Steadily becoming a saint, the immortal officials hired me to tend the horses

The sunlight, filtering through the gaps in the leaves, shone onto the river, creating a golden phosphorescence.

Emperor Tianhong was still kneeling by the river, his beard touching the ground, knees deep in the mud, his eyes closed, his black hair spilling out; he seemed to merge with the forest, his breath natural.

Thousands of years have passed since Xiao Lan left, and Emperor Tianhong has been kneeling there for over twenty-one thousand years.

Footsteps approached from behind, and a man dressed in black appeared. He was handsome, with his black hair coiled up under a headpiece, a sword and a gourd hanging at his waist; he was like an unsheathed treasure sword, impossible to restrain.

"The legendary foremost pride of the world, Emperor Tianhong, nurtured by the Dao Court to be the Daoist Emperor, yet kneeling here unable to rise; it seems the Supporting Dao Sword Venerable holds you in low regard. Do you have any regrets?"

The man in black stopped, his voice cold as he stared at Emperor Tianhong's back.

Without opening his eyes, Emperor Tianhong asked softly, "Who are you?"

His voice was slightly hoarse, as if he hadn't spoken in a long time.

"Zhao Rushen, I too am known as the foremost pride of the world," the man in black answered coldly.

Emperor Tianhong remained silent.

Zhao Rushen continued, "You might not recognize me, but I have seen you. When I first entered the Dao Court with no prominent talents, I saw you returning from slaying demons, and the entire city's disciples shouting your name. You were who I, and all disciples, aspired to become."

Listening to him, Emperor Tianhong still did not utter a sound.

"You left the Dao Court, making me who I am today. I received substantial support from the Dao Court, becoming the new foremost pride of the world, sweeping through peers of my realm. I fought across the land for a thousand years without rest. Yet, many compare me to you, saying I have not defeated you, and do not deserve the title of the foremost in the world."

As Zhao Rushen spoke, he paused, his gaze sharpening.

"So, you came to challenge me?" Emperor Tianhong asked, still not rising, clearly unworried about Zhao Rushen launching a surprise attack.

"Actually, in my heart, I also feel inferior to you," Zhao Rushen stated calmly, taking a step forward as he continued, "Now I too follow the path of pursuing the Daoist Emperor, which is the legacy left by the Ting Master before his departure. He said both you and I are qualified to achieve the Daoist Emperor, to lead the Dao Court to unprecedented heights. Come back, since Wushi looks down on you, why endure humiliation here? Do you know, your deeds have spread across the world, and everyone knows the unparalleled pride cultivated by the Dao Court kneels in front of Wushi Sect, do you realize how much criticism the court has faced?"

Gradually, Emperor Tianhong opened his eyes; his gaze still full of vitality, unaffected by the passage of time.

"I am no longer a disciple of the Dao Court. Please return," Emperor Tianhong replied softly.

He looked across the river, his gaze shifting left and right, as if searching for something.

Zhao Rushen furrowed his brows, his right hand resting on the sword scabbard at his waist.

"Junior, this is not a place for you to act recklessly,"

A clear, cold voice came from ahead, startling Zhao Rushen to look up, only to see two figures walking out from the depths of the forest across the river.

It was An Xin and Chen Chuan.

Seeing An Xin, Emperor Tianhong's gaze turned somewhat complicated.

He couldn't forget that crushing defeat, he still thinks about what exactly those eyes looked like.

Chen Chuan followed by An Xin's side, eying Zhao Rushen with curiosity, filled with an unsettling feeling from the sword qi he sensed on Zhao Rushen.

Zhao Rushen, looking at An Xin, similarly felt shocked. An Xin gave him an unfathomably profound feeling, particularly when meeting An Xin's gaze, which made him tremble with fear, a feeling he had never experienced, even when facing beings above the Zi Zai Immortal Realm.

Not to be provoked!

This was Zhao Rushen's immediate feeling.

"May I ask for the senior's name?" Zhao Rushen raised his hand in salute, asking courteously.

An Xin answered calmly, "Wushi, An Xin, please leave."

Zhao Rushen raised an eyebrow, just as he was about to speak, he suddenly felt a chill climbing up his spine, startling him.

After hesitating for a moment, he chose to salute and leave.

Although unclear why An Xin held hostility towards him, he also feared dying here.

Zhao Rushen's presence quickly faded, while An Xin and Chen Chuan approached the river, facing Emperor Tianhong across the stream.

Emperor Tianhong looked at An Xin, still not speaking, his gaze remaining calm.

An Xin spoke, "He wants to kill you."

"Is that so?" Emperor Tianhong asked in surprise, thinking that Zhao Rushen seemed more like trying to provoke him into returning through reverse psychology.

An Xin continued, "And he can do it."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Tianhong's brows immediately furrowed.

He could feel that Zhao Rushen had reached the Divine Immortal of Wondrous Dharma and had caught up with him in cultivation realm, but this was also because he had been kneeling for twenty thousand years. Even at the same realm, he didn't believe he would lose to anyone other than An Xin.

Chen Chuan was also surprised, not expecting Zhao Rushen to be so formidable.

An Xin looked at Chen Chuan and said, "You go ahead first."

Chen Chuan nodded, then disappeared into thin air from where he stood.

Emperor Tianhong wasn't very curious about Chen Chuan; he sensed that An Xin had something to say to him, which made ripples arose in his heart.

An Xin stared at Emperor Tianhong and said, "That person will be your nemesis. Both of you will become Daoist Emperors and will stir a world-shaking conflict in the Human World."

"Didn't you just say he could kill me? If I weren't here, wouldn't I already be dead by his hands? How could I become his nemesis?" Emperor Tianhong curiously asked.

"You will die, but you will rise again in Reincarnation and contend with him lifetime after lifetime."

An Xin spoke in a very calm tone, as if mentioning a trivial matter, leaving Emperor Tianhong silent.

He couldn't help but ask, "Can you see my fate?"

"Not me."

An Xin's answer caused Emperor Tianhong's expression to change for the first time, stirring his long-calm heart.

Sword Venerable...

An Xin continued, "Keep kneeling for now. Master can't accept you temporarily, and I don't know the reason, but perhaps this is part of cultivation. Over the years, you should have felt your Dao Practice growing."

Emperor Tianhong showed a smile, "Indeed, although my cultivation level hasn't increased, my understanding of the Great Dao is growing rapidly. This must be the blessing of the Sword Venerable."

This was also the reason he had been kneeling for more than twenty thousand years without feeling tired.

He had seen hope, and even if he had to kneel for another hundred thousand years, he wouldn't feel it was hard.

An Xin stopped talking, flashed beside Emperor Tianhong, and continued walking forward.

Emperor Tianhong turned his head towards her and asked, "Sister, where are you going?"

"I have my matters to attend to."

An Xin casually replied, a slight smile curving upon her lips, feeling that Emperor Tianhong was very perceptive.

Emperor Tianhong pressed further, "Will Zhao Rushen bring good or bad results to the Dao Court?"

"Destiny is always changing; knowing the future in advance would only become an obstacle for you."

Before the words were even fully said, An Xin had already disappeared into the depths of the forest.

Emperor Tianhong turned back, looking at the river surface, deep in thought.

Daoist Emperor, huh?

He had heard from Yuan Songzi before that the prodigies of the Three Thousand Great Worlds were all chasing after becoming Daoist Emperors, but the Celestial Spirit Great World temporarily had no opportunity to achieve that status. Yuan Songzi had told him to prepare well.

According to what An Xin revealed about the future, becoming a Daoist Emperor seems to be the crux of future world conflicts; this implies Yuan Songzi will succeed.

To become a Daoist Emperor, it's necessary to open the pathway to the Path of the Great Dao for the Celestial Spirit Great World!

Emperor Tianhong took a deep breath, clearing his distractions.

Just how formidable a Daoist Emperor is, he wasn't sure, but the Path of Power he was currently comprehending was truly strong.

Even though his cultivation level had not increased, he could feel his mana undergoing transformation, becoming several times stronger compared to before he knelt.

Just...

Would such a him also be killed by Zhao Rushen?

Emperor Tianhong noted Zhao Rushen's name, looking forward to their future confrontation.