Outside the Cosmos Tower in the Star God Palace, a crimson war banner wrapped around the entire tower like bolts of silk. The banner was the manifestation of Iron Blood Great Emperor's own cultivation—Zhan Wuhen had poured everything he had into suppressing the Cosmos Tower's agitation.
Yet even with a Great Emperor personally intervening, the Cosmos Tower still shuddered and hummed from time to time, as though struggling to break free of the Iron Blood War Banner's restraint.
Lei Hong and the others had been on edge day after day, their brows clouded with worry. Yang Kai had already entered the Cosmos Tower, but none of them had any idea what the situation was inside. If Yang Kai couldn't bring Lan Xun back, then the Star God Palace truly would have no successor.
They no longer expected Yang Kai to resolve the crisis within the Cosmos Tower—they only hoped he could bring Lan Xun back safely. With a Great Emperor stationed here, the Cosmos Tower was safe for the time being, but Zhan Wuhen couldn't remain at the Star God Palace forever. If the Great Emperor had to leave and Yang Kai still hadn't returned, it would all be over.
They wanted to ask Zhan Wuhen about the situation inside, but he probably didn't know either—asking would be pointless. The assembled Star God Palace elders all wore grim expressions, their anxiety beyond words.
At that moment, Zhan Wuhen, who had been sitting with his eyes closed in meditation, suddenly opened them and let out a soft sound of surprise.
The Star God Palace elders who had been watching him closely all perked up. Lei Hong hurriedly asked, "My Lord, is something happening?"
Zhan Wuhen didn't answer. He merely raised a hand, and the crimson war banner suddenly unwound its layers of restraint, transforming into a streak of red light that shot back into Zhan Wuhen's body.
The others saw this and, far from being alarmed, were overjoyed. The Cosmos Tower had remained stable these past few days entirely thanks to Zhan Wuhen's suppression. Now that he'd withdrawn the Iron Blood War Banner, didn't that mean the Cosmos Tower no longer needed to be suppressed?
If suppression was no longer necessary, then the internal threat had been resolved.
Sure enough, even after the crimson war banner vanished, the Cosmos Tower showed not the slightest abnormality. The five-colored radiance that had been continuously seeping from within the tower body had also disappeared. The massive five-colored treasure tower hovered in midair, slowly rotating.
The next instant, a figure appeared before the Cosmos Tower out of thin air. Everyone focused their gaze—who else could it be but Yang Kai, who had entered the tower earlier?
A trace of guilt and a trace of relief crossed Yang Kai's face, though his expression was thoroughly relaxed, as though a great weight had been lifted from his heart. His entire presence seemed lighter and more buoyant.
But only Yang Kai had returned—there was no sign of Lan Xun.
The joy on Lei Hong and the others' faces drained away, their hearts sinking.
Yang Kai understood what they were worried about and cupped his fists at once. "Yang Kai has not failed in his trust."
He had not failed in his trust—meaning he had resolved the crisis of the Cosmos Tower. But what about Lan Xun?
Lei Hong quickly asked, "Where is Her Highness the Princess?"
Yang Kai smiled. "Junior Sister Lan is perfectly safe, but she is currently refining the Cosmos Tower. At minimum, it will take a year or two—three to five years at most—before she can emerge from seclusion."
"She still needs to refine it?" Xiao Yuyang's brows knotted tightly. The previous crisis of the Cosmos Tower had been caused by Lan Xun's attempt to refine it. Why would she persist in something so dangerous? What puzzled him even more was why Yang Kai hadn't tried to dissuade her.
Lei Hong and Xue Zhengmao shared the same concern, their expressions grave, terrified that Lan Xun might meet with some other mishap inside.
Yang Kai laughed. "There's no need to worry, everyone. Junior Sister has the assistance of Lord Ming Yue—this time there should be no problems."
"The Great Emperor?" Lei Hong and the others were startled. Ming Yue's dharma shell still lay in the mourning hall; his soul had long since dissipated. How could he possibly assist Lan Xun?
Yang Kai hastily explained the matter of the Great Emperor's remnant soul having attached itself to him. Hearing this, Lei Hong and the others finally set their minds at ease. With Ming Yue personally helping, Lan Xun's refinement of the Cosmos Tower was certain to succeed—all that remained was time. Their worried expressions vanished entirely, though the thought that the Great Emperor had already passed still brought them sorrow.
Inside the Cosmos Tower, after Yang Kai had left the valley and waited for roughly two days, Lan Xun had suddenly extended her divine consciousness to him. They chatted for a while, and after that she sent him out of the Cosmos Tower. As for Lan Xun herself, she intended to stay behind and continue refining the tower. Now that the Cosmos Tower was complete once more with no flaws, there would be no repeat of the earlier crisis.
With matters settled here, Zhan Wuhen naturally would not linger. Without so much as a word of farewell, he tore through the void and departed—though before leaving, he glanced once toward the mourning hall.
Everyone bowed to see him off.
Afterward, the entire Star God Palace expressed their gratitude to Yang Kai at length. Yang Kai didn't dare accept their thanks and merely asked Lei Hong and the others to lead him to the Great Emperor's mourning hall to pay his respects. With Lan Xun absent, no one was keeping vigil, but the Great Emperor likely wouldn't have cared for such formalities anyway.
Yang Kai knelt in silence before the mourning hall for three full days. Only after that did he set off and leave the Star God Palace.
Just as the Great Emperor had said—having received this fortune, one ought to strive to be strong and disciplined, so as not to fail this world, not to fail this vast and luminous cosmos. The visit to the Star God Palace had broadened Yang Kai's state of mind and cleared his thoughts. His entire being felt lighter for it.