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

There, the Dragon Ancient Celestial Venerable transformed into human form, appearing as a dignified old man dressed in an ancient dragon robe.

"Long Gu," Jiang Hao said.

Long Gu Tianzun quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Old Long is here to hear the Heavenly Emperor's decree."

Jiang Hao raised his hand, and the dark gold spear he had obtained from the golden-armored man appeared, slowly flying towards Dragon Ancient Celestial Venerable.

"In this battle, when foreign enemies invaded and all the heavens fell silent, only you stepped forward to intercept them. Although your strength was insufficient, your heart was commendable and your courage deserves praise."

Jiang Hao's voice was calm, yet clearly reached the ears of every living being: "This spear is bestowed upon you to commemorate your merit."

The heavens were shocked; a near-immortal artifact had been bestowed away just like that!

Countless gazes instantly focused on Dragon Ancient Celestial Venerable and the floating dark gold spear.

It was filled with envy and jealousy, but more than anything, it was a feeling of complete admiration.

In that situation, facing the might of a true immortal who reigned supreme over all the heavens, only the Dragon Ancient Heavenly Venerable dared to be the first to step forward!

Now that he has received this reward, the Dragon Ancient Celestial Venerable truly deserves it!

Even the supreme beings hidden in the shadows revealed complex emotions of envy in their divine sense fluctuations.

That's a near-immortal artifact, and it comes from beyond the heavens, containing different Great Daos, its value is immeasurable.

More importantly, this represents the approval of the Heavenly Emperor!

Dragon Ancient Celestial Venerable's body trembled. Looking at the dark golden spear radiating powerful energy before him, excitement flashed in his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it and respectfully accepted it with both hands.

"Old Dragon, thank you for the Heavenly Emperor's generous gift, but I am unworthy of it. I have only done my duty."

"This is what you deserve!" Jiang Hao continued, "Furthermore, you can make one request of me, and as long as it does not violate the laws of Heaven, I will grant it."

These words elicited a murmur of surprise. A promise from the Heavenly Emperor!

This is even more precious than near-immortal artifacts!

The Heavenly Emperor is a being capable of slaying immortals. His promise is, in a sense, equivalent to having an extra life or an opportunity to reach a higher level!

Countless eyes were fixed on Dragon Ancient Celestial Venerable, all wanting to know what demands this old dragon would make.

Is it to seek the supreme immortal scriptures? Or to secure a special status for the Dragon Realm?

Or perhaps we should ask the Heavenly Emperor to solve some age-old problem?

Long Gu Tianzun held the dark gold spear, feeling its heavy weight and the countless gazes around him.

He took a deep breath, as if he had already thought it through, and bowed again, his voice sincere and clear:

"Reporting to the Heavenly Emperor, the old dragon has no other requests. Having gone through this calamity, the old dragon deeply feels the vastness of the universe and the boundless Dao. He himself is insignificant, and his lifespan is not long. If he lingers in this world, he fears he will hardly be able to make any further progress."

"I only wish that the Heavenly Emperor would open the ascension passage, allowing this old dragon to travel to the Lesser Immortal Realm to seek a chance for a breakthrough, to continue his path of cultivation, and perhaps in the future, to contribute his modest efforts to the Origin Realm. I wonder if this request is possible?"

The Dragon Ancient Celestial Venerable's request was actually to enter the ascension passage and go to the Lesser Immortal Realm!

This answer surprised many who thought he would make more practical demands, but upon closer examination, it made perfect sense.

Longgu Tianzun has lived for far too long, reaching almost the end of his reach in the Origin Realm.

For Longgu Tianzun, perhaps the most valuable thing was to go to a wider world, one more suitable for longevity, to pursue his future.

All eyes turned to Jiang Hao.

Jiang Hao looked at Long Gu Tianzun, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.

This is a wise and pragmatic choice. It does not covet immediate gains but focuses on a longer-term path. With this mindset, it is no wonder that it has survived the mythical era to this day.

"Yes," Jiang Hao agreed without hesitation. "Since you have this intention, I will grant your wish."

For Jiang Hao now, opening the ascension channel is not difficult.

Jiang Hao stood up and addressed the countless listeners below: "Today's sermon is over. You may all disperse. The ascension passage will soon open. I will send Fellow Daoist Long Gu on his way. Those who wish to attend the ceremony may follow me to Kunlun."

Having said that, Jiang Hao rolled up his sleeves, took Long Gu Tianzun with him, and stepped out, arriving at the familiar node of the Immortal Ascension Ground outside Kunlun Star.

Countless streaks of light followed closely behind, all of them powerful figures from various factions who had come to witness the ceremony.

As the chaotic energy separated, the seven-colored light channel slowly re-established and stabilized in the starry sky.

Long Gu Tianzun held a dark gold spear and took one last look back at the Origin Realm starry sky behind him.

Countless memories of the past years flashed through those deep dragon eyes, eventually transforming into a sense of relief and steadfastness.

He turned around and solemnly bowed to Jiang Hao and the countless spectators behind him.

"Long Gu, farewell to the Heavenly Emperor, farewell to all fellow Daoists, may my Origin Realm prosper for eternity!"

After the ceremony, the Dragon Ancient Celestial Venerable lingered without hesitation, transforming into a golden dragon-shaped light and resolutely plunging into the dazzling ascension passage, his figure vanishing in an instant.

The passage slowly closed.

Under the starry sky, countless spectators remained silent for a moment, then various sighs and exclamations arose.

An ancient celestial being who has survived from the age of mythology has also embarked on a journey to an unknown world.

This ascension passage has seen off one extraordinary figure after another.

Jiang Hao stood alone in the starry sky, gazing in the direction where the passage disappeared, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

Sending off the Dragon Ancient Celestial Venerable is both a reward and an example.

An Qiong's death temporarily relieved the external threat, but even greater pressure may be on the way.

The Origin Realm needs more powerful individuals and a broader future.

The path to ascension, the Lesser Immortal Realm, and even the possible fusion with other worlds in the future is still long.

Jiang Hao returned to the Heavenly Court and waved his hand to set up layers of restrictions, isolating all heavenly secrets.

He stared intently at An Qiong's lifeless corpse, which still exuded a faint aura of immortal power, and the golden short spear, an immortal artifact.

"A true immortal's body..." Jiang Hao reached out and touched An Qiong's corpse with his fingertips.

It was icy cold, yet far more resilient than an emperor's body, with every inch of its flesh and blood inscribed with the complete laws of immortality.

The cultivation methods in this world are somewhat different from those in Jiang Hao's world, yet they also share some commonalities.

"The laws of this so-called Supreme Holy Realm are more complete and more systematic, like a path that has been widened to its limit," Jiang Hao pondered.

He sat down cross-legged, his divine sense like the finest carving knife, and began to dissect the immortal corpse.

The structure of flesh and blood, the patterns on bones, the traces of immortal power contained within the body, and even a trace of the original mark left after the true spirit dissipated.

This research has lasted for a full eight hundred years.

Over the past eight hundred years, the Supreme Being of the Forbidden Zone and the Ancestors of all Realms have come to present gifts, expressing the Heavenly Emperor's gratitude for saving all the heavens.

At the same time, they are also repairing the cosmic wasteland where Jiang Hao and An Qiong fought.

Of course, Jiang Hao did not ask them to do all this; it was their own choice, and they did it willingly.

Under Jiang Hao's leadership, the Origin Realm is becoming increasingly prosperous.

Even the supreme beings of the forbidden zone seem so harmonious and friendly, and they even help each other with all sorts of things. It's simply a wonder of the ages, leaving all living beings in the heavens in awe.

Over the past eight hundred years, Jiang Hao has gained a revolutionary understanding of the structure of immortal beings.

"So that's how it is. Immortality is not just a simple leap in life level, but a deep integration of one's own Great Dao with higher-level laws of the outside world. The immortal body is itself a carrier of Dao principles."

Jiang Hao opened his eyes and looked at the golden short spear.