"Don't stop, keep going..."

The pain made Ruan Tang's consciousness a bit clearer, her voice already carrying a sob, yet sounding very hoarse.

The importance of the Suiya Lantern was self-evident.

If it shatters, what about the remaining sixty-nine steps of the White Jade Stairway?

Ruan Tang carefully cradled the cracked Suiya Lantern in her arms, as if wanting to protect the lantern, then she struggled to lift her foot and tried to continue climbing.

"Bang!"

Ruan Tang fell to the ground.

Her aged and frail body, her lifespan nearly depleted, had no extra strength left.

Just a little bit more.

Only sixty-nine steps left!

Ruan Tang lay on the ground, looking upwards, the outline of the Immortal Fruit was very clear, its fragrance especially enticing, but Ruan Tang's body was too heavy to move.

...

...

Heavenly Court.

Back Mountain.

Baize's fingertips rubbed a white chess piece, his mind wandering, not knowing what he was thinking.

Yu Guiwan's eyes were full of tears, filled with sympathy for her younger disciples. If she could, how she wished she was the one walking the Immortal Path right now!

"She's done her best."

Old Taotie stood in the Ice Crystal Coffin, looking at the seemingly sleeping Xu Qingfeng in the ice coffin, this Nine Heavens of the Quasi-Emperor powerlessly lowered his gaze.

Seemingly full of regret.

Old Taotie's already slightly hunched back bent even more.

"I don't understand what you're regretting for, relying on a Venerable to pick a fruit that even the Emperor Realm cannot?"

Fairy Qing Yuan said, "The burden of the Immortal Domain's survival should never have fallen on Ruan Tang's shoulders, that was Xu Qingfeng's responsibility."

"Are you saying my sister is delusional and overestimating herself?"

Ruan Lan's beautiful eyes glared, poised to fight at a disagreement.

She sent her two nephews to pick ripe plums on the mountain, so her words were quite sharp.

"I never said that." Fairy Qing Yuan responded calmly.

"Then what did you mean just now!" Ruan Lan questioned.

Fairy Qing Yuan remained silent.

It's not that she felt guilty or anything else, simply she thought arguing with a Little Golden Core was beneath her.

Not mentioning her status as Domain Master of the Eastern Immortal Domain, not mentioning her as Sect Master of the Green Sect, not mentioning her as the daughter of Emperor Realm. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Ignoring all identities, just talking about Boundary.

If Fairy Qing Yuan and Ruan Lan argued even a bit, then she would lose.

"Ruan Lan, I understand your feelings, but Domain Master Qing Yuan did not slander your younger disciples as overestimating themselves, she is pitying for them." Yu Guiwan held Ruan Lan's hand.

Tears rolled in her eyes, Ruan Lan lowered her head and choked: "Sorry, I was too emotional, misunderstood your meaning, thought you were jealous of Yiyi and Ping'an so said these things."

Fairy Qing Yuan: "..."

Yu Guiwan covered her face, quietly pulled Ruan Lan's clothes.

Not to mention the always calm Fairy Qing Yuan, even that Anna Domain Master from the west wouldn't have any resentment because the little junior disciple left descendants.

Moreover.

The little junior disciple Qingfeng has died, his partner Ruan Tang sacrificed herself for the Immortal Fruit, how could Fairy Qing Yuan vent anger on two Emperor Realm descendants?

She would probably protect them as if they were her own children.

In fact, she did exactly that.

Fairy Qing Yuan came here, firstly at Baize's invitation to protect Xu Qingfeng's body, secondly to discuss with Ruan Lan about bringing Xu Pingan and Xu Yiyi back to the Green Sect for care.

After all, it's a Holy Lands passed down for dozens of eras, had produced Emperor Realm, and had Emperor Artifact protection.

Even if the Immortal Domain is really destroyed in the future, Fairy Qing Yuan would protect the two little ones at all costs.

"If the younger disciples cannot pick the Immortal Fruit, then Tiangui he..." Yu Guiwan clenched her fist.

"He will eat the Immortal Fruit, possibly achieve immortality, possibly break through to Emperor Realm and become an Immortal." Old Taotie sighed: "Getting closer and closer, less than a hundred steps left, Ruan Tang is in danger."

Ruan Lan and others quickly looked.

Even the always wandering Baize Divine General constricted his pupils.

...

Indeed, it was getting closer.

Tiangui was only a hundred steps away from Ruan Tang.

A hundred and sixty steps from the Immortal Fruit, his lifespan and blood energy were quickly depleting, but Tiangui Yuan Yin estimated he could still walk a hundred and twenty steps.

This distance.

Enough for him to snatch that black lantern from Ruan Tang's hands.

Just when Ruan Tang fell unable to continue, it gave Tiangui an 'Heaven is aiding me' joy.

"I am right, even Heavenly Dao is helping me, hahahaha." Tiangui laughed loudly.

"Thump thump thump"

As he approached Ruan Tang, Tiangui's heartbeat sounded like war drums, deafening, a reflection of extreme emotional excitement.

The distance between them was ninety steps, eighty steps, seventy steps, sixty steps...

Until fifty steps.

Ruan Tang struggled to sit up, lacking the strength to stand, she hugged the Suiya Lantern and crawled upwards, moving her body bit by bit.

"It's useless."

As Tiangui shortened the distance by ten steps, Ruan Tang had just crawled up one step, then was gasping exhaustedly.

Just during this panting moment.

Tiangui climbed another twenty steps, only thirty steps left between them!

Tiangui's face showed abnormal redness more obviously, he said crazily:

"Speaking of Xu Qingfeng, he really is miserable, born in the Era of the Fallen Emperor, Emperor Realm at ten thousand years but fallen, hahahaha... but he is also stupid, he's really stupid."

"Just needed to abandon the Immortal Domain, a million-year lifespan is just the start, I could let him live a second life! Even I could take him together to The Other Shore, which is the Immortal Realm!"

"But he didn't want to."

"For this rotten Immortal Domain, he gave up his own life, just like that foolish Li Bahuang."

"..."

Ruan Tang no longer had the strength to crawl up, she could only watch that young man constantly approaching.

She knew.

This was the existence her man dreamed of eliminating—Tiangui Yuan Yin.

Clearly so close.

Ruan Tang didn't even have the strength to throw the Suiya Lantern in her hand, her chest heaving heavily, she gasped:

"He's... not stupid."

"The bloodline of Emperor Realm is most suitable for alchemy, I heard she's called Xu Yiyi? Her blood surely must be delicious."

Tiangui grinned, his teeth sharp and bright: "Giving you another chance, is Xu Qingfeng stupid or not."

"Not stupid."

Ruan Tang lay on the ground, sparkling tears fell from her eyes.

In her eyes, Xu Lai was a man of great stature, in their daughter Yiyi and son Ping'an's eyes, even more so.

"So you are also a fool."

Tiangui was already at a distance of ten steps from Ruan Tang, this distance continued to shorten.

Nine steps.

Eight steps.

...

Two steps.

One step.

Tiangui Yuan Yin took the last step, looking down at Ruan Tang.

"Thank you for your lantern."

Tiangui Yuan Yin bent down, wanting to take the Suiya Lantern cradled in Ruan Tang's arms, just at the moment his fingertips were about to touch.

Tiangui Yuan Yin suddenly spewed a mouthful of blood, the 'parasites' within him trying to seize control of his body!

"Courting death!"

Tiangui roared furiously.

As he was about to form a seal to suppress, he saw a transparent-bodied whale floating outside the Immortal Path without knowing when.