The Word of Heaven

Chapter 308 Trial
"Not dead?"

"Ah."

Hearing this "hmm", Qiuzhi closed his eyes and took a long breath.

With a slight sob, he slowly opened his eyes with a look of deep affection, staring at Gu Zhuo who was standing in front of him, and fell forward as if he had lost all his strength.

If nothing unexpected happens, he will hug a thigh next.

However, in the next moment, Qiuzhi's body was suspended in mid-air, his hands were unable to embrace the thighs, and there was only cold bricks and stones in front of him.

He didn't find the gesture awkward at all, and said sincerely, "No, you are not my brother."

Gu Zhuo thought about it, but still didn't squat down, and asked: "What is that?"

"You are my father, my long-lost father!"

Qiuzhi stretched out his arms as wide as he could, but his voice, which he suppressed forcefully, could not conceal his excitement: "Otherwise, how could you risk such a huge risk and come to a place like this to save me? This is something that even a biological brother would never do, so who else could you be but my biological father!"

Gu Zhuo was completely stunned.

"Your real father, me?"

"My dear father, you!"

His desire for knowledge was extremely sincere.

Gu Zhuo came to his senses and felt that this was really absurd, but he had to admit that there was a certain logic in it.

Qiuzhi thought for a moment, stood up and looked at him gesturing with his hands, and said, "Look, first of all, you are the Demon...Master, right? There is a clear age gap between us. In short, you are my father's age, so I can be your long-lost son!"

After a moment of silence, Gu Zhuo shook his head seriously and said, "You think too much."

Qiuzhi was not anxious or panicked by this. Instead, he naturally became serious and said in a deep voice, "I know that an idiot like me who has accomplished nothing is really embarrassing for you, so I can completely understand your feelings and considerations."

Having said this, he looked inferior and dejected, and his voice became slightly hoarse.

"You are willing to save my life. This is happiness and tenderness beyond my imagination. I have been wandering in this world until now, and no one has ever treated me like this. I am illiterate and don't know what to say. I only know that I am really touched now."

Gu Zhuo felt helpless after hearing the sincere words, and said directly: "I can't save you from here."

Qiuzhi was stunned.

His expression remained the same, but his eyes changed in countless ways, from shock to sadness to grief and then to sorrow. In a short period of time, he experienced all the bitterness, hope and despair of the world.

Finally, he was heartbroken, smiled sadly and said: "It seems that my fate is to end here."

Gu Zhuo sighed and said, "I didn't say I wanted you to die, did I?"

Qiuzhi's smile suddenly changed, as if spring had come and flowers were blooming, and he said repeatedly: "If you have anything you want me to do, please just tell me!"

……

……

Standing in the shadows, Gu Zhuo listened quietly to Qiuzhi's story.

This young killer who came from Wuyou Mountain had a habit that he could not change, both in the past and now, and that was endless chattering and daydreaming.

When he recounted everything that had happened last night and recently in a rhythmic and heartfelt tone, it didn't sound like a painting slowly unfolding, but more like an old lady on the street complaining about her neighbors.

From the internal changes in the Sky Patrol after Qing Xiaoyue resigned and retired, to the views of the officials in the court towards the human world today, as well as the difficulties and struggles of their own situations and how to deal with them.

However, the final topic did not end with how much he deserved Gu Zhuo's help.

"Let me tell you this. I would never lose to her. Why did I lose? Because Xie Yinglian is really outrageous. I thought she was just going through the motions and playing a trick on me, but she actually tried to kill me."

"Well, I didn't die at her hands, but this is ridiculous. Isn't she yours?"

"Does she think I betrayed you? It seems that I didn't clearly stand on your side. The problem is that she shouldn't think that I want to kill you. No, I don't understand. Why does she want to kill me?"

The more Qiuzhi spoke, the more confused he became. His brows were furrowed so tightly that he even temporarily forgot about his current situation.

Gu Zhuo thought for a moment and said softly, "Maybe there is no reason."

"what?"

There was a lot of astonishment in Qiuzhi's voice.

Gu Zhuo looked at him and said, "Maybe you just think you are worth killing, and you happen to be able to be killed, so you do it."

Qiuzhi was silent.

Gu Zhuo explained: "Xie Yinglian has a problem with his brain."

Qiuzhi was very curious and asked, "How can you be sick?"

Gu Zhuo said: "She is going to teach me how to practice and fight."

Qiuzhi was shocked when he heard this, and suddenly felt that what he had encountered was nothing.

Gu Zhuo said no more and said, "I should go now."

Qiuzhi looked at him and said sincerely, "I don't want to die."

Gu Zhuo said seriously: "I'll try my best."

Qiuzhi hesitated for a moment and said, "If I am really dead, you'd better not ring the bell."

Gu Zhuo was a little surprised and asked, "Why?"

Qiuzhi sighed, "Although the Buddhist scriptures say there is hell and the six realms of reincarnation after death, people like you who have died once have never seen that place. What's the difference between this and non-existence?"

"Death is death, death is vanishing into thin air, no one can accompany me on the road to the underworld."

He smiled and shrugged, saying, "I don't hate this world anyway, so why should I let others die with me?"

……

……

The prison is cold and gloomy, and even the sunlight is not warm.

After saying goodbye to Qiuzhi, Gu Zhuo took a walk in the cell located underground in the capital of gods.

He ignored the prisoners' surprised expressions as if they had seen a ghost, and calmly felt the evil, filthy and bloody atmosphere here, as if he was walking in another world.

That's how he followed the simple path until he walked out of the Taoist Prison.

The world is no longer silent and dark.

The morning sun seems to be buried in clouds, reflecting a ribbon-like morning glow on the horizon, which contrasts beautifully with the porcelain blue of the sky, giving people a feeling of clarity and transparency.

There was a faint sound coming from the distance, which should be the noise of the summer festival.

The candidate's name was called out by an official from an unknown department, echoing in the ears of tens of thousands of people and drawing warm cheers.

This was the first major event in Daqin after the Weiyang Palace Incident.

Both the officials in the court and the queen who actually holds the imperial power agree that it is necessary for Daqin to demonstrate its strength today and continue to suppress the dissent of various countries. Therefore, the scale of this year's summer festival is particularly grand.

Gu Zhuo stood under a roof and listened quietly for a moment.

Not long after, he withdrew his gaze and looked back at the palace, feeling a little subtle.

The formation on Baidi Mountain is not perfect.

Traveling around the universe with the soul seems to have unlimited freedom, but in fact, if you want to truly stay, you must use cause and effect as a thread and worldly ties as an anchor.

This is also the reason why he could go to the ancient battlefield in the north in an instant and meet his second apprentice even though he didn't know where Chu Jun and Lin Wanyi were going. The same is true for Qiuzhi. After parting with Qiuzhi, Gu Zhuo can still walk in the Imperial City of Shendu, which proves that he has a deep relationship with this place... It's really absurd to think about it.

Maybe it’s because of Yu Sheng?
Gu Zhuo put away his unnecessary thoughts.

Time was running out, and from time to time he could hear a slight clicking sound in his heart.

That was a distant wail coming from Baidi Mountain, a sign that the formation was collapsing.

Next, he went to see Bai Langxing, who had trapped himself in the deep palace, and met the once proud but now haggard Third Prince.

After a brief moment of surprise, the two sides chatted calmly and the latter finally decided to leave.

Then Gu Zhuo turned around and went thousands of miles away to meet Qing Xiaoyue who was drinking tea under the melon shed, and learned some facts.

And how to prove that facts are facts.

This is a very troublesome and tedious process.

During this journey, Xie Yinglian never appeared in front of Gu Zhuo.

It was not because she was too lazy to see her again due to her pursuit of knowledge, but because she was now standing next to the Queen.

……

……

"You're more interesting than I thought."

"But you are so boring that I look down on you."

"reason?"

"Since you don't dare to let me really kill Qiuzhi and are afraid of the ringing of the morning and evening bells, why bother letting me take that journey? What other meaning does it have other than making me look down on you?"

Xie Yinglian's expression was extremely calm, as if what he said had nothing to do with mockery.

And she herself was not standing on the city gate tower at this time, but facing the people of the world with the queen.

"What's the point?"

The Queen narrowed her eyes slightly, casually looked at the young faces standing in the square, and smiled softly: "Perhaps the meaning is to tame you?"

Xie Yinglian listened to this, his expression remained unchanged, and he said: "Just like what His Majesty the Emperor did to you?"

The Queen said, "No, he never did anything like that to me."

Xie Yinglian turned her head and looked at the dignified and beautiful face behind the heavy makeup, and said, "The closer I get to you, the more I don't understand why you are treated so well by His Majesty the Emperor."

This was her real question.

"Bai Langxing has disliked me for many years. He has the same doubts as you do now. Even today, he still thinks that I don't deserve these, but what's the point? In any case, I am who I am now."

The Queen's voice remained calm.

Xie Yinglian looked at her quietly and said, "All of this was obtained by relying on men."

The Queen smiled and said, "Whether I get it through a man or any other means, as long as others can't do anything to me, what does it matter?"

Xie Yinglian reminded, "His Majesty the Emperor is also a stranger."

The truth is the most hurtful, but the Queen was not angry.

"I brought you along at such an important moment today because I wanted to send a message to the outside world that you have given up your original position, and you should be well aware of this."

She smiled slightly and said gently, "Gu Zhuo's mind is really not very broad. If he knew that Qiu Zhi almost died under your sword, I'm afraid it would be difficult for you to go back."

Xie Yinglian didn't say anything.

The queen said casually: "Since I didn't dare to let you kill Qiuzhi yesterday, I think I won't let you die today. Do you want to try? Let me lose everything I have today."

Xie Yinglian said: "I don't understand what you mean."

The Queen said, "Qiuzhi interrogated De Qiusi and checked all the files related to the Lord Si in order to find evidence to bring me down. You must have seen what he found. There is no need to deny it in front of me. It is meaningless because I have unlimited confidence in you."

Xie Yinglian sighed and said, "So you really want to tame me and make me your dog."

The Queen raised her eyebrows and asked, "Disappointed?"

"Rather than being disappointed..."

Xie Yinglian looked at her and said, "I want to ask why."

At this point, the names on the Sky Patrol's list before the summer festival have entered the top ten and are about to be sung.

People's eyes gradually focused on the little girl standing in the front, facing the scorching sun.

Ye Yilan did not imitate Gu Zhuo back then and hold up a black umbrella in her hand.

She let the silence around her remain, and raised her head slightly with pride and strength, accepting the stares, scrutiny and hostility of everyone, like a reef hovering on the sea that could not be destroyed even by thousands of waves.

There was a hint of interest in the Queen's eyes, and she said to Xie Yinglian, "It's simpler than you think."

Xie Yinglian said, "Please speak."

The Queen said, "Guess who I hate the most?"

Without waiting for Xie Yinglian to speak, she said those four words with a smile.

"It's me."

……

……

At some point, Ye Yilan's name was sung.

There was no cheering or applause, and the world remained indifferent.

Just when people thought that the summer festival would begin in silence for the first time in history, a voice suddenly rang out from the city gate tower.

That was the question that came from Xie Yinglian's lips.

"What is the crime of colluding with the Destiny Cult?"

There was dead silence in front of the imperial city.

Countless eyes fell on Xie Yinglian, as if they were looking at a huge idiot.

The Queen felt a little regretful, but also felt it was natural and not worth being surprised.

Xie Yinglian took a few steps forward, his expression calm, and continued to ask, "What crime should the Queen be punished for colluding with the Tianming Sect, working together with the Sizhu to control the court, and colluding with the Yingxu Bank?"

Before he could finish his words, the practitioners who were loyal to the Queen on the city gate tower had already reacted.

However, just as these people were trying to stop Xie Yinglian and prevent this farce from continuing, some officials on the city gate tower actually stopped them silently.

The Queen was indifferent.

Xie Yinglian turned around, bowed to her, and said, "Just as you speculated before, I saw clearly all the evidence that Qiuzhi found last night."

The Queen's eyes were gentle and she said nothing, as if she was looking at a playful little girl.

Under the city gate tower, Ye Yilan, a real little girl, had already lost her composure. She stared at the scene in amazement, completely unable to comprehend what was happening at the moment.

Xie Yinglian stretched out her hand, letting the golden sunlight shimmer in her palm. She smiled and said, "The weather is very good today, and there are so many people standing here. I think it's a good time to expose your past, which is full of dirty things, so that it won't be hidden in your heart until it becomes dirty and smelly. What do you think?"

(End of this chapter)