Lin Xun turned around and saw a handsome man had somehow stood beside him without him realizing.

The man was dressed in an unadorned and spotless azure robe and a pair of straw sandals. His black hair flowed loosely down his straight back and tall figure.

His skin was smooth and almost translucent like crystal, and his cheeks and features were sharp like they had been chiseled. He was undeniably a masculine and handsome man.

In particular, his eyes were deep and serene, calm as a lake, and seemed capable of reflecting the heavens and all things in the world. No one dared to look at him directly.

It was impossible to discern the man’s age from his appearance, but even so, Lin Xun felt a sense of majesty directly assaulting his face.

He felt as though he was facing a ruler that controlled the universe and held the sun and the moon in his hands. The imposing manner around him was enough to make Lin Xun tense up.

Without the need to think about it, Lin Xun knew that the man before him was the emperor of the empire!

Regardless of how ordinary and casual the clothes were, they couldn’t conceal or diminish the majesty of the supreme figure that stood at the pinnacle of the world.

“Paying my respects to…Elder.” Lin Xun bowed with a cupped fist salute, a greeting among fellow cultivators. Furthermore, he called him ‘Elder’ rather than ‘Your Majesty.’

The man smiled slightly. “Regardless of how strong an authority in the world is, they are still ephemeral to cultivators who set foot on the great dao. It seems like you have already grasped this fact.” His gentle and calm voice was oozing with majesty.

As he spoke, he pointed to the ancient five-colored altar in front of him. “Once you step on this altar, the passage will lead you to the Ancient Wasteland Domain. But now, it is different from the past. The Great Dao Catastrophe is approaching, and it is causing the space passageway to be unstable. You should be extra careful when you go through it.”

Lin Xun nodded. Although he already knew that the emperor would send him off in person, when it actually happened, it still set off waves in his heart.

The man standing in front of him was a powerful supreme figure who compelled the common people to feel awe and bow their heads!

He wielded the power of an empire, controlled the territory of the four seas, and watched over the world. In terms of identity and status, who in the world could compare with him?

Originally, Lin Xun expected the great emperor to be as mighty as the mountains and seas, but when he laid eyes on him, he didn’t feel the slightest hint of fear or awe.

But that only made Lin Xun more amazed. The emperor’s cultivation had to have reached an incredible level because only then would he be able to prevent him from feeling fear and awe!

The emperor suddenly turned around, wearing a gentle and friendly expression on his face. “Although this is the first time we’ve met, I have heard many things about you.”

“The empress told me that you are unruly, rebellious and unscrupulous, and you like to cause trouble.”

“Tailai said that you are sharp-witted, deceitful, fierce and ruthless, and if you become an enemy of the empire, you could bring disaster to the world.”

Lin Xun reddened with shame. It’s fine for the empress to say that, but how could that old fox Zhao Tailai say such unpleasant things about me?!

He silently cursed to himself.

When I see him next time, I will have to blackmail him for some benefits!

“And Jingxuan…” The emperor’s deep and serene eyes flashed with a strange look.

“What…did she say?” Lin Xun asked, curious how Zhao Jingxuan described him.

“She said that you are you, and she doesn’t care what others think of you.” The emperor laughed heartily when he finished.

Lin Xun was taken aback for a while, and then he also couldn’t help but laugh, feeling a sense of comfort that he was understood.

Zhao Jingxuan…

The thought of the bright, beautiful and cool woman brought a wonderful feeling to his heart. It was as though he had found a soul mate who completely understood him.

But he failed to notice the complex look crossing the emperor’s face as he watched Lin Xun’s changing expression at the mention of his daughter.

It was somewhat similar to that of a father-in-law meeting his son-in-law for the first time, but there were some subtle differences.

Lin Xun suddenly shuddered uncomfortably. He slowly lifted his head, only to see that the emperor had resumed his usual calm expression.

“In my opinion, they are all correct, but that’s irrelevant because a person will change, especially on the path of the great dao. Every step forward may cause one’s state of mind to undergo some kind of change,” said the emperor.

Lin Xun agreed. He used to laugh a lot because he thought that a smile was the best shield to conceal his inner emotions.

But now, he thought differently.

A person’s state of mind would eventually change. This was considered growth and transformation. On the path of the great dao, a cultivator only had to stay true to themselves and never forget their original intention. That would be enough.

The emperor didn’t continue on the topic. He came to send Lin Xun away in person and not for small talk.

“The Ancient Wasteland Domain is vast if not boundless. Even a person who has set foot on the Saint Path can’t speculate how great it is. There are as many geniuses there as the countless bright stars in the sky. If you want to strive for the great dao, the place is indeed the most suitable stage for you.”

The emperor peered into the distance as he stated in a calm and peaceful tone, “Now, the Great Dao Catastrophe will descend upon the world in a time period as short as ten years and at most a hundred years. At that time, an unprecedented war will break out in the world. Many ancient dao sects that have remained dormant for years will reappear in the world.”

“The Ancient Wasteland Domain will no doubt become a place where the strong compete for power, and the world will fall into unprecedented turmoil!”

The emperor suddenly turned around, and a divine light shone from his unfathomable eyes. “You only need to remember one word when you go to the Ancient Wasteland Domain.”

“What word?” Lin Xun trembled inwardly.

“Fight!”

The emperor uttered a single word and a rare look of domineering superiority came to his handsome face.

“The battle for the great dao is like a battle of hundreds of boats. If you fall behind by one step...you may have no hope of stepping onto the pinnacle of the great dao in your life!”

Lin Xun’s emotions were roiled by this. He had long understood this truth, but when it came from the mouth of the emperor, it still had an enlightening effect.

“If you want to fight for a great opportunity in that great age then you will have to rely on true power.”

The emperor specially advised Lin Xun, “In the past, you often used a borrowed knife to kill your opponents, but this little strategy is just a bypath. You have to remember that in the face of absolute power, regardless of how intelligent or strategic you are, you will be crushed to dust.”

“That…is the great dao!”

“Power…” Lin Xun muttered.

“Yes! The transformation of the state of mind, the improvement of cultivation level, the growth of the spirit and soul, and the strengthening of the physique…are all ultimately embodied in your power. This kind of power can make you a king, can help you deal with the longevity tribulation, and can build the path for you to become a Saint!”

The emperor didn’t advise him on a method of cultivation, but instead gave him some more general insights into cultivation. They might seem simple, but to Lin Xun, they were extremely precious.

“The great dao of all heavens is also a kind of power, but it needs to be grasped and comprehended.”

“The myriad arts of the heavens are also means of controlling power, but they need to be cultivated and mastered.”

“Even your knowledge and experience are some kind of inner power, isn’t that right? Only if you have them can you further understand the true meaning of cultivation.”

“Now you understand that power is not simply brute strength, but the simplest explanation of cultivation!”

The emperor’s words seemed to send waves rippling through Lin Xun. He felt deeply moved. He silently memorized all his words. It was like a once-in-a-lifetime lecture.

“The success or failure of the battle of the great dao is determined by your own power. There will be unpredictable and unimaginable great fortunes in this great age war, including a chance to become the absolute apex king!”

“The absolute apex king?” Lin Xun narrowed his eyes.

“That’s correct. The absolute apex path is known to be the strongest path in the world, but even in ancient times, very rarely did people embark on this ethereal path, let alone achieve it. In this battle of the great age, this legendary great dao path will inevitably appear in the world!”

The emperor looked at Lin Xun directly. “Although you have reached this stage, you are only at the beginning. Only when you become a true absolute apex king will you understand the true meaning of this path? It’s not as simple as you think it is.”

King was a respectful title for cultivators with the strength of the Life Death Stage.

And the absolute apex king was naturally a terrifying existence who had embarked on the absolute apex path of the Life Death Stage.

According to the emperor, there had never been an absolute apex king in the recent past! Even in ancient times, rumors about absolute apex kings were vague and seemed untrue. It was even harder to find records about this cultivation stage.

However, unquestionably, the stage existed.

This was the unanimous conclusion reached by countless sages from ancient times to the present!

And when the battle of the great age came, this legendary cultivation stage may appear in the world! Who would be able to grasp it in the end?

Lin Xun silently digested everything he had heard for a long while before he came to his senses. “Elder, thank you for your guidance.” He bowed solemnly.

It was heartfelt gratitude. If the emperor hadn’t reminded and advised him, then he wouldn’t have known that the so-called battle of the great age would be so deep!

The emperor revealed an unfathomable smile. “When you become an absolute apex king, you can come back and thank me.”

“Come back?” Lin Xun sensed a deeper meaning to his words.

The emperor nodded. “Yes, when you reach that stage, you will definitely come back because our lower domain world contains a cultivation opportunity that you need at that time.”

“An opportunity required for the cultivation of the absolute apex king stage?” Lin Xun asked in puzzlement.

The emperor smiled and said leisurely, “In the depths of the Spirit Burial Sea, there is the Return Dominion, one of the four great dao dominions, and in the Blood Kill Battlefield of the empire is the Mulberry Woodland that Saints of ancient times yearned for. Do you truly believe that the lower domain world is as barren and simple as the world sees it?”