232: The prisoner is called Haotian

Inside Taiji Hall, the atmosphere was extremely oppressive.

All the palace maids and eunuchs hid far away in the corners, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Among the Civil and Military Officials of the court, all who were qualified to enter the hall were gathered together at this moment.

From Prime Ministers Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, to Minister of War Li Jing, and then to Emperor Emeritus Li Shimin and the Master who had just rushed over from the academy.

Everyone's faces held a complex expression, a mixture of shock, awe, and a hint of disbelief.

Their gazes were all fixed on the center of the grand hall.

There, an irregular ball of light, tightly bound by black and red Devilish Qi chains, constantly flickering with a pale white light, looking like a giant light bulb, was quietly suspended in mid-air.

And next to that ball of light, Demon Lord Zhonglou was proudly holding his Demonic Sword, pacing back and forth like a hunter guarding his spoils, occasionally extending his foot to kick the ball of light twice.

"Hey, birdman, stop playing dead, wake up for your lord!"

"If you don't wake up, do you believe I'll use you as a chamber pot?"

Zhonglou's curses echoed in the grand hall, making the Civil and Military Officials' hearts pound with fear.

My Lord Demon Lord!

That was Heaven! Although it was now a prisoner, it was still Heaven!

Couldn't you be a little... more polite to it?

Of course, they only dared to think these words in their hearts; they would never dare to say them aloud.

Are you kidding? This person had just dragged Heaven down; who would dare to provoke him?

Just then, accompanied by a series of powerful footsteps, Li Chengqian's figure appeared at the entrance of the grand hall.

Behind him followed the still somewhat distraught Empress Xu Weixiong, and Nangong Pu She, who was holding twin blades and looking vigilant.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Seeing Li Chengqian appear, everyone in the hall, whether Civil and Military Officials or Emperor Emeritus Li Shimin, all knelt down in unison, performing the most solemn bow.

This time, their prostration no longer contained any reluctance or perfunctoriness.

It was the purest awe and submission, stemming from the depths of their Souls!

After personally witnessing the miraculous "Heaven-Defying" event, their last trace of doubt and confusion about Li Chengqian had all vanished into thin air.

All that remained was endless adoration.

"All rise."

Li Chengqian's voice was calm. He walked straight past the kneeling officials and came before the bound ball of light.

"Well done, Zhonglou." He patted Zhonglou's shoulder, a gesture of praise.

"Hehe, it's all thanks to Your Majesty's brilliant Divine Might!" Zhonglou was so delighted by Li Chengqian's praise that he lost his bearings, grinning like a fool.

Li Chengqian ignored him and looked at the "trophy" before him with great interest.

"Is this Haotian?"

He reached out and poked the ball of light. It felt soft and a bit cool, similar in texture to jelly.

"It doesn't look like anything special."

His words made the Master and Li Shimin nearby twitch their eyelids.

My Your Majesty!

That was Haotian! The Divine Being who had oppressed the Mortal world for thousands of years! The Incarnation of Heavenly Dao!

Could you show it a little respect?

Even if it was now a prisoner!

"Wake it up," Li Chengqian ordered Zhonglou.

"Alright!"

Zhonglou took the order and directly kicked the ball of light.

With a dull thud.

The previously unconscious ball of light suddenly flickered violently, then slowly coalesced into a blurry, human-shaped outline composed of pure light.

Although its face was unclear, the cold, indifferent, and lofty Divine Might emanating from its very core still remained.

"Where... is this?"

Haotian's will slowly awakened, and its emotionless voice echoed in the grand hall.

When it clearly saw its surroundings, saw the Mortals kneeling on the ground, saw the triumphant Demon God, and finally, when its "gaze" fell upon the young Emperor standing before it with a playful smile on his face.

Its newly awakened will was instantly filled with endless rage and humiliation!

"Li Chengqian!"

It let out a roar that shook the entire grand hall!

The Divine Might contained in that voice instantly made the faces of Mortal officials like Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui turn pale, their blood and Qi surging, almost causing them to collapse to the ground on the spot.

However, Li Chengqian merely glanced at it lightly.

"In front of Us, you still dare to be so loud?"

As soon as his words fell, there was a crisp "slap"!

An invisible slap directly struck Haotian's face, which was composed of light!

Although it had no physical form, the overbearing power, imbued with the Human Emperor's authority, directly acted upon its Origin!

Haotian's newly formed human shape of light was directly sent flying by this slap, crashing heavily into the grand hall's Dragon-coiled pillar, then sliding to the ground, its light dimming a few shades.

The entire grand hall instantly fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone stared at this scene, dumbfounded.

Your Majesty... he... he just... slapped Heaven?

Li Shimin felt his heart was about to leap out of his chest.

He had lived for so many years, served as Emperor for half his life, and seen countless lawless people, but someone who dared to lay hands on "Heaven"? Forget seeing it, he had never even heard of it!

His son could no longer be described as a "madman."

He was a complete and utter, utterly unreasonable monster!

"You... you dare to hit me?!"

Haotian was also stunned.

From the day of its birth, it had been the supreme existence in this world.

It could look down on all beings, decide the life and death of all things, cause natural disasters, and destroy Dynasties.

But it had never imagined that one day, it would be slapped by a "Mortal" like a dog.

This humiliation was more unbearable than killing it!

"Hit you?" Li Chengqian slowly walked up to it, looked down at it, and smiled.

"What if We hit you?"

"Slap!"

Another invisible slap landed heavily on the other side of Haotian's face.

"Not only do We dare to hit you, We also dare to step on you!"

Saying that, Li Chengqian truly lifted his foot and stepped on Haotian's chest, which was composed of light, firmly pinning it to the cold ground.

"You..."

Haotian felt its will was about to explode from anger!

It struggled frantically, trying to use its remaining Divine Power to resist this immense humiliation.

However, its meager strength, in front of Li Chengqian's Imperial Dragon Qi, which had merged with the entire Great Tang Luck, was like a firefly competing with the bright moon, unable to stir any ripples.

It could only watch helplessly as it was firmly trampled underfoot by that Mortal Emperor, unable to move.

"Now, understand your own identity for Us."

Li Chengqian pressed down slightly with his foot, speaking in a cold voice.

"You are no longer the lofty Haotian."

"You are now merely Our prisoner."

"Only if We allow you to live, can you live."

"If We command you to die, you must die!"

"Here, We are Heaven!"

Li Chengqian's words, like the most vicious curse, each word like a heavy hammer, fiercely struck Haotian's arrogant self-esteem.

Haotian's body, composed of light, trembled violently, but it could not utter a single word.

It had lost.

Lost completely.

Lost without a shred of dignity remaining.

Everyone in the grand hall, watching this scene of "Human Emperor trampling Heaven," could feel no other emotion than shock.

They knew that from this moment on, a new era, an era where humans would dominate Heaven and earth, had truly arrived.

And the one who initiated this era was none other than the lawless, utterly overbearing His Majesty the Emperor standing before them!

Li Chengqian, stepping on Haotian, felt the increasingly weak resistance under his foot, but there was not much ripple in his heart.

For him, this was merely the routine humiliation of the final BOSS after clearing the Novice Village (newbie village).

The real game was just beginning now.

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the still stunned officials below, and slowly spoke.

"Deliver Our imperial edict."

"Three days from now, before Chengtian Gate, establish the 'God Slaying Platform'."

"We shall publicly judge this so-called 'Heaven' in front of all the people of the world!"

"We want everyone to know that if a God commits a crime, it is treated the same as a commoner!"

"Deliver Our imperial edict."

"Three days from now, before Chengtian Gate, establish the 'God Slaying Platform'."

"We shall publicly judge this so-called 'Heaven' in front of all the people of the world!"

"We want everyone to know that if a God commits a crime, it is treated the same as a commoner!"

When Li Chengqian's words, full of supreme majesty and dominance, echoed in the silent Taiji Hall.

All the officials, including Li Shimin and the Master, suddenly looked up, their faces filled with unprecedented horror!

Wh-what?!

Publicly judging Heaven?!

And in front of Chengtian Gate, before all the people of the world?!

They hadn't misheard, had they?!

If earlier, His Majesty sending the Demon Lord to capture Heaven, stabbing Heaven's eye with a sword, and even stepping on Heaven, these actions, although shocking, were still within the scope of "Gods and Demons fighting" that they could barely comprehend.

Then now, this decision to "publicly judge Heaven" completely exceeded the limits of everyone's imagination!

What is judgment?

It is a means by which Mortal Dynasties uphold laws and punish evil!

And what is Heaven?

It is the supreme existence that sets the rules and controls the life and death of all things!

To use Mortal laws to judge the Divine Being who sets the rules?

This... this is simply the biggest joke in the world!

"Your Majesty! Think twice!"

The first to react was Prime Minister Fang Xuanling.

He scrambled to his knees, his voice choked with tears.

"Your Majesty, since ancient times, only the Son of Heaven has acted on behalf of Heaven to inflict punishment. Never have We heard... never have We heard of Mortals judging Heaven! This act, this act is truly Heaven-Defying, and may... may lead to unimaginable Heavenly Retribution!"

He was truly afraid now.

He felt that his Emperor, His Majesty, had completely gone mad.

Defying Heaven, capturing Heaven, hitting Heaven, these were one thing.

Now he even wanted to judge Heaven?

Are you afraid you won't die fast enough?

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Minister of War Du Ruhui also knelt down, his old face covered in cold sweat, "Although Haotian is a prisoner, it was, after all, once the Incarnation of Heavenly Dao, its Divine Might deeply ingrained in people's hearts for thousands of years! If you publicly judge it, how will the common people of the world view it? How will the cultivation world view it? This act, I fear, will shake the foundation of the Dynasty!"

These Mortal officials, in their consideration of problems, ultimately still remained at the level of "governing the country."

In their view, the Emperor's most important task was to maintain the stability of his rule.

And everything Li Chengqian was doing now was like throwing torches frantically into a barrel full of gunpowder.

"Shake the foundation of the Dynasty?"

Li Chengqian listened to their advice and smiled.

He released his foot from Haotian, slowly walked back to the Dragon Throne, and sat down again.

He looked down at the worried officials below, and asked in a calm voice:

"Minister Fang, Minister Du, We ask you."

“What is the foundation of My Great Tang Dynasty?”

Both men were stunned by the question and subconsciously replied, “The foundation lies in the people’s hearts, in the nation’s altars, and in...”

“Wrong.”

Li Chengqian directly interrupted them.

He raised a finger and pointed to himself.

“In My Great Tang, I am the foundation!”

“My will is the will of the world!”

“What I say is the only truth in this world!”

How arrogant and domineering his words were!

Yet, Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui couldn’t refute a single word.

Because the facts were right before their eyes.

His Majesty had truly accomplished it.

“As for your concerns about heavenly retribution and civil unrest, they are even more ridiculous.”

A hint of disdain appeared on Li Chengqian’s face.

“Heaven is now beneath My feet; what can it use to condemn Me?”

“The people’s hearts?”

He pointed outside the hall, where the thunderous cheers, like mountains and seas, had not yet ceased.

“Listen to this sound.”

“For them, I shattered the ‘Heaven’ that had oppressed them for thousands of years, constantly bringing down natural disasters and treating them like straw dogs.”

“Will they be panicked by this, or will they support Me even more?”

“My people are not as ignorant as you think. They can distinguish who truly treats them well.”

Li Chengqian’s words, like morning and evening bells, instantly enlightened Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui.

Yes!

They seemed to have fallen into a cognitive trap.

They always thought that the common people were ignorant and needed to revere gods and ghosts.

But they forgot that when a more powerful, more reliable ‘Human Emperor’ who truly brought them good lives appeared before them,

Why would they still believe in that ethereal, capricious ‘Heaven’?

“As for the cultivation world...”

Li Chengqian’s gaze swept over the Master and Retired Emperor Li Shimin.

“I want to show them.”

“Even Heaven, I dared to judge and condemn.”

“What fate awaits these so-called outsiders if they dare to defy royal authority and attempt to cause chaos within My empire?”

“I will use the Divine Blood of Haotian to sharpen the blade of My Great Tang’s laws!”

“I will establish a rule.”

“A rule that even gods and demons must obey!”

“On the land of Great Tang, if a prince breaks the law, he is punished the same as a commoner. Gods are no different!”

After he finished speaking, the entire Taiji Hall was silent.

Everyone was completely shaken by Li Chengqian’s grand and audacious vision.

They finally understood.

His Majesty was not merely aiming to be an emperor for all time.

What he wanted to be was a supreme legislator, establishing a brand new world order!

And this “Public Trial of Heaven” was the opening ceremony for him to declare the birth of a new legal code to the entire world!

“Your subject... Your subject understands!”

Fang Xuanling took a deep breath, and his heart, which had been pounding with fear, gradually calmed down.

In its place was an unprecedented excitement and fervor, born from participating in the great endeavor of creating history!

He prostrated himself deeply before Li Chengqian.

“Your Majesty is sagacious! Your subject was foolish!”

“Your subject will go now to issue the imperial edict! I command the Ministry of Works, at all costs, within three days, to erect a ‘God Slaying Platform’ in front of Chengtian Gate, a platform capable of judging gods!”

“Excellent.”

Li Chengqian nodded in satisfaction.

He knew that from today onwards, the minds of his Mortal subjects had finally caught up with his pace.

Just then, Retired Emperor Li Shimin, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.

His voice carried a hint of dryness and complexity.

“Chengqian... how... how tall does that God Slaying Platform need to be?”

Li Chengqian looked at him when he heard this and smiled.

“Not too tall.”

“Just... three inches higher than this Heaven, is enough.”

Three inches higher than Heaven!

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin’s body trembled violently. He looked at his son, who could no longer be fathomed by common sense, and finally, his reaction could only be a long sigh, filled with relief and a hint of pride.

“Good... what a ‘three inches higher than Heaven’...”

He knew that he, the Retired Emperor, truly needed to completely retire and enjoy his grandchildren.

Because this world, this era, already belonged entirely to him.

Meanwhile, the Master, looking at the dimmed Haotian trampled on the ground, and then at the spirited young Emperor on the Dragon Throne, showed a wry smile.

He suddenly remembered a saying.

“If Heaven had feelings, Heaven too would age; the Righteous Path in the human world is vicissitude.”

He had never truly understood the meaning of this saying before.

Only today did he suddenly realize.

The so-called Heavenly Dao, being emotionless, was therefore cold, therefore eternal.

But the Human Dao, because it had emotions, love, hate, and the seven emotions and six desires, was therefore full of variables, full of possibilities, full of... vicissitude.

And today, he personally witnessed how this Human Dao, full of “vicissitude,” pulled the “emotionless” Heavenly Dao down from its altar and trampled it underfoot.

Perhaps, this was the true “Righteous Path” of this world.

Chapter 185: The World Shakes, All Eyes Watch

When the news that Li Chengqian was going to build a “God Slaying Platform” in front of Chengtian Gate and publicly try Haotian spread like wildfire from Chang’an City throughout the Great Tang, and even to the four seas and eight wildernesses,

The entire world was plunged into an unprecedented and violent tremor!

...Great Tang, Chang’an City.

“Have you heard? His Majesty is going to put the Old Man in Heaven on trial!”

“My heavens! Is that true or false? Trying the Old Man in Heaven? This... how can he try him?”

“Of course it’s true! The imperial edict has been issued! Now all the master craftsmen from the Ministry of Works, the Mohist School, and the Gongshu School are busy in front of Chengtian Gate! I heard they’re building a platform even taller than Heaven, called the ‘God Slaying Platform’!”

“Hiss—! Taller than Heaven? What would that look like?!”

“Who knows! But, His Majesty is truly amazing! He even dares to try the Old Man in Heaven! With a Majesty like this, who would dare to bully us in the future?”

“Exactly! Before, those corrupt officials and those Immortals were all so arrogant, not treating us as humans. Now it’s good, even Heaven has committed a crime and will be tried. Let’s see if they still dare to act recklessly in the future!”

In the streets and alleys of Chang’an City, whether peddlers or wealthy merchants, their initial reaction upon hearing this news was shock and disbelief.

But immediately, this emotion rapidly transformed into an unprecedented, heartfelt fervor and pride!

They didn’t understand “Heaven-Defying actions,” nor did they understand “shaking the foundation of the nation.”

They only knew the simplest truth.

Their Emperor had captured the “Old Man in Heaven” who had always bullied them, and was going to stand up for them and try this “Old Man in Heaven.”

What did this mean?

It meant that their Emperor was on their side!

He truly regarded them, the common people, as human beings!

With such an Emperor protecting them, what did they have to fear?

For a time, the entire Chang’an City was filled with an excitement and anticipation comparable to the New Year.

Countless common people spontaneously ran to Chengtian Gate, wanting to see with their own eyes what the legendary “God Slaying Platform” actually looked like.

Although they were blocked by the Shence Army maintaining order, their enthusiasm remained undiminished. Every day, they gathered in three layers deep, eagerly awaiting the unprecedented “Trial of the Century” three days later.

Their gazes towards the imperial palace were filled with endless worship and faith.

The surging power of belief that gathered even made the Nation’s Luck Golden Dragon above Chang’an City more solid and dazzling!

...Unlike the fervent worship of ordinary people.

The various cultivation Schools across the land, upon receiving this news, reacted with a completely opposite emotion: pure fear and terror!

Shu Mountain, Demon Slaying Division.

Daoist Qingwei, who had just been incorporated by Li Chengqian and renamed “Head of the Demon Slaying Division,” received the secret report from the Bad People, and his horsetail whisk “thumped” to the ground.

“Public... Public trial of Haotian?!”

His old face instantly turned paler than paper, his lips trembling, unable to utter a complete sentence for a long time.

The several Shu Mountain Elders beside him were also stunned, as if struck by lightning, standing motionless.

They had just felt lucky and excited to have embraced Human Emperor Your Majesty’s “golden thigh.”

They thought that from then on, Shu Mountain would be able to enjoy the shade of a big tree, becoming officially recognized “Immortals,” with a bright future.

But they never expected that their new boss would be so audacious!

He just destroyed the Evil Sword Immortal, and then immediately turned around and poked Heaven.

Poking it was one thing, but now he even wanted to drag it out for a “public trial”?!

“Master... no, Division Head... this... what should we do?” an Elder asked with a trembling voice, “His Majesty’s action is simply unheard of! We... we just joined the imperial court, if this were to...”

He wanted to say, if His Majesty messed up, wouldn't those who just got on board have to be buried with him?

“What are you panicking for!”

Daoist Qingwei took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

After all, he was an old Daoist who had cultivated for a thousand years, and his mental cultivation was extraordinary.

After the initial shock, he quickly calmed down and began to analyze the pros and cons.

“Have you forgotten how His Majesty cut down the Evil Sword Immortal with a single sword? Have you forgotten how His Majesty came from Chang’an to Shu Mountain in one step?”

He looked at the several Elders who were still in shock and said in a deep voice:

“His Majesty’s power has long exceeded our imagination! Since he dares to do this, he must have his own assurance!”

“What we need to do now is not to worry unnecessarily here, but to stand firmly on His Majesty’s side!”

A hint of determination flashed in his eyes.

“This is a big gamble! If we win, our Shu Mountain, no, our Demon Slaying Division, will from now on be a true Immortal School in the human world, a maintainer of the new order!”

“If we lose...” He paused, a wry smile appearing on his face, “If we lose, at most we will perish with His Majesty, it’s no big deal.”

“Pass on my command!” He suddenly waved his sleeve, “Gather all Demon Slaying Division Disciples! Within three days, follow me to Chang’an to protect His Majesty!”

“We must use practical actions to show His Majesty and the entire world the stance of our Demon Slaying Division!”

“Yes!”

Upon hearing this, the several Elders were also infected by Daoist Qingwei’s determination and left to carry out the order.