Mingyue Great Emperor shuddered. She recognized that face.
Though tens of thousands of years had passed and time had etched faint traces upon it, those eyes had not changed. Neither had that unmistakable air.
"Fellow Daoist Fang Chen?"
Her voice trembled with disbelief.
Fang Chen stood at the edge of the Space Vortex. His gaze swept over the familiar faces on the jade-green Square below before meeting Mingyue Great Emperor's eyes across the air.
"Fellow Daoist Mingyue, long time no see!"
Mingyue Great Emperor drew a deep breath, trying to calm the emotions surging within her, but her voice remained hoarse. "Long time no see, Fellow Daoist Fang Chen! Didn't you go to the Path to Heaven? How did you get back?"
"I did, and now I'm back! And I'm not the only one!"
Fang Chen smiled and stepped aside, clearing the entrance to the vortex.
A second figure emerged.
It was a woman in a jade-green dress, dignified and gentle, her long hair pinned up with a jade hairpin. Her features bore some resemblance to Mingyue Great Emperor's, but held a steadiness born of weathering countless years.
Her gaze passed over the familiar faces on the Square below and lingered on Mingyue Great Emperor for a moment. Then her lips curved ever so slightly.
No one followed Li Qingyao out.
Fang Chen had arranged it deliberately: Li Qingyao would emerge first, then the Jade Pool Immortal King.
"Ming Yue!"
Her voice was soft as willow catkins drifting in the wind, yet it reached Mingyue Great Emperor's ears with perfect clarity.
Mingyue Great Emperor went rigid.
She stood rooted to the spot as though struck by lightning.
Her eyes widened, and the jade light in her pupils rippled violently, like a lake struck by a giant stone, its waves spreading