Chapter 197 Framing the True Form of the Eastern Azure Emperor! ...

The incarnation is related to the original deity, but once the incarnation is separated, it becomes an independent entity and cannot represent the original deity.

Just like the Heavenly Official and the Water Official, they are like two flowers on the same vine, originating from the same source, yet they will surely bloom with different fragrances.

The only difference is that although the Ten Directions Salvation Heavenly Venerables are independent beings in terms of soul and wisdom, they are all "flowers" nurtured by the "root" of the Eastern Azure Flower Emperor.

The three deities descended from the clouds, bringing an end to the war in the heavens.

Bitao remained kneeling on the ground, holding the unconscious Mingguang in her arms, watching the three figures fly to the Six Imperial Platforms of Chongxiao, her breathing slightly tight.

The old turtle demon finally showed itself, appearing alongside two other celestial beings, clearly still trying to confuse everyone.

But he probably doesn't even realize that he's already been exposed.

The fairies erupted in cheers and relief once again, and Bitao's ears were filled with shouts of "It's the Southeast Heavenly Venerable of Salvation! We're really saved now!"

"Yes, yes, the Southeast Heavenly Venerable is the most compassionate and tolerant; he will surely listen carefully to Immortal Bitao's explanation!"

"I've only heard my parents say that the Southeast Celestial Venerable blessed me and extended my life when I was a child. I've never seen the Venerable in person... He... he actually looks like this?"

"Stop drooling! This is a Celestial Venerable... Are you tired of living if you offend a Celestial Venerable?"

...

Needless to say, it is obvious that the Southeast Good Life Salvation Heavenly Venerable has great virtue and prestige in the Nine Heavens.

The three Celestial Venerables finally arrived in front of everyone. Bitao met the gaze of the old turtle spirit disguised as a Celestial Venerable. Her eyes were full of vigilance and hostility, but most of her gaze turned to astonishment.

This Celestial Venerable of the Southeast possessed an unparalleled and handsome appearance.

With his sun-like eyebrows and pearly forehead, his face was as clear as jade, and a single cinnabar mole between his brows made him seem like an unapproachable saint. Yet, a cinnabar mole under his left eye added a touch of allure to his saintly purity, making one yearn to see him fall from grace.

He glanced at me sideways, his starry eyes and moon-like cheeks gleaming with divine light. He moved with the graceful elegance of a crane and the slender posture of a crane, adorned in a robe of rosy clouds and adorned with moon-shaped pendants.

Even someone as sensual as Bitao, who has seen all the colors in the world, couldn't help but be momentarily lost in thought.

Good news! Zhan Kui, who was not far from Bi Tao, hissed and took a long breath.

Compared to the Southeast Heavenly Venerable, the other two Celestial Venerables were so good that they seemed like a divine lord descending to earth with his two old servants driving the carriage.

Bitao met his gaze, her brows furrowing suddenly. Bewitched by the compassion and kindness in his eyes, if it weren't for the spiritual mark Bitao had made on his soul, Bitao would have doubted that she had wronged the true god.

One after another, voices of "Greetings to the Three Celestial Venerables" rang out. This time, even the Queen Mother of the West knelt down without hesitation, and the King Father of the East followed closely behind, manifesting his full body and paying his respects properly without the slightest reluctance.

Moreover, Bitao discovered that although this group of people claimed to have seen the three Heavenly Venerables, they were actually kneeling and kowtowing in the direction of the Southeast Heavenly Venerable.

This clearly shows that he has countless followers in the Nine Heavens and is extremely popular.

Since Bitao condensed her spirit, she had naturally heard of the name of the Southeast Heavenly Venerable, but she only knew that he was the incarnation of the Eastern Azure Emperor.

Is his name really that renowned? So renowned that even immortals look up to him in awe?

The Eastern Azure Emperor has ten incarnations, all of whom are Heavenly Venerables of the Ten Directions, each with a resounding name.

But which of the nine saints in the heavens doesn't have a good reputation outside, praised extensively by believers, and given a special name?

If we calculate it this way, the Great Emperor of the Eastern Azure Flower has more than a dozen other titles, so he should be the number one god in the Nine Heavens.

Moreover, those at the level of Celestial Venerables rarely traverse the Nine Heavens. Even when the Eastern Azure Emperor personally supervised the competition, it did not cause any disturbance among the immortals of the Nine Heavens. Why is this Southeast Celestial Venerable so powerful?

Bitao had many questions and doubts in her heart, all because she was too young.

Zhu Ming and the others did not completely lower their guard because of the appearance of the Celestial Venerable. They led some immortals and the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth and Water, and quietly gathered around Bi Tao.

At that moment, he stood not far behind her and saw her kneeling there, looking up at the Southeast Celestial Venerable with a puzzled expression. He then explained to her in a secret voice, "The Southeast Celestial Venerable, also known as the Deity of Life, has always had close private dealings with the Ancient Immortal Clan."

Zhu Ming's tone was quite disdainful: "The ancient immortal clan is like a weasel giving birth to mice, each generation is worse than the last, and the inheritance of divine power is becoming weaker and weaker. In recent hundreds of years, even having offspring has become difficult. Yet even a born waste like Guanghan Binglun can rank among the top in various departments. Without a celestial being to save their lives and prolong their lives, do you think there will be many descendants of immortals who can stand on the stage?"

Bitao knew that if it weren't for the fact that most of the younger generation of the ancient immortals were unworthy of their positions, the Heavenly Realm and the Underworld wouldn't have jointly held these three immortal selection competitions.

Bitao looked thoughtful.

The lesser immortals respect the Heavenly Venerables, but they are not afraid of them. Moreover, given the current situation in the Heavenly Realm, the Three Venerables have clearly received the Order of Return to the Void and rushed back to turn the tide.

They all spoke up, informing the three immortal venerables of their current situation.

"It was the Immortal Bitao who devised the plan to lure out the rebellious Thunder Emperor and his generals from the Thunder Department. The Azure Emperor and the Heavenly Dao of the Myriad Realms were not present. The situation was too critical at the time, so they had to issue the Return to the Void Order to ask the immortals of the Myriad Realms for help."

"Yes, later, the Big Dipper Star Lord and the generals of the Ministry of War were instigated by a junior general from the Thunder Department, which led them to indiscriminately force the newly ascended Immortal Mingguang and others to kill Immortal Bitao, thus causing a chaotic battle among the immortals..."

"Fortunately, the Celestial Venerables returned in time!"

The other two Celestial Venerables listened to the cacophony of explanations from the immortals, but their gazes toward Bitao remained stern. Clearly, whatever the reason, they both felt that Bitao, this Grand Immortal, dared to issue the Return to Nothingness Order without authorization, which was an overreach of imperial authority.

However, the Southeast Heavenly Venerable, upon hearing the words of the immortals, first inquired whether the Seven Star Lords of the Big Dipper were mistaken. The six star lords who had previously subdued the immortals with a single move were now all dejected, like domestic dogs being trained. No matter what the Southeast Heavenly Venerable said, they all lowered their heads and said "yes".

After reprimanding the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper, the Southeast Heavenly Venerable looked at Bitao with gentle eyes and spoke in a clear, spring-like voice: "So that's how it is."

He glanced at the other two Celestial Venerables and spoke up for Bitao: "Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Although this immortal is insignificant, she stopped the calamity in the Nine Heavens, and her merit can outweigh her faults. Once she returns to the Azure Netherworld, she should be rewarded with great favor."

At this point, the misunderstanding and crisis seem to have been completely resolved.

The group that ascended with Mingguang all gathered behind Bitao.

Taiji, having emptied his blood energy with his immortal spirit, knelt beside Bitao, grasped one of her arms, and whispered restrainedly, "Fairy Bitao...we're late."

Bitao turned her head to look at Taiji, then turned to look at the other ascended immortals, some familiar and some unfamiliar. Her brow furrowed slightly. Among the ascended immortals, Chong Ahan Shangdu stood not far away and nodded excitedly to Bitao. Why was Ji Chunjun not there?

Ji Chun-jun's ice shield is the most useful; she originally wanted to wait a while before making a move, so she could properly protect Mingguang...

The Southeast Celestial Venerable, who spoke up for Bitao, clearly held considerable weight in the eyes of the other two Celestial Venerables.

Finally, the Eastern Jade Treasure Emperor Heavenly Venerable stroked his beard and said, "Since the Southeast Heavenly Venerable thinks so, then we two have no objection."

"We will examine his merits and demerits in detail when Qingming returns."

As soon as the voices of the three Celestial Venerables fell, someone among the lesser immortals immediately spoke up, their voices resounding throughout the entire Chongxiao Six Imperial Platforms.

"But the three Heavenly Venerables, the Azure Nether Emperor was taken away by the True Monarch of the Upper Clarity Realm to be questioned, the White Tiger and Vermilion Bird Star Gods previously led troops to the Nine Heavens, and the Heavenly Dao of the Myriad Realms is now also tied up because the Azure Dragon Star Constellation has derailed. Even after receiving the Return to the Void Order, they have not returned. It seems that the Azure Dragon Star Constellation has also rebelled."

"Juntian has been reduced to ruins. The returning immortals are unable to distinguish who the rebellious immortals are, and they are fighting each other. To this day, the culprit of the rebellious immortals has not been caught. We beseech the Heavenly Venerable to temporarily assume the responsibilities of the Emperor and sit in the Nine Heavens!"

"Please, Heavenly Venerable, temporarily assume the Emperor's responsibilities, sit in the Star Dial, and quell the chaos caused by the rebellious immortals in the Nine Heavens!"

In an instant, the stars swirled above the yin-yang sundial, and all the immortals, as if under the might of an eagle, had found their chicks under the mother hen's wings, and they all united to try to squeeze under the wings of the three celestial venerables.

Two of the celestial deities declined, citing that "their duties are not suitable for them to assume the responsibilities of the emperor."

Bitao listened intently, almost bursting into a cold laugh.

Of the three Celestial Venerables, the Eastern Jade Treasure Emperor Celestial Venerable is in charge of pardoning sins and relieving calamities in the Eastern Realm, while the Northwest Boundless Taihua Celestial Venerable is in charge of resolving wars. As a result, these two shirked their responsibilities and instead let a Celestial Venerable who is good at bestowing blessings and prolonging life take over as Emperor. They didn't even bother to pretend anymore.

The Southeast Heavenly Venerable held an extremely high position in the Heavenly Realm and was renowned for his virtue and ability to grant requests. When the other two Heavenly Venerables declined, the Southeast Heavenly Venerable had no choice but to "reluctantly agree."

Bitao finally understood why the old turtle spirit had hidden for so long, only revealing itself after commanding his forces to utterly destroy the Heavenly Realm.

This is exactly what he's been waiting for: a "legitimate and perfectly justified position, with all the immortals surrounding him."

Now, even Bitao can only watch helplessly as he is elected by the crowd. All the previous life-and-death struggles and the loss of most of Mingguang's life have turned into efforts to help the old turtle spirit ascend to the throne.

Even if Bitao were to openly admit that she was the culprit and reveal the story of the wisp of spiritual energy attached to Jing Su, no one would believe her.

They all grew up thanks to that old bastard's kindness.

Since the third competition, Bitao and this old turtle spirit have clashed several times, and Bitao has been at a disadvantage every time.

He had schemed and plotted against them, pushing them step by step to where they were now. Even before seeing his true form, the Eastern Azure Emperor had doubted him, but never his incarnation.

The fact that the Southeast Celestial Venerable could plot for thousands of years right under the nose of the Eastern Azure Emperor is truly remarkable.

Moreover, every move he makes is a calculated scheme that is impossible to defend against.

Holding Mingguang, Bitao laughed somewhat absurdly. She prided herself on being unmatched in intelligence and manipulating events with ease, but she was probably chosen as a pawn to bring about today's situation from the very first game.

Thinking of Jing Su, who followed them down to the mortal realm during the first competition, always by their side, yet never aroused any suspicion.

Knowing that Jing Su would not descend to the mortal realm for the second competition, those who wanted to kill her began to emerge one after another.

There are Kunlun sword cultivators who are affiliated with the Queen Mother of the West, juniors from ancient immortal clans, and even the successor of the Year God...

Looking back now, this unprecedented conspiracy, with all the various forces involved, was merely a pawn manipulated at will by this Celestial Venerable.

Bitao was overjoyed and became arrogant after she caught several people who wanted to harm her and caused chaos throughout the heavens.

In reality, Jing Su, the incarnation of this Celestial Venerable, was in the Heavenly Realm, watching all of this, and probably had no idea how she would laugh at her foolishness.

As for the third competition, the sacrifice of the immortals, her friends sent her to heaven, and she thought she had won.

But what happens in the end?

Mingguang was still willing to knowingly step into a trap. She had finally gained the trust of the immortals, and even if she forged the identity of Houtu Niangniang, it still couldn't compare to the blessings bestowed upon her by the old turtle spirit since the ancestors of the immortals.

She wanted to be the blade of the Heavenly Dao and the Azure Netherworld, but because of her stubborn and self-willed nature, she stirred up chaos among the immortals and ended up becoming the blade used by this old turtle demon to seize power.

Bitao had never experienced such a sense of defeat in her entire life.

She even started to wonder if she had accidentally hit her head and damaged it.

Or did it get kicked by a donkey?

She seemed to be ascending to heaven step by step, a celestial being over two hundred years old, a figure of unparalleled glory throughout history.

In reality, they never escaped from someone else's grasp.

Bitao lowered her head, looking at Mingguang's face, which was as pale as paper—now, things might even come to the point where she would lose Mingguang's life.

What exactly is she after?

Just as Bitao was experiencing her first crushing defeat, the victor, the Southeast Heavenly Venerable, approached Bitao and Mingguang.

He raised his hand, his smile as radiant as a lotus blossoming, pure healing light gathering in his palm. Like a truly benevolent and loving elder, he gently said to Bitao, "Prince Mingguang's life hangs in the balance. Let me heal him first."

Their eyes met, and Bitao saw a subtle encouragement in his eyes.

She knew that as long as she obeyed his wishes at this moment, as long as she put aside all her rebellious thoughts and went with the flow, this Heavenly Venerable would definitely "forgive past grievances".

Besides the position of Immortal Emperor, giving her everything she wants will also become her strongest backing and support.

After all, it's hard to find another pawn in this world as useful as Bitao, who doesn't involve any faction.

She might just be able to climb to the position of the old turtle spirit's confidant.

Bitao recalled the "heroic feat" when the year's ruling deity tore apart the star. They obeyed the Heavenly Venerable. Now, apart from the hundreds of immortals standing behind Bitao, including the immortals who had fought alongside her before, they all believed in and obeyed the Southeast Heavenly Venerable.

If Bitao were to nod her head right now, she could not only travel to the heavens and the earth, but also probably traverse time at will.

All her regrets, the times she could never return to, and the people and things she could never have, could all be obtained at her fingertips.

The two exchanged glances for less than a breath, or rather, Bitao's brief, kneeling gaze at this celestial being felt as long as the vast ocean had changed.

When she was a petty person named Taozhi, she often fought with Mingguang and was thrown thousands of miles away. She knew best that when the big waves came in the sea, not to mention that even the most magnificent spirit boats on the sea would be capsized, even the fish living in the sea had to stick together in groups to survive.

The waves will crush all living things and dead objects that try to go against them; those who are thin and go against the current will only end up being buried at the bottom of the sea.

The tremor in Bitao's eyes was like the fall of a group of bright immortals.

Should she go with the flow to save everyone's lives and eke out a living amidst the giant waves, or should she raise the sails and go against the current, letting the wind and waves tear everything she cares about apart?

As the spiritual energy symbolizing "submission" enveloped the bright light in her arms, Bitao suddenly disrupted the laws of heaven and earth, blocking the old turtle spirit's spiritual energy.

Like a small fish swimming upstream against the current in a river, lake, or sea, oblivious to its own fate!

Just like the common people whose life force has been robbed and who can only live to be thirty or forty years old, yet they still continue to reproduce!

When the great wave came, she chose to go against the tide—because she was born to defy the heavens, a filthy being that embodies both purity and impurity!

"Don't touch him!"

Bitao flicked away the celestial spirit that was healing Mingguang from the Southeast Heavenly Venerable, then pulled her hand out from Mingguang's back and, fearlessly, launched a sudden attack on the Southeast Heavenly Venerable!

The immortals were horrified!

"Bitao is too ethereal, you can't!"

"Peach blossoms..."

"Celestial Venerable, get out of the way!"

"The Immortal Bitao dares to attack the Heavenly Venerable; she's probably the one who rebels against the immortals—"

The immortals all absolutely support the Southeast Heavenly Venerable. All the heavenly soldiers, the Big Dipper Star Gods, the Year Gods, and even some immortal masters are on the Southeast Heavenly Venerable's side.

However, amidst the commotion among the immortals, Bitao still had the meritorious immortals of Youtian, led by Zhu Ming, and the immortals who had ascended from the third competition arena, led by Taiji.

The two sides were once again at odds.

Southeast Celestial Venerable seemed not to have expected that he would try to save someone, but was suddenly attacked. He was struck in the chest by Bi Tao's full-force blow and staggered back several steps before finally being helped to his feet by the other two Celestial Venerables.

Six of the seven stars of the Big Dipper stepped forward to block Bitao, but with their backs to the Southeast Heavenly Venerable, they looked at Bitao with different expressions.

Bitao stood in opposition to the group of immortals, pointing at the Southeast Heavenly Venerable and saying, "He is the rebellious immortal who instigated the great battle among the immortals!"

Bitao's accusations naturally provoked a backlash from the immortals.

"Nonsense! Fairy Bitao, I respect you greatly. You're probably... a thief crying 'stop thief!'"

"How could the Celestial Venerable be a rebellious immortal? The Celestial Venerable is... the best Celestial Venerable!"

“Our people have been blessed by the Celestial Venerable for thousands of years. The Celestial Venerable is compassionate and merciful, and his blessings extend to all living beings. It is absolutely impossible for him to cause chaos in the Nine Heavens!”

"Besides, the Heavenly Venerable is an ancient god. Even if Qingming were to come in person, he would still have to address him as the Heavenly Venerable. Surely he wouldn't be giving up his position as the Heavenly Venerable to compete for the Emperor's throne, would he?"

...

Everyone chimed in with their own opinions to refute Bitao, while the Eastern King Duke and the Western Queen Mother looked at Bitao with surprise.

They tacitly supported Bitao along the way, but Bitao accused the Southeast Heavenly Venerable of trying to usurp the Emperor's throne.

Doesn't this mean that some people are tired of being gods in heaven and insist on going down to earth to experience the status of kings and generals?

The Southeast Celestial Venerable stood among the crowd, offering no defense of himself, yet Bitao was already condemned by everyone for accusing him with a single sentence.

The two had clashed several times from a distance, with Bitao always suffering defeat. This time, however, they faced each other directly, and all the immortals sided with the Southeast Heavenly Venerable. It was clear that Bitao was fighting a losing battle.

But Bitao looked at his heart, which she had struck, and scoffed.

He said, "It's him!"

"The other two celestial beings are his assistants, his puppets."

The more they talked, the more outrageous it became, and even the immortals didn't know how to refute it.

Bitao retorted, "If that's not the case, the three Heavenly Venerables returned to the Heavenly Realm clearly to quell the chaos under the Guixu Decree. Why haven't they yet allowed the departed Star Gods, or even the Year Gods in charge of the year, to return to their positions quickly?!"

"On the contrary, they are so eager to pass the buck and assume the responsibility of the Emperor. Do the immortals think they have come to rescue the Nine Heavens, or are they seizing the opportunity to usurp the throne?"

The immortals wanted to defend the three celestial deities, but Bitao's words made perfect sense.

They were all caught off guard. If the true immortal returned to his position and took control of the situation, the first thing he would do would be to bring back the year's ruling deity and the star deity.

As Bitao spoke, her hands rapidly formed hand seals in mid-air. Those around the Southeast Heavenly Venerable were all on guard, wary that Bitao might once again commit such a rebellious act against the Heavenly Venerable.

They were so grateful for the blessing and life extension bestowed by the Heavenly Venerable that they were blinded by their own limited perspective, forgetting that if the Heavenly Venerable's strength was truly commensurate with that of an immortal, how could a mere Grand Immortal possibly be able to strike him?

The Peach Blossom Seal was formed, but he didn't release it immediately. He said to everyone, "This is the Spirit-Seeking Seal. You all probably recognize it. This thing is absolutely harmless."

Bitao activated the incantation, and the spirit-seeking seal quickly flew towards the direction of the Southeast Heavenly Venerable, piercing straight into his chest right in front of everyone.

Bitao sneered, "All the immortals saw it, didn't they? He plundered the life force of the star realm in the third competition for his own use, not only framing King Jinghai, but also killing King Jinghai in public as the culprit who used him as a substitute!" "What nonsense are you spouting?" Xi Wangmu couldn't help but interrupt Bitao.

The Southeast Celestial Venerable greatly helped her Kunlun sword cultivators through their life-and-death tribulations and the tribulation of becoming one with the sword. The Queen Mother of the West hated evil as if it were her enemy, and felt that there were few good birds in the entire Nine Heavens, but the Southeast Celestial Venerable was definitely a good immortal.

If his partner, the successor of Doumu Xingjun, had not perished during a tribulation more than four thousand years ago, he would not have secluded himself in the myriad realms and ceased his activities in the Nine Heavens.

These younger generations not only have fewer and fewer people who know him, but very few people have even heard of him in the last few centuries.

No matter how much Bitao lost her mind while killing, she should never have uttered such slanderous words against the Compassionate Savior of the Southeast Heavenly Venerable.

Bitao ignored the Queen Mother of the West's anger and continued, "All immortals, please watch carefully."

The peach blossoms stirred the laws of heaven and earth, and with a flick of the wrist, the immortal spirits manifested as they truly were.

To everyone's astonishment, the spirit-seeking technique connected the Southeast Heavenly Venerable on one end, but the Mingguang Xuanxian, who was lying unconscious on the ground on the other.

Even those immortals who had just ascended to the Heavenly Realm and were standing behind Mingguang Xuanxian.

Bitao said, "The immortals have just ascended from the mortal realm, so all the vitality naturally comes from the arena of the third competition."

"Only those who plunder the life force of all living beings in the third arena can become immortals of the same origin as those who ascend to immortality!"

Bitao pointed at the Southeast Heavenly Venerable and said, "Do you dare to take off your clothes and let the immortals see? I bet the wound on your chest that I struck you is now a serious injury."

“A Celestial Venerable cannot evade the attack of a Supreme Immortal. This is not something you can gloss over just because you are kind.”

"This only proves that your immortal spirit has collapsed and your soul is about to crumble. That's why you secretly plunder the life force of the star realm, using past favors to control the immortals and launch the Nine Heavens War, all for the sake of seizing the opportunity to ascend to the throne of the Emperor, just like now, so that you can continue to steal the life force from the Yin-Yang sphere of the Milky Way and prolong your life!"

As soon as Bitao finished speaking, all the immortals fell silent.

The spirit-seeking array hangs in mid-air, and the immortal spirits, originating from the same source, have no way to deny it.

The Queen Mother of the West stared at the celestial spirits flowing towards the Southeast Heavenly Venerable from the spirit-seeking array, speechless and incredulous.

Three of the Big Dipper Star Lords raised their hands to scratch their heads and rub their faces, while the other three had blank expressions.

The deities in charge of the year stood in the clouds, their expressions somber, like a group of helpless puppets.

The Ministry of War had tens of thousands of soldiers, their weapons at rest, clearly indicating that they had no intention of fighting anymore.

However, "the tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease."

After a long silence, the Southeast Celestial Venerable looked down at the spiritual energy in front of him for a moment and suddenly understood the key to it.

How could he be so stupid as not to first use the magic array of the mountains and rivers in his own territory to cleanse the retrieved immortal spirits before absorbing them into his body for people to search for and capture?

The immortal spirit within his body was injected into him when the Immortal Bitao attacked him earlier.

He chuckled softly, his voice as melodious as a clear, tinkling spring.

The way he looked up at Bitao even carried a hint of admiration.

He didn't make any pointless excuses, nor did he speak harshly. He just smiled helplessly, his tone like that of someone scolding a mischievous junior.

Inside the cuff, wrinkled and aged fingers, worn from injury, quietly clenched.

He murmured to Bitao as if to his lover, "You are really... cunning and disgusting."

Seeing that he finally stopped denying it, Bitao immediately retorted, "You are truly disgustingly greedy!"

She truly had no other bargaining chips besides that wisp of spiritual thread attached to "Jing Su's" soul.

But Bitao has never known what it means to admit defeat.

With the guillotine pressing down on her head and all the evidence and witnesses present, she still managed to use her silver tongue to defend herself and secure a sliver of hope.

Isn't it just that there's no evidence to "punish" the Southeast Celestial Venerable?

If you don't have one, create one yourself!

Bitao bet on his position as a Heavenly Venerable, yet he didn't realize that someone else's spiritual threads were attached to his body; his immortal spirit must be weak.

He has already appeared in his true form as the Celestial Venerable, yet he dares not let the Star Gods return to their positions. Isn't it because he fears that the immortals will rebel, and he himself is powerless to retaliate?

Bitao bet that if she suddenly launched an attack, this "delicate and weak" Heavenly Venerable would have no chance to dodge her offensive.

Therefore, while the immortals were surrounding him as he "temporarily assumed the position of Emperor," Bitao was slowly drawing out the bright light, as well as the Taiji around her and the immortals behind her—the celestial spirits from the third competition star realm.

When the Southeast Celestial Venerable, even at this point, still refused to let Mingguang go and attempted to "bless" him, he suddenly struck, sending those celestial spirits from the lower realm into Mingguang's body.

His actions were exposed again—he was caught red-handed.

As expected, the Southeast Celestial Venerable is now speechless. Even if he had a thousand mouths, even if all the immortals trusted him, even if he revealed Bi Tao's "framing," the immortals probably wouldn't easily agree to his "temporary succession to the throne."

The Celestial Venerable sighed and said, "You are indeed very clever, I like you very much, it's a pity..."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Bitao with a smile, but did not order the Star Gods and soldiers under his command to capture Bitao, the madman who framed him.

He stood there, as if waiting.

What is he waiting for?!

Having fallen for his tricks too many times, Bitao couldn't help but feel flustered.

A moment later... nothing happened.

The immortals were unsure how to react to the current situation, as none of them truly wanted to believe that the Southeast Heavenly Venerable was the true form of the Rebellious Immortal.

They dared not offend the Heavenly Venerable as easily as Bitao.

However, this stalemate did not last long.

Yun Chuan quickly stepped forward and walked straight toward Ming Guang, who was lying on the ground.

Bitao was suddenly inspired and almost pounced over. Before she could retaliate, she opened her arms and hugged Mingguang, using her body to take the brunt of Yun Chuan's attack.

"Yun Chuan, what are you doing?!"

"Ice Wheel, Ice Mirror, you!"

Taiji quickly stood protectively beside Bitao, but one by one, the familiar comrades who had fought alongside them, who had been standing behind her, began to attack Bitao and Mingguang.

This included the Nine Heavens Emperor, who had been silently fighting alongside Bi Tao, or rather, all the ancient immortal clans, who suddenly turned against her as if they had gone mad.

Just as Guanghan was about to attack Bitao, activating the power of the Star God, Zhan Kui, who had been mingling in the crowd and tugging at her, suddenly transformed into the all-knowing Zhu Jiuyin, snatched Guanghan in his mouth, and rushed towards the Juntian Water Bridge—

Guanghan is now the successor of Emperor Wenchang, it's too dangerous to leave him by Bitao's side!

"Take one if you can!" Zhan Kui flew by, drool pouring down his face like a light rain.

Zhan Kui and Guang Han, these two "insignificant" people, left, and no one chased after them.

Meanwhile, the infighting on Bitao's side is escalating. They have all clearly lost their minds and are being manipulated. They cannot be killed, and none of them are ordinary people.

Bitao also had to protect the dying Mingguang from the brunt of the attack, leaving her struggling to cope and barely able to take care of herself.

During the confrontation, she turned her head and glanced at the Southeast Celestial Venerable, who was still standing leisurely not far away. His eyes were smiling, but also contained the most dazzling indifference and cruelty in the world.

Bitao realized with a chill run down her spine that he possessed far more abilities than she had initially suspected...

While he was already preoccupied with his own affairs with Bitao, he turned around and calmly walked towards the direction of the yin-yang sundial.

By this time, the celestial masters of the Nine Heavens had also realized that something was amiss.

The Queen Mother of the West was the first to step forward to stop them, and the King Father of the East followed suit.

But just as they passed the Big Dipper constellation god, before they even reached the Southeast Heavenly Venerable, their steps suddenly halted.

Some of the Kunlun sword cultivators, who were as obedient as dogs to the Queen Mother of the West, suddenly soared into the air and stood in front of her without attacking her. Instead, their life force was instantly drained, and they died in front of the Queen Mother of the West.

The place where life returns has not been hidden; it is precisely the direction of the Southeast Celestial Venerable.

The Eastern King also sensed the mass deaths of the Penglai Fairies, their faces contorted in rage, yet he dared not take another step forward.

The fifth star deity of the Big Dipper, Lian Zhen, who had failed to stop the Eastern King Duke and the Western Queen Mother in time, suddenly struggled, opened his eyes wide, and collapsed without even being able to utter a sound.

That's the god of the Big Dipper constellation!

He died so casually!

Everyone looked at the Southeast Heavenly Venerable with terror in their eyes, as if they were seeing a demon incarnate.

The vast celestial spirits surged towards the Southeast Celestial Venerable like a tidal wave, instantly healing the injuries he had sustained from being struck by the peach blossom. His wrinkled, aged skin, which had been hidden in his sleeve, regained its radiant, jade-like vitality.

The Queen Mother of the West examined them with a heavy heart and found that all the Kunlun sword cultivators had died.

The Queen Mother of the West was furious and pointed her sword at the Heavenly Venerable: "You really are the leader of the rebellious immortals! What kind of wicked tricks did you use!"

"Just now you venerated me as the Heavenly Venerable, but in the blink of an eye, the distinction between you and me has vanished?"

Southeast Heavenly Venerable looked at the Queen Mother of the West with some disappointment and said, "Wan Jin, these Kunlun sword cultivators of yours are people who deserve to die. It was I who extended their lives and prolonged their lives that allowed them to serve you for hundreds of years. Now I am merely taking back the immortal spirits I extended their lives for. Why do you look so betrayed?"

Wan Jin is the original name of the Queen Mother of the West. I don't know if anyone has called her that for thousands or tens of thousands of years.

However, the Queen Mother of the West was shocked not because the Heavenly Venerable called her by her real name, but because... the Heavenly Venerable could actually "take back" the immortal spirits that he had saved and extended for human life at will!

Upon hearing this, all the immortals' expressions changed drastically.

Bitao, surrounded by her former companions and friends, heard this and looked back, not daring to take another step forward or stop the immortals of the Southeast Heavenly Venerable. She finally understood why this Heavenly Venerable, who was half-dead and practically "powerless" in terms of immortality, could command the immortals.

How could they have remained hidden for thousands of years before launching the current Nine Heavens Rebellion?

Zhu Ming said he has always maintained close ties with the Ancient Immortal Clan, and countless members of the younger generation of the Ancient Immortal Clan have benefited from his kindness...

Furthermore, he is an ancient incarnation of the Great Emperor Qinghua of the East, so one can imagine how many immortals have received his blessings, life extension, and longevity throughout the tens of thousands of years in the Nine Heavens!

Bitao almost laughed out loud—the ancient immortal clans all inherited their lineages from generation to generation, so wouldn't that mean that after their ancestors received the blessing of being granted extended life, they became the "people who should have died long ago" in the words of the Heavenly Venerable?

Then wouldn't all the descendants born to "people who should have died long ago" be "celestial spirits" that the Heavenly Venerable could take back at any time?

Before the Southeast Celestial Venerable revealed his ability to reclaim the "Immortal Spirit," who could have imagined, or dared to imagine, that he had any schemes planned?

Even the Eastern Azure Emperor, who shares the same origin as him, probably never imagined that his incarnation could "eat and spit out, spit out and eat again."

The Southeast Heavenly Venerable is in charge of saving lives and prolonging life. He is an ancient god who is superior to all the immortals in the heavenly realm. No matter who he wants to save, bless, or prolong, even the Immortal Emperor and the Heavenly Dao of all realms cannot interfere.

No wonder!

No wonder even the two immortals, Qingming and the Heavenly Dao of the Myriad Realms, who are both ranked as high immortals, dare not easily touch this old turtle spirit.

For years, the celestial realm has been guarding against calamities of heaven and earth. The Celestial Emperor sits in charge of the star dial, abandoning human desires and even flattening his buttocks from sitting on it, all to prevent chaos and catastrophe in the celestial realm.

Despite all the precautions, they couldn't prevent the old turtle in their backyard, a symbol of "good fortune and happiness," from becoming a spirit!

The old turtle, unwilling to accept its fate at the end of its life, began to withdraw its blessings!

So, were only the ancient immortals of the celestial realm blessed by him? He was stationed in the southeastern star realm to bestow blessings, so his bargaining chips must have been more than just the immortals of the celestial realm, right?

Countless beings in the celestial realms are the "reserves" he has accumulated over countless generations in the human world.

All doubts were resolved.

But... how do we fight this?

He doesn't even need to lift a finger; with a mere thought, he can annihilate the Big Dipper Star God. Even those other immortals, in order to avoid death and not repay their "immortal spirits," would risk their lives and charge into battle for him.

Bitao had previously blamed the old turtle spirit for not showing up sooner, but now she understood that he wasn't deliberately hiding out of cowardice; he simply didn't need to show himself too early. There were plenty of people willing to shed blood and die for him to save their lives.

After all, even ants try to survive, so who wouldn't want to live?

Not to mention the gods in charge of the year, whose souls are connected to the time values ​​of all realms, they dare not die if their lives are threatened.

When Bitao thought about how the old turtle spirit had tried to bless Mingguang, a chill ran down her spine.

She had just subdued her former companions when her thoughts shifted—at least the meritorious immortal positions in You Tian, ​​those immortal positions that had just ascended from the lower realm, were not affected by this Southeast Heavenly Venerable!

Fortunately, the old turtle spirit itself wasn't very powerful, so we decided to kill it first by surprise!

But what Bitao could think of, how could the old turtle spirit, who had endured for thousands or tens of thousands of years, not think of?

Before Bitao and the others could act, the remaining Beidou Star Gods had already activated their Star God power again and controlled everyone on their side.

The Queen Mother of the West and the King Father of the East were caught in a dilemma due to the creatures of Penglai and Kunlun, and the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth and Water were also protected by the power of the stars on Bitao's side.

At this point, even if ten more Fairy Bitao came, it would be of no use.

Bitao was pressed back to the ground by the power of the Star Orbit Array, but she mustered her strength and hugged Mingguang.

She thought to herself, "So be it. If I were to perish here today, I could at least say that I and Mingguang are together forever."

It's a pity... her friends went through so much hardship to reach the heavens, only to die.

It's just a pity that her little Tai Chi hasn't had a chance to "fully grow up" yet.

Unfortunately, Bitao hadn't figured out how to tell Xuanjia that her young emperor had risked his life to enter the River of Oblivion in order to see her.

The only saving grace was that Zhan Kui was still lucky; she escaped.

With her boundless magical power, Zhu Jiuyin will roam freely in the world in the future. The old turtle spirit, busy prolonging its life, may not bother her.

The Southeast Celestial Venerable suffered losses time and again because of Bi Tao. Perhaps out of a sense of appreciating her talent, seeing that his henchmen were suppressing her, he still said to her, "I had no intention of killing you. If you are willing to submit, I can still show you a true path to heaven. What do you say?"

Bitao held Mingguang in her arms, urging the immortal spirits to pour down on him. It seemed that she was already nearing her end, yet she was still futilely trying to save Mingguang. Her face gradually turned pale.

Bitao looked at the Southeast Heavenly Venerable and spoke with her usual sharp and venomous words: "In my entire life, I only have one friend who is the incarnation of a little turtle. He is a proper star god who comes from Yaochi and inherits the power of Xuanwu."

"Who do you think you are, some old turtle from some wild pond, to presume to give me directions?"

And you say you didn't mean to kill her? Bitao isn't that easy to fool.

Bitao previously thought that only Jing Su was his clone, but he just manipulated the immortal positions of the ancient immortal clan to attack her in turn. It is likely that he is relying on his innate skills and is omnipresent in heaven and earth.

So most of those immortals who harmed her in the mortal realm might actually be old turtle spirits!

This provocation would anger even a god made of clay.

As expected, the celestial being who had been feigning compassion pursed his lips and remained silent.

Having received his unseen command, the Star God had no choice but to unleash his magic to kill Bitao.

Before the power of the Star God could pierce her soul, Bitao raised her hand and manipulated the laws of heaven and earth, tearing off the part of her sea of ​​consciousness and soul that Mingguang had forcibly locked with his immortal essence.

She unleashed her power and abruptly charged forward to meet the attack! She refused to admit defeat; at least she could still summon back the Heavenly Dao of the Myriad Realms!

But just as her lightning-patterned incantation shattered under the crushing power of the stars, the array formed by the year's ruling deities tearing apart the stars attacked from behind her.

The Southeast Celestial Venerable had no pity for Bi Tao; he had only spared her life because he knew she carried a curse mark that could summon the Heavenly Dao of all realms.

Seeing that she was finally willing to tear her soul apart to activate the curse seal, she was about to use the same trick again, causing the stars and time to reverse the moment she opened the seal!

The moment Bitao turned around and saw the aura surrounding her from the gods of the year, she truly understood what despair meant.

She took one last look at Mingguang. Even if she wasn't killed by the old turtle demon, her soul would be torn apart, and she would soon forget Mingguang and all her friends.

Although her time as an immortal lasted only a little over two hundred years, she was content.

May the hearts of all beings remain undying and indestructible despite the tearing apart of time and space, and may they be able to meet again amidst mountains and rivers.

Before the divine light of the year's ruling deity enveloped her, Bitao self-destructed her immortal essence.

"The Fairy of the Peach Blossom!" Taiji's eyes widened in shock!

"Peach Blossom!" Zhu Ming, propelled by the Xuanjia armor, lunged forward, only to be blasted away by lightning—

In an instant, the lightning-patterned incantation seal shattered—

The five thunderbolts roared and crashed down. Bitao's last thought was to summon the five thunderbolts to kill the Southeast Heavenly Venerable, who had already ascended to the Starry Sky Platform of the Six Imperial Platforms in the Heavenly Realm.

As the violent lightning tribulation was released from Bitao's body, her self-destructing immortal essence scattered in all directions along with the lightning runes—she had one last move!

That is to put oneself in a desperate situation and then survive.

She was to join the old turtle spirit in the star dial, accompanied by lightning. Her will was firm, having been tempered by the netherworld. She believed that even if she forgot everything, she could still outmaneuver the old turtle spirit's consciousness, who "didn't even dare to die!"

Just as Lei Guang was about to guide her soul and consciousness toward the sundial, a huge bell suddenly descended from mid-air.

The lightning tribulation pierced through Bitao's torn divine soul, collapsed immortal essence, and even her own shattered celestial soul, all of which were enveloped within it.

Zhu Ming landed, spitting out a mouthful of blood, but then laughed.

He recognized it; this was—

"The Soul-Sculpting Bell..." the Queen Mother of the West said in a daze.

This is the magical artifact of the Eastern Azure Emperor.

It was a divine artifact that she had prayed for countless times, even after prostrating herself repeatedly, to extend the life of a Kunlun sword cultivator during his tribulation...

The bell's surface is embossed with the sun and moon; the sun shines like molten lava, the moon gleams with a frosty, cold light. The person holding the bell extends their hand from a distance and flicks their finger across the bell—

"Dong!" The Soul-Stabilizing Bell tolled—

In an instant, the sun's body spewed forth soul-purifying true fire, while the moon's body surged with spirit-refining mist, dazzling and captivating! Cleansing essence and merging soul!

With a single sound... Bi Tao's shattered divine soul and immortal essence rotted into a tattered celestial soul—as if reborn in the womb, instantly mending itself!

"Well--"

Bitao suddenly opened her eyes. She was like a poor little fish being swept to the bottom of the sea by the waves and about to be torn apart.

After being torn apart and churned by the deep, dark waves, it was finally thrown to the surface by the belated, gentle waves.

Bitao was gently and magically transported back to Mingguang's side.

She lay there, her body and soul, which had been reconstructed in the blink of an eye, could not be used immediately. She could only open her eyes with difficulty and, together with the immortals, look up at the Dharma image standing on the Six Imperial Platforms of the High Heavens—the true form of the Great Emperor of the Eastern Azure Flower!