Chapter 237 - 265: Law of All Living Beings! Loyal King! Earth Department Celestial Official! Zhangdi
Longbo Hai stood before Su Bai, humbly bowing his head. He spoke with a reverent expression.
Despite being a Spirit Transformation Realm existence, he acted like a mere servant.
Su Bai stopped and glanced at him.
"What is it?"
Longbo Hai raised his eyes slightly and nodded, speaking with the utmost respect. "The Ninth Prince and a group of officials plan to amend the Great Xia Law. They specifically entrusted me to come and ask for your opinion."
Su Bai was slightly taken aback, then shook his head and smiled.
’I can guess what they’re thinking.’
Ever since last night, when Su Bai had slain the dragon under the moon and fireworks...
...these people were dead set on latching onto him.
They were even coming to ask his opinion on something as significant as amending the law.
Su Bai smiled and asked, "How do they plan to amend it?"
Longbo Hai thought for a moment before answering carefully, "All laws have a period of relevance."
"The old laws were established in a time of chaos and are too harsh. Especially towards Demon Fiends and other non-human races, the principle has always been to kill them all on sight—it’s better to kill the innocent than to let one slip by."
"Therefore, the new law takes this into account. It needs to have a more humane touch."
"I wonder what you think of amending it in this direction, Sir?"
"Not bad."
Su Bai offered a word of praise.
He genuinely felt that this was a good amendment.
Su Bai had been to Cangzhou, so he naturally knew something of the Dayu Immortal Dynasty’s laws.
Within the Dayu Immortal Dynasty, humans, gods, Demon Fiends, and immortals coexisted.
That was the kind of grand presence an Immortal Dynasty should have.
Previously in Great Xia, the conflict between humans and demons was irreconcilable. The root cause was that Demon Fiends had harmed too many people.
Now, under Su Bai’s deterrence, even in the remote corners of Great Xia, Demon Fiends no longer dared to harm humans at will.
The conflict between demons and humans had eased somewhat.
For Great Xia’s upper echelons to be able to set aside their inherent prejudice against Demon Fiends now showed they were broad-minded and possessed of extraordinary vision.
’It’s a good move,’ he thought, ’but just how far it will take them remains to be seen.’
"It seems you also approve of the new law, Sir."
Longbo Hai’s eyes lit up, a hint of surprise on his face.
"Mm."
Su Bai nodded, then added a suggestion.
"But add another article."
"If a Demon Fiend harms a human, once the investigation is conclusive, imprison those who should be imprisoned and execute those who should be executed. There can be no mercy."
The more he viewed the memories of those convicts, the more clearly Su Bai understood one truth.
In this world...
...kindness and justice must also have thorns and a sharp edge.
The end of foolish kindness is destined to be tragic.
Hearing this, Longbo Hai paused for a moment. After some thought, he said.
"I understand!"
’Now that I have his approval, the establishment of the new law should be set in stone.’
’But the specifics of its implementation will still require careful planning.’
"I have one more presumptuous request, Sir."
Longbo Hai spoke again.
"Speak."
Longbo Hai took an object from his robes and slowly unfurled it before Su Bai.
"I implore you, Sir, to bestow a name upon the new law."
Under the light of the corridor’s lamps, Su Bai lowered his gaze to the object Longbo Hai held.
It was a sheet of Demon Skin.
Freshly flayed Demon Skin.
Longbo Hai explained, "This was taken from that Dog Demon."
"This demon was key to the establishment of the new law."
It was as if this had been fated.
’No wonder Pasture Captain only took the Dog Demon’s skin when he dissected it.’
’So this was the reason.’
Using this demon’s skin as the cover for the new law was extraordinarily meaningful.
A wave of emotion suddenly washed over Su Bai.
After a moment’s thought, he used his finger as a brush and his blood as ink, writing the name of the new law upon the Dog Demon’s skin.
It was four words.
Law of All Living Beings!
These four words signified that the new law no longer applied merely to the Human Race, but to all living things.
As the words were written...
Su Bai focused his attention.
He was surprised to see the column for his Merit Points.
An additional 100,000 Merit Points!
...
「In an Emperor’s Hall within the Great Xia Imperial Palace.」
The current National Preceptor, Yan Qingyue; the Elder National Preceptor, Xiao Rongshan; the old monk, Wu Tianming; the Ninth Prince, Jiang Guanshui; and several other high-ranking officials of Great Xia were all gathered here.
"Why isn’t he here yet?"
Standing on the high platform, Jiang Guanshui was a little nervous. He frowned, his gaze fixed on the entrance to the hall.
He seemed to be waiting for something.
Before long, a figure walked in through the hall’s doors.
The man was old, his body slightly stooped. His hair was sparse and white, and his face was gaunt.
Despite his Spirit Transformation Cultivation, he couldn’t hide the scent of decay that clung to him.
The moment this person appeared, everyone in the hall focused their gazes on him in unison.
The Ninth Prince immediately went to him and asked with a grave expression, "How did it go? What did the senior say?"
Although the others hid it well, a hint of tension could be seen in their subtle expressions.
Longbo Hai took in everyone’s expressions and couldn’t help but feel a little smug.
He only had a Spirit Transformation Cultivation. In terms of seniority, he was not highly ranked in the court, and in terms of Cultivation, there were many stronger than him.
Yet now, everyone, no matter who they were, had to look at him with respect.
The reason was simple.
In the entire, vast Imperial Dynasty, he, Longbo Hai, was the only one who could go to the depths of the prison and speak with *that* person.
’To think that I, Longbo Hai, lived the first half of my life in frustration,’ he thought. ’I couldn’t win the woman I loved, and I was even locked up in prison until I became old and decrepit.’
’I never imagined that as my end neared, I would still have a brief moment in the spotlight.’
’Fate certainly works in mysterious ways.’
After sighing to himself, Longbo Hai took an object from his robes and said nonchalantly.
"I have fortunately fulfilled my mission."
"The senior has personally named it."
"Really?"
The Ninth Prince’s face lit up with joy, and the many powerful figures of Great Xia in the hall also showed their delight.
Jiang Guanshui carefully took the Demon Skin that Longbo Hai handed him.
He slowly unfurled it.
An indescribably grim and murderous aura rushed toward him!
It forced Jiang Guanshui, who was quite powerful himself, to stumble back involuntarily. Fortunately, the old monk Wu Tianming was behind him to steady him, allowing him to stop.
"Your Highness, be careful!"
"I’m fine!"
Jiang Guanshui paid it no mind, his face beaming.
As if on a pilgrimage, he held the Demon Skin high for all to see the four words written in blood in the center—
Law of All Living Beings!
’It really is his aura!’
Everyone in the hall revealed their joy and excitement.
The senior’s willingness to name the new law represented his approval of it.
"National Preceptor! How is the nation’s fortune?"
Jiang Guanshui immediately asked Yan Qingyue, the National Preceptor beside him.
A rare look of joy appeared on Yan Qingyue’s face. She said, "Half an incense stick’s time ago, the fortune of our Great Xia began to surge repeatedly!"
"As of now... it has increased by more than fivefold."
"And it is still growing steadily."
"I believe that must have been when the senior wrote the name?"
As she spoke, Yan Qingyue glanced at Longbo Hai.
Longbo Hai pondered for a moment, then said, "That is correct."
"Excellent!"
Jiang Guanshui clapped his hands and sighed, his eyes filled with a smile.
Then, he looked around at the crowd, clutched the Demon Skin tightly, and said, "I wish to posthumously ennoble this demon as the Loyal King and build a tomb for the Loyal King. What does everyone think?"
"An excellent idea, Your Highness!"
Everyone laughed heartily.
"Then we shall..."
"Let us now discuss the matter of the new law!"
Jiang Guanshui sat down on the Jade Chair and laughed with delight.
...
「Deep within Qishan.」
A youth in a Red Robe with eerie, blood-red eyes sat on a giant boulder, coldly watching Hun, who was being suppressed by True Essence not far away.
Then, he said flatly, "Was it that Lord of Heavenly Punishment who broke your horn?"
"What if it was?"
"You’re no match for him. Going after him would be suicide!"
Hun, covered in blood, said in a droning voice.
During this time, although he had been in secluded cultivation deep within Qishan...
...the Lord of Heavenly Punishment, whom he had fought outside the Imperial City, had recently gained such fame that his might seemed to shake the heavens!
No matter how hard he cultivated, he couldn’t see any chance of victory.
So, even though Su Bai had slain several of the Great Demons under his command, he had no intention of seeking revenge.
The two of them were simply not on the same level anymore.
"Heh... even I would be committing suicide by going?"
"Interesting."
The youth in the Red Robe looked as if he had just heard a joke. There was no anger on his face; instead, he grinned brightly.
He was just about to say something.
Suddenly.
RUMBLE—
The sound of thunder came from the far distance.
Both of them were stunned and looked up.
The sky was clear for ten thousand li, without a single cloud.
"That is..."
The youth in the Red Robe, however, seemed to have sensed something, and his heart stirred.
He shot up from the boulder.
His gaze fell upon a certain direction.
In the place where his gaze landed...
...a breath later, the void there began to ripple like the surface of water, spreading in layers.
The next moment.
"WOOOO—"
A series of desolate horn blasts echoed between heaven and earth.
Immediately after, an immense golden dragon head descended from the clouds.
It slowly emerged.
"A giant dragon?"
Hun’s pupils constricted, his expression one of shock.
But he quickly realized that it wasn’t what he thought.
This golden dragon head was not a living creature, but the prow of a ship.
Behind the dragon head was an incomparably huge and noble flying vessel, gleaming gold all over.
The flying vessel had a 6th Layer, was a thousand zhang high, and over ten thousand zhang long!
When the entire flying vessel emerged completely from the ripples in the void, the shock and impact it created far surpassed that of a True Dragon coiling in the sky.
On this gigantic flying vessel stood numerous soldiers in Golden Armor.
Some held sharp blades, some held ceremonial regalia, and some held horns...
And at the prow of the ship...
...a middle-aged man wearing a golden crown and a magnificent purple robe stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression impassive.
Behind him, a huge banner fluttered in the wind.
The banner was made of Purple Gold, and an ancient character was inscribed on it in an archaic script—
Yu!
Hun stared blankly at the majestic flying vessel and muttered, "People from the Yu Dynasty?"
But the moment the youth in the Red Robe saw the middle-aged man, his expression changed dramatically.
"It’s someone from the Earth Department of Da Yu!"
"Could they be here for..."
Before he could even finish his thought...
The middle-aged man standing at the prow seemed to ignore the two people below.
He gave an order to someone beside him.
"Bring out the instrument."
"Zhangdi!"