"No need for formalities. The passage will be closing soon as well. Pack up simply and come back with me," Yuan Ming said, waving a hand.
Yet Wang Fulong suddenly hesitated. His expression shifted several times before he finally pressed his lips together, seemingly having made up his mind.
"My lord, please return first. There is no need to wait for me," he said solemnly.
"Hm? Are you certain? If you miss the deadline and the passage closes, who knows when you will be able to return next time. Even though I have the Asura Palace and can travel between realms, I must prioritize the Devil Race invasion. I will not come to collect you lightly," Yuan Ming reminded him.
"I know all that. It is only that, my lord, in this lifetime, I have enjoyed wealth and glory and held the power of life and death in my hands. I once believed that reaching the Dharma Idol stage would leave me without regrets, so I squandered my years and idled away much of my life. But ever since I followed you, I discovered that I could still go further, that I could still glimpse loftier scenery. In the past, I would not even have dared dream of such a thing." Wang Fulong's eyes filled with reminiscence.
"You want to achieve Great Ascension too?" Yuan Ming immediately understood.
"Yes. To speak frankly, it was your rise, my lord, that gave me such an unrealistic thought. There are countless opportunities in the Heaven-Questioning Secret Realm, and I have deeply felt that during these days. I believe that, so long as I am willing to search, one day I may find an opportunity here to take another step forward," Wang Fulong said.
"But have you considered the price of doing this? If