"My lord, may I ask what you need of me?" Jie Mubai asked.
He understood well that there was no such thing as a free meal in this world, let alone power of this magnitude — even for him, this was an opportunity he had only ever dreamed of.
Moreover, what the other party had given him wasn't simply power — they had also saved his life.
In all the world, aside from the grace of raising someone, what favor could compare to the grace of granting a second life?
Hummm— At that moment, the wall at the front of the grand hall vanished.
What appeared was not the scenery beyond, but rather a connection to an even more vast palace.
That palace was larger still, yet also far more empty.
Within it, there was also a grand formation — an Inheritance Formation.
And as a Heavenly Dragon Spirit World Master, Jie Mubai could sense that this formation contained power far greater than what resided within his own body, and far more sinister as well.
The formation hadn't been created particularly long ago, yet it had nothing to do with him.
"My lord… someone else has already received your inheritance?" Jie Mubai asked.
A strange, unpleasant feeling stirred within his heart.
He had thought that he had been given tremendous regard.
Yet now it seemed someone else had reaped even greater rewards — and not just by a small margin.
Naturally, he felt unbalanced.
After all, in his view, no one in this entire martial cultivation world was more deserving than he.
"Do not ask what you should not ask."
The man who called himself Emperor spoke, radiating an authority that brooked no questioning.
"Forgive my loose tongue, my lord."
Though curiosity gnawed at him, Jie Mubai dared not press further.
He knew full well that compared to this man, he was nothing.
Whoosh— At that moment, a ray of light materialized out of thin air at the far end of the two halls, slicing a rift through space.
Immediately after, a strangely shaped door appeared — one resembling a ladder.
It was the Gate to Heaven.
"Enter."
The man who called himself Emperor spoke.
Someone like Jie Mubai could naturally sense the function of that Gate to Heaven. It was still an opportunity — a heaven-defying opportunity.
Yet upon hearing the Emperor's words, his face showed hesitation.
He had only just obtained his current level of power. He did not wish to enter the Ninth Heavenly River just like that.
There were still far too many things he had yet to accomplish.
After all, the martial cultivation world still held considerable opportunities of its own.
So Jie Mubai asked tentatively, "My lord, would it be possible for me to go at a later time?"
"This Emperor granted you power so that you could dominate the Eight Heavenly Rivers — not so you could show off here."
The man calling himself Emperor shut down Jie Mubai's thoughts with a single sentence.
"This Emperor chose you because you have some talent — but only some."
"The current martial cultivation world limits your growth. Only by stepping into the Ninth Heavenly River can you truly unleash your potential."
"Although the accumulation you have built over these years will also serve as a catalyst for rapid growth once you enter the Ninth Heavenly River, the sooner you go in, the faster you will grow."
"What you must do is raise your strength by any means necessary, and strive so that one day you may be of use to this Emperor."
Jie Mubai bowed deeply and said, "My lord, may I ask what you need of me?"
"That way, I can prepare in advance."