“Heh, son, you dashed her hopes, so there’s no need to hold grudges. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The heavens have already punished her,” sighed Emperor Taiyuan.

“She’s already a thing of the past. Father, you’re the one I’m worried about. You suffered for far too long.” Jiang Chen couldn’t help but sigh.

“Heh. In fact, you did as well. You just don’t remember it. Think about it. You’ve been trekking for hundreds of millennia on the road of reincarnation until you descended on Divine Abyss. How much pain and anguish do you think you’ve endured along the way?”

“But since I can’t remember, I’m not particularly distressed,” the young man responded with a hearty laugh.

The warm heart-to-heart between father and son was interrupted when the four sacred beasts and the Goldbiter Kingrats came forward.

Jiang Chen introduced them one by one and they showed his father due deference. He was a celestial emperor, on top of being the young lord’s progenitor.

“Wonderful! Chen’er, you’ve accomplished what I couldn’t. The four divine beasts coexist in harmony and the Goldbiter Kingrats obey your orders. Many celestial emperors in the heavenly planes would dream of being in your shoes. Feel proud, you can stand tall among them!”

Taiyuan’s titled godkings also greeted their return in a most orderly and solemn ceremony, their applause lasting seemingly forever.

“Taiyuan Plane welcomes your return, Your Majesties!”

Crimsonwaters and Hoarfrost were the de-facto leaders. The former found Jiang Chen, while the latter rendered extraordinary services in rescuing their old liege.

The young lord spotted a familiar figure standing behind Godking Hoarfrost. He smiled gently. “Sectmistress Han, I told you we’d meet again.”

She wasn’t dressed as a widow for once. Instead, she was as fresh as a girl from next door. Shy from the sudden attention, she hid behind Godking Hoarfrost, too embarrassed to show her face.

“Haha, I remember this little girl. Chen’er, she went to a great deal of effort to save this father of yours,” remarked Celestial Emperor Taiyuan with a grin.

His son nodded, then faced Crimsonwaters.

“Lord Crimsonwaters, my thanks for being the first one to speak up at the conference. You were the one to set the events in motion. Didn’t I tell you we’d upturn Taiyuan’s fate as long as someone does? Thank you to all of you.”

The subjects of his gratitude included Crimsonwaters and the latter’s friends like Godking Righteous.

The five of them blushed so fiercely that the tips of their ears turned red. The prince’s recognition made them proud, but also a little afraid. To think they’d once planned on making him Crimsonwaters’ successor! It was shameful to recall.

Having an august celestial emperor inherit a godking’s seat? What a farce!

Ignorance was truly bliss!

After interminable upheaval, Taiyuan Plane was finally back on track. The restoration would take a long time, but what mattered was that the situation had bounced back. And the hidden mastermind, Godking Mirrorbloom, had been executed.

Several ambitious godkings harboring hidden motives had also been chased away, exiled forever from Taiyuan Plane.

Most of all, Celestial Emperor Taiyuan, the one who’d once ushered the realm into its golden age, had returned, along with a sense of stability and security. Not only that, he also had a perfect successor in his young son. Things couldn’t be any better.

…...

The renovated Taiyuan Sky Palace had recovered most of its former splendor. Everything felt so familiar, as if all these years of suffering had been a fleeting dream.

Inside the palace, Celestial Emperor Taiyuan once again held an audience with his godkings.

Compared to the past, their number had dwindled by more than half. He couldn’t help but be afflicted by sorrow at the sight.

“Dearest subjects, it is true that We went against heaven’s will and altered the track of destiny by refining the Sun Moon Pill. But do ask yourselves this in your heart of hearts. If death was to take away your only son, would you idly sit by without lifting a finger?”

The crowd fell silent.

They were exalted figures, one and all, yet none of them was immune to emotion. The ways of the world were inscrutable. As godkings, they stood at the pinnacle of the cultivation world, yet they couldn’t match a mortal’s fertility.

Siring one descendant was the norm. Only the luckiest ones were blessed with two or more.

Hence, heirs were extremely valuable for peak cultivators.

Had they been in the celestial emperor’s situation with the same capabilities, at least nine out of ten would have made a similar choice.

“Your Majesty, we were blind and let ourselves be swayed. It was only after the fact that we came to realize the value of what we lost! Without His Majesty on the throne, Taiyuan Plane has been in permanent decline.” Crimsonwaters exclaimed ruefully. “In comparison, refining a Sun Moon Pill, going once against the will of the heavens, it’s little to speak of.”

“Alas, all is predestined.” Godking Hoarfrost sighed. “We were short-sighted and were punished in consequence.”

“The sin of going against the heavens is mine alone to bear. I would’ve never involved the rest of Taiyuan Plane. I hadn’t expected the situation to deteriorate this far.” Emperor Taiyuan grimaced.

Jiang Chen exclaimed, “Fortunately, all’s well that ends well! Father, this is the Taiyuan Token. I formally return it to you. Your Majesty, please allow me to welcome your return with my fellow godkings and celebrate your second reign!”

He dropped on one knee and presented the creation token with both hands.

“Chen’er, you should be the one to rule Taiyuan Plane at this stage,” his father replied, hesitating.

“Hehe, royal father, I’m not like Mirrorbloom. My heart yearns for greater skies. I long to create my own world and pioneer my own realm. At that time, our planes can ally with one another. Both of us will be celestial emperors. Won’t that be a wonderful tale?”

Moved, Emperor Taiyuan laughed out loud. “Wonderful, worthy of my son! You can count on my full support! In that case, I’ll supervise this world for now. Perhaps we can merge our planes one day into the most celebrated realm in the boundless universe!”

The crowd followed suit and cheered boisterously.

Seeing the heroic atmosphere about the father and his son, the godkings felt an extreme sensation of security. That’s what a strong celestial emperor should look like, someone who can lead his people to glory.

In comparison, the previous musical chairs for the throne was an utter disgrace!