Mountain and sea lantern

Chapter 653 Beheading

Since the Empress had said so, Daozhen didn't say anything more.

However, the Demon Queen, who was staring at the mirrored crowd, asked telepathically, "Is there still no sign of that big guy?"

She was referring to Wu Jinliang.

Daozhen also looked at the dense crowd in the mirror and replied telepathically, "We're still searching. The spies have been set up. If Your Majesty really comes as you say, we'll definitely find you."

The Demon Queen whispered a suggestion, "Shi Chun surrendered himself to the authorities almost empty-handed. All his important possessions were missing, and the big guy was also gone. If the items were on the big guy, someone Shi Chun could entrust his life to should have the answers I'm looking for. Knowing that Shi Chun is to be executed, he shouldn't ignore Shi Chun's life or death."

She had a keen eye and had been in close contact with Shi Chun. She knew that in addition to the magical treasures that Shi Chun had shown, his bracelets, clothes and boots were also extraordinary. According to her information, these items were missing when Shi Chun turned himself in.

Upon hearing this, Daozhen realized why the Empress wanted the news of Jiang Shichun's execution to be widely disseminated. At the time, he wondered why such news couldn't be kept from high-ranking figures, since the Eastern Victory Royal Court would issue a notice of judgment beforehand. Therefore, it seemed somewhat redundant. Now he realized that the target was someone else, and she was afraid that some people were not well-informed, so she did more.

He immediately replied telepathically, "Your Majesty, rest assured, we will find you when we arrive. There are too many people here, so it will take some time to identify them."

The others around them weren't ordinary people either. The magical fluctuations from the two openly exchanging whispers in front of them were noticeable to Queen Xin and the others, but they only glanced at them occasionally, unsure if they were talking about them...

Seeing that Granny Qi and the others were also dragged out and forced to kneel, the Bai clan members in the crowd were all somewhat agitated, and Bai Qiru clenched her fists and bit her lip.

Grandma Qi's gaze swept across the crowd and saw her clansmen. She shook her head slightly, signaling everyone not to act impulsively. Then, her eyes locked onto Bai Qiru, and she gave him a firm look of no regrets.

Shi Chun's eyes searched the crowd and spotted Ming Shanzong's group. He smiled at them, then looked around again, wondering if Wu Jinliang would sneak over after hearing the news. But he couldn't find him anywhere. Instead, he spotted Mulan Qingqing.

Even in a vast crowd, this woman stands out as a fresh and conspicuous presence.

Besides offering a calm, death-ready smile, Shi Chun had no other choice, and he couldn't speak.

Then I saw Miao Yilan and gave her a faint smile.

The two women were filled with remorse because of him, regretting that they shouldn't have gotten involved in the persuasion to surrender.

Looking around, they saw that Wu Kangshan's group only gave Bian Weiying, with whom they had a romantic relationship, a slight nod at most.

There's no need for too much affectation.

Because both he and Bian Weiying knew clearly that neither of them was the most important person in the other's life, and neither wanted to let the other affect their life goals.

When Shi Chun's gaze fell upon the Golden Rat Clan, he understood the clan leader Jin Fu's hesitation and knew what he was worried about. He nodded slightly, indicating that he could rest assured.

Perhaps it was because there were too many people and I was seeing things, but no matter how I looked, I couldn't see anyone who looked like Wu Jinliang.

dong dong dong...

As a drumbeat sounded, gasps and cries erupted from the audience.

Actions were taken on the stage as well. Ninety-nine people who had been kneeling in front were dragged out, pulled forward, and pressed into the gaps in the grooves. In front of the grooves, there were tight bands with iron chains attached to the ground. These bands were put over the prisoners' heads, stretching their necks across the gaps in the grooves.

The place where prisoners knelt was also chained to their bodies.

After the escorts finished their arrangements and left, the ninety-nine prisoners bound to the execution platform began to whimper and struggle.

What does it mean to struggle in the death throes?

The audience could see it clearly, and the visual impact was even stronger than the fighting itself.

Apart from those who were crying, everyone else was quiet, making the crying all the more distinct.

Of course, some prisoners eventually felt hopeless about surviving, their bodies went limp, and they stopped struggling.

A token was suddenly thrown out, the drumbeats stopped abruptly, and then the executioner's deep, cold voice resounded throughout the arena, "Execute!"

There were no formalities; the sudden, clean, and efficient approach stunned the entire audience, even silencing the sobbing.

The guillotine, which had been hanging in the air, suddenly fell with a loud bang.

At the same time, a row of bloodstains splattered on the groove of the execution platform, and ninety-nine heads tied to iron chains bounced on the ground. Those in the crowd with weak mental fortitude turned their heads away, unable to bear looking at them any longer.

The ninety-nine bodies tilted to one side, and the giant guillotine blade slashed up again with a whooshing sound, dripping blood from its blade.

The guards who had stepped back quickly stepped forward and removed the various restraints from the prisoner's body after the execution.

Then the audience erupted in tears again.

"Hurry up and collect the body!" shouted a royal court official in armor.

Immediately, a group of people dressed in mourning clothes ran out, went up to the platform, and carried away the bodies of their relatives and friends while crying. The execution ground allowed them to leave from the side of the platform.

Some of the bodies that no one claimed were picked up by the royal court's men.

Apart from the bloodstains, the execution platform was quickly cleared away, though the large guillotine hanging in the air would occasionally drip blood.

The group of prisoners kneeling behind him were mostly pale with fright. Shi Chun was alright, but his expression was also somewhat stiff. This was a really bad experience, and it looked a bit creepy. His hands were also stained with a lot of blood.

The drumbeats resumed, truly giving one a sense of impending doom.

Ninety-nine struggling prisoners were then led to the slots of the execution platform and locked.

The escorts stepped back, indicating that preparations were complete. Another token was thrown out, the drumbeats stopped, and a shout of "Chop!" rang out. A flash of light followed, and a row of heads flew up, only to be pulled by chains and bounced and rolled on the ground.

The guillotine was raised, and another group of weeping people went up to collect the bodies. Then the third round began.

Every time the guillotine that blocked the view was raised, Wu Jinliang, dressed as an old man, kept a close eye on Shi Chun's reaction. After two more rounds of chopping, it would be Shi Chun's turn. He wanted to check if Shi Chun was panicked, but he didn't notice that someone mixed in with the crowd moved to his side.

As another row of heads fell to the ground, Daozhen, who was looking at the mirror image in the hall, suddenly took out a mother-and-child talisman from his palm, glanced at it, and then transmitted his voice to the Demon Queen: "Your Majesty, Wu Jinliang has been found."

The Empress smiled slightly, nodded a little, and stared with interest at Shi Chun, who was kneeling and awaiting execution in the scene.

As he watched the busy scene unfold before him, and the next round of attacks was about to strike, Shi Chun was filled with doubt. He looked around, wondering what the woman in red and Situ Gu were up to. Surely, even after clearing himself of suspicion, they couldn't extricate him from the situation?

Just then, the two guards on either side of him, who were escorting him, exchanged glances.

The one on the left suddenly spoke in a low voice, chatting with his companion, "Hey, before we came here, I heard that the Demon Queen's treasure was damaged at the Western Bull Royal Court?"

The man on the right, seemingly bored as well, whispered, "Yes, that's right. It happened three days ago. The Demon Queen hosted a banquet to display treasures, inviting only prominent figures from the cultivation world. I heard from above that it was Luo Yan, the sect leader of the Refining Heaven Sect, who accidentally damaged the treasure. That was the Demon Queen's most cherished possession, which enraged her. She immediately detained everyone present. Even Elder Situ Gu of the Refining Heaven Sect, who personally went to repair the treasure, was placed under house arrest, told not to leave until the treasure was repaired..."

The two whispered amongst themselves, which made Shi Chun, who was kneeling there, look at them with suspicion. His eyes darted around rapidly, and then he turned to look at the person behind him on the left, and then to look at the person behind him on the right.

It was a heart-stopping experience, and it also stirred up waves of doubt.

A sense of unease crept in. What did these two grandsons mean by suddenly saying this next to him? Was it really just a coincidence?
Or do you know something?
That's not right. Situ Gu isn't the type to gossip. No one else should know about my meeting with Situ Gu.

The two guards escorting him also noticed his reaction, and their eyes met subtly.

Seeing him turning his head to look back from time to time, the guard on the left took advantage of the drumbeats to lean down and whisper in his ear, "Is there anything you want to confess? Wei Xing gave instructions beforehand that if you have anything to confess, you can tell us and we will pass it on for you. Wei Xing can also try to give you a chance to live. This is your last chance. Once you're taken away and locked up, we'll leave. It will be too late for you to regret it later."

Shi Chun, who was initially full of suspicion, calmed down instantly upon hearing this. He secretly sneered to himself, thinking, "It was just a trap. I told you there couldn't be such a coincidence."

He was a vigilant and suspicious person by nature. Upon thinking this, he immediately concluded that Situ Gu had already made his move and that it was impossible for him to be killed here. The reason he was being put on the verge of death was to intimidate him and force him to reveal something.

This explains why the focus suddenly shifted to Situ Gu; it's because Situ Gu had already made his move.

It's even possible that the woman in red's uncle also intervened, and since they can no longer kill him, they're still trying to scare him at this critical juncture.

With the doubts resolved, he felt much more at ease, so he shook his head, clearly indicating that he had nothing more to confess.

Seeing this, the two guards exchanged another glance. The one on the left looked around and then raised his hand to touch his forehead.

Before the mirror in the hall, Daozhen, who had been tilting his head, withdrew his gaze, looked at the Demon Queen, and transmitted his voice, "He already knows that Situ Gu and the others won't be coming, but he still hasn't given in."

The empress remained indifferent and unconvinced, offering no response.

The guillotine blade rose again after it had fallen, and after the bodies were collected from the execution ground once more, the drums sounded again, and Shi Chun was lifted up by his arms on both sides.

Just like the procedure used to kill others, he was made to kneel on the groove, his head was pressed down and a tight headband was put on him, and his body was also locked with the chain on the ground. The bloody guillotine groove was covered with Shi Chun's neck blood.

After finishing their tasks, the escorts on either side exchanged glances and, like the other escorts, stepped back together.

Seeing that Shi Chun was about to be beheaded, Young Master Nan's face turned ugly. He took out a strip of white cloth from his sleeve and tied it around his head.

The Mingshan Sect and their group, along with the Golden-haired Rat Clan, all wore sorrowful expressions.

Many people from Wukang Mountain sighed in dismay.

Li Hongjiu, disguised, stared with his mouth slightly open, revealing a rare complex expression. The execution team was too powerful, and he was powerless to do anything about it.

In a panic, Miao Yilan raised her hands, one hand covering her chest and the other covering her mouth.

Mulan Qingqing, standing in the crowd, bit her lip tightly, watching helplessly as the majesty of the Eastern Victory Royal Court threatened to kill Shi Chun.

Wu Jinliang, who looked like an old man, was filled with surprise and doubt. He wanted to ask Shi Chun what she was trying to do. Why was Shi Chun not showing any panic in this situation?
Locked up and surrounded by the pungent smell of blood, Shi Chun couldn't even lift his head to look at the audience before finally realizing something was wrong.

He's trying to show he wants to confess, but he probably can't even give a good enough response.

He dared not gamble any longer and immediately began to struggle desperately. In his panic, he twisted his body and buttocks wildly, but his magic was restricted and he could not break free from the restraints.

To the audience, this was no different from the dying struggles of other executioners.

Fortunately, Wu Jinliang, who was keeping a close eye on things, immediately noticed something was wrong. He cursed inwardly, and although he was still a little confused, he dared not gamble anymore.

Just then, an execution token was thrown to the ground.

The drumbeats abruptly stopped, and the executioner shouted, "Execute!"

This sound made Shi Chun's face turn pale with fright. Unable to raise his head to call for help, he was so scared that he almost peed his pants on the spot.

Wu Jinliang, dressed as an old man, immediately raised his arm, about to jump up and shout "Spare his life!" and prepared to rush over to stop the falling guillotine.

However, a thin man in blue robes behind him had been watching his every move. As soon as he showed any sign of reaction, the man struck immediately, delivering a two-finger strike that quietly and steadily pierced Wu Jinliang's lower back.

Wu Jinliang was immediately frozen in place, unable to raise his hand or open his mouth to make a sound.

To prevent him from falling, they also helped support Wu Jinliang's arm.

The one who made the move was none other than Master Qing, the same person who had appeared on Lan'er's social media.

As soon as the execution ground was set up, the demonic path was worried that Wu Jinliang would come to rescue people, mainly because they were worried that Wu Jinliang would expose their side. So they arranged a lot of spies to secretly investigate everywhere. Wu Jinliang thought that he could hide his height by disguising himself as a hunchbacked old man, but little did he know that he had already been discovered by someone with good intentions. After Xiang Lan'er deliberately sent two messages with the mother-child talisman, the target was locked and confirmed. Even the people who were going to do the killing were already waiting next to him.

(End of this chapter)