Chapter 1287: Looking at This World Once Again

Jiang Ding flew through the sky.

To this day, the Minor Thousand Worlds is no longer an infinitely vast expanse for him.

Using the Six Paths Order as a lever, he walked upon the rules; space lost its distance before him, at least within the spiritual sense of a Soul Transformation cultivator, where ten thousand li were no different from a single step.

At a certain moment, Jiang Ding stopped and gazed upon the earth.

To be precise, it was a mountain range spanning hundreds of kilometers north to south on the earth; for a Soul Transformation cultivator, this was merely a small hill, easily obliterated by a single strike, and in truth did not deserve the name "mountain range."

The name of this mountain range was Dongling Mountain.

At least four thousand years ago, it bore this name.

Now, in the minds of the mortals and cultivators around it, this mountain range seems to be called Lan Tie Mountain, because it produces a common ore named Lan Tie ore, and the swords and weapons cast from it are the most beloved items among martial artists of the Jianghu.

Over thousands of years, the name of this mountain range has changed many times, whether due to mineral resources, a certain emperor, or a great war, for various reasons.

The ancient name Dongling Mountain has long been drowned in time.

However, in the hearts of the Soul Transformation cultivators of this realm, its name remains Dongling Mountain, never having changed.

"This is the place where I first appeared."

"Four thousand years ago..."

Jiang Ding spoke nothing, nor looked anywhere, simply thinking silently.

His gaze seemed to pierce through four thousand years of time, seeing the scene of a confused Gao Zhongsheng appearing in this world for the first time.

It was a fifteen or sixteen-year-old Gao Zhongsheng, wearing color-changing camouflage, with drones circling in the sky over two thousand meters above his head, cautiously exploring the surroundings.

"I was really cool back then!"

"Coming to my future world with one person and one sword, I began bit by bit to save all living beings from peril."

Jiang Ding said with considerable pride.

He held no contempt for his own thoughts when he was young; on the contrary, he sincerely admired them and intended to learn from them.

Then, once again,

Become the Lord of the World!

"Yun Gao Jie..."

Jiang Ding whispered.

"Now, this world is shrouded in the glorious Order."

"Large-scale wars no longer exist, whether among mortals or cultivators; Master Tushan Law covers all civilized lands, and all living beings, humans, demons, and cultivators, are all bathed in the Order."

"The peace and happiness of the entire world are dozens of times greater than in the past."

"Whether in terms of average lifespan, average wealth, spiritual and cultural wealth, or the hope of the Dao, all are at least ten times greater than when I descended."

"With me in the world, with me in the realm, what great fortune!"

"Such luck, such glorious Order, how can it be granted only to the beings of this Minor Thousand Worlds? This is unfair; I have the duty to save more living beings..."

Jiang Ding raised his head to look at the sky, gazing at the distant, endless starry void.

Clang~

The Taiqing Flying Sword hummed softly, cold and bloody, as if billions of blood seas were condensed into a single wisp, spilling into heaven and earth, yet not affecting the ants in the slightest.

Two thousand years!

Two thousand years!

In these two thousand years, the Dri Flying Sword has never slain a single powerful figure; this should not be, this is not the essence of the Dri Flying Sword, and no matter how strong a cultivator's self-control, there is a limit.

"No, no, no."

"My self-control is infinite..."

Jiang Ding murmured to himself.

The scarlet, scorching hue in his eyes slowly faded; the whole person returned to normal, not a trace of killing intent remaining, as if the madness just now was merely an illusion.

Jiang Ding followed Dongling Mountain, silently looking back at his past footprints.

Beside Dongling Mountain, there was once a Dongling Prefecture and Dongling City; now it is long a desolate, wild jungle, with not even ruins remaining. No one remembers that tens of thousands of people once lived here, that many earth-shattering events occurred at that time, which subsequently influenced the entire world.

"If archaeologists came here, they could still find some traces." Jiang Ding reached out, picked up a tile from a soil layer hundreds of meters deep, and searched carefully within his divine soul, especially searching the memories of his childhood.

"This is the tile from the ninth row, seventh column on the left side of the tiled house in the front courtyard of my brother's general store; it is still intact."

"Fate, indeed."

"Little thing, it has been four thousand years, yet you still exist; that is good."

Jiang Ding put it away.

Then, his figure flashed, and he stepped onto the mountain gate of Xiang Qiyu Sect, which was very close.

It remains a Jin Dan-level sect; compared to four thousand years ago, it has neither declined nor prospered, existing just as unremarkably, and perhaps will continue to exist for another ten thousand years.

All of this began with a promise.

Four thousand years ago, Jiang Ding entered Xiang Qiyu Sect and promised to protect the Xiang Qiyu Sect's inheritance from being lost for at least three thousand years; now he has fulfilled it.

The only regret is that the witnesses to that promise back then, True Person Bai Mei, Li Li Qingyun, and that Second Senior Brother, are long dead; their lifespans reached their limit long ago, and no one remains to see that he has fully completed his promise spanning three thousand years.

Jiang Ding took another step, crossed the Spiritless Desert, and arrived at Xuchong Xiancheng.

This is the Xiancheng of Master Tushan Master Tushan Zhongting, even more prosperous, with many cultivators; various low-to-mid-level immortal arts industries are laid out here, creating vast wealth that benefits all cultivators and mortals.

"The first Yuan Ying cultivator I killed, Divine Crow Master Dinghai Zhenjun, I still remember you."

"How wonderful..."

Jiang Ding sighed slightly.

His steps were Xu Xu; often one step spanned tens of thousands of kilometers. At place after place from the past history where he had once come and where major events had occurred, he recalled past events, filled with many emotions.

His steps moved slowly, each one often spanning tens of thousands of kilometers, as he passed through one after another place he had once visited in the past history—places where momentous events had occurred—recalling the events of the past, his heart filled with many emotions.

Unfortunately, this world was far too small.

It took several hours to complete this act of remembrance; his Dao-heart completed one closed loop, and there were no regrets left.

Jiang Ding knew that he might never again come to these places he had once visited in the past, because he no longer had any curiosity — this would be the last time.

In the days to come, even if he attained True Immortality, he would not come here again.

Because there was no need.

Unknowingly, many things had already been for the last time.

At last, Jiang Ding came to the East Sea Blood Demon Abyss and gazed on in silence.

A bloody slaughter was unfolding here.

Lieyang Canghai Tianjun, his golden hair flying wildly, now had the appearance of a middle-aged cultivator. He roared, wielding his sword to launch an assault on a peak Soul Transformation blood demon. His Imperishable Sword Intent swept out in all directions, cleaving sword-light after sword-light, slicing this peak Soul Transformation scorpion-tailed blood demon into fragments.

With the body of a mid Soul Transformation cultivator, he slaughtered a peak Soul Transformation blood demon as easily as the ordinary!

"Weak."

"Far too weak."

After slaying his foe, Lieyang Canghai Tianjun showed no triumph whatsoever; instead his face was full of bitterness: "In this world, apart from weaklings like this, there is only you — and those you do not permit me to kill."

"You are far too strong."

"I cannot find mid-tier strongmen to use their lives as a stairway by which to climb toward you."

"This is my misfortune."

He walked out of the battlefield and bowed deeply toward a blue-robed youth not far away.

"Sword Son, after an interval of three thousand years, congratulations on emerging from seclusion and your great advance in cultivation."

At the same time, Han Lin, Da'ai Canghai Tianjun, Gong Gong Caiyu, and the other twelve Master Tushan Master Tushan Zhongting Canghai Tianjun bowed deeply in salute.

"Greetings, Canghai Tianjun!"

"Greetings, Master!"

(End of chapter)