203: Chapter 203 That's all.

He thought of Xiao Nannan, of Xiao Shitou, and of the Willow Deity.

Those people were the key to him being able to reach where he was today.

The Immortal Emperor remained silent for a moment before speaking.

"Those two children of yours, are they well?"

Chu Tianjiao smiled. "They are doing very well. Xiao Nannan is already a Peak Immortal King, and Xiao Shitou has undergone Reincarnation to become Ye Fan, who is currently tempering himself deep within the starry sky."

The Immortal Emperor nodded. "Ye Fan... that Ancient Desolate Saint Body who killed Wang Teng?"

Chu Tianjiao nodded. "That's him."

The Immortal Emperor sighed with emotion. "For an Ancient Desolate Saint Body to achieve such things in this era is truly not simple."

Chu Tianjiao laughed. "Of course. He is the Reincarnation of my brother-in-Law, how could he be lacking?"

The Immortal Emperor was stunned for a moment, then he also laughed.

Just like that, the two of them chatted and drank, exchanging words back and forth.

Within the dojo, the fragrance of wine overflowed, and laughter was constant.

As they chatted, Chu Tianjiao's thoughts drifted far away.

He thought of those eerie anomalies.

In the future, the Ominous would invade the myriad heavens, and the entire multiverse would be shattered. Only a few people would hold up the banner—Shi Hao, Ye Fan, Wushi, the Empress, and much later, Chu loli.

When the time comes and everyone around has died off, one will understand how wonderful it feels to have a familiar person still alive by one's side.

The Immortal Emperor was able to Cultivate to the level of a Red Dust Immortal even when the Laws of Heaven and Earth were incomplete; in the future, he could at least become a Quasi-Immortal Emperor. Keeping him around would be better for dealing with the Ominous.

There was also that Emperor Venerable; when the time came, he would find him too and pull him into the army against the Ominous.

They schemed and plotted endlessly just to step into the Immortal King Domain. But he had a way, which was to repair the Immortal Realm, so that everyone could enter the Immortal Realm to Cultivate.

And then there were those Supremes.

Of course, the Supremes who had initiated the Dark Turmoil were definitely out. But it had to be said that some Supremes, even if they wanted to enter the Immortal Realm, had never initiated a Dark Turmoil. When the time came, he would pull those Supremes into the Immortal Realm and nurture a group of pioneers. When the Ominous invaded, there would be people to stand against them.

He needed to go support Shi Hao, so he needed people to hold down the base at the rear.

This was also the reason he came to see the Immortal Emperor.

The Immortal Emperor was born in the Immortal Realm and could be considered a native. Moreover, the Immortal Emperor possessed the Immortal Phoenix Bloodline; in him, Chu Tianjiao felt a familiar presence, yet it was a feeling he couldn't quite describe. Perhaps he would only be able to investigate it thoroughly when he returned to the Immortal Ancient Era.

Chu Tianjiao withdrew his thoughts and looked at the Immortal Emperor.

"Old friend, there are still many things to do in the future. Are you ready?"

The Immortal Emperor looked at him, a flicker of determination flashing in his eyes.

"I am ready."

Chu Tianjiao smiled.

He stood up and looked at the Immortal Emperor.

"Alright, it's getting late. I should head back."

The Immortal Emperor also stood up and looked at him.

"When will you go to repair the Immortal Realm?"

Chu Tianjiao thought for a moment. "Let's wait until Ye Fan grows up. He needs the cultivation environment of the Immortal Realm, and I also need time to prepare."

He paused and looked at the Immortal Emperor.

"When the time comes, we will go together."

The Immortal Emperor nodded. "Good. When the time comes, we will go together."

Chu Tianjiao reached out his hand.

The Immortal Emperor looked at the outstretched hand, remained silent for a moment, and then also reached out his hand.

The two hands gripped together.

"From now on, we are friends," Chu Tianjiao said.

The Immortal Emperor looked at him, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

For countless tens of thousands of years, he had always been lonely. No friends, no family, only himself.

Now, he had a friend.

"Good," he nodded, "from now on, we are friends."

Chu Tianjiao smiled.

He let go, turned around, and took a step forward.

In the next second, his figure vanished from the dojo.

The Immortal Emperor stood in place, watching the vanishing figure, not moving for a long time.

The corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

"Old friend..." he murmured.

Then, he turned and walked back into the stone palace.

In the dojo, the fragrance of wine still lingered.

Those few jars of wine were brought by Chu Tianjiao from the Immortal Realm. A faint immortal light still remained on the wine bottles, looking exceptionally beautiful under the reflection of the chaotic qi.

The Immortal Emperor looked at those wine bottles, the smile on his lips deepening.

He walked to the front of the stone palace, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes.

In his mind, he recalled tonight's conversation.

Repairing the Immortal Realm, fighting the Ominous, resurrecting the Great Emperors, returning home...

Those things were originally very, very far away from him.

But now, they suddenly became close.

Because he was no longer alone.

He had a friend.

A friend he could fight alongside.

The Immortal Emperor took a deep breath, suppressing the waves in his heart.

Then, he closed his eyes and continued to regulate his breath.

His path was still very long; he needed to become stronger.

Strong enough to keep up with that person's footsteps.

Strong enough to fight alongside him in the future.

In the dojo, the chaotic qi surged slowly.

The spiritual plants swayed gently under the nourishment of the chaotic qi.

Everything was full of vitality.

In the Undying Mountain.

Chu Tianjiao's figure appeared in the courtyard.

Xiao Nannan immediately came forward to meet him. "Teacher, how did it go?"

Chu Tianjiao smiled. "It was quite good. I had a drink and a chat with an old friend."

Xiao Nannan looked at him, her eyes full of curiosity. "He didn't try to fight you?"

"Fight?" Chu Tianjiao shook his head. "He can't beat me. Besides, we are already friends."

Xiao Nannan was stunned for a moment, then she laughed.

"That's good then."

Chu Tianjiao walked under the ancient tea tree of enlightenment, sat down, and picked up a teacup.

"The matter of the Immortal Emperor is temporarily settled. Next, we should consider the matter of the Immortal Realm."

Xiao Nannan sat down beside him and nodded. "Mhm. Brother has been taken deep into the starry sky by the Old Maniac to train. It will take at least several decades or even a century for him to grow up. We have enough time to prepare."

The Willow Deity sat quietly to one side and spoke. "The restoration of the Immortal Realm is not something that happens overnight. It requires a vast amount of resources and time."

Chu Tianjiao nodded. "I know. That's why we need to start ahead of time."

He looked at Xiao Nannan. "Nannan, when Ye Fan returns from the depths of the starry sky, we will take him into the Immortal Realm."

Xiao Nannan nodded. "Okay."

The night wind blew, and the branches and leaves of the ancient tea tree of enlightenment swayed gently, rustling.

The human emperor banner shed golden light rain, looking exceptionally gentle under the moonlight.

In the Undying Mountain, all was well.

And in the distant Strange World, the Immortal Emperor sat cross-legged in his dojo, a faint smile on his lips.

In his hand, he held the bottle of wine left by Chu Tianjiao.

"Old friend..." he murmured, "next time we meet, we shall drink again."

In the night wind, the fragrance of wine lingered.

Two men who were once enemies finally sat together in the long river of time.

Not for hatred, not for profit.

Just to—drink wine.

Just to—have someone to talk to.

This was what Chu Tianjiao wanted.

In this world, having a few familiar old friends around can better help him relieve his boredom.

Nothing more than this.