A gentle lake breeze stirred.
Lu leaned in his wheelchair, bronze cup in hand; liquor swayed, rich aroma wafting.
Before him, the system panel popped.
The long-silent [Mission] tab flickered faintly, as if prompting.
"New mission?"
Lu's gaze shimmered.
Mind shifted.
Sank into [Mission].
"Main Mission: Transform Wuhuang Continent into Wuhuang Great World (Accepted). Current Progress: Low Martial (Evaluation Pending)."
"Explanation: World at change threshold; cultivator era opens; needs brilliant thought collisions; myriad paths ringing."
"Branch Mission 1: Achieve Hundred Schools Contention among cultivators (Progress: Not Started)."
"Branch Mission 2: Weave Hundred Great Paths into plane origin; establish Heavenly Dao (Progress: Not Started)."
Lines of text danced before Lu.
He narrowed eyes.
Beyond familiar main; long-absent branches—two.
Abstract to Lu; hard start.
First: Hundred Schools Contention; easy say, hard do.
Thought collisions; cultivator same.
Control thoughts? Lu no easy.
Many need self-realization.
But clues.
Second puzzled headache.
"Weave paths into origin; create Heavenly Dao?"
Lu inhaled.
Dominating.
Hundred paths unify Heavenly Dao?
Lu thoughtful; knew origin—condensed it; vast power; Lu no underestimate.
Purpose: weave paths; clear roads in weeds; future cultivators follow; their ways.
Lu eyes bright; recalled suppressed Beiluo lake thunder pearl.
From mid-martial Heavenly tribulation; linked origin.
Perhaps start there; inspiration.
Exited interface.
Lu eyed white snowscape.
Bronze cup liquor iced; near solid.
Hand; white flame burned; cup over; warmed.
Not Bone Netherfire; Lu-derived enhanced man-made profound fire.
Not pure; power no less—stronger.
Bone Netherfire no great.
True profound: spark world-burn.
Order violence stability beyond.
Hand flame unnamed; Lu lazy; for Ni Yu post-five full; alchemy.
Now; warm liquor.
Lu smiled.
Sipped; watched lake Little Yinglong splash; water arrows; sky-machine pigeons "coo" chaos.
Island chrysanthemums swayed; peaches bloomed; bamboo rustled.
Idyllic.
...
Li Sansi fled battlefield.
Back green ox; Mo Ju crane-cloaked waited.
Li leaned ox; clutched chest...
"Daoist Li... well?"
Mo Ju eyed.
Li robes tattered; glared; eyed Mo Ju; patted ox; puffed; fine.
Mo Ju nod slight.
Step back; cupped bow.
"Thanks Daoist aid; Daxuan remembers."
Mo serious.
Serious solemn; vs wine Buzhou; blocking Overlord true great.
Li waved; normal.
"Daoist; Beijun two dragon gates; one Buzhou; one Taili Ask-Heaven Peak."
"North Xuan build Daxuan Academy Taili; interest preside; teach juniors?"
"Of course; no short; Buzhou gate open always; Taili dragon gate anytime."
Mo.
Li puffed; smiled; waved.
Mo stunned; understood: "Ju leaves; await reply."
Mo crane light; bold stride away.
Side-eye Mo gone.
Li mouth open; smack; blood gushed; stained snow.
"Finally..."
Li slumped ground.
Panted hot.
"Overlord stronger... five full; nearly killed."
Li exhaled; never five full; first Body; barely three tempered.
"Must cultivate... else surpassed."
Li rose; ox back.
Vanished woods.
...
Daxuan-Xiliang battle; Daxuan defeat flee end.
Grim; but Daxuan... no loss.
Xiliang Overlord; one vs armies.
No extinction hard.
Battle decided future.
Short; no war; long truce.
Li appear; blocked Overlord; signal.
Daxuan Body Storage too.
Outcome uncertain.
Long-watch families clans decided sides.
No side; post-truce no mercy.
Tantai Overlord family-born; knew influence; no uncontrolled.
Families choose; else enemy.
West North Commanderies; long ridge.
"Huangtian Ridge."
West ridge families Xiliang; north Daxuan.
South Commandery public Daxuan; stalemate.
South aid Daxuan; Xiliang hard bite.
Tang Xiansheng sent South Mansion army Daxuan; war harder.
World rare peace.
Split two.
Daxuan Xiliang control.
South near independent.
But Xiliang Great Zhou capital; legitimate; more families.
World temporary stable; undercurrents.
Time; Daxuan Xiliang South frantic cultivate.
Knew cultivator importance.
...
Ximen Xianzhi left Zhongnan; sword case back; north.
Sword Saint Hua Dongliu advice: challenge strong; condense sword intent; reasonable.
Three years no descend; isolated.
Time world walk.
Xiliang-Daxuan result; peace.
Ximen snow-thick official road; pace steady; sensed sword path.
Hand; light twist; sharp; shredded falling snow.
Sudden.
Head up; distant.
Refugee south team; many met.
Capital chaos; refugees normal.
Hm?
Gaze condensed; team figure.
Familiar.
Ximen move; traceless snow; side.
"One divination knows fate."
Ximen eyed bamboo staff banner; five words; grand aura.
"Brother Mo; three years; divination indeed..."
Ximen eyed.
Mo Tianyu shivered team; blocked; head up; surprised.
"Sword Sect... no; Sword Pavilion; seven heroes chief... Ximen Xianzhi."
Mo laughed.
Old acquaintance.
Followed Master; Sword Sect; dealt Ximen.
Then chief; spirited; no less Overlord Li.
Pity three seclusion; near forgotten.
Now descend.
Era changed.
Ximen down.
"Then Brother Mo liked divination; under Master; heart divination; wish fulfilled."
Ximen smile.
Mo face stiff; dim.
"Master no die battle; Tianyu accompany..."
Mo.
Ximen stunned; lips quivered.
"Brother Mo; sorry..."
World changed much; cultivators; hundred sons end.
Seclusion missed much...
"Brother Ximen go why?"
Mo smiled; dim swept; curious Ximen.
"Bottleneck; north challenge strong..."
Ximen serious.
North?
Challenge?
Mo dazed.
"Hear Beiluo Young Master Lu; world first; challenge."
Ximen.
Body confident surge.
Mo mouth twitch; fake beard near fall; confidence where?
"Then; wish Brother Ximen... early go early back."
Mo cupped sincere.
Ximen smiled; odd poor-dressed Mo.
"Brother Mo plans?"
Ximen laugh.
"Me? Foot tour world mountains lakes; feel; enhance divination."
Mo.
"Oh?"
"Great perseverance." Ximen solemn.
World vast; all want see; who persevere feel?
People ties; ties no carefree tour.
"Brother Mo; rare meet; one divination?"
"Recall then; always divine me; never did."
Ximen reminisce; smile.
Mo eyes bright.
Eyed Ximen.
Hear challenge Lu; lazy divine.
But...
Hard refuse.
Then; barely one.
"Old Mo divine Brother Ximen."
Mo light laugh.
Staff snow thrust.
Three strong aura coins hand; fingers; seals.
Tossed.
Coins air spin; snow fall.
"Congrats Brother Ximen."
"Hexagram: challenge great auspicious! Great!"
Mo pocket coins; loud laugh.
Ximen eyes bright.
"Oh? True?"
"Hear Beiluo Young Master mighty..."
Mo pocket; pat Ximen shoulder: "Trust old Mo; divination... professional!"
"Hexagram great auspicious... assured;惊无险."
"Challenge boldly!"
Mo.
Grab banner staff; heaven laugh.
Brush Ximen; refugee tide; steps fast; far.
Ximen inhale; eyed vanish; gaze admire.
Three years; Mo unfathomable; master style.
Three coins; strong feel.
Such level; no false.
Ximen cupped vanish back.
Turn.
Spirited.
Target: Beiluo, Lu Ping'an!