Based on Quinn Shepherd’s experience, when you travel back in time through the Yong River’s mist, you only get ‘half a day’—but here, ‘half a day’ doesn’t mean six hours or any set duration. It’s simply the interval between darkness and daylight.
There’s no night in the Heavenly Court—just endless daylight.
No matter how long they stayed here, it was always considered daytime. Unless night fell, it never counted as half a day.
But when Tu Bo, the Earth Sovereign, takes action, things change.
The Netherworld’s darkness shrouds the Heavenly Court, bringing night in an instant—and that’s when the conditions to return to the future are met.
In the darkness, Quinn Shepherd waved to Scarlett Vermilion and Venerable Skysoar; he, Ye Greenwood Keane, and Old Ox became shifting silhouettes in the blackness, like sand paintings dissolving in the wind.
Venerable Skysoar’s mind buzzed—she stared blankly at the scene before her.
Scarlett Vermilion looked as if she’d seen a ghost. She rushed to where Quinn, Ye Greenwood Keane, and Old Ox had just stood, frantically feeling around—but the three of them seemed to have vanished into thin air!
“What a bizarre thing—what a bizarre thing!” Scarlett Vermilion exclaimed in astonishment.
But inside, Venerable Skysoar was swept by waves of emotion. She suddenly remembered something Quinn Shepherd had once said to her: “Someday soon, you’ll meet someone who travels back to the past through your own divine art, proving the world was wrong about you.”
Her expression was dazed, as if intoxicated. She stared blankly at Scarlett Vermilion, who was still searching for Quinn and the others' whereabouts.
"Is there really a divine art in this world that can make matter unchanging, unaltered, neither increasing nor decreasing? Did I truly create it myself?"
The storm in her heart transformed into unparalleled confidence, fueling her resolve to keep studying: "I will create it. In the future, Shepherd Venerable, Quinn Heavenly Venerable—they will use my divine art to come back and visit me, to encourage me! I will definitely succeed!"
She swept away her despondency brought by Heaven-Guide Venerable's death and regained her vigor.
Quinn and the Pioneer Emperor had studied with her for a long time, using their future knowledge to pave her first step.
All she had to do now was keep laying new steps, until she could enter the hall itself—until she created a technique that would stun the world!
She bid farewell to the Southern Emperor, Scarlett Vermilion, and headed toward Jade Pool.
On the way, she ran into Moon-Venerable and Cloud-Venerable, greeting them as she passed.
Moon-Venerable and Cloud-Venerable were visibly startled. In their memory, Venerable Skysoar was an odd-tempered girl who never greeted anyone first. If she disliked someone, she would never respond to their greeting.
Yet now she was the one to greet them first—it was as if the sun had risen in the west.
"Don't be in a hurry to leave, Venerable Skysoar."
Moon-Venerable suddenly called out to her. Venerable Skysoar stopped and turned back. Moon-Venerable and Cloud-Venerable exchanged glances, then approached the girl and said in low voices: "A lot has happened at this Jade Pool Grand Assembly—Heaven-Guide Venerable is dead, Venerable Vast-Sky was heavily wounded by Shepherd Venerable, and now the Heavenly Emperor has ordered the arrest of Shepherd Venerable and Quinn Heavenly Venerable. There are too many rights and wrongs involved here."
Venerable Skysoar listened quietly.
Moon-Venerable gathered her courage and lowered her voice: "We can see that it was Venerable Vast-Sky who killed Heaven-Guide Venerable, and Shepherd Venerable avenged him. The recent rumors are not groundless—the Heavenly Emperor, the Empress sisters, are all involved. The conflict between demigods and our postnatal races is surfacing. As leaders of postnatal beings, we must prepare early."
Cloud-Venerable added: "Shepherd Venerable has spread Heaven-Guide Venerable’s god-making method. The rise of postnatal races is inevitable. The two of us discussed it and realized the future is full of dangers—threats everywhere. We can’t remain scattered; we must form an alliance to plan for the future of humanity and all postnatal beings!"
Venerable Skysoar was moved: "The Heaven Alliance?"
The two were surprised and quickly said, "Venerable Skysoar, you’re thinking of forming an alliance too? Did you come up with the name Heaven Alliance?"
Venerable Skysoar shook her head: "Shepherd Venerable named it, and Quinn Heavenly Venerable is also part of the Heaven Alliance. I’m planning to find Nether-Venerable and Flame-Venerable to bring them in as well."
Cloud-Venerable said quickly, "Nether-Venerable is fine, but Flame-Venerable is hot-tempered and loose-tongued. He’s also close to Venerable Vast-Sky. It’s not suitable for him to join the Heaven Alliance."
"Where are Quinn Heavenly Venerable and Shepherd Venerable?" Moon-Venerable asked.
Venerable Skysoar smiled and said softly, "They’re waiting for us in the future. When that day comes, we’ll meet again. Let’s go find Nether-Venerable."
The three walked toward the Jade Pool Little Lodge. Cloud-Venerable pondered, "We need to set rules—the Heaven Alliance must protect postnatal races. Only those with extraordinary talent can join, and their character must be tested to prevent trouble from within."
Moon-Venerable said, "The rules must be clear—don’t treat bad people too well, nor good people too badly. Treat good people better, bad people worse. Only then can the Heaven Alliance endure."
Venerable Skysoar said, "We also need to set the Heaven Alliance’s goals. Let’s find Nether-Venerable first. This era is prosperous, but chaos is emerging. We must prepare early!"
...
Darkness descended, but what the Pioneer Emperor saw was different from what Venerable Skysoar and Southern Emperor Scarlett Vermilion saw.
He saw himself still standing in place, but what changed was matter itself—Venerable Skysoar and Southern Emperor Scarlett Vermilion seemed to scatter like black sand in the wind, and the vast Heavenly Court dissolved like a sand painting.
Matter faded away—it was not time moving forward.
"Venerable Skysoar was right."
Sunlight streamed down, dispelling all darkness. He was no longer in the ancient Heavenly Court, but in a desolate desert, with the Yong River flowing endlessly in the distance.