Gotta say, Sikong Jiu's boasting earlier was cool, but now he looks really pathetic fleeing.

Xu Lai truly didn't expect the jellyfish killer to be so fixated on 'Nannan'.

He didn't mean to set Sikong Jiu up, just wanted to give it a try.

A tiny jellyfish.

How much harm could it possibly intend?

With that thought, Xu Lai couldn't help but transmit a message via Divine Sense: "Hang in there, wait for me."

What responded to Xu Lai was boundless trust: "Damn!"

Xu Lai wasn't too worried about Sikong Jiu. This guy has a lot of stuff up his sleeve; he's surely not going to die anytime soon.

Leaving the Boundless Sea.

Xu Lai saw familiar faces at the core of what used to be the Snowflower Forbidden Grounds.

There were Baize, the Second Divine General, and Yan Chunfeng, the Fourth Divine General, along with the surrounding Heavenly Court's Heavenly Soldiers and Generals.

Enveloped by the two was a Bronze Mirror Coffin, in which Ruan Lan still lay asleep, even snoring.

It must have been the Immortal's Demise of the Tian Gui Tribe's Quasi-Emperor Yuan Mei upon his fall that brought Baize and Yan Chunfeng here.

If not, Sikong Jiu wouldn't have left Ruan Lan to venture into the Boundless Sea.

"Greetings, Supreme Emperor!"

"Hm."

Xu Lai briefly explained the situation.

Baize's slender, snow-white fingers respectively pinched a black and white chess piece and rubbed them.

Xu Lai knew Baize's habit.

When the Second Divine General is deep in thought, she likes rubbing chess pieces, so he didn't rush, sitting cross-legged to start brewing tea, pouring a cup for each Divine General.

"..." Yan Chunfeng.

Deeply gentle in nature, the Fourth Divine General hesitated to speak.

Xu Lai chuckled lightly: "Have some tea; these things can't be rushed. Sikong Jiu won't die anytime soon."

"Alright."

After a sip of tea.

Yan Chunfeng closed her eyes with pleasure.

Recently, the entire Heavenly Court has been operating at full speed, with no slack from top to bottom. She cherished this rare moment of leisure while drinking tea.

The time it takes to finish half a cup of tea quietly passed.

Baize spoke: "Is the Supreme Emperor planning to invite Emperor Bahuang and Great Emperor Jin Shi for assistance?"

"Yes."

Xu Lai nodded.

Although Jin Shi became a Great Emperor through incense offerings, he has attained the Emperor Realm, so he does possess combat prowess.

Bahuang is even more noteworthy, at his peak state, he equates approximately to seven to eight Jin Shi, and on a good day, maybe nine.

Jiu Feng's stance is uncertain, and it's unknown whether she will act or not, so she's temporarily excluded.

"Sikong Jiu mentioned that during the First Era, sixteen Emperor Realm experts joined forces to subdue the jellyfish beast, resulting in fifteen fallen Emperor Realm experts barely succeeding."

Baize analyzed: "Even if the still-slumbering Corpse Emperor is included, you four alone are probably... insufficient."

Xu Lai frowned: "Then what should we do, let it go unchecked?"

"Naturally, that's not an option."

Baize's expression turned serious: "However, I have a last-ditch plan, which doesn't require summoning other Emperor Realm experts."

"A last-ditch plan that doesn't need others' assistance, let's hear it." Xu Lai's expression tensed.

"It could lead to extremely severe consequences."

"I'll take responsibility."

"It might not have any effect; it could be all for naught."

"We have to try at least."

"Very well."

Baize straightened up, solemnly detailing her plan.

...

The Dead Realm of the Southern Immortal Domain.

Carrying a book chest and wielding a Bamboo Sword, the young scholar stepped amidst the starry sky, the surroundings eerily silent. He looked around, bearing a hint of nostalgia.

A cycle ago.

This place was once the most prosperous land of the Southern Immortal Domain. He had two partners from here; now it has become a Dead Realm, truly lamentable.

"What a pity."

"Given a few more years, no... even a few months, the Blue Giant Jellyfish could fully recover to its peak condition; currently, it's just in its juvenile phase."

Yuan Ying's regret deepened as he contemplated.

Despite his meticulously concealed movements recently, leaving no traces, how did Xu Qingfeng manage to find him?

Currently.

He was forced to reveal a trump card early, and even Yuan Mei, one of his disciples, fell at Xu Qingfeng's hand.

No changes must occur on the meticulously planned path to immortality that took a cycle to orchestrate due to Xu Qingfeng.

He left countless chess pieces behind.

There were those targeted at splitting the Human Race and secret moves against other races, but unfortunately... the Celestial Clan's Quasi-Emperor did not perform as he'd imagined.

"Even a juvenile Blue Giant Jellyfish is enough for Xu Qingfeng to suffer greatly, perhaps even lead to the demise of Li Bahuang, Jiu Feng, and Jin Shi here."

Tian Gui Yuan Ying sneered with some disdain.

He imagined that Xu Qingfeng has no choice but to seek help, yet relying solely on a peak Emperor Realm expert, a barely recovering Emperor Realm expert, and a pseudo-incense Emperor dares go against the Blue Giant Jellyfish?

Totally overestimating their capabilities.

At the bottom of the Boundless Sea, dying is perfect timing, helping those old fellows lessen their burden, as their assistance will be needed in the future.

Yet Yuan Ying was unaware.

Due to Baize Divine General's presence, events didn't unfold as he anticipated.

...

...

Did the Supreme Emperor just sneak away? 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Why hasn't he returned yet?

He's not going to make it!

Chased by the Colossal Jellyfish beast for an unknown duration, Sikong Jiu was nearly spent, he had truly nothing left.

"I'm going to die, really going to die."

Sikong Jiu couldn't help but find his life too dramatic.

He had found the Chaos Three-leaf Clover, and over a cycle, almost sought out every rare treasure capable of reshaping the body.

He was so close to escaping the shackles of the Heavenly Dao, and to returning to the peak.

To exact revenge on former enemies the Nine Kings' Palace and Tian Gui Yuan Ying for the blood feud of the past, yet was sold out by his ally Xu Lai...

"Nannan, my Nannan."

"Nannan, Mama's here... Nannan."

The Colossal Jellyfish pursued swiftly, and Sikong Jiu, to protect himself, even threw away the Magic Artifact, the red bellyband he was wearing.

"Xu Qingfeng ah ah ah ah ah!"

Sikong Jiu couldn't help but howl up to the sky, but alas, the sound didn't travel far beneath the Boundless Sea.

Moreover, the front was always dark like the giant mouth of an abyss, chilling him to the bone.

Even though he was once an Emperor Realm, now a diverged Heavenly Dao, Sikong Jiu still felt somewhat frightened.

"The voice is quite energetic, seems you can hold on a bit more." A teasing voice arrived.

Sikong Jiu immediately burst into tears: "Supreme Emperor, boo hoo! You finally came, I'm going to die, really... save me!"

Xu Lai stopped joking, took Sikong Jiu straight up and out of the sea, while the Colossal Jellyfish continued to follow.

It floated in mid-air, seemingly having only Sikong Jiu as its target.

"We've left the Boundless Sea?"

Sikong Jiu's face changed, he hurriedly said: "It cannot be let loose; if it starts a massacre, even an Emperor Realm can't stop it!"

"We can't, but others?"

Xu Lai smiled brightly, his teeth exceptionally white in the sunlight.

Sikong Jiu was stunned: "Others...right, where are Emperor Bahuang and the others, where's everyone?"

"Didn't call them."

"???"

Sikong Jiu was about to ask if the Supreme Emperor was joking, but Xu Lai casually said: "We're going to find them."

"What for?"

"To offer a present for the Nine Kings' Palace."

"..."