This bow.

It took full ten breaths before Li Bahuang straightened his body again.

"Daoist Xu, farewell on your journey."

Great Emperor Jin Shi also bowed.

Li Bahuang and Jin Shi became emperors before Xu Lai, so they were somewhat senior. Based on principle, it would suffice to treat him as an equal.

But Jin Shi knew.

Xu Qingfeng deserved the bow from both her and Li Bahuang.

Actually, Jin Shi and Li Bahuang didn't know much about Xu Qingfeng.

The Immortal Domain is vast.

Especially for Emperor Realm Cultivators, good and evil are amplified countless times, and to truly understand someone, you must meet them personally.

Now.

Jin Shi's slight dissatisfaction from being threatened to come to the Nine Kings' Palace dissipated, leaving only respect for Daoist Qingfeng in her heart.

This noble dream, to sacrifice oneself for the Immortal Domain and forge peace for all beings during the Era of Emperor's Fall, is truly precious.

She came to the Nine Kings' Palace because Xu Lai threatened her.

Jiu Feng came purely to break causal ties, while Li Bahuang can be seen as having made a deal with Great Emperor Qingfeng.

During the era of Emperor's Fall, even self-preservation becomes a problem. What does the life or death of beings matter to them?

Even if the Immortal Domain collapses, the Emperor Realm can still survive. Why risk death for this?

But now Jin Shi somewhat understands what Daoist Xu aims to accomplish.

He wishes to pave the way for eternal peace!

In the Era of Emperor's Fall, some tasks, no matter how dangerous, must be done.

Some people, no matter how terrifying, must be killed.

But this path is too difficult.

...

On the distant Earth.

In Haitang Court, East Sea City, Hua Country, it was nighttime.

Ruan Tang stood on the second-floor balcony, holding the railing, looking at the storm that suddenly gathered in the night sky, momentarily lost in thought.

"Mama, Yiyi can't sleep; I want you to hold me to sleep." A soft voice sounded.

"Okay."

Ruan Tang returned to her senses and gently took her daughter's hand: "Ping'an?"

Xu Yiyi hesitated for a moment before whispering, "Brother Ping'an is secretly crying in his room."

"You go back to your room first; Mama will come to you soon."

"Alright."

Ruan Tang didn't open the door but stood outside the room, softly asking, "Ping'an, can Mama come in?"

"..."

There was no sound from the room.

Ruan Tang waited for a while, just about to leave, when the door opened.

Xu Ping'an was barefoot, his eyes red, with a tear stain on his face that, despite being wiped, still left a mark.

"The wind and rain are heavy outside; Mama is scared; can you protect Mama and your sister?"

Ruan Tang knelt down, gently rubbing her son's head, choosing not to mention the tear stain.

"Yes, I can!"

Xu Ping'an nodded earnestly, yet with considerable resolve.

A few minutes later.

Ruan Tang hugged both children on her sides, inside the room could be heard the sound of the wind and rain outside.

Previously, there was the protection of a formation, and Mount Haitang was always sunny. Ruan Tang didn't like this much, so she had Xu Lai shut it down.

Thunderstorms and rain are all blessings from the heavens; having only sunny days and no cloudy days is quite boring.

But today's weather made Ruan Tang feel a bit uneasy, as if something was blocking her heart.

She wondered whether the message she entrusted to be taken by Qingfeng Sword had reached Xu Lai.

"Brother Ping'an, why were you crying in the room just now?"

"..."

"Brother Ping'an, quit pretending to be asleep."

"I wasn't crying just now!"

"But I was holding you while you slept; crying isn't manly at all."

"..."

Xu Ping'an remained silent.

Ruan Tang felt slightly helpless; her daughter didn't know to give her brother a bit of face.

She patted Ping'an's back, softly saying, "It's okay to cry; you can still grow up to be a man who stands tall."

"Daddy doesn't cry," Xu Yiyi murmured.

"Your dad cried too."

"Really?"

Xu Yiyi perked up, lying in bed, her large eyes blinking in the dark.

"Yes, he cried quite a few times."

Ruan Tang began recounting Xu Lai's embarrassing past stories, making Yiyi giggle, but as she laughed, her mood sank:

"Mama, Yiyi misses Daddy; when will he come back?"

"When he finishes his tasks."

"Why can't we go find Daddy?"

"You'll make things complicated."

"Oh."

Xu Yiyi pouted, knowing from her mother's words that Daddy couldn't come home for now.

"Swish"

Xu Ping'an suddenly clutched the corner of Ruan Tang's nightgown, his small body trembling slightly.

Ruan Tang sensed her son's unease and softly asked, "Ping'an, what's wrong?"

Xu Ping'an spoke very softly: "I dreamed just now, I dreamt of father, he fell in the thunder sea, telling me... to take care of mom and sister."

"..."

Ruan Tang's breath hitched, managing a smile: "Silly son, dreams aren't real."

Xu Ping'an's voice grew even quieter: "What if it's true though..."

"It's false!"

Xu Yiyi sat up, smacking Xu Ping'an on his bottom: "Naughty brother, if you dare say nonsense again I'll hit you."

Usually, Xu Ping'an would protest since his big sister hits him sometimes.

But today.

Xu Ping'an pursed his lips, remaining silent.

"No fighting, go to sleep now."

Ruan Tang hugged her children tightly, the storm outside intensifying, raindrops pelting the glass like a dense battle drum.

Each raindrop struck harshly against Ruan Tang's heart.

She felt anxious and wasn't quite sure how to activate the formation.

However, Xu Yiyi had learned a few tricks from her aunt Ruan Lan earlier, and eagerly activated the formation, making Haitang Court quiet instantly.

The sound of wind and rain stopped, and the vast Mount Haitang was eerily silent, without even a call from a single bird or beast.

Ruan Tang's heart couldn't calm down.

An hour passed.

Two hours passed.

Three hours passed.

After gently putting Yiyi and Ping'an to sleep, Ruan Tang quietly got out of bed, returning to the balcony.

She thought for a while.

Ruan Tang put on a coat and walked through the mountains, looking at the blooming Haitang flowers all over the hills, recalling how Xu Lai gifted her this full mountain of Haitang flowers on her birthday.

As she thought,

The somewhat dazed Ruan Tang walked to the waterfall in the back mountains, where a flower stood proudly in the pool.

A person stood by the shore.

A flower floated on the water.

After some time, this flower that countless cultivators in the Immortal Domain yearned for transformed into human form.

Her complexion was pale due to giving Xu Lai ten drops of Lifebound Essence Blood.

Hearing the water sound, Ruan Tang woke up, surprised she had startled Bai Xue, feeling a bit apologetic: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you."

"It's okay, I couldn't sleep anyway." Bai Xue shook her head.

"Um, Xu Lai..."

Ruan Tang hesitated, wanting to figure out what exactly her husband had gone to do in the Immortal Domain, but worried knowing the truth would make it difficult to remain calm in front of her children.

"Daoist Xu is a good man."

Bai Xue spoke softly, Ruan Tang thought about it, agreeing somewhat but also disagreeing: "He's bad sometimes."

"Bad is good, being bad is good." 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Bai Xue murmured to herself: "Being good doesn't lead to a long life."