[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-guarding-the-river-of-time":3,"chapter-guarding-the-river-of-time-guarding-the-river-of-time-chapter-498":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Guarding the River of Time",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},303273,569,"Chapter 498 - 488: A Million Years of Time—The Ancestor Pursued","guarding-the-river-of-time-chapter-498",498,"\u003Cp>It’s said to be an obsession, but in reality, it’s a person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before his mentor left, he left him with a message that if, one day, he really reached a certain level, he could pass through the \"Wood of Time\" he left behind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cross a place known as the \"River of Time,\" and he might be able to follow him. If he met a man on the River of Time, remember to show respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That man is the ancestor of the entire Dark Inference Demon Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without that ancestor, the entire Dark Inference Demon Realm would cease to exist, and so would he.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, the person he seeks is not his mentor, but that ancestor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, later on, when he reached a certain level of power and was ready to use the Wood of Time to cross the River of Time, he hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for why he hesitated, he doesn’t want to say just yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Su Ming remain silent, Wu Zhong didn’t pursue the topic further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he got straight to the point, seriously saying, \"Would you be willing to accept me as your master...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Su Ming was stunned, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because although he didn’t recognize the middle-aged man in front of him, he could sense that this middle-aged man’s status in the Divine Alliance should be extremely high, for while cultivation and appearance can be disguised, demeanor cannot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After arriving at the Celestial Shepherd Divine Realm and reaching the highest core area of the Divine Alliance, he had met many prominent figures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, none of the many prominent figures he had met could compare to the one before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>.....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I won’t bind you, nor will I demand too much from you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I won’t interfere with your cultivation methods or your freedom; everything depends on your own will.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know you’re a clever child and can understand the meaning of my words. My intention is simple: I wish to cultivate you well, ensuring you don’t waste your talent, enabling you to go further.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Zhong decided to speak plainly rather than probe various aspects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sometimes, sincerity is the real killer move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing these words, Su Ming was also taken aback; although it was his first encounter with this great figure, he could sense a certain quality in him that other great figures lacked, perhaps what people often refer to as charisma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His presence was dignified, yet without any sense of arrogance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Senior, thank you for your appreciation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Su Ming could finish his sentence, Wu Zhong waved his hand with a smile, saying, \"No rush to decline, think it over before making a decision.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ll take my leave first. If there’s anything, you can find me with this token.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Wu Zhong pulled out a purple-gold token from his sleeve, engraved with a golden character — \"Shepherd.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This level of token, Su Ming was seeing for the first time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, it was confirmed that this great figure must be part of the alliance’s upper echelons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Wu Zhong left, Su Ming sat in place, looked up at the void, pondering over something unknown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Zhong returned to Nanmu Immortal Island and paced back and forth in his courtyard, looking troubled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Ming, unlike any other youth, has a solitary personality, but what’s with this lack of desire for anything?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Joining the alliance, not seeking resources, not seeking positions, even residing in such a humble cave dwelling.....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These aren’t really major issues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What baffles him is that he sends his earned resource rewards to that weak Dark Inference Demon Realm; this behavior is truly strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the life information provided by Dong’Er, it can be known that Su Ming left the Dark Inference Demon Realm as early as 1.7 million years ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>1.7 million years, such a long period, with the weakness of the Dark Inference Demon Realm, it should have been reduced to dust, assimilated by other stronger worlds long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it wasn’t assimilated or destroyed, it should have been ruled by some powerful Immortal Domain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But according to the intel from Dong’Er, the Dark Inference Demon Realm never belonged to any force and is an independent entity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the past million years, with such turbulence across the Ten Thousand Realms, any weak world without a strong backing could be destroyed at any time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the Dark Inference Demon Realm survives well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He discovered something odd in all the life details of Su Ming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once, a commander from the Shepherd of Heaven Alliance admired Su Ming and suggested that his former Dark Inference Demon Realm join the Shepherd of Heaven Alliance to find a solid backing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Su Ming refused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is perplexing; wanting to protect the Dark Inference Demon Realm while not allowing it to join the Shepherd of Heaven Alliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be that there’s something in the Dark Inference Demon Realm he holds dear?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps this is the breakthrough point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unexpectedly, as the Grand Alliance Leader of the Shepherd of Heaven Alliance, a ruler above countless worlds, he is troubled over recruiting a single disciple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throughout the entire alliance, those wishing to be his disciple could line up from the Celestial Shepherd Divine Realm all the way to the Great Woe Immortal Realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>.....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, Wu Zhong kept drinking tea in the courtyard until the morning of the next day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knock, knock, knock——\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The door was knocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Come in.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next second, the wooden door was pushed open, and a graceful woman in a green dress walked in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman was dressed in a simple and plain green immortal robe, elegant as jade, her every subtle movement exuding Immortal Charm, and her presence made the flowers in the courtyard pale in comparison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fourth Sister, when did you return?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the visitor, Wu Zhong asked with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman in green was Jin Yao, who now, compared to before, was becoming more and more mature; ’mature’ isn’t even the right word — too vulgar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better to say that the beauty of time is etched upon her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Only returned a few days ago.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Jin Yao sat down, she picked up the teapot on the table, finding it empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She brewed a new pot of tea and, after pouring it for Wu Zhong, smiled and said, \"Big Brother, did something troublesome happen? Drinking tea all night long.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Wu Zhong could only sigh heavily; this was an issue Jin Yao couldn’t help with, so he could only figure it out himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Was your recent journey smooth?\" Wu Zhong changed the subject and asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"On this trip, there wasn’t much significant gain.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Though I accepted two new disciples, which I am quite satisfied with.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Yao said softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing \"accepting disciples,\" Wu Zhong sighed once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The keen-minded Jin Yao realized that Big Brother’s trouble must be related to a \"disciple.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Big Brother, could it be that your disciple caused some trouble?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I remember that all of Big Brother’s disciples are excellent and steady individuals, never having caused any problems.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Yao probed tentatively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Wu Zhong took a sip of tea and was ready to pour out his troubles to his fourth sister.\u003C\u002Fp>",1212,"2026-05-29T18:57:15.942Z","2026-06-01T04:30:00.195Z",1,"novelbin.me","e0d8eaf91e84ee4a27c93cc5da4fd1da0c4860807a9cd479bab004599a45f29c","guarding-the-river-of-time-chapter-499","guarding-the-river-of-time-chapter-497",583,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fguarding-the-river-of-time-cover.jpg"]