Outside the Heavenly Emperor's Realm.
The cultivators fell silent after watching the image left by the little fox. Although they had already guessed that the little fox had died, the confirmation still filled their hearts with sorrow.
She had been so pitiful, why couldn't the heavens allow her the right to live on? Was simply wanting to live such a luxury?
The little fox's experiences were known to all the cultivators, and they felt deeply sorry for her. Despite all her suffering, she could not escape her tragic fate in the end.
Suddenly, a cultivator spoke up, "Wait, didn't the little fox say her name was Bai Xiao Qi in her final words?"
"Yes, I heard it too. I thought I was hearing things!"
"Bai Xiao Qi? The current Demon Empress of the demon clan is also named Bai Xiao Qi..."
All the cultivators began to murmur, their hearts filled with shock.
Countless gazes turned towards the distance, where the only Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox of the Celestial Fox Clan, who was also the current Demon Empress, stood.
At first, it was just her appearance that was the same, but now even her name matched? Could this really be just a coincidence?
The only difference might be that the little fox in the image was not a Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox, but a Seven-Tailed Celestial Fox.
Even Bai Xiao Qi herself was shocked as she watched everything unfold in the mirror. She muttered to herself in disbelief, "This little fox is also named Bai Xiao Qi? How is that possible?"
"Could it just be a namesake?"
However, it was hard to accept this as mere coincidence given the number of similarities.
"No! This is impossible! I, the Empress, was born with heavenly anomalies, with the laws of heaven resonating and the Great Dao favoring me. I have never been cursed!"
"And before this, I never had any interaction with the Emperor!"
"If it were truly me, I would never save that guy. He is the mortal enemy of my demon clan; how could I possibly rescue him?"
"No, there must be something wrong!"
"This must be a flaw in the Emperor's soul memory!"
Bai Xiao Qi was in disbelief, frantically convincing herself that the little fox couldn't be her and that she had never interacted with the Emperor.
If she truly had such a past with the Emperor, why would he massacre the demon clan? She was in extreme pain, unwilling to accept this truth.
However, as the memory scene in the Heavenly Emperor Mirror unfolded, new memories that she had never experienced before began to flood her mind.
These memories made her head feel like it was splitting, and she showed a pained expression.
In her mind, the memories seemed to replay the contents of the Emperor's memories.
Bai Xiao Qi was disoriented. She couldn't tell if the images were from the Heavenly Emperor Mirror or her own memories.
Ye Fan quickly stepped forward, concerned, "Are you okay?"
But Bai Xiao Qi ignored him, lost in her painful recollections.
Ye Fan's expression was awkward. He was extremely worried. From the looks of it, things might not be going well!
If the Demon Emperor had truly experienced those events with the Emperor, and if the little fox was indeed the Demon Empress, he didn't know what to do.
Before this, Chu Nannan had already sided with the Emperor, and even Nie Fengyun was wavering, ready to defect from their Heaven Defying team at any moment.
If even the Demon Empress chose to side with the Emperor, the impact would be tremendous.
The cultivators, though sympathetic to the little fox, were unwilling to accept that she was the Demon Empress. If this were confirmed, the Demon Empress's defection would be inevitable.
"The little fox and the Celestial Fox Empress cannot be the same person. It's just that they have the same name and appearance; it's impossible!"
Ye Fan kept trying to comfort himself with these thoughts.
All the cultivators, filled with trepidation and complex emotions, continued to watch the Heavenly Emperor Mirror.
At this moment, Xiao Qi's image had already dissipated, turning into mist. The jade pendant lost its luster and became an ordinary piece of jade, devoid of its previous divinity.
Chu Yang felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his entire body on the verge of exploding.
Xiao Qi was dead?! "No, Xiao Qi can't be dead, this must be a dream, yes, just a nightmare..."
Chu Yang, appearing insane, let out low growls. They had managed to survive the ancient forbidden land, and all the curses on her had been lifted, how could she be dead?!
That day.
Chu Yang returned to the place where he and Xiao Qi had last parted. He looked at the waterfall cascading down three thousand feet, the giant tree brimming with vitality, and the gently flowing stream. His gaze was eerily calm.
Chu Yang caught a big fish and roasted it.
"Xiao Qi, come eat the fish..."
For a long time, there was no response.
Chu Yang sighed helplessly, muttering to himself, "Xiao Qi is still so playful, it's mealtime and she's not back yet."
Three days later.
Chu Yang came to a picturesque mountain scene.
"Xiao Qi, this place is beautiful too, isn't it? You always loved such pretty places."
A week later.
"Xiao Qi, where did you go this time? You've been gone so long."
Chu Yang sat alone on a mountaintop, staring blankly into the distance, holding the jade pendant that Xiao Qi had left behind.
Outside the Heavenly Emperor Mirror, the group of cultivators felt a mix of emotions as they watched the Emperor.
Some cultivators angrily condemned the Emperor for not seeking revenge for the little fox. Others believed that facing an emperor-level opponent was futile, and that waiting to reach the emperor realm themselves before seeking revenge was more prudent.
However, some cultivators were convinced that, given the Emperor's character, he would act regardless of the odds. He had once confronted a sage to avenge his sister, so why would he back down now?
...
Chu Yang returned to the original place, but that familiar figure never reappeared. He knew now that this dream would not end...
After a long while, Chu Yang, with a cold expression, slowly stood up. The memories of his time with Xiao Qi were still vivid, echoing in his mind as if they had happened just yesterday.
"Big wooden head, remember me, don't forget Xiao Qi!"
Xiao Qi's melodious voice still lingered in his ears, filled with sorrow and helplessness.
Chu Yang took a deep breath, his gaze filled with boundless killing intent, piercing the sky. He casually summoned the Boundless Bell.
Stepping onto the Boundless Bell, he flew into the sky, disappearing beyond the clouds, unstoppable.
This journey, to exterminate the demon clan, to slay the Demon Emperor!