Xie Lian knew this must be something Hua Cheng left behind. He held it in his hand, pondering for a moment, and thought, "What is this?"
When he was the Crown Prince, Xie Lian grew up in the Imperial Palace of the Divine Joy Kingdom.
The kingdom always loved beautiful and precious things, and it was a trend to admire them.
The palace was extraordinarily luxurious, with golden pillars and jade steps, filled with countless treasures. Children of noble birth often played with various gemstones as if they were marbles. Xie Lian was used to seeing treasures, but this ring seemed to be made from diamond.
However, the ring's shape was so beautiful that even the most skilled craftsman might not be able to create something so naturally perfect. It was more transparent and brilliant than any diamond he had ever seen, mesmerizing anyone who looked at it. He couldn't quite figure out what it was.
But even if he couldn't tell what it was, it was definitely something very valuable and important.
And since it was around his neck, it couldn't have been accidentally left behind; it must have been a token that Hua Cheng gave him before he left.
Receiving this token, Xie Lian was a bit surprised. He smiled slightly and decided to keep it safe and ask the young man what it meant next time they met.
He only had a small, rundown temple with no place to store treasures. After thinking about it, the safest way was to keep it close to him, so he put the thin silver chain back on.
After two trips to Yu Jun Mountain and Half Moon Pass, Xie Lian lay around the Pugilistic Shrine for several days.
If it weren't for the overly enthusiastic villagers bringing him buns and porridge, he might have just lain there the whole time. After a few days, Ling Wen suddenly informed him: "Hurry up and come to the heavens."
From her tone, it seemed like something serious was happening. Xie Lian had already guessed a bit and was prepared. He asked, "Is it about Half Moon Pass?"
Ling Wen replied, "Yes, when you return to the Immortal Capital, come straight to the Divine Martial Hall."
Hearing about the Divine Martial Hall, Xie Lian was taken aback, knowing that Jun Wu had returned.
Since his third ascension, he hadn't seen Jun Wu. As the foremost martial god, Jun Wu was either in seclusion or patrolling the realms, or going to stabilize mountains and seas. This trip was unavoidable, so Xie Lian didn't rest for long before heading to the Immortal Capital.
The temples of various gods were gathered in the Immortal Capital, forming clusters like cities, each showcasing its own style.
Here were carved beams and painted rafters, and there were small bridges and flowing water. The immortal breeze floated around, and clouds spread beneath his feet.
The Immortal Capital had a main road called Divine Martial Street.
Although many Divine Martial Streets were built in the human world to commemorate Jun Wu, as mentioned before, many things in the human world were just imitations and reflections of things in the heavenly realm. Therefore, only the one in the Immortal Capital was the true Divine Martial Street. Following this wide street, Xie Lian walked towards the Divine Martial Hall. Along the way, he encountered many hurried officials, but none dared to acknowledge him.
In the past, when Xie Lian walked in the Heavenly Court, not many people acknowledged him either.
But back then, "not acknowledging" meant the officials wouldn't walk alongside him or chat with him, but they would at least nod or greet him out of courtesy. Now, they pretended not to see him, as if looking at him too long would bring trouble.
Those in front walked faster, those behind slowed down, as if they couldn't get far enough away. Xie Lian was used to it and didn't mind, especially since he had just pulled down the popular General Pei Jr. It would be strange if people didn't keep their distance. As he walked, he suddenly heard someone call from behind, "Crown Prince!"
Hearing this, Xie Lian was surprised, thinking it took courage to call him now.
But when he turned around, the little official who called "Crown Prince" hurried past him, running towards someone else ahead, saying, "Oh my Crown Prince! How could you forget your waist token when going to the Divine Martial Hall for a meeting? How will you get in?"
Only then did Xie Lian realize. No wonder, that "Crown Prince" wasn't meant for him.
There were several Crown Princes in the Heavenly Court, so it wasn't unusual to mix them up.
However, when he glanced at the other Crown Prince ahead, he was slightly taken aback.
That young man had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, with a smile on his face. This smile was different from the smiles of other officials in the Heavenly Court; it was a pure, genuine smile, giving his handsome face a youthful innocence. If a more critical official like Mu Qing were to comment, they might say it looked a bit silly.
He wore a military uniform, looking very heroic, but instead of exuding the fierce aura of a battlefield soldier, he carried the bright and open aura of royal nobility. Xie Lian stopped and stared at the young man ahead. The two noticed him stopping and turned to look at him. The little official's face changed upon seeing him. Xie Lian nodded slightly and smiled at the young man, saying, "Hello, Crown Prince."
The Crown Prince was clearly someone who didn't pay attention to such matters and didn't recognize Xie Lian's face. Seeing someone greet him, he immediately smiled brightly and replied loudly, "Hello!"
The little official beside him quietly pushed him, saying, "Let's go, let's go, Your Highness, we need to get to the Divine Martial Hall for the meeting."
The young man, however, was oblivious, not understanding why his subordinate was suddenly pushing him, and asked curiously, "Why are you pushing me?"
Xie Lian chuckled, and the little official pushed harder, urging, "The Emperor is probably already waiting, Your Highness, let's go!" The Crown Prince had no choice but to look back at Xie Lian in confusion as he walked away.
After they left, Xie Lian remained where he was. Soon, the whispers of a few lower-ranked officials drifted into his ears from afar.
"...This is really awkward, you never know who you'll run into."
"Everyone's in the Heavenly Court, so it's bound to happen someday. I think it's more interesting when he runs into General Nan Yang or General Xuan Zhen."
"Haha, why are you in such a hurry? Aren't they all waiting for him in the Divine Martial Hall?"
Suddenly, someone said, "It's not just about running into people; it's the comparison that kills. People are different, after all. Both are Crown Princes, but Prince Taihua truly has the aura of nobility. Even if he were down and out, he wouldn't do anything disgraceful."
"The Eternal Peace Kingdom is stronger than the Divine Joy Kingdom, so naturally, the Crown Prince of the Eternal Peace Kingdom is stronger than the Crown Prince of the Divine Joy Kingdom. It's simple logic."
The martial god of the north is Pei Ming of the Bright Light Hall; the martial god of the west is Quan Yizhen of the Hall of Valor; the martial god of the southeast is Feng Xin of the Southern Sun Hall; the martial god of the southwest is Mu Qing of the Profound Truth Hall; and the martial god of the east is Lang Qianqiu of the Taihua Hall.
Lang Qianqiu, like Xie Lian, was also a Crown Prince when he was alive. Moreover, he was the Crown Prince of the Eternal Peace Kingdom, the kingdom that replaced the Divine Joy Kingdom. The founding ancestor of the Eternal Peace Kingdom was the leader of the rebels who overthrew the Divine Joy Kingdom's royal city.
When Xie Lian was wandering the mortal world, he had been to the east and naturally knew that the Crown Prince of the Eternal Peace Kingdom had also ascended.
As gods in the same heavens, he had long expected that the two Crown Princes would eventually meet in the Heavenly Court, so he wasn't surprised.
The whispering officials weren't exactly whispering softly; they weren't afraid of being overheard, and if Xie Lian did hear them, it might even be more exciting for them.
Xie Lian pretended not to hear anything and continued on his way. At this moment, someone called from behind again, "Crown Prince!"
Xie Lian thought, "No way, again?" This time when he turned around, it was indeed someone calling him. Ling Wen, with dark circles under her eyes and several scrolls in her hands, approached and said, "Everyone who's back is in the Divine Martial Hall for the meeting. Be careful when you're there."
Xie Lian naturally understood what was going on and asked, "What do you think will happen to General Pei Jr. this time?"
Ling Wen replied, "Exile, probably."
Xie Lian thought, "That's not too bad, not too harsh."
Exile was considered a "temporary demotion," meaning the official had done something wrong, but it wasn't completely unfixable. There was still a chance to be reinstated. If they performed well, they might be brought back up, whether in thirty or fifty years or a hundred or two. However, when he said "not too bad," that was by his standards; for General Pei Jr., it was a different story.
Xie Lian remembered something else and asked, "By the way, Ling Wen, about that boy with the human face plague on Yu Jun Mountain I mentioned last time, have you found anything out yet?"
Ling Wen replied, "I'm really sorry, Crown Prince, not yet. We'll keep trying."
Even for the heavenly officials, finding one person in the vast sea of people wasn't easy. The speed was improved, but it was more like something that would take ten years in the mortal world might take one year in the heavenly realm. Xie Lian said, "Thank you." At this moment, they reached the end, and a majestic palace appeared before him.
The palace had weathered some years, yet it showed signs of wear without looking old. The glazed golden roof shimmered with dazzling light. Xie Lian looked up at it, and under the golden roof, the words "Divine Martial Hall" were bold and powerful, unchanged from hundreds of years ago. He lowered his gaze and stepped inside. Inside the grand hall, several officials had already gathered, either standing in groups or alone in silence.
Those who could stand in this hall were all heavenly officials who had ascended, each a prodigy and a leader in their own right, filled with spiritual power and pride, making him feel overwhelmed. At this moment, they were all focused and silent, not daring to speak loudly. At the end of the hall, on the throne, sat a martial god in white armor.
This martial god had a handsome face, eyes closed, extremely solemn and dignified, with the magnificent Divine Martial Hall behind him and white clouds beneath his feet. When Xie Lian entered the hall, it seemed as if the martial god sensed his presence and opened his eyes.
Those eyes were very dark, yet very clear, like snow melted from a thousand-year-old cold pool. After opening his eyes, the martial god smiled slightly and said, "Celestial Music, you're here."
Xie Lian slightly bowed his head to him without speaking.
When Jun Wu spoke, he didn't raise his voice, yet it resonated throughout the entire Divine Martial Hall. The other officials in the hall all turned their attention to him, and he knew.
It seemed that this meeting was not just about discussing General Pei Jr.'s mistakes at Half Moon Pass. The main event seemed to be about him.