Chapter 298: She Leads the Way
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The Sixth Prince successfully summoned a deity.
And received a thorough beating in return.
Tears streaming down his face, he whimpered in grievance, “The deity just didn’t want to do homework! I’m innocent…”
“Wuwuwu…” Two bright red handprints marred his cheeks.
The Emperor, fuming with anger, waved him away. “Look at him! Does he look like someone who can communicate with the gods? He’s just a blind cat catching a dead rat!”
“I’m not a dead rat,” the Sixth Prince muttered in a small voice.
The deity simply refused to do homework!
But no matter how much he argued, no one believed him.
“Why are you still standing there? Get out of my sight!” The Emperor shot him a glare. The Sixth Prince wiped his tears and scurried out.
Outside the Imperial Study, Lu Chao Chao was laughing so hard she could barely stand.
The Sixth Prince sniffled. “Zhao Yang, why are you here?”
“Sixth Brother, can Chao Chao go to the Library Pavilion?” Li Si Qi, though the grandson of the Protectorate Duke, did not dare to act recklessly within the palace.
“Little Sister, I’ll take you there,” the Sixth Prince said, wiping away his tears before leading Lu Chao Chao toward the Library Pavilion.
The Library Pavilion had six floors. The first three allowed borrowing, the fourth and fifth held unique volumes, and the sixth was reserved for the royal family, with no borrowing or copying permitted.
After verifying their identities, the librarian allowed them entry.
“I’ll wait downstairs for you, Chao Chao. Go ahead,” Li Si Qi said, as he was not allowed on the sixth floor.
“Take good care of Brother Si Qi. He can’t see well at night,” Lu Chao Chao instructed Yu Shu and Yu Qin.
“Yes.”
As Chao Chao ascended, Li Si Qi’s vision was once again consumed by darkness.
The Sixth Prince climbed onto a stool and retrieved the Divine Register.
“Chao Chao, this is the Divine Register. Father said each nation has a copy. It’s a magical book—when a new deity is born, their name appears in it. If a deity perishes, their name dims until it disappears completely.”
“Moreover, this book is impervious to fire and water, indestructible. It was left by the heavens for mortals to revere.”
Lu Chao Chao gently opened the first page.
It was blank.
“Father said that the first deity in the Divine Register was a Goddess who saved the world—an existence equal to the Monarch Emperor, who created the heavens and earth.”
“If she were still alive and her name appeared in the Divine Register, she would stand alongside the Monarch Emperor, ruling the Three Realms.”
The Monarch Emperor was the supreme god of the Nine Provinces, but he had never been seen since the dawn of creation.
Lu Chao Chao’s eyelids quivered.
“Before the Goddess’s sacrifice, the entire Three Realms was ruled by the subordinates of the Monarch Emperor.”
The Sixth Prince turned to the second page. “The first and second deities were the Judgment Gods left by the Monarch Emperor in the Divine Realm.”
“The third was Judicial Zong Bai, whose divine attendants include the Southern Kingdom’s royal family, making their arrogance somewhat justified,” the Sixth Prince scoffed.
“The fourth was War God Xing Hui.”
“The fifth was God of Life Xian Ting.”
“The sixth was God of Time and Space Chong Yue.”
“The seventh was God of Darkness Xuan Yu, the eighth God of Fortune Sheng He, and the ninth God of Four Seasons Gan Tang.”
“Among the top ten, only two were originally subordinates of the Monarch Emperor,” the Sixth Prince remarked with a grin.
“Moreover, the Goddess’s seven disciples each held high positions in the Divine Realm—imagine how powerful they must have been.”
Lu Chao Chao pressed her lips together, her small hand resting on the book.
“If the Goddess were alive, the entire Three Realms would be hers.”
“Why have their names dimmed so much?” Lu Chao Chao gently touched Chong Yue’s name.
Dull and lifeless, it lacked any divine radiance.
Even War God Xing Hui had turned gray.
The others flickered wildly, as if teetering on the edge of oblivion.
Once a name vanished from the Divine Register, the deity lost their godhood and their soul shattered.
Lu Chao Chao felt a heavy weight press on her chest.
The Sixth Prince’s face drooped. “I heard they’re on the verge of falling.”
“Who knows why? Maybe it’s due to factional conflicts, or some other reason…”
“Perhaps the Southern Kingdom knows more—they are divine attendants, after all.”
The Sixth Prince stepped onto the stool and returned the Divine Register to its place.
Lu Chao Chao lowered her head, her face pale.
What had her disciples done?
To revive her, what desperate measures had they taken, pushing them to the brink of destruction?
“Chao Chao, are you unhappy?” Li Si Qi held her hand and felt the icy chill in her palm.
Lu Chao Chao’s voice was muffled. “Brother Si Qi, Chao Chao should not be alive.”
“Chao Chao should not have returned.”
Surely, her rebirth had brought calamity upon her disciples.
Li Si Qi’s face changed drastically, his heart tightening with pain.
He knelt and hugged Chao Chao tightly. “Chao Chao, never say such things! You are more important than anyone else. Never doubt yourself…”
“Chao Chao, you must live well.”
Lu Chao Chao remained silent, but her sorrow did not fade.
Li Si Qi did not show it on his face, but his heart burned with anxiety.
After leaving the palace, Lu Yan Shu was waiting for Chao Chao at the gates.
Li Si Qi reluctantly handed her over.
Once the Lu family carriage departed,
a young servant hurried to support his master.
“Young Master, this servant must be mad—I actually thought you could see Princess Zhao Yang,” the servant joked.
Li Si Qi said nothing, merely closing his eyes within the carriage.
His heart was in turmoil because of Chao Chao’s words.
Lu Chao Chao leaned dejectedly against her elder brother’s shoulder.
“Big Brother, Chao Chao stole your old brush,” she whispered.
Lu Yan Shu smiled faintly. “I know.”
“Guess why I change my brush every three days?”
Lu Chao Chao suddenly burst into laughter.
That night, Madam Xu bathed Lu Chao Chao’s feet and personally tucked her into bed.
Yawning, Chao Chao quickly drifted into deep sleep.
She had yet to enter a deep slumber when, before dawn, an urgent report arrived at the manor.
A servant, pale and frantic, stumbled into the rear courtyard.
“Madam, something terrible has happened! Second Young Master is in trouble!” The servant trembled all over, his eyes filled with fear.
Madam Xu jolted awake. Throwing on a robe and slipping on shoes, she rushed out the door.
“Speak quickly! What happened?!” Deng Zhi, who was on night duty, demanded sharply.
“An urgent message arrived from the border. Half a month ago, Eastern Ling and Northern Zhao clashed in battle. The casualties were countless…” The servant hesitated, seemingly afraid to continue.
“Stop dawdling! Speak!” Deng Zhi barked, seeing the madam’s face darken.
“Shortly after the battle, a plague broke out. The city burns corpses daily, yet the dead keep piling up. Second Young Master ordered a lockdown… Now, the plague is rampant. No one may enter or leave the city!” The servant’s expression was grim.
“Madam!”
At these words, Madam Xu’s legs gave out, and she collapsed to the ground.
“A plague!” Madam Xu shrieked in horror.
“His Majesty has summoned the court for an emergency meeting. Eldest Young Master is in the palace as well, but no news has come yet.”
“This plague is highly contagious. Even without direct contact, red rashes appear before the flesh begins to rot away.”
“The city is filled with the wails of the suffering. Riots have already broken out as citizens attempt to breach the gates.”
Madam Xu’s face was deathly pale. Even Deng Zhi could not support her.