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Lord of Heaven’s figure gradually faded away, and the immense pressure that had loomed over everyone’s heads finally began to dissipate.

As he vanished, Situ Yun turned toward the Sky-Burial Buddha and smiled. “Sky-Burial, do you need me to see you off?”

The tone made the Sky-Burial Buddha’s face darken. His eyes burned like torches as he cast a deep look at Xu Zimo.

“Benefactor,” he said solemnly, “turn back before it’s too late.”

“Buddha, are you trying to enlighten me?” Xu Zimo asked with a faint smile.

“I’m not enlightening you,” the monk replied, shaking his head. “I am enlightening evil.”

“Some things,” he said quietly, “are doomed before they even begin.”

Xu Zimo chuckled. “You’re quite the joker, Buddha. How can you talk about endings when the beginning hasn’t even started?”

“That’s because you don’t know what you’re truly facing,” the Sky-Burial Buddha said, unwilling to continue further.

“I know,” Xu Zimo said, his tone calm, “and I know far better than you. After all, I have once waged war against the heavens themselves. You, on the other hand, are but an ant crawling beneath the sky. Do you really think you’re qualified to lecture me?”

The Sky-Burial Buddha said nothing more. He turned the rosary around his neck, and a red glow enveloped his body before he slowly faded into the void.

The Holy Temple lifted off once more, departing with the Holy Elder.

Thus, the feud between the Radiant Court and the Heavenly Court was sealed.

Everyone knew that with these two colossal powers, there would never be small skirmishes, when they fought, one side would surely be destroyed.

But that was no longer Xu Zimo’s concern.

After the Sky-Burial Buddha left, Situ Yun lay back into his coffin again, uninterested in the rest.

Soon, the Light Lord Sage Monarch descended from the void.

He first bowed to Murong Qing. “Greetings, Saintess.”

Though he was the lord of a branch of the Radiant Court, the Saintess’s status was technically higher, for Murong Qing was destined to inherit leadership of the entire Radiant Court one day.

“There’s no need to be so formal, Sage Monarch,” Murong Qing said with a wave of her hand.

Turning to Xu Zimo, the Sage Monarch smiled. “So you’re Young Master Xu. Truly, a hero in his youth.”

“I thought your Radiant Court would back down,” Xu Zimo said bluntly.

The Sage Monarch smiled awkwardly. “This was the ancestor’s will. To be honest, if it were up to me, I wouldn’t have opposed the Heavenly Court.”

He meant every word. Had it been his choice, he would have yielded. But when the Grand Ancestor gave an order, no one in the entire Radiant Court dared to disobey.

As they spoke, Emperor Chang Kong also descended from the heavens.

“You’re from the Primordial Heartlands?” Emperor Chang Kong asked, his gaze fixed on Xu Zimo. He seemed to know a bit about him already.

“Just so you know, I destroyed the Baili Imperial Clan,” Xu Zimo said plainly.

Emperor Chang Kong was silent for a moment.

Finally, he said quietly, “I see. That is unfortunate. Descendants have their own fate. I stopped concerning myself with such matters long ago.”

“Oh. I thought you’d come seeking revenge,” Xu Zimo said with a smile.

“If I came for revenge,” Emperor Chang Kong replied, “I wouldn’t be here carrying out the ancestor’s command to ask for your help.”

At the level of a Sage Monarch, such sentiments as family hatred or affection faded into insignificance.

All that mattered was pursuing the Infinite Dao realm, climbing ever higher toward the ultimate peak.

“Young Master Xu,” the Sage Monarch asked, “would you consider coming to the Radiant Court?”

“Don’t dance around it,” Xu Zimo said, waving his hand. “What message did your ancestor send for me?”

The Sage Monarch gave a sheepish smile. “As expected, nothing escapes you, Young Master Xu. The ancestor said, this time, you owe him a favor. You’ll have to repay it someday.”

“Tell him it’s a small favor,” Xu Zimo said evenly. “If it’s within my power, I’ll do it. But if it’s too much, I won’t force myself.”

He didn’t speak harshly, but the meaning was clear.

The Radiant Court had indeed helped relieve some of the pressure from the Heavenly Court. But this wasn’t a life-saving favor, at best, it was a timely assist, not a rescue in crisis.

The previous generation’s Infernal Lord had been cunning indeed, hiding his inheritance in a forsaken land where no one could find it. That secrecy had kept the Heavenly Court from uncovering Xu Zimo’s true hand.

“Hey,” Murong Qing’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

Looking at Xu Zimo, she said, “You helped me this time, I owe you one. When we reach the Inferno Crucible Heaven, I’ll look out for you.”

Xu Zimo chuckled. “Sure. Then if I get into trouble, I’ll just use your name.”

“Our Saintess is joking,” the Light Lord Sage Monarch said quickly, wearing a strained smile before Murong Qing could reply.

If anyone else had said that, it might have been fine. But Xu Zimo’s troubles were not something Murong Qing could handle.

“In any case,” Murong Qing said, undeterred, “you’re not bad at all. But the Inferno Crucible Heaven isn’t like the Godfiend Abyss Heaven. It’s filled with far more powerful beings. Some of them don’t even take our Radiant Court seriously. You’d best be careful.”

“Saintess, it’s time to leave,” the Sage Monarch reminded her.

He clearly didn’t want her entangled with Xu Zimo any further. Xu Zimo was like a massive sun, and their Radiant Court, a small planet. If they got tied to him, they might be dragged into storms far beyond their reach.

He preferred stability.

“Relax Light Lord, don’t be so nervous,” Xu Zimo said with a grin. “To be honest, aside from your ancestor, there’s no one in your Radiant Court I really care to know. My ship isn’t one just anyone can board.”

“Yes, yes, of course,” the Sage Monarch replied with a polite smile, offering no argument, though his thoughts were his own.

“I’ll be going then,” Murong Qing said, bidding Xu Zimo farewell.

She had hoped to form some connection with him, but Xu Zimo didn’t seem interested, and the Radiant Court didn’t approve anyway.

The Radiant Court’s group departed together, but Xu Zimo didn’t follow. He was headed for the Inferno Crucible Heaven, not the Radiant Court.

Murong Qing left with the Light God Temple, while Xu Zimo watched them disappear into the distance.

Then he instructed Paimon and the others to return to the God World.

Now only Violet Mist Saint Sovereign and Moonlight Fairy remained at his side.

“To the Inferno Crucible Heaven, then?” Violet Mist Saint Sovereign asked.

“What will you two do once we get there?” Xu Zimo asked in return.

“We’ll explore and see more of this vast world,” Violet Mist said with a smile. “Nothing wrong with broadening one’s horizons.”

“And you, Young Master Xu?”

“Seek out the other Ancient God inheritances,” Xu Zimo replied lightly. “And maybe… find a few old acquaintances.”

His main goal was to gather all the Ancient Gods’ inheritances, and perhaps find whether the Grand Emperors of the True Martial Sacred Ground were here.

Once they reached the Inferno Crucible Heaven, it was likely they would go their separate ways.

“I’ll go with you,” Moonlight Fairy suddenly said.

Her words startled even Xu Zimo.

“You want to follow me?” he asked.

She nodded calmly.

“Why?”

“The Heavenly Court wants you dead,” she said. “That means they fear you. The Radiant Court chose to protect you, that means they value you. Isn’t that reason enough?”

“You’d better think carefully,” Xu Zimo said with a faint smile. “Following me means living on the edge of death. And as for the future… truthfully, I take it one step at a time.”