Upon hearing the words "Immortal Realm," Xu Lai paused slightly.

Sikong Jiu had once mentioned.

During the First Era, the realm gates leading to The Other Shore were considered residing places only fit for Immortals, which the Other Shore Cultivators referred to as the Upper Realm.

Whereas the Immortal Domain was deemed by the Other Shore Cultivators as the Lower Realm, regarded with disdain as though it were a wild existence, a sign of their arrogance unmistakable.

The Three Realm Gates.

What is severed is the path for cultivators of the Lower Realm to reach the Upper Realm.

This path is not just for cultivation but also for the journey to immortality.

The Tiangui had exhausted every possible way to reach The Other Shore, including sacrificing the entirety of the Immortal Domain.

As Xu Lai prepared to venture into The Other Shore, filled with danger and the unknown, besides worry, Jin Shi harbored a trace of longing.

No cultivator would resist the temptation to grow stronger or the allure of immortality, especially those in the Emperor Realm.

The peak of the Emperor Realm is the ultimate limit; to advance further, one must go to The Other Shore.

"You want to go?" Xu Lai tilted his head.

"I do, but I’m afraid of dying."

Jin Shi openly said, "I’d be content staying in the Immortal Domain, maybe I can live a few more millennia."

"So even you won’t last much longer." Xu Lai mused.

"Lasting till now is already a bonus."

Jin Shi tucked a stray lock of hair behind his ear, unbothered by matters of life and death.

In a cycle of the Immortal Domain, there are a hundred Great Emperors, few live peacefully for a million years, most in the Emperor Realm fall for various reasons.

Including people like Li Shenhuang who still battled fiercely with Tiangui in their twilight years.

Ultimately, only Jin Shi and Jiu Feng survived without relying heavily on external forces, not because they were extraordinarily strong.

The main reason was they became Emperors in the ninety-eighth and ninety-ninth eras, close to the Emperor Burial Epoch of the One Hundredth Era.

"Quite decent, you can still shine for the Immortal Domain in the final stage of life. If there was a little red flower, I’d award you one." Xu Lai said.

Great Emperor Jin Shi was speechless.

She didn’t understand what "little red flower" meant but had a strange feeling that Xu Lai’s praise felt somewhat off.

"Daddy, Yiyi doesn’t want you to go..."

Nearby, Xu Yiyi clung to Xu Lai’s sleeve, teary-eyed, saying, "What if you’re like Mama and never come back again?"

"Yiyi."

Xu Lai knelt, seriously saying, "Mama didn’t lie to you. When you and Ping’an can fly to those white stars in the sky, she’ll be back."

"What about you, Father?" Xu Ping’an asked.

"I’ll be with your Mama."

"I trust Father and Mother."

Xu Ping’an nodded firmly, showing surprising maturity beyond his years.

Jin Shi suddenly realized why the Eight Desolate Cauldron insisted on having Xu Ping’an inherit Li Shenhuang’s legacy.

This young one’s cultivation talent aside, just this outlook foretells great potential.

"I am not leaving soon."

Xu Lai ruffled the two little ones’ hair, smiling, "It’ll take about a year."

Not knowing the exact time was fine.

Xu Lai just mentioned it, and Xu Yiyi immediately began counting on her fingers, tiny teardrops uncontrollably fell.

"Daddy doesn’t have much time left!"

"..." Xu Lai.

Feeling that his daughter isn’t really his, it’s like she’s expecting him to pass away sooner.

Nonetheless, Xiao Mian’ao still needs a little coaxing.

Xu Lai waved his hand, and two clouds in the sky disappeared, turning into two sticks of cotton candy.

Xu Lai signaled his son Ping’an, who knowingly accepted it, and said:

"Sister, have some candy."

"Daddy hasn’t made cloud candy in ages."

Xu Yiyi took a bite, the familiar taste finally halting her tears.

Only then did Xu Lai beam with a smile.

Ruan Lan saw this warm scene from afar, slightly biting her lower lip.

What a pity sister Ruan Tang isn’t here, otherwise the family reunion would be so blissful.

Having determined the departure date to The Other Shore.

Xu Lai cherished every minute every second, wishing to turn each second into a day.

But that’s how time is, the more precious it is, the faster it passes.

Unconsciously. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

A year had passed.

Sikong Jiu recovered his Boundary ahead of schedule and, as expected, also stepped into the perfect Emperor Realm.

Yet Xu Lai still waited the full year.

On this night.

In the Heavenly Court’s rear mountain, after coaxing his daughter and son to sleep, Xu Lai stood before his master and brothers’ burial mounds.

"Not leaving?"

Sikong Jiu stood by Xu Lai’s side.

By this time, he was no longer the easily bullied little Heavenly Dao.

He had become the Jiu Kongsi who could battle the peak Tiangui and evade the Nine Kings’ Palace and Tian Gui Tribe for a cycle!

"Time to go." Xu Lai withdrew his gaze.

"Now?"

"Now."

"Alright."

A silence settled between them.

Xu Lai cut a lock of his hair and buried it in his own burial mound: "If I don’t come back, remember to pour me a drink later."

"I will."

Sikong Jiu nodded.

Xu Lai looked at him: "You’ve lied to me quite a bit over the years, now that I’m leaving, got anything to say to me?"

Sikong Jiu was silent for a long time.

The evening breeze blew, he exhaled a sigh: "Speaking of, I do have two things to tell you. The first—"

Xu Lai waited quietly for him to continue.

Sikong Jiu hesitated, then didn’t say: "Forget it, the first thing doesn’t need mentioning."

"How about the second thing?"

"Actually, initially, I didn’t want to give you the ship."

Sikong Jiu’s gaze was clear: "For one, unsure if the little white ship leads to The Other Shore. Two, wanting to regain my peak before going to The Other Shore to kill Tiangui, personally avenging my brothers."

"Why did you eventually give it to me?"

"Because you want to save Ruan Tang."

Sikong Jiu smiled and said: "Only someone who’s lost close ones understands the constant self-blame and regret in your heart, I don’t want you to follow my path. Besides, you surely will kill Tiangui, whether for me or yourself."

"Really?" Xu Lai asked.

"Really."

"Then I believe you, thank you, brother."

Upon hearing the word "brother."

Sikong Jiu’s body trembled, he suppressed the surge of emotions, jokingly scolded:

"I’m a generation apart from you, better off being your ancestor."

"How dare you?"

Xu Lai retorted right back.

"Give me back the ship!"

"Not giving it back."

The two Emperor Realm masters bickered like children, waking up the meditating senior sister.

But she didn’t open the door to come out, nor intervene.

Just turned her back to the window, silently listening to the quarrelling outside, emotions gradually sinking.

The farewell of the little junior brother, upon return who knows how many years it will take.

Or perhaps.

This farewell is forever.

...

They argued for quite a while.

Clouds veiled the bright moon, Xu Lai asked: "That first thing, truly not saying?"

"Not saying, safe travels."

"Same to you, don’t let me return from the Immortal Realm with my wife to find you killed by Jiu Feng and the Corpse Emperor."

"Bah! From a dog’s mouth comes no truth."

"Hahaha."

Amid Xu Lai’s laughter, he took out the little white ship, stood at the bow, waved backward at Sikong Jiu:

"Wait for me to fetch Tiangui’s head as our brotherhood’s feast."

"A deal’s a deal."

"A deal’s a deal!"