Among the many Other Shore Beings, the first person Meng Qi needed to bring to his side was the Azure Emperor. And he needed the Azure Emperor to stand with him unwaveringly.
Meng Qi had helped the Azure Emperor attain the Dao, and the Azure Emperor was willing to shelter him from the pursuit of other Other Shore Beings.
For instance, when the Other Shore Beings returned over a century ago, the Azure Emperor would have protected Meng Qi's life if he had been willing to enter the Fusang Ancient Tree Domain.
After all, choosing to enter the Fusang Ancient Tree Domain would have meant giving up everything just to stay alive. The Azure Emperor could have protected him then.
But now Meng Qi wanted to attain the Other Shore. That was an entirely different matter.
Each new Other Shore Being was another player at the board, bringing endless possibilities no one could control.
At a moment like this, even allies could become enemies.
Besides, while Meng Qi had indeed helped the Azure Emperor attain the Dao, the Golden Emperor had done far more for him.
That was why the Azure Emperor had been unable to step forward and protect Meng Qi when the Other Shore Beings returned.
Both sides had helped him, and the latter had done more. Helping either one would make him a mortal enemy of the other.
In a world where Karma mattered, he could not act then.
Perhaps the Azure Emperor would refrain from obstructing Meng Qi's attainment of the Other Shore because of their past Karma. After all, not standing in his way would itself be a form of help.
But that was not enough. Meng Qi wanted the Azure Emperor's support.
In the original story, the Azure Emperor had stood by Meng Qi