Chapter 1 First Encounter

The youth Yeming sat upright, glancing from side to side. He saw the white-haired Daoist on one side and the aloof, indifferent young Emperor Jun on the other. Based on a natural premonition, even though he had many things he wanted to say at this moment, he obediently kept his mouth shut.

"First time meeting you, Heavenly Emperor. Your descent here fills this humble Daoist with trepidation."

The white-haired Daoist said he was filled with trepidation, but his face showed not a trace of it.

Emperor Jun calmly gazed at him and said, "First time?"

"Of course."

The Daoist nodded matter-of-factly. Every word Tu Shanyuan said came from the heart, treating people with sincerity!

From a chronological perspective, this era was indeed the first time they had met. Besides, the reason they met in later generations was because Yu the Great had been captured, and Wei Yuan went to find him. But in this era, even Yu the Great's grandfather hadn't been found yet.

Where would Yu the Great come from?

Hmm… If he found Yu the Great's ancestor at this time and became sworn brothers with him…

Wouldn't he be several generations above Da Nujiao in later generations?!

Mmm, very doable.

Yu the Great? No, no, no… it wouldn't be satisfying to be several generations above Yu the Great. That guy would just laugh it off and shamelessly ask for New Year's money. Ah, just imagining Nujiao's face, wanting to get angry but having to force a smile, made him feel happy.

The Daoist's thoughts ran wild.

The old tortoise on the side was sweating.

It was obvious that this white-haired Daoist was absent-minded. Fortunately, the Great Wilderness Heavenly Emperor seemed to have a better temper than ordinary people, at least when it came to such matters. Otherwise, a strong person with an explosive temper would have flipped the table on the spot.

The Daoist used tea gifted by Leizu to brew tea, watching the tea soup boil and adding ancient, exotic flowers.

The petals swirled in the tea soup, adding more flavor. He casually said:

"I wonder, is the Great Wilderness Heavenly Emperor here to enjoy the scenery?"

Wei Yuan just said it casually to start a conversation, but he didn't expect Emperor Jun to nod slightly and say calmly:

"Yes, this place is my bamboo forest. I come here to play when I'm free."

Yours…

The Daoist's thoughts froze slightly. He slowly turned his eyes, seeing the boundless bamboo forest around him. Each bamboo was an ancient species, large enough to be a boat. Sitting inside, one felt the vastness of all things and a peaceful state of mind. If Chiyou saw it, he would probably pop his eyes out and perform all the martial arts from the Nine Li secret manual, like Uprooting Mountains with Bamboo.

The white-haired Daoist's smile slightly stiffened. "Yours?" he asked.

Emperor Jun sipped his tea slowly and said faintly, "Yes, mine."

"Just one of my side gardens."

"A bit small."

The Daoist: "………………"

He stared stiffly at the boundless sea of bamboo around him.

A bit small?

Damn it!

Why, just after fleecing one wealthy sucker, did the richest person in the world appear?

Emperor Jun, the Great Wilderness Heavenly Emperor, the constellations of stars... This guy was probably richer than the Queen Mother of the West. The white-haired Daoist felt he had suffered an unprecedented blow. Emperor Jun put down his teacup and said calmly, "By the way, I also came to experience the All-Encompassing Return of the Lord of Guixu." (Return to Nothingness)

"It seems there won't be such an opportunity."

The old tortoise sighed for the Lord of Guixu. Judging from these words, even if the Lord of Guixu didn't die at the hands of this white-haired Daoist, he would be intercepted by the Great Wilderness Heavenly Emperor. When the myriad realms faced the constellations, the Lord of Guixu would probably not fare well.

However, Wei Yuan knew that the reason Emperor Jun was able to come was because the Lord of Guixu had unleashed all his power when he fought him earlier. Otherwise, with Guixu's style of greatly concealing its aura, coupled with Emperor Jun not paying attention, it wouldn't have been difficult for someone just below the Ten Great Peaks to leave safely with a plan.

Emperor Jun's eyes fell on the Daoist.

At this moment, the Great Wilderness Heavenly Emperor didn't seem to be the calm and composed person he would be thousands of years later. He still had his sharp edge and the arrogance of being the strongest in the Three Realms, Eight Desolations, and myriad worlds. The white-haired Daoist brewed tea, smiled, and said, "Does the Heavenly Emperor want to spar with this humble Daoist?"

Emperor Jun quietly stared at him.

The Daoist thought for a moment and said, "The Heavenly Emperor is still the strongest in the Three Realms and Eight Desolations, yet you still want to challenge the Lord of Guixu and challenge this humble Daoist. I'm afraid you are unwilling…"

"Unwilling?"

The Heavenly Emperor raised his eyes. "What is there to be unwilling about?"

The Daoist smiled and said, "Because your strongest opponent, H浑天 (Huntian, referring to Hun Dun), didn't lose at your hands, but died stepping onto a higher path. Your strength was obtained because Huntian was gone, not because you defeated him in a fair fight. That's why you're unwilling."

"You want to defeat all the heroes in the world, step to the highest point, and prove to yourself that you are not weaker than Huntian."

!!!

The youth Yeming's scalp tingled.

The old man, who vaguely sensed something and felt that he would miss something important if he didn't come, trembled and stiffened. He felt a sense of regret and found it outrageous. This feeling of hidden confrontation within harmony, after just a few words, made him want to turn around and leave.

No, no, this kind of event isn't something to join in on.

This white-haired Daoist seems gentle…

Could it be that he is very good at provoking others?

The Heavenly Emperor laughed instead, saying, "You're wrong, that's not it."

The white-haired Daoist raised his eyes. "Oh?"

The Heavenly Emperor was calm and indifferent. "Just regret."

"Therefore, I want to defeat all opponents worth fighting before they die."

"You killed Guixu, proving that you are a better opponent."

"It's just a pity… the injuries are too severe."

Wei Yuan slowly drank tea, waiting for Emperor Jun's follow-up. At this moment, the Heavenly Emperor used the Great Wilderness to control the realms, his sharpness still present, not yet completely dissipated like in the six thousand years after, when he would truly be unparalleled in the world, with a flawless state of mind. The Heavenly Emperor pointed a finger at the Daoist:

"But confrontation doesn't necessarily have to be through fighting."

"There are many ways."

The Daoist smiled and said, "Ah, yes, yes, yes, being the best cook in the world is also being the strongest, being the best eater in the world is still being the strongest. I wonder what the Heavenly Emperor wants to compete in? If it's about being the first, this humble Daoist will accompany you. If it's about the second, this humble Daoist will give you a direction. There's a little guy over there who should be the best eater in the world when he grows up."

"His appetite is probably a little lacking right now."

The Heavenly Emperor nodded slightly and said, "I've noted it down. I will find the worst cook in the world to compete with you."

The handsome Heavenly Emperor said such a cold joke in a serious tone.

The Daoist couldn't help but laugh out loud, aggravating his wound, and coughed repeatedly, waving his hand and saying, "Forget it, no more joking. What does the Heavenly Emperor want to compete in? You can see my injuries. I'm afraid fighting is out of the question."

The Heavenly Emperor said calmly, "Let's compete in a battle of wits, not strength."

"Three rounds, how about it?"

The Daoist nodded carelessly. Emperor Jun waved his sleeve and said:

"If you win, I will grant you a condition. One win counts as one."

Wei Yuan nodded and said, "A wager, I know."

The white-haired Daoist played with his teacup and looked at the old tortoise beside him, smiling and saying, "Then I'll have to trouble the old gentleman to record this matter."

!!!

The old tortoise was excited and bowed, saying, "This… then this old man will not decline."

The old man sat upright, took out jade, used his fingers as a blade, and exhaled a mouthful of turbid air. He was going to record this major event, looking at the two figures on either side of the green stone, one with white hair falling and the other with black robes, vaguely corresponding to the yin and yang forces. The old man's heart surged, and the carving knife entered the stone.

In the first debate, the Heavenly Emperor nodded slightly and said, "Using the Dao to compete and evolve all laws, acceptable."

He flicked the cup in his hand slightly.

The tea in the cup flew out. The youth Yeming, who was watching, only saw the drops of water suddenly enlarging, reflecting brilliant starlight, as if a drop of water contained all things, the constellations of stars. The youth's expression was dazed, as if his mind was traveling through a million miles of stars, boundless and vast.

Yeming lost control of his mind and only managed to forcibly control his true spirit after a long time.

He guarded himself, cutting off the surrounding interference with his sword heart, and moved his gaze away from that drop of water. Then his pupils constricted, and his mind trembled. He saw the surrounding stars, truly in a billion miles of stars.

But in that drop of water, there were also stars flowing endlessly, and another self.

The youth saw such a pure display of one's own Dao for the first time, such vastness and grandeur, the scenery seen by the strongest in the world. He subconsciously looked at the white-haired Daoist, but saw the flow of Qi, the Daoist lowering his eyes to drink tea, and a drop of tea falling.

Then this drop of water turned into a vast and majestic river.

The river surrounded the Daoist, descending from the sky and going to the depths, in which appeared the earth, white hair falling, but there also seemed to be mortal dust, the fireworks of the world, the constellations of stars rotating, the human world enduring.

Suddenly, a celestial star fell. The Daoist flicked his wrist and flicked out a drop of water.

The water turned into a river, surging and rising into the sky, resisting the ten thousand miles of celestial stars.

The starlight flowed down in an instant, falling into the mortal world. Thus, in the fireworks of the human world, one could see the starry river, rotating in all directions, but it was forcibly penetrated by the brilliant starry river. The Daoist groaned, and his Qi stagnated. Emperor Jun had already stopped, and said faintly, "The Four Greats within the realm flow endlessly, but unfortunately, if you are complacent, you will never take the last step."

The white-haired Daoist looked at the cracked cup and sighed with emotion, "…As expected of the Heavenly Emperor."

The youth Yeming was dazzled and murmured, "This is… not fighting with strength?"

The Daoist nodded matter-of-factly. "Yes."

He looked down at the cup in his hand and said, "What a pity, it was bought from Xuanyuan Hill."

"It's broken just like that."

He put it down casually, and the cup turned into dust. The youth Yeming's heart surged, and he sat down after a long time. The various visions during the debate had disappeared. The youth thought that this should be the so-called illusion, right?

How could it be possible to use the fireworks of the mortal world as a formation, and even pull down the constellations…

He lowered his gaze and saw a new river flowing quietly behind the white-haired Daoist, still waters running deep, silent as before, and its winding flow was vaguely the same as the cracks that appeared on the Daoist's cup. The youth's expression slowly solidified -

All of that just now…

Was real?

Yeming was stunned.

The Heavenly Emperor said calmly, "Your cultivation is good, but I won the first round."

What damn competitiveness.

The Daoist helplessly rubbed his forehead. He was poor to begin with, and now he was even poorer. He said, "So, what does the Heavenly Emperor want me to do? Or are you eyeing the sword in my hand?"

Emperor Jun shook his head. "The spoils of the victor can be discussed later. What shall we compete in the second round?"

Wei Yuan thought for a moment and said, "Since we have already debated on the Dao, then the second round should be about techniques."

Seeing the old man recording the matter of Yu Xu's debate with the Heavenly Emperor, with the same material as the Hetu Luoshu, and thinking that this thing would surely be passed down to later generations, a bit of competitive spirit rose in the Daoist's heart. So he held the sword in his right hand, tapped it lightly with his fingers, and said casually:

"How about comparing swordsmanship?"