Bear Hug Tribe, Royal Court.

Xiao Jian Daoist strolled among the tents, feeling the cool breeze on the grassland after the rain, gazing at the clouds that had yet to disperse on the horizon, and the rainbow that hung beneath the sky.

Having been in the Northern Wilderness for no more than four or five days, Xiao Jian Daoist's heart of the Dao had completely relaxed.

How carefree was life here?

A row of beautiful girls danced gracefully; sturdy men galloped on wolf-back; elders stood on the hills at sunset, calling out long, distant tunes; and there were always groups of figures by the night fires.

He truly wished to merge with this grassland, spread his wings and transform into a hawk, soaring freely between heaven and earth.

By contrast, why did Wu Wang like the Human Domain so much?

Was the bustling activity of the Human Domain really related to them, the cultivators?

If you covered up the large cities in the mundane world, what remained were nearly deserted sect gateways where most cultivators spent the majority of their lives contemplating and experiencing the Great Dao.

Was it the Dao's self or my self in the end?

Xiao Jian Daoist spontaneously gave rise to many insights, standing on the hill with his hands behind his back, his gaze becoming more and more distant.

It's just, what's a bit strange is...

Why do the women of the Northern Wilderness always carry a stick with them? And why do they keep glancing behind me from time to time, with or without reason?

Suddenly, two eagle cries cut through the sky, disrupting Xiao Jian Daoist's reverie.

He didn't need to look up to know that two figures had appeared high in the sky—Wu Wang and Ling Xiaolan.

Xiao Jian Daoist's Immortal Consciousness had been spread out over thousands of miles, monitoring a large part of the Bear Hug Tribe's territory. Before coming to the Northern Wilderness, he had also received instructions from Liu Baiyi, asking him to experience the local customs and think about the future path for the Human Domain.

Master Liu, always the one to pose questions.

Wu Wang descended rapidly. Just before he landed, the ground gathered thick energy to completely offset his momentum, sending gusts of wind sweeping around.

Ling Xiaolan, much more elegant, slowly drifted down on a white cloud. Three feet above the ground, she gathered her skirt and quietly sat on the cloud, greeting Xiao Jian Daoist.

"It seems that I have been overly worried."

Wu Wang smiled, "The Northern Wilderness is calm and without troubles. If there's nothing unusual in the next few days, we might as well rest a few more days before heading back."

Xiao Jian Daoist spoke warmly, "Wu Wang, it's not often you come back. It wouldn't hurt to stay a few more days."

While speaking, the Daoist made a welcoming gesture and strolled with Wu Wang, chatting.

However, Ling Xiaolan said, "I'll go look for Suqing to have some tea."

"Fine, see you later."

Wu Wang replied, and Ling Xiaolan floated off toward the Royal Court on her cloud.

Xiao Jian teasingly winked at Wu Wang, wanting to jest a few words, "Wuwang Hall Master, has your cultivation made any progress in this half month?"

"It's still the same."

Wu Wang sounded slightly disheartened, his eyes carrying a trace of weariness.

Xiao Jian Daoist laughed, "You too have this day!"

"Hm?"

"Ahem, I mean, it's surprising that even you would encounter a bottleneck." Xiao Jian Daoist quickly cleared his throat. "My tone just now represented astonishment, amazement," he offered.

"If there's anything you don't understand, why not debate it with me? Let's discuss the Dao, and perhaps it might provide you with some inspiration."

Wu Wang clasped his hands behind his back and sighed deeply, "It's no use, there's no point in discussing it."

"What do you mean there's no point in discussing it?"

"Then I ask you, Daoist brother, what Dao are you cultivating?"

"Sword Dao."

Xiao Jian Daoist opened his right hand, and wisps of Immortal Light condensed into a three-inch small sword.

"To be precise, my Dao is the Dao of myself. This Dao manifests the endless variations of the sword, determining the ominous or auspicious outcomes of combat.

Its origin is a fusion of multiple Great Daos such as the Dao of Slaughter, the Dao of Weapons, and so on. The sword is both the medium through which I connect with the Great Dao and the form in which I entrust my own Dao.

It's not that my Dao is the sword itself, but rather my Great Dao is entrusted upon the sword, thereby displayed between heaven and earth in this form.

The Great Dao is formless, nameless, and endless.

Hall Master, is there anything else you'd like to add?"

Wu Wang: …

He always felt like he was being targeted by this guy.

"You have a deep understanding," Wu Wang calmly looked at the sky. "I'm just wondering now whether my own Dao could possibly transcend the Star Dao."

Xiao Jian Daoist asked meticulously, "The Star Dao mentioned here, does it refer to the original Dao of stars that exists between heaven and earth?"

"Exactly, and there's no need to hide it from you, Daoist brother," Wu Wang said. "Previously, I didn't think too much. The path I followed was simply to feel the existence of stars, to deduce the starry sky with the Dao of my own being, and then resonate with the stars in the sky.

But unexpectedly, this was essentially deducing why and how the stars exist.

The existence of a Dao is the meaning of that Dao's origin."

Xiao Jian Daoist laughed, "Isn't that pretty good?"

Wu Wang said slowly, "It has clashed with the Dao presided over by the Star God."

"How so?"

Xiao Jian Daoist stared at Wu Wang, "What do you mean?"

"Although the Star God is currently in slumber, this Dao always follows the will of the Star God."

Wu Wang's long hair fluttered in the wind, his eyes revealed a touch of helplessness, and the corners of his mouth showed a self-deprecating smile. He said, "I want to cultivate to become an Immortal, which means establishing myself on this Dao. The cultivation after becoming an Immortal is to climb upon this very Dao.

To speak a forbidden word, isn't that competing with the Star God for the Dao?

In the Human Domain before now, those cultivators who had achieved higher accomplishments in cultivating the Dao of stars all bypassed the original Dao of stars, deducing other Great Daos, such as astrology, lodestars, and the transformation of star positions.

I've almost searched through all the insights on the Star Dao given to me by the Four Seas Pavilion, and I haven't found a single cultivator who has comprehended the original Dao through and through.

In other words, it seems the Star God must have left some restrictions."

As Wu Wang kept talking, Xiao Jian Daoist's frown deepened.

"Then why don't you change your direction of cultivation now?"

"I still want to try. Perhaps there's a slim chance."

Wu Wang's eyes reflected the horizon line, and he said slowly, "Without pursuing the ultimate, one can only become mediocre. By not cultivating the most supreme Dao, it's impossible to change any circumstance of this world.

If I had not emerged from the Bear Hug Tribe and chose to proceed in another direction now, it wouldn't matter.

But at this moment, my heart will not accept this."

Xiao Jian Daoist nodded with a smile, looking at Wu Wang's profile.

Suddenly he said, "Do you know what I admire most about you, Wu Wang?"

"What?"

"It is..."

Wu Wang said indifferently, "Just praise that I'm handsome, lack depth, but have a decent character and am not devoid of love."

"I!"

Xiao Jian Daoist almost couldn't catch his breath and stared at Wu Wang, not knowing what to say.

Wu Wang calmly looked up at the sky, "See? I told you this Dao is undebatable."

"You better figure it out on your own!"

Xiao Jian Daoist shook his head and laughed. "If it was a lack of insight, perhaps I could enlighten you a little at this moment. But competing with an Innate God for the possession of the Dao, that's really beyond me.

However, you shouldn't be too stubborn, Wu Wang. It's good to be a bit flexible. There's no need to be so hard on yourself.

The Ancient Emperor of the Suiren Clan also had to slay the Ancient Fire God before seizing the Dao of Fire."

Wu Wang's eyes twinkled with a glimmer of light. He said slowly, "The Star Dao is different from the Dao of Fire. The former encompasses everything, and even a single star could contain countless different Dao rules.

I might still have a chance."

Xiao Jian Daoist was somewhat puzzled. He turned his head to look at Wu Wang's profile but saw in Wu Wang's face a brightness he couldn't comprehend.

But to compete with an Innate God for the Dao while not having reached the Immortal's Dao Realm?

That itself is somewhat illogical...

Strangely, several images emerged in the depths of Xiao Jian Daoist's mind.

Those were scenes of Wu Wang discussing the Dao with him while strolling in the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, the fragments of scriptures Wu Wang left in the Scripture Hall, and the battles where Wu Wang transformed into a Golden Dragon and fought with him in the underground training ground.

At this moment, Xiao Jian Daoist faintly sensed that Wu Wang's body grew stronger by the slightest increment every moment, the Divine Power of the Evil God constantly pouring into his physique.

Since knowing Wu Wang, those scenes had continuously slid across his mind...

"You can do it."

Xiao Jian Daoist suddenly laughed and said, "Redefine the Star Dao, reinterpret the Star Dao, and carve out a path for the Original Dao that is completely different from that of the Innate Gods!"

"Daoist brother, you think too highly of me," Wu Wang said with a bitter smile. "I'm just trying to see if there's any gap beneath the Star God's Dao."

"Push harder!"

Xiao Jian Daoist raised his hand and punched Wu Wang on the shoulder, grinning as he said, "If you get through this hurdle, I'll be your staunchest supporter from then on. Whoever dares to say you can't make it, I'll split them with my sword!"

Wu Wang made a bitter face and continued taking a leisurely walk on the somewhat damp grass, discussing the matters of cultivation with Xiao Jian Daoist.

The path ahead was tough, but there was not a complete lack of hope.

However, the reenactment of the Dao mentioned by Xiao Jian Daoist, they both knew it was a joke.

The Heaven and Earth Dao exists because it inherently exists. It does not shift with the will of creatures, nor does it change with what creatures perceive and know.

Cultivators practice cultivation by refining themselves, by perceiving the Heaven and Earth Dao through their own paths, rather than transforming the Heaven and Earth Dao.

The Star God was born from the Star Dao.

He, Wu Wang, was merely a cultivator journeying towards Immortality through contemplating the true form of the Star God.

At this moment, the main consciousness of the Star God was destroyed, but the imprint she left on the Dao had become an insurmountable barrier for cultivators like Wu Wang.

Indeed, Wu Wang had thought about it. Once his mother step by step realized her plan and changed the face of the Great Wilderness, he would just enjoy himself, becoming a genuine second-generation God.

But after a little consideration, he decided to make a further effort.

Just to be able to beat up that Fortune God when the time comes!

Even if he can't beat him to death, beating him until he spits blood would do!

Since his mother intended to plan for three Great Daos to stand together and ensure their family remains invincible, she must also have some concerns.

Power is something you may not use, but you must possess it.

"Stars."

Wu Wang burst out laughing.

Well, keep pondering blindly.

In the Human Domain, near the Northern Border, nestled in deep mountains.

A purely handcrafted wooden pavilion built by Wu Wang himself had, unbeknownst to anyone, moved from the Western Wilderness and now lay within a beautiful landscape of mountains and waters.

An old man in straw clothing and barefoot lay back in a comfortable rocking chair in front of the pavilion, basking in the sun, sipping wine, with a contented and comfortable demeanor, as if everything was in his grasp.

Not far away, Heaven and Earth twisted, and two figures stepped out of the distortions, one on the left and one on the right—it was Liu Baiyi and Feng Zhizi, who had arrived together.

Feng Zhizi took a step ahead and said aloud, "Your Majesty, your subordinate has important matters to report!"

Liu Baiyi curled his lip and also said, "Your Majesty! Your subordinate also has important matters to report."

"Come over."

Shen Nong called out calmly, and the two men approached the courtyard together, bowing to Shen Nong in salute.

Shen Nong inquired, "Is the important business you two have the same matter?"

"Your Majesty, we didn't come from the same place," Liu Baiyi chuckled. "It's just a coincidence."

Feng Zhizi's expression turned solemn as he spoke earnestly, "Your Majesty, according to a secret informant from Heaven Palace, the Young Master and more than ten Divine Spirits have gathered, seemingly to discuss some outbound matters."

"Oh?"

Shen Nong said with a smile, "Lately, this Young Master has been quite active; previously it was always the Head Manager in action. It seems that this time, Heaven Palace is intent on striking us down for good."

Liu Baiyi spoke dispassionately, "But I always feel that this Young Master isn't too clever."

Shen Nong said, "The Goddess in charge of the birth of all beings, how could she not be clever?"

Liu Baiyi immediately recounted the event of 'Wu Wangzi encountering a god's powerful move in the East Sea, yet cleverly extricating himself unscathed,' with Feng Zhizi adding a few words on the side.

Shen Nong, however, said, "Do you think that the Young Master is unwise for not forcibly keeping that little guy?

You're wrong, she's overly clever. She has set a principle for herself to keep promises and always acts according to this principle.

Seeing an immediate benefit and resorting to any means necessary only amounts to momentary aggression.

A Divine Spirit like Young Master, who always acts in accordance with her principles, would still have a way to survive even if Heaven Palace were devastated."

Liu Baiyi murmured, "Your Majesty, why do I feel like Young Master is just stubbornly courting hardship to maintain her pride?"

"Hmm?"

"Your servant means no disrespect to Your Majesty's wisdom!"

"Hmm," Shen Nong retracted the wooden whip that had almost lashed out. The whip, accompanied by a faint glow, turned back into its form as a staff.

Liu Baiyi, his round face beaded with cold sweat, instantly felt a chill.

Shen Nong said in a gentle voice, "Since they've already sent Wu Wangzi back, shouldn't we praise her at least a little?"

Feng Zhizi asked, "Your Majesty, should we take this matter seriously?

Our mole has not yet discovered why the Young Master summoned those more than ten Divine Spirits. But their strengths are considerable, a force that cannot be underestimated."

Shen Nong pondered thoughtfully.

Liu Baiyi said, "Could it be that they are going to subdue the ten witches of Ling Mountain?"

Feng Zhizi added, "That is a possibility. The Heaven Palace is currently overtly and covertly subjugating the ancient nations that have been drifting apart from them.

In the past three years, there have also been changes in the Country of Qingqiu. The old Clan Leader unexpectedly died a violent death.

There was also a rebellion within the Country of Giants but it was quickly quelled. Information obtained by the Four Seas Pavilion confirmed that it was orchestrated by the Head Manager of Heaven Palace."

Shen Nong chuckled, "Heaven Palace is truly panicked."

"Your Majesty, what's going on with Heaven Palace?"

"Many things can't be disclosed to you at the moment," Shen Nong said softly. "Divination is based on the changes of the Dao, providing a vague prediction of future events.

Heaven Palace has this ability as well, and the conclusion they have reached must be an omen of great misfortune.

What we in the Human Domain seek now is stability. Whether it's for just a few decades or a few hundred years, the truth of the matter will reveal itself.

Moreover, I have already decided on a strategy to counterattack Heaven Palace in a thousand years' time. Some matters should come to an end by my hand.

Baiyi, do you have any urgent matters?"

"Your Majesty, I have come to report on matters concerning the Northern Wilderness."

Liu Baiyi bowed and lowered his stature, immediately saying, "Previously, Xiao Jian reported back via the communication talisman that the Northern Wilderness is peaceful and Heaven Palace has not made any moves.

He made contact with the head of the Sun Ritual, Cang Xue, who is Wu Wang's mother, and felt that this Lady Cang Xue is inscrutable. Even Xiao Jian was somewhat frightened."

"Do not try to probe the leaders of the Northern Wilderness's Sun Ritual," Shen Nong frowned slightly and said softly, "and even less so Wu Wang's family. Hasn't Wu Wang done enough for our Human Domain? How did you instruct Xiao Jian?"

Liu Baiyi quickly explained, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, this was not a probe, merely something Xiao Jian felt intuitively."

Shen Nong said indifferently, "Punish him by withholding three hundred years of his salary, and teach him a lesson."

"Ah, yes, I will see to the punishment right away."

Feng Zhizi was also somewhat puzzled and murmured, "Your Majesty, why is Heaven Palace so wary of the Northern Wilderness?

Young Master must have noticed many flaws before, and yet turned a blind eye."

Shen Nong answered, "If it weren't for Star God's life-and-death struggle against Candle Dragon back then, where would today's Heaven Palace be? They..."

BUZZ! BUZZ!

A vibrating sound emerged from Feng Zhizi's sleeve.

The Pavilion Master of the Four Seas Pavilion made a respectful bow to the Human Emperor and quickly stepped back, taking out a jade disk from his sleeve.

A streak of light flew out of the disk and entered Feng Zhizi's palm.

His expression changed several times. Shortly after, he frowned and moved forward a few steps, with a trace of shock in his eyes.

"Your Majesty!"

"Speak."

"Young Master has not led those more than ten Divine Spirits to the Western Wilderness, but instead... has left Heaven Palace and headed north, seemingly toward the Northern Wilderness!"

A flash of sharpness gleamed in Shen Nong's eyes.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.