"So you can cry too."

Great Emperor Jin Shi's voice carried shock, unable to believe she could see tears coming from Baize.

She was truly touched, "Qingfeng and Daoist Li fell and you didn't cry, but shed two tears for me. I really am—"

Baize interrupted, "One drop was for The Supreme Emperor. One drop was for Emperor Bahuang."

"Then what about mine?"

"Can't cry for that."

"..."

Great Emperor Jin Shi glared at Baize, who calmly looked away, "Rest assured, you'll live longer than me."

"Divine General Bai, what do you mean by that."

Great Emperor Jin Shi felt uneasy and cautiously spoke, "You're not planning to drop everything and leave the Heavenly Court to me, are you?"

Baize frowned.

Who knows where Great Emperor Jin Shi got such confidence.

From the Divine Generals to the Heavenly Soldiers, which person would Great Emperor Jin Shi be able to command? Even one wouldn't be possible.

They would die for Xu Qingfeng, but not for Jin Shi.

Great Emperor Jin Shi understood this too, snorted, "I once established a Tao Lineage not weaker than the Heavenly Court."

Baize gazed into the distance, speaking softly to herself, "Once upon a time."

"..."

Jin Shi didn't want to talk anymore.

She only had thought Xu Qingfeng's words were biting, not expecting Divine General Baize to be even more sharp-tongued than him.

Emotions grew complicated for Jin Shi.

The Great Emperor Qingfeng, Emperor Bahuang, and Great Emperor Jiu Feng, who once fought alongside her, one had already fallen, and one was about to fall.

The next one.

Is it her, or Jiu Feng?

Jin Shi thought back to various past battles, sorrow emerging in her heart, "I need to go help Daoist Li!"

"If it were you, Great Emperor Jin Shi, would you want Great Emperor Jiu Feng to come save you?" Baize didn't look back.

Jin Shi paused, she didn't want that.

As someone of the Emperor Realm, she held pride and dignity, confident she wasn't weaker than anyone in her lifetime.

Even having been used as a measurement unit of combat power in the Emperor Realm, Great Emperor Jin Shi didn't think herself weaker than other Emperor Realm beings.

Jin Shi became Emperor through Divine Metal.

To reach the Emperor Realm, she had put in more effort than other Emperors.

If their species were swapped.

She wouldn't tread the path of incense, but would instead break through the shackles of the Nine Heavens of the Quasi-Emperor to the Emperor Realm, overpower the ninety-eighth era.

Then use the Soul-Settling Umbrella to smash the skull of that old woman Chen Chi in Nine Kings' Palace.

"So, Great Emperor Jiu Feng will not act either."

Baize held a chess piece between her fingers, gently rubbing it, as if speaking to Great Emperor Jin Shi, or to herself:

"Actually, it doesn't matter if you or Jiu Feng act, Emperor Bahuang will fall in the Red Sail Star System. This move is meant to bring the Tian Gui Tribe and Great Emperor Tiangui into the Heavenly Court's view."

"Who... is he?"

"I don't know."

"It's widely said in the Immortal Domain that Heavenly Court's First Divine General Baize possesses eyes that can see into people's hearts, knowing all. So there are things even Divine General Bai doesn't know in this world."

"I do have discerning eyes, but who would dare to boast of knowing everything? Even the Heavenly Dao cannot."

Baize's words led Great Emperor Jin Shi to nod in agreement, yet she felt puzzled:

"No wait, since you know someone's watching from the shadows as two tigers fight, why send the Heavenly Court's army? Wouldn't that be falling into the villain's trap?"

"It's fortunate you're not The Supreme Emperor, otherwise the Heavenly Court would have been devoured to the bone by the surrounding wolves."

Baize tilted her head slightly, somewhat relieved.

"???"

Great Emperor Jin Shi felt insulted.

Baize said, "That villain might just be Tiangui himself."

"And if he's not?"

"And if he is."

"This——"

Jin Shi pondered.

Baize brazenly patted Great Emperor Jin Shi's shoulder, speaking warmly, "Return to the palace and absorb incense."

Great Emperor Jin Shi pouted, "You schemers have filthy minds."

"Return, Great Emperor." Baize smiled.

This smile.

Made Great Emperor Jin Shi suddenly feel slighted, she turned to leave, not forgetting to grumble:

"Hmph, so annoying!"

"Bang!"

The door of the hall slammed shut, Baize's smile gradually faded as she continued to rub the white chess piece between her fingers.

She wasn't certain if the Red Sail Star System was a trap set by Tian Gui Yuan Yin or someone else.

No matter who the person behind the scenes was.

The Heavenly Court was already deep in the game, with no retreat, only the path forward.

"If The Supreme Emperor were still alive..."

Baize felt a little iridescent, but the next moment her gaze cleared, giving up those unrealistic thoughts.

Because The Supreme Emperor was dead.

It was his choice.

...

Back mountain of the Heavenly Court.

The Qingfeng Sword also watched the Emperor Realm battle in the Red Sail Star System.

"Let me see too!"

Ruan Lan heard from her senior sister Yu Guiwan that there was an Emperor battle, so she pestered the Qingfeng Sword to let her see the spectacle, even Xu Yiyi and Xu Pingan joined in the commotion.

Unlike their aunt's intention, the two little ones wanted to remember their father's enemy's appearance, to remember it for eternity.

But faced with the request of the three, the Qingfeng Sword refused without hesitation, "Your boundary is too low."

"Our boundary is low, but we can watch from afar, besides, aren't you here to protect us?"

Ruan Lan continued to implore, "Sister Sword, Sister Sword be generous, I'll find someone for you later."

"..." Sister Qi.

The Formation Chessboard prudently chose to escape from Ruan Lan's side, afraid of getting splattered with blood later.

"Sister Sword, if one isn't enough, I'll find three for you... no, ten, twenty!"

Ruan Lan murmured, "Why can men have a harem, but we women can't? I want to be the Empress, with thirty million favored consorts in my harem!"

The Qingfeng Sword spirit finally looked at Ruan Lan, spat out a word, "Scram.."

"Eh, okay." Ruan Lan left.

Xu Yiyi and Xu Pingan weren't afraid of the Qingfeng Sword, because Qingfeng had carried them in flight in the sky before.

"Aunt Sword..."

Xu Yiyi shook the sword, speaking softly, "I want to see it, I promise not to cause trouble."

"No."

The Qingfeng Sword refused directly.

If the two youngsters were at the Immortal Venerable or Quasi-Emperor Realm, she wouldn't stop them, she might even forcefully bring them to watch the Emperor battle.

But their boundary was too low, early exposure to Emperor Realm battles would have adverse effects.

However, after some thought, the Qingfeng Sword Spirit spoke:

"I know your intention, simply wanting to remember the Tian Gui's appearance and aura, I'll get a thread of Yuan Ying's aura for you."

"Thank you, Aunt Sword."

Xu Yiyi smiled sweetly, simultaneously nudged Xu Pingan, he reluctantly said, "Thank you, Aunt Sword."

"What's all this 'Aunt' talk..."

The Qingfeng Sword feigned disdain but left contentedly.

After a while.

Ruan Tang opened the door and stepped out.

Xu Yiyi asked puzzled, "Mama, why did you have us distract Aunt Sword?"

"Because Mama has something to do."

"What is it?"

"Um."

Ruan Tang squat down, embraced Yiyi and Pingan, saying, "Something very important."