An imperial escort imdiately stepped forward to receive the Bai Clan, greeting them respectfully before leading the way toward the ceremonial hall.
Under the watchful eyes of the palace guards, the Bai Clan advanced deeper into the Imperial Palace.
The Bai Clan was already familiar with the route and didn't truly need an escort.
They had walked these halls more than once before.
Even so, protocol could not be neglected.
At a ti like this, even the smallest lapse in courtesy could be interpreted as disrespect and the Imperial Family could not afford to make such a mistake. Golden tiles stretched beneath their feet, polished to a mirror sheen. Massive pillars rose on both sides, carved with dragons entwined with runes.
At last, they arrived.
The Grand Ceremonial Hall!
The doors were already open.
As the Bai Clan stepped inside, the atmosphere within shifted instantly.
The hall was vast, crowded with figures both familiar and formidable.
Clan Patriarchs.
Sect Leaders.
Ministers.
And even envoys from foreign Empires.
Even Commander Wei was present, standing near the front with his hands clasped behind his back, his posture straight and dignified.
Almost everyone who had played a aningful role in the war against the Demonic Forces was here.
And the mont the Bai Clan entered-
Attention converged.
Conversations faltered.
Eyes turned.
Then-
Movent.
"Patriarch Bai!"
A middle-aged clan leader was the first to approach, his face lit with enthusiasm. He clasped his fists deeply.
"Thanks to the Bai Clan's decisive actions, the northern front was saved. Truly admirable!"
Before Bai Tianheng could respond, another voice chid in.
"Well said! Without Patriarch Bai and the Bai Clan, we might still be fighting a losing battle."
Several figures followed suit, surrounding the Bai Clan almost instantly.
"Grand Elder Bai, your clan's sacrifice will not be forgotten."
"The Empire owes you a great debt."
Praise flowed freely.
Complints piled one atop another.
The Bai Clan responded with calm courtesy-neither aloof nor overly receptive.
Bai Tianheng exchanged polite words, his deanor steady and composed, clearly accustod to such scenes.
anwhile, the Li and Zhao Clans watched from a distance, anger simring beneath their restrained expressions.
In terms of sacrifice, it was they who had suffered the greatest losses-yet listening to the praise, one would think only the Bai Clan had fought against the Beast Tide and Demonic Beasts.
Li Jianhong drained his cup of wine in a single gulp.
"Tsk! Rejoice while you can, Bai Tianheng. Soon, you'll be groveling at my feet."
Bai Tianheng didn't even have ti to check where the Li and Zhao Clans were, as he was completely surrounded.
He couldn't even tell them to step back-so of those crowding him were influential figures the Bai Clan might wish to cooperate with in the future.
Yet soon-
The focus subtly shifted.
Eyes drifted toward Bai Zihan.
"Young Master Bai, your na has already beco legend among our
generation. To stand against demonic forces far above one's realm... truly a
hero among n."
One of the younger generations spoke with admiration.
Another followed quickly.
"Indeed! If not for Young Master Bai holding the line, countless cultivators
would have perished."
"A genius worthy of the Bai Clan's legacy."
"A peerless talent!"
The words were lavish.
Sincere or at least convincingly so.
Bai Zihan rely smiled faintly, offering small nods in response.
Not a single person ntioned his crippled state.
No one was foolish enough to touch the Bai Clan's reverse scale.
Their words were carefully chosen.
To openly refer to Bai Zihan as crippled-here of all places-would be
tantamount to slapping the Bai Clan in the face.
And no one present was willing to bear that consequence.
Commander Wei's gaze lingered on Bai Zihan longer than most.
Then he nodded once, solemnly.
He, too, felt gratitude toward the Bai Clan and wished to personally thank them -but seeing how thoroughly they were surrounded, he chose not to add to the
commotion.
There was also regret in his eyes.
A genius with limitless potential, cut down before his future could truly unfold.
It was a loss for the Desolate Heaven Empire.
But that was simply how fate worked.
Soon enough, as the last arrivals settled into place, a subtle change swept
through the hall.
The murmurs gradually died down.
Conversations faded into silence.
At the front of the Grand Ceremonial Hall, the imperial attendants straightened
as the great doors behind the throne platform slowly swung open.
"The Great Emperor of the Desolate Heaven Empire arrives!"
The announcent rang clear and loud.
Everyone in the hall-clan patriarchs, sect masters, ministers, and envoys-
straightened instinctively.
One by one, they turned toward the entrance.
Bai Zihan did the sa.
He was curious.
In his childhood, he had technically t the Emperor-but at the ti, hist
vision had been obstructed by the System Interface.
Moreover, since then, rumors have spread endlessly.
The Emperor's health was declining.
It was only a matter of ti before he passed.
Given those rumors, Bai Zihan had unconsciously ford an image in his mind
-an old man clinging to life, supported by pills, his authority maintained only
by legacy.
So when the Emperor finally appeared-
Bai Zihan was caught off guard.
The man who stepped into the hall was indeed old, his hair streaked with silver
and his face marked by the passage of years.
But fragile?
Not in the slightest.
His back was straight.
His steps were firm and unhurried.
Beneath the loose imperial robes, the outline of solid muscle was clearly visible
-lean, disciplined, and far from decayed.
Each step he took carried weight-not from cultivation pressure alone, but
from sheer authority.
Confidence radiated from him.
Not the forced confidence of soone pretending to be strong.
But the calm certainty of a ruler who knew his position and held it firmly.
His eyes were sharp, clear, and steady as they swept across the hall-missing
nothing.
Bai Zihan's brows rose almost imperceptibly.
(So the rumors were a lie?)
He didn't think so though. It was not even a rumor as spy of different faction
has seen the Emperor's state and reported it as being almost dead.
Bai Zihan also received one from Kong Zhanhong. He didn't think Kong
Zhanhong would make a mistake in his report.
He wasn't the only one surprised.
Around the hall, subtle reactions rippled outward.
So widened their eyes. Others stiffened unconsciously. A few exchanged brief, startled glances.
Everyone here seed to be aware of the state that the Emperor was in yet
when they finally saw him in person, he was nothing like what was reported.
The Emperor ascended the steps to the throne platform without assistance, turned, and sat down smoothly.
As the Emperor settled into his seat, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his
lips-
and an unspoken warning spread through the hall!
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