As Ye Ziling descended, a Flood Dragon coiled in the sky, stirring up blizzards wherever it went, sweeping the celestial soldiers into the air.
Behind her, a colossal phantom took shape, towering a hundred zhang, resembling her own form. It wielded a bow and arrows, stood upon swirling clouds, exuding an awe-inspiring and imposing presence that inspired reverence.
The flying sword energy lunged directly at Emperor Qingbai. Just as it was about to strike, a heavenly general shielded him, his body instantly turning to ash.
"Protect… the Emperor."
The remaining heavenly generals lined up before Qingbai, gripping their long sabers and halberds, prepared for battle.
"Do not panic, protect the Emperor!"
The heavenly generals retreated.
Jing Mo, seeing her primordial spirit restored, felt a sense of dread. As he attempted to flee, he was intercepted by the Flood Dragon behind her. With a flick of its divine tail, it sent him flying back to his original position.
Jing Mo gritted his teeth, clutching his chest as he retreated to Qingbai's side. He had no other choice now; Ye Ziling, that wretched woman, would not let him go. His only hope of survival was by Qingbai's side.
Qingbai stared at the phantom solidifying behind her, his eyes filled with shock. "Primordial spirit? Impossible!"
How could someone who had fallen from the Nine Heavens have an intact primordial spirit?
Had this delinquent used the Sun and Moon Divine Lamps to defy the heavens, restoring her primordial spirit and then forcibly mending it with dark arts?
The heavenly generals stepped back a couple of paces, their voices strained as they declared, "How… how dare you, a criminal, not kneel before the Emperor?"
"Kneel? Does he deserve it?" Ye Ziling replied indifferently, then raised her hand and waved. A gust of hurricane swept out, lifting all the heavenly generals and hurling them into the distance.
Only Qingbai and a few heavenly generals remained in the sky.
"Tu Yao…" High above the clouds, the man's face was uglier than ever. Staring at this unfamiliar yet familiar face, his voice was low and hoarse. "You, are you truly not dead?"
His brow furrowed, and a flicker of complex thoughts crossed his eyes. The usually dignified and serene divine visage revealed a trace of mortal panic.
This was the first time the heavenly generals had seen their Emperor so out of character. The once distant and unapproachable aura seemed to vanish in an instant.
However, he quickly suppressed that emotion.
Xuan Lang and the disciples kneeling on the ground were even more astonished. They looked up abruptly at Ye Ziling, only to see a smile of defiance and rebellion playing on her exquisitely beautiful face. She smiled with unrestrained joy, darkly, more mad than usual.
Who would have thought that the Palace Master, who had claimed to be on a distant journey, was actually… Tu Yao, the once formidable goddess of the Heavenly Realm?
The heavenly official who always topped the difficult written examinations in the immortal trials?
She was their Palace Master?
No wonder, at such a young age, she had become a Palace Master. Her cultivation must be incredibly strong!
It was rumored that Goddess Tu Yao was once Emperor Qingbai's confidante. Without Goddess Tu Yao, Qingbai would never have ascended to the imperial throne. However, over a decade ago, for reasons unknown, Goddess Tu Yao had rebelled, attacked the Emperor in the heavens, and then disappeared without a trace.
Xuan Lang's expression was dazed, his eyes narrowed. He was utterly stunned, this little lunatic was… Goddess Tu Yao?
"The Emperor wishes me dead, so of course, I must live well," Ye Ziling sneered. The captivating depths of her eyes flickered with cold killing intent. Every word she spoke was as if laced with potent poison.
Not only did she want to live, but she also wanted to send him to hell, to make him atone for the massacre of her clan!
With the support of Goddess Tu Yao, the disciples stood up one by one, regaining their former arrogance.
"As the pillar of the mortal realm's immortal cultivation sects, the Nine Peaks Palace is a confidante of the Heavenly Emperor. Now, the Emperor has led the heavenly soldiers to attack the Nine Peaks Palace without his elder's permission. It seems rather inappropriate, wouldn't you say?"
"Indeed, what crime has our Nine Peaks Palace committed to deserve such utter destruction?"
…
Qingbai sneered repeatedly, his face a mask of disdain and mockery. "What crime? The mere fact that your Nine Peaks Palace harbored a criminal is enough to warrant the annihilation of your entire lineage!"
Although the disciples were unaware of the affairs of the Heavenly Realm, they had heard some of the personal matters between Emperor Qingbai and Goddess Tu Yao.
While the Heavenly Emperor was in seclusion, Emperor Qingbai had always managed the affairs of the three realms. However, if Emperor Qingbai and Goddess Tu Yao were to engage in a fierce battle, it was uncertain who would emerge victorious.
After all, Emperor Qingbai's previous advantage over Goddess Tu Yao relied on the might of the Heaven-Suppressing Divine Artifact. If they were to fight, the outcome would be hard to predict.
"Crime? May I ask the Emperor, what crime has this Palace committed?" Ye Ziling retorted with a cold smile. She was unaware of when these inexplicable crimes had been attributed to her.
She only knew that murder demanded a life, as it was natural and just, regardless of whether the person was a mortal or a high-and-mighty celestial lord.
The Sun and Moon Divine Lamps were forged from her own body. What if she destroyed them?
"D-daring Tu Yao, to be so disrespectful to the Emperor!"
The heavenly generals beside him shouted sternly, their faces filled with righteous indignation. "Colluding with the demon king Jing Mo to assassinate the Emperor, destroying the Heaven-Suppressing Divine Artifact. Which of these charges is false?"
The disciples and the celestial soldiers and generals were all startled, their gazes fixed intently on Ye Ziling. To outsiders, their expressions would likely convey disgust, but their eyes clearly held reverence.
Only the rebellious Goddess Tu Yao could shatter the Sun and Moon Divine Lamps and destroy the Heavenly Realm.
But what they didn't know was that even more exciting events were yet to unfold.
Ye Ziling let out a soft hum, her tone calm but filled with mockery. "Every cause has an effect. The Emperor should be more aware than I am of the matter of regicide."
If he hadn't annihilated her kin first, why would she have colluded with the demon king to attack the Heavenly Palace?
High above the clouds, the man's expression remained solemn, his back as straight as a pine tree. The fingertips of his hands, hanging down behind his waist, tightened slightly.
He was the Emperor, the lord of all beings. Whatever he did was right!
Ye Ziling forced a smile, her voice leisurely. "The Heaven-Suppressing Divine Artifact?"
She brought her hand to her lips and let out a scornful laugh, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes. "Qingbai. Tell me, every time the divine lamps are ignited, whose celestial body is burned?"
The man's gaze was sharp, his lips curved into a cold smile. The heavenly generals surrounded him, like stars embracing the moon. Coupled with his peerless divine appearance and stern demeanor, he exuded an aura of righteous integrity.
A dignified Emperor, revered by all beings, would not hesitate to eliminate anyone posing a threat to consolidate his position.
Arrogant and cold-hearted, Ye Ziling had no intention of reasoning with him.
Their eyes met, crackling with animosity. One exuded righteousness, the other a deep-seated malevolence. Their respective auras formed a stark contrast.
Shortly after, she noticed Qingbai's gaze lingering on her forehead for a moment. A faint light flashed in his cold, unperturbed pupils, like a shooting star, disappearing instantly.
Only then did she realize that the scar from last night had not yet healed, and she had rushed here so hastily that she hadn't even wrapped it with gauze.
Ye Ziling didn't care much. He had seen her miserable state when she was burned by the Samadhi True Fire in the alchemy furnace. Now, it was merely a scraped wound, nothing to be ashamed of.
She knew full well that Qingbai had no response. His descent to the mortal realm to capture her was not only for the Sun and Moon Divine Lamps but also to silence her.
With the Heavenly Emperor about to emerge from seclusion, Qingbai did not want his crimes exposed.
Did Ye Ziling not wish to avenge her clan? But now she was facing the gods of all realms. Without sufficient evidence, she would only be falsely accused of slandering a divine lord.
"Let me tell you, not only will I destroy the divine lamps, but I will also destroy the Heavenly Realm! A life for a life, that is only natural and just!"
A clamor erupted from the crowd, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Gazing at the unfolding events at the risk of their lives, they felt a chill crawl up their necks, as if their heads could be severed at any moment.
But didn't the Celestial Records state that Goddess Tu Yao and the demon king Jing Mo had fallen in love, leading her to betray the Heavenly Realm and unite in attacking the Heavenly Palace?
How did it turn out that killing demands a life now? Whom did the Emperor kill?
Moreover, didn't Jing Mo previously unite with Goddess Tu Yao to attack the Heavenly Palace? How was it that Jing Mo was now standing with the Emperor, turning against Goddess Tu Yao?
Was there perhaps some hidden truth to the matter?