The rain fell in a gentle drizzle, creating a misty haze.
A tall elderly figure emerged slowly from the rain, his left hand resting on the flying sword at his waist, walking unhurriedly with a slight sway.
He came through the fine rain, his right sleeve slightly raised above his head as if shielding from the rain, and approached the Zhang family's gate, smiling as he asked the gatekeeper.
"Who is the current head of the Zhang family? Is it still Zhang Feiyu?"
The gatekeeper eyed the tall old man suspiciously, noting his formidable bearing, and replied cautiously.
"Elder Feiyu hasn't managed family affairs for three thousand years. The current family head is Elder Nian Ming."
"Ah, I see." Wang Yangzi nodded in understanding, lowered his sleeve from above his head, and with a flash of movement, appeared inside the Zhang family compound, specifically in the main hall.
In the main hall, a slightly thin elderly man was reviewing recent family affairs when he spotted the tall Wang Yangzi. He froze for a moment before memories came rushing back like a torrent. His expression went blank before he quickly bowed with clasped hands and excitedly said.
"Nian Ming pays respects to Ancestor Wang."
"No need for such formal courtesies." Wang Yangzi waved his hand, his eyes scanning the main hall with slight confusion.
"Is Ancestor Wang looking for something?" Zhang Nianming asked softly, hands still clasped, somewhat nervous.
After all, he was facing Wang Yangzi, a friend of Ancestor Chen and a Saint ranked among the realm's finest.
Wang Yangzi's puzzled gaze shifted downward as he asked Zhang Nianming: "Have you seen any strange characters around the Zhang family over the years?"
"The Zhang family maintains strict security, there shouldn't be any strange characters. If any appeared, we would immediately capture them for you!" Zhang Nianming said seriously.
Wang Yangzi hastily waved his hands to explain.
"The strange character I'm referring to is your Ancestor Chen. No need to capture him, just invite him here for me, or let me know, and I'll come myself."
"Ancestor Chen?" Zhang Nianming's expression froze before he became flustered, quickly kneeling and calling out to his surroundings.
"Nian Ming spoke without thinking, please forgive me, Ancestor Chen."
"It's fine, get up. Even I don't know where Chen Xia is, he won't blame you."
Wang Yangzi gently waved for Zhang Nianming to rise, then nodded and said.
"Your Zhang family is truly prosperous now, almost among the realm's top ten families, right?"
"Thanks to Ancestor Chen's grace that the Zhang family has achieved such glory," Zhang Nianming quickly replied.
"That's indeed true." Wang Yangzi nodded, then smiled at Zhang Nianming: "I remember Chen Xia taught you the Dragon Slaying Sword, didn't he?"
"Nian Ming will never forget this in his lifetime!"
"How's your practice coming along?"
"I can slay dragon species of the Heaven Mending Realm!"
Wang Yangzi nodded in approval.
"Yes, your talent is indeed remarkable. You're truly the one who brought about the Zhang family's revival. No wonder you could learn the Dragon Slaying Sword from Chen Xia. You have great potential."
"When you can touch the corner of Sainthood, come find me. I'll teach you the true Way of the Sword, enough to help you become at least a quasi-Saint through swordsmanship."
Zhang Nianming's expression lit up with joy, and he quickly kowtowed to Wang Yangzi: "Nian Ming thanks Ancestor Wang!"
He kowtowed nine times, and when he raised his head, Wang Yangzi had vanished from the main hall, leaving only emptiness.
Zhang Nianming slowly stood up, his face filled with nostalgia.
He had known Ancestor Chen and Ancestor Wang since his youth, had heard of Ancestor Chen's subsequent deeds, and knew how Chen Xia had single-handedly saved the entire realm and achieved the Dao alone.
Zhang Nianming had always taken pride in Ancestor Chen, and the entire Zhang family was proud that he had once served as their family head!
His eyes shifted, and he hurriedly left the hall to share this news with Elder Feiyu.
On the Zhang family plaza.
A statue of a sky-reaching figure in cyan robes stood tall, its face bearing a slight smile, countless flying swords behind it, stepping forward with vigor!
This was Ancestor Chen, whom the Zhang family had worshipped and knelt before for twenty thousand years!
The realm's savior, the greatest figure throughout history!
On the River of Time.
Chen Xia was still battling with the Emperor of Time, their powers evenly matched with no sign of either side dominating.
This puzzled the Emperor of Time, who frowned and asked.
"Aren't you just a double-path quasi-emperor?"
"Indeed," Chen Xia replied, tearing off his tattered sleeve.
"That's not right, how could a double-path quasi-emperor fight me to a standstill?" the Emperor of Time was very confused.
"Could it be that you've grown weak?" Chen Xia asked.
"Impossible, the Time Dao is a supreme path, and I am a supreme emperor. How could I be weak?"
The Emperor of Time, confused by Chen Xia's words, pondered for a moment before suddenly asking.
"How many paths have you actually mastered?"
"Not many, just four," Chen Xia replied honestly.
"?"
"Just four paths, now I understand how you can fight me. Four paths of Great Saint, with two reaching quasi-emperor level, your combat power is indeed similar to mine."
The Emperor of Time nodded, having figured it out, but then became uncertain again. He had never fought to a draw with a quasi-emperor before, so he frowned and suggested to Chen Xia.
"How about we call it a draw? I'll still allow you to enter the River of Time and become part of it, confirming your quasi-emperor status, since our powers are about equal."
"Wait." Chen Xia raised his hand in a stopping gesture, then replied.
"Who said our powers were equal?"
"You're a four-path Great Saint with two quasi-emperor paths, aren't we about equal...?" the Emperor of Time asked, confused.
"Incorrect." Chen Xia calmly shook his head, reaching out toward some unknown direction and called.
"Come."
"What?" the Emperor of Time was bewildered.
The hourglass above suddenly burst open, its sand falling like a waterfall, and a sword light brighter than heavenly radiance suddenly flashed down.
Chen Xia caught this light, gripping it in his hand as it became a sword.
"An Immortal Sword?!" the Emperor of Time was stunned.
"Good eye, I'll reward you with two sword strikes," Chen Xia understood rewards.
"No, brother, you should have said so earlier, you should have told me..." the Emperor of Time's words were cut short.
Because the sword light had already reached his eyes.
His body turned grayish-white, attempting to use his past self to block the present sword, while he would become his future self, effectively avoiding the sword strike.
His plan was good.
But Chen Xia also understood the Time Dao, so sword light existed in the past, present, and future.
The Emperor of Time looked at the brilliant sword light filling his vision, scratched his head, frowned and shook his head, saying.
"This really makes no sense."
Four paths of Great Saint, quasi-emperor in both Time Dao and Way of the Sword, with an Immortal Sword in hand.
"Heh, there's something filthy here."
The Emperor of Time's thoughts became clear, and he calmly accepted death.
Today, a faint figure was added to the River of Time, the first new addition in three hundred thousand years.
On the frontline city walls.
The White-Haired Angler suddenly grabbed the fishing rod beside him, his eyebrows rising as his white hair suddenly turned black, lifting the rod.
He fished up thousands of years of time around him.
Chen Xia in his cyan robes returned to the mortal realm!