You Had Your Chance, But You Blew It

Candle Dragon's face twitched at these words.

He had originally planned to offer kind advice, sparing you a beating.

Not only do you fail to appreciate good intentions, but you deliberately jab at This Seat's sore spots.

Old acquaintances?

To hell with old acquaintances!

We've only met a few times—don't pretend we're sworn dao companions willing to die for each other.

With that kind of relationship, you expect This Seat to risk being killed to let you go?

Since you won't listen to reason, then I have no choice but to resort to force.

Then Candle Dragon spoke: "Fellow Daoist Huang Tian!

Your words are a bit too much.

This Seat is merely carrying out orders.

And this place, the Heavenly Court, was not something This Seat invited you to.

As His Majesty just said, you abandoned your own dao grounds back then.

And the current His Majesty did not seize the Heavenly Court from your hands.

Some deceitful words might fool yourself, but uttering them only invites ridicule.

Now that His Majesty seeks to hold you accountable, This Seat advises you to await judgment.

If you truly wish to fight, the outcome should not need This Seat to spell out.

If you don't believe me, you can take a look at Fellow Daoist Cang Tian's current state."

With that, Candle Dragon ignored Huang Tian.

Instead, he waved his hand and cast the Mirror of Radiance.

Instantly, Old Ancestor Cangtian's situation was laid before them.

In the image, Old Ancestor Cangtian was already engulfed in blazing Emperor Flame.

His screams of agony were unending.

But because his flesh and mana were both sealed, Old Ancestor Cangtian could do nothing but scream, unable to make any other move.

Looking at Old Ancestor Cangtian in the image, Candle Dragon asked softly: "Fellow Daoist Huang Tian!

How well-done would you say Fellow Daoist Cang Tian is at this moment?"

Hearing Candle Dragon's question, Old Ancestor Huangtian immediately shuddered.

How well-done?

Was that a way to describe a cultivator?

But before Old Ancestor Huangtian could speak, Old Ancestor Cangtian in the image finally couldn't bear the pain and relented.

"Your Majesty, spare me!

This Humble One is willing to submit to the Heavenly Court!"

Haotian, standing before Old Ancestor Cangtian, heard this and said indifferently: "Why not say that earlier?

Why suffer this torment?

Imperial We's rules, Fellow Daoist Cang Tian should know them, yes?"

Old Ancestor Cangtian, upon hearing this, forcibly suppressed his pain.

And replied haltingly: "Know... know!"

Haotian, hearing this, moved his mind and withdrew the Emperor Flame.

After a brief pause, seeing that Haotian had not undone the seal, Old Ancestor Cangtian naturally understood Haotian's intent.

It was to prevent him from fleeing, to avoid extra trouble if a fight broke out.

Then Old Ancestor Cangtian spoke: "I, Old Ancestor Cangtian, swear that this submission to the Heavenly Emperor Haotian is sincere.

If I ever commit betrayal in the future, may I fall instantly under Heavenly Punishment.

Let the Heavenly Dao witness this!"

Seeing Old Ancestor Cangtian finish his oath, Haotian finally waved his hand and lifted the seal.

Regaining control of his body, Old Ancestor Cangtian's heart was filled with bitterness.

Everything was too late now!

Fleeing was impossible.

Not to mention fleeing—even wanting to self-destruct was a luxury in Haotian's presence.

Self-destruct?

That required circulating mana, didn't it?

The time that took was nowhere near as fast as the other party raising a hand.

The moment Old Ancestor Cangtian began circulating his mana, he would likely face Haotian's confinement on the spot.

Once confined again, the next step would be forcibly extracting his Primordial Spirit.

Even raising a hand to confine him was possible.

He didn't believe Haotian lacked the means to forcibly extract his Primordial Spirit.

By then, Haotian would still achieve his goal.

But he, Old Ancestor Cangtian, would have to endure endless suffering.

In the blink of an eye, Old Ancestor Cangtian had weighed the pros and cons.

He simply split off a strand of his Primordial Spirit and handed it to Haotian.

Accepting the Primordial Spirit, Haotian spoke: "Since Fellow Daoist has joined the Heavenly Court, come with Imperial We to meet the other two Fellow Daoists."

Hearing Haotian's words, Old Ancestor Cangtian's heart stirred.

Meet the other two Fellow Daoists?

Old Ancestor Cangtian didn't think Haotian meant Kunpeng and Candle Dragon.

Using the word "meet" indicated those two hadn't joined the Heavenly Court yet.

Thus, the targets of the "meeting" were obvious.

But this was a good thing.

They had all sneaked back together.

Now that This Seat had been caught, you two shouldn't think of escaping either.

Then Old Ancestor Cangtian replied: "Your subject accepts the order!"

As his words fell, Old Ancestor Cangtian followed Haotian toward where Old Ancestor Qingtian was.

In a moment.

Haotian and Old Ancestor Cangtian appeared outside the great formation set up by Kunpeng.

Without a second thought, Haotian moved his mind, and his Law Domain spread out directly.

Feeling Haotian's Law Domain unfold, Kunpeng immediately spoke: "Fellow Daoist Qing Tian!

Let's end this discussion here.

The Heavenly Emperor has arrived. If you have any thoughts, you might as well speak with His Majesty."

With that.

Kunpeng's form flickered, and he strode straight out of the formation.

Once outside the formation, Kunpeng cupped his hands toward Haotian: "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

"Mm!

Withdraw the formation!"

"Yes!"

The moment Kunpeng withdrew his formation, Haotian pointed at Old Ancestor Qingtian.

Old Ancestor Qingtian, who had been about to flee, instantly froze.

Having confined Old Ancestor Qingtian, Haotian turned to Kunpeng: "Kunpeng, go help Candle Dragon.

Though they haven't started fighting yet, to be safe, it's better for you to make the trip."

"Your subject accepts the order!"

Having instructed Kunpeng, Haotian glanced at Old Ancestor Qingtian, then turned to look at Old Ancestor Cangtian.

After a moment's deliberation, he said to Old Ancestor Cangtian: "Fellow Daoist Cang Tian.

You and Fellow Daoist Qing Tian are well-acquainted. Will you persuade him first?

Or should Imperial We handle it directly?"

Hearing this, Old Ancestor Cangtian looked at Old Ancestor Qingtian.

He pondered whether to take on this task.

But at that moment, Old Ancestor Qingtian, having just been fighting with Kunpeng, clearly didn't know what had happened to Old Ancestor Cangtian.

Hearing Haotian's words, he immediately fumed: "Cang Tian!

We've known each other for several Measure Calamities, and now you're joining Haotian to deal with This Seat!"

"This Seat misjudged you!"

Old Ancestor Cangtian made his decision upon hearing this.

Persuade?

Persuade my ass!

Since the man insisted on getting straight to it, why waste his breath?

Rather than opening his mouth now and inviting resentment, it was better to let him face reality sooner.

Thus, Old Ancestor Cangtian replied, "Your Majesty!

You see Fellow Daoist Qingtian's attitude—this subject clearly cannot talk him around.

Perhaps it's better for you to handle it directly.

It'll save time."

Haotian nodded at this and said to Old Ancestor Qingtian, "I gave you a chance, but you couldn't make use of it!

Fine!

Since you don't know what's good for you, Imperial We will grant your wish."

Hearing Haotian's words, Old Ancestor Qingtian thought Haotian intended to kill him.

As an old-established great power, being indifferent to life and death was something he understood quite well.

In this situation, he couldn't even fight back, let alone move.

The only thing he could do was preserve his dignity.

Thus, Old Ancestor Qingtian spoke, "Do as you will with killing or maiming!

Get on with it!"

Old Ancestor Cangtian, listening from the side, understood at once.

That fool Qingtian had probably misunderstood.

Want to die?

Not a chance!

Soon enough, he'd show him what it meant to beg for death and find none.

Let's see if he'd still be so tough then.