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The existence behind the Heavenly Court was best left unspoken. After all, the common world had no contact with such a level of power. Even many so-called Infinite Dao cultivators were unqualified to know.

Even Xu Zimo only suspected what lay behind it. He had no proof. So he chose not to say more. What mattered now was the situation in front of him.

Though the name Sky-Burial Buddha carried immense prestige, in the end, everything in this world revolved around profit.

Xu Zimo only knew one thing. The other man had joined the Heavenly Court, and that made them enemies. That was enough.

The Sky-Burial Buddha floated silently in the void, his body suspended midair. His expression was neither joyful nor angry, it was as if nothing in this world could stir his heart.

“Sky-Burial, you’ve joined the Heavenly Court too?” the Light Lord Sage Monarch said with a laugh. “How about this, whatever the Heavenly Court offered you, the Radiant Court will double it!”

The Sky-Burial Buddha remained calm. His voice was faint as he replied, “Light Lord Sage Monarch, do you wish to be cut into pieces by me right here?”

“Peace, peace, Buddha!” the Light Lord Sage Monarch chuckled. “Your opponent today isn’t me. If you have any complaint, you may bring it up with our ancestor.”

The moment his words fell, a golden coffin floated out from within the nearby sun.

When the coffin appeared, it was as though it suppressed the epochs themselves. The small golden coffin shone with dazzling radiance, its brilliance could rival the very sun behind it.

The instant it emerged, the entire world went silent. Even the Sky-Burial Buddha’s brows furrowed slightly.

The coffin lid opened slowly, and a figure drifted up from within.

“I’ve heard the Buddha excels in deliverance,” a calm, amused voice said. “Why not... deliver me as well?”

Though his tone was light, the sound echoed across the heavens. No one dared to answer.

All eyes turned toward the figure.

He wore only a thin golden robe. Though he appeared to be an old man, his skin was pale and smooth, without a single wrinkle, like that of a youth barely past ten.

Around his waist hung a chain of ancient gold coins, hundreds of them, surrounding him in a shimmering aura. Each coin was so old that the inscriptions had long since become unrecognizable.

“When the coins fall, heads will fall,” said the Sky-Burial Buddha coldly. “You are Blood-Eyed Situ Yun.”

“Situ Yun… I haven’t heard that name in ages,” the old man replied with a chuckle. “Call me whatever you like. Names mean little.”

The Sky-Burial Buddha gave a low snort but didn’t argue further.

“Who is Situ Yun?” Xu Zimo asked curiously.

He didn’t know much about the Nine Heavens. Many of the truly ancient powerhouses had long since withdrawn from the world. Hidden figures like this were beyond his knowledge.

“Blood-Eyed Situ Yun earned fame through that eye,” Murong Qing explained. “It’s said that when he was born, there was a blood-red eye on his forehead. The night of his birth saw a crimson moon, and all manner of monsters appeared across the land, it was considered an ominous omen. His parents abandoned him, but he crawled out of a pile of corpses and survived. What happened in his early years, no one knows. But after he became a Sage Monarch, he suppressed the entire Ghost-God Heaven. For thirty million years, the world lived under his terror.”

“All of them are powerful names,” Xu Zimo said with a faint smile.

“But none compare to you,” Murong Qing replied with a grin. “Compared to the tales of the Infernal Lord, they’re child’s play.”

“I’m not surprised the Heavenly Court could win over the Sky-Burial Buddha,” Xu Zimo said. “But your Radiant Court doing the same, now that is interesting. I wonder what price you paid.”

“Don’t look at me, Young Master Xu,” Murong Qing said. “I may be a Saintess, but there are things far beyond my reach.”

Xu Zimo didn’t press the question further.

“Do you think they’ll actually fight?” Murong Qing asked.

“I hope they do,” Xu Zimo replied with a smile. “But unfortunately, the Heavenly Court won’t.”

“Why are you so certain?” she pressed. “Do you think our Radiant Court is stronger than the Heavenly Court?”

“Do you want the truth?” Xu Zimo asked.

Murong Qing nodded.

“If the Heavenly Court truly wished it, it could easily destroy your Radiant Court,” Xu Zimo said plainly.

Murong Qing’s heart trembled at those words. Though she held the title of Saintess, she knew little about the Heavenly Court’s true strength. They were far too mysterious, and rarely appeared in the world.

“Our Radiant Court has Lord Primordial Flame,” she said stubbornly. “We wouldn’t be so easily destroyed. If they can destroy you, then why did you say they wouldn’t start a war?”

“Because this is the Nine Heavens,” Xu Zimo replied calmly. “And your Radiant Court isn’t the only ancient power here.”

He smiled. “Even if someone wanted to destroy you, others would intervene.”

Murong Qing frowned slightly. “Who would protect us? With our strength, who could possibly need to?”

“Let me put it this way,” Xu Zimo said. “In the Nine Heavens, apart from the lower Mortal Ascension Heaven and the Godfiend Abyss Heaven, each of the other seven realms has a ruling power, just as your Radiant Court rules the Inferno Crucible Heaven. Among them, the Heavenly Court is by far the strongest. But the other six realms’ powers, though they don’t say it openly, have formed a quiet alliance. If the Heavenly Court strikes, it won’t just face the Radiant Court, but all the other realms. So the Heavenly Court will either not act at all… or it will act to sweep through the entire Nine Heavens in one go. That’s why I said, there won’t be a war. Not yet. The Heavenly Court isn’t ready.”

Murong Qing smiled faintly. “You sees things quite clearly. You’ve even managed to drag our Radiant Court into this to keep yourself safe.”

“You might not believe me,” Xu Zimo said with a shrug. “But getting the Radiant Court involved was an accident. Before I came to the Lotus Pathway, I didn’t even know the Inferno Crucible Envoy was you.”

“So you mean to say,” Murong Qing said, narrowing her eyes, “that even if the Radiant Court weren’t here, you could still leave safely?”

Xu Zimo only smiled and said nothing. “Some things,” he said lightly, “are better left unknown.”

He looked back at the battlefield. “It’s about to get even livelier.”

Murong Qing knew he wouldn’t answer and didn’t push further.

At that moment, in the heavens above, the Sky-Burial Buddha and Situ Yun stood facing each other silently.

Neither moved. Neither spoke.

The Radiant Court wouldn’t start a war, not unless the Heavenly Court tore the veil completely. And that kind of rupture wouldn’t just mean a battle. It would mean a war of annihilation.

As for the Heavenly Court, they too seemed to be weighing their options.

Finally, after a long silence, the Sky-Burial Buddha spoke. “Situ Yun, the Lord of Heaven of our Heavenly Court wishes to speak with you.”

Situ Yun smiled faintly. “An honor indeed.”

Suddenly, divine power erupted from the Holy Temple.

From the distant heavens, a vast projection descended, a vision cast from the faraway Calamity Immortal Realm, crossing endless time and space.

Slowly, within the light and immortal mist, a throne took form.