“Master, what should we do?” a disciple asked anxiously.
“What will come, will come. Our very existence is for this purpose,” the old man said, shaking his head with a smile.
Xu Zimo and Little Gui rode for a long while, Xu Zimo on the Darksky Tiger, and Little Gui on the Azure Flood-Stallion, until they reached a wide, raging river blocking the road ahead.
The river stretched endlessly, its far shore nowhere in sight.
Countless boats and small vessels drifted across the shimmering surface.
The Azure Flood-Stallion was only a common True Meridian Realm beast and could not fly. The Darksky Tiger, after sporadic feedings from Xu Zimo, had grown to the Desolate Meridian Realm.
“Senior brother, maybe you go ahead, I’ll find a boat,” Little Gui suggested.
“No need, let’s ride together,” Xu Zimo replied, shaking his head. “We’ve been through a lot these past days. A short rest won’t hurt.”
Little Gui nodded. But since they were traveling with the massive Darksky Tiger and Azure Flood-Stallion, ordinary boats couldn’t carry their weight.
The two searched along the riverbank for a long time but found no suitable vessel.
Just then, a booming sound echoed from afar. Towering waves rolled across the river’s surface.
Smaller boats quickly steered clear of the area, afraid of being capsized by the incoming waves.
From within the churning waters, a massive ship surged forward at high speed.
“There it is again, Yuan Clan’s ship. Always putting on a grand show like they’re desperate for attention.”
“Exactly. The Yuan Clan’s gotten arrogant ever since they cozied up to the Baili Imperial Clan,” someone muttered unhappily.
“Shhh, lower your voice. The Baili Imperial Clan is an Imperial Lineage. Not people we can badmouth,” another quickly warned.
Hearing the nearby discussion, Xu Zimo turned to a boatman and asked, “Boatman, does the Yuan Clan ship take passengers?”
“Young man, you’re in luck,” the boatman said with a grin. “That Yuan Clan’s ship makes a trip to the Baili Imperial Clan once a month. Along the way, they take a few passengers. But the fare’s expensive, most folks can’t afford it.”
Xu Zimo smiled and walked with Little Gui toward the ship.
By then, the massive vessel had docked. A man infused his voice with spiritforce and shouted, shaking the area for miles to ensure everyone heard.
Ripples spread across the river. The announcement made it clear: the ship would remain docked for just a few minutes. Those wanting to cross the river should board quickly.
This river was said to have been a small stream long ago. But after a massive flood, it expanded and engulfed dozens of miles, becoming what it was today.
Xu Zimo and Little Gui boarded the ship. Not many others did, only four groups of people in total during the short boarding time.
With a thunderous roar and towering waves churning behind it, the vessel set off toward the Baili Imperial Clan.
Staring at the endless river ahead, Xu Zimo chuckled and muttered, “Baili Xiao, it’s been a long time.”
In the Infinite Immortal Mountain, Jiang Mochou had now spent some time living there.
He had become familiar with the surrounding terrain. After that day, he had formally become the disciple of the Lord of Nihility.
Today marked the first day the Lord of Nihility would formally teach him.
The two stood on an open field outside the elder’s hut.
With a smile, the Lord of Nihility said, “Activate your Scarlet Flame Imperial Physique. Use your strongest power, attack me.”
Jiang Mochou nodded. He knew his master’s strength was immeasurable, so he didn’t hold back.
Endless flames surged around him, a red-purple fire, scorching and intense, burning the space around him to ashes.
His eyes blazed crimson with determination. He struck forward with a single punch, like a sea of fire erupting, full of sparks, crashing toward the Lord of Nihility’s abdomen.
Sparks exploded as a barrier of ice and snow appeared before the elder, completely blocking the attack.
No matter how Jiang Mochou tried, he couldn’t leave even a crack on it.
“I didn’t overpower you using my cultivation,” the Lord of Nihility said with a faint smile. “I used the same strength as you to create this ice barrier. Yet you couldn’t break it. Do you know why?”
“Your control over power is more refined than mine,” Jiang Mochou replied.
“No,” the Lord of Nihility chuckled. “It’s because you haven’t grasped the essence of your own strength. You’ve fused with the Scarlet Flame Imperial Physique, the strongest fire constitution in the world. So tell me, what is the true nature of fire?”
“Destruction… heat… explosion…” Jiang Mochou answered with several guesses.
The Lord of Nihility shook his head with a smile. “It’s burning.”
“In the Legendary Era, fire first appeared in this world. It gave warmth and cooked food. Later, as spiritual energy awakened, cultivation began. Fire manifested in many new forms. But its core never changed: it burns.”
As he spoke, the Lord of Nihility waved his hand. Snow began to fall across the Infinite Immortal Mountain.
The snowflakes danced like dragons in the air. In the blink of an eye, a vast snow-covered mountain rose before Jiang Mochou.
The mountain towered into the sky, its peak invisible, immense and majestic.
“Master, this is…?” Jiang Mochou asked in confusion.
“Control your fire ,” the Lord of Nihility said, holding out a small flame on his fingertip.
The fire was tiny, so delicate it seemed a single breath could extinguish it.
Jiang Mochou quickly mimicked it, puzzled, waiting for further instruction.
“Use this flame to melt the entire snow mountain,” the Lord of Nihility said with a smile. “And during that time, the flame must not go out. If it does, you start over.”
“That’s impossible,” Jiang Mochou blurted out.
“Truth always lies in the hands of a few,” the Lord of Nihility said. “The things common people call impossible… are often accomplished by those few. When you’ve melted the mountain, come find me.”
As the elder walked away, Jiang Mochou stared at the flame in his hand in deep thought.
He raised his hand slowly. But the moment the flame touched the snow mountain, it was extinguished.
Jiang Mochou frowned.
In his mind, he recalled the Lord of Nihility’s words. He believed the answer must be hidden in them.
He began to control the fire again, thus starting his first of thousands of inevitable failures.
In the Northern Garden City of the Middle Continent, a place unlike any other,
Long, long ago, it was said that three ferocious beasts terrorized the region.
The people of the city were raised like livestock by the beasts, kept as food.
At the gates of Northern Garden City, three statues stood as a silent reminder of that history.