"Good!"
After the first low, faintly surprised "good," a second, far more excited and delighted "good" rang out, striking Jiang Dali's heart as he had already aged to the point of near-powerlessness from crossing the river of time.
Bang—
A cloud of dust spread out.
Jiang Dali's feet, so aged that the flesh had grown slack, stepped onto solid ground. His tall, burly frame seemed to have shrunk by a size because of his sagging flesh, making him look like an aged lion king in his twilight years. Though his majesty remained undiminished, he now bore some of the weakness and sorrow of old age.
But at the very least, he had reached the ninth level of the Human Emperor Tower. The price he had paid was extreme weakness and age, as time had stripped away his strength and lifespan.
He raised his head, deep lines wrinkling across his brow as he looked ahead.
The burly Human Emperor opposite him also rose with his hands behind his back. The towering, oppressive aura around him receded and gathered away like a retreating tide.
He slowly turned his head, revealing a square, resolute, majestic face. His nose was as straight as his spine, while his tightly pressed lips displayed an indescribable pride and nobility. His lightning-like gaze fell upon Jiang Dali. The divine light in his eyes, along with a trace of amusement, inexplicably gave off an approachable and familiar feeling as he slowly said,
"Jiang Dali!"
"Human Emperor... it truly wasn't easy to meet you."
Jiang Dali's lips trembled as he uttered words in an aged, hoarse voice that scarcely sounded like his own.
The Human Emperor smiled faintly. Though his laughter was calm, his tone carried deep emotion. With his hands behind his back, he paced leisurely and said, "The