Volume One, Chapter Thirty-One: The Gift of the Great Thief

Chapter Thirty-One: The Gift of the Great Thief

As they spoke, Mani Ashura, the notorious thief of the Three Realms, tore open the barrier of space and appeared directly before the assembled crowd.

Upon seeing him, Indra’s face changed dramatically. He spoke coldly, “How dare you, shameless thief, cause trouble in my Rili Heaven? Don’t forget, today the Lord of the Desire Realm, Mara, is here as well—you will not be allowed to run wild—”

Mani Ashura winked at Indra, his tone mocking. “So you know Mara is here, huh? If he wasn’t, I suppose you’d hardly dare make a sound, would you? Heh, you’re a mere lord of heaven, not much skill, but your mind works fast. I’ll settle accounts with you later.”

Turning, Mani Ashura greeted Mara, “Old fellow, it’s been ages since we last met, hasn’t it?”

Mara nodded, “Indeed, it must have been thousands of years. Though I suspect you’ve missed all those treasures you’ve stolen more than you’ve missed me.”

Mani Ashura laughed boisterously, “That’s just it. Not to criticize you, but as a realm lord, if you want something, you can simply change it at will—no need to disgrace the reputation of your realm of ultimate freedom. Me, I’m just a thief—if I had riches, wouldn’t I steal and rob for them?”

Mara nodded, “True enough. You can steal elsewhere, but in my domain, you should at least give me some respect. Return what you took from the Treasure Pavilion of the Divine Craftsman Heaven—how about it?”

Mani Ashura looked teasingly at Indra. “Tell me, Indra, do you think I’ll return it? Or will I keep it?”

Indra’s face had turned the color of an eggplant. His own avatar had framed Mani Ashura for robbing his Treasure Pavilion, and now the scapegoat refused to accept the blame, coming here to demand an explanation.

Indra spoke in a deep voice, “What do you propose, then?”

Mani Ashura laughed heartily. “Propose? Have you ever heard of the great thief of the Three Realms returning what he’s stolen? It’s not that I don’t give you, Mara, your due respect, but if I do, I lose mine. Isn’t that so, Indra? Am I wrong?”

Indra gritted his teeth, “Fine. As you wish.”

Could I say otherwise? Damn, he’d kill me outright without a second thought. Though he may not necessarily be able to kill me right now, I’m still keeping my strength hidden, not to be exposed.

Mani Ashura waved his hand, and from the void appeared a river of celestial treasures, every one of them entering a Sumeru ring on his finger.

He took off the ring and looked askance at Indra. “It’s mine now?”

“It’s yours.”

“You won’t put out a warrant for me?”

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“Would it do any good?”

Mani Ashura laughed loudly. “That’s quite a burden to bear. I’ll take it, then. Since it’s mine, any objection if I dispose of it as I wish?”

Indra was on the verge of exploding. “Do as you please. It’s nothing to do with me!”

Everyone present knew exactly what was going on, though none dared speak it aloud. They simply watched the drama unfold. What else could they do? Bite the thief? The difference in power was too vast. Better to stay quietly afraid.

Mani Ashura turned to Mara, “That little brat named Tu Zhe—I find him agreeable. When the trial is over, give this to him. It’s fate. Old fellow, I’ll trouble you with this favor!”

Mara reached out, catching the ring, and sent a divine thought into it. “I won’t fail you. With my mark on this ring, anyone who tries anything—this realm lord will know at once.”

This was a slap in the face—Indra’s face rang with the blows.

The meaning was clear: don’t trouble Tu Zhe, or trouble will come for you.

“Alright, that’s settled. I still have other worlds to wander. Maybe I’ll come back someday if the mood strikes. Old fellow, farewell!”

Before he finished speaking, Mani Ashura’s form faded and vanished in an instant.

Mara sighed, “Wherever his feet land, there his world lies. This old thief’s abilities are becoming more formidable by the day…”

Having shouldered the blame, Mani Ashura departed. He entrusted Mara to deliver the spoils—the entire Treasury of the Divine Craftsman Heaven—to Tu Zhe. Thus, there was no point in further investigating the Treasure Pavilion.

Should they take out the treasury and check it against the accounts? And if they didn’t match? Should they force Molesabi to confess that Huluzhina took it all? Or have Huluzhina admit that he used most of it for his own pleasure?

Impossible.

They needed to give Indra a way out; otherwise, the lord of Rili Heaven might very well be replaced.

Mara’s intent was, in fact, to give Indra a stern warning. If pushed too far, Indra might use some heaven-defying method—better not let things get out of hand.

So matters were simplified.

All agreed to let time flow forward, returning directly to the trial.

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The assembled deities felt as though they had been instantly returned to normal time. During the time reversal, they had been frozen in mind and body, unaware of what transpired.

Back in the courtroom, those who had failed to testify in time now wore faces ashen as clay, knowing escape was impossible, and began to collectively tremble.

Huluzhina and his followers bowed their heads, waiting for judgment. Molesabi, certain his fate was sealed, collapsed in a heap, weeping.

Zhuan Chi Yuan Bei Gao struck the gavel, “The trial resumes. As the truth has been revealed to all, the facts are clear, evidence irrefutable, and responsibility distinct, we may conclude the case. The stages of investigation, evidence gathering, cross-examination, and debate are all hereby omitted.

After deliberation among the judges and elders of the trial committee, the verdict is as follows:

Molesabi, steward of the Divine Craftsman Heaven’s Treasure Pavilion: disrespect, self-aggrandizement, threatening witnesses, embezzlement of the treasures of Lords Jinmu and Jinshi. According to the Hammurabi Code, Slave Section, Article 121, Clause 3; Article 96, Clause 8; Article 10, Clause 1; Article 21, Clause 7, the punishments are: twenty strikes with the palm; shackling and exposure for ten days; hanging, with no reincarnation permitted, and the soul condemned to eternal damnation. These punishments are merged—the hanging, eternal damnation of the soul, to be carried out immediately.”

The first sentence was passed, and the crowd erupted.

Who was Molesabi? He was the personal confidant of Huluzhina, the Eight Heavenly Sons. On Sumeru Mountain, everyone gave him respect. Now, he was to be executed, just like that?

His execution mattered little, but what of the Eight Heavenly Sons’ dignity?

Was their face to be trampled? Was the judge so impartial? Was the lord Indra so righteous as to sacrifice his own kin?

This was hard to accept!

Tu Zhe stood calmly, his dog waving a little paw, barking in excitement. Qin Lei looked at his older brother, so stirred his face turned the color of pig liver. Shudra beat his chest in wild joy. Jinmu and Jinshi exchanged glances, filled with emotion. If not for Tu Zhe, how much longer would their days of humiliation and oppression have dragged on?

Zhuan Chi Yuan Bei Gao struck the gavel again:

“Second, Huluzhina, palace guard of Indra: shielding his subordinate, inciting conflict, contempt for the code, directing friends and subordinates to assault others, injuring two. According to the Hammurabi Code, Heavenly Son Section, Article 11, Clause 2; Article 12, Clause 1; Article 5, Clause 1; Article 23, Clause 2, the punishments are: copying the code one hundred times; ten years facing the wall; one hundred lashes; compensation of a celestial treasure to each of the two injured, and ten sandalwood pills. These punishments are to be carried out separately.”