I am a living immortal.

Chapter 526 The Situation Above Time

Time is an illusory concept, elusive yet crucial. Its scale, its measurement, represents both the past and the changing future; the present moment itself is also an expression of time. Yet, beyond time lies another vision. Time is perceived differently by different people: some see it as a rushing river, unwavering, others as a tree branch growing endlessly upward. These are all subjective interpretations. It is whatever you perceive it to be.

In the eyes of the Sage King, time is an unfinished scroll, constantly recording the past and present, and also recording the unknown future. The unfinished scroll stretches infinitely, spanning past and present. Above time lies the painter's perspective, their vision readily available before their eyes. You can use your brush to tamper with past history, or you can use it to scribble your imagined future. Of course, this has no effect on the world; it becomes a branch. Just like a tree, no matter how many branches there are, they cannot completely determine the growth of the main trunk. This is the law of the tree, and it is also the law of the world.

The Sage Monarch watched the two figures vying for supremacy above time. Like two legends, they constantly implanted myths into the world, spun off countless branches, attempting to influence the transformation of the main trunk. He now understood what it meant to contend for the future. The two figures were majestic and vast, surrounded by countless figures, each vying for nutrients within each branch, attempting to shape it to their own will. Branch after branch, a battlefield abounded; within each branch, within each vein, there was conflict, contention, and then renewed conflict, a cycle of repetition.

While the world lay peaceful and tranquil, the two great divine systems above time were locked in a life-and-death struggle. The Sage King had underestimated the situation beyond time; it was an all-encompassing confrontation. From moment to moment, from past to future, every minute, every second, every moment, every frame of time was engaged in battle. But it wasn't enough, not enough at all. After all, the branches were branching off at a terrifying pace. This war was so desperate that the Sage King believed they could fight to the end of time, to continue indefinitely.

However, his arrival did bring uncertainty. The Heavenly Emperor of this era smiled and said, "I thought it would be him." The Holy Lord nodded slightly and said, "Originally, he should have come, but I think I can do it, and I sensed an opportunity at this time, so I came."

"That's good, at least it can salvage some of the situation," the Heavenly Emperor said. Through the dazzling golden light before him, the Holy Lord seemed to be able to see the other person's true form: a young man, his golden robe long and wide, trailing the ground. He sat upright on the Heaven Beyond Heaven, supporting himself with one hand while with the other he placed a white chess piece. With a single click, the piece landed, and the battle for a branch of time came to an end. Opposite him, an equally majestic figure held the black chess piece.

"Watching chess in silence." This is both a warning and a threat.

"That depends on whether he's a chess player or a chess piece." Two voices clashed. Simultaneously, two gazes fell on him. He felt a certain amount of pressure. After all, he was only half a step away from the other two, a gap as threatening as a chasm. Unfortunately, the Sage Lord represented not only himself but also Su Mu, so the gap was easily bridged. He wasn't in a hurry, was he? The one who was anxious should be the other party: either let me do it, let Su Mu do it, or shut up.

The Sage Lord leisurely leaned over the chessboard. He wasn't in a hurry; he just wanted to see what the current situation was. One glance revealed Di Jun's advantage. After all, Di Jun's pantheon spanned a much longer timeline and encompassed a wider range of subjects. In this era, the Celestial Emperor needed even more power to reach the past. From the outset, Di Jun had the upper hand.

There were two key turning points: one was Su Mu's seizure of one of Di Jun's caves. This move was far more far-reaching than Su Mu and his companions had imagined. The seizure of this cave gave the Celestial Emperor of this era a foothold in the past. It was like a nail, leveraging Di Jun's power to replace the pillars, reversing cause and effect. Using this nail to spread to the ancient world would be a hundred times, a thousand times more labor-efficient than a more systematic approach. This also made the Sage Lord understand that this is relative: the world can be influenced by the world beyond time, and the world can similarly influence the world beyond time.

This move by Su Mu and the others directly allowed the Celestial Emperor of this era to close the gap once again. Why once again? It was because there had been a previous turning point. However, that turning point had nothing to do with Su Mu and the others, but was instead the arrangement of Sima Ming. This person below the pinnacle was no pushover. Although his attempt to prevent this war failed, his help to the Celestial Emperor was real, and he had narrowed the gap in the battle for the future.

The two close calls had threatened Di Jun, who had previously held a significant advantage. The opportunity for a third close call was also imminent. Di Jun knew he couldn't stop Su Mu, so he could only delay her as long as possible. However, he had ultimately underestimated the many heroes of this era, so he could only settle for the next best thing.

Behind the Sage Sovereign's arrival this time was the strategist of the current Heavenly Emperor, as well as Di Jun's own calculations. As the Sage Sovereign had said, it was either he or Su Mu. Di Jun had no choice but to allow the Sage Sovereign to come, and to do so, he needed to lay out a lure, a lure that couldn't be less tempting. This was what the Sage Sovereign perceived as an opportunity for further advancement. This calculation was known to Su Mu, the Sage Sovereign, and the Heavenly Emperor; it was a necessary and overt conspiracy.

There's nothing to be ashamed of, so the Holy Lord has arrived. While his arrival is inextricably linked to Su Mu, he differs from Su Mu in one respect: his arrival won't instantly overturn the situation. The difference lies in the relationship between instantly leveling the advantage and gradually building momentum. Di Jun's tactic is to trade advantage for time. Whenever time is stretched, uncertainty will inevitably arise. Di Jun's goal is to seize opportunities from these uncertainties, while the Heavenly Emperor's goal is to quickly close the gap. While the Holy Lord is seeking an opportunity, he's also muddying the waters and, incidentally, aiding the Heavenly Emperor.

All three parties knew what the other was planning, and all three knew what they were planning. Thus, the Sage Sovereign's arrival cleverly maintained a balance. Otherwise, too many variables would simply give Di Jun an opportunity, a result of careful consideration by all parties. While Di Jun felt uncomfortable, he wouldn't force the other side to make a desperate move, at least not yet. After all, Di Jun currently held the advantage. Even if Su Mu's arrival could even the odds, it would only equalize, not surpass.