"This heir doesn't necessarily have to be me."
An Jing shook his head. He gazed at the silver giant python before him, formed from an endless convergence of possibilities, his tone calm. "Me not becoming your heir would be best for you."
[Indeed.] The Tianyuan Heavenly Dao readily admitted it instead. [Before, I was merely operating on instinct. Wisdom and instinct are not the same—this, too, is a flaw of 'life.' Just as Heavenly Demons possess human flaws, so too do I, having become life.]
[Now, in my view, your becoming stronger is what benefits me most. That is why I wish to help you become stronger.]
"You've already done so."
An Jing smiled and looked toward the blood-red star in the distance, where boundless radiance was gathering—the Burning Heaven Divine Weapon. "I had been pondering what exactly the Immortal Karma of the 'Dao of Spirit' was, and how I could fully comprehend it and make it part of my inheritance... Now, I have a complete direction."
"The complete form of 'spirit' is a Dao Python like you, Lord of Spirits. A cycle of Spiritual Energy entirely under my control; a perfect cycle within my Grotto-Heaven, one that continuously grows, a cycle that only increases and never diminishes—so long as I forge such a Dao Python within myself, achieving complete mastery and command over my own Spiritual Energy, and can freely bestow it upon others..."
"I will have completely mastered the Dao of Spirit."
"And be able to attain True Lordhood."
[If it can inspire you,]
the great python said with gratification, [then nothing could be better.]
"Come."
An Jing raised a hand in invitation. His will crossed the void and connected with the enormous silver python. "Since you have appeared, then watch the Holy Demon's destruction with me."
Thus,