Jin Shi rolled her eyes.

She definitely didn't want to guess.

She didn't believe Sikong Jiu could sense whether Ruan Tang had fallen on the broken and vanished Immortal Path.

After all, even Daoist Qingfeng, who was at the perfect Emperor Realm, couldn't be certain. Sikong Jiu hadn't even fully recovered his Boundary, so what he said must be taken with a pinch of salt.

Great Emperor Jin Shi also left.

In the center of the three bronze giant gates towering ten thousand zhang, only Sikong Jiu was left by himself.

He looked at the gates with a complex expression.

Muttering to himself, but unfortunately no one could hear, and no one knew what he was saying.

...

Immortal Path.

For the majority of cultivators in the Immortal Domain, it was like flowers in a mirror or the moon in the water.

Thus, the disappearance or existence of the Immortal Domain didn't affect their normal lives; instead, it added more topics for conversation over tea.

The most affected.

Were those Quasi-Emperors and Immortal Venerables, who were already running low on longevity and had awakened from different epochs within the Dao Endowment.

These powerful beings mostly awoke from the Dao Endowment.

Now that the Immortal Path was completely destroyed, breaking through was hopeless, many were in despair, sitting motionless in the starry skies.

There were also ancient powerhouses who couldn't accept the disappearance of the Immortal Path, became obsessed and chose to go on a rampage in the Immortal Domain, only to quickly vanish along with the Holy Lands they were associated with.

Yet no force allied with the obliterated Holy Lands dared to speak out in condemnation.

Because the one who acted.

Was from the Emperor Realm.

Moreover, the most terrifying thing is, no one knew which Great Emperor it was who acted.

Currently, there were not only one active Emperor Realm in the Immortal Domain, who knows how many more secretly exist?

Including the recently fallen Li Shenhuang, eleven Emperor Realms had already fallen!

The life and death of Great Emperor Tiangui was unknown, whereabouts unclear.

Great Emperor Jiu Feng was hiding stealthily; Great Emperor Jin Shi was stationed at the Heavenly Court.

Rumors among the populace said the Emperor Artifact, Measuring Heaven Ruler, was searching for its Great Emperor, Corpse Emperor was suspected to be alive.

Rumors also said Emperor Wanyun was still alive, even Li Shenhuang hadn't fallen, feigned death...

Yet these rumors among the populace couldn't be confirmed for their truthfulness.

So.

The Immortal Domain remained calm and tranquil.

No Holy Lands or cultivators dared to court death at this time, and the Immortal Domain unexpectedly ushered in a rare era of peace and prosperity.

This era was one of prosperity for cultivators and for secular nations alike.

In various places, the weather was favorable, people lived and worked in peace, and many temple structures were built where people worshipped the Great Emperors who protected them.

However, with the Heavenly Court's deliberate guidance, the temples of Great Emperor Jin Shi were built at the quickest and most abundant rate, hinting at the trend of becoming the second emperor of the Heavenly Court.

...

The back mountain of the Heavenly Court.

Ruan Lan was glaring at Xu Lai angrily.

While Xu Lai was instructing Yiyi and Ping'an, he couldn't help but say, "You two take your time to cultivate."

"Okay, Dad."

"Yes, Father."

Xu Lai walked to Ruan Lan's side and smiled, "What happened to make you so angry?"

"A new temple of Great Emperor Jin Shi was constructed in the nearby town, right beside your Qingfeng Temple!"

"Oh."

"You have the nerve to say oh?"

"Incense is useless to me but greatly useful to Jin Shi. This was our agreement. Don't worry, she has already made an emperor oath." Xu Lai patiently explained.

"Do I care about that lousy incense?"

Ruan Lan said angrily, "Auntie Liu from the village at the foot of the mountain goes to the temple every day to offer incense to Jin Shi, do you know what she said?"

Xu Lai looked oddly and asked, "What did she say?"

"She said Jin Shi is the second emperor of the Heavenly Court!"

"Considering she's tied to the Heavenly Court, that's not far off."

"Auntie Liu also said Jin Shi is your dao companion, and the two of you protect the Immortal Domain together, deserving to be sung for eternity!"

Ruan Lan gnashed her teeth.

Xu Lai finally understood why his sister-in-law was angry, he said helplessly, "It's false."

"I know it's false."

"Then why are you still angry?"

"It's only because it's false that I'm angry."

"... Uh?"

Xu Lai couldn't make sense of Ruan Lan's logic.

Ruan Lan questioned, "You didn't clarify, are you thinking of turning fiction into reality with her? Hmph, don't think I don't know your little scheme."

"You're overthinking it."

Xu Lai said, feeling tired, "Think carefully, I've been here in the back mountain constantly since I awakened a year ago, and Jin Shi hasn't visited even once."

Ruan Lan's expression was trance-like, thinking of how quickly time had passed, her annoying brother-in-law had awoken and it's already been a year.

"So please, don't be angry."

Xu Lai patted Ruan Lan's head, as if coaxing Yiyi.

"Clap"

Ruan Lan slapped away her annoying brother-in-law's hand, angrily saying, "I am not a child!"

"Yiyi and Ping'an are children, yet they don't act like you."

"How am I acting?"

Ruan Lan said furiously, "I'm afraid you'll forget my sister!"

"..."

Xu Lai's hand froze.

Ruan Lan, realizing she misspoke, hurriedly ran away.

Xu Lai raised his hand, sunlight spilling through his fingers; he smiled, a deep self-mockery hidden within the smile.

No wonder Ruan Lan frequently provoked him.

It wasn't because of those trivial matters but worrying he'd forget Ruan Tang...

"But how could I forget."

Every night during this period, whenever Xu Lai closed his eyes his mind was filled with Ruan Tang's figure, each night it was the same.

The Heavenly Court remained as before, entrusted to Baize and Taotie.

Xu Lai stayed on the back mountain because he was waiting, waiting for the Netherworld Ferryman Huang Zhongtian to come.

Huang Zhongtian had once convinced Ruan Tang to ascend the Immortal Path, proposing two conditions.

One was the Demon Sword Wuzheng.

The second was one action from Xu Lai.

He had waited for almost a year.

Xu Lai still hadn't received Huang Zhongtian, the person seemed to have vanished from the world, with no trace or news.

"Want to drink something?"

Xu Lai carried a jar of wine, knocking on Ruan Lan's room door.

"I'm sleeping!"

"Creak"

Xu Lai opened the door, and the furious and embarrassed Ruan Lan who was drinking tea in silence snapped, "How dare you enter a lady's boudoir without permission!"

"Lady's boudoir? Then I indeed came to the wrong place." Xu Lai gestured to close the door and leave.

"Jerk!"

Ruan Lan angrily bit Xu Lai's arm.

Xu Lai didn't resist.

Letting Ruan Lan bite, when she tired and let go, she saw not even a teeth mark left on Xu Lai's arm, feeling very frustrated.

Xu Lai comforted her, "It's not as if nothing was left."

"A mark was left!?"

Ruan Lan hurried to check.

Her annoying brother-in-law was an Emperor Realm, if she could leave a mark wouldn't it indicate her Boundary had improved?

Xu Lai seriously and disdainfully said, "Left some saliva."

"..."

Ruan Lan's face flushed red, her voice was shaky, "You, you're making it up, this fairy never drools."

Xu Lai was amused.

He sat on a chair, poured two cups of wine, and softly said, "Ruan Lan, rest assured, I'll definitely go to The Other Shore and bring your sister back."

Ruan Lan was instantly tearful, "You're not lying to me?"

"Drink up."

"Drink, drink, drink."

Ruan Lan hurriedly picked up the wine cup, tears mixing with the wine as she gulped it down her throat.

Not being good at drinking, Ruan Lan frowned deeply, forcing it down: "This wine is awful."

"Then I won't drink."

Xu Lai got up to leave, sighing as he departed, "Sent by Baize, knew she wouldn't send any good wine."

"???"