Deep within the Imperial Palace, Luo Xiu pushed the door open and walked out of the large courtyard.
Following him were the four women: An Ran, Zhang Yi, Xia Chan, and Immortal.
He had returned to the Land of Lawlessness shortly after leaving the Divine Oracle Cave Heaven. He originally intended to find some Demonic Beast Meat in the storeroom to make a restorative soup, but he suddenly sensed powerful energy fluctuations outside. Knowing something significant must have happened, he immediately gathered Xia Chan and the others to leave the Land of Lawlessness.
Upon stepping outside, he realized a catastrophe was unfolding.
The terrifying Silver Moon Law Manifestation seemed poised to ruthlessly destroy the entire Yan Huang Star!
In the heat of the moment, Luo Xiu had no choice but to throw out the Mysterious Central Sword.
「Atop the city wall.」
Luo Xiu watched the buildings within the city crumble, listening to the cries of children, his expression growing increasingly grim.
An Ran walked to his side and said softly, "Every affair in the world has its cause and effect. How you treat others is how they will treat you. When will this cycle of vengeance ever end?"
Luo Xiu abruptly looked up at the fragments of silver light drifting through the sky and said indifferently, "I cannot let go of my hatred. I cannot be a saint. Therefore, I can only exterminate the problem at its roots to prevent future troubles."
"To prevent my family from suffering, I can only make my enemy's family suffer."
...
At that moment, outside Yan Huang Star, within the Flowing Thunder River, the silhouette of the Goddess of Heaven Moon suddenly vanished.
The next moment, she appeared in the sky above the walls of Shura City.
Looking down from above, her gaze fell upon Luo Xiu's face as she said coldly, "I was beginning to think you would cower like a turtle forever."
Before arriving, she had already seen an image of Luo Xiu's Divine Sense, provided by her Heaven Moon Sect Disciples. She was certain that the man before her was the one she had descended to the Lower Realm to find.
Luo Xiu lifted his head to meet the gaze of the Goddess of Heaven Moon, who stood proudly in the air. He was suddenly reminded of the statue of her he had seen back in Yuezhou.
"You are the Goddess of Heaven Moon?"
Her expression was indifferent. "You are in the presence of a goddess. Will you not kneel?"
Hearing this, Luo Xiu gave a faint smile and said slowly, "You want revenge? Fine. I accept. I won't bother reasoning with you, but you'd better have the strength to back it up!"
As his voice fell, a series of whooshing sounds cut through the air.
Lin Shanshan, Master Ping, Luo Xian, Guan Zhongbao, and the others flew in one after another, landing behind Luo Xiu.
"Dad!"
"Master!"
"Kid, your timing is impeccable."
"Crown Prince, you've finally returned!"
"Tian'er, are you alright?"
...
Luo Xiu turned, offering a small smile and a reassuring look to the crowd. He suddenly reached a hand into the Void, and the Mysterious Central Sword instantly appeared in his grasp.
He looked at the Goddess of Heaven Moon in the sky. Although he was the one standing below, he seemed like a lofty deity looking down upon all of creation!
"This is Yan Huang Star. If you wish to harm my Yan Huang Descendants, to touch a single blade of grass or a single tree... even a god must kneel before me!"
The Goddess of Heaven Moon's gaze turned frigid. "You destroyed my Taoism and slaughtered my followers. You lowly commoner, not even ten thousand deaths could redeem you!"
"A bunch of ignorant vermin. Today, this goddess will show you just how high the heavens are."
At these words, Luo Xiu's gaze sharpened, and he suddenly pointed his sword at the Goddess of Heaven Moon.
In an instant, his Sword Momentum filled the heavens!
"You? You think you can represent the heavens?"
The Goddess of Heaven Moon's body blazed with silver light, her voice thundering through the sky, "Enough nonsense! Do you dare to fight me?!"
"Why wouldn't I dare!" Luo Xiu laughed proudly as his Sword Momentum surged even higher.
Throughout Shura City, the blood of the people boiled with excitement.
Finally... they were about to witness the Great Ancestor Emperor in action!
But in the very next moment, Luo Xiu suddenly turned to the unassuming An Ran in the crowd and declared, "High Priest, you're up!"
As his words fell, everyone was stunned into silence.
He built the atmosphere to the absolute peak, only to turn around and have someone else step in? Is he serious?
An Ran let out a cold snort and slowly flew toward the Goddess of Heaven Moon.
She was fully aware of Luo Xiu's current state. He had expended too much Essence Blood and was extremely weak. She had to be the one to act. Besides, her heart ached for him; she would never let him fight in his current condition.
The scene fell deathly silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
The crowd glanced between Luo Xiu and An Ran, their faces a picture of utter confusion. Amidst the silence, Lao Ba suddenly piped up, "Holy crap, Crown Prince! You've really mastered the art of living off a woman!"
Luo Xiu glared at him. "What do you mean, 'living off a woman'? Can't you phrase things a little better?"
Master Ping looked on with disdain. "When you're out and about in the future, don't you dare say you're a companion of Master Ping. I can't afford that kind of embarrassment!"
Zhang Yi scowled. "Brother Luo Xiu, that wasn't cool at all. I was so full of anticipation, but you ended up being so lame."
Luo Xiu reached out and ruffled her hair. "What's with all the clever rhymes? Are you cramming for an exam?"
The women couldn't help but cover their mouths and giggle.
At this very moment, while there was laughter on the city walls, the expression of the Goddess of Heaven Moon in the sky had changed completely, her delicate body trembling uncontrollably.
Her domineering presence, as if she were a deity in control of everything, had vanished without a trace.
Because she recognized An Ran.
"No... Ageless Celestial Emperor?!"
"How could you be here..."
Looking thoroughly bored, An Ran said, "Weren't you the one who wanted a battle? You may make your move."
The Goddess of Heaven Moon didn't hesitate for a second. She turned to flee.
She had no time to ponder why the Ageless Celestial Emperor was here, let alone why she would heed the words of a commoner from the Mortal Realm. She understood only one thing—she was not qualified to fight the Ageless Celestial Emperor.
This was a battle with a foregone conclusion.
Although the Ageless Celestial Emperor used to claim she wasn't good at fighting while serving as a Nightwatcher at the Cosmic Great Wall, the truth was that among all the Heavenly Emperors, she and Pink were the two most ferocious fighters.
A vine appeared from thin air, instantly entangling the Goddess of Heaven Moon and sealing her cultivation.
A few moments later, An Ran returned victorious, dropping the bound Goddess of Heaven Moon in front of Luo Xiu.
"Take her to the Land of Lawlessness."
「The Land of Lawlessness.」
「In the Hundred Herbs Garden.」
An Ran tossed the bound Goddess of Heaven Moon to the ground and said to Luo Xiu, "This is the Empress from the Southern Heavenly Divine Court. The Moonlight within her body will be a great help in suppressing the negative side effects of your constitution."
Hearing this, Luo Xiu was stunned for a moment. "So, you mean I should... you know?"
An Ran's face flushed red as she let out a cold huff.
"You're overthinking it. There's no need for that. You can just absorb the Moonlight directly."
Hearing this, Luo Xiu's face immediately showed an expression of relief, yet for some reason, he also felt a tinge of disappointment. In terms of beauty and temperament, this Goddess of Heaven Moon was in no way inferior to An Ran.
An Ran gazed down at the Goddess of Heaven Moon on the ground as one would an ant. "From now on," she declared, "you will be his personal maidservant."
The Goddess of Heaven Moon's eyes flew open. She then gritted her teeth and glared furiously at An Ran.
I, the lofty Goddess of Heaven Moon, the Empress of the Southern Heavenly Divine Court, the Southern Heavenly Emperor's woman, and you want me to be a maidservant for a lowly commoner from the Mortal Realm! You might as well just kill me!
"Ageless Celestial Emperor, I accept my fate, having fallen into your hands! But if His Majesty learns how you've humiliated me..."
An Ran's gaze turned icy, and a palpable wave of pressure instantly cut her off.
"If you utter one more word of nonsense, I'll go and beat up your precious Emperor right now."
She glanced at Luo Xiu before continuing, "His true identity is something you could never hope to reach. It is your honor to be his maidservant."
"Furthermore, you needn't worry about that pathetic Taoist sect of yours. I know you never truly cared for those followers. You merely wanted to gather the Myriad Wonders Dao Qi to help you attain emperorship, but that path is a dead end."
...