Chapter 444: Ascension

"Release the Heavenly Dao." Now that the matter was resolved, Lin Fan had to go to the upper realm.

How long could a Great Heavenly Position Great Perfection expert live? Just a few hundred years.

If one did not break through to a higher realm, after a few hundred years, they would only be a handful of yellow soil. Practicing martial arts was defying heaven, seizing life from heaven, but in the end, they discovered that this sky was locked, and cultivation to the limit only granted a hundred years of life.

Wasn't that deceiving people?

In truth, Lin Fan's thoughts were more aligned with Emperor Yuan's side.

"Alright, I will return the Heavenly Dao to her now." Emperor Yuan chose to trust Lin Fan at this moment. From the young man's eyes, he saw an unyielding belief, a heart that fought against fate.

"Don't give it to her. If you do, she won't be the same person." Lin Fan said, then tore through the void with one hand and summoned the Heavenly Dao of Cangling Continent.

"This..." Emperor Yuan and the others were startled when they saw the old man before them.

"He is the remaining quarter of the Heavenly Dao." Lin Fan said.

At this moment, Emperor Yuan frowned. "If this Heavenly Dao is fused into a complete one, with its nature, it will break through the barrier."

"Don't worry, I have tamed him. He won't do such a thing." Lin Fan said.

At this moment, Lin Fan trusted Emperor Yuan's words even more.

With the Heavenly Dao's indifferent attitude toward human life, it would definitely break the barrier set by the Sovereigns. But Emperor Yuan's expression of such concern also relieved Lin Fan.

The longer one lived, the more lies they told.

But Emperor Yuan didn't seem like such a person, and this man was worthy of Lin Fan's respect.

He did what he said, and everything he decided, even at the cost of life, he would accomplish. He was far better than those old dogs like the Seven Sages.

Thinking of this, Lin Fan couldn't help but think of that Seven Sages fellow. He wondered where he had gone. Since finding a new candidate, he seemed to have completely vanished from the world.

But never mind, that old dog couldn't stir up any trouble.

Now, everyone was stunned by Lin Fan's words.

If even the Heavenly Dao could be tamed, what couldn't be tamed?

"Good..." Emperor Yuan nodded. In an instant, a ball of light appeared in his palm. "This is the remaining Heavenly Dao."

Lin Fan looked at the ball of light and nodded. "Heavenly Dao, absorb it slowly. Do not destroy the barrier of this world."

"Yes." The old man Heavenly Dao nodded, then took the ball of light in his hands and slowly refined it.

...

"How much time do I have?" Lin Fan asked.

"One day." Emperor Yuan said.

"What? So soon?" Lin Fan was taken aback. After one day, he would have to leave. Wasn't that too fast?

"After one day, their divine consciousness will vanish. To open a breach in the barrier, we must use their divine consciousness." Emperor Yuan said.

The four Sovereigns looked at Emperor Yuan, their expressions turning strange. Finally, they sighed. "Forget it, forget it. Heavenly Emperor, we haven't been together for ten thousand years. On this last day, let us talk properly."

At this moment, the Sovereigns had come to terms with things. They understood Emperor Yuan's heart, let go of everything, and in these final moments, reminisced about what they once had.

"Good." Emperor Yuan looked at the four and nodded.

...

Lin Fan sighed inwardly. One day, how could that be enough...

Holy Sect.

Lin Fan arrived at Nameless Peak. Looking at the people around him, he felt a sense of melancholy.

"I knew the Sect Leader was the best. No danger is a problem for him." Zhang Ergou looked at Lin Fan with admiration.

"Of course. Don't you know who his teacher is? Teacher, oh..." Zhiqiao clung to Lin Fan and said.

Lin Fan smiled and patted Zhiqiao's head, then laughed heartily. "I'm in a good mood today. All members of the Holy Demon Sect are gathered. I have good news to announce."

"What good news?" Xuan Yunxian looked at Lin Fan, a happy expression on her face.

"It's about you..." Lin Fan said mysteriously.

"Ah? About me?" Xuan Yunxian was startled, then smiled softly, curious.

Mie Qiongqi stood aside, looking at the Sect Leader, his heart filled with sorrow. After today, he didn't know when they would meet again.

But at this moment, he wouldn't show any sign of discomfort.

Lin Fan took Xuan Yunxian's delicate hand. "It's been hard on you following me without a proper title. Today, let us marry, right here on Nameless Peak, with these disciples as witnesses."

"Ah..." Xuan Yunxian looked at Lin Fan in disbelief. She hadn't expected this. Then she said softly, "What's wrong with you today? You're talking strangely."

"Better late than never. If there are others later, won't you be the first wife?" Lin Fan said with a smile.

Hearing this, Xuan Yunxian blushed. "The children are here."

Lin Fan held Xuan Yunxian's hand and gently patted it. "I wish to have a heart that is true, and never part till death do us part. Sometimes fate is a strange thing. Trust me, I will protect you all."

"Mm..." Xuan Yunxian had never heard such words. Her heartstrings trembled slightly, and she leaned happily against Lin Fan.

"Oh... Teacher is getting married!" Zhiqiao laughed joyfully.

The second disciple, You Jiuling, also laughed happily, following closely beside Zhiqiao.

...

A simple wedding, no guests, no grand scene. Everything was simple.

For Xuan Yunxian, what she needed most was a word, a promise, an assurance.

Night.

Deep communion before parting. Yunxian was tired and had fallen asleep.

Lin Fan put on his clothes, looked at the starry sky, and in the blink of an eye, vanished from this world.

Lin Fan arrived at the Nine Heavens Sect and saw Xin Feng, with white hair draped over his shoulders, organizing sect affairs.

Xin Feng was overjoyed to see Lin Fan. After learning that Lin Fan had returned from the dead, his heart was filled with excitement.

That night, they talked a lot. Xin Feng, seeing his brother, didn't notice anything amiss with Lin Fan.

At dawn, Lin Fan left the Nine Heavens Sect.

He found the Fourteen Bandits of the Desert, who had adhered to his rambling robbery philosophy and stubbornly pursued it. Lin Fan sighed and left a trace of his power to protect these fourteen fools.

Then Lin Fan went to Cangling Continent, talked with his students, imparted some techniques, and encouraged them to strive hard.

Originally, for Lin Fan, the script wasn't supposed to unfold like this.

He felt much reluctance to leave this place, but what could reluctance do? To control his future fate, he had to strive hard.

This was a responsibility, and also his own pursuit.

...

On a mountain peak, Lin Fan looked up at the boundless sky. His heart was reluctant to leave, but in an instant, he buried that reluctance deep in his heart.

"Are you ready?" Emperor Yuan asked Lin Fan.

"Mm, ready. Let's begin." Lin Fan took a deep breath, then nodded, looking at the group over there. "Sect Leader, please take care of the Holy Demon Sect from now on."

Sect Leader Yan looked at Lin Fan, sighed helplessly, and finally nodded.

"Boom..."

The divine consciousness of the four Sovereigns erupted with their final power, a force that pierced through the entire world.

At that moment, Lin Fan was stunned. He saw Emperor Yuan's aura growing weaker and weaker.

"Emperor Yuan, you..." Lin Fan said in disbelief.

"Kid, you are hope. I choose to believe in this hope. Do not disappoint me." Emperor Yuan's life force suddenly burst forth, a powerful force surging toward the sky, as if to open a new passage.

Emperor Yuan gave up his life for this so-called hope. He had regretted this choice, but then he had no regrets.

Because there was only one hope. If missed, it would never come again.

Lin Fan looked at Emperor Yuan and the Sovereigns, then nodded.

At that moment, a small passage appeared in the void. It was tiny, but it was another path of hope.

"Boom..."

In an instant, Lin Fan's figure plunged into the passage and completely disappeared...

Emperor Yuan's body turned to dust, scattering across the world. The divine consciousness of the four Sovereigns, on the verge of collapse, completely dissipated.

On Nameless Peak, a lonely figure gazed into the distance.

"I wish to have a heart that is true, and never part till death do us part. I will wait for your return..."