"Oh, cruel heavens! I have lived a dishonorable life since the dawn of time. Billions of years have passed since the curse that made me more demon than deva. Yet, I have never suffered for any of my misdeeds!
For eons my wrongs went unpunished but today I must die framed of crimes I didn't commit? How laughable! What a twisted irony! Heaven, I won't accept this!"
Chandra bellowed in a surge of righteous indignation while his eyes rose to stare at the Celestial World's endless sky! They then lowered onto Surya, and he aimed his wobbling right index at that long-time friend!
"Mean and shameless villain! In the past, you schemed against your father to coerce him into passing down his cultivation, laws, and bloodline to you, and in my foolishness, considering you a friend and the old Sacra a thorn, I helped you achieve it!
Only now do I realize that you're more serpent than I will ever be! Millions of years of friendship, yet you frame me and usher my doom to foster your growth and satisfy that insatiable hunger for power! Surya, I curse you!"
Stabbed with that accusation, Surya sneered. Having already assessed the Truth of those events, he clearly saw all of Chandra's misdeeds. If the scope stopped at a few offended Divine Lords, he would undoubtedly mediate. But offending their fellow Cardinal Lords, and a Brihaspati whose concealed strength had surpassed previous estimations? How could he assist him?
The best option was to use Chandra's fall to seize the Moon Refining Palace's disciples and resources! Konrad didn't doubt Surya would behave in such a manner. And therefore predicted the events' turn.
"Loads of rubbish. How did I frame you? Clearly, it was you who couldn't control yourself and endeavor to crush our Celestial Realm's harmony time and time again! For so long I have considered our eons of friendship and sheltered you. Now, I even have the generosity to defend your descendants, but you still have the gals to shift the blame on me? Chandra, how despicable!"
Surya snapped in "outrage." Sorrow filled his eyes, and a sigh of lamentation left his lips.
"But don't worry, brother! Though today you abjure and curse me, I will still protect your kin! And ensure their survival!"
Surya exclaimed with brash passion, causing his peers to feel a surge of puking needs. In their eyes, that performance only gave validity to Chandra's words. Undoubtedly, Surya pushed him from behind to ensure his fall, and absorb his resources. But how could they allow him to?
But as he witnessed his cum-drenched wife lying naked among the pile of abducted women, the scene within Tara's cave flashed in Brihaspati's eyes and he could no longer restrain himself.
"RADIANT JUDGMENT!"
Brihaspati bellowed, causing his Towers of Reckoning to release a humongous, blinding spear of white light onto Chandra! Locked by the combined might of Fate and Light, and crushed by the weight of karma, Chandra couldn't move an inch and stared, helpless, as the spear of judgment descended upon him.
"If anyone can save me, on my soul I pledge to serve them for eternity!"
Chandra howled! Alas, no force seemed willing to come to his aid!
*BOOM!*
The hundred kilometers long spear divided Chandra where he stood and carried on toward his Moon Refining Palace.
"STOOOOP!"
Surya snarled and turned into a hundred kilometers large golden sun to slam into the spear and deviate it from its trajectory! The golden spear then carried on unimpeded and crashed in the valley beside the Moon Refining Palace, releasing a massive explosion of light that billowed toward the sky. Fortunately, this was Heaven. But even then, if that spear landed on the Moon Refining Palace, only ashes would remain.
Meanwhile, the two halves of Chandra's body turned into light particles and vanished into nothingness. The Moon Lord had been destroyed in body and soul!
Or so they thought! Little did they know that a certain Truth Devil stood on the scene. And when Moon Lord offered his soul in exchange for salvation, the Devil spoke only four words:
"I accept the contract!"
Now, within an Infinite Void inside Konrad's main body, Chandra reappeared, alive, but bound in chains. A matter for another time. For now, Surya faced Brihaspati and the still lingering wrath of nine primogens!
His eyes contorted into a frown.
"You can't possibly believe Chandra's words, right? I have no reason to…"
Surya began, but before he could finish his words, Brihaspati cut him dry.
"As a greedy pig that schemed his father's death, you have plenty of reasons. No need for familiarity between us. This Eminence doesn't care about the why. Between the two of us, only one can leave this place alive. Do your worst!"
Brihaspati retorted and without leaving room for debate, turned into a dazzling spear of white light to hurtle at Surya! The combined might of Truth Wielding and Sun Embodiment faced that of Light Embodiment and Fate Wielding in a world-shaking clash!
*BOOOM* *BOOOM* *BOOOM*
A ball of golden flame, a spear of white light, the two's speed and might reached such an extreme that in every collision, they unleashed supernovas, and wreaked havoc in even Heaven's sky.
In every flash, they exchanged tens of thousands of moves, releasing their strongest attacks and leaving no room for compromise. However, none could take the advantage! Although Brihaspati trumped in experience and foundation, Sun Laws did surpass Light Laws in might. There was no advantage for him to seize!
Meanwhile, valleys collapsed and oceans rose to assail cities with tidal waves as the destruction the fight wrought unleashed calamities on the Celestial Realm and fed a certain Devil's negativity needs.
"This must be stopped. Otherwise, the gains won't equal the losses."
Bhumi declared, but little did she expect that Durga would unleash her spears, and shoot toward Surya!
"Boy, This Eminence has never liked your devious kind. You might as well follow Chandra to the grave!"
Durga exclaimed! When her two bodies united, she boasted two heads and four arms each flaring mighty spears. Her body vanished, turning into a boundless sea of darkness while the space around Surya suffered a spatial lock!
"Tarnation!"
Surya cursed, knowing that once the two joined hands, his demise was certain! I desperation, he begrudgingly summoned a golden lotus with his right palm and prepared to swallow it. This lotus was the result of millions of years of refinement, cultivation and his hope to reach the peak of the Legendary God Rank.
Right now, although it wasn't fully mature, consumption would allow his strength to skyrocket, thereby giving him the means to save his neck!
But before he could bring the lotus to his lips, Truth Wielding that didn't belong to him descended alongside an incomparably mightier God-Force to immobilize all within the scene!
Surya, Brihaspati, Durga, and the other Primogens all failed to make another move.
"The Moon Refining Palace is henceforth dissolved. Its territory and resources split between the wronged sects with the Radiant Light Mountain obtaining ⅓. The Nagas directly descending from Chandra and his consorts, all the disciples of the Moon Refining Palace will be sold in slave auctions hosted within the neutral Sea Dream Capital.
Tonight, Heaven has already lost a Primogen, it can't afford to lose another one. Surya is confined to his Primal Sun Sect, and not allowed to leave until further notice. Moreover, he must pay compensation to the wronged sects.
Such is my judgment. Disperse or suffer Heaven's wrath."
The Warden declared, instantly bringing all the Primogens on their knees.
"As you command, Warden!"
All except Surya bowed in submission while the Ravmalahk Primogen's face contorted in an unsightly scowl!
What did he do to have to pay reparations to the other sects? Clearly, the Warden was shifting the blame for Chandra's deeds on him!
Cheated! He'd been completely and utterly cheated!
But he wouldn't be grumbling alone for long. When they invaded the Moon Refining Palace to get their haul, the Primogens were startled to see its coffers…completely and utterly empty!
Alarmed, Brihaspati rushed back to his Radiant Light Mountain, and was startled to see his coffers devoid of all it contained! Not even dust remained!
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH! DISPOSSESS THE NAGAS…DISPOSSESS THE NAGAS! Disposse-…"
The last words seemed stuck in Brihaspati's throat, his eyes opened wide, trembling alongside his body, and shockingly, the Cardinal Light Lord broke into a spasm.
*PUH*
Then spurted a large mouthful of blood before collapsing on the floor. In that instant, Brihaspati's Dao of Profound Enlightenment collapsed, forever barring from further breakthroughs. Worse, if not careful, his cultivation base would regress. And for him who stood only a step away from the peak of the Legendary God Rank, this – undoubtedly – was a fatal blow.
