544: The root of the war

What shook them even more was that the supreme Emperor Ye Lingxiao, in their eyes, was actually trailing half a step behind that woman at this moment.

His demeanor carried a sense of respect they had never seen before, almost like a Disciple facing a Revered Master!

Who exactly was the white-clothed woman beside the Emperor?

Why could she command such respect from the Emperor?

Everyone's eyes were almost uncontrollably glued to Ling Xi.

Awe, suspicion, bewilderment... countless emotions surged within the hall.

Meanwhile, some Great Sages with extremely Senior status who had seen Ling Xi's elegance in the past,

when they clearly saw those familiar facial features and felt that faint yet deep-as-the-ocean Heaven-Devouring Dao Rhyme, their bodies began to tremble uncontrollably.

A name sealed away for thousands of years, existing only in legends and supreme faith, exploded within the depths of their Souls with the power of a thousand thunderclaps!

Could it be... a Great Sage Cang Xuan, with hair as white as frost and a slightly hunched back, could no longer restrain himself.

He stumbled out of the crowd, disregarding his dignity as a Great Sage, his knees buckling as he knelt heavily before Ling Xi!

He could no longer hold back and actually stumbled out from the crowd.

Completely ignoring the occasion, his knees went weak, and he knelt down heavily toward Ling Xi with a thud!

Old tears instantly streamed down his wrinkled face. He looked up, his voice hoarse and broken, yet carrying an ultimate piety and awe that pierced through time and Soul, as he cried out:

"Your subordinate Cang Xuan kowtows to the Heaven-Devouring Dao Empress! Is it you... is it really you who has returned?!"

Heaven-Devouring Dao Empress!

These four words, like the divine thunder of the Nine Heavens, exploded within the solemn and majestic Imperial Court hall.

Everyone shook violently, their facial expressions freezing into a blank state of horror.

They suddenly turned their heads, their gazes shooting toward that cold and ethereal white-clothed woman.

Who was Great Sage Cang Xuan?

A living fossil of the Imperial Court who had witnessed countless storms; even when Ye Lingxiao became an Emperor, he had only bowed in salute.

Now, he was actually kneeling before a woman, tears streaming down his face, hoarsely shouting that legendary title?

This white-clothed woman... was actually Empress Ling Xi, who had broken through the world barrier thousands of years ago in pursuit of the supreme Dao and eventually became an immortal legend of the Canglan World?!

Ye Lingxiao had already anticipated this scene. With a calm expression, he did not stop him, but only spoke in a deep voice to the people in the hall:

"Great Sage Cang Xuan's perception is correct. This is indeed the Reincarnation of Empress Ling Xi."

"The Empress pursued the Dao back then, weathered many tribulations, and has now returned to her homeland."

It really is Empress Ling Xi!!!

The hall completely boiled over with excitement.

Ling Xi's gaze fell upon Cang Xuan, who was kneeling on the ground with tears streaming down his face.

That initial ripple of emotion gradually transformed into a deep sentiment that traversed thousands of years.

She looked at Cang Xuan and spoke softly, her voice carrying a gentleness and sigh that seemed to pierce through time:

"Cang Xuan..."

With just those two words, Cang Xuan trembled all over and suddenly looked up.

On his tear-streaked face was the grievance and longing of thousands of years of waiting.

Ling Xi looked at his frost-white hair and slightly hunched back, letting out a soft sigh:

"When this Empress left, you were still a high-spirited young Prodigy in the Imperial Court, pointing your sword at the sky. Now, you have already grown gray hair."

"Cang Xuan has grown old!"

The old man touched his head to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

This simple sentence expressed the weight of thousands of years, breaking down all the mental defenses of this veteran Great Sage.

The old officials in the hall who knew of the past all felt a sting in their noses and sighed with emotion.

Ling Xi raised her hand, and a gentle force lifted him and everyone else in the hall:

"All of you, rise. I am no longer the Emperor of the past; I have now reincarnated to cultivate anew and am merely a Disciple under my Revered Master."

"Returning this time and seeing that the homeland remains and the Legacy has not been severed, you all have done well in defending the land, and I am deeply comforted."

"Reincarnated to cultivate anew..."

Everyone's hearts sank, instantly realizing that the Empress's departure back then was by no means smooth; she had even met with misfortune and faced the dangers of Reincarnation!

What kind of thrilling past lay behind this?

An unspeakable heaviness and imagination of past dangers quietly spread.

And as for the person who could be taken as a Revered Master by the legendary Heaven-Devouring Dao Empress... Only then did Ye Lingxiao take a step forward, his expression solemn as he bowed deeply to Gu Changge, then turned to the crowd, his voice steady and powerful:

"Everyone, this battle is over."

"That this battle was won, the common people saved, and Canglan not destroyed, is all thanks to Senior Gu alone turning the tide."

He paused, each word crystal clear and shaking the entire venue:

"Senior is not only the supreme benefactor who saved the Canglan World from destruction, but also the current Revered Master of Empress Ling Xi."

"Senior Gu?"

Everyone's gazes instantly shifted from Ling Xi, subconsciously looking at the white-clothed man standing silently beside her with a calm expression.

Awe, curiosity, gratitude... various emotions permeated the hall.

Immediately, led by Ye Lingxiao, the core members of the Imperial Court straightened their expressions and bowed in unison to Gu Changge, their voices echoing through the hall:

"We thank Senior Gu for his great kindness! Canglan will remember it forever!"

Gu Changge's expression was indifferent as he nodded slightly in response.

His aura was as deep as Chaos, commanding respect without anger, yet inexplicably putting people at ease.

Everyone rose, their gazes incredibly complex.

There was supreme awe for the legendary Empress, and curiosity and shock toward the reincarnated returnee.

There was also awe and curiosity toward Gu Changge.

To be able to be the Empress's Revered Master and save the Canglan World, what kind of existence was this person?

Amidst everyone's lamentations, Ye Lingxiao's steady voice rang out again, pulling their thoughts back:

"Alright."

His gaze swept over the still somewhat dazed crowd, his tone carrying a hint of comfort:

"The return of the Empress is a great joyous event for our Canglan World. Having Senior Gu here is an even more supreme honor."

"Everyone, please take your seats. Having gone through this great catastrophe, you all have worked hard."

Everyone responded in unison and took their seats one after another. Great Sage Cang Xuan, Ye Lingxiao, and others accompanied Ling Xi and Gu Changge, their expressions still respectful.

The atmosphere in the hall gradually shifted from initial shock and ecstasy to one of solemnity and gravity.

Having experienced a near-total disaster, everyone had a question weighing on their hearts, waiting to be resolved.

After a moment of silence, a Great Sage wearing black armor with a resolute face finally couldn't contain the doubt in his heart.

He stood up and bowed to everyone, his tone carrying a bit of urgency and gravity:

"This subject has a matter I venture to ask. This great war came so unexpectedly, and Emperor Lingxiao left in a hurry."

"Although we held our ground here, we still do not know which force it was that invaded our world."

"And what was the root cause of the great war?"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the hall chimed in, their eyes full of expectation and doubt.

Indeed, this catastrophe came too suddenly. The world-destroying fluctuations, the scene of Quasi-Emperors from various regions breaking out of seclusion, and the Imperial Weapons reviving on their own—all these filled their hearts with confusion.

During these days, they were trapped in the Imperial Court, suffering day and night. What they wanted to know most was the truth behind the great war.