Chapter 390: Chapter 44: A Treacherous Feast, Tear Down the Celestial Palace

Ying Zheng calmly set down his wine cup and smiled faintly.

"The Human Race gives me my confidence."

After a pause, he looked at Emperor Gouchen with a half-smile and said leisurely,

"Speaking of which, my memory of you, Emperor, is still quite fresh. The sight of my adoptive ancestor lashing you nine thousand times remains vivid in my mind... After this banquet, must you return to the Underworld for more punishment?"

Ying Zheng’s merciless taunt tore open Gouchen’s old wounds. The complexions of the assembled Immortal Gods changed, but they pretended not to have heard.

But Gouchen God’s expression sank abruptly. A flicker of killing intent flashed and vanished, but he quickly suppressed it.

After a long moment, Gouchen chuckled. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

"Forget it. I’ll leave it to the Queen Mother to explain."

The Queen Mother smiled and nodded at Gouchen. Then, her expression cooled as she looked down at Ying Zheng from her high position.

"I invited you to this Peach of Immortality banquet as a sign of my approval, and to give you an opportunity."

After a pause, she said calmly,

"Perform the rites and bow in submission. I can then bestow upon you an official post in the Celestial Court. After you step down from your position as Human King, you may also come to the Celestial Court to serve as an Emperor."

The words had barely left her lips when, before Ying Zheng could reply, the silent Emperor Corpse on the high seat chuckled.

"Since when did the Queen Mother have the authority to appoint Immortal Officials?"

The expressions of the Immortal Gods stiffened. ’What is going on with these two...??’

The Queen Mother chuckled lightly, ignoring the Celestial Emperor. She merely looked down at Ying Zheng and asked,

"Human King, will you bow or not?"

Ying Zheng narrowed his eyes and countered with a question of his own.

"Bow to whom? To you, or to the Celestial Emperor?"

"Bow to me, and to the Four Extremes Emperors."

The Queen Mother’s stance was firm, and the four Emperors of the Four Extremes also turned their gazes upon Ying Zheng. The Immortal Gods, however, were once again in an uproar.

’This...’

’They realized something was wrong. The Queen Mother’s attitude toward His Majesty is terribly disrespectful... Why isn’t His Majesty angry?’

The Immortal Gods looked at each other in dismay. Only the Daluo present, who understood the past and present and could travel through the streams of Years, and those who had come from the Current World like Yang Jian and Zhu Wuneng, knew the real reason and remained silent.

Ying Zheng rose gracefully, picked up his wine cup, and faced the Queen Mother.

Then, he tilted the cup, pouring the wine out onto the Qingyun and auspicious omens covering the ground.

"The Human Race does not bow to Immortals and Buddhas."

Ying Zheng declared.

The Queen Mother’s expression turned frigid. She exchanged a look with the Four Extremes Emperors.

She said flatly,

"Relay my decree. The Peach of Immortality banquet will be extended from ten days to ten thousand years, only ending after ten millennia have passed. During this time, Immortals and Buddhas may leave as they please... and only Immortals and Buddhas."

The Queen Mother stressed the words "Immortals and Buddhas," then her gaze fell upon Ying Zheng as she said calmly,

"Human King, since you will not pay respect to Immortals and Buddhas, I will not punish you. I will simply ask you to enjoy the Peach of Immortality banquet for ten thousand years. How does that sound?"

Ying Zheng’s expression darkened instantly, while the Immortal Gods present became even more bewildered.

’The Human King doesn’t respect the heavens, doesn’t revere immortals, and doesn’t worship the Celestial Court. Logically, shouldn’t His Majesty the Celestial Emperor be the one who is angry?’

’Why hasn’t His Majesty the Celestial Emperor shown any reaction at all? Instead, it’s the Queen Mother who seems... to have lost her temper??’

’And it seems His Majesty the Celestial Emperor didn’t care at all when Emperor Qin Shi Huang went to Taishan to perform the Feng and Shan sacrifices decades ago, either?’

’How strange, how very strange...’

The Immortal Gods looked at one another, each falling silent to observe. Yang Jian and Zhu Wuneng exchanged a grave look.

As for Ying Zheng, clad in his Nine Dragon Profound Black Emperor Robe, he still stood proudly.

"I bear the weight of three thousand Human Dao Trends. If I wish to leave this Celestial Palace, who would dare stop me? Who *could* stop me? I will stand right here, unmoving. Which of you Immortals and Buddhas present dares to attack and kill me?"

The Immortal Gods exchanged glances, their expressions faltering. They knew the Human King spoke the truth. His Human Dao Fortune was so immense that if anyone were to attack him rashly, not even a Daluo would escape unscathed from the Human Dao’s backlash!

But the Queen Mother’s expression didn’t change. With a faint, mocking smile, she said,

"Is that so? Human King, you are welcome to try."

Ying Zheng turned and walked away, but the moment he reached the gate of the Celestial Palace, he could not advance another inch.

Zhu Wuneng’s eyes darted about. Feigning a sudden realization, he exclaimed in admiration,

"As expected of the Queen Mother! Using her celestial authority, she has set a new rule for the Peach of Immortality banquet to last ten thousand years. Entry and exit have always been restricted during the banquet, and now she has permitted only Immortal Gods to come and go freely..."

He continued his praise.

"In this way, although the Human King carries the Human Dao Trend, the Peach of Immortality banquet is the First banquet in the heavens and holds no malicious intent. And since there is no malice, the Human Dao Fortune will not react in any way."

Zhu Wuneng’s words seemed like praise, but they were actually a warning to Ying Zheng. The latter’s expression froze. He spun around and stared at the Queen Mother.

"The great Queen Mother of the Jasper Pool, resorting to such a scheme?"

"And what of it?" The Queen Mother smiled. "So, Human King, will you bow, or not?"

With that, she slowly sat back down, a captivating smile on her face.

"If you bow, you may take an immortal post and return to the Human World. If you do not, the Human World will be without its king for ten thousand years. What sort of misery and suffering will befall your people then?"

Ying Zheng’s expression sank. He suddenly erupted, drawing his sword. Amid a chorus of gasps, he swung his blade toward the Queen Mother.

But even though the sword light was imbued with the immense Human Dao Trend, the Queen Mother remained perfectly still, watching with an amused smile as the attack neared within three inches of her, only to vanish into nothingness.

Zhu Wuneng’s eyes darted again, and he once more feigned admiration.

"Although the Human King carries a great Trend, the Human Dao Trend can only be fully activated to defend against external malice. If he initiates it himself, its power and might are reduced a thousand, even ten thousand-fold. How could it possibly reach the Queen Mother?"

Ying Zheng had a sudden realization. ’So that’s how it is.’ But he quickly found himself at a loss.

He had long known this banquet would be no simple feast, but he had never expected this trap was waiting for him...

After a moment of silence, Ying Zheng sneered,

"The Human World no longer respects the heavens, so the Celestial Court’s fortune has greatly diminished, hasn’t it? It seems certain immortals are getting anxious... So what if I remain here for ten thousand years?"

"Then we shall wait ten thousand years. With no Human King to rule, a new dynasty will rise after ten millennia, and the new Human King will once again be the Celestial Son," the Queen Mother said, rising to her feet with a blank expression.

"We will trouble you, Human King, to enjoy the Celestial Maiden Dance and eat Peaches of Immortality for ten thousand years... We have more than enough peaches."

As she spoke, she prepared to flick her sleeve and depart.

Suddenly.

The cry of a True Phoenix rang out, loud and clear, accompanied by an announcement from an Official outside the Celestial Palace:

"The Celestial Court Divine Emperor of the Sea and Profound Yellow has arrived for the Peach of Immortality banquet!"

The crowd of immortals was stunned. Zhu Wuneng and Yang Jian’s faces changed in unison.

’Pro... Profound Yellow!!’

The two of them involuntarily took a step back, clearly terrified.

The next moment, a figure wearing an Emperor’s Robe and a simple Bronze Mask, accompanied by Nezha and an Ancient Daoist, strolled into the Celestial Palace.

"Uncle Zhong!"

Ying Zheng bowed respectfully.

Lu Xuan nodded at him. Then, in front of all the assembled immortals, he walked step by step into the Celestial Palace, his hands hanging naturally at his sides. He didn’t even glance at the Queen Mother or the Four Extremes Emperors.

Instead, he cast his gaze toward the Celestial Emperor on the highest seat, offered a salute, and said with a smile,

"Having received Your Majesty’s decree, it is my fault for only just now coming to the Celestial Court after so much time has passed."

The Emperor Corpse—who, in his eyes, looked no different from the skeleton nailed to the cliff in that dead world—sat up straight and also replied with a smile,

"Profound Yellow Emperor, there is no need for such ceremony. I grant you permission, from this day forward, to see the Lord of the Celestial Court without bowing."

The Emperor Corpse heavily stressed the title "Lord of the Celestial Court."

Lu Xuan smiled and nodded, then asked,

"Your Majesty, I find this Celestial Palace much to my liking. Might you grant it to me, to serve as my second Emperor’s Palace?"

"You may," the Celestial Emperor answered with a laugh.

The smile on Lu Xuan’s face grew wider.

"Since it is now my Emperor’s Palace... hmm, I find I no longer like it."

He and the Celestial Emperor were perfectly in sync, like two performers in a comic dialogue. Under the astonished gazes of the immortal crowd, Lu Xuan glanced sideways at the Ancient Daoist.

"Senior Brother, I do not like this Emperor’s Palace. So... let’s tear it down."

"Very well."

Xuandu nodded and drew his sword.