Wei Ming: "Don't cry... no, get down first. Have you forgotten you're a god? Gods don't die even if they hang themselves... Get down here for me!"

Gui Heng's resentment almost burst through the roof. In a daze, Wei Ming thought he was seeing a fierce ghost from hell. He scrambled to pull him down from the stool, placating him in a gentle voice, "It's my fault. Let's not talk about the formation anymore. How about we continue talking about Chi Lian? Don't be so agitated. Sit down and have some water first."

Like an unfilial son sulking at his father, Gui Heng twisted his body as Wei Ming pressed him down into a seat.

Wei Ming had figured it out. The fact that Gui Heng could compete with Chi Lian for so many years, and still had to fight him on sight, proved that he was no pushover either. Both Chi Lian's stubborn insistence and Gui Heng's untamable nature were a result of Emperor Cangze spoiling them. Not only did the two brats fail to inherit his legacy, they even developed a serious aversion to studying. Their spiritual skills were barely adequate, but when it came to fighting, each was a master.

Wei Ming handed him a cup of tea. "You said earlier that Chi Lian went mad. Why? Was it related to Emperor Cangze?"

This topic was once a taboo that no Immortal Lord in Jiangxiao Palace could touch, and Gui Heng was no exception.

But now...

He took the teacup with both hands and gave Wei Ming a deep look. Then he lowered his gaze, slowly exhaled, and the frivolous expression on his face was swept away, finally revealing the calm and stern underlying nature of a high god of the Heavenly Court.

"As I said before, the Emperor is one of the Four Heavenly Emperors, in charge of the order of the Three Realms. Jiangxiao Palace specializes in eliminating evil, eradicating traitors, and suppressing rebellions. In recent years, the Three Realms have become increasingly peaceful. Even if there were minor disturbances, he wouldn't need to act personally; sending a few Immortal Lords would usually suffice to quell them. But a few months ago, news suddenly came from Mang Continent, saying that the seal of the Oath of the Nine Heavens had loosened and members of the Demon Clan had escaped, requesting support from Jiangxiao Palace."

"The Oath of the Nine Heavens is of utmost importance; it's no exaggeration to call it the foundation of the Heavenly Court. Furthermore, it was created by the Emperor himself, so for every reason, he had to make the trip personally."

"Normally, when the Emperor traveled, either I or Chi Lian would have to accompany him. But at that time, I had been borrowed by Heavenly Emperor Changsheng to help out, and Chi Lian was still busy with another task elsewhere and didn't make it back in time. Therefore, on this trip to the lower realm, the Emperor only took Immortal Lord Xianzhen with him to Mang Continent."

"What exactly happened that day on Mang Continent, no one knows. The Emperor and Chi Lian each had a token for communication. When the incident occurred, Chi Lian sensed it and immediately set off for Mang Continent. But by the time he arrived, he only saw the Emperor's mortal remains, which were on the verge of dissipating."

"Judging from the scene left behind, the Emperor should have suffered a backlash from the formation while mending the crack in the Oath of the Nine Heavens. In order not to let the Oath of the Nine Heavens collapse, he exhausted his lifelong cultivation, using his own body to mend the heavens, and ultimately died of exhaustion in battle."

Wei Ming: "What about the accompanying Immortal Lord Xianzhen?"

Gui Heng barely managed to curl his lips, his expression extremely unpleasant. "Not a single bone remained. Chi Lian said he was caught in the formation's backlash and unfortunately perished."

This was said very tactfully, and Wei Ming immediately understood the hidden meaning he couldn't voice. Immortal Lord Xianzhen was nowhere to be found, alive or dead, so his position depended entirely on Chi Lian's account. "Not a single bone remained" could mean he was obliterated into ash, or it could mean he wasn't in the formation at all. If it was the latter, did the Emperor suffer the formation's backlash for no reason because the real culprit backstabbed him? And that culprit was very likely the Immortal Lord he had personally cultivated and trusted for thousands of years.

The Emperor was so important to the Heavenly Court. If such a rumor were to truly spread, everyone in Jiangxiao Palace, from top to bottom, would be purged. When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter. No one would be able to keep their jobs; they'd all have to pack their bags and be exiled to the lower realm to become mountain gods.

Gui Heng's eyes were downcast. If his ears and tail were corporeal, they would probably all be drooping at this moment.

Wei Ming asked softly, "And then?"

"Actually, when a god perishes, their divine soul dissipates, and their body also turns to nothingness. But Chi Lian managed to preserve the Emperor's remains, brought them back to the Heavenly Court, and laid them in state within Jiangxiao Palace. When the news of the Emperor's death spread, the Celestial Realm was shaken. But we didn't expect the Heavenly Emperor to be so impatient. First, he hastily sent an immortal official to confiscate the Sancai Seal. After learning the seal's whereabouts were unknown, I don't know whose slander he listened to, but he actually appointed an Immortal Lord Pingchu from the Spirit Race, from among his own attendants, to be the successor of Jiangxiao Palace."

"Any god with eyes knew this was a taboo not to be touched. But Pingchu must have borrowed courage from the heavens, for he actually used the Heavenly Emperor's decree as a command token, arrogantly leading hundreds of celestial generals to Jiangxiao Palace to take up his post. He even ignored all obstructions and ordered them to force their way into Jiangxiao Palace's main hall."

"You have to understand, the Emperor's remains were laid in state in the main hall at that time, and Chi Lian was inside."

Based on their understanding of Chi Lian, the answer was self-evident, but Wei Ming still asked, "What did he do?"

Gui Heng turned to glance at Chi Lian and sneered very softly, "Is there any need to ask? That madman beheaded Immortal Lord Pingchu on the spot, threw his head onto the Heavenly Emperor's imperial desk in Lingxiao Palace, and told him, 'Keep this thing yourself, don't dirty the grounds of Jiangxiao Palace.'"

Wei Ming: "..."

Who did he get this audacious personality from? He's even more wicked than Chou Xinwei. Should I say, as expected of a Red Lotus?

"The Heavenly Emperor was quite frightened, but mostly, he lost all face, a huge embarrassment. Of course, he couldn't let Chi Lian go, and he immediately ordered the celestial generals to imprison him in the Heavenly Prison. Although we felt that beheading Pingchu was satisfying, it wasn't worth sacrificing Chi Lian for a moment of pride. So, we went to ask Immortal Venerable Qingyang for help in negotiating his release."

Wei Ming let out a confused "Hmm?"

"Because when the Emperor was around, he always looked after Immortal Venerable Qingyang. Whenever Bitai Palace encountered difficulties and came to ask the Emperor for help, as long as it wasn't too outrageous, the Emperor would lend a hand if he could. There are rumors in the Heavenly Court that they knew each other since the great ancient wars, but neither of the main parties ever admitted it, and no one dared to ask them about it to their faces."

Wei Ming said, "I don't know about Immortal Venerable Qingyang, but as for Emperor Cangze, have you never asked?"

Gui Heng said as if it were a matter of course, "Because Chi Lian dislikes Immortal Venerable Qingyang. Seeing him every day is annoying enough. If the rumor turned out to be true, wouldn't he be so angry he'd throw himself into the Heavenly River? Then we'd have to go fish him out, which would also be a hassle."

Wei Ming: "...The camaraderie between you two is truly touching. Why does he dislike Immortal Venerable Qingyang?"

"Probably holding a grudge from back when he wasn't allowed to take human form," Gui Heng answered casually. "Besides, with that temper of his, who doesn't he clash with? I feel that apart from the Emperor, there isn't a single living thing in the Three Realms that he likes."

"But then again, I had always thought Immortal Venerable Qingyang was gentle and amiable to everyone, like a spring breeze. But I never expected that when I actually went to plead with him, he told me he couldn't save Chi Lian."

Wei Ming: "Why?"

"'It is precisely because he is the Emperor's subordinate that no exception can be made. The Heavenly Emperor is the supreme ruler of the Heavenly Court and the co-lord of the Three Realms, supported to his position by the Emperor himself. If even a minor Immortal Lord can offend the Heavenly Emperor to his face, then what would the Emperor's tens of thousands of years of modesty and deference count for? Are you trying to leave a stain on the Emperor's posthumous good name?'" Gui Heng said, "Those were his exact words. I haven't forgotten a single one."

Seeing Wei Ming remain silent, he wiped his face and asked in a low voice, "Em... What do you think?"

Wei Ming said bluntly, "At first listen, it sounds very reasonable, but upon careful thought, you'll find it's purely an excuse. Was he really friends with Emperor Cangze? Why do I feel like they weren't close... At least, Immortal Venerable Qingyang wasn't close to him."

Gui Heng's spirits lifted. "How so?"

Wei Ming said, "To be objective, Chi Lian did go a bit too far. But Pingchu was the one who provoked him first. Moreover, he wasn't provoking Chi Lian personally, but Jiangxiao Palace. Isn't that truly trampling on Emperor Cangze's dignity? No true friend would disregard the dignity of their own people only to save face for the Heavenly Emperor. It's clear his heart was biased from the start."

"Besides, based on your understanding of Emperor Cangze, is he the kind of benevolent old god who is modest, seeks stability, and smooths things over?"

Gui Heng shook his head decisively. "Absolutely not. The Emperor is easygoing and gentle in his dealings, like a spring breeze and timely rain, but he is never ambiguous when it's time to act."

"I thought so." Wei Ming nodded. "And I suspect his true nature might be even more unyielding and fierce. Otherwise, he wouldn't have valued Chi Lian so much upon their first meeting and kept him as his subordinate."

"More than just valued, he was spoiled rotten. Otherwise, Chi Lian wouldn't have been so merciless when he acted against Immortal Lord Pingchu." Gui Heng sighed in agreement, then continued, "Chi Lian is ruthless to others and even more ruthless to himself. He's simply hard-hearted. He never expected us to save him. The very next day, he broke out of the Heavenly Prison, stole the Emperor's remains from Jiangxiao Palace, and directly defected from the Heavenly Court, vanishing without a trace."

"Even though the hope was next to none, I knew he would search heaven and earth and try every possible means to resurrect the Emperor. I was also prepared to let him go if we met again. But I never, ever expected that he would actually succeed..."

He buried his head deep, and by the dim candlelight, Wei Ming saw a few round, wet spots spread on the hem of his robe.

"I know you have deep feelings for Emperor Cangze," Wei Ming said helplessly. "But don't be in such a hurry to cry. It's still too early to draw conclusions."

Hearing this, Gui Heng raised his head, his red eyes staring at him blankly.

"You're a god, you should be able to tell that, whether it's my physical body or my soul, I am a complete and utter mortal."

"This could be a way to protect the real Emperor, but it could also be a trap deliberately set by someone, hoping to use me as bait to catch a big fish."

"The cause of Emperor Cangze's death, Chi Lian's whereabouts these past years, and the location of the Sancai Seal... Before the truth comes to light, do not reveal the deductions we've made tonight to anyone," Wei Ming said in a low voice. "One can't be too careful. Your Heavenly Court is clearly not a monolithic block; be wary of a stab in the back. Moreover, Chou Xinwei is full of schemes. I suspect he might not be completely dead. From the looks of it, he probably recognized who I am too. We must be prepared for his return."

Gui Heng wiped his tears with the back of his hand, nodded, and said with a choke, "I know. I will be careful."

"But don't doubt yourself anymore. You are the Emperor. Even with amnesia and as a mortal, you are still the Emperor." He said firmly to Wei Ming, "I have served under the Emperor for several thousand years. Although I failed to learn formations, I was taught by the Emperor daily. I know best what kind of god he is."

"No matter what tricks the Heavenly Court and the Demon Clan have, even if it means making an enemy of the entire White Jade Capital, Chi Lian and I will protect you with all our might."

"Until you return to the Jade Capital, reign over the Nine Heavens, and sweep away all evil spirits."

Author has something to say:

The Emperor as imagined: A noble celestial god who commands the wind and rain and holds the power of life and death.

The Emperor in reality: An old father who's about to have a heart attack from tutoring his kids with their homework.