Sweeping across the heavens, starting with the first emperor of the ancient times.

"What? You're saying Fellow Daoist Jiang is gone?"

Lingbao Tianzun's incredulous voice echoed in the Lingxiao Palace.

He had just returned from his seventh transformation, his body still radiating sword light, and the phantom images of the Four Immortal-Slaying Swords flashed across his eyes as he opened and closed them.

But at this moment, there was no sharpness in those eyes, only disbelief.

"What on earth is going on?!"

Yuanshi Tianzun also looked solemn and shocked. Like Lingbao Tianzun, he had just completed his seventh incarnation.

The two had originally planned to complete their seventh incarnation transformation, then seek out Jiang Hao for a philosophical discussion and to have some fun together.

But to their surprise, as soon as they returned, they heard this news that struck them like a bolt from the blue!

Looking at the two seniors before him, Di Chen was overcome with grief, and said in a hoarse voice:

"Seniors, it's true. When Master was undergoing the Tribulation of Creation, the Execution Platform fell, and Master's physical body, primordial spirit, and Dao Fruit were all destroyed."

Upon hearing this, Lingbao Tianzun and Yuanshi Tianzun's pupils suddenly contracted. They had heard of the terror of the Creation Tribulation and the Immortal Slaying Platform.

Throughout history, apart from the Chaotic Ancient Heavenly Emperor, no one has ever survived the Execution Platform.

But that's Fellow Daoist Jiang, the one who breaks records all the way and is always ahead of everyone else, Emperor Jiang.

"Impossible." Lingbao Tianzun shook his head; he didn't believe it.

Lingbao Tianzun's powerful divine sense spread out, sweeping across the Heavenly Court, the Great Luo Heaven, and every corner of the Three Realms.

No, there was no trace of Jiang Hao, no trace of his Dao, nothing at all.

"No, I don't believe it!"

Lingbao Tianzun shook his head repeatedly and disappeared from Lingxiao Palace, followed by Yuanshi Tianzun.

The two appeared in the Great Luo Heaven.

The Dao Palace deep within the City of Myriad Realms still stands, with its blue bricks and gray tiles, ancient and tranquil.

Lingbao Tianzun pushed open the door. The hall was empty. The futon and the low table were still there, but the teapot on the table had long since gone cold.

But the person sitting cross-legged on the futon is gone; Fellow Daoist Jiang's Dao Fruit body is gone!

Lingbao Tianzun and Yuanshi Tianzun stood at the door, their fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

The two reappeared before the Thunder Pool of Creation, which floated in the back garden of the Heavenly Court. The pool water shimmered with seven-colored light and was full of vitality.

Lingbao Tianzun probed with his divine sense, searching inch by inch. Yuanshi Tianzun operated the law of cause and effect, tracing Jiang Hao's Dao traces and his specific circumstances.

But still nothing. There was nothing at all. The Thunder Pool contained only Thunder Tribulation Liquid and the origin of heaven and earth, but no fragments of Jiang Hao's primordial spirit or any traces of his Dao.

The thread of cause and effect breaks here.

"Fellow Daoist Jiang cannot be dead!" Lingbao Tianzun roared, his voice filled with suppressed anger and grief.

"How could someone like him die so easily? He survived a time of great hardship, and he created countless miracles in his life. How could he possibly die on the Execution Platform?"

Yuanshi Tianzun remained silent for a long time, his gaze wandering in the void, as if searching for something, or as if confirming something.

"I also believe that Fellow Daoist Jiang is not dead." The Primordial Celestial Venerable's voice was low, yet firm.

"Like Brother Lingbao, I don't believe he's gone just like that. A person like him couldn't possibly leave so easily."

The two had spent hundreds of thousands of years with Jiang Hao, and were true Daoist friends for many years.

Jiang Hao saved them, helped them revive, discussed the Dao with them, and accompanied them through the most difficult path to immortality in the mortal world.

In their hearts, Jiang Hao was the kind of person who would never fall.

Now that someone is telling them Jiang Hao is dead, how could they possibly believe it? How could they possibly accept it?

Qin Ming, Di Chen, Wan Qing, and Hei Huang caught up and stood at the edge of the back garden.

"Two Celestial Venerables..." Di Chen began, "We witnessed the Execution Platform fall with our own eyes, and our master... he really..."

"Even if the Execution Platform destroyed Fellow Daoist Jiang's physical body and primordial spirit, I don't believe he died just like that."

Lingbao Tianzun interrupted him, his tone firm.

"I have known Fellow Daoist Jiang for hundreds of thousands of years and I know his methods well. I don't believe he wouldn't have a backup plan."

The crowd fell silent, understanding the feelings of the two Celestial Venerables, just as they had initially been unwilling to believe it.

But the scene they witnessed was still vivid in their minds; the bloody light of the execution platform was still before their eyes, and Jiang Hao's vanished figure was still in their hearts.

As everyone knows, the two Celestial Venerables and the Heavenly Emperor have a deep bond and have been true Daoist friends for many years. It's normal that they can't accept this sudden turn of events.

Furthermore, neither of the two Celestial Venerables personally witnessed the protagonist's tribulation or his execution at the Execution Platform.

After a long while, Di Chen and the others told them about the Immortal Realm.

"Hmm? The Immortal Realm?"

Upon hearing this, Lingbao Tianzun's eyes blazed with fury. "These bastards, all they know is how to take advantage of people's misfortunes. Let them come."

Yuanshi Tianzun also said in a deep voice, "Then let's fight! Fellow Daoist Jiang isn't here, but we can't let him lose face!"

The two celestial beings were already in a bad mood, and upon hearing this news, they became even angrier.

This damned immortal realm!

Di Chen and the others nodded, feeling somewhat relieved. With the return of the two Heavenly Venerables, the top-tier combat power of the Three Realms had suddenly increased by two, finally giving them some confidence.

In the Heavenly Court's back garden, Lingbao Tianzun used his sword intent to carve a tomb on the ground.

He wanted to build a cenotaph for Fellow Daoist Jiang. He didn't believe Jiang Hao was dead. He was doing this to commemorate him and to mark the point where Jiang Hao could return to the Dao.

If Jiang Hao never returns, he will stay here permanently to keep his fellow Daoists company.

Where the sword flashed, the soil churned and the bluestone was paved.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable plucked a branch from the tree he had used for enlightenment and inserted it into the ground.

Then Lingbao Tianzun took out a stone tablet and placed it in front of the grave. There were no words on the tablet, because he dared not carve them, as he was afraid and could not accept it.

Then, Lingbao Tianzun buried the Creation Thunder Pool in the grave. This was Jiang Hao's reward for transcending the tribulation, something he deserved.

The cocoon of the Seven-Colored Immortal Golden Holy Spirit trembled slightly, emitting a low hum.

The branches of the Immortal Peach Tree drooped, and the leaves lost their luster.

The leaves of the Chaos Lotus closed up, and the entire back garden was filled with sorrow.

These guys all seemed to sense that something had happened to Jiang Hao; they were all panicked and deeply saddened.

Black King lay by the grave, tears streaming down his fur.

Lingbao Tianzun and Yuanshi Tianzun stood side by side, gazing at the tomb without an inscription, their expressions complex.

Immortal Realm.

In the palace of the Celestial Lord, celestial light descended, and the Daoist aura permeated the air.

Ao Xiang leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers on the armrest, and said in a casual tone, "By the way, fellow Daoist, that lower realm is called the Origin Realm, right?"

"Yes, it's called the Origin Realm. I heard it's a combination of several worlds, with the Origin Realm as the main one." The Celestial Lord of the Azure Sky nodded.

"The Origin Realm... Now that you mention it, it reminds me of two people. I remember someone from the Origin Realm once visited our Immortal Realm, Brother Dao, do you still remember?"

"You mean those two from a long time ago? I remember one was called Daozun and the other was called Donghuang, right?" The Lord of the Azure Sky frowned.

"Yes, it's those two. When they came to the Immortal Realm, they caused quite a stir. They were incredibly talented and powerful. It's a pity they both refused our offers. They were like a dog that wouldn't listen to reason."

The Lord of the Azure Sky snorted coldly: "These two are indeed amazing, especially that Dao Venerable. He has walked the mortal immortal path of the Chaotic Ancient Heavenly Emperor for a long time. He is indeed a very rare talent."

"It's a pity he didn't know what was good for him. We gave him a chance back then, but he didn't cherish it. He refused to submit to us and insisted on opposing us. In the end, he escaped with serious injuries and we haven't heard from him since. He's probably dead somewhere in the world now."

"Yes, that's just how these prodigies are—too arrogant and inflexible."