Ascending to Godhood: I Can Foresee All Futures

Zhang Daoming didn’t answer directly. He just grabbed the wineskin at his side, tilted his head back, and took a large swig of cheap, fiery liquor.

The burning liquid seared his throat, but it couldn’t wash away the bitterness in his heart.

"Perhaps."

Setting down the wineskin, Zhang Daoming replied in a low voice, then lowered his head again, his gaze falling upon the rippling water.

Once upon a time, he had been the recognized prodigy of his generation in Ning’an Prefecture, proud and arrogant.

He hadn’t even given much thought to the so-called Ning’an Ten Heroes.

His goal was the Dragon and Tiger List, a gathering of the realm’s greatest heroes.

However, all his pride was ruthlessly shattered in that one battle on Wushan Mountain.

That young man from the Government Office, who had appeared out of nowhere, had swept the field with almost crushing dominance.

His Swordsmanship and Cultivation, which he had taken such pride in, seemed so pale and powerless before the other man’s tyrannical, blazing blade.

That defeat not only shattered his Mental Realm but also left a deep scar on his heart.

Afterward, Zhang Daoming cast aside all his arrogance and returned to the mountain to train bitterly, vowing to catch up.

But it was as if fate was always playing a joke on him.

He gave chase with all his might, but the other man’s figure only grew more distant, so fast that it drove him to despair.

Chen Sheng breaking through to Profound Mastery, slaying Zhou Kuohai in battle, cutting down Lu Canghai with his blade... one after another, these events struck like successive claps of thunder.

That name quickly transformed from that of a rival of his generation into a titan of Ning’an, someone the Temple Master himself had to personally meet and treat as an equal.

Back then, he was still unwilling to accept it. The obsessive thought that he could sooner or later catch up still burned within him.

But now...

Golden Spring Temple was destroyed, the Temple Master had fallen, and Qingfeng Temple faced utter annihilation.

Chen Sheng had already reached a height where Zhang Daoming could only look up to him.

Zhang Daoming didn’t dare to imagine. ’By the time I finally break through to Profound Mastery after countless hardships, or even reach its late stage, what realm will that man have reached?’

’The Pill Realm?’

’Or even higher?’

’Does any hope of avenging the sect and reviving our heritage truly exist?’

This thought was like a venomous snake, gnawing at his conviction and making Zhang Daoming feel a suffocating sense of confusion and fear.

But the sacrifices of all the elders and his martial brothers, the weight of Elder Yu’s resolute sacrifice, and the heavy Storage Magical Artifact in his robe, which contained the most precious treasures accumulated by Qingfeng Temple over many years...

All of it transformed into an unbearable weight, pressing down on his shoulders so heavily that it threatened to bend his straight back.

"WHOOSH..."

A sound of rushing wind broke the air as a figure landed lightly on the deck at the bow. It was Elder Wang, who was responsible for scouting their rear.

He forced a tired smile onto his face and said to the group:

"The waterway behind us is clear. There’s no sign of pursuers. The main force from the Government Office must have been held up at the temple by Elder Yu and the others. They haven’t realized we’ve taken this route yet."

Hearing this, the taut nerves of the disciples on board finally relaxed a little. Many let out long sighs of relief and slumped down.

The waterway they had chosen was winding and hidden, leading directly to Nanzhao Prefecture. It was specifically to avoid any potential blockades on the main roads.

"Junior Master Wang."

Zhang Daoming stood up.

"Dao Ming,"

Elder Wang walked over, patted his shoulder, and tried to console him in a lighthearted tone:

"Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. No matter how strong that Chen Sheng is, he’s a man, not a god. I believe that with your talent and temperament, given time, you will surely be his equal.

Once we reach Dragon Tiger Mountain, you can focus on your Cultivation. There will always be..."

Zhang Daoming forced the corners of his mouth into a smile and was about to reply when his expression suddenly changed.

At almost the same instant, Elder Wang also whipped his head around, his sharp gaze shooting toward the sky behind the boat.

A dazzling streak of light could be seen tearing through the sky at an incredible speed, hurtling toward their small boat.

One moment it was extremely far away; in the blink of an eye, it had closed to within a thousand zhang.

That undisguised, sharp aura and astonishing speed were anything but ordinary.

"That’s..."

Elder Wang’s pupils suddenly contracted as he cried out in horror:

"Chen Sheng?!"

"What?!"

"Chen Sheng?!"

Hearing this, every disciple on the boat turned pale with fright. They scrambled to their feet in terror, staring at the deadly streak of light that would arrive in an instant.

Zhang Daoming clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms. As he watched the approaching figure that radiated a suffocating pressure, the last shred of hope in his heart was utterly extinguished.

All that remained was icy despair, and... the helplessness of being caught by fate.

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