396: The Coronation Ceremony of Saintess Bai Li

'Emotion... is not limited to private feelings between a man and a woman. Protecting the weak, showing compassion for life... these are also forms of "emotion."' A thought exploded like thunder in his heart, which was otherwise governed by absolute reason.

The Time Venerable wanted him to sever his emotions and desires to cultivate the 'Great Path of Forgotten Emotions,' pursuing the 'eternity' and 'transcendence' of time itself.

But if even the most basic heart for pitying and protecting life is completely extinguished, how would he differ from the cold, operating Time Law that disregards all living beings? Would that still be the Dao of 'protection'?

With a single thought, everything became clear. It wasn't a rush of hot blood, but a deeper realization closer to the essence of the soul.

Buzz—!

The silver light in Time Without Trace's eyes suddenly became incomparably sharp, without a hint of hesitation. He didn't roar or make any redundant movements; he simply pointed his fingers and made a precise slash at the Time Shadow Beast that was about to devour the woman and child!

What flowed from his fingertips was no longer the silver glow of time used to manipulate external objects, but 'Ten Years of Time' shimmering with the luster of life, stripped from the depths of his own Origin like silk from a cocoon!

This strand of Origin light, carrying his own life aura, instantly transformed into an intangible and substance-less 'Time Key' that was sufficient to sever the decay of time.

Screech—!

A soft sound rang out, as if time itself was being torn apart. That hideous Time Shadow Beast, along with the decaying aura it emitted, melted and disintegrated instantly like snow under sunlight, without even leaving a ripple.

The woman collapsed to the ground in terror, tightly clutching the infant who seemed to have regained a trace of Life Qi. She looked around blankly, as if she had no idea what had happened.

The price paid by Time Without Trace was clearly visible—his tall figure seemed to 'dim' imperceptibly for a moment, and a sense of weakness originating from the deepest part of his life swept through his heart. That was the mark of Ten Years of Time being forcibly extracted.

More importantly, he could clearly perceive that the 'Time Shackles' binding him were dissipating, but the originally abundant 'three-day limit' had now been compressed to the extreme. The 'time span' between him and the Piaomiao Realm's Yuqing Palace had become incredibly tight.

The gray-and-white illusion shattered and dissipated piece by piece like a fading scroll.

As space-time resumed its flow, the figure of Time Without Trace reappeared amidst the light of the plane crossing. He still stood with his hands behind his back, his silver eyes as deep as an abyss, as if that soul-stirring test had never happened.

But only he knew that a tiny, burning, strange sensation remained on his fingertips—it was the Dao mark left by forcibly stripping away his own life-time, and the warmth of 'humanity' he had touched after personally severing the 'absolute reason' shackles set by the Time Venerable.

'Compassion and protection are also vital to the Dao Heart. Without Trace, you have not disappointed your master... nor have you failed your responsibility as the Son of the Primordial to protect the heavens.' A thought that only he could perceive, carrying an undetectable trace of gratification, quietly brushed past his Dao Heart like a breeze over the river of time, then vanished without a trace.

Time Without Trace remained expressionless, but in his heart, there was no longer any deliberate rejection or freezing of 'emotion.'

He understood the Time Venerable's deep meaning: a truly supreme protector is not a heartless machine of Laws, but one who can control the great power of time without losing themselves in the power itself, still holding basic reverence and protective thoughts for life in their heart.

This realization did not damage his 'Instant Eternal Dao Heart'; instead, after undergoing this tempering of humanity, it became more harmonious and resilient, faintly taking on a warm luster.

In the Xuanxiao Great World, Tianxuan Domain, outside the boundary walls of the Piaomiao Realm surrounded by endless immortal clouds, the Void Realm rippled like water. A figure wearing a simple silver-patterned Daoist robe stepped out silently.

Time Without Trace stood with his hands behind his back, his silver eyes calmly looking down at the vast world below that resembled a fairyland, where the sound of zithers faintly echoed. The iconic palace complexes of Yuqing Palace, surrounded by ice-crystal rosy light, were faintly visible on the distant horizon.

'Yuqing Palace... Bai Li... I have come.' His voice was flat and waveless, yet it seemed to carry the weight of time, penetrating the layers of mist in the Piaomiao Realm. With the next step, he would enter this world to fulfill that promise that spanned across time and space.

Piaomiao Realm, Yuqing Palace.

In the Nine Heavens, immortal clouds lingered and rosy lights wove together like brocade. Billions of ice-crystal lotuses condensed from Laws bloomed one after another in the Void Realm, and clear, ethereal immortal music fell from the Nine Heavens, cleansing the Divine Soul.

Today was a grand event that occurred once in ten thousand years for Yuqing Palace—the coronation ceremony of Saintess Bai Li, as well as the sacred moment of inheriting the Sect's half-Sacred Artifact, the heavenly sound zither.

Within the Tianxuan Domain of the Xuanxiao Great World, prominent Sect leaders, reclusive Old Ancestors, and messengers from Holy Lands arrived one after another, gathering at the central 'Dao-Listening Square.'

The square was paved with a single piece of hundred-million-year-old 'Clear Heart Profound Jade,' and in the center stood the ninety-nine 'Dao-Seeking Jade Steps' that led straight to the clouds. At the end of the jade steps, an altar carved from ten-thousand-year-old cold marrow floated, with runes flowing upon it, emitting a Dao charm that communicated with heaven and earth.

Bai Li was the absolute protagonist of today.

She was dressed in a Moon-Bright Saint Robe, its hem outlined with profound musical runes made of star sand, flowing with light and color. On her head, she wore the ice-crystal crown that symbolized the glory of a King of the Extreme Realm; her cold and stunning face appeared even more holy under the reflection of the crown's rosy light, like the mysterious moon of the Nine Heavens descending to the mortal world.

However, deep within those eyes that could make the galaxy lose its color, there was a hidden trace of undetectable fatigue and... an almost faint hope. Her fingertips unconsciously rubbed an ice-blue ring in her sleeve; the ring was cold, yet it seemed to be the only warm thought she could grasp at this moment.

'The auspicious hour has arrived—!" The loud voice of the Ritual Elder pierced through the immortal music, echoing between heaven and earth.

Below the jade steps, the Palace Mistress of Yuqing Palace—a woman dressed in a plain white palace gown whose face appeared middle-aged but contained an aura of ancient vicissitudes (Hunyuan Realm Peak, not a nascent Universe, combat power approximately 1800 Yuan Force)—looked solemn.

She held an ancient zither with both hands. The body of the zither was neither metal nor wood, but transparent like ice marrow throughout. The seven strings seemed to be condensed from solidified light of the Saint Dao, and their slight vibrations resonated with the Dao sounds of heaven and earth—it was precisely Yuqing Palace's Sect-protecting treasure, the half-Sacred Artifact, the heavenly sound zither!

'Bai Li,' the Palace Mistress of Yuqing Palace's voice was as cold as an ice spring yet carried supreme majesty, 'You possess the Heavenly Sound Saint Body and have been bestowed with the King of the Extreme Realm crown of the Primal Plane. Your talent is peerless, and your Dao Heart is clear. Today, witnessed by fellow Daoists of the heavens, you are crowned as the seventh generation Saintess of Yuqing Palace. You shall wield the heavenly sound zither, inherit my lineage, and protect all living beings! Are you willing?'

Countless gazes focused on that cold and aloof figure atop the altar. Envy, reverence, jealousy, scrutiny... various emotions intertwined.

Bai Li took a deep breath, suppressing the waves in her heart, and parted her vermilion lips slightly: 'I, your Disciple Bai Li, am willing to accept this responsibility, to...'