The Flower King looked calmly at the Divine Emperor and said lightly, “Since the Divine Emperor speaks thus, do you have any evidence?”
“Evidence?” The Divine Emperor gave a cold laugh and waved his wide sleeve, causing images to appear in the air—scenes of how Lü Li had arrived at Mingxi Lake and taken a transparent pearl.
When I saw that, I was utterly stunned.
I never expected… that the unique gift Lü Li wanted to give me actually came from the Divine Realm and was connected to both the Divine Realm and the Water Clan…
For the Divine Emperor himself to personally demand its return, its value must be beyond measure…
I knew Lü Li had committed an unforgivable transgression this time. My heart burned with anxiety, yet I had no idea what to do.
This was the Divine Emperor! Even the Flower King dared not act rashly in his presence, let alone a mere flower spirit like me.
I had already prepared myself—that the Flower King would push Lü Li forward to take the blame. I was also prepared to share his punishment if he were to suffer.
Because if it weren’t for me, if it weren’t for his overwhelming love and desire to give me the very best, how could Lü Li have committed such a grave mistake?!
But to my surprise, faced with the Divine Emperor’s relentless pressure, the Flower King did not shift all the blame onto Lü Li. Yet, with the evidence laid bare, there was no room for denial.
The Flower King had no choice but to soften her tone and apologize to the Divine Emperor, admitting that her lax oversight had led to Lü Li mistakenly taking something the Divine Emperor had entrusted to the Water Clan.
Now that they knew the pearl had an owner, the Flower and Tree Clan was willing to return it intact.
With that, the Flower King sent someone to retrieve the pearl from Lü Li, which had already been set into a crown.
Lü Li, aware of the gravity of his mistake, cooperated and handed the pearl over to the Flower King, who then returned it to the Divine Emperor.
Yet, even after reclaiming the treasure, the Divine Emperor showed no intention of letting the matter rest. He remained, demanding an explanation from the Flower and Tree Clan—or else he would bring divine forces to bear.
The Flower King grew angry as well, rebuking the Divine Emperor for pressing his advantage too far.
The two sovereigns grew increasingly heated in their argument, and it seemed war was on the verge of breaking out.
At that moment, Lü Li stepped forward.
He knelt before the Flower King and the Divine Emperor, accepting full responsibility for the crime…”
Here, Yousu took a deep breath.
Yun Qingxue, however, listened with some confusion. What connection did events from ten thousand years ago have to her? It seemed like none at all!
Leaving aside the fact that her soul was from the future, this body of hers was only a little over a thousand years old. The events Yousu spoke of had happened ten millennia ago!
Ten thousand years ago, this body hadn’t even been born, and her modern soul might have been living in some primitive society!
“Honestly, as long as two people love each other and can be together, that’s happiness. Why cling to formalities?” Yun Qingxue said with a hint of regret. Yousu had shared so much of her story—it couldn’t have been for no reason.
“Yes…” Yousu smiled bitterly and continued, “The Divine Emperor was furious. Before the Flower King could intervene, he summoned heavenly lightning to punish Lü Li.
Though Lü Li’s cultivation had reached the peak of the Eternal Realm, just one step away from immortality, even most true gods feared heavenly lightning—let alone a spirit like us who hadn’t yet ascended.
After several strikes, Lü Li’s physical form was destroyed, leaving only a wisp of his soul.
Yet even that remnant, the Divine Emperor sought to obliterate in his wrath.
Not just Lü Li—he intended to punish me as well.
He said a lowly maid like me, a mere spirit, had dared to covet a treasure meant to be one-of-a-kind in the world. Such audacity was beyond my station.
Just as the Divine Emperor was about to unleash his lightning upon me, the Flower King intervened, shielding me from the strike.
She warned the Divine Emperor, ‘Even when beating a dog, one must consider its master. The Flower and Tree Clan is under my rule—outsiders have no right to interfere!’
The Divine Emperor merely laughed coldly. ‘This one has no wish to meddle in the Flower King’s affairs. But when one of your people steals a treasure of the Divine Clan, this one has no choice but to act.’
The Flower King retorted with equal firmness, ‘Act? Ha! You killed a member of my clan—a cultivator at the Eternal Realm—right before my eyes without so much as a word of warning. What more do you want? To kill me as well?’
The Divine Emperor’s voice darkened. ‘This one would never move against the Flower King, nor does this one wish to antagonize the Flower and Tree Clan. But without rules, there is no order!
Moreover, the pearl your clansman stole was placed in Mingxi Lake by this one to aid the Water Clan in purifying their waters. This matter concerns not just the Divine Clan but the Water Clan as well!
If the Flower King seeks to settle this quietly, I’m afraid that will be difficult.’
Hearing this, the Flower King’s stance grew even more unyielding. ‘Oh? Since the Divine Emperor puts it that way, why not summon the Dragon King as well? This one would like to discuss with both of you how, after my clansman unknowingly took your pearl and returned it once aware, you not only executed him but still refuse to let the matter rest.
Yes, the Flower and Tree Clan was at fault initially, but the wrongdoer has already paid with his life—a thousand years of cultivation lost in an instant to heavenly lightning! If you insist on pressing further… know that the Flower and Tree Clan is not to be trifled with!’
As the Divine Emperor and the Flower King argued, I stared at Lü Li’s charred remains, his form reverted to its original state. All I wanted was to join him in death. But the Flower King, fearing I might take my own life, had assigned two maids to watch over me.
Watching the Flower King stand off against the Divine Emperor, I cried out, ‘If the Divine Emperor insists on another death to end this, then Yousu is willing to die! Please, Flower King, grant me this!’ At that moment, I longed only for death.
The Flower King turned her gaze from the Divine Emperor to me and asked, ‘Yousu, is this because of Lü Li?’
Tearfully, I nodded. ‘This servant and Lü Li pledged our lives to each other. Now that he is gone, I cannot bear to live alone!’
Hearing this, the Flower King looked back at the Divine Emperor and said coldly, ‘The one who took the pearl and offended you was Lü Li—and he has already perished under your heavenly lightning!
Yousu has committed no wrong. If the Divine Emperor insists on persecuting her, then today, this one will stake her very life to challenge you!’
‘Fine! Since the Flower King speaks so plainly, this one will say no more, lest it seem the Divine Clan seeks conflict. This one will spare the maid’s life—but the spirit who dared steal from the Divine Clan must be utterly annihilated. Surely the Flower King has no objection?’ the Divine Emperor said ruthlessly.
At his words, I felt my blood run cold. I could only scream, ‘No! Don’t destroy Lü Li’s soul!’
But before the exalted Divine Emperor, I was insignificant…
I watched helplessly as he summoned the lightning once more.
At the critical moment, the Flower King intervened. ‘Divine Emperor, wait!'”
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