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

Time flows

Another two thousand years have passed.

The blood and fire of two thousand years ago, and the complex and intense ending of the Demon Emperor Fang Yuan, have gradually faded from the center of public discussion under the wash of time.

It has become a poignant record in ancient historical texts, or a legendary topic of conversation occasionally mentioned during leisure time.

Time is the most powerful and impartial force in the universe; it can heal wounds and also erase glories and sins.

However, there is one entity that seems to exist outside of time.

The Heavenly Emperor has stood above all the heavens for ten thousand years.

One hundred thousand years!

When this number is mentioned by cultivators from all realms, it is always accompanied by a kind of almost dizzying shock and disbelief.

For a cultivation civilization, 100,000 years is a very long time.

Ordinary emperors and ancient kings only live to a peak of ten or twenty thousand years in one lifetime. If they can live to live a second lifetime, they are already considered lucky.

Many celestial beings and ancient emperors only live for two lifetimes, and some even only live for one lifetime.

These supreme beings who can reach 40,000 years are considered to have lived for a very long time.

But Jiang Hao, the Chaos Emperor, has dominated the world since he attained enlightenment, sorted out all the paths, established the Heavenly Court, and has been invincible for 100,000 years!

His imperial might did not diminish with time; on the contrary, it became increasingly unfathomable after each period of seclusion and transformation. He seemed to have defied some kind of common sense, extending the world indefinitely.

While all beings in the heavens were filled with emotion, they had also grown accustomed to the same supreme "sun" always hanging above their heads.

The new generation of cultivators can hardly imagine what it would be like without the rule of the Heavenly Emperor.

Deep within the forbidden zone of life, those ancient supreme beings who had endured long, dark years had far more complex and melancholic feelings.

"Ten thousand years... how did he manage to do that?"

"The Immortal Path in the Mortal World... He is truly walking it, and he is doing so faster and more steadily than any other attempt recorded in ancient texts. How can his transformation be so simple?"

"I thought he would eventually disappear like the Daoist Master, or fade away like other emperors, but I never expected..."

"We've sealed ourselves here, calculating and waiting for the path to immortality to open, it's all a joke. And him? He's right there, as if time has lost its meaning for him."

"What's even more frightening is that he shows no signs of decline. How much longer will this world... continue?"

A sense of powerlessness and a lingering despair spread through the restricted area.

Faced with a living emperor who has lived far too long, is far stronger than comprehensible, and seems destined to continue existing, all their calculations and patience appear pale and laughable.

Deep within the Heavenly Court, in the most central forbidden area, beside a pool of water shrouded in celestial mist.

Boundless vitality, permeated with the essence of Tao.

The scene in and around the pond is extraordinary.

A blue lotus, swaying with chaotic energy, took root in the celestial pool. Its leaves held dewdrops, each drop seemingly containing a newly born little world.

A laurel and a hibiscus, though opposite in nature, coexist harmoniously here, their branches and leaves scattering the essence of the moon and the sun.

A humanoid immortal herb, resembling a tiny jade figure, hovers by the pond, exhaling rosy light.

A celestial egg shrouded in ethereal mist floats in the center of the pool, its shell bearing the faint, ever-changing patterns of the Great Dao.

The Seven-Colored Immortal Golden Spirit instinctively absorbed the creation of this place.

They were all glowing faintly, swaying or floating gently with a certain rhythm, as if immersed in the most beautiful music.

The source of this rhythm comes from a figure sitting quietly cross-legged on a futon by the pond.

It was Jiang Hao.

At this moment, he appeared to be an elderly man, with white hair flowing down his shoulders and a peaceful expression.

Logically speaking, he should not be old in this life, and should not have a full head of white hair, but now he has reached old age.

Jiang Hao exuded no imposing aura; instead, he possessed a harmonious quality, breathing and pulsating in unison with the heavens and the universe.

A subtle, indescribable Daoist aura flowed naturally from his body, permeating the entire Immortal Pool area.

It was these Daoist principles that captivated the immortal elixir, the immortal egg, and the immortal golden spirit in the pool, causing them to rapidly absorb nutrients and the spiritual energy of the Great Dao.

He has been sitting like this for many years.

Suddenly, the Daoist aura flowing around Jiang Hao underwent extremely subtle fluctuations, like a gentle breeze rippling across a calm lake.

After a while, light and shadow intertwined in front of him, and another Jiang Hao appeared out of thin air.

This Jiang Hao also looked old, with white hair, a kind face, and eyes full of wisdom and vicissitudes, as if he had seen all the cycles of life.

He wore a simple gray Taoist robe, and there was no trace of magical power emanating from him. He looked like an ordinary old man, a seasoned old scholar.

This is Jiang Hao's Dao Fruit Body, the key to his fourth incarnation and transformation.

A completely new way of transformation.

After the old man manifested his Daoist body, his gaze swept over the intelligent little creatures in the Immortal Pool, and a gentle smile appeared on his face.

Then, he raised his head slightly, as if listening, or as if reading something.

In an instant, all the information that had flowed through the universe over the past ten thousand years—the changes in the various realms, the reproduction of living beings, the struggles of the strong, and even the whole story of the Refining Heaven Demon Emperor Fang Yuan—was gathered into his understanding like streams flowing into the sea.

"I see," Jiang Hao said softly, his voice calm.

"During these years of slumber, an extraordinary figure emerged from the universe. He devoured and attained the Dao, yet he was able to uphold the bottom line of the Undying Forbidden Zone, ultimately ending in such a tragic manner... Fang Yuan, this person is indeed special."

His assessment was calm and objective, like a historian recounting a past event he had just learned about.

There is no emotional stance or superfluous emotion; it is simply an evaluation based on facts.

"That illusory image I left behind before my transformation has come in handy." Jiang Hao's gaze seemed to pierce through layers of palaces, reaching the direction of the Southern Heavenly Gate.

"It seems that having some backup plans is always a good idea."

Before his transformation, he left behind a phantom image to prevent any accidents, and unexpectedly, it actually worked.

Jiang Hao couldn't help but admire Fang Yuan's audacity; he dared to storm the Heavenly Court.

However, it's understandable. Fang Yuan has never seen me fight and doesn't know my own strength. His inflated confidence inevitably leads him to do things that others can't understand.

Such people are not uncommon; they exist in every world and every era.

Jiang Hao had seen many people like this before, so he didn't care much about Fang Yuan. He was just a passerby in his long life.

He wasn't even considered a fellow practitioner, because Jiang Hao didn't approve of Fang Yuan's character and cultivation methods.

At this moment, the little creatures in the Immortal Pool seemed to sense Jiang Hao's appearance and words, and they all reacted more actively.

The shimmering light, the swaying leaves, and the flickering eggshells convey a sense of curiosity and intimacy.

Jiang Hao looked at them, his smile deepening:

"You little fellows certainly know how to enjoy life. Growing up in this immortal pool, listening to the Daoist aura unconsciously emanating from your true form, your foundation will surely be earth-shattering when you are born in the future."

His tone was slightly teasing, like an elder looking at a thriving child.

Having raised these things for a long time, Jiang Hao really felt like he was raising children.

These guys are indeed treated like royalty; they drink water from the celestial pool and listen to the Heavenly Emperor preach.

This is the highest level of treatment one can receive in this world.

Jiang Hao then looked at the sword tomb on the other side of the Immortal Pool, sensing the faint Daoist aura within it, and nodded with a smile: "It seems that Fellow Daoist Lingbao has also succeeded."

Having the Daoist aura signifies success, which relieved Jiang Hao.

It's good that Lingbao Tianzun didn't fail.

Jiang Hao withdrew his gaze and focused it back on his own body, which remained seated with its eyes closed.

"Old age, childhood, youth... a complete cycle," he murmured to himself, a glint of wisdom in his eyes.

"The beginning of creation, the rise of the Daoist, and the end of the Lingbao represent the past, present, and future. The Daoist principles of these three resonate subtly, forming the great cycle of heaven, earth, and human life."

"If I hadn't discussed the Dao with Fellow Daoist Lingbao, and explored the relics of Fellow Daoist Yuanshi together, personally experiencing the connection, I would have found it difficult to grasp this transformative brilliance."