Supreme Ancient Road

The Jade Emperor's face darkened, but he did not grow angry upon hearing this. He merely said flatly, "What qualifications do you have to say such things? You too are enjoying the residual benefits of the immortal path we created. If we had not founded this path, how could your human race have risen to prominence?"

Lu Ren gave a derisive laugh. "Even without your immortal path, my human race fought against heaven and earth, battled primordial beasts, contended with heaven and earth alike. The shamanic path we forged would not have been any worse, would it?"

As he spoke, he flicked his hand, apparently because his fist striking the Golden Bowl earlier had left it aching.

"Now that I have opened the final joint of the shamanic path, the paths ahead lead to the same destination. As for who will become the Golden Immortal, no one can say until the very end, can they?"

A strange look appeared on the Jade Emperor's face. "You want to contend for it as well?"

"Who wouldn't? A Golden Immortal—unique in every aspect, unseen in past and future, with only the present remaining; self-perfect and complete, unbreakable through myriad tribulations, eternally alive and imperishable."

Lu Ren sighed with emotion and shook his head slightly. "But my path does not lie there, so you need not worry too much. I merely wanted to learn the internal structure of this Ascension Platform. Now that I have seen it, forget it. Looking at you all as though your parents have died, if I stay any longer, I'm afraid you'll eat me alive!"

It was not that Lu Ren feared them. This was, after all, Tathagata and the Jade Emperor's home ground. If he truly drove them into a corner and they mobilized the Heavenly Palace and