Chapter 356: The House of the Era, the Guard-Breaking Old Yun, Who Are You Exactly?

"What? Yun Tiandao?!"

"The founder of the ultimate technique, 'Yun Tiandao'?"

"How—how is this possible? Yun Tiandao lived ages ago. Are you joking?" The words from the person behind the door stunned everyone except Zhao Xing.

Yun Ze, especially, the dean of the Cloud Institute, lost his composure and burst out laughing: "Hahaha, you're quite the joker, sir. Why don't you claim to be Emperor Xia? Hahaha, Your Majesty, this man talks absolute nonsense." Yun Tiandao? This was utterly ridiculous!

Wang Tianzhi, Ling Tianchen, Kan Qing, Chen Yu, and others shared the same thought. Not only was Yun Tiandao one of the legendary founders of the Cloud Sect, but he was also Yun Ze's direct ancestor. Furthermore, claiming to be the Grand Minister of Agriculture from the Xia Dynasty made it even more preposterous.

How many years had passed since the Xia Dynasty? How could anyone from that era still be alive?! Their initial reaction was disbelief.

Zhao Xing fully understood everyone's feelings, especially Yun Ze's. It was like walking down the street one day and someone suddenly claiming to be Qin Shi Huang. Any normal person's first reaction would be to suspect them of being a fraud. However, Yun Tiandao didn't refute them; he simply stood quietly behind the threshold, seemingly waiting for them to process the information.

As Yun Ze continued to laugh, he glanced at Zhao Xing and Ji Che, then back at the person behind the threshold. Gradually, his laughter faded. "Grand Minister of Agriculture, Your Majesty... Could it be that this person really is Yun Tiandao? He's... my ancestor?" Yun Ze asked via voice transmission.

"Yes," Zhao Xing nodded. Ji Che also quickly accepted the fact. He had a broader understanding and had learned a lot about the cosmic worldview from Zhao Xing. If Qingyuzi could live for hundreds of thousands of years, then Yun Tiandao being alive wasn't strange at all.

Recalling the revival of Daoist Yueying from the Profound Heaven Divine Sect, a figure from two or three hundred millennia ago, Yun Tiandao, though even more ancient, wasn't an impossibility. Yun Ze and the seven Sages of the Heavens, upon hearing this, immediately looked bewildered. However, they quickly recovered. After a brief shock, they accepted the fact, replaced by intense curiosity. "Yun Tiandao, alive—this is incredibly rare!" Wang Tianzhi's eyes narrowed.

"He said he was the Grand Minister of Agriculture of the Xia Dynasty? Does that mean the ancient divine dynasty didn't ascend, and the records are wrong?" Ling Tianchen pondered.

"Could we complete some spells and secret techniques?" Lu Xia posed this question.

"Definitely!" Qing's eyes lit up, filled with curiosity. "If it really is Yun Tiandao, he must know many secrets."

"Your Majesty, Grand Minister of Agriculture, if we could 'capture'—or rather, 'invite'—him out and 'interrogate' him, might we learn the method for longevity?" Yun Ze's gaze swept over Yun Tiandao.

Zhao Xing said nothing. Ji Che said nothing.

"Dean Yun, that's your ancestor!" Vice Dean Xiao Yun couldn't help but interject. It was one thing for others to speak like that, but Yun Ze was his descendant!

Yun Ze seemed to imply, "What's an ancestor? That person lived a whole era ago. After so many generations, how is he any different from a stranger?"

Ji Che glanced at Zhao Xing, who couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. Most of these deans and vice-deans, apart from Wang and Ling, had been personally selected by him. As the saying goes, "the higher-ups set the example for those below." Whatever style Zhao Xing, the Grand Minister of Agriculture, adopted, his subordinates followed. Thus, the entire Bureau of Agriculture was utterly pragmatic.

Even ancestors, in Yun Ze's view, were categorized as practical or impractical. If an ancestor proved harmful, they might even utter the phrase, "Please, old ancestor, go to your death." The voice transmissions among them happened in an instant.

Yun Tiandao didn't have to wait long before Ji Che gestured for Zhao Xing to ask, as he was the one who knew the most about this place.

Zhao Xing immediately stepped forward and cupped his hands. "My name is Zhao Xing, the Grand Minister of Agriculture of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Standing before you is Ji Che, the Emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. The people behind me are all Sages of the Cosmic Era, including Ling Tianchen, Dean of the Shifting Phenomena Institute, and Wang Tianzhi, Dean of the Thunder Institute..."

After a brief introduction, a voice emerged from behind the threshold. "Zhao Xing, I know you. Lingdie once mentioned you, that you received Qingyuzi's inheritance."

"I am curious," the voice continued, "even before you received the inheritance, you seemed to know many things, including the Land of Return to Ruin and my existence."

Zhao Xing offered no explanation, merely stating calmly, "Elder Yun has questions, and so do we. Perhaps we can answer each other's inquiries, starting with His Majesty."

In truth, Zhao Xing had no particular doubts; his main goal was to ensure Ji Che and the others understood the situation clearly. Yun Tiandao nodded, agreeing to the exchange.

Zhao Xing glanced at Ji Che, who immediately spoke. "Elder, did the Xia Dynasty ascend successfully and leave the Xuanhuang Realm?"

Ji Che's primary concern was the ascension. Both the Book of Great Destiny and unofficial historical records stated that the ancient divine Xia Dynasty had ascended. However, with Yun Tiandao, the Grand Minister of Agriculture, appearing here, Ji Che was quite puzzled whether the Xia Dynasty had truly ascended or not.

"They ascended, but not smoothly." After another pause, Yun Tiandao's voice came from behind the threshold. They were face to face, yet Yun Tiandao neither invited them in nor came out himself.

It seemed an invisible barrier existed between them, with the courtyard threshold serving as a partition separating two worlds.

"After defeating the Southern Barbarians, the Xia Dynasty had already suffered heavy losses," he explained. "The Spiritual Energy Rainy Season was nearing its end, and to seize the window of opportunity to leave the Xuanhuang Realm, they could only hastily construct a half-finished realm-boat and prepare to depart."

Thanks to Zhao Xing's popularization of the concept of the Cosmic Era, they could understand Yun Tiandao's words. For instance, they knew the Spiritual Energy Rainy Season was the cause of the resurgence, and that a realm-boat was a tool for leaving the Xuanhuang Realm after transcending tribulations.

Of course, while they could understand the concepts, having not truly experienced them, their comprehension might not be very profound. "Elder, please ask," Ji Che prompted, extending a hand.

"How did you discover this path?" Yun Tiandao asked. Ji Che immediately turned his gaze to Zhao Xing.

Zhao Xing replied, "I once obtained a realm-star-level Destiny Dao Artifact from Qingyuzi. When our dynasty's Grand Diviner was divining the future, he inadvertently saw this passage."

The path through Guze Grotto-Heaven, leading to the Land of Return to Ruin, was originally a secret passage Yun Tiandao left for the Cloud Institute. The method for constructing the Cloud Sea Flying Boat also corresponded to this passage. Originally, finding this clue would have been extremely difficult. In his previous life, players would have needed to complete dozens of prerequisite quests during the Spiritual Energy Era to learn this secret.

But Zhao Xing didn't need such trouble; he simply speed-ran it, skipping numerous tasks to directly locate the place and the traversable tools.

Seeing Yun Tiandao nod, Ji Che began to ask his second question: "Elder Yun, since you were the Grand Minister of Agriculture of the Xia Dynasty, why did you not ascend with them, but instead remained in the Land of Return to Ruin?"

"Because it was necessary," Yun Tiandao replied. "The Four Seas converge at the Land of Return to Ruin. Spiritual energy flows with rivers into the sea and then gathers from the oceans into this very place."

"Just as the Essence Qi tides eventually converge in the Central Divine Continent, the Land of Return to Ruin is the mouth where spiritual energy gathers."

"Someone needed to remain here to collect and safeguard spiritual energy during the Essence Qi Era. Otherwise, it would dissipate outside the realm."

"Such dissipation isn't obvious within a year or two, but when viewed on a cosmic timescale, it represents a terrifying loss."

"If no one stayed here to guard, subsequent dynasties would never again encounter a spiritual energy resurgence, nor would they be able to achieve ascension."

"The Xia Dynasty had already suffered significant losses after completing the final campaign against the barbarians."

"In other words, only I, the Grand Minister of Agriculture, could remain to gather and prevent the dissipation of spiritual energy." Upon hearing this, Ji Che was filled with reverence, and the seven Sages of Agriculture behind him also shed their previous dismissive attitudes. Everyone bowed to Yun Tiandao.

After Ji Che finished his question, it was Yun Tiandao's turn. "What is the current spiritual energy index?"

This was a simple question, and Zhao Xing immediately replied, "In the 67th year of the 4418th era of the Xuanhuang Calendar, or the 75th year of the Yuanshuo reign of the Great Zhou Calendar, the Great Zhou created the Spirit Indicator, an instrument capable of detecting spiritual energy."

"From the 75th year of Yuanshuo to the 95th year of Yuanshuo, the average spiritual energy index over the past twenty years has been 1.2, and this year it barely reached 1.3."

Yun Tiandao frowned, then shook his head. "You have come too early. The true Spiritual Energy Era has not yet arrived. Your generation will not be able to complete the grand plan of ascension; at least, not you, Emperor."

"There's no need to ask further. Lingdie, see them out." Yun Tiandao's words made Wang Tianzhi and the others frown. Only Zhao Xing and Ji Che remained unsurprised.

Zhao Xing had already discussed this with Ji Che.

Yun Tiandao, somewhat disappointed, turned from the doorway to leave, but Zhao Xing called out to him, "Elder, wait! Please hear me out."

If it had been anyone else, Yun Tiandao wouldn't have bothered to listen. He had lived for so long that everything was like fleeting clouds; neither an emperor nor anyone else could sway him. However, he did have some interest in Zhao Xing.

In Yun Tiandao's eyes, Zhao Xing, having received Qingyuzi's inheritance, was bound to live for thousands of years, a very long time indeed. Others might break the thousand-year lifespan barrier, but only just barely, gaining a century or two at most.

Ji Che, as emperor, might even live shorter than his subjects because he was the emperor of a Fortune Dynasty.

Seeing Yun Tiandao pause, Zhao Xing quickly stepped forward and said, "Elder, the spiritual energy index doesn't prove anything. Our generation still has hope for ascension."

Yun Tiandao shook his head. "The spiritual energy index is too low. In the universe, anything below 1 is considered a desolate territory, and 1.3 is only slightly better than a wasteland."

"Zhao Xing, you must know you can't deceive me."

Zhao Xing nodded. "Yes, Elder Yun. You've spoken with Qingyuzi and possess some understanding of the universe, so I cannot mislead you. The spiritual energy index is indeed too low."

"However, human effort can make a difference. What if the Sages of Agriculture initiated a spiritual energy resurgence?"

"You possess the spiritual energy accumulated by the Xuanhuang Realm over an entire epoch. I also have a significant accumulation of spiritual energy."

"With this foundation, we can prematurely influence the cosmic timing beyond the Xuanhuang Realm, causing the spring revival rain to arrive early. Then, by restoring its natural course afterward, we can seize a deed from the heavens!"

Zhao Xing's purpose in coming to the Land of Return to Ruin was to acquire the spiritual energy in Yun Tiandao's possession. Without it, manually initiating a spiritual energy resurgence would be absolutely impossible.

He presented his plan to Yun Tiandao, but Yun Tiandao still shook his head.

"I've spoken with more than just Qingyuzi," Yun Tiandao recalled. "When he came to the Land of Return to Ruin back then, we debated for a long time. He also proposed a similar idea. I rejected him and merely gave him a coffin of ice."

Hearing the conversation between Yun Tiandao and Zhao Xing, Wang Tianzhi and Ling Tianchen suddenly understood. No wonder Fairy Lingdie was able to consistently rank in the first tier during the second trial on Gulu Star.

So, Yun Tiandao and Qingyuzi knew each other! In reality, Zhao Xing had merely guessed this, as Qingyuzi had never mentioned Yun Tiandao in his inheritance.

However, Fairy Lingdie's performance on Gulu Star had been beyond imagination, and she even knew the core life structure of the Sky Gulu Beast. Moreover, among Qingyuzi's inherited items was a Great Cold Ice Coffin, crafted with techniques from the Profound Heaven Divine Sect.

All signs indicated that Yun Tiandao and Qingyuzi had interacted. Yun Tiandao couldn't leave the Land of Return to Ruin, but Qingyuzi could visit.

As a powerhouse in the Origin Realm, Qingyuzi, having discovered the Land of Return to Ruin, would certainly have come to see it. It was just unknown why neither of them had ever mentioned the other. In his previous life, Zhao Xing had never heard of Qingyuzi from Yun Tiandao either.

Was it because Yun Tiandao didn't agree to Qingyuzi's request back then? Or was there some restriction on the Land of Return to Ruin? Regardless, Zhao Xing had to persuade Yun Tiandao; he didn't want to wait another two thousand years.

"The era Qingyuzi lived in was precisely when the Xuanhuang Realm's spiritual energy was most severely depleted, right after the Xia Dynasty's ascension," Zhao Xing began to persuade.

He bent his finger and drew a horizontal and vertical line in the air, forming a coordinate axis, then a curve floated along the axis. "Throughout the transitions between the spiritual energy and essence qi eras in the Xuanhuang Realm, the curve of periodic change generally follows this pattern."

"During the period from Qingyuzi's arrival to his death, the spiritual energy index never exceeded 1, and it was unlikely to even surpass 0.8."

"Even with his immense power, exceptional foresight, and knowledge beyond the Xuanhuang Realm, he could not have completed the plan for manual resurgence."

"The failure of the Yu Dynasty, which he founded, to ascend was inevitable."

Yun Tiandao nodded slightly. He had advised Qingyuzi to give up in the same way back then.

Zhao Xing continued, "But now it's different. The spiritual energy index has already surpassed 1.3. The curve is starting to form a peak; although it's still at the foot of the mountain, it will definitely reach above 2 within the next five hundred years and operate stably within the 2-3 range."

Yun Tiandao retorted, "The spiritual energy I possess can at most increase this value by 1. Even if I give it to you, how will you make it reach above 5?"

A spiritual energy index of 5 was the basic threshold for ascension. Falling short of 5 meant a failed resurgence, making entry into the Spiritual Energy Era impossible. Yun Tiandao clearly knew these basic conditions, but he had overlooked a few points.

Zhao Xing continued, "You have 1 unit, and the Witch Moon God has 0.5. For the Land of Return to Ruin and the Southern Barbarian Holy Mountain, if we only count these, do you agree, Elder?"

Yun Tiandao pondered for a moment, then nodded. "I said the Land of Return to Ruin holds a maximum of 1, and you've underestimated the Witch Moon God's share slightly, but a total of 1.5 is reasonable. I agree."

Zhao Xing then pointed, and the light dot representing the spiritual energy curve suddenly shot upwards, reaching a value of 4.5.

"Good, now we have 4.5. Elder, do you know about the Dragon Court?" Without waiting for Yun Tiandao to answer, Zhao Xing continued, "The Dragon Court was the first to discover the characteristics of the Land of Return to Ruin. The Dragon God and successive Dragon Emperors established the ancient Dragon Court in the East Sea precisely to intercept a portion of the spiritual energy."

"This includes the 'Guardian's Duty' of the Land of Return to Ruin. And now, I have become the Dragon Emperor."

"If we count the spiritual energy from the ancient Dragon Court as 0.5, do you find that excessive, Elder?"

Yun Tiandao immediately fell into deep thought. Seeing this, Zhao Xing added fuel to the fire.

He drew a calculation formula for the universal spiritual energy in the air, then said, "You can all calculate this yourselves; it's a pure mathematical calculation, a conversion formula for spiritual energy particles in the production of spirit liquids and spirit stones, and it doesn't involve the Way of Destiny Divination."

"This is based on sensing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and summarizing the changes in the strong and weak universal cycles. Sages of Agriculture, by cultivating the Yin-Yang Self Scripture, can perceive the five-element particles. A cultivator in the Rule Realm, by encompassing a region of heaven and earth, can detect the total amount of spiritual energy through their senses."

Spiritual energy could, of course, be quantified, even by the simplest unit of weight; spirit liquids and spirit crystals were clear proof. Zhao Xing then took out a device from his Qiankun Bag. "This is a device for converting essence qi into spiritual energy."

"Verifying my formula is simple; Elder, you can ask Fairy Lingdie to try it." The primary purpose of the inverse conversion device wasn't to collect spiritual energy, but to persuade Yun Tiandao, as its manufacturing cost was too high and its conversion efficiency too slow.

Zhao Xing estimated that even if the entire financial revenue of Great Zhou was used to produce it, the conversion of essence qi to spiritual energy couldn't increase the index by 0.05 within a thousand years.

Furthermore, Zhao Xing couldn't wait a thousand years, because the peak period wouldn't last long, and the window for ascension was destined to be very brief.

While the inverse conversion device was good for individual cultivation, its role was too insignificant for the amount of spiritual energy required for a world's resurgence.

Therefore, its main purpose was to persuade Yun Tiandao.

When this hourglass-like device appeared, and Fairy Lingdie personally tested it, completing a conversion process,

A flicker of surprise appeared in Yun Tiandao's eyes. He hadn't expected Zhao Xing to create such a divine artifact. This made him even more curious about Zhao Xing, so Yun Tiandao returned to the doorway.

With Zhao Xing's formula proven viable, the entire plan also showed feasibility.

Yun Tiandao finally began to consider Zhao Xing's proposal. However, there were still issues to resolve.

"The ancient Dragon Court has 0.5 spiritual energy. When you add that, it seems barely enough. But in reality, it cannot be calculated that way."

"First, the spiritual energy in the Witch Moon God's possession cannot be smoothly handed over to you. To obtain it, you must defeat the Witch Moon God. How can you prove that the Great Zhou has the strength to conquer the Southern Barbarians?"

"Second, even if you manage to collect enough spiritual energy to reach a total of 5 and summon the cosmic clouds for a rain, there's still a risk of failure."

"Human power has its limits. Your calculations might not perfectly align with how things unfold. Merely reaching 5 means even a slight error would pose a great risk to this endeavor."

After posing these two questions, Yun Tiandao stated his position. "Furthermore, I need to clarify a few things."

"First, I have been living in the House of Epochs in the Land of Return to Ruin for nearly an entire epoch. This is a special place, or rather, a Dao Artifact."

"It must have come from the universe, brought back by some powerful being. However, its specific historical origin is no longer traceable."

"The House of Epochs can allow a person to survive for a maximum of one epoch, which is 1.2 million years, freezing my personal fate and disregarding the lifespan limitations of realm stars or the Xuanhuang Realm."

"However, once I leave, I must complete ascension within a short period, or I will suffer backlash from the Xuanhuang Realm's origin. This short period is roughly only 120 years."

"Second, while I am willing to remain in the Xuanhuang Realm and do things for future dynasties, it doesn't mean I am merely a tool for collecting spiritual energy."

"I have my own needs. I require to ascend into the universe with the new dynasty to search for the Xia Dynasty and my relatives and friends." Yun Tiandao finished, then looked into Zhao Xing's eyes:

"So, why should I take this risk to help your generation ascend, instead of waiting another year or two until the chances are greater?"

Hearing Yun Tiandao's questions and statements, the Great Zhou's side fell into a brief silence.

Indeed, Yun Tiandao might possess a spirit of fearless sacrifice, but that didn't mean he didn't want to live or be free.

Zhao Xing could take the risk; if he failed, he could hide in the Great Cold Ice Coffin and continue to wait for the true Spiritual Energy Era to arrive.

But what about Yun Tiandao? Regardless of success or failure, he only had 120 years. Once that time was up, if he remained in the Xuanhuang Realm, he would surely die.

He hadn't lived this long purely by his own power. Rather, there was a House of Epochs in the Land of Return to Ruin that briefly froze his lifespan, but he couldn't leave during this period.

Once he left, he had to ascend and depart the Xuanhuang Realm; otherwise, such a method of stealing fate would result in a severe backlash.

According to the normal timeline, the Spiritual Energy Era in his previous life began 1500 years after Emperor Wu's death. At that time, after the spiritual energy index reached 5, a new dynasty emerged, taking about 800 years to unify and conquer the Southern Barbarians.

Yun Tiandao also appeared then, ascending with the new dynasty! Honestly, Zhao Xing knew Yun Tiandao very well.

Because that new dynasty was formed by players, and as one of the first players to ascend, Zhao Xing had a good relationship with Yun Tiandao in the cosmic version.

Yun Tiandao was a heaven-sent genius, a peerless figure of the Xia Dynasty, and his will was incredibly firm, beyond human imagination.

His time within the House of Epochs wasn't spent in continuous slumber. Instead, he had to awaken periodically to collect the spiritual energy of the Land of Return to Ruin; otherwise, it would dissipate.

The ratio of waking to sleeping time was approximately 1:2, meaning Yun Tiandao had been awake for at least 400,000 years during this epoch!

If he could have simply slept through it, it wouldn't have been so bad, but he had to endure such a long time while conscious. Unable to leave, with no one to talk to, no enjoyment, and no way to cultivate and grow stronger... the test of will he endured was unimaginable.

Under those circumstances, the Xia Dynasty was on the verge of ascending.

Yun Tiandao was on the cusp of becoming stronger, gaining a longer lifespan, observing a vaster cosmic world, and experiencing an exciting life.

Yet, he chose to accept 1.2 million years of solitude, becoming the lonely guardian of the Xuanhuang Realm.

Upon reflection, the lifespan of a human subject back then was merely eight hundred years. Even if the Xia Dynasty met the conditions for ascension, Yun Tiandao's understanding of lifespan at that time was only a few thousand years.

To face a million years of solitude in an era where average lifespans were only hundreds of years—what immense courage and unwavering will did that require?

Therefore, if Zhao Xing couldn't resolve Yun Tiandao's issues, he couldn't resolve his own. What did Yun Tiandao want? Ascension, finding his relatives, finding the Xia Dynasty. This was his unwavering goal from beginning to end.

Zhao Xing wanting to persuade Yun Tiandao to come out and take a risk was by no means simple. There were many problems, and they had to be addressed one by one.

First, Ji Che answered Yun Tiandao's question: "I was born with abundant primordial energy. At three, I connected with the Earth Spirit Bridge; at five, I completed the training of Earthly Fiends; at seven, Heavenly Stems entered my body; and by fourteen, I had already transcended the Pure Essence Realm and Soul Essence Realm, reaching the point where my spirit soul could leave my body."

"At that time, I was still just a prince and had not yet received my royal father's inheritance."

"After my royal father confirmed me as crown prince, I only took less than a century to reach the Destiny Palace Realm."

"Having reigned for 215 years now, I have entered the Dao Establishment Realm," Ji Che recounted. "The number of first-rank powerhouses in Great Zhou exceeds 200,000, and those in the Rule Realm number over 300 (here Ji Che included the powerhouses from the Dragon Court who had submitted)."

"Great Zhou has opened up its nineteenth province, its prestige echoing throughout the four seas and eight directions. Looking around, apart from the four royal courts ruled by the Witch Moon God of the Southern Barbarians, Great Zhou has no opponents."

Ji Che's eyes shone with confidence as he looked at Yun Tiandao.

"During the Yuanshou era, I announced the matter of ascension to the world, intending to lead the entire nation to ascend!"

"I have Zhao Xing as the Grand Minister of Agriculture, King Luo as Grand Commandant. I have also obtained the relics of extraterrestrial visitors from Xiji Province and the treasures of the ancient Dragon Court. With the Cloud Dream Academy, I enlighten the wisdom of all people and practice the Way of the Sage King."

"Yun Tiandao, how does My Great Zhou compare to Emperor Xia's Xia Dynasty?"

Yun Tiandao cupped his hands. "Objectively speaking, the Great Zhou's strength already surpasses that of the Xia Dynasty."

He didn't compare Emperor Xia with Ji Che, and Ji Che didn't ask him to, as Yun Tiandao was a subject of Xia, not Zhou; receiving this answer was enough.

Ji Che continued, "Returning to the Southern Barbarians and their four royal courts, I will only state one thing. The Purple Dragon God, one of their four deities, was recently slain by the Grand Minister of Agriculture."

"From now on, the Southern Barbarians will no longer have the Purple Dragon God as their totem!" Yun Tiandao couldn't help but glance at Zhao Xing again.

It was very simple for him to verify these matters, so Ji Che and the others couldn't be making things up.

For Zhao Xing, as Grand Minister of Agriculture, to possess such combat power was somewhat unexpected, considering that was the totem god of the Purple Dragon Royal Court!

As soon as Ji Che finished speaking, the seven Sages of Agriculture behind him immediately stepped forward.

"I, Ling Tianchen, a Junior Minister of Agriculture of the Great Zhou and Dean of the Shifting Phenomena Institute of the Profound Heaven Academy, sincerely ask Elder Yun to come forth. I am willing to take over your position and become the new guardian."

"I, Wang Tianzhi, a Junior Minister of Agriculture of the Great Zhou and Dean of the Thunder Institute of the Profound Heaven Academy, sincerely ask Elder Yun to come forth. I am willing to take over your position and become the new guardian."

"I, Yun Ze, a Junior Minister of Agriculture of the Great Zhou and Dean of the Cloud Institute of the Profound Heaven Academy, sincerely ask Ancestor Yun to come forth. I am willing to take over my ancestor's position and become the new guardian."

"I, Kan Qing, a Junior Minister of Agriculture of the Great Zhou and of the Mysterious Pass Academy..." "I, Chen Yu, a Grand Granary Overseer of the Great Zhou..."

"I, Lu Xia..." "I, Xiao Yun..."

If Ji Che was presenting facts and reasoning, the seven Sages of Agriculture were playing on emotions. Zhao Xing, on the other hand, remained silent, knowing it would be utterly useless.

Who was Yun Tiandao? He longed for the Xia Dynasty and his loved ones in the cosmos. How could he abandon his steadfast principles and risk everything with a group of unfamiliar descendants just because of a few words?

Seeing the atmosphere reach a stalemate, Zhao Xing stepped forward. "No choice, I'll have to use a cheat."

"Yun Tiandao is completely unmoved; he can't be persuaded with a few words. I must make him believe this is the last chance."

Having decided on a plan, Zhao Xing initiated a private conversation with Ji Che. "Che, I need you and the others to step aside for a moment. There are some matters I cannot disclose widely due to a soul oath, but Yun Tiandao and Qingyuzi are friends and already know these things. So, I can only speak with him alone."

Ji Che nodded, then turned to Lingdie beside him. "Fairy, please lead us to a quiet place."

Everyone else left, but Zhao Xing remained. Yun Tiandao understood and waited silently. This was a private conversation between two Grand Ministers of Agriculture.

"Elder Yun, this is the last chance." Zhao Xing immediately went for the big move.

"For ascension in the Xuanhuang Realm, the external factor is the Great Spring Epoch in the cosmic domain, and the internal factor is a unified Fortune Dynasty. You've observed the Xuanhuang Realm for so many years; you must know that the total amount of spiritual energy is continuously decreasing."

"From the periodic strong and weak decay, we can deduce that each resurgence lasts for a shorter time, and the total spiritual energy gained each time is also diminishing. This means the window of opportunity is getting shorter and shorter."

"Your predecessor, the previous guardian, probably didn't wait for a full epoch, but you have waited almost to the limit of the House of Epochs. This alone is sufficient proof."

"Because previous dynasties always took spiritual energy matter with them, this has made the waiting period increasingly long."

"After this, the Xuanhuang Realm will no longer experience spiritual energy resurgence rains, and the balance will be completely broken. The Xuanhuang Realm's position will also irrevocably become a barren wasteland in the cosmos."

"In other words, it will inevitably perish. I believe you understand this more clearly than anyone else."

Yun Tiandao looked at Zhao Xing, then nodded gently. "Yes, I know."

"Lingdie has observed the Great Zhou for a long time; she even attended your Dao Discourse conference."

"The Xuanhuang Realm has only this one last chance for ascension. My search for my family and the Xia Dynasty also has only this one chance, this final opportunity."

Zhao Xing nodded. "Continuing to wait also carries immense risks."

"Perhaps things will proceed as predicted, and you'll receive that rain two millennia later, but without a powerful dynasty, or perhaps the rain will be insufficient for ascension due to some unforeseen change."

"I am offering you significant certainty now." Zhao Xing pointed at the coordinate curve running in the air. "The Sages of Agriculture contend with the earth..."

"The Sages of the Cosmic Era never passively wait for the opportune moment; they actively strive for it!"

"Will you sit idly by and await death, or will you join us in making a change?" *Clap, clap, clap*

Suddenly, applause erupted. Zhao Xing saw Yun Tiandao clapping.

The other party, with a smile, said, "Zhao Xing, you truly live up to your name as the Grand Minister of Agriculture capable of hosting a Dao Discourse conference and convincing hundreds of millions of people."

"In all these years, you are the first to truly move my heart."

Zhao Xing looked at Yun Tiandao, who stood with his hands behind his back, and silently retracted the curve floating in the air. *Damn it, he still wasn't persuaded!*

Indeed, Yun Tiandao had observed the Xuanhuang Realm for nearly an epoch. Even if he had been asleep for 800,000 years, he had still been awake for almost 400,000 years.

Four hundred thousand years of profound change!

How steadfast must Yun Tiandao's character have become?

It was likely that someone had spoken words even more enticing than Zhao Xing's, yet Yun Tiandao remained here.

"He won't give up until he sees the Yellow River," Zhao Xing thought to himself. "Yun Tiandao won't leave until he sees that rain. It's truly difficult to persuade him."

Yun Tiandao smiled slightly. "Zhao Xing, this isn't the first time I've heard your proposed plan. Do you think I don't know that Sages of the Cosmic Era should seize the opportune moment?"

"However, for Sages of Agriculture to reverse the cosmic timing of a universal region is extremely difficult. If it fails, I will lose my life, and that will be that."

"But then my duty as a guardian would have completely failed. Even if you succeed, what then?"

"Restoring the four seasons to their proper order is not perfect."

"Even within a single county or prefecture, after reversing the cosmic timing, it's impossible to say that it wouldn't cause even the slightest negative impact on that land."

"I not only protect the beings of the Xuanhuang Realm, granting them a chance at ascension, but I also protect the Xuanhuang Realm itself."

"If you reverse the cosmic timing of the universal region outside the Xuanhuang Realm, will it not destroy the Xuanhuang Realm's next opportunity for spiritual energy resurgence? Suppose you and I are both wrong, and that rain arrives as scheduled, abundant and powerful—would I not have harmed future generations and the Xuanhuang Realm, our home?"

Zhao Xing fell silent.

Yun Tiandao had been a guardian for nearly an entire epoch. He had observed the Xuanhuang Realm and the cosmic timing, developing strong feelings for both the realm and its inhabitants.

In other words, this man possessed great compassion!

Back then, in the Xia Dynasty, could they truly not have cultivated a successor guardian?

No, Yun Tiandao had actively taken on this responsibility. Over the course of an epoch, his inner self had reinforced this duty.

From another perspective, if Yun Tiandao hadn't reinforced this inner sense of responsibility, he wouldn't have been able to endure for so long. But his unwavering resolve made things very difficult for Zhao Xing.

"Old Yun, even though we've adventured together in the cosmic version, and you're a good person, I now have no choice but to break down your psychological defenses. Only then might I be able to persuade you," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

Seeing Zhao Xing fall silent, Yun Tiandao thought he was about to give up and instead offered words of comfort. "Zhao Xing, you can endure until that rain arrives."

"You have the Great Cold Ice Coffin. Except for your emperor, you can ensure that everyone else survives until that day."

"I am willing to give you the method for crafting the Great Cold Ice Coffin and to help you break through to the Dao Establishment Realm during this tide, free of charge. This is something your emperor cannot do."

"I have a strange intuition, as if we are very familiar, as if we met in a past life. I also believe we can become like-minded friends..."

"Brother Yun," Zhao Xing suddenly smiled faintly. "Do you believe me if I say I am truly your brother and understand you very well?"

"Oh?" Yun Tiandao raised an eyebrow.

"You surely don't believe me, so I'll prove it." Zhao Xing began to draw and write in the air.

Yun Tiandao's eyelids suddenly twitched, and his expression changed slightly. Zhao Xing had conjured a three-dimensional image.

The first figure to appear was Yun Tiandao's wife, his Dao companion, Fairy Nifeng. Her lifelike appearance was as if she were truly present, even her demeanor was perfectly mimicked!

"Stop playing tricks," Yun Tiandao seemed somewhat annoyed. "I don't know where you got these images, but..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Yun Tiandao's eyes widened. Zhao Xing immediately proceeded to draw his fellow disciples, his teachers, Emperor Xia, his former good friends...

While drawing one person might be attributed to Zhao Xing coincidentally obtaining information from that era, him drawing Yun Tiandao's entire social network was highly abnormal!

"In the 158th year of Dashan Mountain and Sea Calendar of the Great Xia, you made your vows in the Mirror Lake courtyard, with the Jade Clarity Wing as your token of love. In the 292nd year of Dashan Mountain and Sea Calendar of the Great Xia, 'Yun Tiandao' was comprehended at the Guanshan Daoist Temple."

"In the 19th year of the Changyi era of the Great Xia Calendar, you fought Wang Manyong—that was the battle deepest in your memory. Great Xia Calendar..."

Seeing Yun Tiandao's emotions visibly stir, Zhao Xing couldn't help but stop. "Yun Yuan, do I need to continue?"

"You—who exactly are you?!" Yun Tiandao was completely unsettled. Although he quickly suppressed the shock in his heart, his tone betrayed his inner turmoil.

"Step out. After we ascend, I will naturally tell you," Zhao Xing said in a familiar and natural tone. Yun Tiandao fell silent for a moment. "Since you are so familiar with me, why do you pressure me so much?"

Zhao Xing said solemnly, "Brother Yun, your will is too firm, and I know your character. Without this, you absolutely would not agree to emerge early."

"Yes, I can survive with the Great Cold Ice Coffin, but the future might not be the best era. Furthermore, I have many people I care about who cannot live until then using ice coffins."

"Trust me, I will never harm you. This chance for ascension, if you join, is absolutely guaranteed! Don't you want to find the Xia Dynasty and your family?"

"Do you know why they haven't returned to find you after nearly an epoch since their ascension? You've waited all these years; don't you want to know what truly happened?"

"It's not that they didn't want to come; they were held back by something."

"Just agree to come out, and I will tell you. You will absolutely not regret this choice. If you go to find them two thousand years earlier, the outcome will be vastly different..."

Before Zhao Xing could finish speaking, a figure stepped out from behind the threshold, as if a spiderweb in front of him had been broken through.

The next moment, the figure appeared before Zhao Xing.

The Divine Might Captain has something to say.

Author's note: My schedule is messed up, and it's a vicious cycle again. It's really tough.

(More updates coming!)