"Nonsense!"
In the void above, the Jade Pool Empress's eyes glinted with cold fury as she stared icily at the Divine Empress, Xuanwei.
She spoke with a biting tone, "Are you seriously trying to say that Xiao Fan severed the Immortal Path and blocked the spread of darkness, keeping the lower realms safe?"
"Hahaha… that's laughable! If this were truly the catastrophic end of an epoch, do you think severing the Immortal Path alone could stop it?"
"If even the Immortal Emperor couldn't prevent it, then what could Xiao Fan possibly do to stop the destruction of the epoch?"
The Jade Pool Empress laughed mockingly, tears nearly forming in her eyes from the ridicule. Inside, she sneered at the notion that Xuanwei was trying to whitewash Xiao Fan, turning him from a villain into a savior.
There was no way she would allow that to happen!
Hearing the Jade Pool Empress's words, many others couldn't help but feel that the idea was indeed absurd. If it were truly the end of an epoch, a disaster that even the Immortal Realm and the Immortal Emperor couldn't escape, how could Xiao Fan simply severing the Immortal Path have saved the lower realms?
Did this mean Xiao Fan was somehow more powerful than the Immortal Emperor? That notion was utterly illogical.
Moreover, even if Xiao Fan had severed the Immortal Path to protect the lower realms, that didn't justify his slaughter of countless sects and cultivators. True, some of the sects he destroyed, like Qingyun Sect, deserved their fate. But Xiao Fan also killed many revered figures in the cultivation world, including the great scholars of Tiandao Academy.
These scholars practiced righteousness, a path that could only be cultivated by those with true virtue and a heart for justice. Xiao Fan had also killed the previous Heavenly Emperor, usurping his throne. These bloodstained facts were irrefutable.
Even if Xiao Fan's initial intention in severing the Immortal Path had been to protect the lower realms, his later actions—slaughtering those who opposed him—proved that he had become power-hungry, willing to kill anyone who threatened his rule.
However, people were still puzzled as to why the lower realms had remained peaceful for thousands of years after Xiao Fan severed the Immortal Path. They were also inclined to believe the Divine Empress's claim that the Immortal Realm no longer existed, especially after hearing the words of the Immortal Emperor himself in the scenes shown by the Haotian Mirror. If the Immortal Realm hadn't undergone some catastrophic change, the Divine Empress wouldn't be the first immortal in history to descend from the Immortal Realm.
"Divine Empress, you mentioned earlier that the lower realms have remained peaceful, possibly due to Xiao Fan severing the Immortal Path. Does this mean that if someone else had severed the path, the lower realms would have been equally safe?" someone voiced their thoughts.
"Isn't it possible that the Immortal Emperor, with his supreme power, isolated the darkness from spreading to the lower realms, but needed someone to sever the Immortal Path to completely stop the lower realms from being destroyed? And perhaps you were the original candidate for this task, which is why you were sent to the lower realms. But due to certain reasons, you lost your memory, allowing Xiao Fan to act in your place."
In his view, while the Immortal Emperor might not have been able to save the Immortal Realm, that didn't mean he couldn't protect the lower realms. The Immortal Realm, being of a higher plane and with stronger laws, might have been beyond salvation. But severing the connection between the Immortal and lower realms to prevent the spread of darkness—this was entirely plausible. Xiao Fan, in this scenario, was merely a thief who stole the credit from the Immortal Emperor.
"Wow! My friend, are you a prophet?"
"My admiration for you is like a river, flowing endlessly!"
"If I had known, I would have studied more before practicing cultivation, instead of just saying 'Wow!' all the time!"
"I think you're spot on. The true savior of the lower realms must be the Immortal Emperor, not Xiao Fan!"
"Exactly! Xiao Fan is just a thief who stole the Immortal Emperor's credit!"
As the crowd heard this analysis, they were awed. Not only was it logical, but it also flattered the Immortal Emperor and the Divine Empress. Even if this theory was wrong, it wouldn't offend the Divine Empress. The crowd quickly agreed, feeling that this was the most plausible explanation.
Earlier, the notion that Xiao Fan was the savior of the lower realms had been met with skepticism. But the idea that the Immortal Emperor was the true savior was something no one doubted.
Even Xuanwei frowned slightly after hearing this analysis, unable to find any words to refute it. It wasn't that her memory hadn't fully returned; she genuinely didn't know whether it was Xiao Fan or her father, the Immortal Emperor, who had saved the lower realms. The only thing she was certain of was that the lower realms' continued peace was somehow related to Xiao Fan severing the Immortal Path.
For a moment, the Divine Empress's prestige soared. If the Immortal Emperor had indeed saved the lower realms, then the credit naturally fell to the Divine Empress as well.
Watching this unfold, the Jade Pool Empress felt a twinge of irritation. While her goal had been achieved—no one believed Xiao Fan was the savior—she hadn't anticipated that the Divine Empress would gain such honor and recognition instead. Now, in the eyes of everyone, the Divine Empress seemed the most sacred and exalted among the seven Empresses.
"Enough!" The usually quiet Dragon Empress, Long Xiaoxiao, suddenly roared in anger.
She didn't mind the crowd praising the Divine Empress, but she couldn't tolerate them repeatedly belittling her master, Xiao Fan, calling him a thief who stole the Immortal Emperor's credit. At this moment, she was so furious that she wanted to transform into her true form and devour these slanderous fools. But she restrained herself, determined to show her master, Xiao Fan, that she had learned to control her temper and wouldn't lose her sanity again.
"Are you all not tired of being proven wrong?" Northern Underworld Empress Leng Ruoxue glared at the crowd with equal anger.
"If I hear anyone spouting nonsense again, I'll make sure they can neither live nor die!" Skyfire Empress Huo Ling'er's eyes burned with fury as she threatened the crowd.
"If you want to know the truth, just keep watching. Everything will become clear," Lunar Empress Wen Yaxian said calmly, though the fire in her eyes was evident.
Seeing the situation, the Demon Empress Gongsun Yarou slowly lowered her hand. She had been prepared to execute those who dared to speak against Xiao Fan.
The crowd felt the Empresses' wrath and immediately fell silent, not daring to say another word. While they were convinced that the Immortal Emperor, not Xiao Fan, was the true savior of the lower realms, they decided to let the facts speak for themselves.
To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8