Chapter 1812: A Similar Flower

The grey-haired man smiled, his teeth gleaming white, his eyes deep. "I am still alive," he said.

"You're kidding me! It's been over 125,000 years, and you're still alive? Has an Emperor's corpse come to life, or were you a fake all along?" the fatty yelled, backing away quickly.

However, his spiritual sense was sharp, and he quickly detected a familiar aura. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stammered, "You... could it really be Ye Fan?"

"It is I." The Heavenly Emperor nodded, still seated at the exit of the grand tomb, quietly observing him.

"You know, you can scare people to death! Is that how you do things?! Oh, by the way, how did you survive?" This was, of course, Duan De, who at that moment felt disheveled, dry-mouthed, and found it hard to accept the truth.

"I've just lived on, generation after generation. This is the twilight of my fourth life," Ye Fan said.

Duan De's eyes nearly popped out as he stared at him as if he were a monster. "Damn it, did you really defy the heavens? This humble Daoist has painstakingly cultivated until now, only accumulating five Samsara Seals. Although the speed has increased in this life, it's still far from the theoretically predicted nine Samsara Seals merging into one to become an Immortal. Yet you've actually reached this stage!"

Hearing this, Ye Fan was deeply moved. He gazed at Duan De, observing the five pristine seals that had formed within his body, and instantly felt an infinite mystery.

Duan De, feeling uneasy, quickly backed away. But as the Heavenly Emperor, Ye Fan naturally could perceive all great secrets, and his brief gaze yielded immense insight.

"Alas, it seems I won't be able to dig up your Heavenly Emperor's tomb in this life. Let me help you speculate a bit. Although you say you're in your twilight years, I have a feeling you'll live for another ten thousand years. You'll probably still outlive me in this life, and that really annoys this humble Daoist!"

Duan De rolled his eyes, staring at him resentfully. The idea that Ye Fan might once again outlive him and witness his burial felt truly bizarre to him.

After so many years, Duan De had grown accustomed to life and death. Generation after generation of friends and family had departed, and it was always he who saw them off. He never imagined he would finally encounter such an anomaly, someone who would outlive him.

"I don't have much time. Within an hour, I will sever all ties, leaving only one profound technique to protect myself," Duan De said. This was his true rebirth; when they met again, it would be as if he was on his last road, no longer recognizing him.

"I'll wait until your nine Samsara Seals are complete," Ye Fan nodded, then smiled again. "Or, when you reach the twilight of this life, I'll see you off and infuse all your previous lives' memories into your divine memory crystal."

"You're really messed up! I don't believe I'll see you again when I open my eyes next time!" Duan De turned and walked away, disappearing into the mortal world with a nonchalant and decisive stride.

Ye Fan watched him leave, unable to suppress a sigh. Throughout history, how many heroes had embarked on the path to immortality, pursuing it relentlessly, without regret? Yet, not a single one had succeeded, most perishing along the way.

Even someone as powerful as he was merely exploring, not truly immortal, just having walked a bit further on this path.

Yet, it was precisely such an unyielding group of individuals who made the path to immortality vibrant and colorful: Emperor Zun commanding the Mythological Era, the Human Sovereign reigning over all ancient races, the Ruthless Empress astounding all ages, Emperor Wu Shi sweeping across the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, and even persistent individuals like Duan De, undergoing tribulation with his physical body life after life, seeking to live nine different lives to forge true reincarnation.

Some met their demise, some concluded in sorrow, some remained persistent, and some were still on the path, all radiating the most brilliant light, composing a resounding battle anthem on this journey.

Ye Fan returned to the Heavenly Court, sealing Ye Tong, Xiao Song, Jiang Tingting, and others. He only kept the Chaos baby girl, intending to personally instruct her for a few years.

Four years passed like this, and even the mighty Heavenly Emperor had to marvel. This physique was exceptionally extraordinary, naturally suited for cultivation; any technique could be greatly enhanced in her hands.

"Grandpa-Master, will I be as powerful as you someday?" Little Ye Xian asked, blinking her big eyes.

"You can become an Emperor, likely invincible in your generation, but you must remember there are always others stronger, beyond the heavens themselves. Even I, your Grandpa-Master, dare not claim my combat power is the greatest of all time. Your bloodline can give you an advantage, but it doesn't guarantee your ultimate achievement," Ye Fan advised.

The little girl nodded, cultivating very earnestly.

Another half-year passed, and Ye Fan sealed her away. This life was not yet her time to shine; her glory was destined for a future incarnation, for the Heavenly Emperor had already foreseen something.

Through these years of companionship, Ye Fan not only taught the little girl Dao techniques but also gained immense insight himself, truly understanding the mysteries of the Chaos Body.

"Is it truly as the world says? That only the Innate Sacred Body Dao Embryo can compare?" he murmured softly, gazing at the distant sky.

Besides that, perhaps there was also the mysterious stone egg under the Immortal Heavenly Blade, which had yet to hatch. And if Emperor Zun had descendants, they too would undoubtedly be unfathomable.

Thinking of this, Ye Fan smiled again. That Divine Child, that little rascal, was definitely another heaven-defying anomaly!

"Oh!" Suddenly, Ye Fan's mind trembled. He then calmly made a deduction and sighed, "A similar flower has finally appeared. Is this meant to disrupt my Dao heart and negate my path?"

He had already made the deduction, but finding it truly would still require some time.

On Gouchu Ancient Star, an old man with sparse hair, only a few strands remaining, walked amidst the mortal world. He instantly spotted Duan De, as if he had seen a ghost, and then chased after him, calling out, "Fellow Daoist, please wait."

Duan De stumbled, took a massive fall, and then, spitting dirt, picked himself up. "What rotten luck, I even trip while walking," he muttered.

By now, he had long forgotten his past, knowing only his current life, yet a persistent thought in his mind kept reminding him to search for something.

"Are you really... Daoist Duan?" The old man's eyes widened in utter shock.

"Did you just trip me?" Duan De scowled.

"Please calm your anger, Fellow Daoist. Peace is always paramount," the old man said with a smile, shaking his large head as he approached, hoping Duan De would recognize him.

"Why does that sound so familiar? It's as if I've heard it in more than one life," Duan De shivered, then with a tearing sound, he ripped through space and vanished from the spot.

"An Emperor-level physical body, yet he's lost his memories. Has he succeeded in another life? I suppose this immortal body will soon be self-severed," the old man murmured to himself. He was none other than Hun Tuo, the Great Sage of Misfortune from years past, who had sealed himself early before his lifespan ran out.

Not long after, Great Sage Hun Tuo ascended to the Heavenly Court, seeking an audience with the Heavenly Emperor. When he announced his name, to his surprise, even after many generations had passed, some still recognized him.

"You are... the legendary God of Misfortune?!"

"You flatter me, Fellow Daoist, but how do you remember this old man?"

"I'm not flattering you, I'm terrified. I've seen ancient records of the Heavenly Emperor's struggle for supremacy, and your portrait in them is exactly the same! You... you couldn't actually be the real person, could you?"

"It is I."

As soon as he spoke, the area in front of the Southern Heavenly Gate instantly cleared. A group of people retreated, then shouted, "Don't come any closer! Wait there, we'll go report for you."

When Ye Fan saw Hun Tuo again, he was somewhat speechless. This God of Misfortune had actually survived, but he looked impossibly old.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for the Dragon Loach you gave me back then; it allowed me to live for an additional eight hundred years," Hun Tuo said.

Ye Fan nodded and invited him to sit. The Dragon Loach was merely something he had exchanged with Hun Tuo's descendant in a stone gambling house when he was still weak.

"Fellow Daoist, I've come to deliver a message. I've seen two people, both old acquaintances, but they no longer recognize this humble Daoist; they've lost their memories."

Hun Tuo spoke of Duan De, then mentioned another person: An Miaoyi.

"It really is her. The similar flower has appeared," Ye Fan sighed. Finally, he revitalized the old Hun Tuo's blood and meridians, extending his lifespan by two thousand years using forbidden Heavenly Emperor techniques, preparing to send him away.

"Can I stay here? Even guarding the Southern Heavenly Gate would be fine," Hun Tuo hoped that one day Ye Fan would seal him within the Heavenly Court, thus expressing his loyalty.

Ultimately, a sparsely-haired divine general stood guard at the Southern Heavenly Gate, making all the Heavenly Soldiers' hair stand on end.

Still on Beidou, in that very divine city, a maiden in snow-white robes strolled. Her mere entry into the city alerted several ancient great sects.

"This girl strongly resembles someone in the Prodigy Scroll!"

"It's... An Miaoyi! But that's not right, she should have died long ago."

The young girl, mischievous and playful, giggled, "I come from the Western Desert."

When Ye Fan arrived and found her, a wave of melancholy washed over him. She had the same appearance, though a bit more youthful, but her primordial spirit was entirely different.

"The Heavenly Emperor!"

"The Heavenly Emperor has arrived!"

At that moment, the divine city erupted. People surged forward frantically, creating a massive commotion.

"Oh, you're the Heavenly Emperor! Can you accept me as your disciple?" the girl asked naively. She was much younger and simpler than An Miaoyi had been, currently sixteen or seventeen years old.

"You may," Ye Fan nodded, uttering only those two words. He knew the true An Miaoyi would never be seen again; she could no longer appear in this world.

After more than a hundred thousand years, the similar flower had appeared, yet her primordial spirit was completely different. He realized An Miaoyi must have only been comforting him back then, telling him not to grieve.

Thinking of this, the Heavenly Emperor felt a sharp pain in his heart. Even with his current heaven-defying combat power, capable of looking down on all powerful experts from ancient times to the present, he still felt a wave of powerlessness.

"Why does being with the Heavenly Emperor feel so familiar, as if it happened just yesterday?" the girl mused, muttering softly.

Ye Fan paused, said nothing more, and brought her back to the Heavenly Court. After carefully observing her primordial spirit, he began personally teaching her profound techniques from that day onward.

The girl's name was Kou Xiaoxiao. She was lively, simple, and artless, completely different in personality from the An Miaoyi of the past.

Ye Fan diligently imparted profound techniques to her, fulfilling his promise to another person from the past by protecting her Dao, causing her strength to advance by leaps and bounds.

As for emotions, he regarded Kou Xiaoxiao only as a disciple, a daughter, because she was fundamentally different from the person he had known. Watching her bright smile, Ye Fan felt a daze, tears welling in his eyes, and finally he could only sigh.

This was one of the most somber moments for the Heavenly Emperor in over a hundred thousand years. Afterward, his gaze became profound, and no other emotional fluctuations were visible.

Looking back again, the white-robed woman in the divine city seemed to still be there, but she was not the person before him. Only a quiet melancholy continued to flow through the years.

Finally, Ye Fan gave Kou Xiaoxiao a rare treasure: a wondrous item he had unearthed from the Divine City in the Northern Region, called the Immortal Exquisite Gem. It could emit bursts of divine sound and radiate five-colored divine light.

Legend had it that once inside the Immortal Realm, the Immortal Exquisite Gem would transform into an Immortal Scripture. He had given it to An Miaoyi back then, and now he gave it to this similar flower.

"I've seen this kind of rare treasure in ancient texts. Only one or two have appeared throughout eternity. It's said that if brought into the Immortal Realm, its immortal sound can awaken past and present lives," Kou Xiaoxiao said, delighted.

This was a golden age. A similar flower had disturbed the tranquility in Ye Fan's heart, but his Dao became even firmer, his gaze infinitely profound, intent on seeing through the path to immortality.

Ye Fan accepting this final disciple shocked the entire universe.

To be accepted as a disciple by the Heavenly Emperor—what an honor and fortune! Over hundreds of thousands of years, countless individuals had yearned to enter this path, only to ultimately sigh in regret.

Five hundred years later, Kou Xiaoxiao became a Quasi-Emperor. A thousand years later, she achieved enlightenment through an unconventional path, and the white-robed immortal maiden became invincible under heaven, her brilliance illuminating the world!

People calmly reflected. As the Heavenly Emperor's disciple, achieving such success was within the realm of their acceptance.

The Heavenly Emperor was indeed terrifying, invincible through all ages—this was everyone's collective sentiment.

Ye Fan looked back, dimly seeing through the river of time once more, and beheld the peerlessly graceful An Miaoyi, smiling at him from afar, leaving him in silence.

"The Immortal Dao shall surely open!" This was the Heavenly Emperor's roar.

"Indeed, the path to immortality must eventually open!" At that moment, someone in the universe responded to him.

Beidou, Eastern Wasteland.

An ancient pagoda soared, wreathed in immortal qi, shaking the eternal azure sky. A Great Emperor rose, reappearing in the world. He was the Azure Emperor, his true body returned!

The entire world was shaken. The Azure Emperor was still alive, not dead after all?!

Ye Fan stepped forward, meeting him, reuniting with the Demon Emperor in the sea of stars.

Now that the Azure Emperor had emerged, he had adjusted himself to his peak state. He was majestic and heroic, with flowing black hair and eyes like lightning flashes. The "single lotus in the eternal azure sky" had once again manifested his unparalleled grace from bygone years.

"My path was mistaken; I reached its end but saw no hope. Today will be my last stand in this life," the Azure Emperor said calmly, the Desolate Pagoda above his head rumbling.

The pagoda's body was ancient and unadorned, divided into nine layers, flowing with the power of time, as if it had traversed the entire ancient history of cultivation.

"I will guard you, Fellow Daoist, and lend you a hand," Ye Fan said.

"Good!" The Azure Emperor nodded. As he raised his hand, a lotus-shaped weapon flew from Beidou and appeared in his palm. When he wielded it, the universe thundered, chaos surged, as if creating heaven and earth.

Thus, with the Desolate Pagoda above his head and the Azure Lotus Weapon in hand, he made his final effort in life, intending to forcefully break through the Immortal Domain!

This was neither the right time nor the right place, for they could wait no longer. Only two of the most powerful beings from ancient times stood side by side.

"Boom!"

In a hundred thousand years, the most powerful heaven-defying strike erupted. The Azure Emperor and the Heavenly Emperor acted together, shaking the vast universe.

Endless immortal light burst forth, the Desolate Pagoda struck, the lotus weapon hummed, and the Azure Emperor let out a long cry. He surged into a passage forged of brilliant light, and Ye Fan's Emperor Fist also pierced through it!

When everything concluded, the auspicious light receded, and the vast spatial rifts that had spread towards numerous star systems slowly closed. The Desolate Pagoda remained in place, and Ye Fan stood alone.

"A desolate portrait of a generation, how many heroes are buried in foreign lands, how many splendors are difficult to witness again..."

After a long silence, Ye Fan murmured softly. He did not know if the Azure Emperor had succeeded. On the spot, a few fragmented azure lotus leaves withered and fell.

The universe was vast and silent, yet it could not bury the eternal dirges of the path to immortality. Looking back, generation after generation of astonishing heroes had fallen on this road: the Dou Zhan Saint Emperor, who vowed to become a Battle Immortal; the astonishingly talented Demon Emperor Xue Yueqing; and the single lotus in the eternal azure sky... The Immortal Path is fraught with sorrowful songs!