"Oh? Such a thing happened in the Nine Heavens?" The man brushed through his copper-colored hair and touched the gem embedded in his earlobe while his brows rose in surprise. "How very interesting. Do we also know what punishment the Heavenly Emperor gave?"

"No, Your Majesty. The information comes from the Court of Justice and was acquired before the God of Justice and the God of War went to report."

"I see." The demon king turned around with a charming smile. "Then tell him to pay more attention to the matter. I’m sure we’ll be able to use this to our advantage."

"Yes." The demon nodded and left the throne room.

The demon king’s smile collapsed. "Assassinating the crown prince. How very … ambitious. I’d reckon someone is very dissatisfied with how things are going in the Nine Heavens." His smile returned and he left the room toward the inner chambers.

That bastard should be pretty miserable now that something like this had happened. After all, losing his beloved wouldn’t be so simple to him. This … was probably the best time to attack. If his thoughts were occupied with how his beloved was doing, wouldn’t he make mistakes? Killing him … it might be feasible in this situation.

He stopped in the corridor with a hand against the door and glanced out of the window. Maybe … this was the opportunity he had waited for so long. The only chance to pay back all the past grievances and put an end to this.

He reached up and rubbed the gem embedded in his ear. How much he longed to take a sword and chop that bastard’s head off. But wouldn’t it be more interesting to watch how this would turn out? A quick death was too nice for that bastard. No, for payback the like should be returned.

He pushed the door open and stepped in, stopping in front of a brazier while the door fell shut again. Staring into the coals, determination settled in his gaze. "No, I can’t act yet. I don’t know enough. First, I need to find out what exactly happened and then, I need a good plan. One that won’t give him a chance to escape until he is utterly destroyed. Only then … only then will I be able to return your suffering a hundredfold. Maybe then … you will change your mind."

His gaze flickered and he turned away from the brazier. Even though he wanted to act, for now, he could only wait. But maybe that was good. Maybe some more things would happen in the Nine Heavens that could benefit him. Maybe … there were still more things that could give him an advantage.

While the demon king tried to rein in his impatience, the Heavenly Emperor of the Nine Heavens felt a major headache incoming. He had just managed to get his wife to drag that hateful dragon king away after ruling on the matter of the assassination attempt on his son but now one of the culprits had already run back to bother him! Just what was wrong today?!

"Fate’s Scribe Shun Tao!" Rong Su grit his teeth. "Is it that I wasn’t clear enough when I told you to reflect in your palace? Why did you run back here?!"

Shun Tao cupped his hands with an aggrieved expression. As if he wanted to be here! Wasn’t it all the fault of the crown prince’s mortal reincarnation? The dragon king wasn’t even down there but he had still managed to get himself into trouble! Why had this turned into such a mess?! Writing a fate for his trial was a difficult task, yes, but only because of the expectations!

Well, at least he had learned his lesson and thus hurried over to report immediately. This way the Heavenly Emperor shouldn’t be able to complain. "Your Majesty! I wouldn’t dare not to comply with your commands. I returned because I have something to report."

The Heavenly Emperor’s expression darkened. "What is that supposed to be? You haven’t even been gone for an hour!"

Shun Tao took out Jing He’s scroll of fate. "His Highness … His Highness’ mortal reincarnation met a disciple of a Daoist sect called 'Yun Zou Sect' and was found to have the aptitude to become a cultivator. They have taken him back to their sect already. His Highness … The crown prince might be stepping onto the path of becoming a deity." Shun Tao closed the scroll of fate and waited for the inevitable scolding but everything stayed silent. He hesitated but finally took a peek. The Heavenly Emperor that lost his temper on a regular basis was utterly floored. He had closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself. Shun Tao lowered his gaze and kept quiet. This was still the Heavenly Emperor’s son they were talking about here. He should give him some time to digest this information.

Right now, he couldn’t help but ask himself the same question as his self-proclaimed son-in-law: Just why did the trueborn gods have to undertake these trials? This was the second time this day somebody told him he might never see his son again! If his son’s mortal reincarnation really became a cultivator and ascended as a deity, he wouldn’t wake up in his original body as a trueborn god anymore. He would truly be another person with different memories and experiences and another family. He wouldn’t be their Jing He anymore. Their son … he might be lost forever.

Rong Su sighed. Jing He, my dear son, why do you have such bad luck? With your personality and outstanding abilities, you shouldn’t have had any trouble facing these trials. I was merely worried because you are my son and I don’t want to see you suffer. But now it seems I should have worried more. Who knew you might never come back to me?

He sighed again. As harsh as it may sound but he hoped that this mortal Zhong Jing Yi would die soon so that he could have his son back. Even if Jing He was punished and lost some of his powers or even one of his senses, at least he would still be alive and could attempt another trial.

Rong Su pulled himself out of his thoughts. Nothing would come out of bemoaning his son’s fate. Heaven’s law was like that. He could only try to make sure his son would pass his trials and come back. "You did the right thing when you came here. Concentrate on preventing him from advancing on this path."

Shun Tao nodded. "As you command, Your Majesty."

Rong Su tapped the armrest of his throne. "Considering the severity of the consequences should you fail … Ask the God of War, Qiang Yan, for help. He shall assign some of his people to you."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll plan accordingly."

Rong Su nodded and waved him away. He sighed when the Fate’s Scribe had left his palace. Now, he could only hope. Hope for Tian to spare his child. Hope for Jing He to return at the end of his trial and still be the lovable child he had raised.