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

"Your path is solid, Lin Dong, you've walked it very well."

A place like the Martial Emperor's Cave is quite unique among many Dao-proving individuals.

Many Dao-proving individuals, even if not the strongest among their generation, are still top-tier in terms of talent from the start. It is very rare for someone like Lin Dong, who was only a near-first-rate individual at the beginning, to eventually achieve Dao.

Upon hearing this, Lin Dong smiled and said, "Thank you for your praise, Heavenly Emperor."

Clearly, he was very happy to receive Jiang Hao's approval. After all, this was the Heavenly Emperor, the supreme being among all beings in the Three Realms. Receiving praise from the Heavenly Emperor was no easy feat.

Over the years, very few people have received it.

Jiang Hao then looked at Wang Bo: "You are also very good. You have cultivated again and reached the limit in every realm. You also did a very good job in preaching."

Wang Bo smiled in response: "Thank you, Heavenly Emperor. If it weren't for your intervention back then, I wouldn't be where I am today. This is what I should do."

"It was nothing, don't worry about it."

Jiang Hao waved his hand, saying that the two new emperors before him had both forged their own paths.

Lin Dong's resilience and Wang Bo's ability to advance and retreat are both rare qualities, and both demonstrate his talent.

Lin Dong and Wang Bo exchanged a glance, and then Lin Dong spoke: "Heavenly Emperor, this junior would like to ask about the Immortal Path in the Mortal World."

Jiang Hao was not surprised by their choice; at their level, this was the only path they could see.

While the path to true immortality is safe, its potential is limited.

The path to immortality in the mortal world is perilous, but its potential is boundless.

Their choice of this path demonstrates their ambition and confidence.

"The essence of the immortal path in the mortal world is transformation."

Jiang Hao began to explain the specific methods and key points to the two of them one by one.

From how to initiate transformation to how to preserve one's primordial spirit during transformation.

From how to accumulate Dao Fruits to how to nurture Immortal Laws within Dao Fruits.

He didn't go into much detail, but every word he said hit the nail on the head.

Lin Dong and Wang Bo listened intently, sometimes frowning, sometimes looking on in realization, and sometimes nodding.

After Jiang Hao finished speaking, the two remained silent for a long time.

Lin Dong spoke first, his voice tinged with emotion: "So this is how difficult the path to immortality is. Becoming an emperor is just the beginning; there are still countless life-or-death situations to come."

Wang Bo also remarked, "In each life, you must break the limits and rebuild the foundation. It's not enough to just live out a second life; you must reach the pinnacle in every life."

Jiang Hao didn't respond; he knew they needed time to process this.

After a while, Lin Dong raised his head and said, "Heavenly Emperor, I am prepared to abandon the will of Heaven."

Jiang Hao looked at him without saying a word.

Lin Dong continued, "I have already comprehended the Heavenly Heart. Keeping it on my person is of little use. If I give it up, future generations can continue to attain enlightenment."

Jiang Hao nodded: "Have you thought it through?"

The suppression of the Great Dao is different now than before. There is no rule of ten thousand years after death. As long as the will of Heaven is not in control, others can continue to prove the Dao.

Lin Dong said, "I've thought it through. I've already achieved my goal of becoming an emperor. The next path is to become a mortal immortal. I don't need the Heavenly Heart. Rather than keeping it to block others' paths, I'd rather give it up and let the Three Realms produce a few more great emperors."

Jiang Hao smiled and said, "Okay."

He didn't say much, but his opinion of Lin Dong rose even higher.

Those who embody the Dao, possess unwavering faith in it, and still think of future generations—such magnanimity is rare.

Lin Dong and Wang Bo bowed again, preparing to take their leave.

Jiang Hao picked up his teacup: "Go ahead. The path to immortality in the mortal world is not easy, but since you have made your choice, try to undergo several more transformations."

The two nodded simultaneously: "Thank you for your guidance, Heavenly Emperor."

……

Not long after, the Heavenly Heart Mark trembled.

The power that had suppressed the human realm for over a thousand years receded like a tide, and the laws of the Great Dao in the starry sky became active again.

Countless cultivators looked up and sensed the change, causing an uproar.

"Has the will of Heaven been lost? The Martial Emperor has actually abandoned the will of Heaven?"

"He's only been emperor for a few years, and he's already abandoned the will of Heaven?"

Some people were puzzled, some were moved, and some shook their heads.

But many more cultivators, especially those prodigies on the path to becoming emperors, had their eyes light up.

The fact that Heaven has no master means that they can attain enlightenment again.

In the starry sky, those quasi-emperors who had been silent for many years emerged from seclusion.

Long Zhan stood up from a dead star, dusted himself off, and looked into the depths of the starry sky.

Yao Ye stood with his hands behind his back in the void, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Li Tianxing emerged from the Great Luo Heaven instance, covered in wounds, but his eyes burned with a fierce flame.

Mu Feng stood in the dojo, clenching his fist and then relaxing it.

Talented individuals from all generations gathered together, and this generation includes newly emerging faces.

The brutal yet dazzling struggle for the imperial path has begun once again.

All beings eagerly await the day when someone will become the next enlightened one, following in the footsteps of Emperor Wu and Emperor Wuji.

Three years later, in the Heavenly Garden, by the Immortal Pool.

Suddenly, an old tree lit up, emitting a dazzling light. It was the Bodhi tree, with a strong and vigorous trunk, and the Daoist inscriptions of the tree spirit flickered. It had been silent for many years, not vying for glory with other immortal medicines.

At this moment, it was glowing all over, with golden light seeping out from between the leaves, like a lamp that had been lit.

The branches swayed gently, making a rustling sound, as if calling out to something.

"Hmm? Did this guy sense something?"

Jiang Hao's Dao Fruit body naturally saw the Bodhi tree's reaction and was somewhat curious about the reason for this change in the Bodhi tree.

He took a step and disappeared from the Dao Palace, appearing by the Immortal Pool.

When the Bodhi tree saw Jiang Hao, its branches shook even more violently, its light flashing as if it were trying to say something.

"Has a destined person from the ancient monk lineage been born?"

The branches of the Bodhi tree nodded, as if in agreement.

It flashed again, conveying more information: it wanted to meet that destined person, it wanted to go find him.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Hao fell silent.

The origin of the Bodhi tree is not simple. After Jiang Hao witnessed the life of the Chaotic Ancient Heavenly Emperor, he learned a lot.

This includes the origins of many elixirs of immortality.

This Bodhi tree is a treasure of the ancient monks of the Xian Gu era.

That lineage has a Celestial King, known as the Ancient Monk King, who is one of the representative Celestial Kings of the Nine Heavens.

In the battle of Xian Gu, the lineage of the ancient monks fought to the death and were almost completely wiped out.

After the ancient monk king died in battle, the Bodhi tree was scattered throughout the world, changing hands for countless years, and finally fell into Jiang Hao's hands.

"Now that the Bodhi tree speaks of a destined person being born, could it be the reincarnation of a powerful figure from the ancient monk lineage? Or even the reincarnation of an ancient monk king?"

It's not impossible that the ancient monks had a deep understanding of reincarnation.

"Okay." Jiang Hao nodded. "I'll take you to see it."

"Squeak!"

Upon hearing this, the Bodhi tree was overjoyed and transformed into a golden light, falling into his sleeve.

Jiang Hao strode away and disappeared from the edge of the Immortal Pool.

……

Kunlun Ancient Star is an inconspicuous little mountain village.

The stream flows down from the mountain, bypassing several large rocks at the village entrance, making a rushing sound.

There was a bamboo basket by the stream, lined with an old cotton cloth, and a baby was lying on the cloth.

The baby was very small and wrinkled, but had red lips and white teeth, and delicate features. He didn't cry or fuss, and stared at the sky with his bright black eyes.

Jiang Hao stepped out of the void, stood by the stream, and looked at the little guy.

The baby, upon seeing him, was not afraid; instead, he smiled.

"Eee-yah-yah".

The toothless mouth opened wide, revealing pink gums, and the little hands and feet kicked a few times in the swaddling clothes.

Seeing the baby's reaction, Jiang Hao smiled. "This little guy is quite cute."

At this moment, the Bodhi tree flew out from Jiang Hao's sleeve, transforming into a small tree half a meter tall, which landed beside the baby and emitted a dazzling light.