The Heavenly Palace held fewer interesting things than Yao had imagined. They wandered around for a while, but even the scenery barely changed.
Whenever they encountered passersby, the moment they saw her group, they hurriedly stepped aside and paid their respects. They were tight-lipped when questioned, not daring to say much. The place seemed governed by strict rules.
Suddenly, Emperor Beichen, who had been following behind Yao, changed expression slightly. He glanced around without drawing attention to himself, then smoothed away the unusual look on his face and stepped forward.
"I have some personal matters to attend to. I'll take my leave first."
Before his words had even faded, he tore open the void and departed, moving in great haste.
"Why don't... we head back too?" Yao looked at Shi Lan, her spirits low. She unconsciously pouted. This outing had been far more boring than she had imagined.
Shi Lan nodded without thinking, her gaze lingering on the horizon.
"What are you looking at?"
Yao followed Shi Lan's gaze, puzzled. A huge star hung at the edge of the sky, hidden amid layers of immortal mist. Its entire surface was faintly blue, and clusters of palaces and halls could just barely be made out upon it.
Vast waves of energy rippled through the heavens, as if the star were breathing. As the spiritual energy collided, brilliant divine radiance shimmered across the sky, dazzling the eye.
"Is there something special about that star?" Yao couldn't help asking. "Should we go take a look?"
"No need." Shi Lan gave a slight shake of her head. She had seen that star twice before: once atop the Heavenly Mountain, and once in a fragment of memory within the Ancestral God's arm bone.
For some unknown reason, the star had survived the battle to destroy