A passing traveler through the heavens

Chapter 237 Haotian, the Lord of the Heavenly Court

Ji Lin suddenly noticed a slight noise behind him. His nerves tensed instantly, and his muscles contracted involuntarily. He quickly turned around and saw a middle-aged man appear silently behind him.

The man's black hair was neatly tied up, with a few stray strands falling on either side of his resolute face, making his features appear even more sharp and angular.

His sword-like eyebrows slanted upwards, resembling two sharp swords about to be drawn from their sheaths, their edge gleaming, pointing straight to his temples. The tips of his eyebrows were slightly raised, exuding an innate domineering aura.

His eyes were long and deep, dark like an endless abyss, exuding a sharp and imposing aura that seemed to see through all the illusions beneath the surface.

Beneath his high, straight nose, his thin lips were tightly pressed together, as if he were speaking of an unquestionable authority.

His chin was slightly raised, exuding the unique pride of a superior. Every gesture he made revealed his kingly demeanor, as if he had everything in the world under his control.

He wore a moon-white Taoist robe, the soft fabric swaying gently in the breeze. Ancient runes were embroidered with gold thread on the hem and cuffs, faintly emitting a soft glow.

A dark blue silk sash was tied around his waist, from which hung a lustrous white jade pendant, further accentuating his otherworldly and ethereal air.

Ji Lin's heart skipped a beat, and he knew something was wrong. A hint of panic flashed in his eyes, but he quickly hid it and replaced it with a respectful expression.

He knew in his heart that he could not sense the other party's realm at all. There were only two possibilities: either the person in front of him was unfathomably powerful and had hidden his realm perfectly, or his realm was far above his own.

To be on the safe side, Ji Lin quickly cupped his hands in greeting and spoke respectfully: "I am Ji Lin, the eldest disciple of Yu Ding Zhenren, one of the twelve Golden Immortals under the command of Yuanshi Tianzun of Kunlun Mountain's Jade Void Palace."

"May I ask, senior, why were I brought here?"

As the middle-aged man listened to Ji Lin's series of self-introductions, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a faint smile. Then he slowly spoke, his voice deep and mellow.

My name is Haotian.

Upon hearing this, Ji Lin's pupils contracted sharply, his eyes widened instantly, and his face was filled with shock.

"I have long admired your name, senior, but I wonder why you have summoned me here?" At this moment, he was filled with doubt and trepidation, his mind racing as he tried to guess Haotian's intentions.

Haotian took in Ji Lin's reaction, his smile widening: "It seems you've heard of me, so there's no need for further explanation. Now, guess why I brought you here?"

Having said that, Haotian flicked his sleeve and leaned back, and an ancient chair instantly appeared beneath him, both naturally and magically.

Ji Lin steadied himself, took a deep breath, and tried to calm himself down, putting on a humble expression.

He knew in his heart that he had to be careful in front of Haotian, the ruler of the Heavenly Court. He thought to himself that Haotian's visit to him was probably not a good thing, but he still answered respectfully.

"I am of limited knowledge and talent, and it is really difficult for me to fathom your profound intentions. However, I dare to guess that I am just a junior with nothing of value. The only thing that I can make Senior Haotian care about is myself."

"I just wonder what is so special about me that I have caught your eye, senior?"

Haotian smiled slightly, seemingly quite satisfied with Ji Lin's answer, and slowly explained, "I noticed you the first time you stepped into the Heavenly Court."

"My current realm has reached the peak of Quasi-Saint, and I am only one step away from stepping into the Saint realm of the top powerhouses in the Primordial World."

"On the day you first arrived in the Heavenly Court, I was in seclusion cultivating. Suddenly, I felt a great sense of good fortune, and following this feeling, I noticed you."

"At that time, I did not notice anything special about you, but I inexplicably devoted a sliver of my consciousness to you."

"After that, whether it was your unique armor, your spirit, or your being named Huan'er, all of these things made me more and more interested in you."

"So, taking this opportunity, I brought you to my secluded retreat, hoping to have a good talk with you."

When Ji Lin learned that Hao Tian had been monitoring his every move, a look of helplessness and resentment flashed across his face, and a sense of powerlessness welled up in his heart.

He couldn't help but recall the saying, "Heaven and earth are ruthless, treating all things like straw dogs; the sage is ruthless, treating the people like ants." In this world where the strong are respected, without becoming a sage, one can never truly control one's own destiny.

Haotian, unusually in high spirits, continued his conversation with Ji Lin. He discussed many secrets of the Heavenly Court, such as the fact that the Jade Emperor, who currently reigns in the Heavenly Court, is merely one of his three evil corpses.

It was only because he was focused on cultivating in seclusion to become a saint that he entrusted all the affairs of the Heavenly Court to the Jade Emperor. It was also mentioned that the several Golden Crow corpses in Ji Lin's possession were not pure Golden Crows.

The ten purebred Golden Crows had all perished during the Lich Age, with only one little Golden Crow remaining and its whereabouts unknown.

The ten golden crows created by the Jade Emperor were only born after absorbing a small amount of the blood of the golden crows. Therefore, the corpses in Ji Lin's hands were neither worth eating nor worth throwing away.

Finally, Haotian revealed his purpose: "I never expected that my evil corpse would cause so much trouble."

"I hope you can take up a post in Heaven, to help me manage the Heavenly Court on the one hand, and to help me become a saint on the other. As for the specific method, you will know when the time comes."

Ji Lin looked embarrassed, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "I am deeply honored by your kindness, senior."

"But the matter of becoming a saint is too mysterious, and I really don't know how to help. Moreover, the affairs of the Heavenly Court are complicated, and I am still too inexperienced to shoulder this heavy responsibility."

At this moment, Ji Lin frowned, his eyes filled with worry, afraid of offending Haotian by refusing.

Haotian gazed into the distance with profound eyes and said slowly, "The matter of fate is mysterious and unpredictable. Perhaps it is arranged by fate. You carry an aura that I feel is related to the opportunity to become a saint, but I cannot explain it."

Haotian looked intently at Ji Lin, his tone firm: "Since I have chosen you, I believe you have the ability. There is no need to worry, everything will be as it should be." After saying this, Haotian gave Ji Lin three days to consider, and then let him leave.

When Ji Lin left the Heavenly Court, Yang Jian was nowhere to be seen, and the Heavenly Court had returned to peace, with no trace of the battle. Ji Lin's mind was in turmoil, and he desperately wanted to find a quiet place to sort out his complicated thoughts.