A clap of thunder shook the heavens as two colossal dragons led tens of thousands of sky ships, descending from the celestial realm to the mortal world. They swiftly encircled the area for miles around the Xiaoxiang Tower, leaving no room for escape.
"The Heavenly Realm is apprehending a wanted criminal. All unauthorized personnel, withdraw immediately!" A booming voice echoed through the surrounding loudspeakers, instilling a solemn atmosphere.
Dark clouds loomed, and four ethereal figures in the distance gradually solidified, transforming into the Four Heavenly Kings.
Wielding their divine artifacts, they stood at the four cardinal points, their presence nearly obscuring the sky.
*Are these… Heavenly Kings?*
Ling Xi frowned, a sense of foreboding rising within him. The Heavenly Realm would typically not dispatch the Four Heavenly Kings for an ordinary fugitive. Could a mere fox spirit cause such a stir?
He leaped from the city wall, observing the unfolding spectacle from a high platform several miles opposite the Xiaoxiang Tower.
Inside the Xiaoxiang Tower, Mu Heng burst through a room door, only to find Ye Ziling holding a dagger, her expression complex.
In the pool of blood beside her lay a fox, its lifeblood staining the ground with a pungent, foul odor. Mu Heng wrinkled his nose, covering it instinctively. "Is this… a fox spirit?" he asked hesitantly.
Ignoring his nausea, Mu Heng rushed to her side, speaking urgently, "Although this fox spirit is a criminal of the Heavenly Realm, it does not fall under our jurisdiction. You killed her; you're likely in big trouble!"
Even with her high cultivation, how could she possibly contend with celestial beings? Now that she had harmed their prisoner, wouldn't this invite disaster? The sudden encirclement of the city by heavenly soldiers was likely due to the fox spirit's death.
However, Mu Heng found it strange. Why would the Heavenly Realm make such a grand display for the simple capture of a fox spirit, even deploying the Four Heavenly Kings?
Seeing that Ye Ziling showed no intention of moving, Mu Heng grew anxious. They had already signed a contract, and if she died, his own life would be forfeit. He pleaded, "My lady, I beg you, if you don't leave now, it will be too late!"
Ye Ziling raised her eyes, her gaze fixed on the window. The window was open, and the wind howled through it, rustling the window paper like the wails of ghosts.
Her expression was serene. She even poured herself a cup of tea and sat down leisurely, chuckling softly, "Do you think we can still escape?"
Mu Heng glanced out the window at the dense swarm of heavenly soldiers, their numbers overwhelming and their encirclement absolute. There was no chance of escape.
"Ye Ziling, are you tired of living?" Mu Heng's face contorted, his expression turning cold as he questioned her.
"You can choose to leave," Ye Ziling said indifferently. Her former sisters had betrayed her; she did not expect a subordinate to lay down his life for her.
Mu Heng snorted, hands on his hips, a mix of anger and amusement on his face. *Leave? What good would it do if he left alone? They had already signed the contract. It wouldn't matter if a divine beast died, but if the master died, the divine beast would perish too. What difference would it make if he stayed or left?*
"So, choosing to stay is your decision?" Ye Ziling finished her tea. "Very well, I'll take that as your consent."
Without waiting for Mu Heng's reply, Ye Ziling made the decision for him.
Mu Heng: "..."
"At a time like this, you're still playing coy?"
Ignoring his words, Ye Ziling slowly stood and walked towards the door.
Helpless, Mu Heng could only follow obediently. All he could hope for now was that this girl would move faster, ensuring his own survival.
The Heavenly Kings' divine artifacts rang out in unison, and immense sword energy impacted in all directions. The archway instantly collapsed, and dust billowed everywhere.
Mu Heng leaped out the door with Ye Ziling. Seeing her calm demeanor, he asked with a hint of doubt, "These Heavenly Kings aren't here specifically for you, are they?"
Ye Ziling sneered, nodding at him, a subtle curve to her lips. Her voice held a playful tone, "You guessed right."
A peculiar glint flashed in her eyes, her entire face stunningly beautiful.
Mu Heng, seeing her determined smile, tilted his own lips and gave her a sly grin. "You have a plan?"
"No."
"..."
"Tu Yao, it is indeed you!" As two figures emerged from the building, a sharp voice reached their ears. Ye Ziling stopped, then let out a dismissive chuckle, lifting her gaze to the four illusory figures in the sky. She made no effort to hide the unrestrained arrogance in her eyes and said slowly, "It's been a while."
Mu Heng froze, certain he hadn't misheard. He looked at Ye Ziling beside him in astonishment, his heart jolted.
Her dark hair fluttered in the wind, her robes danced, like a blooming epiphyllum, breathtakingly beautiful.
"We, the Four Heavenly Kings, were once all your subordinates. But now you have betrayed the Heavenly Realm and destroyed the Divine Lamp. Today, the four of us, under the Emperor's command, will apprehend you and bring you back to the Heavenly Realm for punishment. Do you confess your crimes?"
"You, to judge me? You are not worthy." The corners of her mouth turned up, her eyes burning with even greater killing intent. Only the Heavenly Emperor could judge her. What was Qing Bai to her?
Mu Heng recalled the description of the goddess Tu Yao in the Celestial Records, a mere eight characters that sent a chill down his spine: "Born with a rebellious nature, a beauty that spells disaster."
"Now that you are in mortal form, how dare you oppose us celestials? Hahahaha…"
The Heavenly Kings snorted. With a command, the four of them unleashed their divine arts in unison, a colossal golden light illuminating half the sky.
"Mu Heng, reveal your true form," Ye Ziling commanded, her gaze intense.
Mu Heng understood. His body shrank, and a colossal black dragon coiled beside him, its tail whipping up a gale, its scales gleaming. He threw his head back and roared, his voice deep and deafening.
Ye Ziling took out two pieces of the Sun-Moon Divine Lamps from her embrace, her eyes filled with ferocity. A white light behind her coalesced into a giant human form, her primordial spirit returning to its rightful place.
The figure, clad in armor and a silver helmet, seemed ethereal yet substantial, standing before the Four Heavenly Kings like a deity looking down upon all beings.
The Four Heavenly Kings, seeing the war god, retreated in unison, their eyes filled with apprehension.
"She actually used the power of the Divine Lamps to unite with the divine beast and forcibly restore her primordial spirit!"
The Heavenly Kings' expressions changed drastically, their eyes filled with disbelief. Since ancient times, immortals whose primordial spirits were shattered could only accept the fate of undergoing arduous re-cultivation. Yet, this high deity had defied the heavens, forcibly reuniting her primordial spirit. Her rebellious nature exceeded their wildest imaginations.
With a deafening roar, the illusory forms of the four were dispersed by an unknown force, instantly annihilating the heavenly soldiers within a radius of several miles.
Ling Xi stood watching from miles away, his dark hair flowing, a few strands brushing his refined eyebrows. He gazed at the disappearing colossal illusory figure in the distance, his eyes deep and serene. Fortunately, he was standing far away; otherwise, he might not have been able to withstand such a deterrent force himself.
A flicker of disdain crossed his gaze, and his dark pupils suddenly narrowed. He was not mistaken; this deity was the goddess Tu Yao described in the Celestial Records. This was her primordial spirit. But the world widely believed that the goddess Tu Yao had disappeared ten years ago, her fate unknown. Only a few days ago, he had learned in secret that the Heavenly Realm had been searching for her whereabouts. Could it be that she was truly in the mortal world?
This meant that the Four Heavenly Kings had descended to the mortal realm to apprehend the goddess Tu Yao, not the fox spirit. In that case, his "ultimate treasure" should be fine. It was a shame he had also been at the Xiaoxiang Tower. Unfortunately, his luck had been too poor to encounter this once-legendary leader of the gods. He wondered if the Heavenly Realm's number one beauty could rival his own "ultimate treasure" in appearance.
[System: Lord Ling, what do you need me for?]
Ling Xi frowned, his emotions complex, unable to sort out his thoughts. "Do you have any information from the Celestial Records?"
[System: You finally remembered me! Not only do I have an encyclopedia in my mind, but also a Chinese character dictionary, a Chinese-English dictionary, and even your ancient classics like the Four Books and Five Classics!]
Ling Xi paid no attention to the list of things it claimed to possess. He raised his hand to rub his temples, feeling a touch of weariness, and said coldly, "I'm asking about serious matters. Answer if you can, otherwise, get lost."
[System: Then… then all right. What do you wish to ask?]
"Why did the goddess Tu Yao disappear ten years ago?"
[System: The secrets of heaven are not to be…]
Before the system could finish speaking, a cold glint flashed in Ling Xi's eyes, frightening the system into stifling its words.
[System: In short, the goddess Tu Yao did not disappear; she received heavenly punishment. The Heavenly Realm has been searching for her for ten years with no results. That’s all I can tell you…]
"Give me the Celestial Records."
[System: I don't have it, but someone at the inn does.]
"Who?"
[System: Mu Heng.]
Ling Xi felt like smashing this beast. It couldn't help him at crucial moments, and it had nothing of value. Once he attained immortal status, he would extract this creature, even if it meant digging out its brain.