The city, scorched by the flames of war, had its bloodstains washed away by rain. The cracked earth was replenished by sweet dew, slowly showing hints of green.

The mortal realm seemed to awaken from a long nightmare. At dawn, those who had escaped the war cautiously pushed open their ash-covered wooden doors and tentatively reached out.

Drop, drop.

Raindrops fell onto wrinkled palms, then slipped through fingers onto the ground.

From a distance came excited shouts. Children, covered in dirt, laughed as they rushed into the rain, their bare feet splashing in puddles. The once-silent village suddenly came alive as doors opened one after another, exclamations rising in waves.

“Grandmother, it’s raining!” a child excitedly shouted at the village entrance, holding up his pants. “Look, it can still rain!”

The old grandmother stood at her doorway, lifting her wrinkled face in astonishment. After contemplating the heavens for a long while, she finally brought her trembling hands together and bowed toward the sky.

The child didn’t understand, but grandmother was the most respected person in the village. Since she bowed, he mimicked her and knelt as well.

Villagers who had come out to see the rain began kneeling and bowing one after another. The long-abandoned temple finally saw incense burning again.

…

…

The blue smoke from incense and candles drifted upward, reaching the highest heavens.

***

Li Ye stood on the Celestial Banquet Platform. With just a flick of his sleeve, the mortal incense transformed into stone, crashing violently beside the Queen Mother of the West.

The impact made a loud bang, cracking the marble floor. The Queen Mother’s eyelids trembled, but she dared not retreat. She merely swept her sleeve to collect the incense and said softly, “May the High God calm his anger.”

Calm his anger? Li Ye’s lips turned white as his hand closed.

Countless binding celestial ropes appeared in his palm. At the other ends of these ropes, Kan Ze, Zhen Huan Gong, and others were tightly bound.

These people had long returned to heaven and earth—why had they suddenly come back?

He didn’t want to ask, nor did he want to hear the answer. Standing there, he only wished to thrust these people back through the Gate of Life and Death.

“High God,” Taihe Xianshi sighed.

He wasn’t bound and understood clearly what had happened. Seeing Li Ye’s emotions becoming unstable, he opened his mouth to persuade him, but after just calling out once, Li Ye threw him into a defensive barrier along with the rest of the Taihe Immortal Sect, directly sending them down from the highest heavens.

“…” Taihe shook his head helplessly.

“Master?” Yan Cha sat sprawled beside him, looking up anxiously. “If this isn’t explained clearly, High God Li Ye might unleash slaughter.”

“He won’t,” Taihe said with certainty.

Li Ye was an intelligent person. From the moment he arrived at the Celestial Banquet Platform and saw the countless gods and immortals, he understood what had happened. He just refused to accept it. If he wanted to kill, he would have already slaughtered these resurrected immortals again in these few hours.

He was simply grieving.

Meng Wan asked with a pale face, “Can he find a way to save Junior Sister’s life?”

Taihe fell silent, then shook his head.

Er’er had died for heaven and earth, and not even a fragment of her soul remained. Even with Li Ye’s divine powers, he couldn’t reverse the natural order.

Thinking of that little girl, Taihe’s eyes also reddened.

How did it end with her bearing everything on her shoulders?

The defensive barrier descended from the highest heavens and quickly disappeared. Li Ye turned around and grabbed one person from among the countless gods.

Zhu Yan stared at him in bewilderment, seemingly not understanding why he was alive again or why he was here.

But in the next moment, Li Ye’s hand was around his throat.

“What perfect timing,” Li Ye looked down at him. “Last time, she settled accounts with you, but I didn’t. Now that we have the fortune to meet again, I shall settle my accounts with you as well.”

Zhu Yan struggled in terror, trying to escape, but suddenly his soul caught fire, causing him to scream in agony. However, after just one cry, his throat was squeezed tighter, so tight that not a sound could escape.

Suffocation, pain, fear, the burning of his soul—this method wouldn’t kill him immediately but would torture him to the maximum extent.

The surrounding gods and immortals couldn’t help but take a step back.

Li Ye was furious, divine fire spreading from his body. Kan Ze watched, moving his bound hands to draw a circle of divine water pools around them, preventing the spread of the divine fire.

The Queen Mother of the West watched worriedly, muttering softly, “Why did she release Zhu Yan too? It only makes Li Ye unhappy.”

“Your Majesty doesn’t understand,” Kan Ze chuckled lightly. “This shows her cleverness.”

The Queen Mother looked at him in confusion, but Kan Ze only smiled while watching Zhu Yan’s distorted expression: “If she hadn’t released him to bear Li Ye’s wrath, who knows which of us might have suffered instead.”

Slightly stunned, the Queen Mother seemed to see that young girl’s playful smile before her eyes. Looking again at the scorching flames rolling off Li Ye’s robe, she inexplicably felt her throat tighten.

What does it feel like to lose a loved one? Immortals rarely experienced this, but watching Li Ye, all the gods present felt a touch of sadness.

Li Ye would never reveal too much in front of others. His eyes didn’t even redden as he coldly, almost brutally, tortured Zhu Yan.

The screams on the Celestial Banquet Platform continued for two full days. Even the Buddha, present and watching, didn’t step forward to advise mercy.

After two days, Zhu Yan turned to ashes again, falling from Li Ye’s hands and scattering in the wind without a trace.

None of the surrounding gods attempted to escape. They remained quietly bound, watching him.

They were waiting for Li Ye to say something—whether in anger or demanding their submission, they would accept it. After all, this world respected strength above all. After what they had witnessed, everyone understood they were no match for Li Ye, and submitting to him wasn’t shameful.

But as the ashes scattered, Li Ye didn’t say a word. He only cast one final glance at the tightly closed Gate of Life and Death, then tossed aside the binding ropes and turned to leave.

“High God?” The Queen Mother hurriedly stepped forward. “The new Heavenly Gate has been fully repaired. Won’t you come see it?”

“It’s none of my concern.”

With these four characteristically cold words, Li Ye left the Celestial Banquet Platform without the slightest attachment.

The crowd of immortals erupted in commotion, looking at each other in bewilderment. The Queen Mother wanted to follow, but a wall of divine fire fell around the platform, instantly blocking their path.

His attitude left no room for negotiation.

The Queen Mother’s face was filled with worry, but Tai Shang Lao Jun seemed more accepting: “Don’t force him. He has his matters to attend to.”

“In this situation, what else could he possibly do?” The Queen Mother sighed continuously. “Wouldn’t it be best to stay and rule the highest heavens?”

With a teasing glance, Tai Shang Lao Jun smiled and said, “Your Majesty has also experienced mortal emotions. You should know that when it comes to feelings, there’s no right or wrong—only like and dislike.”

Slightly speechless, the Queen Mother continued to sigh.

Amidst the discussions, Xin Wu silently crossed through the divine fire and followed Li Ye.

Li Ye returned to Seven-Colored Mountain. As soon as he landed, he said to the one behind him: “Get lost.”