畅想听

As each tribulation substitute appeared, they bowed respectfully in the direction of the Daozi.

These substitutes were created by binding the marks of immortals trapped in the “Heavenly Emperor’s Path of the Heavenly Court” and combining them with Song Woodenhead’s ghost hand techniques.

Now, Daozi was fulfilling his agreement with Song Woodenhead. These tribulation substitutes, representing their true selves, were expressing their gratitude to Daozi.

While bowing, the substitutes shifted their gaze behind Daozi, where a more mature version of Song Shuhang floated calmly, seated cross-legged in a meditative posture.

The tribulation substitutes nodded respectfully to the mature version of Song Shuhang before leaping into the glowing circle one by one.

In Song Shuhang’s Core World…

The Northern Emperor’s form trembled slightly, as if he had just lost something.

He was one of the few members of the Heavenly Court who had managed to escape death through his own backup plans. After his resurrection, the Northern Emperor was no longer bound by the “Path of the Heavenly Court.”

However, there remained a mark of him within the ancient Path of the Heavenly Court—this was why, when Song Woodenhead had appeared to rescue Pavilion Master Chu, there had been a “Northern Emperor” present in his golden spatial world. The “Northern Emperor” in Woodenhead’s space was a tribulation substitute formed from the mark left by the Northern Emperor.

This was also the reason why Puppet Fairy had refused to acknowledge the revived Northern Emperor as the original. She couldn’t sense the familiar aura she once recognized. In her puppet state, her way of identifying things was different from that of living beings.

But now, as the tribulation substitute jumped into the glowing circle and disappeared entirely, the Northern Emperor lost a trace of his icy aura, gaining a faint warmth instead.

His realm seemed to have been subtly liberated, increasing ever so slightly.

Apart from the Northern Emperor, several other ancient Heavenly Court immortals also experienced a change in their aura, achieving true freedom.

Back in the Core World…

Golden Cheng Lin covered her forehead with her hands, shielding her eyes.

At this moment, she didn’t want her companions to see her tearful, elated expression.

Memories of the days spent with her fellow Daoists, playing and fooling around in the ancient Heavenly Court, flooded her mind.

Now, all those companions were finally free from the restraints of the “Path of the Ancient Heavenly Court.” In the near future, they would all return from their sealed states.

“If you want to cry, just cry out loud,” Daoist Chixiao said with a smile. “After all, it’s Cheng Lin’s reputation on the line.”

Golden Cheng Lin was speechless.

Daoist Chixiao made a very good point, but now that he mentioned it, even though she really wanted to cry, Golden Cheng Lin found herself unable to shed a single tear.

She removed her hands from her eyes and laughed. “Daoist, the 8.5th Heavenly Dao Ceremony is complete… Next, according to the contract, I need to take Jin Gua’s ‘Mysterious Island Heavenly Court Fragment’ back to his island and hand over the ‘Emperor Seal.’ I’ll be back soon… In the meantime, I’ll leave the management of things in your capable hands.”

The Emperor Seal was merely a symbol of the Heavenly Emperor during the Ancient Heavenly Court and didn’t have any real power.

However, as per the contract, after Golden Cheng Lin handed over the Emperor Seal to Jin Gua, once everything was settled, the 8.5th Heavenly Dao “Daozi” would bestow the complete “Path of the Heavenly Emperor” upon Jin Gua, making him the one and only officially recognized second-generation Heavenly Emperor.

“Leave it to me,” Daoist Chixiao nodded.

“Well then, everyone, I’ll be back soon.” Golden Cheng Lin extended her hand, and the fragments of the Heavenly Court belonging to the “Mysterious Island” within Song Shuhang’s Core World floated up.

Additionally, a portion of the Heavenly Court fragments originally collected by the “Heavenly Dao Must Step Down Alliance” was also included as part of the payment to Jin Gua—the remaining Heavenly Court fragments would serve as Song Shuhang’s compensation.

This time, under Song Shuhang’s careful restraint, the Heavenly Court fragments from the “Mysterious Island” did not have their embedded “Path of the Heavenly Court” absorbed by the Core World.

After all, this was something Song Shuhang had promised Jin Gua, the Island Master!

However… the “Path of the Heavenly Court” within the Heavenly Court fragments collected by the “Heavenly Dao Must Step Down Alliance” was mostly licked clean by the Core World after the ceremony.

Golden Cheng Lin, carrying numerous Heavenly Court fragments, vanished into the void.

This journey to the Mysterious Island was not just to return the Heavenly Court fragments, but also to visit the Dragon Tomb on the island and see the “Golden Dragon Ancestor’s” resting place.

Now that Golden Cheng Lin’s obsession had been resolved, the 8.5th Heavenly Dao plan had succeeded, and the restraints on the ancient Heavenly Court immortals had been broken, everything was on track.

So, while there was still some time, she intended to visit the Dragon Tomb and meet the Golden Dragon Ancestor… and remind her that staying cooped up in the tomb for too long wasn’t good for her health.

…

Back in the Core World…

“Did Senior Daozi issue a second directive? What’s the instruction this time?” Song Shuhang asked.

The first directive was to relieve the Confucian school of the aftereffects of their incomplete resurrection, but what about this one?

In the temporary discussion group…

Fairy Cheng Lin replied, “It’s to release the restraints on the ancient Heavenly Court members.”

“Are all the ancient Heavenly Court members’ restraints being lifted? Wouldn’t Senior Jin Gua end up as the bachelor emperor?” Song Shuhang asked.

Wouldn’t this be a heavy burden for Senior Jin Gua, who had only just taken on the position of Heavenly Emperor?

“No worries. The ‘Path of the Heavenly Court’ for the second-generation Heavenly Emperor Jin Gua is different from the original… There’s no hidden danger, and it won’t be swallowed up as part of the ‘Heavenly Dao Completion Plan.’ So, in the future, he can gradually reintegrate the Heavenly Court members,” Fairy Cheng Lin explained.

A Heavenly Court with no hidden dangers, combined with the grand momentum of the “Heavenly Court Reestablishment” right before Daozi ascended to the 8.5th Heavenly Dao, had essentially served as an advertisement for Jin Gua.

In the future, there would be a wave of “returning to the Heavenly Court” from survivors scattered across the myriad worlds.

The second-generation Heavenly Emperor Jin Gua would be the ultimate beneficiary.

“Island Master Jin Gua is the second-generation Heavenly Emperor?” Song Shuhang asked, suddenly confused.

He remembered that Senior Copper Trigram had mentioned seeing two Heavenly Emperor tombs—one old and one new—on the Mysterious Island.

Even though they were just cenotaphs.

So why was Island Master Jin Gua still considered the second-generation Heavenly Emperor?

“Was Heavenly Emperor Dadazi the first generation?” Song Shuhang asked.

[Ding~ Your ‘good-for-nothing friend’ the Heavenly Emperor has remotely sent you one drop of energy, with a note: Senior Song, you called for me~]

See! This is the terrifying power of a top-tier big shot.

As long as you say her name, she’ll sense it after running a series of data screening formulas.

Hold on.

[You revived?] Song Shuhang asked.

[Ah, after waiting so long… it’s time to revive. Senior Song, lift up your shirt~] the Heavenly Emperor transmitted her voice.

Song Shuhang: “???”

[I’m coming out,] the Heavenly Emperor replied.

Song Shuhang: “!!!”