Chapter 702: Taking the Blame

The old Hell Messenger glanced at Qin Mu and replied to Tu Bo, "It's already added. It's on page 1004 of the eighth volume. Every entry is clearly recorded; nothing will be missing."

Tu Bo put down the book in his hand, picked up the eighth volume of records, flipped through it, and asked, "Is it recorded every time he opens the Gate of Heaven's Mandate?"

"It is recorded."

The old Hell Messenger said, "He scared me senseless; I couldn't *not* record it. Also, every single person who died by his hand has been recorded, clearly and precisely, awaiting a final reckoning after his death. But these are minor matters; I've recorded them in the miscellaneous volumes."

Tu Bo put down the eighth volume and asked, "Where are the miscellaneous volumes?"

The old Hell Messenger replied, "There are too many miscellaneous volumes. I specifically set aside a room for them, and it's almost full. Do you want me to send those over for your review, Tu Bo?"

"No, that's fine."

Tu Bo also felt a headache coming on. He shook his head and said, "As long as they are recorded clearly and distinctly, that's enough."

Tian Shu fell straight down, his sheep-like head hitting the ground hard and bouncing twice before settling. Qi Jiuyi couldn't help but say, "Brother Tian, Tu Bo isn't talking about you; he's talking about Brother Qin Fengqing."

Tian Shu weakly said, "I know he's talking about him. I thought he had a good relationship with Tu Bo, but it turns out their 'relationship' is just a record of his misdeeds. I was even hoping he could get Tu Bo to give him some face, but now I realize if Tu Bo gives him face, it will only make my offenses worse! Let me lie here for a bit; I suddenly feel so powerless..."

Tu Bo looked at Qin Mu, who stood there uneasily, head bowed, occasionally stealing a glance at Tu Bo before quickly looking away as if startled.

Tu Bo said, "Harboring the criminal Tian Shu and releasing him to cause chaos in the world—this transgression will be recorded under your name. Do you accept this?"

Qin Mu hastily replied, "I don't..."

"Record it under his name," Tu Bo told the old Hell Messenger.

The old Hell Messenger readily affirmed, making a note. He then said to Qin Mu, "Tu Bo is impartial and selfless. He's not asking for your opinion; he's merely informing you, so you don't die with a grievance in the future."

Qin Mu immediately relaxed and chuckled, "In the future? So, Tu Bo won't kill me this time?"

Tu Bo glanced at him and said, "Your lifespan has not yet run out, so I won't touch you for now. However, the longer you remain in Youdu, the weaker your physical body will become, and you will eventually die. I summoned you here today not for your sake, but for his."

He raised his hand and pointed at Tian Shu. With a swish, a whip coiled around Tian Shu, who struggled in vain, his face ashen.

Qin Mu stepped forward, placing himself between Tu Bo and Tian Shu, and asked loudly, "May I ask, Tu Bo, what crime has Tian Shu committed?"

"He severed my horn, stole my Youdu, and divided its territory to establish Fengdu—these are grave sins." Tu Bo said gravely, "Are you stepping forward to defend him? Do you wish to bear his punishment?"

Qin Mu said in a deep voice, "The Emperor's Divine Blade was designed by Emperor Kai. The order was given by Emperor Kai. Tian Shu was merely acting under orders. Is it wrong for a subject to obey his sovereign's command?"

Tu Bo said, "The one who wielded the blade is inherently greatly at fault."

"Is Tu Bo bullying the weak and fearing the strong?" Qin Mu asked.

Tian Shu's hair stood on end, and Qi Jiuyi also felt uneasy, thinking, "How dare Brother Qin say such things? Even though he's the Son of Youdu, speaking to Tu Bo like this, that identity won't be able to protect him at all!"

Tu Bo slightly frowned, and flames flickered between his bull horns.

Qin Mu continued, "If Tu Bo is truly impartial and selfless, then you should hold Emperor Kai responsible. For Tu Bo to not pursue the mastermind but instead prosecute Tian Shu, it smacks of bullying the weak and fearing the strong. I am a junior, but even a junior has a sense of justice. If Tu Bo is unfair, this junior cannot accept it and feels compelled to speak up. If Tu Bo truly doesn't bully the weak and fear the strong, then with the destruction of the Supreme Emperor Heaven and Mount Luofu, and the tragic deaths of countless beings, why doesn't Tu Bo pursue the prime culprit?"

The old Hell Messenger frowned and said, "Son of God, you don't know the full story here; it's better not to say anything more..."

"Let him speak," Tu Bo said, raising a hand.

The old Hell Messenger could only endure, secretly breaking into a cold sweat for Qin Mu.

Qin Mu continued, "Who is the prime culprit? It's that esteemed guest who just left Tu Bo's palace! The Yin Emperor indulged his disciple, forcing the surviving members of the Crimson Light tribe to enter the demon tribe's Mount Luofu territory, which sparked a bloody war. Mount Luofu was destroyed, and of the Crimson Light survivors, only Chi Xi remained. To survive, the demon tribe had no choice but to attack the Supreme Emperor Heaven. The Yin Emperor's disciple then wielded the Register of Life and Death to cause havoc, blood-sacrificing Mount Luofu to collide with the Supreme Emperor Heaven, which in turn caused the Supreme Emperor Heaven to collide with Yankang, leading to the deaths of countless beings. The prime culprit was just here; why didn't Tu Bo execute him?"

"My brother caused a ruckus in Youdu, and Tu Bo put a demerit on my record, threatening to kill or punish me. I summoned the soul of Marshal Wei Liao, the Seven Killings Star Lord, and Tu Bo put a demerit on my record, threatening to kill or punish me. I fought on the battlefield, slaying enemy generals, and Tu Bo put a demerit on my record, threatening to kill or punish me. Yet now, the Yin Emperor's disciple is about to unleash a bloodbath in Yankang, resurrecting stone statues to bring disaster upon Yankang, which will again lead to the tragic deaths of countless beings! Tu Bo, where is your impartiality and selflessness? Do you dare to threaten *them* with death and punishment?"

"You are clearly bullying the weak and fearing the strong, bullying the good and fearing the evil. You may not commit evil yourself, but you enable great evil. What crime is it for Tian Shu to sever your horn? If Emperor Kai were sitting on the Heavenly Court, would you dare even make a sound?"

"You're pinning my brother's misdeeds on me! While my brother indeed commits all sorts of evil, at least his words match his actions. Yet you, despite being the Lord of Youdu, are inconsistent in your words and deeds, disgracing the name of a born divine being!"

"You might as well give up your position and let my brother be the Lord of Youdu! At least he would treat everyone fairly, unlike you who spills things everywhere!"

Tian Shu, Dragon Qilin, and Qi Jiuyi were scared witless, and the old Hell Messenger also shivered repeatedly, thinking, "It's over, it's over..."

Tu Bo's three eyes stared at Qin Mu, who met his gaze directly, not backing down in the slightest.

"You were originally very shrewd, skilled at adapting to circumstances, and good at speaking to people in their own language and to ghosts in theirs. Why today are you so reckless, insisting on arguing based on principles?" Tu Bo finally spoke, inquiring.

Qin Mu bowed and said, "People always accumulate grievances, and when they pile up, they will erupt. I am also a person, and I apologize for offending Tu Bo. Please forgive me."

Tu Bo slowly nodded and said, "How do you know I don't have a little notebook recording the Yin Emperor's transgressions?"

Qin Mu said, "What's the difference between having it and not acting on it, and not having it at all? I understand Tu Bo's difficulties; it's simply that the Heavenly Court is too powerful, so you dare not and cannot take action. Since Tu Bo is unwilling to act personally, why hinder others?"

Tu Bo's expression remained perfectly calm, showing not the slightest change. "So, what is your point?"

"It takes an evil person to deal with an evil person. I am one such evil person, and Tian Shu is another. In this world, there are not many who dare to fight the Yin Emperor to the death, and Tian Shu is one of them."

Qin Mu said, "Wouldn't it be better if Tu Bo released Tian Shu and let him fight the Yin Emperor to the death? Tian Shu did indeed sever your horn, but there was a reason behind it: he was acting on Emperor Kai's orders. Since Emperor Kai isn't here, I'll take the blame for him. Tu Bo, feel free to put this bad reputation on my head! I only ask that Tu Bo spare him and let him go fight the Yin Emperor, while Tu Bo acts as a bystander reaping the benefits."

Tu Bo's three eyes remained fixed on him, never looking away.

Tian Shu and the others were extremely uneasy. Qin Mu didn't know Tu Bo's true power, but Tian Shu knew it perfectly well.

During Emperor Kai's era, he was appointed the Heavenly King of the Underworld by Tu Bo. His divine abilities were superb, but compared to Tu Bo, he was like a grain of rice next to a blazing sun.

He had an innate fear of Tu Bo.

Yet Qin Mu faced Tu Bo with composure, spoke eloquently, even reprimanded him, and after the reprimand, proceeded to negotiate terms. In Tian Shu's eyes, this was utterly suicidal behavior!

Just then, Tu Bo's voice came, "Very well. I will grant you this favor; let him leave."

Tian Shu felt a sudden lightness, the whip loosening its grip, sending him sprawling to the ground, disoriented from the fall.

Tian Shu's mind went blank. He shook his head, as if he hadn't clearly heard Tu Bo's words.

Tu Bo had actually agreed, had actually accepted Qin Mu's terms, and had even said the phrase "I will grant you this favor."

This was utterly impossible!

Qin Mu bowed and thanked him, "Thank you, Tu Bo, for fulfilling my request."

"When people commit evil, I will always impartially record it, whether they are commoners or Heavenly Kings and Emperors." Tu Bo said unhurriedly, "Everyone has a corresponding little notebook; some are thin, and some are thick. You stole my power to revive Celestial Lady Yin. I don't blame you; rather, I am quite pleased. We grieve for our own kind, and I too was unwilling to accept Celestial Lady Yin's death. But I am, after all, the Lord of Youdu. Sometimes there are things I cannot do, only others can. There are words I cannot say, only others can. You did it, and you said it. But for the sake of justice, even though I admire you, I must still record it and handle it according to the laws of Youdu. Do you understand?"

Qin Mu bowed and said, "I understand."

Tu Bo nodded and said, "You may leave now."

Qin Mu hesitated, "Tu Bo, I wish to see my mother. I've never met her..."

"She is bearing your punishment." Tu Bo's expression was indifferent. He said, "In the months after your birth, you committed grave transgressions in Youdu. To preserve your life back then, she sent you away, but to protect you from Youdu's powerful figures pursuing you, she took your faults upon herself. If you wish to see her, I can make an exception, but the disciples of the Underworld have already begun their work, and the souls of Yankang's beings are currently being escorted to Youdu. Are you certain you wish to see her?"

Qin Mu stood there as if struck by lightning, motionless, then suddenly turned and said, "Tian Shu, Brother Qi, let's return to Yankang!"

Tu Bo watched him walk out of the grand hall, noticing the young man secretly rubbing his eyes and quietly wiping away tears.

"He will be a good child," Tu Bo said blandly.

The old Hell Messenger bowed and said, "Of course he will be a good child. I will see them off."

On the paper boat, Qin Mu looked back at Tu Bo, who appeared cold and dark, but in reality, it was a bustling place where countless deceased people lived, and where his family members resided. Perhaps his father was also piloting a boat in the darkness, searching for his mother's whereabouts.

Yet, he clearly had the chance to see them, but could not.

"I will return. Once the chaos in Yankang subsides, I will come back to see you all."

Qin Mu revealed a gentle smile, thinking to himself, "I don't remember what I did right after I was born, but it must have been my brother's doing, and his actions are effectively my actions. But to have Mother bear the punishment for me, I cannot bear it in my heart. Mother, I will come back for you all. I won't let you suffer in Youdu on my behalf..."