Immortal Music Palace/Story

== Shen Bijun plot ==
“The Illusive Music Immortal Palace cultivates the heart, using music to peer into the heavens. Not only is your heart clear to me, but it was also shown clearly to all the Elders in the palace today. To tell the truth, if it weren’t for that wild ambition, your current accomplishments would be even greater, and I would have long since given the successor position to you.”
“Then what should I do? Please guide me!” Shen Bijun suddenly knelt on the ground pleadingly.
“There’s nothing anyone can do. This is your primal desire hidden in the deepest part of your heart. But since you’re so attached to the palace master position, I can give you one chance. If you can kill Long Chen, then once your cultivation base reaches the appropriate level, I will give you the palace master position.”
“As long as you lend me the Seven String Sea Suppressing Zither, I can definitely give you Long Chen’s head!” declared Shen Bijun.
“Don’t get too excited yet. I’m not done speaking. If you kill Long Chen, then you can become the palace master. However, the Illusive Music Immortal Palace’s major decisions are decided by a vote amongst all the Elders. This is to prevent the palace master from being tyrannical and possibly destroying the Illusive Music Immortal Palace,” warned the palace master.
“That’s fine. I just wish to work for the Illusive Music Immortal Palace and save my junior apprentice-sister Zi Yan from her worries,” said Shen Bijun gratefully.
“Yes, alright. You can go. You’ll have to wait for an opportunity to present itself to kill Long Chen. Qu Jianying is being tough right now, and while we don’t fear her, there’s no need for us to go directly against her. During this time, I will teach you how to control the Seven String Sea Suppressing Zither. It’ll be up to you in the end.”
Shen Bijun had just left when a voice rang out in the palace master’s head. “You are doing something very dangerous.
“For Zi Yan, I’m willing to do anything. That child is perfect, except she’s just too kind. Please, when Shen Bijun makes her move, assist her with your full ability. I would rather give the palace master position to Shen Bijun than allow Zi Yan to die to Long Chen,” said the palace master. The one she was speaking to was the Illusive Music Immortal Palace’s divine item, the Seven String Sea Suppressing Zither.
“Alright. However, prepare yourself. Long Chen isn’t so easy to kill,” said the Seven String Sea Suppressing Zither.
The palace master nodded. She looked out the gates toward the distant mountains, her heart uneasy. Could it be that Long Chen was not just Zi Yan’s devil star, but also the Illusive Music Immortal Palace’s devil star? Or perhaps the entire world’s devil star?
== Photographic jade ==
Due to Mo Nian, Long Chen hadn’t planned on getting too close to the ancient family alliance. The one that infuriated him the most was the Illusive Music Immortal Palace.
A so-called sacred land, one of the protectors of the Marital Heaven Continent, an existence countless people looked up toward, was actually so vile. Long Chen was almost unable to believe it.
The reason why he hadn’t completely exposed Shen Bijun’s sinister and malicious actions was because he didn’t want to become mortal enemies with the Illusive Music Immortal Palace. Perhaps in his heart, he didn’t wish to be enemies with Zi Yan and didn’t want to make things hard on her.
In the Grand Han, she had held back. He knew that. In truth, even if she hadn’t held back, all he would have needed was to use a bit of his divine lightning to kill her.
However, he didn’t think that Zi Yan knew that he had such a trump card. In that kind of scenario, she had still held back and left her life in his hands. At that time, his heart had ached because he had seen the look in her eyes. That expression was one of release. She had actually wished to die to his hands.
At the same time as he had felt pain, he had vaguely felt a touch of shame. Even he didn’t know why he would feel shame because he had never owed her anything. If he forced the argument, then he supposed the only thing was that he had failed to live up to her feelings. During that battle, he had ruthlessly rejected her feelings.
He hadn’t spread the photographic jade of Shen Bijun’s actions because inside, he hoped this would make up for what he had done to Zi Yan. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that it was a way of comforting his own heart.
However, since the Illusive Music Immortal Palace was so shameless, and this had even implicated Qu Jianying, he had no choice. If he still didn’t strike back, he wouldn’t be Long Chen.
=== Spread ===
This news was transmitted through two photographic jades. The day after Long Chen had exterminated those experts, the news spread like a contagious virus.
“The Illusive Music Immortal Palace’s Shen Bijun was actually so shameless! Heavens, I can barely believe it!”
“Who cares about that?! The head of the ancient family alliance was slapped by Long Chen, and his clone was destroyed! I don’t dare to believe it!”
“Those photographic jades are too clear to be fake. In other words… everything is actually true! Who would have thought that Shen Bijun was trying to kill Long Chen from the start? She was just feigning love to make it so others wouldn’t punish her too hard for her actions. Her acting was so good that even the Illusive Music Immortal Palace blamed Long Chen. For one of the protectors of the continent to do such a thing… how disappointing.”
“The disappointing one isn’t just the Illusive Music Immortal Palace. Di Long abused his position to avenge a personal enmity. He actually made up a sanctimonious reason to target Long Chen and the Xuantian Dao Sect. Furthermore, Pill Valley, the ancient races, the Xuan Beasts, and others all supported them. Could they really not have known the truth? That’s thought-provoking.”
Ever since those two photographic jades spread throughout the Martial Heaven Continent, countless experts were discussing them.
Anywhere there were people, there were also the Huayun Sect’s businessmen. These two photographic jades were quickly spread.
Everyone quickly learned the truth. This was Long Chen’s silent strike back. Originally, all the Central Plains’ forces were denouncing the Xuantian Dao Sect and Qu Jianying, but now their mouths were shut.
People realized that they had been used. They had been used as a public opinion weapon.
The only thing worth celebrating for them was that they hadn’t been like those people who had charged over to the Xuantian Dao Sect to curse them. Otherwise, they also would have been unable to ever return.
These two photographic jades startled everyone awake. Some people even furiously demanded an explanation from the Illusive Music Immortal Palace and the ancient family alliance. They cursed the latter for being shameless, for using other people’s emotions. They were a bunch of cheats.
Those powers that had been gathering forces and filled with excitement immediately turned cold from head to toe once those photographic jades appeared.
=== Le Si's apology ===
The Illusive Music Immortal palace, ancient family alliance, and Pill Valley in particular were struck dumb, not knowing what to do.
Back when the palace master had faced Qu Jianying’s confrontation, she had refused to admit that she had sent Shen Bijun to kill Long Chen. She clung to her story that Long Chen had scorned Shen Bijun’s feelings, resulting in Shen Bijun going crazy.
However, now that lie was useless. In fact, it had even transformed into a kind of insult. Even the words Long Chen and Shen Bijun had exchanged spiritually were recorded. The story of love transforming into hatred was a huge joke.
The reason she had refused to admit to this at first was because there was no proof to be found. Shen Bijun was dead, and by saying that Long Chen’s testimony was completely biased, it was easy to make his story baseless.
Now though, Long Chen had brought out his iron-clad proof. She was no longer able to continue with this lie. Furthermore, the reason all these powers were targeting Long Chen was because the Illusive Music Immortal Palace had taken the lead. Now the palace master had a splitting headache.
“Shen Bijun’s heart was too narrow. She was fierce but lacked any nobility. It was fated that she couldn’t hold an important position. As for Zi Yan, she fulfills all the other requirements, but she doesn’t have a killing heart. Only by killing the person she loves the most can her eyes be opened to her true nature. However, the heavens toy with people. That Long Chen is too powerful and has many factors that make me uneasy. Even I was injured. As for that saber he has, it’s a powerful killing weapon. You have to be careful.” The Seven String Sea Suppressing Zither’s voice was gentle like immortal music. It was like a woman was speaking while playing the zither.
“I can’t think that far into the future at the moment. This matter has implicated the state of the entire continent. If I handle this badly, the Illusive Music Immortal Palace’s name will be ruined. Furthermore, those seniors will definitely punish me.” The palace master rubbed her head as she muttered.
“You can’t rush this matter. It would be better to temporarily take a step back. Although you are doing this all for Zi Yan, you should remember that Zi Yan’s devil star cannot be meddled with. When you first sent Shen Bijun to kill Long Chen, I felt like it was a bad idea. Now reality proves me right. If this matter gets any bigger and startles those ancestors, ignoring your position as palace master, even Zi Yan will be implicated. You know those ancestors’ decisive characters. They definitely won’t give Zi Yan any breathing room. Either Long Chen dies, or Zi Yan dies. That will obviously push Zi Yan toward death,” said the Seven String Sea Suppressing Zither.
The palace master nodded. “Then I can only do this. For Zi Yan, I’ll bear all the responsibility.”
“No matter what, I have to give an explanation or it’ll be difficult to handle everyone’s criticism.”
Just at this moment, a disciple ran in and bowed toward the palace master. “Reporting to the palace master, Pill Valley, the ancient races, the ancient family alliance, and a dozen other powers have sent emissaries asking to see you.”
The palace master smiled bitterly. “What do they want from me? Could it be they really want me to stubbornly insist that those photographic jades are fake? Am I supposed to thicken my skin and let them drag me down into their depravity and go destroy the Xuantian Dao Sect? Tell them to go back to wherever they came from. I will take responsibility for my own actions.”
The second day after the photographic jades appeared, another shocking piece of news spread. The Illusive Music Immortal Palace’s master announced that she had made a grievous mistake and wrongly accused a good person. She could not run from her sins. She went onto the Illusive Music Immortal Palace’s punishment stage and punished herself with forty-nine strikes of heavenly lightning as an apology to the world.
When that news spread, the continent was shaken. The position of palace master of the Illusive Music Immortal Palace was a grand and noble one, but even she was capable of admitting her own mistakes and punishing herself. That made countless people feel respect. This was a real expert, someone who dared to face their own mistakes.
In comparison to the palace master, Di Long was looked down upon even more. One dared to own up to her mistakes, while the other one refused to admit that he had made any mistakes at all.
This self-punishment from the palace master was the final nail in the coffin for the powers gathering their forces. They disbanded like smoke in the wind, no longer having the slightest reason to target the Xuantian Dao Sect.
Di Long was absolutely infuriated. Long Chen’s photographic jades were another slap in his face, while the palace master’s self-punishment was an even more resounding slap. He definitely refused to admit that he was wrong. He wished to tear Long Chen to pieces, but regretfully, he had no way to do so.
What infuriated him the most was that the Devil Abyss’s eruption was imminent. If he still didn’t support the Martial Heaven Alliance, he would be viewed as a selfish, petty little person who didn’t care about the big picture. However, if he did support them, it would be admitting that he was wrong.
However, under the immense pressure, he had no choice but to swallow his anger in the end. He agreed to temporarily cooperate with the Martial Heaven Alliance to handle the Devil Abyss together.
This move of Long Chen’s was immensely refreshing to Qu Jianying. It was incredibly satisfying. Seeing Di Long look like he had just swallowed dogshit yet acting like nothing had happened, Qu Jianying laughed maniacally inside.
==References==
Category:Story