"I really want to stay in this world, to see their future, to see the hope they pass on."

Countless thoughts arose in Lin Feng's mind.

“You’re just like those overly concerned old fathers, terrified your child will go astray.” Gui Ke laughed heartily. “If you keep looking at them like that, what’s the point?”

"Yes." Lin Feng understood the reasoning, but he just couldn't help feeling that sense of anticipation.

Gui Ke suddenly asked, "Brother, aren't you about at the age where you should be having children?"

"More than that, judging from the time changes in some of the mission worlds, I'm almost a hundred years old now."

The time he spent in the world of Inception and the world of tall grass alone is not just measured in days and months.

"Hahaha, don't you want to leave behind any offspring? Even just staying in this world... wouldn't be bad," Gui Ke suddenly asked.

"I believe my purpose in having children is to pass on my beliefs, so that they can stand on my shoulders, carrying my hopes, and continue moving towards the future," Lin Feng said. "Now they have already passed on my beliefs, and one day..."

"They will succeed." Gui Ke guessed Lin Feng's thoughts and handed him another candied hawthorn.

A year passed quickly, and Xu Shilin's private school gradually spread throughout the Jiangnan region. Among the people who were most interested in him was the Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist conference that was initiated by a single sentence from Lin Feng.

As this attention arrived, a familiar figure appeared before Lin Feng.

"Amitabha, benefactor, has your return been to leave behind a legacy?" The bodhisattva, now in human form, had concealed his divine light, but in Lin Feng's eyes, the divine light still emanated from his skin.

"Yes," Lin Feng readily admitted.

The Bodhisattva said softly, "Using the laws of the future to guide those who have passed on, benefactor... the cause and effect of this world have all changed because of you."

"Does Buddhism still care about predetermined cause and effect?" Lin Feng asked curiously.

If the future truly unfolds as the script suggests, even all the gods and Buddhas in the heavens would find it boring. Besides, being such an existence means having no fear of changes in cause and effect.

“Amitabha Buddha, this method you are practicing is a matter of great cause and effect, not in the present, but only in the future.” The Bodhisattva continued, “Why don’t you join my Buddhist path and cultivate yourself into a future Buddha?”

Lin Feng asked, puzzled, "Future Buddha? Isn't the Future Buddha Maitreya?"

“Maitreya Buddha cultivates the future of Buddhism, and also the future Dharma. But you are different, benefactor. You cultivate another future, the future of mortals.” As the Bodhisattva spoke, a different kind of lotus flower of Buddha light bloomed in his hand.

"He won't kill me, will he?" Lin Feng looked at the things the other party was showing him.

"No." As he was speaking, the Nine Extremes Demon Star Spirit Lord Seal in Lin Feng's heart suddenly throbbed, and a golden light descended from the sky, arriving in front of him.

"Lord Nine Extremes Demon Star Spirit Lord, His Majesty's decree summons you to the Lingxiao Palace." The spirit official who had once introduced him to the Heavenly Palace appeared before him. After bowing to the Bodhisattva beside him, he handed Lin Feng a scroll of Heavenly Court decree.

"Please, benefactor, this humble monk will not disturb you any longer." The Bodhisattva placed the Buddha light in his hand into Lin Feng's hand, and then disappeared before his eyes.

"This is... handing me a difficult problem." Lin Feng sighed, taking back the seal that Wang Lingguan had just given him.

After he followed the spirit official all the way to the South Heavenly Gate and entered the Thirty-Third Heaven of the Heavenly Court, the long-lost Wang Lingguan quickly flew to his side: "Young friend, it's been a long time. Your cultivation has improved a lot."

"Wang Lingguan," Lin Feng said modestly, "I only made a small gain."

"Haha, you're not young anymore, come with me," Wang Lingguan laughed. "I'll take you to see His Majesty."

The spirit official on one side stepped aside, and Lin Feng followed Wang Lingguan toward the dazzling Lingxiao Palace, arriving before a tall figure radiating divine light.

Just like in the TV series, the Jade Emperor sat on the top, his face majestic. With just one glance, Lin Feng felt as if he could see the will of Heaven in this world.

At that moment, Wang Lingguan gave a wink, and the two of them simultaneously bowed to the Jade Emperor above, then stood in the center of the sky full of gods and Buddhas.

Lin Feng's eyes darted around, and in an instant he spotted Nezha dressed in fiery red.

"Nine Extremes Demon Star Spirit Lord".

A majestic voice rang out from above, and Lin Feng immediately composed himself, waiting for what was to come.

"Your merit in spreading the Dao has resonated with the Heavenly Dao, and you may be appointed as the Star Lord of the Nine Extremes Demon Star."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Lin Feng received Wang Lingguan's telepathic message.

"Although you are a person from outside this realm and are not governed by this world, you have gained its recognition. If you complete your path to enlightenment, you can become a True Lord. If the small world you carry is completed, you can become an Emperor."

Is this a hint to him?

Just as Lin Feng was about to respond, the Jade Emperor's voice rang out again.

"If the Great Dao you bear is perfected, you can also become a Dao Lord."

Taojun!

The gods and immortals in the heavens all gasped in shock. Fortunately, they were also well aware that the Dao Lord mentioned by the Jade Emperor was not the Dao Lord of Heaven and Earth, but rather someone from another Dao.

"As for the Buddhist sect's recruitment, you are only appointed by the Heavenly Court, not controlled by it. You don't need to care about our affairs."

"The teachings of Buddhism are very much in line with yours."

"Thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty," Lin Feng replied respectfully.

At that very moment, light descended upon the world, and the fragment of the will of heaven and earth in Lin Feng's hand burrowed into the Nine Extremes Demon Star Spirit Lord Seal. Immediately afterward, the writing on the seal changed.

"Nine Extremes Crimson Fire Demon Star Lord Seal"

Crimson Fire?

Lin Feng immediately thought of the Primordial Flame burning within his body. The Primordial Flame had now merged with his Samadhi True Flame, and unexpectedly, it had been directly engraved onto the Great Seal.

At that moment, Wang Lingguan gave him a wink, and together they left the Lingxiao Palace. He was not a Heavenly Court official, and having completed his investiture, he naturally would not remain there to listen to matters.

"Did you understand His Majesty's meaning?" Wang Lingguan suddenly asked after they came out.

"Um..." Lin Feng's mind raced: "Does he mean he doesn't want me to accept the Buddhist tradition?"

"Haha, yes and no." Wang Lingguan shook his head, seemingly inviting him to continue guessing.

"Actually, I don't intend to accept the future Buddha lineage of Buddhism." Lin Feng already had a plan: "Although I want to see the future, I will definitely not use this method to cultivate the future I imagine."

"Hahaha, young friend, your resolve in the Dao is unwavering."

Wang Lingguan nodded with a smile: "Since that's the case, I won't say anything more. I wish you, Star Lord, a speedy attainment of the Great Dao!"

The Jade Emperor's words were a reminder.

"Thank you, Wang Lingguan!"

After saying goodbye, Lin Feng went to the South Heavenly Gate. After a brief exchange with Guan Yu, who was on duty, he walked out of the South Heavenly Gate again and left the Thirty-Three Heavens.

In those few short moments, several days had passed in the mortal realm, and the monks and Taoists who had interacted with Xu Shilin had also come up with some new ideas.

The Way of Yin and Yang, the Way of Cause and Effect, the Way of Heaven and Earth... They are obsessed with pursuing the joy and peace of mind that the Way brings, ignoring the truly persevering people beneath these things, those who truly possess a spirit of perseverance!

At this moment, in the sky, the Jade Emperor, dressed in ordinary clothes, followed Wang Lingguan as he looked at the figures gradually dispersing on the ground.

"Your Majesty, this time they did indeed show some semblance of humanity. Aren't you afraid they will once again ignite a great war between humanity and the will of Heaven?" Wang Lingguan asked in a low voice.

“If he is the representative of humanity, then those supreme beings of humanity are the first to be eliminated by him.” The Jade Emperor lacked the majesty he displayed in the Lingxiao Palace, and his eyes revealed a hint of peace: “True humanity is not about vying for hegemony with heaven and earth.”

Wang Lingguan seemed to be deep in thought; this was the real reason why the Jade Emperor was giving Lin Feng advice.