"It has already been hundreds of years…" Hou Juan sighed.
Even to cultivators, hundreds of years was a large amount of time.
For some low level cultivators, this was longer than their lifespan, and it was enough to make them go from their peak to dry bones.
Even to Chen Heng and Hou Juan, this was not a small period of time.
Much had happened during those hundreds of years.
Back when Hou Juan had left, Chen Heng had only just taken control of the Flowing Cloud Sect, and the Flowing Cloud Sect's territory was still within the Yue Kingdom.
After hundreds of years, the Flowing Cloud Sect had already become the most powerful faction in this area.
This difference was massive.
"It seems that you've been quite bored for the past few hundred years," Chen Heng said as he looked at Hou Juan and lightly laughed.
"It wasn't exactly boring," Hou Juan said as she smiled, "The secret realm was not too bad; there were many interesting things that kept me occupied.
"However, I have to say that after staying there for so long, I did start disliking it. I'm finally out…" she said as she lightly sighed.
Looking at Hou Juan, Chen Heng smiled. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly paused and coughed a few times.
At the corner of his mouth, there was a trace of blood, looking quite obvious.
Hou Juan's expression immediately changed.
"You're injured?" she instinctively wanted to stand up, a look of shock on her face.
At their level of cultivation, they were essentially immune to all poisons and sicknesses.
The only reason that Chen Heng would be like this was because he was injured.
Moreover, it was no ordinary injury.
However, how had he received such a serious injury?
By now, the Flowing Cloud Sect had reached the peak, and it was the overlord of this region, while Chen Heng was hailed as the number one person.
With this kind of strength, who could injure him?
"It's an old problem," Chen Heng shook his head as he waved his hand, "Just some aftereffects left behind from back then."
"Is it a Dao Injury?" Hou Juan frowned as she asked.
Chen Heng did not say anything and just nodded.
Dao Injuries were no ordinary injuries.
This was an injury to one's foundation, and in a sense, it was the most serious injury. Even powerful cultivators would gradually die after receiving a Dao Injury.
"Was it from the battles back then?" Hou Juan frowned and asked after a while.
"You could put it that way." Chen Heng coughed for a while before recovering and nodding, "The Demon Sovereign and the Divine Palace's Palace Master were not easy opponents.
"I received these injuries from them," he said quite calmly.
In this world, overlord-level figures were not simple people.
Chen Heng leading the Flowing Cloud Sect through this great tribulation and reaching the peak had not been easy.
The others were not too bad, but the Demon Sect's Demon Sovereign and the Divine Palace's Palace Master had been quite troublesome to deal with.
Both of them possessed Fortune, and the Fortune they had was more powerful than even Hou Juan's at her peak.
The two of them are the absolute central characters to this great tribulation; it had not been easy for Chen Heng to defeat them at all.
It was far more difficult than anyone could imagine.
Back then, he had received a Dao Injury, and his body was now heavily injured.
If it was anyone else, they would have long since fallen and would not have been able to hold out for so long.
However, to him, it did not matter too much.
Right now, he seemed quite calm and did not feel much.
Looking at Chen Heng, Hou Juan fell silent for a while.
Looking at Chen Heng, she felt quite guilty and uncomfortable.
From the start until now, Chen Heng was the person who had treated her the best.
Back when she had been trapped in the secret realm, she had wanted to go out countless times so she could see Chen Heng.
She had never thought that when they would meet again, things would be like this.
Thinking to there, she felt quite sad and grieved.
"No need to be like that," Chen Heng said as he shook his head, "Death is inevitable, and there's nothing to be surprised about. Moreover, I'm not dead yet. Even if you're sad, you should wait until I've passed."
Chen Heng spoke softly as he looked at the slightly teary Hou Juan.
"I…"
Hearing Chen Heng's words, Hou Juan looked up, tears welling up in her eyes.
Because cultivators had a long lifespan, they were quite used to this.
In the past, Hou Juan had sent off a few good friends and buried them.
But now that this person was Chen Heng, she was unable to accept it.
Looking at Hou Juan, Chen Heng inwardly shook his head and got up and walked to the side.
"I personally planted all of the spirit grasses in this spirit garden and have painstakingly nurtured them," he said softly as he looked at Hou Juan, "Have a look around at the changes while you're here."
After saying this, he turned and left from this place.
As he walked, a figure appeared in front of him.
The slender figure stood there, and she had somewhat beautiful looks.
She held an umbrella and slowly walked towards him.
It was Zhang Ya.
After hundreds of years, most people from Chen Heng's generation had departed.
This included Liu Wen and some other people Chen Heng had been familiar with in the Flowing Cloud Sect.
Compared to others, Zhang Ya's talent was quite good.
Under Chen Heng's nurturing, she had received much support, and she had even received much guidance from Chen Heng personally.
After hundreds of years, that tender young girl had become a powerful cultivator.
In the Flowing Cloud Sect, apart from Chen Heng, Zhang Ya was one of the most powerful cultivators. She was at the peak of the Profound Understanding and was close to a new level.
Honestly, even Chen Heng felt quite surprised about this.
A cultivator's cultivation was not as simple as people thought.
This was especially so after reaching Profound Understanding.
For Zhang Ya to be able to reach this level, she was undeniably a genius.
In actuality, she was the person Chen Heng wanted to succeed him as the Sect Master.
"Why did you suddenly come over?" Chen Heng asked softly.
"Clan brother."
Looking at Chen Heng, Zhang Ya nodded and bowed respectfully as she said, "I heard Junior Apprentice Sister Hou returned; is that so?"
"Did you want to catch up with her?" Chen Heng smiled as he said, "She's back there; you can go find her if you want."
Chen Heng lightly spoke before leaving.
The light breeze outside blew against Chen Heng's body, making him feel a bit cold.
As Chen Heng looked out at the scenery in the distance, his eyes became a bit hazy.
"At the end, it still comes to this…" Chen Heng thought to himself.
By now, he had reached his limit.
With his strength, even though he had a Dao Injury, as long as he wanted to, he could suppress it; it was not as bad as the injury he had received when he was a True Lord.
The reason he was like this was because he could no longer suppress it and could no longer recover from the injury.
In other words, he did not have much time left.
Hou Juan also knew this, which was why she had been so sad.
However, Chen Heng did not mind too much.
After all, this was not his real body, and if he fell, then so be it.
It was not like he had not died before, and this was not a big deal.
Standing there, Chen Heng's expression was calm as he thought to himself.
Time gradually passed, and soon, it had been a few months.
After those months, a second piece of urgent news came.
The Flowing Cloud Sect's Sect Master, who had stayed within the Flowing Cloud Sect ever since defeating the Divine Palace's Palace Master, had finally come out.
It was said that he was preparing to travel around the world and have a look at all of the Flowing Cloud Sect's territory.
In just a moment, all of the Flowing Cloud Sect's attention was attracted by this matter.
