After Verdant Green Maiden asked this question, Xiao Yan froze, standing rooted to the spot. His aged eyes were filled with helpless confusion.
Seeing him fall silent, Verdant Green Maiden clicked her tongue.
"Look at you. These days, even feeding yourself is a problem. How could you possibly offer me delicacies fit to topple a nation?"
"If... the True Person would help... then everything would be possible!"
Xiao Yan panted heavily. Even speaking this short sentence took enormous effort. Where was the imposing aura of the Son of Heaven who had once ridden into battle to conquer the world?
A hero in his twilight years?
No, that wasn't it.
Xiao Yan had long since left heroism behind.
He had ceased to be one when he gave himself over to the Buddhist Gate.
Looking at Xiao Yan, Verdant Green Maiden suddenly crouched down to face him. "At first, you revered the Dao; later, you revered Buddha. But neither the Buddha Dao nor the Dao could save the world. The only ones who could save it were the people themselves!"
At her words, Xiao Yan parted his lips.
Before he could say anything, Verdant Green Maiden continued, "Still, I'm curious about what went through your mind. Changing from Daoism to Buddhism would be one thing, but you gave yourself to Buddhist temples four times. From ancient times to now, you're the first Son of Heaven to do such a thing."
"Son of Heaven..."
Hearing Verdant Green Maiden's words, Xiao Yan gave a dry chuckle. "In this day and age, what does being Son of Heaven even mean? Setting aside the chaos of more than a hundred years ago, even now... there are three or four Sons of Heaven in the world."
"What meaning is there in my being the first?"
Verdant Green