Chapter 396: Emperor Shun
A massive hand reached through the void, blotting out the sky and sun. The primitive humans below mistakenly thought it was a celestial dog devouring the moon.
Blood dripped from the palm of the enormous hand, with flickering runes dancing across its surface containing infinite mysteries. At a single glance, Jiang Li recognized these runes represented at least a dozen different “Daos,” while the remaining symbols also represented various “Daos” – though these particular Daos hadn’t spread throughout the Nine Provinces, making them unrecognizable to Jiang Li.
“There are no runes representing the Dao of Time.”
The giant hand clenched around the runes, causing them to react and neutralize with the Celestial Ladder. Like snow meeting boiling water, the Celestial Ladder rapidly dissolved.
Within mere breaths, the Celestial Ladder vanished without a trace.
Jiang Li suspected the Celestial Ladders of other worlds had disappeared in similar fashion, with only occasional fragments remaining that he had managed to find.
“Who owns that massive hand?”
With a single move erasing the Celestial Ladder, Jiang Li was certain the owner’s cultivation must surpass that of a Celestial Immortal.
“Is it the Outer Realm Demons… or an immortal?”
Jiang Li wanted to clearly see the owner of the hand, but its true form remained hidden in the void, with only a single hand extending into Weigu World.
Within the River of Time, one could only observe events of this world, not the void beyond.
Jiang Li instinctively wanted to leap into the River of Time to investigate that era, but restrained himself.
Rather than traveling six thousand years back in Weigu World, it would be better to visit the Nine Provinces nine thousand years in the past.
Preoccupied with these thoughts, Jiang Li continued walking upstream until the terrain beneath his feet suddenly changed.
Though obscured by chaotic mists that prevented seeing the full scope of the Sea of Time, Jiang Li could faintly discern the scene ahead.
What lay before him could no longer be called a River of Time – the term Sea of Time was more appropriate.
The Sea of Time appeared to be the source of all time, with all Rivers of Time branching out from it.
Here, the Rivers of Time diverged, their flow rates changing to become independent timelines, separated by thick white walls from other Rivers of Time.
Jiang Li understood – this was the era before the Celestial Ladder disappeared, when the flow of time across all worlds synchronized with the celestial realm. After the ladder vanished, each world returned to its original temporal flow, manifested here as the sea dividing into separate rivers.
The riverbank ended abruptly. Ahead lay only ocean, with no place for Jiang Li to set foot.
Kneeling down, Jiang Li spoke to the white fish in the sea: “Might I trouble you fine fish to let me step on you? I need to reach another place.”
Unfortunately, the mindless fish couldn’t understand him, simply waving their tails as they swam away.
Just as Jiang Li was at his wit’s end, considering diving in headfirst, a voice sounded by his ear.
“I’d advise against that. Without knowing the exact time and location, jumping in could land you millions of years from your intended destination.”
Looking up, Jiang Li saw someone gently rowing a boat toward him, the mists automatically parting before the wooden vessel.
This world wasn’t supposed to have people – only white fish. Who could this be?
“You must be the Seventy-Second Generation Human Sovereign Jiang Li of the Nine Provinces,” said the newcomer, dressed in elegant yet antiquated robes. He smiled warmly as he cupped his hands in greeting, his manner both cordial and impeccably polite.
“I’ve seen you in the River of Time before, but today marks our first formal meeting.”
“In fact, I owe my current state to that spear strike of yours across time and space that knocked the Ancient and Modern Sword into the river.”
“You are…” Jiang Li returned the greeting, already forming a suspicion.
The man opened his eyes, revealing double pupils identical to Ji Zhi’s, as if capable of perceiving past, present and future.
“Human Sovereign Jiang must have heard of me. I am Ji Shun, founder of Great Zhou. In my era, people called me Emperor Shun.”
“Emperor Shun!”
Jiang Li was shocked to encounter this legendary master of time in the River of Time – a monumental figure from thirty thousand years ago who single-handedly established the ten-thousand-year Great Zhou dynasty.
Yet upon reflection, it made perfect sense. Emperor Shun had originally been a white fish that transformed, leaping ashore to enter the Nine Provinces world.
He had merely changed form – his comprehension of the Dao of Time remained intact, allowing him to freely traverse between the Nine Provinces and the River of Time even after his transformation.
Over thirty millennia, countless dynasties had been buried in history’s dust. The luckier ones experienced fluctuating fortunes, while the less fortunate faced complete destruction.
Only Great Zhou endured, remaining perpetually among the top three dynasties of the Nine Provinces.
This resilience stemmed from Great Zhou’s strict yet fair legal system – not guaranteeing the dynasty would be the best, but ensuring it would never become the worst.
The birth of Great Zhou Law, using legislation as national fortune, were all institutions established by Emperor Shun.
Great Zhou owed its present state entirely to Emperor Shun’s contributions.
“If even the renowned Human Sovereign Jiang reacts so strongly, then my title as Emperor Shun isn’t undeserved,” Shun smiled, clearly delighted to meet Jiang Li.
“What brings Emperor Shun here?”
Rather than answering, Shun countered: “Does Human Sovereign Jiang possess the means to leave the River of Time?”
After consideration, Jiang Li cautiously replied: “Could I punch my way out?”
“……”
Emperor Shun felt fortunate he’d come when he did – otherwise the River of Time might have burst its banks.
He knew full well Jiang Li possessed unquestionable power, more than sufficient to smash through the River of Time.
“Haha, just joking. The River of Time is far too important for me to damage recklessly.” Jiang Li understood the gravity of the situation.
“Originally I planned to travel back, investigate certain matters, and request the Great Zhou imperial family of that era to open a passage for my departure.”
“But since Emperor Shun has come, I presume you’re here to help me leave the River of Time?”
Shun hastily responded: “Please don’t address me with such honorifics – I couldn’t possibly accept. Indeed I’ve come to assist Human Sovereign Jiang’s departure from the River of Time, though not from this location.”
“Then where?”
“Human Sovereign Jiang came here wishing to see the Nine Provinces of nine thousand years past. I can take you there. While I could answer some of your questions, it’s better for you to witness events firsthand.”
“Many thanks then.”
Emperor Shun’s arrival greatly relieved Jiang Li, who no longer needed to worry about what swimming style to use for reaching the Nine Provinces.
“Human Sovereign Jiang, please board the boat.”
As they drifted across the sea, passing thousands of River of Time tributaries with countless white fish swimming about, Emperor Shun remarked:
“That I gained sentience and rose above my kind is entirely thanks to the Yin-Yang Heaven Seal.”
Jiang Li asked curiously: “How exactly did the Ancient and Modern Sword transform into a fish?”
“Since you’re not versed in the Dao of Time, I’ll explain simply – the creatures of the River of Time, these white fish, are immortal and indestructible. The concept of death doesn’t exist here. The Ancient and Modern Sword was forged from my bones, making it originally a creature of the River of Time. When it returned, the River automatically restored its form.”
Jiang Li thought Emperor Shun truly was Ji Zhi’s ancestor – his very first words jabbed at Jiang Li’s weakness, just like Ji Zhi would.
“We’ve arrived,” Emperor Shun stopped at one particular River of Time.
“This is the Nine Provinces of nine thousand years ago – the correct time and location. Human Sovereign Jiang may enter here.”