Chapter 242: The Matter is Settled
Chapter 242: Chapter 242: The Matter is Settled
"...Zhu Ge saw through his plot. Using Six Paths Valley as a base, he summoned over a dozen prodigies from the Sheji Chart and contacted the various cities and tribes of Red River Prefecture to lay a Heaven and Earth Net."
But when this sentence appeared, it sent a chill down the spines of countless people.
"H-Hongmi Immortal was the mastermind?"
"I was just cheering for his arrival?"
"So that’s how it is, so that’s how it is! That Hongmi Immortal was trying to trick us!"
Countless cities erupted in an uproar.
They would probably remember the events of this day for the rest of their lives!
Countless people even began to wonder...
Were the plague, the insect swarm, and the flood all part of Hongmi Immortal’s conspiracy?
And so, countless people roared with curses and condemnations, while others cried out in anguish.
Any intelligent person could figure out Hongmi Immortal’s scheme.
"In this battle, Zhu Ge, at the Second Realm, fought against three great beings. When formations were destroyed, he rebuilt them. When his blood was spent, he revived. The Wood Daoist immolated his Nascent Soul to halt the plague. Five Witches used the Five Elements Emperor Jiang’s Heaven-Cutting Hand to sever Hongmi Immortal’s Demon Dao. Zhu Sisi swallowed the Dragon Ball to destroy the root of the Red River Dragon Python. In a desperate plight, Zhu Ge recited the classics and forged a New Confucian Dao, naming it ’Yi’."
On the celestial screen, Zhu Ge stood in the void, his robes fluttering, his Literary Energy surging like a tide.
A scroll of the *Human Scripture* materialized before him. Eight phenomena—heaven, earth, wind, thunder, water, fire, mountain, and lake—circled his body as vast, righteous energy swept across thousands of miles.
The spectral bamboo slips slowly closed, transforming, growing more ancient and indistinct until only the two words "Historical Record" remained.
Finally, even the spectral image of those two words dissolved into motes of starlight and vanished into the sky.
But those images, those words, were now etched into everyone’s hearts.
Across Red River Prefecture, there was a moment of silence, followed by an earth-shattering roar of cheers.
In Jianshui City, Li Hao covered his mouth, tears streaming down his face.
In the burrows of Eagle City, countless citizens embraced and wept.
On the walls of Mengzi City, Tongzhen leaned on his Bone Staff and laughed at the sky.
Beside the ruins of Yilong City, the surviving citizens knelt on the ground and kowtowed in the direction of Six Paths Valley.
On the mountain ridges of Fenshui City, Tieshan He drew his long saber, pointed it to the sky, and roared like thunder, "Six Paths Palace! Palace Master Zhu!"
In the canopies of Lvchun City, Mr. Chunzhi flourished his brush and wrote the four words, "All for the one," his expression full of admiration.
Meanwhile, in Six Paths Valley, Zhu Ge stood in the void. He glanced down at his tattered robes, his body covered in wounds, and his pale face, then looked up at Hongmi Immortal.
Hongmi Immortal had completely lost his power. His body, like a dried rice husk, fell slowly from the sky.
His eyes were still open, filled with venom, indignation, and fury... which finally faded into a pool of stagnant water.
"You..." His voice was hoarse and faint. He seemed to want to say something but didn’t. Instead, he looked up at the sky, then down at the ground.
He descended slowly and knelt on the ground. He reached out, trying to grab the earth with all his might, but only managed to gently pinch a handful of soil.
As the soil trickled from his fingertips, his body disintegrated into dust.
From the very beginning, when Zhu Ge had bombarded him with the *Human Scripture*, Hongmi Immortal was already dead.
Everything that had just happened was merely the process of his death unfolding.
"Fallen leaves return to their roots." Zhu Ge sighed and shook his head.
A great being of Red River Prefecture had fallen.
Hongmi Immortal was worthy of sympathy, and yet he was not.
And, as one could predict, Red River Prefecture would at least enjoy a period of peace after Hongmi Immortal’s death.
"Zhu Ge, congratulations."
Just then, the True Monarch of the Lantern and True Monarch Minmian descended.
Supported by the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, Zhu Ge also descended slowly, finally setting foot on the ground.
"For this, I must thank you, True Monarch of the Lantern." Zhu Ge said, clasping his hands in a salute to the True Monarch of the Lantern.
If the True Monarch of the Lantern hadn’t used the Historical Record to document and announce the truth, Hongmi Immortal’s last-ditch scheme to frame Zhu Ge might have succeeded.
Of course, in a way, it had still succeeded.
Hongmi Immortal’s fortune was likely immense. If someone truly believed his dying words, it was entirely possible they would come looking for trouble with Zhu Ge.
"That had nothing to do with me." The True Monarch of the Lantern shook his head, his expression serene as he stated bluntly, "We arrived here earlier, but I was unable to move an inch."
"Oh?" Zhu Ge was surprised.
True Monarch Minmian laughed loudly. "People of the Shi Family cannot interfere during a ’historical moment.’ Only after the historical moment has concluded can we act."
"I see." Zhu Ge understood, then turned to look to the side.
Yan Liyuan and the others were staring blankly at Zhu Ge, not daring to speak.
Meanwhile, Zhu Sisi lay quietly on the ground, the Dragon Ball inside her body shimmering with light.
The Dragon Ball had originally been larger than Zhu Ge’s head, probably several times the size of Zhu Sisi’s own body.
But after being absorbed into her body, it was now only the size of a grain of rice.
However, even with both the Red River Dragon Python and Hongmi Immortal dead, the Dragon Ball was still not so easily tamed.
This was the Dragon Ball of the Great Demon Red River Dragon Python. Moreover, the Red River Dragon Python had also cultivated the Divine Dao, making the power within the Dragon Ball even more difficult to handle.
"True Monarchs..." Zhu Ge cast a pleading look toward the True Monarch of the Lantern and True Monarch Minmian.
The True Monarch of the Lantern nodded and said to Zhu Sisi, "Circulate your Cultivation Technique. I will seal the Dragon Ball in your Upper Yuan Palace. You can release it once you break through to the Third Realm."
Although Zhu Sisi could hardly respond at that moment, she had already begun to circulate her Demon Qi.
And the rice-sized speck of light within her body slowly faded from view.
A moment later, Zhu Sisi opened her eyes and said to the True Monarch of the Lantern, "Thank you, True Monarch!"
The True Monarch of the Lantern smiled and waved his hand again.
The next moment, Liu Jianjian, who had been unconscious on the ground, let out a startled cry and shot up.
"A fight! A fight!"
Liu Jianjian said in a panic.
She then realized a group of people was staring at her. Her cheeks flushed red as she understood the fight was already over.
"Your Cultivation is not bad." The True Monarch of the Lantern nodded slowly, having likely perceived Liu Jianjian’s Cultivation level and the Demon Beast she had subdued.
Finally, he turned to Yan Liyuan and the others.
"The matter here is concluded. Your sect elders should be on their way. I still have things to discuss with Zhu Ge, so you all should leave first."
After he finished speaking, the True Monarch of the Lantern didn’t wait for Yan Liyuan and the others to respond before waving his hand.
The next moment, Yan Liyuan and the others were all teleported away, appearing outside Six Paths Valley.
Only Zhu Ge, Liu Jianjian, Zhu Sisi, the True Monarch of the Lantern, and True Monarch Minmian remained.
Zhu Ge glanced curiously at True Monarch Minmian.
’This guy... he’s not much of a talker, is he?’
"Don’t mind him." The True Monarch of the Lantern glanced at True Monarch Minmian beside him and said, "He talks too much, so I sealed his voice to keep him from interrupting."
"Oh, so that’s... huh?" Zhu Ge nodded, but then a split second later, something felt off. "Sealed?"
The True Monarch of the Lantern’s expression grew more serious. "Yes. This is also what I am about to tell you. Listen carefully. This incident has caused too great a stir. If you don’t handle the aftermath carefully, you could be crushed to pieces, and all will be for naught!"