Volume One: The Calamity of the Lich Chapter 184: Enlightenment of the Purple Tenuity; The Fox Clan Enters the Heavenly Court

Ancient starry skies, beneath the Emperor Star of Ziwei.

Chen Rui gazed at the current state of the Emperor of Ziwei, finding the situation incredibly troublesome.

“Sigh, how am I supposed to fix this now?”

Within the Emperor of Ziwei’s primordial spirit, dense black mist billowed. This was the lingering aura of destruction left by the Rahu Godslaying Spear. Though faint, it was not something the current Emperor of Ziwei could resist. Most critical of all, after Rahu’s assault, the Emperor’s primordial spirit was riddled with countless cracks, resembling a shattered rag doll. Even if he wished to fight back, he had no strength to muster.

Seeing this, Chen Rui took out a jade vial shimmering with starlight.

“Let’s hope this can help you.”

He pointed at the Emperor of Ziwei, and several drops of divine water flew out, landing directly upon the Emperor’s primordial spirit. Then Chen Rui reached into the void and conjured a lotus flower pure white, which appeared above the Emperor’s head. Streams of radiant light cascaded down, falling upon the Emperor’s primordial spirit.

At the same time, Chen Rui heard a muffled groan—the radiance was clashing with the destructive law’s aura.

“Luckily, it’s having some effect. As for what fortune awaits, that’s up to you now.”

Chen Rui continued to activate the Twelve-Petaled Purifying White Lotus, aiding the Emperor in dispelling and purifying the destructive law. At the same time, he occasionally drew upon the Three Lights Divine Water to help heal the Emperor’s primordial spirit. Thanks to Qingxuan’s deep reserves, there was plenty of this supreme healing elixir—were it anyone else, it’s doubtful the Emperor of Ziwei would still be here today.

Time flowed on. In the blink of an eye, ten thousand years passed.

“Whew, at last I’ve erased the last traces of that destructive law. But alas, his primordial spirit…”

In the end, Chen Rui could not fully heal the Emperor of Ziwei’s primordial spirit.

After a long while, the Emperor of Ziwei slowly opened his eyes.

“Senior, there’s no need! This may well be my tribulation. I should have faded away countless years ago. Had you not arrived then, there would be no Emperor of Ziwei today.”

“I have already profited by living so many extra years, but…”

Suddenly, an unfathomable emotion flickered in the Emperor’s eyes. Seeing this, Chen Rui could only withdraw his hand and watch in silence.

Only after a long pause did Chen Rui finally offer a few words of comfort.

*

“What tribulation? What fate? If that were really so, would you have ever had the chance to emerge into this world?”

The Emperor trembled ever so slightly at these words, then fell silent for a long while before suddenly breaking into hearty laughter.

“Senior, you are right. I really don’t believe in fate! I insist on forging ahead, and if I fail, what of it? It can hardly get any worse!”

Chen Rui noticed that something about the Emperor of Ziwei had changed completely, though he could not quite put his finger on what it was. He could only sigh.

“As long as you see it, that’s enough. The path must always be walked by oneself. It seems you have found your own insight, so I’ll not interfere further.”

With that, Chen Rui vanished from in front of the Emperor of Ziwei.

And truly, he had not been mistaken. After his departure, a newfound confidence flashed in the Emperor’s eyes—yet it was as if he still waited for something more.

But all this was now beyond Chen Rui’s knowledge, and even if he knew, he would not care. He had done all he could; the rest was up to Ziwei.

Meanwhile, upon the vast land of the primordial world, in a southern territory sparse with living beings—

“Bai Qian! Why did you do such a thing?”

An elderly woman, her face full of anger, glared at a stunningly beautiful, slender young woman before her.

“Why? What a joke. Look at what has become of the fox clan under your rule! If they had listened to me from the start, would we have fallen so low?”

The beautiful woman swayed her hips unconcernedly as she stepped to the old lady’s side, giving a mocking smile.

“You, once the ancestor emerges from seclusion, she will not let you off so easily. For countless years, our fox clan has survived by staying out of the great power struggles—only thus have we endured. Who could have imagined someone like you would rise among us…”

The old woman could not go on, her rage undisguised in her eyes.

“Ancestor, stop using that excuse on me! It’s been so many years—if she were really coming back, she’d be here by now. Besides, most of the clan supports me. What use is your little authority if you cannot give them what they want?”

Even as they argued, several unfamiliar auras suddenly appeared.

“So, Bai Qian, I could turn a blind eye to your other actions, but to collude with outsiders and reveal our clan’s sacred ground—unforgivable!”

The old woman’s face changed drastically as she sensed the strangers, staring at Bai Qian in disbelief.

“Oh, you’re mistaken. From now on, this place belongs not to the fox clan, but to the Celestial Court.”

Several figures descended, striking down a number of blocking foxes and sending them flying.

“Such outrageous bullying!”

*

Seeing this, the old woman unleashed a powerful aura, driving back the intruders. Bai Qian frowned at the newcomers.

“Didn’t we agree I would handle this? Why did you act on your own?”

“We only stepped in because you were taking too long. We grew impatient and came to help!”

Embarrassed by Bai Qian’s rebuke, the newcomers’ expressions soured, but she had no time to care.

“We need to leave at once. I’ve already sent the rest of the fox clan to safety. Otherwise, escape will be impossible!”

Bai Qian spoke quickly to her companions.

“Leave? As if it were so easy. Today, you will remain here!”

The old woman’s voice was cold as she responded.

Bai Qian swiftly produced an artifact, enveloping her group in its protection.

“A quasi-saint? No, something more.”

“Of course not a quasi-saint. The elder is a Golden Immortal of Primordial Unity, far more powerful than a quasi-saint. Only a mid-stage quasi-saint could suppress her! Let’s go!”

At Bai Qian’s words, they unleashed their full power to escape, with no intention of fighting the elder.

“So she possessed such an innate spiritual treasure—no wonder she acted so fearlessly.”

The old woman’s face was grim as she watched Bai Qian and the Celestial Court’s people recede into the distance, giving a cold snort. Yet her aura soon weakened; it was only the power of her blessed land that allowed her to drive them off. Had Bai Qian and her allies chosen to stay and fight, the outcome would have been uncertain.

But Bai Qian and the others knew none of this—they had already escaped the blessed land.

“I only hope the ancestor succeeds…”

The old woman glanced toward the forbidden ground, sighed softly, and then sealed the blessed land, cutting it off from the outside world.

Meanwhile, Bai Qian and her companions, having fled, found themselves surrounded by a crowd of handsome and beautiful men and women. Yet, none of them noticed the peculiar look in the eyes of the Celestial Court’s people as they gazed at them.