Chapter Text
The Martial Hall was filled with all manners of heavenly officials that, after having listened to his highness Tai Hua accusing his highness Xianle of being Guoshi Fangxin and killing the Yong An royal family, were more than intrigued to learn how the emperor would react to the situation and who’s side Jun Wu would take. Especially now that the wind master had asked the emperor's opinion.
“Xianle”, Jun Wu addressed the older crown prince.
Xie Lian bowed, “Yes, my lord.”
“Do you concede to Tai Hua’s accusations?”, Jun Wu asked.
“I concede.”, Xie Lian answered in a frosty tone. The tone of Xie Lian’s voice had Shi Qingxuan as well as Mu Qing and Feng Xin in shock.
“The Guoshi Fangxin who spilt blood upon the Gilded Banquet, was it you?”, Jun Wu continued his questioning.
Xie Lian answered with his head raised, his tone determined, “That’s right. It was me!”
“So, you admit. Very good.”, Lang Qianqiu spoke up, before Jun Wu could react to Xie Lian’s confession.
While now everyone was waiting for the emperor’s verdict on Xie Lian, Xie Lian spoke up first, “Xianle has a presumptuous request.”
“What is it?”, the emperor asked.
“I humbly ask the Lord to remove my godhood, and banish me to the mortal realm.”, Xie Lian simply stated.
Many in the room were taken aback by that request, while others thought it not too surprising, since Xie Lian had already been banished twice before.
Lang Qianqiu, while taken aback like many, objected, “I don’t need you to banish yourself. Ascension happens because you have the skills. I only want a duel.”
“I don’t want to fight you.”, was Xie Lian’s response.
“Why? It’s not like we’ve never fought before. Life or death, the outcome doesn’t matter, let’s just put an end to this!”, the younger crown prince yelled at the older one.
Xie Lian plainly said, “No reason. Fight me, and you will for sure die.”
While most of the officials were enraged by the notion that the Martial God of the East would be defeated by the laughingstock of the three realms, Lang Qianqiu wasn’t enraged by the statement but by the refusal of the duel. “I said, life and death don’t matter! I don’t need you to let me off easy either!”
Xie Lian ignored his former pupil and addressed Jun Wu again, “Pray my Lord banish me to the lesser realm.”
Before Jun Wu could respond, Shi Qingxuan spoke up again. They questioned whether the story as presented up until now was really all there was to it, even bringing up how Xie Lian protected Lang Qianqiu from E-Ming.
Pei Ming interrupted the wind master, likening the situation to what happened with Pei Jr. and the two started arguing.
But Xie Lian interrupted them by addressing the wind master, “Lord Wind Master, thank you, I am in your debt. But please let this go.”
In the resulting pause Jun Wu spoke, “Everyone, please calm down.”
“Tai Hua, your actions have always been impulsive. When situations arise, one mustn’t be rash. Listen calmly, assess, and then evaluate once you know the whole story.”
Lang Qianqiu lowered his head to heed the lesson.
“Xianle refuses to give us the full story, so his request for banishment is denied.”, as Jun Wu started to state Xie Lian’s punishment, their eyes met for a moment.
Xie Lian saw something in the emperor’s eyes. After their last conversation, Xie Lian was aware that Jun Wu took issue with how Xie Lian’s second banishment had happened, even if the emperor hadn’t directly said so. Clearly the emperor was not pleased with Xie Lian asking him for banishment again.
But Xie Lian was intent on getting banished. He hadn’t intended to ascend a third time in the first place. He had already failed as a prince and as a god. Now his failings as a teacher were also uncovered.
With his mind made up, the only question left was how to convince Jun Wu. He knew that words wouldn’t be enough and as Xie Lian’s eyes wandered around the room while thinking, his glance fell on the sword laying between him and Lang Qianqiu. It had been left there once Lang Qianqiu had let go of it, after Shi Qingxuan had calmed him down a little.
It had worked before, why would it not work again. Especially with so many heavenly officials present.
“He will be detained in the Palace of Xianle, and I will personally…”, Jun Wu continued to state Xie Lian’s punishment as he was interrupted by something he clearly did not expect.
The Martial Hall fell deadly silent.
As the sword that had just been thrown at Jun Wu’s throne fell to the ground next to the emperor.
A wave of gasps rolled through the hall as Jun Wu stared down at Xie Lian. All while a drop of blood ran down the cut the sword had left on the emperor’s face.
“Xianle.”, Jun Wu’s voice was colder than ice and harder than steel. And his eyes were shooting daggers at Xie Lian.
“Yes?”, Xie Lian responded, not lowering his gaze. The lack of honorifics had many gasping in shock and horror.
But all heavenly officials in the Great Martial Hall fell silent as the emperor stood up, his right hand was emitting dark fog.
Xie Lian recognized the fog. It was what came along with the making of a shackle of banishment.
He had succeeded in getting banished, but now with Jun Wu glaring down at him with fury in his eyes, Xie Lian realized he forgot one crucial part about getting banished again.
Banishment was rare but there was typically no question about what the shackle would do to the banished god. But Xie Lian’s situation is unique in the way that this is not his first shackle. For his first shackle it was like any other banishment. For his second shackle he had specifically requested what the shackle would do to him.
But now it was solely on Jun Wu to choose the effect the shackle would have and, if the look in his eyes was any indication, Xie Lian was in for a harsh punishment.
But Xie Lian had made his decision and now had to face the consequences, whatever they may be.
“You’ll get your wish granted.”, the emperor’s anger had him slip up a little and not use his usual, refined language. Jun Wu stepped down the stairs leading from his throne while the shackle of banishment formed in his hand. “Xianle will have a shackle of banishment put on him and be banished to the mortal realm. Immediately.”, the emperor came to a halt in front of Xie Lian.
Everyone was dead silent.
Jun Wu raised his hand in front of Xie Lian’s face, showing him the fully formed shackle. “Since this isn’t Xianle’s first shackle it will not be sealing his spiritual power. Instead, this shackle will be heightening his physical sensitivity. While it means each caress he might receive will feel twice as good, it also means should he get stabbed it will feel as if he has been stabbed twice.” Once he was done stating the shackle’s function, Jun Wu took hold of Xie Lian’s right hand with his left and brought down his right hand, holding the loose shackle, on Xie Lian’s wrist.
There was a clanking and crackling sound and in the blink of an eye the shackle had latched onto the newly banished god’s right wrist.
Before Xie Lian had any chance to register the changes in his body caused by the new shackle, the emperor grabbed him by his collar and lifted him just enough for Xie Lian’s feet to be clearly of the ground.
“With this Xianle is stripped of all his heavenly privileges.”, Jun Wu said coldly and in the next moment spiritual power was swirling around Xie Lian and flung him out of the Great Martial Hall and out of the heavens all together.