Legend of the Paladin
Thinking about it, could the lotus world's be sentient? Did the scholarly factions world have sensed the danger of that power and rejected them for that reason? If so, that would mean that SS world doesn't care! That would make sense as it has already eaten so many pieces of the Underworld's Ruler. . .
If Shuhang's technique is from Slow Witted Song as was hinted by the shamelessness of the manipulated prompts early on, and Slow Witted Song is indeed Song One, then it all makes sense. After traveling through time, Song One studied time, and it was said already he influenced the heavenly city back then. He might have had more influence than we thought possible on the Heavenly Emperor, explaining how she has that soft spot for Shuhang like others who knew Slow Witted Song did. Or he simply could have been inspired by her path.