Chapter 648: Chapter 640: Kneeling for Ten Thousand Years
Emperor Tianhong’s heart was in turmoil. Although everything in his eyes had not changed with the passage of a hundred years, he felt a tremendous malice.
He couldn’t imagine the situation he would face returning to the Dao Court after failing to become a disciple; let alone the Dao Court, when he came to the Qiankun Sect, how many disciples of the Qiankun Sect watched him.
The more he thought about it, the more panicked he became, even developing a sense of rage in his heart.
This anger was so confused even he couldn’t tell whom it was directed at.
Hate the Supporting Dao Sword Venerable?
But Supporting Dao Sword Venerable had no reason or obligation to take him in.
If anyone was to blame, it was his own insufficient talent.
The Supporting Dao Sword Venerable had taken Tian Hao as a disciple, and Tian Hao was the champion of his era before him.
Since before his birth, Tian Hao had vanished, so there were always people who believed he was not the strongest champion of all time because he never defeated Tian Hao.
After the tribulation of the Innate Human Race, everyone knew that Tian Hao was a disciple of the Supporting Dao Sword Venerable, which made Tian Hao even more legendary.
When Tian Hao disappeared, people liked to use him to suppress the geniuses of the world.
In fact, while Tian Hao was alive, he also endured the same doubts Emperor Tianhong faces today.
But regardless, without defeating Tian Hao, Emperor Tianhong could not truly consider himself the greatest champion through the ages.
Emperor Tianhong’s thoughts ran wild uncontrollably, even though reason told him that a hundred years was nothing, he couldn’t help but dwell on it.
Kneeling by the small river, as he gazed at his own reflection on the water’s surface, Emperor Tianhong suddenly felt very vulnerable and truly unworthy of the title of the world’s number one champion.
It was at that moment.
He saw a figure emerging from the depths of the forest on the opposite side. As he made out the person’s face, a confused expression appeared on his own.
It was neither Celestial Cyan nor Tian Bai.
He had never seen this woman before.
The newcomer was An Xin.
An Xin, in her cyan dress with delicate makeup, had cool and distant eyes and brows, resembling a fairy living reclusively in the mountains. Her aura, untainted by the mundane world, caused Emperor Tianhong’s gaze to shift.
An Xin saw Emperor Tianhong, her expression as cold as ever. She walked to the front of the river and stopped. Her gaze landed on Emperor Tianhong, her eyes without a ripple of emotion.
“I heard you are the Dao Court’s number one talent and the strongest one in the world today. We are both Divine Immortals of Wondrous Dharma. How about we spar?”
An Xin spoke, her tone allowing no refusal.
Emperor Tianhong frowned and asked, “May I ask if Fellow Daoist is a Wushiji Disciple?”
An Xin answered, “I am considered the foremost disciple of Wushi. If you defeat me, you will be eligible to join Wushi.”
Upon hearing this, Emperor Tianhong’s eyes blazed with a fierce light.
Having knelt and waited for a hundred years, his mood was already irritable. With An Xin’s sudden approach, it seemed like the very opportunity he’d been yearning for.
He wanted to show the Sword Venerable his talent!
Emperor Tianhong stood up, with mud and grass falling from his legs. His aura changed abruptly, the wild wind howled, causing the surrounding trees to shake violently.
“Where shall we spar?”
Emperor Tianhong asked, his intense gaze domineering, his hair dancing wildly like flames.
An Xin’s eyes flickered with purple light, she replied indifferently, “No need to go elsewhere, right here will do. It will be over quickly.”
Emperor Tianhong felt humiliated, his robe began to billow, a terrifying aura emanated from within him.
Meanwhile.
Inside an inn belonging to the Qiankun Sect, Gu An was drinking with his friends who enjoyed meat and wine, when suddenly they felt a terrifying aura coming from afar.
This wine and meat friend named Qiu Zhuo exclaimed in shock and suspicion, “Could it be someone is causing trouble within the Sect?”
Although the Qiankun Sect of today is far from comparing to the Dao Court, in the eyes of the rank-and-file disciples, the Qiankun Sect is an authentic and major power, dominating a region. Whoever dares to cause trouble within the Qiankun Sect is truly seeking death.
Gu An laughed and said, “Since it’s happening within the Sect, why should we worry? Let’s keep drinking and continue talking about Yi Lang’s affairs.”
Yi Lang, the offspring of the Sect Hierarch Yi Qingshan, may not be considered outstanding in terms of talent within the Yi Family, but with his free-spirited and unrestrained character, he always manages to do things that become the subject of much gossip.
Qiu Zhuo thought that Gu An’s words made sense, so he resumed recounting the tales of Yi Lang’s amorous exploits.
The terrifying aura appeared abruptly and dissipated just as quickly.
The entire process took less than ten breaths, which led to much speculation among the disciples of the Qiankun Sect in various cities.
In the forest.
Emperor Tianhong was half-kneeling in front of a river, one hand propped against his knee, the other dangling naturally, as he laboriously raised his head to look up, his face covered in cold sweat and bloodshot eyes.
An Xin stood on the opposite side of the river, about a zhang away from him, her purple pupils gradually retracting their unusual shimmer.
Compared to Emperor Tianhong’s face full of shock and fear, An Xin’s expression remained indifferent.
“How is this possible… What divine skill was that just now?” Emperor Tianhong ground his teeth and asked. He couldn’t accept his own crushing defeat, especially since it was at the hands of someone in the same realm.
An Xin replied, “This is a divine skill taught to me by my master. You don’t need to feel sad about it. Although we are in the same realm, I reached this realm long before you were born. Your talent is still higher than mine, but it’s not so simple to get accepted into Wushi.”
Having said this, she stepped forward and flickered past Emperor Tianhong, heading toward the Qiankun Sect.
Emperor Tianhong looked down and asked through clenched teeth, “Did the Sword Venerable send you here?”
“He doesn’t have that kind of leisure time. I just sensed that your Dao Heart was wavering. It’s only been a century, yet you can’t hold on, which disappoints those in the Dojo who have expectations for you. However, retreating is also not a problem. There are many paths in the world, and you don’t necessarily have to enter Wushi.”
An Xin didn’t stop her steps, her figure gradually disappearing into the distance.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Tianhong’s pupils dilated, and a color of shame surged in his heart.
Indeed.
It’s only been a century.
What is a century to cultivators?
Memories of the previous battle flashed through Emperor Tianhong’s mind, and his eyes became fervent.
Being such formidable Wushi disciples serves to prove the profound heritage of Wushi!
Even if it takes a thousand years, or ten thousand years, he must enter Wushi!
Emperor Tianhong straightened his spine and knelt once more. This time, he swept away his previous impatience, and his gaze returned to the steadfastness of when he had first arrived.
A gentle breeze passed by, lifting the hair beside his ears. Amidst the sound of the wind, he seemed to hear the Supporting Dao Sword Venerable calling out to him.
Calling out the word “disciple.”
Emperor Tianhong’s lips curved upwards, for An Xin’s strength made him long for Wushi all the more.
Years went by quickly.
When tens of thousands of years had once again passed, the forest where Emperor Tianhong was located seemed unchanged, as if secluded from the world, unaffected by the Rules of Heaven and Earth.
There was no alteration in Emperor Tianhong’s attire, but his hair had grown longer, and his beard reached the ground; he kept his eyes closed, his whole being radiating an aura of Profound Mystery.
Not far off, on a tree branch, Gu An and An Xin stood side by side, observing Emperor Tianhong.
An Xin spoke up, “Master, if you truly do not wish to accept him, shall I drive him away?”
Emperor Tianhong’s decade-long kneeling did not only move her. Other disciples of the Dojo also became aware of this man’s determination and were touched by it.
As the number one prodigy of the world, he has managed to patiently kneel in this place for tens of thousands of years, which is unimaginable how resolute his determination is.