If Er’er still harbored great optimism the first time she ascended to the Nine Heavens, then this second time, she was very clear: Supreme God Li Ye was extremely difficult to approach. Even if you shamelessly pestered and ingratiated yourself with him, he would still place you in mortal danger in a moment of anger.

So she saved herself the effort of being a bootlicker, sitting properly and acting as an emotionless hugging pillow.

She didn’t speak, and the supreme being also remained silent. The cloud chariot was completely quiet, with only the wind whistling past their ears, sounding desolate.

Li Ye felt somewhat uncomfortable.

He had grown accustomed to this little thing chattering endlessly. With such sudden silence, he felt stifled.

Had his tone been too harsh earlier, frightening her into not daring to speak again?

Should he say something to give her a way out?

But he was a Supreme God—why should he offer a way out? He had already spared Taihe’s life; why couldn’t she yield to him a bit more?

His jawline tightened as he haughtily snorted.

…

…

The person in his arms stiffened slightly, turning her head to glance at him, then tried to break free.

“…”

What an extremely impatient little immortal!

Forcibly swallowing his pride, Li Ye darkened his face and held her in place.

Er’er had wanted to struggle, but suddenly a wave of pure spiritual energy surged from behind her, nourishing like rain on parched land. As long as she stayed close, it rapidly flowed into her body.

Such pure spiritual energy must have already been refined. The supreme being wasn’t consuming it himself, but keeping it?

Er’er turned back to look at him in surprise.

Li Ye’s expression was somewhat strange, appearing a bit helpless, yet he still glared at her fiercely, reaching out to turn her head back to its original position.

“Didn’t you say that since meeting me, you haven’t had a single good day?” he said in a deep voice.

Her heart jumped in alarm. Er’er thought he was going to settle accounts and hurriedly tried to find some words to make amends.

But before she could speak, the supreme being continued: “It won’t be like that anymore.”

“Huh?” Unable to react immediately, Er’er stared blankly at the drifting clouds ahead.

The person behind her seemed annoyed and didn’t repeat himself, only pressing her back into his embrace.

As surging spiritual energy continuously flowed into her meridians, Er’er, like a cat being scratched under its chin, contentedly narrowed her eyes. The burning pain in her internal organs gradually faded, and her dried-up dantian once again filled with immortal power. All the suffering she had endured these past few days seemed to disappear within the short span of an hour.

“What does Supreme God mean by this?” Er’er didn’t understand. She felt as though he was apologizing, but thinking again, what did he have to apologize for? After all, she was the one who had sheltered Kan Ze and ruined his plans. According to the supreme being’s temperament, he should have killed her with a single strike.

Li Ye also didn’t understand what he was doing, but he felt that if he didn’t do this, this little thing would never be close to him as before.

“Better now?” he asked with a stern face.

The person in his arms nodded, her eyes darting around as she stared at him.

Somewhat awkwardly averting his gaze, Li Ye raised his sleeve to cover her face. “We’re going back.”

A journey that should have taken but an eye blink had drifted on for over an hour. Er’er wanted to ask if the supreme being was injured to be so weakened, as even flying by herself would have arrived earlier.

However, as soon as the cloud chariot landed at the entrance of the Upper Bing Palace, before she could lift the sleeve covering her head, she was scooped into the supreme being’s arms.

I have legs!

—Er’er wanted to shout this, but in the next moment, she sensed something unusual in their surroundings.

The Upper Bing Palace was always quiet; aside from Zhu Yan, no one else would visit. But now the surrounding auras were chaotic, clearly indicating more than one person waiting at the entrance.

“Supreme God,” Zhu Yan’s voice came through the fabric, sounding somewhat muffled.

Er’er sensed that the supreme being seemed somewhat impatient as he carried her straight inside: “The plan has changed.”

“How could that be? Mere Taihe couldn’t possibly close the netherworld gate,” an unfamiliar voice said with some defiance.

Li Ye stopped in his tracks.

The voice abruptly ceased. The surrounding auras all froze, and then Er’er heard Zhu Yan say anxiously: “Supreme God, please calm your anger.”

“I opened the gate, and I don’t need to explain myself to you.” The deep voice exploded beside her ear. Er’er listened dazedly, feeling the intense atmosphere around them. The only safe place might be her current position.

So she clutched Li Ye’s robe tightly.

Feeling the tension in his chest, Li Ye’s rising anger somehow dissipated. He lowered his head to give that little bundle a blank look, then continued stepping toward the palace: “If any of you have the ability, go open the netherworld gate in front of Qian Tian and his group. Li Ye will express his gratitude.”

Zhu Yan cupped his hands and obediently stepped aside to make way. Though the other immortals behind him were disgruntled, they could only follow suit and move aside.

Once the netherworld gate was opened, it would benefit them all. They could disrupt the Nine Heavens’ order and profit from it. That’s why they had been hoping Li Ye would take the lead so they could reap the benefits without effort. They never expected this matter to be so easily abandoned.

Watching the doors of the Upper Bing Palace close before their eyes, Li Mi asked Zhu Yan with an unpleasant expression: “We are all elders, after all. He couldn’t even be bothered to make up an excuse to appease us?”

Zhu Yan smiled faintly: “Supreme God indeed doesn’t need to appease us, after all, in opening that gate, we haven’t contributed the slightest effort.”

“But he was the one who wanted revenge.” Li Mi pointed toward the horizon. “For such an act that defies heaven and earth, I came to help him without a second word, yet he won’t even explain?”

Zhu Yan sighed.

Their voices weren’t quiet, and Li Ye could naturally hear them, but he simply returned to his throne and sat down, showing no reaction whatsoever.

Er’er fumbled for a while before finally removing his wide sleeve from her head. Listening to the commotion outside, she suddenly felt that she might have inadvertently done something significant again.

What would happen if the netherworld gate were opened? Chaos in the Nine Heavens, war with the netherworld, disaster in the mortal realm, destruction of the Taihe Immortal Sect… but these weren’t even the most important consequences.

Most importantly, Li Ye would completely fall into cultivation deviation and begin indiscriminate slaughter.

But now, the gate remained closed, and the supreme being still retained remnants of goodness. Although the face before her seemed full of killing intent, he was still restraining himself.

Tilting her head to look at his tense face, Er’er didn’t immediately jump down from the throne. Instead, she reached out and gently patted his shoulder.

“Supreme God has done nothing wrong,” she said.

Li Ye had been about to deal with those noisy people, divine fire already leaping from his hand. Hearing these words, he was taken aback.

“Done nothing wrong?” Looking at her incredulously, he laughed coldly. “How would you know what’s right and what’s wrong?”

“In the world, there’s no distinction between right and wrong—it’s all about one’s interests.” Er’er spread her hands. “Not opening that gate benefits you, so it’s the right choice.”

It seemed somewhat reasonable, but “How does not opening that gate benefit me?”

Very solemnly pointing to her nose, Er’er said: “It retains a very useful person at your disposal.”

“…”

What kind of benefit was that?

Seeing the disdain on his face, Er’er pursed her lips and fidgeted with the ties of her skirt: “Although I don’t seem particularly useful now, this time returning to the immortal sect, I’ve learned quite a lot. Given time, I’ll surely become accomplished.”

Now she was even praising herself.

Li Ye snorted with laughter, one arm around her as he withdrew his divine fire.

“They’re annoyingly noisy,” he said, eyeing her from beneath half-lowered lids. “If you can give me some peace, I’ll consider you useful.”

That was simple! Er’er immediately formed a hand seal: “Heaven and earth follow my will, water gate spirit realm arise!”

As her words fell, water cascaded down from the eaves of the Upper Bing Palace like a waterfall, forming an extremely solid barrier.

The noise from outside instantly disappeared. She proudly clapped her hands, turned to look at him, and waited obediently to be praised.

Li Ye was somewhat surprised.

The last time he had thrown her out, her spiritual power had been chaotic and disordered. Now, looking again, she could skillfully use water immortal arts.

Feeling her pulse, Li Ye’s eyes flickered.

Strange, how could her cultivation have advanced so much in such a short time?

“You,” he asked puzzledly, “have you taken some spiritual pill or elixir?”

“Hmm?” Er’er was confused. “What spiritual pill or elixir could I have taken?”

What she had eaten in the Upper Bing Palace, he knew all about. Besides that, there was only one pill Kan Ze had given her to ward off evil, which had no effect when she took it.

But since the supreme being said this, did it mean she had become more powerful?

Excitedly jumping down from the throne, Er’er formed a hand seal.

Instantly, an incredibly luxurious golden-hooped bathtub appeared in the spacious palace. Colorful gauze veils hung down from various beams, billowing with intimate allure.

Compared to the small wooden basin she had first conjured, this was an enormous improvement.

Er’er looked at her palm in delight, then turned back to him: “Have I ascended to become a high immortal?”

How could someone descend from the Nine Heavens once and return having ascended? Li Ye couldn’t understand, but seeing how happy she was, he nodded along.

A cheer echoed through the great hall. Sitting on his throne, he watched as the little thing jumped around like mad, rolling in the gauze veils, then joyfully rolled back to him.

“Does Supreme God have any commands?” she asked, her eyes shining. “Whatever it is, this little immortal can try!”

“I do.”

“What is it?” She eagerly leaned forward.

Li Ye languidly leaned forward, his misty eyes scanning her face before settling fixedly on her lips.

“Let me have a good sleep,” he said softly.

With such a tone and posture, any person would understand that this iron tree that had lived for tens of thousands of years was about to bloom. Anyone sensible would immediately cling to his thigh, ensuring a worry-free latter half of life with complete security.

However, Er’er didn’t think in that direction. What was the supreme being? A cold-blooded, emotionless Supreme God. Would he condescend to flirt with a little immortal like her?

Impossible!

So there was only one truth—the supreme being wanted her to drive away the group outside the door so he could sleep without concerns.

“Leave it to me!” Er’er immediately stood up.

Almost hitting his face with her head, Li Ye withdrew backwards, watching her heroic and spirited back in confusion. When he realized what she intended to do, he closed his eyes and vigorously wiped his face with his hand.

Rotten wood cannot be carved!