"Your Excellency," the God - Lord squinted slightly. "Your imposing manner makes this one feel as if I'm no longer the God - Lord."
"Yaohua is the beloved daughter of the Phoenix Clan and a descendant of the Phoenix Ancestor," Chongming stared at the God - Lord with a calm look.
"The Heavenly Demon has always been the enemy of the Three Realms. The contract mark on this little phoenix's head is genuine. If she's not punished, how can we convince the masses?"
Their eyes met, like thunderclaps colliding. Neither was willing to yield.
"Then according to the God - Lord, what should be done?"
"As Your Excellency said, since she's a descendant of the Ancestor, then her cultivation should be abolished, the Fuji Qin Strings should be handed over, and she shall never be allowed to set foot in the Heavenly Realm again." After saying this, the God - Lord let out a laugh. "Your Excellency has always enforced the law impartially. Considering that this little phoenix is Your Excellency's beloved disciple, this one will spare her life. You may carry out the punishment yourself."
The God - Lord's voice clearly spread throughout the Cangling Hall. Yaohua lay on the ground. She could clearly stand up, but she didn't want to at all. She wished she could turn into a puddle of mud that couldn't hear or see.
If her cultivation was gone, she could practice again. But the Danjing was personally given to her by her master, and she didn't have the ability to keep it.
Chongming's expression suddenly turned cold. "Did the God - Lord just say that I'm bending the law for personal gain?"
The God - Lord was stunned, seemingly not expecting Chongming's reaction. But after hearing his words clearly, a glint of interest flashed in his eyes.
"What does Your Excellency intend to do?"
"The former God - Lord once promised me three things and said they would also be effective for the current God - Lord." Chongming turned around and looked him in the eye. "The God - Lord shall never abolish Yaohua's cultivation."
The God - Lord was silent for a while, his eyes changing rapidly. "You can actually go to such lengths. Fine. Anyway, she's just a little phoenix with no future. Since Your Excellency is so determined to protect her, then protect her." After saying this, he yawned. "I assume Your Excellency knows how to handle such a trivial matter. You can deal with it yourself in the future."
"See off the God - Lord respectfully." Chongming regained his usual look. After saying this, he didn't look at the God - Lord anymore and was about to help Yaohua up.
"Wait."
The voice from behind made him frown slightly.
"What else does the God - Lord want?"
"Since Your Excellency's beloved disciple can no longer enter the Heavenly Realm, to prevent the inheritance of Your Excellency from being cut off, Your Excellency might as well take another disciple."
The God - Lord's voice came floating over. Yaohua's blood turned cold all over.
Would her master take another disciple?
Then in the future... she would no longer be her master's only disciple.
"Don't bother the God - Lord." Chongming didn't even turn his head.
Although it was a very simple sentence, it was like the spring sun, gradually warming Yaohua, whose limbs had been stiff.
The celestial music faded away, the auspicious clouds dispersed, and the God - Lord's entourage gradually disappeared into the sky.
Chongming landed on the ground and walked towards Yaohua.
"Your Excellency!" The Goddess of Cangshan, with a beaming face, hurriedly stepped forward. "I'm willing to expel her from the Heavenly Realm on Your Excellency's behalf."
Chongming walked past her, bent down, and picked Yaohua up in his arms.
The scent of her master instantly filled her nostrils. Yaohua, who had been holding back her tears, let them fall like rolling beads.
"Cangshan, you don't need to see me anymore in the future, nor set foot in the Cangling Hall."
"Why, Your Excellency?" The face of the Goddess of Cangshan turned deathly pale. "Is it because of her?"
A gentle spiritual power covered Yaohua's forehead. She felt that new flesh seemed to be growing where she was cut, and it was a bit itchy.
Chongming slowly turned around and looked at the Goddess of Cangshan with no trace of emotion in his calm eyes.
"If I hadn't treated Nanfeng's injuries that day, she would have led the villains away alone and was forced to have the contract mark branded by the Heavenly Demon. It's not an exaggeration to say that she saved me. I let you act recklessly before because of your parents' sake. I didn't tell the God - Lord the whole truth just now for the same reason. Yaohua is my disciple. If you bully her, you're bullying me."
"So it's really true!" The Goddess of Cangshan's eyes were tearful. She bit her lower lip hard until it turned white. "It's really this slut who bewitched you!"
"Silence!" Chongming slightly raised his voice. "Yaohua is only twelve years old. She understands the great principles and behaves appropriately. You're not allowed to slander her here. Get out!"
"Your Excellency wants me to get out, but she can't stay either!"
Chongming didn't say anything else and just took Yaohua back into the hall.
"I've dirtied master's clothes." Yaohua got out of his arms, covering her face, and wiped her face randomly with her sleeve.
Her sleeve was so dirty that the dust and blood were all mixed up.
"It doesn't matter." Chongming half - squatted down and carefully wiped her face with a clean handkerchief. "Do you blame master?"
"Why would I blame master?"
"Blame master for letting you go alone as a decoy and being forced to make a contract with Zhao Wu. Blame master for provoking the Goddess of Cangshan, which made you disfigured today and in trouble. Also blame master for not protecting you in front of the God - Lord and even handing over the Danjing for you."
"Going as a decoy was not just for master, but also for Uncle Nanfeng and to prevent the Heavenly Demon's plot from succeeding." Yaohua shook her head. "The contract was an accident. The matter of the Goddess of Cangshan was not what master wanted. She behaved improperly. Master's mistake was making her have illusions. As for today, the God - Lord is ordered by the Heavenly Way. Master has protected me as much as possible."
She gently stroked the Danjing. Although she was extremely reluctant, she had no choice but to hand it to her master.
"I will get the Danjing back one day."
Chongming's heart twitched for a moment. He had a hard time breathing.
"You will."
Yaohua suddenly touched her forehead. "Master, does it look ugly?"
"It's not ugly."
"Is the contract mark still there?"
"Yes."
Yaohua lowered her head disappointedly. After a while, she grabbed her master's sleeve unhappily. "Today, the Goddess of Cangshan slandered me, disfigured me, and beat me. Can I take revenge?"
"Does Yaohua want to take revenge?"
"She ruined the flower that master painted for me. I'm very angry. But she also said that ruining it would prevent me from implicating master."
"Master will never worry about being implicated by you." Chongming sighed slightly. "Master hopes that you can do as you like without violating the laws and morals of the world."
He never worried about being implicated by anyone.
Moreover, the phoenix flower on the little phoenix's head could originally cover the contract mark. If the Goddess of Cangshan hadn't ruined that phoenix flower, the God - Lord wouldn't have discovered the contract mark on Yaohua's forehead.
"I can't beat her now, but when I can in the future, if she dares to provoke me again, I won't be polite to her!"
Yaohua angrily clenched her fists and then brought her forehead in front of her master, looking extremely aggrieved. "It hurt so much when she cut my forehead. Master, blow on it!"
Chongming was stunned for a moment, and a smile slowly emerged in his eyes. He blew on Yaohua's forehead. "It doesn't hurt anymore, doesn't hurt anymore."
Only then did Yaohua beam with joy. "I don't hurt anymore. Master, don't feel guilty either." She put her hands on her hips. "When I become powerful, anyone who dares to make things difficult for master, I'll beat them up!"