After Zu An left, the fairies returned to continue dolling Xihe up.

“Our lady is on such close terms with the Celestial Emperor.”

“They're stuck together like glue. They can’t even bear to be apart for a while.”

...

The fairies’ kind teasing made Xihe blush furiously.

She also had no idea why she would suddenly agree to marry that fellow. They hadn’t known each other for a long time, and it was just moments ago that she'd learned his name. Everything else about him remained an enigma.

Is it because he said he’s my future lover? What if he’s lying to me?

All kinds of thoughts filled Xihe’s mind, making her feel insecure.

...

Zu An returned to Emperor Jun’s chamber. He began thinking about everything that had happened ever since he arrived in this world. He sensed that something was amiss, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was.

Just then, he heard knocks on his door. “Brother, I need to talk to you about something.”

It was Donghuang Taiyi!

Zu An opened his eyes, and the door quietly opened.

Donghuang Taiyi walked in with a smile and closed the door behind him. An invisible might enveloped the surroundings, and golden runes appeared around them, isolating them from the rest of the world.

“What are you doing?” Zu An looked at him coldly.

“Brother, what is the result of your investigation?” Donghuang Taiyi looked at him with fervent eyes.

Zu An’s heart skipped a beat. It looks like Emperor Jun’s disappearance was a lie. At least Donghuang Taiyi knows what he was up to. But how am I supposed to know what Emperor Jun was investigating?

Thus, he replied vaguely, “You must have thought that I returned too quickly... or would you rather that I didn’t return at all?”

Donghuang Taiyi’s smile stiffened. “What are you saying, brother? I am overjoyed to have you back. I could tell from your grim face back then that your journey would be fraught with danger. Now that you have returned safely, I’m sure you have brought good news back with you.”

“Not necessarily so.” Zu An churned his mind. He had to extract more information from Donghuang Taiyi without incurring the latter’s suspicion.

But Donghuang Taiyi’s face immediately darkened. “You aren’t my brother. Who are you?”

Zu An frowned. “What do you mean by that?” 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

“I knew something was amiss right from the start. I was merely verifying it,” Donghuang Taiyi sneered coldly. “My brother was going to do something dangerous. If he returned alive, it could only mean that he had succeeded. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have returned. You’re answering vaguely to extract information from me. Who are you?”

Zu An sighed. I guess there are no fools among the top powerhouses of any world. At the same time, he wondered what Emperor Jun was up to that would endanger him.

He faced Donghuang Taiyi’s searing gaze and smiled. “I am your brother, Emperor Jun.”

“Trying to take advantage of me?” Donghuang Taiyi scoffed.

A miniature golden bell suddenly appeared in his hand. He gently flicked it, and a shockwave rushed at Zu An.

A celestial river suddenly manifested in front of Zu An, and the terrifying shockwave disappeared in its midst.

“The River of History? How are you related to Zhulong?” Donghuang Taiyi widened his eyes.

Zu An was startled. This is a Memory ability. Why would he think that it’s related to Zhulong?

Zhulong was the leader of the Ancestral Shamans. Zu An had gotten caught up in ploys involving Yayu twice in dungeons. The crucial figures in those two incidents were all Zhulong’s sons.

“Do you want to alarm everyone in the Celestial Court by fighting here?” Zu An asked.

Donghuang Taiyi lifted his eyebrows. This fellow isn’t panicking despite being exposed as an impostor. He remains shockingly calm. “You’re the impostor here. What do I have to fear?”

Zu An laughed. “If that’s what you truly thought, you wouldn’t have limited your East Emperor Bell’s area of attack. You must have realized that it doesn’t matter whether I’m the real Emperor Jun or not; the Celestial Court needs an Emperor Jun here to hold the fort.”

Donghuang Taiyi’s face darkened. He hadn’t expected the other party to see through him. “Indeed, the Celestial Court requires an Emperor Jun, but it doesn’t need a weak impostor.”

He threw out his East Emperor Bell at Zu An, unleashing waves of dao notes that sought to imprison the latter.

However, his smile soon stiffened up. He watched in horror as Zu An casually walked away from the East Emperor Bell’s attack unscathed.

“Impossible!” Donghuang Taiyi exclaimed. The East Emperor Bell was an intrinsic divine item, boasting overwhelming defensive and offensive prowess. For many years, no enemy had been able to escape from its imprisonment.

“Can we talk now?” Zu An’s Primordial Mirage allowed him to switch between a physical entity and an ethereal being. The East Emperor Bell couldn’t hope to hold him in place.

Donghuang Taiyi fell silent. He couldn’t faze the other party, even with his East Emperor Bell. This showed that the other party’s strength was worthy of his respect. “Are you the man with the seven-colored divine halo that Guiche spotted beside Xihe?”

Judging from the cooperation between Zu An and Xihe, he could tell that they were on close terms. Other than that mysterious man, he couldn’t think of anyone else whom Xihe would assist.

“It doesn’t matter who I am. From this day on, I will be Emperor Jun. We should be on the same front, no?” Zu An said. “Can you tell me what the real Emperor Jun is up to now?”

Donghuang Taiyi’s face flickered. He was reluctant to divulge the secret.

Zu An took this chance to press on. “You've already made a thorough analysis of the situation. The odds of Emperor Jun returning alive are slim, and it doesn’t help that you haven’t received any news from him. I wouldn’t have dared impersonate Emperor Jun if not for that.”

“I don’t even know your background. How could I divulge such an important secret to you?” Donghuang Taiyi coldly pointed out.

“My background isn’t important. You just need to know that our interests are aligned. You need an Emperor Jun, and I want to play the role of Emperor Jun to be with Xihe.”

“You’re taking such a huge risk just for a woman?” Donghuang Taiyi found that hard to believe.

“She’s not just any woman. Our bond lasts across lifetimes. I have already lost two very important people to me. I can’t lose her as well,” Zu An replied wistfully.

Donghuang Taiyi frowned. “Pardon me, but your reason isn’t convincing enough for me. However, I don’t mind revealing this secret to you. I’m worried that no one else in the world will know about it if something happens to me too.”

“I’m all ears.”

Donghuang Taiyi took some time to compose his words before saying, “Emperor Jun wishes to open the World Gate and see what lies on the other side.”

“The World Gate?” Zu An frowned. “What’s that?”

“No one knows what that gate is. It’s rumored that the biggest secret in the world lies on the other side. Emperor Jun is already the strongest entity in the world. Nothing in the world can interest him anymore, other than the unknown.” Donghuang Taiyi’s voice carried a tinge of excitement.