As soon as Taihe saw who had arrived, he was prepared. Li Ye was obsessive and gloomy by nature; since he had personally come here, Taihe surely had no way out.
But what was happening now? How could a Supreme God who treated all living beings as straw dogs harbor such resentment toward an unaccomplished little immortal?
Moreover, the resentment seemed quite deep.
“This realm has always been renowned for guiding people in immortal cultivation. Since you are a Xianshi, you should first teach her about the hierarchy of the Nine Heavens. A little immortal like her should never be presumptuous before a Supreme God.”
Li Ye looked at him coldly: “Why didn’t you teach her?”
His eyelids trembled slightly as Taihe glanced at the netherworld gate with just a trace of light remaining. He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes: “She was born noble, yet has never discussed hierarchy with others. Since that is so, Supreme God should not use hierarchy to pressure her.”
He understood the reasoning, but just thinking about being unable to handle a little immortal made Li Ye feel vexed.
“Hierarchy aside, you don’t even teach her the rules of the Nine Heavens.”
If only someone had mentioned what the seven meridians and eight vessels were, he wouldn’t have misunderstood her.
…
…
“And then there’s the dignity immortals should possess. Among the ten immortal sects in the Nine Heavens, which one has immortals who cry at the slightest provocation?” He frowned at the thought. “It’s undignified, and it doesn’t always work. If she encounters someone truly ruthless, she could cry to high heaven and still die.”
Taihe gave him a surprised look.
Li Ye didn’t notice his gaze. He leaned against the rock, kicking at his long robe embroidered with golden crow patterns, sighing with irritation and helplessness.
He was unwilling to close this door himself, but if things continued this way, Taihe would die of exhaustion. This old man truly shared Er’er’s stubborn temperament—knowing his immortal power was insufficient, yet refusing to quit while ahead.
“Supreme God has changed considerably of late.”
After a long silence, Taihe finally spoke.
The person before him looked at him in confusion. Taihe smiled at him rarely, but didn’t continue.
Li Ye was born from the first fire at the beginning of heaven and earth. He possessed supreme divine power and noble status, but lacked human emotions. The Way of Heaven’s diviners said his nature was good, but in everyone’s eyes, he was bloodthirsty and frenzied. No one had ever sensed a trace of humanity from him, and all Supreme Gods worried he might suddenly become a knife aimed at all living beings.
But now, Taihe suddenly felt that things might not necessarily turn out so badly.
The barrier around them suddenly rippled, as if something had crashed into it, creating a circle of waves.
Taihe returned to his senses and investigated, discovering that Supreme God Qian Tian was trying to break through. With his immortal power nearly depleted, the barrier should have been easy to breach, but since Li Ye had entered, it seemed to have become iron-forged. Even someone as powerful as Qian Tian couldn’t open a gap.
He glanced at Li Ye with slight panic.
Li Ye stared at the ripples spreading across the barrier, as if thinking of something, and his expression suddenly softened.
He put the unfinished roasted corn into his sleeve pouch and turned his eyes respectfully: “Xianshi has worked hard, please rest for a while.”
Drawing a sharp breath, Taihe wanted to shake his head, but before he could complete even one rotation, Li Ye reached out and effortlessly took over that piece of void.
Simultaneously, a stronger immortal energy struck from outside the barrier. The barrier, which had been unyielding moments ago, suddenly opened a gap on its own. Qian Tian’s immortal energy rushed in without warning, cutting a rosy light that fell perfectly into the void realm in Li Ye’s hand.
The powerful clash of murderous energy made Qian Tian outside choke, nearly spitting blood on the spot.
“Although Xianshi’s cultivation is profound, it’s difficult to compare with Supreme God Qian Tian, who has cultivated for tens of thousands of years.” Casually setting the void aside, Li Ye stood up, sweeping his sleeve to bind Taihe and lead him out.
“Leave this to Supreme God Qian Tian. Xianshi should exit seclusion and heal in peace.”
Nearly tripping over his long white beard, Taihe stumbled a few steps, looking back in disbelief.
With Qian Tian’s immortal power maintaining it, the netherworld gate was indeed gradually closing.
However, this was not a quick task, and Supreme God Qian Tian didn’t understand what had happened. Continuously infusing immortal power might harm him.
Supreme God Li Ye should have known this, but he appeared composed, leading Taihe out of the barrier. As they passed by Qian Tian’s physical body, he even thoughtfully sent him into the barrier with a palm strike.
“This concerns the great situation of the Nine Heavens. The Supreme God should resolve it personally to prevent future troubles.”
Zhen Huan Gong was standing nearby and, thinking Li Ye meant harm, hurriedly exclaimed and followed Qian Tian into the barrier cave. The remaining Supreme Gods were on high alert, all vigilantly watching him.
“Xianshi!”
Er’er pushed through from behind the crowd, stumbling as she rushed to Taihe’s side.
She examined him up and down, then reached out to feel his pulse.
Compared to the bone-chilling cold she had sensed in her dream, Xianshi’s pulse now still had vitality. Though weak, there was nothing seriously wrong.
Finally releasing a long-held breath, Er’er’s legs gave way and she collapsed back to the ground. After a moment of stunned silence, her eyes began to redden again.
Xianshi could survive—how wonderful!
Did this mean she could change fate, that everyone’s future could be happy and fulfilling?
The restraints on his body loosened, and Taihe coughed lightly. Just as he was about to respond, he sensed something amiss beside him.
He stiffly glanced sideways.
Li Ye stood beside him, his face cool and expressionless, not even looking at the person sitting collapsed on the ground.
But he wasn’t pleased; he stood there emanating low pressure all around him.
Realizing something, Taihe weakly said: “Thanks to Supreme God Li Ye’s rescue.”
At these words, Er’er finally remembered the supreme being beside them. She hurriedly wiped her face and stood up, pressing her palms together and repeatedly bowing to him: “Thank you, Supreme God!”
Li Ye haughtily snorted, turning his head aside.
Er’er followed his direction, smiling as she continued to bow: “I knew Supreme God had a kind heart and was the very best of immortals.”
His heart had never been kind. Today’s rescue was merely weighing advantages and disadvantages, making a different choice.
Snorting and turning his head to the other side, Li Ye thought discontentedly, if he hadn’t rescued anyone, would he not be the very best of immortals?
The little thing before him scurried back into his line of sight, smiling at him with a row of small white teeth.
Giving her a blank look, Li Ye swept his sleeve: “Boring. I’m leaving.”
Hearing this, Er’er’s heart greatly relaxed, and she immediately wanted to kneel and call out “Respectfully sending off Supreme God.”
However, the person before her turned his back and summoned a cloud chariot but didn’t immediately step onto it, as if waiting for someone.
With a jolt, Er’er stepped back half a pace.
No way, did he want her to return to the Upper Bing Palace to toil as payment for her life? The heroes in storybooks were always magnanimous, not concerned with small favors, yet this supreme being was so calculating!
Taihe was also somewhat surprised. Supported by several disciples, he glanced at his little disciple with her face scrunched up, then at Li Ye, who was waiting somewhat impatiently, and after pondering for a moment said: “Old man has just exited seclusion and lacks the energy to entertain guests, but Supreme God need not hurry away. The immortal sect has many young disciples; Supreme God may command them as needed.”
Who would have the leisure to stay longer in this chaotic place? Li Ye turned back disdainfully.
Then he saw a certain foolish little thing rubbing her hands together and grinning stupidly at him.
She hadn’t returned to the immortal sect for a long time; how could she bear to leave immediately?
Seeing the meaning in her eyes, Li Ye indifferently said: “I have other matters to attend to.”
Then please go ahead.
—The words were on the tip of her tongue, but a strong survival instinct made Er’er swallow them back.
She looked back at her senior brothers and sisters with their worried eyes, then at the supreme being whose patience was nearly exhausted, and finally sighed, hanging her head and listlessly stepping onto the cloud chariot with him.
“Junior Sister,” Meng Wan called out from behind.
Er’er looked back, waving to him with dejection: “Ascend soon; I’ll wait for you in the Nine Heavens.”
Li Ye glanced at her, then at the exceedingly anxious handsome young man in the distance, and pressed his lips together.
The scenery rapidly receded around them. Er’er hadn’t even had time to wave goodbye to Senior Sister Yan Cha before the cloud chariot had flown far away.
She sighed resentfully.
“What’s wrong?” Li Ye looked expressionlessly at the clouds ahead. “Unhappy to return with me?”
“No.” Kneeling properly, Er’er said, “Thank you, Supreme God, for your mercy.”
“No need for such false courtesy.” He snorted coldly. “If you miss that senior brother of yours, it’s not too late to jump down now.”
What a joke—with the cloud flying so high and so fast, would she still have a life left with her current cultivation level if she jumped?
Glancing at the vast whiteness below the cloud chariot, Er’er withdrew her gaze and said very sincerely: “This little immortal would rather stay with the Supreme God.”
The person before her looked very unhappy, his face gloomy like a winter sky about to rain.
Er’er looked at him in puzzlement: “Supreme God is so handsome and good-looking, why do you never smile?”
“…” The compliment was so natural that Li Ye couldn’t even accuse her of flattery, only glaring at her. “Better looking than that senior brother of yours?”
“Of course.” She scratched her head in confusion. “How could Senior Brother compare with you?”
The look in his eyes softened somewhat as Li Ye lowered his head to look at her: “Am I that good?”
“Supreme God’s cultivation is extremely high, your actions like thunder and lightning—naturally beyond what mortals can achieve. If placed in the mortal world, you’d be the man ladies in boudoirs would scramble to marry.”
The corners of his lips lifted slightly, though Li Ye feigned seriousness: “You needn’t say these things to please me.”
How could such superficial praise still please him after tens of thousands of years of life? Er’er thought dismissively. Though his moods were unpredictable and he was truly difficult to serve, his appeal to young women was genuine.
The sound of rustling clothes came from beside her. Er’er turned her head to find that, for the first time, Li Ye had sat down on the cloud chariot. His tall figure loomed like a mountain about to collapse, leaving her no space to sit except squeezed in front of him.
Familiar energy swept over her as he reached out, drawing her to his chest, seemingly using her for support as he rested his chin on the top of her head.
Er’er’s eyes widened.
This gesture was too intimate. In the past, it might have been natural, but after they had severed ties once, such sudden closeness immediately sent a tremor through her body.
“Su-Supreme God?”
“Tired,” Li Ye closed his eyes, his voice deep and lazy.
As if confirming his words, the cloud chariot’s speed also slowed, drifting leisurely, with no telling when they would return to the Upper Bing Palace.
Awkwardly shifting her body, Er’er couldn’t help but grumble inwardly: Supreme God liked hugging her, was it because she was so short that hugging her felt comfortable like holding a child?
Fortunately, she had no improper thoughts. If it were another female immortal, wouldn’t she have misunderstood?