"The Rakshasa Heavenly Venerate couldn't have done it so seamlessly. If you said it was from the divine race, it might be plausible, but who could it be?" Yue Zhiyin couldn't fathom which lunatic from the divine race would skip a celebratory banquet, forgo immortal peaches and fine wines, only to descend to the mortal realm and commit evil.
What was the point?
Sui You also found this reasoning sound and was momentarily perplexed.
Qi Nian took a bite of a peach. "Perhaps it's some minor immortal from the divine race, but minor immortals don't seem to possess such immense power?"
Chi Ming and Qi Yan sighed.
Ming Lou bit into a chicken leg. "Mmm, what about that person? That one, the one from the other day..."
The words eluded him, making him unable to articulate clearly.
Qi Yu, however, instantly understood. "The Law?"
Ming Lou nodded.
Wang Lanqing found it too far-fetched. "While I'm not privy to the rules of this world, the Law wouldn't commit evil deeds and deliberately cause harm, would it? She's already in that position; what reason could she have for doing this? What benefit would she gain from casting a curse?"
"You can't say that. If we're being honest, the one who benefits most from casting the curse would be the Law itself," Chi Shangming interjected, refuting. "As the Law, bound to the Heavenly Dao, it's destined to be replaced by a new Heavenly Dao and new Law. If the new Heavenly Dao is in danger, if the primordial spirit is shattered or contaminated and cannot become the new Heavenly Dao, then the new Heavenly Dao and new Law cannot be born. In other words, the current Law could remain in its position indefinitely."
Upon hearing this, all the immortals in the Ninth Heaven fell silent. They stopped eating, their expressions growing solemn.
Yan Hua continued to calmly sip his tea, as if unaffected by everything.
Chen Xi leaned close to Yan Hua's ear. "What's going on? Why are you so calm? Did you foresee all this happening?"
Yan Hua turned his head to look at him. "Am I that powerful? If I were, this wouldn't have happened. I just think it's not problematic to consider the Law as being on the dark side."
Yan Hua's words drew the attention of others.
"Lord Yan Hua, what do you mean by that? That is the Law, supreme above all things. Strictly speaking, for all beings in the three realms to survive in this world without so many conflicts, for everyone to mind their own business, it all relies on the existence of the Law," retorted one of the highest-ranking immortals in the Ninth Heaven, Chaoxia Shangshen.
"You know nothing!" Chen Xi glared at Chaoxia Shangshen. "The Law certainly restrains the beings of the three realms, but to say they *all* rely on the Law for survival is problematic."
"The Law indeed gives you the opportunity to undergo heavenly tribulations, but at most, it plays a role in fairness. What truly elevated you to your current status is, firstly, your own diligent cultivation; secondly, the current Heavenly Emperor's actions; and thirdly, your destiny and opportune encounters."
"Nonsense! My destiny only appeared because of the Law!" Chaoxia Shangshen continued to argue. "Lord Chen Xi, I know you have a good relationship with Lord Yan Hua, but facts are facts. How could the Law that we rely on for survival be on the dark side? Does this mean the Law is classified as an evil path?"
Yan Hua glanced at Chaoxia Shangshen.
His implication was that the destinies of every being in the three realms were not formed by the Law, but were inherent from birth after reincarnation since Pangu created heaven and earth.
The so-called Law was merely a chain to restrain the beings of the three realms.
The sole purpose of the Law was to restrain the beings of the three realms, to restrain itself and the Heavenly Dao, until its mission was complete.
Although he didn't know how previous Laws and Heavenly Daos had been replaced by new ones, it was undeniable that such a situation, where the Law refused to transition, had never occurred before.
Therefore, the Law they were currently encountering might have been corrupted by the previous invasion of the Heavenly Dao by the Blood Demon Fiend, thus developing malevolent thoughts.
But it was clear that Chaoxia Shangshen, standing before them, couldn't grasp these intricacies.
Thus, there was no need to explain; after all, he wouldn't understand even if explained.
"Yan Hua merely stated that the Law is on the dark side, that many things are done unclearly and ambiguously," Chen Xi retorted to Chaoxia Shangshen. "But he never said the Law was an evil path. You've been the one going on and on."
"Chaoxia Shangshen," Yan Hua stopped Chen Xi, who was itching to act, and looked at Chaoxia Shangshen. "I think what you said makes a lot of sense. Then, this matter in the mortal realm will be handed over to you to investigate. You must find out who cast the curse within three days. If you fail, you will be dismissed and banished to the mortal realm."
Chaoxia Shangshen was stunned.
Even the Heavenly Emperor couldn't find the source of the problem; what could he possibly do?
"Lord Yan Hua, you, you, this is unreasonable! Moreover, I am from the Ninth Heaven; how can you command me..." As Chaoxia Shangshen said this, he felt hollow. He kept glancing at Yue Zhiyin while speaking.
Yue Zhiyin cleared his throat. "As the eldest, the most powerful, you truly must obey Yan Hua's command, because his celestial rank is not in the South Sea, but in the Ninth Heaven."
Chaoxia Shangshen felt his head buzzing.
Yan Hua stood up. "Chaoxia Shangshen, why aren't you setting off to investigate the case? If you delay, another life will be lost in the mortal realm. Now that this matter is under your charge, these lives will be counted against you."
Chaoxia Shangshen was choked with anger but couldn't lash out, his face contorting.
Chen Xi spat. "Chaoxia Shangshen, didn't you say that all beings in the three realms rely on the Law for survival? Now, Yan Hua wants you to thoroughly investigate the mortal realm within three days, and if you fail, you'll be banished. Let's see if the Law you rely on can save you."
Chaoxia Shangshen remained stubborn. "Even if, even if what I said earlier was exaggerated, you shouldn't mock the Law like this..."
"I only said the Law is on the dark side," Yan Hua looked back. "There wasn't a single word of mockery from beginning to end. As for what Chen Xi said later, it's all factual."
"Chaoxia Shangshen, you should focus on investigating the case," Qi Yu waved at Chaoxia Shangshen. "If the mortal realm's affairs are not resolved within three days, you will never return to the Ninth Heaven. This is a matter of utmost importance. I hope the Law you rely on can help you."
Although he spoke mockingly, Qi Yu was inwardly certain that the Law could not help Chaoxia Shangshen.
Because, normally, the Law and the Heavenly Dao could hear the inner thoughts of all things in heaven and earth, and they would have certainly heard their conversation in the Ninth Heaven.
If the Law still possessed any power, it would have appeared long ago.
The fact that the Law hadn't appeared at all, as if it didn't exist, only proved that the new Heavenly Dao and new Law should have been born long ago, and the old Heavenly Dao and old Law were no longer capable of holding their positions.
The more he speculated, the more worried Qi Yu became that the mortal realm's affairs might indeed be the Law's doing.
After all, since the defeat of the Blood Demon Fiend, the Law had never reappeared. It hadn't come to demand an explanation for the fake soul.
This was utterly abnormal.
If the Law hadn't seen through the fake soul, it should have appeared before them by now.
But since it hadn't, it could only mean that the Law had already realized the fake soul was useless.
In that case... what else could the Law do?
Looking on the bright side, the Law might become more anxious and personally descend to the mortal realm to find the new Heavenly Dao, eager for its emergence.
But looking on the dark side, the Law might also descend to the mortal realm to prevent the new Heavenly Dao from appearing.
Yet, while the Law remained silent and absent, such an incident occurred in the mortal realm...
The more Qi Yu recalled, the more he felt everything was too coincidental.
Could it be that this curse was truly related to the Law?
But if the Law was related to the curse, what would be the content of this curse?