Chapter 2226: If I Do Not Die, the Sword Emperor Will Not Return in His Twilight Years ===GLOSSARY===

Dongling Mountain reappears in the mortal realm.

The mountain forest remembered by an ancient powerhouse reappears in the world, immortal and undying, just like this powerhouse long forgotten by countless beings of the Northern Yuan Minor Realm, reappearing once more.

"Mountain forest!"

"Immortal! Immortal..."

"Immortal descends to the mortal world..."

At this moment, countless mortals around the desert prostrate themselves in worship, gazing at the suddenly transformed dead-bone desert turned dense forest, inhaling the fresh scent of grass and trees at their nostrils, and hearing the sound of flowing water nearby, as if beholding traces of immortals.

"Immortal..."

Not only these mortals, but even cultivators tremble and kneel in worship.

Whether Qi-refining cultivators or Foundation Establishment cultivators, even those called ancestors—Golden Core cultivators, Nascent Soul cultivators—all kneel silently on the ground without a word, not feeling their own antiquity, but feeling as humble as a child.

Moreover, some Nascent Soul cultivators tremble as they discover several cultivators with transcendent auras appearing not far away, instinctively feeling the pressure and bowing to the ground, even more humble than themselves.

This is Soul Transformation!

Soul Transformation Heavenly Sovereign!

More humble and fearful than them—Soul Transformation Heavenly Sovereign!

These Soul Transformation Heavenly Sovereigns are the rulers of the world, the most ancient beings, yet now they appear no different from infants—so ignorant and naive, having seen less of the world than ordinary mortals.

In a single thought, mountains and rivers shift, the world transforms!

A youth and a maiden slowly walk through this mountain forest, passing through a patch of woodland crushed by humanoid figures, passing a ruined temple, then arriving at an empty mortal city.

This city has mottled city gates, bustling streets, foul-smelling ditches of the broken-plank lane, imposing government offices, and the magnificent Dong Hou Fu... of course, there is also that general store.

All of these are memories from the past.

Every brick and tile, every scratch on the stone slabs, the newly repaired threshold and door of the general store—everything is no different from when the Great Day Sword Child departed back then.

It is as if it were yesterday.

"Dongling Fu, home, mother, father..."

Gong Caiyu stares blankly, her eye sockets slightly reddened.

Many years have passed, indeed many years.

The appearance and smile of her father and mother once again surface in her mind—her father was the sect master of Qixuan Gate, her mother suffered misfortune, but later everything improved, and everyone was well...

All of this is because of him.

"This general store is not bad."

Jiang Ding smiles faintly.

That tender youth of bygone days was so brave, so wise and cautious—I must learn from him.

I take pride in him.

The two continue their stroll, mountains and rivers flashing past swiftly beside them.

Xiang Qiyu Sect, one of the Three Sects of Yue State, appears before the two—its mountain gate remains as it was, and the Gold Lotus Peak with its second-tier upper-grade metal-attribute spiritual vein still stands, where the Sword Immortal Maiden of the Qi Refining period once trained for a long time.

"Does Xiang Qiyu Sect still pass on its lineage?"

Jiang Ding asks casually.

Back then, when he received Xiang Qiyu Sect's favor, he vowed in his heart to protect Xiang Qiyu Sect for at least three thousand years without extinction.

Do not think it merely brief—just a snap of the fingers' three thousand years—but to that Qi Refining period youth, it already seemed an extremely distant span of time; this is a vow of immense weight.

Of course, this vow has long been fulfilled, which is why Jiang Ding no longer pays attention to it.

"It still exists, Young Master."

"This world has not forgotten."

Gong Caiyu reviews the records and says: "Through the ascension rules of the myriad worlds, Tushan Zhongting has always been able to exert influence here; your casual command from back then remains effective to this day, Xiang Qiyu Sect still exists, the worship of Xiang Qiyu True Person still exists, and the ancestral worship of this sect's patriarchs throughout the ages still exists."

"Of course, now it is not prominent—merely a Foundation Establishment sect."

"Historically, this sect once flourished immensely, producing many Soul Transformation Heavenly Sovereigns, and even a celestial being who ascended after shattering the void and achieved transcendence—but now it has declined, for your casual command only ensured this sect's existence, without demanding strength or weakness; it entirely depends on themselves."

Gong Caiyu elaborates in detail, preparing at all times for whatever the Sword Immortal Maiden might ask.

This is the terror of a true immortal maiden—a single offhand word can influence over a million years of time, even tens of millions of years, or even longer.

A casual gesture by a superior being can cause drastic effects upon the world.

"Let it be so."

"From now on, no need to attend to it further—this violates the natural law of heaven's way."

Jiang Ding gives a slight nod.

The three-thousand-year vow has unknownly stacked multiple times—already more than enough.

The strong ought to flourish, the weak ought to weaken and even perish—this is the natural law; attempting to defy this natural law inevitably leads to decay and frailty, inevitably demanding a corresponding price.

Although this subtle causal influence is minuscule, nearly unobservable, Jiang Ding does not intend to continue bearing it.

To respect and utilize the natural law is how one endures long.

"Understood, Young Master."

Gong Caiyu takes note.

The surrounding heaven and earth transform— in the next moment, the two arrive at the land where Tushan Yao State resides.

Many events of great significance have occurred here.

Many things originate from Tushan Yao State here, now beginning to influence countless myriad worlds, countless star fields, and even exert tremendous influence upon the entire boundless starry void.

"Tushan maidservant corps..."

"The Tushan Code..."

"Tushan Zhongting..."

"And numerous treasures, immortal arts, and formations beginning with Tushan..."

Jiang Ding laughed helplessly: "Caiyu, without even realizing it, this Tushan Demon Kingdom has already generated many influences in the Wu Jin Kong Kong."

"Who would have thought that the origin of the two characters 'Tushan' would actually be several Jin Dan fox demons?"

"The vicissitudes of worldly affairs are nothing more than this."

Time truly is a great thing, changing many.

"Young Master,"

"Do you want to build a monument here?"

Gong Caiyu said somewhat hesitantly: "Many things worthy of historical remembrance have happened here."

This place is simply the dragon-rising land of the Tai Shang Da Ri Jian Xianzi, its significance too great; perhaps it could give birth to many time-causal treasures.

"Not necessary."

"We are not short-lived mortals; what is there to commemorate?"

Jiang Ding spoke in a flat tone.

All these past events have remained in his mind; countless later-generation descendants worship and commemorate them, and it is enough that those who have experienced everything know of it—others' various reverences mean nothing.

Since we have seen this place, there is nothing left in this world worth visiting again.

Jiang Ding arrived at the Tushan Zhongting in the Bei Yuan, lightly waved his hand, and collected the ten-thousand-year accumulation of one-tenth tax revenue from this Minor Thousand World; inside were mostly spirit stones and some low-grade heavenly materials and earthly treasures.

This was his promise upon leaving the Bei Yuan Xiao Jie back then.

In this Xiao Jie, the tax revenue entitled the Tai Shang Da Ri Jian Xianzi to one-tenth, which is a responsibility and obligation.

As for the tax revenue from even earlier than ten thousand years ago, it was brought by ascended cultivators to the Tushan Zhongting in the Yin Xian Jie and stored in the national treasury—this is special favor bestowed upon the dragon-rising land.

"Let's go back."

"There's nothing left to see."

Jiang Ding let out a light sigh: "If nothing unexpected happens, and if I do not die in battle on the True Immortal Child battlefield, then before I reach the twilight of my reign as emperor, I should not return here to take another look."

"Boring and uninteresting."

"Only then, when that weary old man of dusk appears, will he have leisure to recall the past and feel especially nostalgic."

The sword immortal's tone carried some unwillingness, some sorrow, and also contained many extremely complex emotions.

"Hmm, Young Master."

Gong Caiyu gently accompanied by his side.

(End of Chapter)