[The Heavenly Emperor walked slowly toward the Ascension Platform.]
[Imperial Homeland, the Devil Lord of All Living, and the others were not surprised to see it.]
[The Heavenly Emperor claiming an Ascension Platform was only to be expected.]
[The desiccated corpse turned its gaze toward the white-robed Daoist and saw that he made no move.]
[Ascension was at hand, with only one final step remaining. Someone had already stepped onto a platform and ascended. How could he give up now?]
[The Heavenly Emperor no longer cared about the karma bound up in the Heavenly Emperor's Treasury. All that mattered was ascending.]
[The white-robed Daoist finally turned around. The desiccated corpse stopped as well.]
[The Heavenly Emperor's voice rasped, "You still mean to stop me—at the very end—"]
[You said slowly, "I won't stop you."]
[The ghostly flames in the corpse's eye sockets contracted. He hesitated no longer and stepped onto the Ascension Platform.]
[Strangely, the platform burst into radiance and pushed the Heavenly Emperor away.]
[The corpse froze, then tried again. The result was the same: the light shone upon him and barred his way.]
[The Heavenly Emperor reached out to touch the platform's radiance. His withered hands trembled faintly.]
[What was going on?!]
[Imperial Homeland and the others were astonished too. How could the Ascension Platform bar the Heavenly Emperor?]
[The Heavenly Emperor turned slowly toward the white-robed Daoist and asked in a low voice, "You—knew?"]
[You shook your head. "I didn't."]
[The corpse lowered his head as though something had occurred to him. The mighty Ancient Heavenly Emperor looked utterly dejected.]
[No one had ever seen him like this.]
[The Heavenly Emperor's hoarse voice sounded again. "Am I—guilty?" he murmured.]
[He remembered ten thousand years ago. Back then, he had built the Heavenly Emperor's Treasury. With no hope