As disciples and heavenly soldiers turned their gazes toward him, their expressions laced with disdain and contempt, Jing Mo grew angry and shouted, "What are you looking at? It wasn't this king who annihilated her mother's clan!"
Upon hearing this, everyone's mouths gaped, and their eyes shifted back to Emperor Qing Bai, a look of sudden realization dawning on their faces.
It was as if everything had been said, yet nothing had been said.
Annihilation of a clan?
Though they didn't know the mother clan of Goddess Tu Yao, they quickly reasoned that the only thing that could have led Goddess Tu Yao to betray the Heavenly Realm would be her own mother clan.
They never imagined that Emperor Qing Bai, who was always upright and dared to be the first in the world, would be such a person!
Jing Mo's words caused the man beside him to turn ashen, the veins on his forehead bulging, and his eyes churning with intense fury.
In an instant, a clap of thunder struck, and the heavenly generals turned pale with fright, kneeling on the ground and trembling, "Your Majesty, please calm your anger."
The man's gaze was sharp, his face icy cold. He suddenly grasped Jing Mo's throat, his fingers seemingly without force, yet vicious and deadly, gripping Jing Mo's throat until his face turned red and he could barely breathe.
"Your Majesty… what are you doing? You promised… you said you would let me go if I lured Tu Yao here…"
Qing Bai's face contorted with ferocity, and he tightened his grip. "Vile creature, how dare you speak such nonsense."
Jing Mo's throat bones made a cracking sound, his handsome face flushed red, his breathing rapid. One of his hands desperately clawed at Qing Bai's fingers, his eyes filled with pain and terror.
But Qing Bai remained unfazed, as if he were crushing a branch. In an instant, the person in his hands turned to dust.
"Slandering me is the consequence!"
Qing Bai spoke coldly, his imposing presence forcing the heavenly generals to prostrate themselves on the ground. Only Ye Ziling watched him with a smile in her eyes, her gaze unwavering.
This man trusted no one; his eyes were solely on status and power. The common people were mere ants in his eyes!
She had been a sharp blade in Qing Bai's hand, a tool for him to seize the throne. Just as she could elevate him to power, she could also drag him to hell!
A deep hatred flashed in Ye Ziling's eyes, but her face maintained a composed and gentle smile.
The phantom behind her gradually grew, finally transforming into the form of a nine-tailed phoenix. Its golden feathers shimmered brilliantly, like a blazing flame, scorching and oppressive. It suddenly let out a cry towards the sky and lunged at Qing Bai.
Qing Bai let out a cold snort, flicked his sleeve, and struck the nine-tailed phoenix with a palm. The phoenix shattered into a sky full of golden sand, scattering on the ground and dissipating into the air, leaving no trace.
The collision of the two immense forces shook the heavens and earth violently. Half of the surrounding palaces collapsed. The aftershocks sent everyone staggering, spitting blood repeatedly.
Qing Bai sneered, looking down at Ye Ziling from his elevated position.
Mortals were just mortals. What if her primordial spirit was restored? Her strength was still more than twice weaker than ten years ago!
Unexpectedly, the shattered golden sand instantly condensed into a sword qi and pierced his chest from behind with lightning speed. Blood spurted out wildly.
"Your Majesty!"
"Guard him! Protect His Majesty!"
…
The generals' faces were filled with panic as they rushed to support him. He spat out a mouthful of ancient blood, clutching his chest and retreating two steps.
Ye Ziling curved her lips into a smile, gathered her thoughts, and gripped the divine sword tightly, her gaze sharp.
She had known all along that Qing Bai would strike, so that sword qi hadn't used much immortal power. It was merely to disrupt his attention, waiting for this perfect moment.
Having been by his side for so many years, how could she not understand his methods?
She wanted to see how the people he himself had nurtured would send him to hell.
The disciples of Jiuling Palace and Xuan Lang were almost stunned. Was this… for real?
Everyone's jaws nearly dropped, but what followed was even more unbelievable.
The primordial spirit behind Ye Ziling gradually solidified, a pillar of light shooting up into the sky, forming an even larger sword qi.
The crowd was stunned, all looking up at the sky with horrified eyes. Was this… another sword strike?
Ye Ziling's expression was serene, a faint smile playing on her lips.
She would kill him today, even if she had to descend into the eighteen layers of hell and never be reincarnated, she wouldn't hesitate!
"Boom—"
Heavenly thunder rumbled, dark clouds pressed down, lightning crisscrossed, and a golden light collided with her sword qi. The two forces were equal and instantly vanished.
On the colorful clouds, a figure appeared unknowingly.
He was clad in robes as white as snow, his long hair cascading down his waist like a waterfall. His pair of violet eyes gleamed, and his brows exuded an air of nobility.
His eyes were as deep as a tranquil pool, his voice clear and cold, yet like pearls falling on a jade plate. His demeanor was no less than Qing Bai's. "By order of the Heavenly Emperor, Emperor Qing Bai has attacked Jiuling Palace without authorization. As the head of all beings, he disregards the law. You are hereby summoned to the Heavenly Court to receive your punishment!"
Qing Bai's pupils contracted, his gaze growing cold, but his expression remained unchanged.
He cupped his hands in greeting, said nothing, merely glanced at Ye Ziling, and coldly swept his sleeve as he departed.
Ye Ziling's eyes deepened, and she tightened her grip on the divine sword, but then slowly loosened it, watching his receding back disappear into the horizon.
She knew this was the Heavenly Emperor showing her a bit of face. While seemingly on her side, he was actually trying to save Qing Bai's life.
Now that Jiuling Palace was the backbone of immortal cultivation in the mortal realm, with many disciples serving in the Heavenly Realm, attacking Jiuling Palace was a provocation to these students, which would inevitably cause an uproar. The Heavenly Emperor would not stand idly by.
Ye Ziling's thoughts returned to the present. She retracted her primordial spirit, her expression returning to calm.
Did he think this would offset Qing Bai's crimes? What about her clan? Her entire clan, thousands of people, had perished by Qing Bai's hand. If he didn't die, she wouldn't be appeased.
A life for a life. No one was exempt, not even the ruler of all beings.
On the colorful clouds, the white-robed man observed her expression, his thin lips slowly curving upwards.
Originally, he could have delivered the Heavenly Emperor's decree before she even struck Qing Bai. But he simply wanted to see how ruthless this woman, who had once dominated the Heavenly Realm, was. It seemed she hadn't disappointed him.
Realizing the man's intense gaze, Ye Ziling abruptly turned her head, her eyes meeting those violet eyes that were assessing her with amusement.
She met his gaze, her eyes as cold as water, devoid of emotion, as if looking at a corpse.
Soon, she recognized those violet eyes.
Bai Yu?
A naturally gifted prodigy of the Heavenly Realm, a rising star who gained fame at the age of five, known as a once-in-a-century genius.
But she remembered this person as being inherently indifferent. While appearing cool and aloof, he was actually more cruel and ruthless than Qing Bai. If he hadn't been uninterested in the throne, he would likely be the ruler of all beings now.
When Ye Ziling was in the Heavenly Realm, she hadn't paid much attention to him, only seeing him once at the Queen Mother of the West's Peach Banquet, with no further interactions afterward.
This person had deliberately acted only after she had struck Qing Bai. It was likely to settle a personal score.
Bai Yu indifferently hooked his lips. Just as he was about to ride the clouds away, he suddenly paused, looking back at her cold expression. His voice was clear and pure, like water. "You wield your sword well."