When You Become A Target Of The Martial God Heavenly Emperor [Tian Guan Ci Fu]

Chapter 21

Mount Tonglu had become a hotspot for vengeful spirits. All the lives taken and burned to the flesh, to the soul, even, such spirits lingered deep within the mountain, circling its core.

Screams filled the air, echoing through the cavern walls. It became especially amplified as soon as he entered. He continued to walk, regardless of the distant screeching around him, paying more attention to the sounds of his footsteps than the sounds of despair and rage from his people.

Then he stops, hearing the crunching of ash beneath his feet.

"Your Highness, you've finally arrived," a voice echoed out in the darkness, followed by the sharp sound of a snap.

A small ball of fire suddenly appeared.

He could see the man's smiling features, illuminated by the small ball of fire at the tip of his fingers. "Am I correct to assume I know exactly why you are here?" The man hummed, his smile growing even wider.

"..."

"Of course, I never intended for us to meet like this. I expected a more.. formal meeting, per se. But, as you know very well, Your Highness.. it is not exactly possible to host a formal meeting with the current lack of heavenly officials, correct?"

"Cut to the chase, Yan Wenyan."

"Oh, no longer using formalities, are we? Bai. Mingli."

Back in the Heavens, there had been three known domains of Heavenly Officials. There were the Martial Gods, the Elemental Masters, and the Civil Gods. This man, Yan Wenyan, had been one of the top-ranking civil gods of their era. Amusing, given how he came from a line of shoe-sellers when he was mortal.

The Wu Yong prince thought to himself, feeling an odd sense of numbness crossing down his arms to the tips of his fingers. How many Civil Gods had he killed at that time when he was banished.. ten.. hundred...

Yan Wenyan continued to speak, "Do let me ask a question, your highness. Are you here for the sake of being a savior or are you here because none of your other vassals can fulfill your urges?"

Two things caught his eye as he simply scanned the area: one dead body, a male; slit at the stomach, most likely from the sword tied at the civil god's waist. Then there was another equally dead-looking body, right by the civil god's side.

There you are.

Bai Mingli spotted him, his body just lying limp on its side. The only sign he was still alive was the slow rising and falling of his chest. Yan Wenyan lightly nudged the body with his foot, making a show of rocking the unconscious male back and forth as he called out with feigned concern, "Little boy, wake up. Your master has come for you."

The tint of vibrant orange light illuminated from Yan Wenyan's finger cascaded down the boy's scrunched-up features. Other than the shallow, quiet breaths he took, he was practically unmoving. Bai Mingli glanced at him before meeting the man's unwavering stare.

"Has the Heavens finally let go of its immaculate facade?" Bai Mingli questioned calmly, and he tilted his head to the side just as a blade nearly grazed the side of his temple.

Yan Wenyan's smile grew colder. "The Heavens was pure long before you set foot upon it. Your Highness, you are an abomination to the Heavenly Principles! Do you think you were truly the better of all of us? Get off your high horse, Your Highness!"

"Was I so wrong? What have I done to deserve such cold treatment," Bai Mingli's smile remained polite, "when the highest rule to uphold in the Heavens is to be benevolent to those in the mortal realm?"