Starlit Path of the Mystic Forge

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. Follow current novels on noᴠelfire.net

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!