Kneeling on the ground, Fu Huan ignored the Third Princess while secretly using her mental powers to summon the Five-Colored Divine Phoenix.
The Five-Colored Divine Phoenix was an ancient divine beast that recognized only Fu Huan as its master, which was why it willingly helped her. Sensing Fu Huan’s abnormal state, it used its invisibility technique to emerge from Fu Huan’s back.
Upon appearing and seeing Third Princess Bing Lian sitting on a chair, continuously mocking Fu Huan, it became angry. Flapping its wings, it flew toward Bing Lian.
Bing Lian hadn’t noticed anything unusual. Sitting on her chair, her gaze remained on Fu Huan. “Don’t think that because my Father Celestial Emperor once favored you, you can truly be unbridled. You should know, this princess is his true daughter… Ah!”
Bing Lian had only spoken half her sentence when she suddenly screamed, jumping up from her chair in shock.
Just now…
It felt as if something sharp had stabbed her stomach…
Just as she stood up, her back, shoulders, and various parts of her body were suddenly struck by something sharp, causing her face to turn pale with pain.
But when she rolled up her sleeve to check the place that had just been painfully stabbed, there was only a red dot, without any actual wound.
…
…
“Fu Huan, what tricks are you playing?” Bing Lian glared, shouting at Fu Huan.
Hearing this, Fu Huan lazily raised her eyelids and looked at Bing Lian. “I’ve been kneeling here the whole time. What tricks could I possibly play?”
Bing Lian was momentarily stunned. She glanced at Fu Huan’s bloody shoulder and the spiked board beneath her knees, and took a breath. She thought it made sense—in Fu Huan’s injured state, how could she have the strength to play tricks?
But just now…
As she was thinking, that stabbing pain attacked again, assaulting her entire body from all directions.
“Ahhh!” Bing Lian screamed, completely unaware of where this mysterious pain was coming from. But looking at Fu Huan, who was kneeling in place without moving at all, it seemed impossible that she could be behind it.
Bing Lian, unable to bear the pain, hugged herself and quickly ran back to her chambers.
The immortal attendants beside her hurriedly followed.
After Bing Lian ran away, Fu Huan’s gaze met the Five-Colored Divine Phoenix, and she sent a secret message: “Luan’er, if you peck any more, your beak might become crooked.”
The Five-Colored Divine Phoenix proudly raised its head, then flew back and disappeared into Fu Huan’s back.
Fu Huan smiled. Fortunately, her Five-Colored Divine Phoenix knew invisibility techniques today; otherwise, it wouldn’t have been so easy to teach this Third Princess a lesson.
However, her shoulder hurt…
Fu Huan glanced at her shoulder. Originally, it was just a whip wound, but now, after being manhandled by that deranged Third Princess, not only had the wound become worse, but it was also bleeding non-stop.
The Third Princess’s hand strength had been so great that if she had pressed any harder, the flesh on Fu Huan’s shoulder might have been torn off.
She hadn’t done anything terrible to this princess, yet the princess had been so vicious.
She wondered how the Celestial Emperor had raised such a daughter.
Fu Huan sighed and instinctively moved her knees again. At this point, apart from pain, she couldn’t feel anything else.
……
The news of Fu Huan being punished to kneel by the Celestial Emperor quickly spread throughout the Celestial Realm. By the afternoon, waves of people had come to the gate of the Celestial Realm to see for themselves.
Among them, some who normally had good relationships with Fu Huan felt indignant on her behalf upon seeing how severely she was being punished. But these feelings remained only in their hearts—after all, the one who had ordered this was the Celestial Emperor.
“Stop looking, everyone. Move along.” Leng Yuan’s voice appeared at the gate of the Celestial Realm, signaling the onlookers to leave.
After the crowd dispersed, Leng Yuan walked over to Fu Huan. “Huan’er.”
“Sister Leng Yuan.” Among all the people who had come today, besides the Great Emperor Ziwei, Leng Yuan was the only one who could make her smile.
“How can you still smile?” Leng Yuan crouched down, and seeing Fu Huan covered in blood, her eyes immediately reddened.
Fu Huan slightly curved her lips. “Should I cry instead?”
“Silly girl.” Leng Yuan took out a porcelain bottle from her sleeve and looked at Fu Huan. “The immortal attendant in my palace told me you were punished to kneel here by the Celestial Emperor and were severely injured. I was worried, so I came to check on you.”
“What happened? You’re so badly hurt. Who did this?” As Leng Yuan spoke, she opened the bottle and applied medicine to Fu Huan’s shoulder.
“Hiss—” When the medicine touched the wound, Fu Huan’s body trembled with pain, and she drew in a sharp breath.
Leng Yuan frowned, showing concern. “It might hurt a bit. Bear with it, otherwise the wound could fester.”
Fu Huan nodded. “Originally it was just a whip wound, but after the Third Princess came, it became a severe injury.”
At the mention of the Third Princess, a strange look flashed in Leng Yuan’s eyes, but it disappeared so quickly that Fu Huan didn’t notice. “That Third Princess again. She truly stirs up trouble whenever possible.”
“Let’s not talk about her. It’s frustrating.” Fu Huan sighed.
“Mm.” Leng Yuan continued applying medicine. After removing the clothing on Fu Huan’s shoulder, she discovered that the flesh was mangled, showing how much force the Third Princess had used.
“Huan’er, how did you offend the Celestial Emperor out of nowhere?” She had inquired about this matter for a long time but hadn’t found out anything.
Fu Huan gave a self-mocking smile. “I misspoke and angered the Celestial Emperor.”
“You’ve angered him before, but it has never been this serious. What exactly did you say?” Leng Yuan remained curious.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Although she had already been punished, the matter of the forbidden area was still the Celestial Emperor’s taboo. She couldn’t speak carelessly about it, nor did she dare to.
Seeing that Fu Huan was so tight-lipped, Leng Yuan didn’t press further. After finishing treating Fu Huan’s shoulder, she handed her another bottle.
“This is a painkiller. If you can’t bear it, remember to take one.”
“Tomorrow is the Celestial Empress’s birthday. Many people will pass through this gate. There might be some gossipy individuals. Be patient and don’t get into conflicts with anyone.” Leng Yuan advised Fu Huan.
Fu Huan took the painkiller and met Leng Yuan’s gaze. Seeing Leng Yuan’s reddened eyes, Fu Huan realized that in this world, apart from the Great Emperor Ziwei, Leng Yuan treated her the best.
“Thank you, sister.” Fu Huan expressed her gratitude.
“Silly, being so formal with your sister.” Leng Yuan reached out to stroke Fu Huan’s hair. “Alright, I have to go now. I can’t stay here too long.”
“Mm, then sister should go.” Fu Huan said.
Leng Yuan nodded. “Remember, be more patient and don’t act impulsively.”
Fu Huan nodded again.
After leaving the gate of the Celestial Realm, Leng Yuan’s face remained deep in thought. She and Fu Huan had grown up together from childhood; how could she not know how much the Celestial Emperor adored Fu Huan?
Unless Fu Huan had committed a grave offense, it would be impossible for her to be punished so severely.
There must be something significant behind this.
But what could it possibly be?
As Leng Yuan walked, she suddenly thought of someone and muttered to herself, “That Zi Yu might know everything.”
Thinking of this possibility, Leng Yuan vanished, heading toward Phoenix Feather Pavilion.
……
In the Underworld, You Mansion.
“Divine Lord, that Upper God Leng Yuan is completely under our control now.” After returning to the Underworld, Fu Ling reported everything to You Lan.
You Lan was lying on a daybed, casually playing with her nails. Upon hearing Fu Ling’s words, she languidly raised her eyelids. “Oh? How are you so certain that she’s under our control?”
“Today, upon learning that Upper God Fu Huan was being punished to kneel at the gate of the Celestial Realm, the servant immediately informed Upper God Leng Yuan. Divine Lord, guess what that Upper God Leng Yuan did?”
Hearing this, You Lan became somewhat intrigued. She sat up. “What did she do?”
“Upper God Leng Yuan personally went to Third Princess Bing Lian’s palace. While pretending to chat casually with Bing Lian, she casually revealed the matter of Upper God Fu Huan being punished to kneel. Later, this Third Princess, who has always been on bad terms with Upper God Fu Huan, immediately rushed to the gate of the Celestial Realm…”
Fu Ling told You Lan everything that had happened afterward, in detail, including how Leng Yuan had later pretended to apply medicine to Fu Huan to gain her trust.
Upon hearing this, You Lan covered her mouth and laughed lightly. “How interesting. In vain they call themselves the closest sisters in the Celestial Realm. Who would have thought they would turn against each other so easily for a man…”
“And a man who has no relationship with either of them.” You Lan added, her gaze deepening.
Fu Ling laughed along. “Indeed, this Upper God Leng Yuan is truly a fool. Not only is she being used by us, but if Upper God Fu Huan discovers her true face in the future, she definitely won’t spare her.”
“Divine Lord’s strategy this time is excellent, eliminating two obstacles at once.”
You Lan, coldly curved her lips. “Leng Yuan’s feelings for my Lord have just begun. This is when she’s most fervent, when her heart is most vulnerable, so she’s easiest to control.”
“Fu Huan is an out-and-out innocent fool. She’s not very vigilant, so she’s also easy to control.”
As You Lan spoke, the smile on her lips deepened. Once she used Leng Yuan’s hands to eliminate Fu Huan, she would then take the opportunity to reveal what Leng Yuan had done to Fu Huan…
By then, having cleared away these two Upper Gods of noble status, no one would dare to covet Si Qing, and no one would dare to step on her head again.
“By the way…” You Lan remembered something else, turning her head to look at the immortal attendant Zhu Ling standing on the other side. “Zhu Ling, did my Lord say this afternoon that he was going into seclusion for a few days?”
Zhu Ling nodded. “Yes, my Lord will be in seclusion for ten days. During these ten days, all major and minor affairs of the Underworld will be temporarily managed by Gold Mansion’s Immortal Xi Lun.”
“That’s wonderful.” You Lan suddenly felt that even the heavens were helping her this time.
Fu Huan was being punished to kneel for seven days.
Si Qing would be in seclusion for ten days.
In this way, Si Qing wouldn’t attend the Celestial Empress’s birthday banquet tomorrow, and he wouldn’t meet Fu Huan either.
Excellent, truly excellent!
“Fu Ling, continue to go to the Celestial Realm. Keep an eye on Leng Yuan for me, and also watch Fu Huan. If there’s any movement, report to me immediately.”
“Yes, Divine Lord.”
……
Immortal Master Wuji happened to be free today, so early in the morning, he had someone invite Si Qing from the Underworld to come to his Wuji Palace, where they had been playing chess for nearly the entire day.
“Seclusion? Why are you suddenly going into seclusion when everything is fine?” The two had been playing chess until dusk when Si Qing suddenly mentioned to Immortal Master Wuji about going into seclusion.
Si Qing smiled faintly. “Is there such a thing as sudden or not sudden for seclusion?”
“I suppose you’re right.” Immortal Master Wuji smiled, and then suddenly looked toward the main gate outside.
“Mu Ge, what’s happening today? There seem to be people coming and going outside constantly. Has something major occurred?” Immortal Master Wuji asked the immortal child standing beside him.
The immortal child named Mu Ge stepped forward and responded, “In reply to the Immortal Master, today Upper God Fu Huan misspoke and angered the Celestial Emperor. She is now being punished by the Celestial Emperor’s order to kneel at the gate of the Celestial Realm, and it is said she can only leave after seven days.”
“What?!”