Xuanwei stared blankly at the wilted lotus flower, and Xiao Fan, noticing her reaction, asked curiously, "What's wrong?"
"Why did the lotus flower wither?" Xuanwei frowned, her face filled with confusion.
Xiao Fan was taken aback by her question.
Everything in the world has its end, and surely Xuanwei, being as knowledgeable as she was, would understand such a basic concept. But her confusion suggested that she had never seen a plant wither before.
"Do plants in the Immortal Realm never die?" Xiao Fan asked.
"Correct," Xuanwei nodded, explaining, "In the Immortal Realm, even ordinary weeds eventually transform into immortal plants, free from the limitations of lifespan due to the nourishment of immortal energy."
"In other words, nothing in the Immortal Realm dies a natural death."
As she spoke, Xuanwei carefully pulled out the wilted lotus flower. She had examined it closely and confirmed that it hadn't been damaged by any external force—it had simply withered naturally.
This left Xuanwei deeply puzzled.
Why would a lotus flower wither for no apparent reason?
Unable to come up with an explanation, Xuanwei decided not to dwell on it. After all, it was just a flower. She was more concerned about whether she could finally mold Xiao Fan's face to look more handsome this time.
Tossing the withered lotus flower aside, Xuanwei focused on shaping the mud. Xiao Fan, on the other hand, kept staring at the withered lotus, lost in thought.
In the lower realms, it was perfectly natural for plants to wither and die. It was the law of nature. But in the Immortal Realm, the natural law dictated that plants would never wither. This lotus flower defied that law.
This left only two possibilities: either this particular lotus flower was special, or the natural laws of the Immortal Realm were beginning to change.
The thought unsettled Xiao Fan.
If this withered flower was an isolated incident, there was no need to worry. But if the natural laws of the Immortal Realm were indeed changing, the implications could be far more serious.
After a moment, Xiao Fan dismissed his concerns. After all, even if there were some upheaval in the Immortal Realm, it wasn't his responsibility to worry—there was an Immortal Emperor to handle such matters.
With that, Xiao Fan pushed aside his worries and joined Xuanwei in the task of reshaping his face.
Under Xiao Fan's guidance, Xuanwei finally managed to mold his face.
"Master, don't worry! Next time, I'll make sure your face looks exactly like it does in the portrait," Xuanwei promised confidently, looking at Xiao Fan.
"I hope so," Xiao Fan sighed quietly.
Although his current appearance was still far from his original look, Xuanwei had indeed made significant progress. At least now he looked human.
As the days passed, more and more plants on the immortal mountain began to wither and die. At first, it was just small plants like flowers and grass, but soon even the towering trees, dozens of feet tall, began to wither.
Initially, Xuanwei didn't think much of it, but she gradually realized something was very wrong.
She could feel the concentration of immortal energy in the air diminishing. If this continued, one day, the Immortal Realm might no longer be sustainable.
Outside the Haotian Mirror.
Everyone watching suddenly grew tense. Could something really be happening in the Immortal Realm? Was this why the Divine Empress was forced to descend to the lower realms?
Ascension to the Immortal Realm was the lifelong goal of every cultivator. If something had happened in the Immortal Realm that forced the Netherworld Demon Emperor Xiao Fan to sever the path to ascension, it would be devastating for all cultivators.
Up until now, they had believed that Xiao Fan had severed the path to the Immortal Realm out of selfishness, to prevent others from ascending and to avoid being forced to ascend himself. This way, no one could challenge him, and he could rule the lower realms unopposed.
They had thought that if they could defeat Xiao Fan and find a way to reconnect the path to the Immortal Realm, people could once again ascend.
But now, the scenes shown in the Haotian Mirror suggested that the Immortal Realm was undergoing a serious crisis. It was even possible that the Immortal Realm might cease to exist.
Anxiety, fear, dread, and concern filled everyone's hearts.
Everyone desperately wanted to know what was happening. They all turned to look at the Divine Empress, who was now shrouded in divine light and remained silent, as if she had fallen into a deep silence.
No one knew what the Divine Empress was thinking at this moment.
Though they couldn't see her face, they could sense a gloomy aura emanating from her.
Many speculated that the Divine Empress must have recalled some painful memories, leading to her sudden silence.
Could it be that the Immortal Realm really…?
No one dared to continue that thought.
Desperate to know what was happening in the Immortal Realm, everyone's attention returned to the Haotian Mirror.
Inside the Haotian Mirror.
Although Xiao Fan noticed Xuanwei's unease, there wasn't much he could do to help.
Just then, a loud, resonant bell rang out from the void.
*Dong!*
*Dong!*
*Dooong!*
The sound was ancient, sacred, and solemn.
Hearing the bell, Xuanwei, who had been uneasy, immediately felt a sense of relief.
That old geezer finally decided to stop pretending!
Noticing Xiao Fan's confusion, Xuanwei explained, "That's the Immortal Court's bell. Once it rings, all immortals in the Immortal Realm must immediately go to the Immortal Court."
"It seems that old geezer is finally getting worried and is summoning all the immortals to discuss a solution."
A smile appeared on Xuanwei's face as she spoke. She noticed that the restriction preventing her from leaving had been lifted after the bell rang.
"Master, let's go! We've got to see what's going on!" Xuanwei said excitedly, grabbing Xiao Fan's hand and flying eagerly into the sky.
High above, between the clouds, a grand and ancient palace floated in the air, exuding a timeless aura.
One glance at it left anyone in awe.
Outside the Haotian Mirror.
Many people were moved to tears with excitement.
The Immortal Emperor had taken action. Surely, all problems would be resolved now!
The Immortal Realm would be safe!
And seeing the legendary Immortal Court with their own eyes, many felt their lives were now complete.
However, some couldn't help but feel puzzled, like the Jade Pool Empress.
As she gazed at the Immortal Court displayed in the Haotian Mirror, her expression was one of surprise and confusion.
The Immortal Court of the Immortal Realm was identical to the Heavenly Court where she had once resided.
What was going on?
Could there be some special connection between the Immortal Court of the Immortal Realm and the Heavenly Court of the lower realms?
With this question in mind, the Jade Pool Empress continued to watch the Haotian Mirror, her expression growing more solemn.
To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8