Ye Chen felt completely disoriented.

He felt as though he had just been trampled all over.

Jiang Minghuang, as one who could command the powerful Heaven Burying Bell, had tremendous combat power. And because he was part of the Heavenly Palace, he also held great prestige.

Once the Heavenly Emperor was dead, if Jiang Minghuang could stand by his side, he would easily clean up the mess left by the Heavenly Emperor and smoothly inherit the Heavenly Emperor’s position.

But he never expected that Jiang Minghuang would declare that he would give up his Great Emperor cultivation altogether and withdraw from the world.

If he really did that, then even if Ye Chen became the Heavenly Emperor in the future, the Heavenly Palace’s influence on Beixuan Continent would be greatly reduced. It would be nowhere near the oppressive presence it had under Gu Changqing.

The other cultivators all fell silent. Not a single person spoke up to persuade him.

After all, whether it was Jiang Minghuang or Gu Youwei making such a decision, they could understand why.

Perhaps, if they were in the same situation, they would do the same.

Just focusing on Jiang Minghuang’s case…

If the Heavenly Emperor hadn’t destroyed that invincible sword heart, who could possibly stop him once he ascended the throne?

That destroyed sword heart has been gone for hundreds of thousands of years by now. Placed in the present age, given the Heavenly Emperor’s absurd cultivation speed, he would surely be able to use that sword heart to suppress all powerful enemies of the heavens!

Such a favor to Jiang Minghuang.

If the Heavenly Emperor had not later killed Jiang Minghuang’s sister, Jiang Minghuang would likely, like Gu Youwei, have immediately sided with the Heavenly Emperor.

But just as the atmosphere in the gathering grew somewhat silent.

From beyond the heavens, a pleasant voice suddenly rang out.

The voice was crisp, like ice striking ice, tearing through layers of void barriers.

“The Heavenly Emperor was brutal and lawless, slaughtering the masses. Jiang Minghuang, why do you still mourn this kind of man and cling to brotherhood? How ridiculous!”

No sooner had the words fallen than ripples spread across the void.

A lithe woman tore through the void.

This woman was extraordinarily beautiful, the kind that is unrivalled in the world.

Her skin was like white jade, her cheeks pure and delicate, and her eyes seemed to hold stars—utterly magnificent.

The slightest change in her expression could topple hearts, and the sesame-sized mole beneath her eye only enhanced her charm.

Her figure was voluptuous, her long legs slender as if soft and boneless, moving like a swimming dragon. She was barefoot with almost divine, exquisitely pale, rose-tinted feet. Nine tails of varying colors swayed casually behind her.

What drew even more attention was the merit-giving golden wheel hovering behind her head.

It emitted dazzling divine light, adding a touch of sacredness to her boundless allure!

The moment this woman appeared, she captured everyone’s gaze.

The male cultivators were dumbfounded. Once their eyes landed on her, they couldn’t look away.

The female cultivators displayed resentment and jealousy.

Heaven could be cruel: it granted some people powerful cultivation talent but took away their handsome looks, or it granted one beauty but robbed them of cultivation talent.

But this woman had heaven’s favor in both aspects. Not only was she given a visage that overturned the world, she was granted peerless cultivation talent. The slowly turning merit-giving golden wheel behind her proved she was sheltered by the Heavenly Way!

It was as if her appearance in this world was the Heavenly Way proving to all what the most perfect woman looked like.

The Empress of Qingqiu, Bai Su.

She was also the current Great Emperor of the demon race.

The life of this empress, like the appearance she showed people, was utterly perfect!

Her cultivation talent was immense, and in terms of bloodline, she was the world’s only Qingqiu spirit fox. After becoming the Great Empress of the demon race, she quickly led that race to rise.

They became, after the Heavenly Palace, the second largest power on Beixuan Continent.

The Justice Alliance owed a lot of their ability to breach the Heavenly Palace to this Demon Emperor.

Ye Chen’s eyes also flashed brightly.

He had long coveted this Demon Empress. In terms of status, position, strength, and appearance, she was top-tier.

The only problem was that this Demon Empress was far too proud and aloof.

Even though he had tried to curry favor several times, she had never given him a proper glance. If not for this campaign against the heavens opposing the Heavenly Emperor, he might never have any interaction with her in his life.

“Greetings, Demon Empress. Your contribution to successfully subduing the Heavenly Emperor is indispensable.”

“Once the Heavenly Emperor falls, I shall hold a banquet in this Heavenly Palace to celebrate Your Majesty’s victories.”

Ye Chen behaved as obsequiously as possible.

But Bai Su merely glanced at him coolly and said, “No need.”

Those three cold words did not anger Ye Chen. Instead, he kept smiling as if being able to say a single sentence to her was a tremendous honor.

Bai Su glanced at Jiang Minghuang, then looked at Gu Youwei, who was suppressed by the Heaven Burying Bell.

Her expression grew icy. “The Heavenly Emperor once had genuine feelings for these people, but toward my race, he harbored nothing but mortal hatred.”

“Now that the Heavenly Emperor is suppressed, if any of you—whoever you are—contemplate releasing him, I, Bai Su, will fight him to the death!”