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Let's not talk about the shocking Journey to the West.
With the end of the fifth Wukong legend, the fourth-ranked world finally began to unveil its curtain.
Many powerful figures, still immersed in the world of the Wukong biography, suddenly snapped back to reality, their spirits rising anew.
They quickly looked toward the rankings of the heavens and myriad worlds.
Only four spots remained, and countless experts who had yet to appear on the list pinned their final hopes on it.
"Liandi senior should make it onto the list, right?"
"After watching for so long, we're finally in the top four! I'm so excited!"
"Hmph. If the top four don't include my Exotic Domain or if Anlan isn't on the list, I won't even acknowledge this ranking!"
Powerhouses from all the heavens whispered among themselves.
With the passage of time, a majestic and ancient melody began to echo.
The sound was like the march of a Black Water Immortal Monarch through the forest and like the thunder of war drums—at times soothing, at times intense.
A clear, resonant voice spoke:
"Immortal and indestructible, a crow, a shepherd boy in the heavens of all ages."
"The Nine Books of Heaven endure forever, and the Thirteen Lives Palace is truth."
Then, the screen gradually lit up.
Caw!
A black crow beat its wings and swooped down across the land.
It passed through the thick, ancient city walls and soaring towers.
This dark crow soared ceaselessly, entered the burial grounds, entered the immortal city, crossed the fierce domains, flew through the nine realms, and endured endless tribulations. It remained undying for millions of years.
Time passed. Eras shifted. Invincible figures rose, giants fell.
Behind these mighty giants, there always lingered the shadow of a crow—a being defying fate, seeking to shape its own destiny.
Generations of unmatched warriors emerged, and gods faded into memory, but across millennia, the crow continued to appear faintly along the long river of time.
A crow unwilling to be chained by fate, confronting the most terrifying existences in heaven and earth, guiding the tides of countless epochs across the ages.
"Why does it feel like this story's getting less and less human?"
Powerhouses across the worlds exchanged odd looks.
"From sixth place, Luo Feng transformed into a cosmic beast. Fifth place starred a monkey. Now in fourth... seriously? A crow?"
"This crow's impressive though! Even if we ignore the rest, just its longevity—surviving tens of thousands of years—is terrifying!"
"When all things perish, I remain. Heaven and earth fall, I endure. Honestly, even without doing much, this crow already surpasses most of the world's powerhouses."
As whispered discussions spread through the heavens and worlds, a second image appeared on screen.
In it was a stretch of tranquil heaven and earth.
A crow landed softly and slowly transformed into a tall, slender man.
Hands clasped behind his back, dressed in a simple black shirt, he walked unhurriedly through green mountains and flowing rivers, his demeanor relaxed.
His face was indistinct. His body radiated no terrifying pressure, no extraordinary fluctuations.
Yet as he strolled through the landscape, not even cicadas dared stir. His presence felt like a passing breeze, ethereal and serene.
Spring and autumn passed, time hurried by, but the years left no trace upon him.
He walked alone across the river of time, treading through snowy peaks and ancient valleys, watching stars shift and the world change like a lone traveler from the ages.
Sometimes, at ease, he would bend to plant green bamboo beside a humble hut.
Sometimes, he'd twist his wrist and rescue a golden-red fish from a dried-up river, keeping it by his side.
Sometimes, in the ancient mountains, as he pondered the Dao, he would sit cross-legged beside a spirit beast, calm and respectful.
Sometimes, he'd walk through a bustling city, a quirky adopted little girl following behind him.
He spoke in a quiet, steady voice:
"In this world, there is always pain—separation by life and death, catastrophes that rend the land. So many experiences, so much sorrow."
"I never tried to forget. Pain and joy, unforgettable suffering or happiness carved into my heart—in the endless passage of time, they are heavy experiences I carry."
"Standing on such a lonely peak, the breeze blowing and robes fluttering, it's as if I'm returning home with the wind."
"Heaven or underworld—I come as I please, leave as I please. No one can stop me."
He stood atop that solitary peak like a figure at the mouth of time's river.
His expression was calm, neither joyful nor mournful. His eyes, as deep as the ocean, quietly watched as heaven and earth changed with the ages.
An invisible, unfathomable aura radiated from him unconsciously, centered around his being.
The powerhouses across the worlds looked stunned.
"This guy... is he strong or not? I'm not sure."
"But damn, he's a master at keeping up appearances!"
"When it comes to posturing, I feel like even Wang Chen's forced elegance can't compare!"
"He's got real style! I, Tian Gang Xu Er, acknowledge you as the best poser under the heavens!"
"In front of this fellow Daoist, even Zhang Xuan must humble himself," said another elder.
But the black-shirted figure didn't notice the praise. He simply sighed softly.
"In this long flow of time, why has no one ever been able to walk beside me?"
As his words fell, the image changed again.
That bamboo he planted ten million years ago—he nurtured it until it became divine.
The carp he saved eight million years ago transformed into a dragon that could swallow heaven and earth.
The little girl he adopted five million years ago became empress of the Nine Realms.
Walking the river of time, he altered fate again and again, cultivating beings who shook eternity.
Shhhh!
The screen suddenly accelerated.
The scenes flew by.
The crow-turned-black-shirted youth rose from the barbaric era, grew in the age of pioneers, stood tall in the ancient dark age, and reached the peak in the Emperor's Age.
He was an eternal black hand, a taboo existence, the butcher of the Nine Realms, and the savior of all beings. Even Immortal Emperors dared not face him directly.
Generations of giants rose, generations of gods vanished.
Countless lives were born and extinguished, but over thousands of years...
He remained hidden within the long river of time.
"Some call me Dark Crow. Some call me Young Master. Some call me Emperor Master. Others call me Emperor Zun. But in truth, I am just an ordinary man."
When the image ended, the heavens and myriad worlds were left utterly speechless.
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