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

Jiang Hao looked at his apprentice and smiled, quite satisfied.

"Not bad, you haven't disappointed your teacher."

Jiang Hao's tone was full of emotion; he had witnessed the child's performance all along, and it was excellent.

It's not that he's particularly strong in combat, but rather that he's forged his own path, and that path has great potential.

He walks the path of universal salvation, where everyone can become a dragon—a path of great aspiration.

It's difficult, but it also has great potential.

"However, the title of Emperor Jieyin..."

Jiang Hao looked at his disciple and felt something was off.

This title is the same as that of the powerful figure in Jiang Hao's previous life's mythology.

The Three Pure Ones have appeared in this world, and now Jieyin has also appeared.

"Is it a coincidence?" Jiang Hao was somewhat skeptical; there couldn't be that many coincidences in the world.

However, regardless of whether Lingbao and Yuanshi, the two Heavenly Venerables, or the disciple in front of them, received guidance, none of them had the foundation for reincarnation or any trace of reincarnation.

In this situation, it doesn't make sense to say that a strong person is reincarnated.

People like Wan Qing, who are reincarnations of immortal medicine kings, may not have obvious foundations, but upon closer inspection, one can still see some differences.

But Jiang Hao had checked the guide in front of him many times and found nothing there.

"Never mind," Jiang Hao thought to himself. "I'll worry about these things for now. I'll deal with them when I'm stronger. Once I'm stronger, I'll know everything."

He didn't dwell on the issue anymore; Jiang Hao was never one to dwell on things.

There must be a way to the front of the mountain.

Jieyin raised his head, his eyes slightly red. He stood up and stood in front of Jiang Hao, like a child waiting to be praised.

Who can understand how he felt when he returned to find his master for the first time after leaving home, only to discover that his master was not there?

When he discovered that his master and everything in the Taoist temple were gone, he thought that his master had been captured or killed by a mysterious powerful figure. At that moment, he felt like the sky had fallen.

Fortunately, as he grew older, he realized something was wrong.

"Master, this is your Bodhi tree, and I am now returning it to you."

Jieyin took out a Bodhi tree from his sleeve. The sapling landed in his palm, its branches and leaves unfurling, shimmering with golden light.

The trunk is thicker than it was back then, the lines on the bark are deeper, and every leaf is full and glistening, like it's carved from jade.

The golden veins on the leaves are denser than before, flowing between the veins, as if they were alive.

The aura of the Great Dao permeated the air, and golden Buddhist light shone forth.

The whole tree exudes a peaceful and serene atmosphere, and just looking at it makes you feel at ease.

Jiang Hao glanced at the Bodhi tree, then at Jieyin, and shook his head.

"This thing is more suitable for you. You are its destined owner and its true home. You should keep it."

Jiang Hao has already obtained the cultivation method of the Bodhi tree and completed the necessary observations and references, so keeping it now is not of much use.

Moreover, this item is clearly more suitable for his little apprentice; the two are an excellent match, and Jiang Hao will not take it back.

The most precious treasure of the ancient monk lineage has now returned to the hands of the most perfect inheritor of the lineage, thus settling a karmic debt.

Cause and effect may sound like something vague and ethereal, but in this world of cultivation, it is a real phenomenon.

Especially in this world, beings at the level of Immortal Kings and above can travel through the river of time to a certain extent, making cause and effect even more real.

The Bodhi tree followed the lineage of ancient monks in their conquest of the Immortal Realm, its branches stained with the blood of countless ancient monks.

It waited for a destined person, and waited for countless years.

Jiang Hao kept it with him, but only temporarily.

Its true destiny lies in being guided.

Jieyin held the Bodhi tree in his hands, looking at it. The branches of the Bodhi tree swayed gently, brushing against his fingers.

He took a deep breath and put the Bodhi tree back into his sleeve. He knew that his master's decision would not be easily changed, so he stopped being coy.

"Master, from now on, I want to stay by your side and serve you."

At that moment, the boundless Buddhist light around him disappeared, and he transformed back into the handsome young man he had been before leaving the Taoist temple.

Jiang Hao looked at his apprentice. The boy's eyes were very serious, just as serious as when he knelt on the bluestone slab and kowtowed back then.

"There's no need for that. We, master and disciple, will have plenty of time to meet in the future. You still have your own great cause to accomplish. Having chosen your path, you must firmly walk it to the end."

Just like before, Jiang Hao shook his head and refused again.

Jiang Hao looked at the guide in front of him, and he couldn't help but feel something.

After all, this was a child he had raised from infancy; it was a bond he had nurtured, and he always had the deepest affection for them.

Jiang Hao is not a practitioner of the ruthless path. After years of cultivation and getting along, how could he not have feelings for him?

If one is heartless, what is the point of cultivating the Tao? One is merely a slave to the Tao.

But he could not grant his disciple's request. Jieyin had his own path to follow, a path that was neither in Heaven nor by his side.

Jieyin looked at Jiang Hao with a somber expression. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't.

"Let's not talk about this anymore." Jiang Hao picked up his teacup.

"It is a joyous occasion for us, master and disciple, to reunite today. Come, let's discuss the Dao. First, tell me about your goals on the Great Dao."

"I wish to save all sentient beings, so that all beings in the world may be free from calamities, and everyone may be like a dragon. I wish that everyone can become a Buddha, and that there may be no more suffering in the world."

When the Great Dao goal was mentioned, Jieyin's eyes shone brightly, and he was full of energy, as if he had returned to the confident Emperor Jieyin.

Jiang Hao paused for a moment, holding the teacup.

To save all sentient beings, to free all beings in the world from suffering, and to make everyone like a dragon—this is not a small goal, but a grand aspiration, and it is extremely difficult.

The saint in mythology also made a similar vow.

But that was in a mythological world, where the rules of heaven and earth were different.

In this world, if you make such a vow, you have to take every step yourself.

In this world, there is no such thing as lending money between heaven and earth, and there is no divine intervention to help you.

There is no such thing as borrowing first and then paying back.

All living beings are struggling in the sea of ​​suffering, including Jiang Hao himself, who is also struggling to cross it.

This road is too difficult.

Fortunately, here we don't have to repay loans like the saint in the myth, otherwise we would suffer a backlash.

There is no such thing as backlash here, but cultivation will become more difficult, after all, this is the path of the Great Dao.

Jiang Hao put down his teacup and looked at Jieyin. The boy's expression was calm, clearly indicating that it wasn't a momentary impulse, but rather something he had thought about seriously.

"You have ambition, and your ideas are excellent," Jiang Hao praised.

"But you must be careful to maintain a proper balance. Whether it's saving all living beings or gathering the power of faith, it must be reasonable and just, and you must not do anything that harms the common people."

Jiang Hao's voice wasn't loud, but the moment he spoke, the heavens and earth resounded with a thunderous roar.

This is the Great Dao trembling.

As the Heavenly Emperor and the ruler of the Three Realms, Jiang Hao's words are the rule in the Three Realms.

If any guides violate the rules in the future, the Great Dao will impose corresponding punishments.

This is a necessary limitation.

In my previous life, Buddhism did not have a good reputation because there were indeed many scoundrels in Buddhism, and many were not truly enlightened monks.

The guide bowed deeply and said, "Please rest assured, Master. My lineage emphasizes the equality of all beings. As long as one has the affinity, one can become a Buddha. Furthermore, it emphasizes that everything is voluntary and there is absolutely no coercion."

Jiang Hao nodded. He trusted his disciple and knew what kind of people the ancient monks were.

In the Battle of Immortal Ancient, the lineage of the ancient monks fought to the death without retreating, and the entire family remained loyal and valiant.

That was a truly enlightened monk, whose knowledge and actions were in harmony.

My own apprentice is the same kind of person.

But just because it is now doesn't mean it will be in the future.

Just because one's own disciples are like that doesn't mean all of one's followers are.

With a large population, there will always be exceptions.

The human heart is the most unpredictable thing. Jiang Hao still needs to give warnings and impose restrictions.

No rules, no standards.