“Miss Xia, if you have something to say, say it properly, why bring out the Grand Emperor?”

“The imperial intent within this painting is limited. Every use consumes it,” the elder of Thousand-Ox Dao Court said calmly.

“It was you who pressed too hard,” Xia Wanqing replied.

“Since there is no inheritance, then so be it. I’ll believe your word,” the elder of Thousand-Ox Dao Court said with a smile.

Hearing this, Xia Wanqing gave him a doubtful look, then half-believing, she put away the Grand Emperor’s painting.

“If there’s nothing else, we’ll be leaving first. Staying here makes me uneasy,” she said.

The people of Thousand-Ox Dao Court looked toward their elder. Since he made no move, they didn’t block her way.

Xia Wanqing then led the Sixth Elder and the others away.

“Miss Xia, perhaps it won’t be long before we meet again,” the elder of Thousand-Ox Dao Court suddenly chuckled.

Xia Wanqing glanced at him once, then ignored him completely.

Only when her figure disappeared did Xiao Buhui finally lose patience and ask, “Elder Zhou, they must have the inheritance. Why let them go so easily?”

“If that Emperor’s painting were to be unleashed, would you be able to deal with it?” Elder Zhou countered.

“I’ll go report to the sect right now and request someone stronger to handle it,” Xiao Buhui said.

“Save your effort. Matters like this shouldn’t be forced, they must be won through wisdom,” Elder Zhou shook his head.

Regardless of whether Xia Wanqing truly had an Emperor’s inheritance, If not, pressing harder would be pointless. If yes, then Martial Heaven, which has declined for so long, might just have a chance to rise again.

It was slim, thinking a single inheritance could restore a fallen sect was far-fetched. But it was still a sliver of hope. And such hope would never be handed over easily.

“What about Star River and Breaking Dawn? How should we handle them?” Xiao Buhui asked. The matter of the two empires merging was still unresolved.

“Leave it for now. Let the Grand Elder decide,” Elder Zhou said with a laugh. “It’s not something I need to trouble myself with.”

On the way back to the sect, everyone was heavy with thoughts. No one spoke.

Li Xiaoyuan wanted to say something, but after glancing at Xu Zimo, he swallowed the words. Xu Zimo’s display of strength earlier had shaken him too deeply.

“Sixth Elder, do you know something?” Xia Wanqing asked, turning toward him.

Among Martial Heaven’s elders, most harbored their own agendas, at odds with the Sacred Lord, paying lip service at best. Only the Sixth Elder was a direct loyalist of her grandfather.

That was why she had arranged for him, not the Grand Elder, to lead this expedition.

“The Sacred Lord once told me this must be kept secret,” the Sixth Elder said after some thought.

“The Dao Source of Thousand-Ox Dao Court is about to open. According to the old agreement, we have one slot to enter.”

“The land of the Dao Source…” Xia Wanqing murmured.

Every Dao Court possessed a Dao Source, it was the very foundation of a sect.

The matter of Dao Source was complex. Simply put: a sect is established within the domain of a Dao Source. Everything under its influence flourishes.

Four seasons are like spring. Spiritforce flows endlessly. Immortal trees sprout, rare beasts are born.

Children born within a Dao Source are naturally gifted, with innate spirit roots.

The existence of a Dao Source marks a leap in essence for a sect.

Even a barren mountain, with the blessing of a Dao Source, could be transformed into a sacred immortal mountain.

That, however, was only one of its functions.

Training near a Dao Source multiplied one’s comprehension ability a hundredfold.

As an Emperor’s cultivation grew, so too did the strength of the Dao Source tied to them.

The stronger the Emperor, the stronger the Dao Source’s feedback.

But once the Emperor left, the Dao Source became a dead source.

Every use consumed it. One day, it would be exhausted and destroyed.

That was the cycle of a Dao Source, from birth to decline. The natural rise and fall of all things.

Yet if a sect produced a new Emperor, the Dao Source could be reawakened.

Hearing of the Dao Source, Li Xiaoyuan’s eyes lit faintly. But when he glanced at Xia Wanqing, he sank back into thought.

“So Xiao Buhui’s hostility toward us must be over that slot,” Xia Wanqing realized quickly.

They had no real grudge with Thousand-Ox Dao Court before. In this world, there was never love or hate without reason.

“You should be honest with the elders. In that Mystic Realm, did you meet our ancestor?” the Sixth Elder asked.

For Martial Heaven, the Martial Heaven Emperor was too important.

“Sixth Elder, you don’t believe me either?” Xia Wanqing sighed.

“We only encountered an Emperor’s painting. But I did see the remnant consciousness left by our ancestor.”

“What did he say?” the Sixth Elder asked eagerly. “Where is he now? Will he return to the sect? Did you tell him of our current plight?”

Seeing the elder so worked up he was stumbling over his words, Xia Wanqing shook her head gently.

“Our ancestor said Martial Heaven is too small. He won’t return. The only ones who can save us are ourselves, not anyone else.”

Her words struck like cold water. The Sixth Elder nearly faltered where he stood.

He closed his eyes for a long time before he could recover.

At last, he let out a deep sigh, as though aging years in an instant.

“I will save the sect,” Xia Wanqing said solemnly.

“You should focus on saving yourselves first.”

A voice cut in suddenly. From the forest ahead, several figures emerged, three old men and a middle-aged man.

The three elders looked identical, like triplets, impossible to distinguish.

The middle-aged man wore black robes, with a short beard and eyes sharp as an eagle.

“They’re from Nine Nights Holy Land,” the Sixth Elder said gravely.

As they drew near, his face darkened further.

“The Three Patriarchs of Nine Nights Holy Land… and Holy Master Zheng Yunhao himself.”

“They’ve gone mad, bringing out all three of their patriarchs at once.”

“No wonder when we first left, we heard Nine Nights Holy Land had arrived before us, yet we never saw them. They must have been lying in ambush along the road back.”

Xu Zimo chuckled. “So, the Martial Heaven Emperor and the Nine Nights Immortal Sovereign were Dao companions, yet their sects became mortal enemies. How ironic.”

“Once, long ago, our Martial Heaven Sacred Ground and Nine Nights Holy Land were allies,” the Sixth Elder sighed.

“The departure of the Martial Heaven Emperor and the Nine Nights Immortal Sovereign struck both sects hard. Later, when both Dao Sources neared exhaustion, the two sides fought bitterly to plunder from each other. That was when we turned into enemies. In truth, it wasn’t really about right or wrong.”

“Hand over the inheritance,” said Zheng Yunhao, Holy Master of Nine Nights Holy Land, smiling.