Chapter 702: Bearing the Blame on His Behalf
The Yincha Old Man glanced at Qin Mu and said, "Reporting to Lord Tu, it has already been added, on page one thousand and four of the eighth volume. Every single account is recorded clearly, not a single one missing."
Lord Tu put down the book in his hand, picked up the eighth document, and flipped through it. "Have you also recorded every time he opened the Gate of Bearing Heaven?"
"It's recorded."
The Yincha Old Man said, "He scared me out of my wits; I couldn't not record it. Also, every person who has died by his hand has been recorded, clearly and precisely, without the slightest error, waiting only for his death to settle the accounts. But these are all minor matters; I recorded them in the miscellaneous volumes."
Lord Tu put down the eighth volume and asked, "Where are the miscellaneous volumes?"
The Yincha Old Man replied, "There are too many miscellaneous volumes. I have set aside a special room to store them, and it's almost full. Should I send the miscellaneous volumes over for Lord Tu to review as well?"
"No need."
Lord Tu also had a bit of a headache and shook his head. "As long as the records are clear and distinct, that's fine."
*Thump.*
Tian Shu fell straight to the ground, his sheep head hitting hard, bouncing twice before settling. Qi Jiuyi couldn't help but say, "Brother Tian, Lord Tu probably wasn't talking about you, but about Qin Fengqing, Brother Qin."
Tian Shu said weakly, "I know he was talking about him. I thought he had a connection with Lord Tu, but it turns out it's a connection based on recording the bad things he's done. I was hoping he could get Lord Tu to do him a favor, but now I think the result of Lord Tu doing him a favor would just be adding to my crimes! Let me lie down for a while; I suddenly feel very weak..."
Lord Tu looked at Qin Mu, who stood there uneasily, head bowed, occasionally stealing a glance at him before quickly looking away as if startled.
Lord Tu said, "Sheltering the criminal Tian Shu and releasing him to wreak havoc in the world—this fault will be recorded on your head. Do you accept this in your heart?"
Qin Mu quickly said, "I don't—"
"Record it on his head." Lord Tu said to the Yincha Old Man.
The Yincha Old Man readily agreed, took out his brush to record it, and said to Qin Mu, "Lord Tu is fair and impartial. Asking you isn't about seeking your opinion; it's just to inform you, so that when you die, you won't die as an unjust ghost."
Qin Mu immediately relaxed and laughed, "The future? So that means Lord Tu won't kill me this time."
Lord Tu glanced at him and said, "Your allotted lifespan is not yet exhausted, so I will not touch you for now. However, the longer you stay in the Netherworld, the weaker your physical body will become, and you will eventually die. I summoned you all here today not for you, but for him."
He raised his hand and pointed at Tian Shu. A whip shot out with a *swish* and coiled around Tian Shu. Tian Shu struggled but couldn't break free, his face ashen.
Qin Mu stepped forward, placing himself between Lord Tu and Tian Shu, and declared loudly, "May I ask Lord Tu, what crime has Tian Shu committed?"
"He cut off my horn, stole my Netherworld, divided my territory, and established Fengdu—these are great crimes."
Lord Tu said seriously, "Are you stepping forward to stand up for him? Do you wish to bear the blame on his behalf?"
Qin Mu said in a deep voice, "The Emperor Que Divine Saber was designed by the Founding Emperor, and the order was given by the Founding Emperor. Tian Shu was merely following orders. Does a subject who obeys the sovereign's command commit a crime?"
Lord Tu said, "The one who wielded the blade was already in great error."
"Is Lord Tu bullying the weak and fearing the strong?" Qin Mu asked.
Tian Shu's hair stood on end, and Qi Jiuyi was also uneasy, thinking to himself, "How can Brother Qin say such things? Even though he is the Divine Son of the Netherworld, speaking to Lord Tu like this, even that identity won't be able to protect him!"
Lord Tu frowned slightly, and flames flickered between his ox horns.
Qin Mu continued, "If Lord Tu is fair and impartial, then he should go and hold the Founding Emperor accountable. Lord Tu does not pursue the mastermind but instead takes Tian Shu to task—this seems like bullying the weak and fearing the strong. I am a junior, but even a junior has a sense of justice. If Lord Tu is unjust, then I, as a junior, will not be convinced and will always want to speak out. If Lord Tu does not bully the weak and fear the strong, then when the Great Imperial Heaven and the Luofu Heaven were destroyed, and countless living beings died tragically, why did Lord Tu not pursue the chief culprit?"
The Yincha Old Man frowned and said, "Divine Son, you don't know the ins and outs of this matter. It's better not to speak—"
"Let him speak." Lord Tu raised his hand.
The Yincha Old Man had no choice but to hold back, secretly breaking out in a cold sweat for Qin Mu.
Qin Mu continued, "Who is the chief culprit? It is that honored guest who just walked out of Lord Tu's palace! The Netherworld Emperor indulged his disciple, forcing the remnants of the Chiming Clan to enter the territory of the Demon Clan's Luofu Heaven, sparking a bloody battle. The Luofu Heaven was destroyed, and only Chixi remained of the Chiming Clan. To survive, the Demon Clan had to attack the Great Imperial Heaven. The Netherworld Emperor's disciple then used the Book of Life and Death to wreak havoc, blood-sacrificing the Luofu Heaven to crash into the Great Imperial Heaven, causing the Great Imperial Heaven to crash into Yancheng, killing countless living beings. The chief culprit was right here just now—why did Lord Tu not execute the chief culprit?"
"When my brother caused havoc in the Netherworld, Lord Tu recorded it against me, wanting to kill or beat me. When I summoned the soul of the Seven Kills Star Lord, Wei Liao, Lord Tu recorded it against me, wanting to kill or beat me. When I fought on the battlefield and killed enemy generals, Lord Tu recorded it against me, wanting to kill or beat me. And now, the Netherworld Emperor's disciple is about to blood-wash Yancheng, revive the stone statues, and bring calamity upon Yancheng, which will once again result in the tragic deaths of countless living beings! Lord Tu, where is your fairness and impartiality? Do you dare to want to kill or beat them?"
"You are clearly bullying the weak and fearing the strong, oppressing the good and fearing the evil. You do not commit evil, but you harbor great evil. What crime did Tian Shu commit by cutting off your horn? If the one sitting in the Heavenly Court were the Founding Emperor, would you dare to fart?"
"You say I have committed many evils. You have pinned my brother's crimes on my head. My brother, though guilty of every evil, is consistent in word and deed. You, though the Lord of the Netherworld, are inconsistent in word and deed, disgracing the name of a natural-born divine being!"
"You might as well step down and let my brother be the Lord of the Netherworld. At the very least, he could keep the scales balanced, unlike you, who spills them everywhere!"
Tian Shu, Dragon Qilin, and Qi Jiuyi were scared out of their wits, and even the Yincha Old Man shivered several times, thinking, "It's over, it's over..."
Lord Tu's three eyes stared at Qin Mu, who met his gaze without flinching.
"You were originally very clever, very good at adapting to circumstances, very good at speaking human words to humans and ghost words to ghosts. Why are you so reckless today, insisting on arguing on principle?" Lord Tu finally spoke and asked.
Qin Mu bowed and said, "People always harbor grievances. If grievances accumulate for too long, they will erupt. I am also a person. I have offended Lord Tu; please forgive me."
Lord Tu slowly nodded and said, "How do you know that I don't have a little book recording the crimes of the Netherworld Emperor?"
Qin Mu said, "Having it but not acting on it—what difference is there from not having it? I know Lord Tu's difficulties. It's just that the Heavenly Court is powerful, and you dare not act, cannot act. Since Lord Tu is unwilling to act personally, then why stop others?"
Lord Tu's face was utterly calm, showing no change in expression. "Then what is your meaning?"
"It takes a villain to deal with a villain. I am that villain, and Tian Shu is also that villain. In this world, there are not many people who dare to fight the Netherworld Emperor to the death. Tian Shu is one of them."
Qin Mu said, "Wouldn't it be good for Lord Tu to release Tian Shu and let him fight the Netherworld Emperor to the death? Your horn was indeed cut by Tian Shu, but it was done for a reason. He was acting on the orders of the Founding Emperor. Since the Founding Emperor is not here, I will take the blame. Lord Tu, just record this evil name on my head! I only ask that Lord Tu spare him and let him go to fight the Netherworld Emperor, while Lord Tu can simply be the fisherman reaping the benefits."
Lord Tu's three eyes were fixed on him, never shifting his gaze.
Tian Shu and the others were uneasy. Qin Mu did not know the extent of Lord Tu's power, but Tian Shu knew it all too well.
During the Founding Emperor's era, Lord Tu had appointed him the Netherworld Heavenly King, and his divine abilities were superb. But compared to Lord Tu, he was like a grain of rice compared to the blazing sun.
He had a natural fear of Lord Tu.
Yet Qin Mu faced Lord Tu calmly, speaking freely, even rebuking him, and then bargaining with him afterward. In his eyes, this was a sure way to die!
Just then, Lord Tu's voice rang out, "Very well. For your sake, I will let him go."
Tian Shu felt a lightness on his body. The whip loosened, and he fell to the ground, dazed and confused.
Tian Shu shook his head, seemingly not having heard Lord Tu's words clearly.
Lord Tu had actually agreed, actually consented to Qin Mu's terms, and even said the words "for your sake."
This was something that should have been completely impossible!
Qin Mu bowed and thanked him, "Thank you, Lord Tu, for your kindness."
"When people in the world commit evil, I will be fair and impartial and record it, whether the person is a commoner or a Heavenly King or Heavenly Emperor."
Lord Tu said unhurriedly, "Everyone will have a corresponding little book, some thin, some thick. You stole my power to revive the Heavenly Yin Empress, and I do not blame you; in fact, I am very pleased. Birds of a feather flock together. I was also unwilling to accept the death of the Heavenly Yin Empress, but after all, I am the Lord of the Netherworld. Sometimes there are things I cannot do and can only let others do; there are words I cannot say and can only let others say. You have done them, you have said them, but for the sake of fairness, even though I appreciate you, I still need to record them and act according to the laws of the Netherworld. Do you understand?"
Qin Mu bowed and said, "I understand."
Lord Tu nodded. "You may leave now."
Qin Mu hesitated for a moment. "Lord Tu, I would like to see my mother. I have never seen her..."
"She is bearing the blame on your behalf."
Lord Tu's face was indifferent as he said, "In the few months after you were born, you committed a great offense in the Netherworld. Back then, to save your life, she sent you away. But to protect you from being hunted by the Netherworld's overlords, she took the blame for your faults. You want to see her; I can make an exception. However, the Netherworld Emperor's disciples have already begun their actions. The souls of Yancheng's living beings are being ferried to the Netherworld. Are you sure you want to see her?"
Qin Mu was struck as if by lightning, standing there woodenly. Suddenly, he turned around and said, "Tian Shu, Brother Qi, let's return to Yancheng!"
Lord Tu watched him walk out of the great hall, seeing the young boy secretly wipe his eyes and quietly brush away tears.
"He will be a good child," Lord Tu said calmly.
The Yincha Old Man bowed and said, "Of course he will be a good child. I will see them off."
On the paper boat, Qin Mu looked back at the seemingly cold and dark Lord Tu. In truth, countless dead people lived there, bustling and lively. His family was also there. Perhaps his father was sailing a boat, searching for traces of his mother in the darkness.
Yet, even though he had this chance to see them, he could not.
"I will come back. Once the chaos in Yancheng subsides, I will return to see you all."
A gentle smile appeared on Qin Mu's face, and he silently thought to himself, "I don't remember what I did right after I was born. I suppose it was my brother's doing. What he did is what I did. But it makes my mother bear the blame for me, and I cannot bear it. Mother, I will come back to take you away. I won't let you suffer in the Netherworld on my behalf..."
Zhaizhu is going to Hangzhou tomorrow to participate in China Writers' Week, which will last for seven days. There might be some award for *The Legend of the Shepherd God* to receive. Many readers are urging Zhaizhu to release more chapters, but for now, it's really impossible to burst out. Not missing updates is already a blessing. But everyone can rest assured; I have two chapters saved up, which should be enough to tide things over. I will try my best to keep the updates on time, two chapters regularly. If there are any late updates, I will definitely make up for them. Please subscribe, please recommend!