The crowd in the Immortal Domain was furious, wishing they could tear Tian Gui Yuan Ying into a thousand pieces to mourn Great Emperor Qingfeng's soul in heaven.

Countless cultivators headed to the Heavenly Court, wanting to lend a hand.

Though many Holy Lands were silent and did not publicly denounce Tiangui, numerous Holy Lands quietly opened their barrier sect gates, seemingly oblivious to their Saint Heir, Goddess, and numerous Elders leaving quietly.

The direction they went was evidently where the Heavenly Court was located.

Not to mention cultivators, even ordinary people now knew of Tian Gui Yuan Ying's misdeeds.

They couldn't fight for the Heavenly Court and Immortal Domain, so every household set up statues of Great Emperor Qingfeng, burning incense day and night in veneration.

The terrifying power of incense fire converged at the Heavenly Court.

Even in the furthest corners of the Four Immortal Domains, wherever there were living beings, there was an unceasing source of incense.

This scene.

Made Great Emperor Jin Shi's scalp tingle.

Even she along with several others who became emperors through incense fire, at their peak, their total number of followers didn't compare to Xu Qingfeng's followers now.

Even.

Was not half of the other's.

Only by truly touching upon the path of incense can one understand how terrifying this cohesion is.

If Xu Qingfeng were still alive, with this unending incense veneration, what terrifying boundary could he reach?

Perhaps he wouldn't even need to harvest Immortal Fruits but could achieve immortality through incense.

As long as the followers exist.

He is indestructible!

Unfortunately, Xu Lai never believed in these.

In Great Emperor Jin Shi's regret, she received Divine Sense transmission from Baize Divine General inviting her back to the Heavenly Court.

The specific purpose was not mentioned, but it's easy to guess it's related to incense.

"Should I go?"

Jin Shi hesitated.

She is currently an ally of the Heavenly Court, but still has a way to retreat.

If she accepts the incense power from the Heavenly Court, there will be no room for reconciliation with Great Emperor Tiangui.

Either she dies.

Or Tiangui dies.

Only one side can survive.

In just two breaths, Great Emperor Jin Shi sighed, realizing she might have been tricked by Xu Qingfeng from the start.

"No wonder Daoist Qingfeng didn't kill me back then, but made me swear an emperor's oath, even gave me a large amount of incense, waiting for me here."

Jin Shi smiled wryly and said to Li Bahuang: "Daoist Li, I'm returning to the Heavenly Court."

Li Bahuang nodded.

While noticing that Jin Shi said returning, not going.

Li Bahuang reflected with emotion: "The Heavenly Court flourishes, Baize contributed greatly, this girl is truly impressive."

In Xu Qingfeng's lifetime, he didn't hope that the Holy Lands of the Immortal Domain could stand in the same camp as the Heavenly Court; the purpose of the massacre was to warn any forces not to make trouble.

Those small and medium forces and loose cultivators are insignificant against Tian Gui Yuan Ying.

Yet Baize still chose to publicly reveal Great Emperor Qingfeng's death and the conspiracy between Nine Kings' Palace and Tian Gui Yuan Ying.

Baize is gambling.

Betting the Heavenly Court from top to bottom would still defy death for the name of Qingfeng.

Betting the Holy Lands of the Immortal Domain would not take advantage of the chaos, nor join Tian Gui Yuan Ying's camp.

Further gambling on whether the Immortal Domain, for which Xu Qingfeng died, is worth it.

Looking at the outcome.

The Immortal Domain is worth it.

The streams of incense gathered at the Heavenly Court, emanating an enticing fragrance that no incense cultivator could refuse.

This was one of Baize's final goals, using a vast amount of incense to consolidate Great Emperor Jin Shi's true incense golden body.

By then.

Great Emperor Jin Shi's combat power will sharply increase, not much inferior to Great Emperor Qingfeng, acting as a form of damage control.

All the calculations of this edict are currently happening as Baize envisioned.

Thus Li Bahuang marveled at the flourishing Heavenly Court, where Divine General Baize held the chief merit.

Looking over past epochs.

In every case when emperors went missing or fell, the outcome was invariably that everything fell apart in disarray.

Only after Great Emperor Qingfeng's death did the entire Immortal Domain almost unite as one.

Darkness shrouded the Immortal Domain, and Baize single-handedly tore through the darkness, letting a ray of sunlight shine through.

Li Bahuang admits he couldn't do better even if he exchanged roles with Baize.

"Too bad, there wasn't a Baize around the Great Emperor back then." Eight Desolate Cauldron expressed some regret.

"A new generation replaces the old, what's there to regret?"

Li Bahuang took it lightly, admitting that in terms of mind and responsibility, he was not as good as those who came after, like Xu Qingfeng and even Jin Shi.

This young girl.

Could have stayed completely uninvolved, yet within a short period, she firmly made up her mind to confront Tiangui to the end.

"But Great Emperor, where exactly is Tian Gui Yuan Ying hiding, are we just aimlessly wandering through the Immortal Domain and hoping to bump into him?" Eight Desolate Cauldron asked.

Li Bahuang smiled.

Without answering the artifact's question.

...

Eastern Immortal Domain.

Within a Dead Realm nearly forgotten by the world.

A young man sitting cross-legged on a book chest on a lifeless star opened his eyes, a Bamboo Sword standing by his feet.

He.

Is exactly Tian Gui Yuan Ying that Li Bahuang sought tirelessly.

At this moment.

Great Emperor Tiangui grinned with joy.

His reputation spread overnight across the Four Immortal Domains. But it wasn't a good name, rather an infamous one.

"Heavenly Court made a good move, called Baize, huh?"

Tian Gui Yuan Ying stood up, carrying the book chest and holding the Bamboo Sword, continuing to hide deeper within the Dead Realm, unable to appear yet.

Wait.

Continue to wait.

Wait until the White Jade Stairway crumbles to only the last two hundred steps; then it will be the real battlefield.

"Apart from Li Bahuang, there's Jiu Feng and Jin Shi. One is dying, one is still capable but not at their peak, the other… using incense to forcibly elevate the boundary is also a way."

"As for Yuan Ying, who's barely holding onto life, not much to worry about, but be wary of Corpse Emperor. Also, a few youngsters have yet to show up intending to fish in troubled waters?"

Tian Gui Yuan Ying smiled indifferently.

From the First Era, he has plotted to this day, simulating countless changes that could occur, no matter how calculated.

Ultimately.

He alone, Yuan Ying, will attain immortality!

It's a pity for the Nine Kings' Palace and the Blue Giant Jellyfish, the former's nine should have died more valorously, not miserably within heavenly tribulation.

Regarding the Blue Giant Jellyfish, it should have eliminated one of the Four Immortal Domains for him, to stain the White Jade Stairway red.

Unfortunately.

Xu Qingfeng set up covert traps in advance, forcing him to abandon the Blue Giant Jellyfish to keep his location concealed.

Until now, even Tian Gui Yuan Ying didn't know how his location was discovered by Xu Qingfeng.

"Just a little longer, it's really close…"

Tian Gui Yuan Ying's face turned increasingly pale, muttering softly to himself.

The Immortal Path and Immortal Fruit are within reach, Tian Gui Yuan Ying remained cautious, having waited an entire cycle and couldn't afford to mess it up here.

"Great Emperor, should we eliminate Baize, who's somewhat troublesome?"

A somewhat grave voice came, from the Divine Sense emitted by the Bamboo Sword artifact, eager to take action.

"No need."

"But if she impacts your plan, then…"

"Baize is already impacting it."

Tian Gui smiled: "She might be even harder to deal with than Xu Qingfeng, be watchful."