrant her grandfather personally holding the reins for him?!
Qi Yuan glanced at Liu Sheng, his eyes serene, and said placidly, "Works for me."
Chapter 529