Today's wind howled.
Emperor Capital sat atop the high platform of the Blue Sky Sword Sea, his expression calm. He observed everything around him, though he didn't quite understand the situation, he pretended to understand.
"What are you looking at, Emperor Capital?" Jia Bai strolled in from behind, unhurriedly. Having been friends for so many years, he wasn't particularly afraid of Emperor Capital anymore. After all, they were all part of the Eight Saints of Azure Sky.
"I am comprehending the Dao," Emperor Capital said gravely.
Jia Bai was slightly stunned. "Still comprehending the Dao? If you keep this up, Emperor Capital, you'll soon become a quasi-Emperor!"
"Not so," Emperor Capital shook his head slightly, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. "I'm not comprehending the realm, but the divine techniques and spells."
"Hmm?" Jia Bai became even more puzzled and curious. "What kind of great divine technique? Emperor Capital, you must have comprehended something extraordinary, right?"
As he spoke, more people arrived on the platform. Huang Can and Hu Linye followed Jia Bai's steps, and the Three Troublemakers of Azure Sky were now gathered together. They had all heard the news that Emperor Capital had comprehended divine techniques and spells, and they were naturally curious.
Emperor Capital extended three fingers, his smile enigmatic. "It's three divine techniques. Very powerful. I've had some insights recently, divided into one punch, one sword strike, and one palm strike."
"That must be a great divine technique!" Jia Bai chimed in.
"Just hearing about it, one can sense the power of the technique," Hu Linye added.
"Why not elaborate on these techniques for us?" Huang Can asked, curious.
"That's exactly what I intended!" Emperor Capital exclaimed, then raised his fist and declared:
"Thoughtful Fist, thoughts like a gushing spring! Enduring Sword, memories that never fade! Everlasting Palm, generation after generation! Chen Xia, Chen Xia, Chen Xia!"
The scene was probably silent for a moment.
Huang Can and Hu Linye didn't know what to say, but Jia Bai forced a smile, clapping his hands and praising, "What a great technique! Truly a great technique. If Chen Xia were to know, he would surely be very pleased."
"He would definitely be pleased," Emperor Capital affirmed, his expression proud. He was immersed in his own techniques, and after a while, he turned to Jia Bai and asked, "Why did you come to find me?"
Jia Bai smiled. "Mainly to see you, and secondarily to deliver a message from Qiu Li, asking you to guide this year's potential Emperors of the Blue Sky Sword Sea."
"Isn't it Qiu Li's turn to guide them?" Emperor Capital asked, puzzled.
"Qiu Li guided the previous batch. This batch should be your responsibility," Jia Bai explained with a smile.
Emperor Capital frowned unhappily, protesting, "What nonsense! Can't he just keep guiding them? This is too much! It seems my three techniques are about to see some action!"
"Qiu Li said you should go ahead and do it, he's already waiting for you," Jia Bai added.
Emperor Capital was slightly stunned, then waved his hand dismissively. "Forget it, bullying the weak is not my style. I'll guide them, I suppose. It's time to pass on my invincible Dao to the younger generation of the Blue Sky Sword Sea."
Invincible Dao?
Jia Bai was puzzled. As one of the former potential Emperors of the Blue Sky Sword Sea and a member of the Fourteen Sons of Vast Sky, he had never heard of Emperor Capital having an invincible Dao.
Could it be a profound Dao he had comprehended later?
Jia Bai thought for a long time but couldn't figure it out, and he didn't want to ask, so he let it go.
Currently, the Blue Sky Sword Sea was peaceful. The disciples were steadily cultivating, and the elders were making steady progress. Zhou Jia and Bai Lu, the once top talents, had already reached the peak of the Heaven Mending Realm, just half a step away from becoming quasi-Saints. They would be the pillars of the Blue Sky Sword Sea in the future.
Above them were the Eight Saints of Azure Sky, who had already become Great Saints and were the peak existences in the entire star domain. They were also the ones managing the Blue Sky Sword Sea now.
The disciples were top-notch, and the managers were top-notch, but the Blue Sky Sword Sea still couldn't be considered top-notch.
It wasn't that its status in the star domain wasn't top-notch, but rather that it lacked a leader.
The leader of the Blue Sky Sword Sea, Chen Xia, had a tall statue erected on the Sword Sea, visible to all who entered the Blue Sky Sword Sea. However, the statue wasn't very detailed, but it did capture a certain nonchalant demeanor.
It emphasized the spirit over the form.
Not having a leader was a rare occurrence in the Blue Sky Sword Sea, which had lasted for tens of thousands of years. Once, an elder dared to speak passionately to the deputy leader, Chi Yu, saying:
"A country cannot be without a ruler, and a sect cannot be without a leader. We understand your good intentions in keeping the position of the leader vacant, but given the current situation, if the Blue Sky Sword Sea wants to develop into a peak sect, it must have a leader!"
"So..." The elder stepped forward, bowing deeply and declaring:
"Please, Deputy Leader Chi Yu, take the position of leader and lead the Blue Sky Sword Sea!"
The elder's expression was resolute, but inside, he was secretly delighted. In his mind, Deputy Leader Chi Yu must want to become the leader, but he lacked a legitimate reason to convince the other Eight Saints of Azure Sky, so the matter had been postponed.
Now that he, the elder, had taken the initiative to ask Chi Yu to take the position, he had shown his loyalty and paved the way for Chi Yu to become the leader. He had also secured his own future, potentially elevating his status.
Everyone would be happy!
The elder's mouth was already curling into a smile, imagining his future high position.
Chi Yu didn't respond, only giving the elder a deep look.
Then the elder's status really changed dramatically—from an elder to a nobody, in simpler terms, he was expelled from the Blue Sky Sword Sea.
Fortunately, Emperor Capital didn't find out about this, otherwise the elder's status would have changed even further—from a living person to a dead one.
This was just a small episode in the Blue Sky Sword Sea, something that would repeat itself in the coming years. They always felt that the Blue Sky Sword Sea needed a true leader.
But Chi Yu understood that the leader of the new Blue Sky Sword Sea would always be Chen Xia, and no one else could replace him.
He looked outwards, the wind blowing and flowers falling, another autumn had arrived. Chi Yu no longer felt the urgent need to wait for Chen Xia's return. He could wait patiently, it was just a matter of seasons coming and going.
And he wasn't the only one waiting; the entire Blue Sky Sword Sea was waiting.
"If you ask who the fiercest person is at the frontline of the Heavenly Dao, it's not some so-called Emperor, not even a quasi-Emperor, but that Great Saint, Chen Saint!"
An old, limping Saint excitedly proclaimed.
Around him, some Saints who loved to hear gossip frowned upon hearing this.
"Old Hu Jing, are you joking? There are so many Emperors at the frontline of the Heavenly Dao, and you're saying a Saint is the fiercest? Aren't you just bragging?"
"You're wrong!" Hu Jing shook his head and argued, "Chen Saint is a Great Saint, and he has four Dao paths."
The Saints were shocked. If Chen Saint had four Dao paths, that would be significant, but they still didn't believe it, questioning further:
"Even with four Dao paths, a Great Saint is only comparable to a single-Dao Emperor. How could he be the fiercest? Aren't the other Great Saints fierce?"
“That's where you're mistaken,” Hu Jing shook his head again, explaining: “Chen Saint's Dao paths are all top-tier combat Dao paths. You know Sword Dao, right? And Light Dao? Those are two of Chen Saint's four Dao paths.”
"Wow, that does make sense. A Great Saint with such Dao paths would be comparable to a two-Dao Emperor, right?"
“More than that,” Hu Jing shook his head again, replying: “Chen Saint has killed a two-Dao Emperor before. And when Chen Saint fights, he truly doesn’t hold back; he’s terrifyingly fierce. You’re really missing out by not seeing Chen Saint in action. I’d call him the number one Great Saint.”
"Is he really that strong? What about Chen Saint now?" the Saints asked further.
Hu Jing's hand paused, his eyes narrowing as he looked into the distance, softly saying:
"Perhaps he has already become an Emperor."
He wasn't sure, but he hoped Chen Saint would continue to improve. After all, his life had been saved by Chen Saint's medicine.
The wind from afar blew over the land, reaching the rivers.
From the frontline of the Heavenly Dao to now...
Six thousand years had passed.