Ning Busan had turned all of Heaven upside down, yet he hadn't seen even a shadow of the authority of creation.
“Little Sages, come out and help!”
[The God of Light must have hidden the authority of creation, dear!]
“Of course I know he hid it. I want to know where he hid it.”
[Unfortunately, I don't know either, dear!]
“What use are you then?”
[Of course I'm useful! Although I don't know where the authority of creation is, the World Tree definitely does! Come on, let's go find the World Tree, dear!]
Ning Busan raised an eyebrow. “The World Tree...”
[Heaven relies on the World Tree to stand upon the Nine Heavens, so nothing that happens in Heaven can escape the World Tree's eyes!]
Ning Busan highly doubted that even if the World Tree knew where the God of Light had placed the authority of creation, it would actually tell him.
But trying wouldn't hurt.
Might as well give it a shot!
The World Tree was located at the center of Heaven. Its trunk was incredibly thick, connecting heaven and earth, piercing straight into the clouds, making it difficult to see its entire form.
Its bark was a brilliant gold, with golden vines wrapped around it, intertwining and spiraling.
Ning Busan couldn't really see much difference between it and the Elven Mother Tree.
Other than one being golden and the other being silver.
Of course, another point was that the World Tree was much larger than the Elven Mother Tree.
Since he was here to ask for help, Ning Busan spoke softly, “Eternal World Tree, I implore your assistance. Can you tell me the whereabouts of the authority of creation?”
The World Tree's voice was androgynous, deep and echoing. “I can, but I need a promise from you.”
“What promise?”
“I want you to promise that you will never abandon this world.”
After a long silence, Ning Busan's voice rang out:
“...Deal.”
A soft light emanated from the trunk, forming a path of light that pointed straight into the distance.
The World Tree gently warned, “The authority of creation is in a place that angels cannot reach.”
Ning Busan walked along the path of light, arriving at a hall interwoven with pure black and pure white.
This was the Court of Judgment.
Using sacred order as a yardstick, the Court of Judgment could judge and sentence all things.
The floor of the entire hall was transparent, like a full-length mirror, perfectly reflecting anyone who stood on it.
Angels bustled to and fro, their figures reflected in the mirror as pure white.
But when Ning Busan stepped inside, his reflection in the mirror was pitch-black.
In an instant, all the angels in the Court of Judgment gathered around, their gazes burning, wishing they could poke a few holes in him.
“All of you, stand down and do what you should be doing. He is not someone you can judge.” Siphra slowly walked down the steps, her voice full of majesty.
The angels dispersed and resumed their work.
Ning Busan hadn't expected to see Siphra here and blurted out, “Weren't you controlled by the God of Darkness?”
Siphra said coldly, “The Court of Judgment stopped my fall, absolved my sins, and brought me back to the righteous path. I am still the Lord's most loyal believer.”
Ning Busan smiled awkwardly. “That's good, that's good.”
Talking about this now was truly awkward, since he was the one who had personally handed Siphra over to the God of Darkness.
At times like this, one should tactfully change the subject.
Ning Busan pointed at the floor and asked, “Why are you white in the mirror, but I'm black?”
Siphra's face darkened. “This is the Court of Judgment. The ground reflects the essence of the soul. Why your soul is black—shouldn't you know very well yourself?”
Ning Busan didn't know.
He didn't think he had done anything evil, so how could his soul be black?
She paused and continued, “In your case, it only shows that you have many desires. If you can discard your desires and purify your soul, it would be considered a great merit for the angels of the Court of Judgment.”
Ning Busan: “...”
No wonder the surrounding angels had looked at him with hostile eyes earlier, with a faint hint of eagerness. It turned out they saw him as a walking gold star.
Siphra frowned. “The Court of Judgment cannot be desecrated. If you did not come here to repent, then please leave.”
Of course Ning Busan couldn't leave; he was here to find the authority of creation.
To stay in the Court of Judgment, Ning Busan's eyes darted around, and he said righteously, “I want to be judged!”
“You want to be judged?” Siphra had never heard such a strange request, but she felt it necessary to warn Ning Busan,
“Once you accept the judgment of the Court of Judgment, you will only be released when you thoroughly confess your sins and repent for them. Are you sure?”
Ning Busan's gaze was firm. “I'm sure! I want to be judged! I want to repent for the sins I've committed! I came here precisely to turn over a new leaf!”
Siphra: “...”
How could a person with a completely black soul have the courage to say such things?
But since Ning Busan wanted to cleanse his sins, she had no reason to refuse, let alone stop him.
Siphra said, “Then follow me.”
She led Ning Busan to the second floor.
A giant scale hung from the domed ceiling, with a feather resting on one side and the other side completely empty.
Beneath the scale was the Place of Judgment.
Seven incisions formed a perfect ring, with seven ancient runes cast in mithril along the edge.
Ning Busan raised an eyebrow. “I just need to stand inside?”
Siphra nodded. “Correct. The Scale of Judgment will cast you into the appropriate place of repentance based on the degree of your soul's corruption and the sins you have committed.”
The moment Ning Busan stepped into the ring, the seven runes lit up one by one with a brilliant golden holy light, like seven eyes of judgment slowly opening.
Humility, Generosity, Chastity, Gentleness, Temperance, Diligence, and Kindness—the scale began its judgment of Ning Busan, using the Seven Heavenly Virtues as its standard.
Ning Busan was currently deep in thought.
The World Tree had said that the authority of creation was in a place that angels could not reach.
Where in the Court of Judgment would be a place that angels couldn't reach?
If you don't court death, you won't die, but even if you do court death, you might not die!
To test his hypothesis, Ning Busan deliberately leaked a trace of his demonic aura.
The scale began to tremble violently, seemingly in rage.
“Get out of there—”
Siphra cried out in alarm, wanting to terminate the judgment immediately.
However, the judgment had already finished.
No, it wasn't that the judgment was finished.
The ring of judgment beneath Ning Busan's feet suddenly vanished, replaced by a pitch-black vortex that gradually swallowed his ankles, then his knees, his waist...
Siphra murmured, “Demons are not qualified to be judged at all. They will be cast directly into the Well of Holy Judgment by the Scale of Judgment.”
Hearing her words, Ning Busan smiled instead.
He had bet correctly.
The Well of Holy Judgment was indeed a place that angels could not reach.
Falling.
An endless fall.
Suddenly, the fall stopped.
Ning Busan felt himself land in a freezing, bone-chilling liquid.
He quickly flipped himself up, condensing a golden flame in his palm to illuminate his surroundings.
This was a bottomless, pure white shaft. The walls of the well were made of countless relief sculptures of struggling arms, and inside surged a thick, liquid holy light, its brilliance more dazzling than the blazing sun.
If Ning Busan had come here with a demon's body, probably not even his ashes would remain.
Looking at the object deep at the bottom of the well, Ning Busan had a faint, knowing smile on his lips.
The authority of creation was right before his eyes.
Rate on N.U.
