The dim night sky, sparse stars hanging high.
Chen Xia and Huang Qingyue were making their way back to Heaven Pill Gate from the foot of the mountain, climbing step by step. Earlier, they had traveled to other regions of East Jia State and now, returning, Chen Xia suggested they hike up the mountain on foot, finding the dim night a unique ambiance.
The night mountain, the moon's reflection in the water, the swaying shadows of the trees, and the occasional croaking of frogs in the pond; all these created a summery melancholy.
Huang Qingyue walked ahead, her black hair tied into a ponytail, bobbing with every step. Suddenly, she stopped, turned her face, and gave a light smile in the dim night, saying,
"Chen Xia, the Great Elder has invited you to the Ninth Mountain again."
"Let's wait a while; it's not urgent. We can go together later," Chen Xia replied, waving his hand.
"Okay," Huang Qingyue nodded with a sweet smile, suddenly taking a big step, almost hopping, stretching her light green skirt, then quickly stepping together, gathering her skirt, and continued to tease Chen Xia with laughter,
"Back in the imperial city, I used to like climbing steps like this. You often worried I’d strain my hips."
"Yeah, I was afraid you'd hurt your hip," Chen Xia laughed in response.
Huang Qingyue's cheeks reddened slightly, and she mock-scolded, "Chen Xia, stop with those improper remarks."
"I'll try," Chen Xia agreed.
"Now that I think about it, back then we were so young! Just a few dozen or hundreds of years old. Maybe it seemed old to ordinary folk, but looking back, it feels like we were just children, hehe."
Huang Qingyue sighed, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and continued with a smile,
"At that time, I was scared I'd grow too old, become an old grandma, and you wouldn't like me anymore. Now, though, I feel like a truly ancient granny. Time flies so fast."
"It's fine," Chen Xia waved again, smiling, "No matter how much time passes, you'll always be that Huang Qingyue from the imperial city, the little girl back then."
"I hope so, haha," Huang Qingyue laughed, then continued climbing in silence.
The dim night seemed to follow them; as they neared the peak, the night brightened, full of moonlight.
Chen Xia suddenly quickened his pace, standing in front of Huang Qingyue, whispering,
"Wait here for a moment."
Huang Qingyue didn't know what was happening, only noticing a blurred figure ahead. She nodded and waited.
Chen Xia's eyes flashed with gray and white lights; the Dao of Time had already started gathering, some wrapping around Huang Qingyue, some around himself. He took a few steps forward, entering the sect gate, and spoke to the figure facing away,
"Martial Emperor?"
The figure turned, golden eyes blazing, a pure strand of martial energy between his brows, undoubtedly the Martial Emperor. He smiled at Chen Xia,
"Let's talk."
"Alright," Chen Xia nodded, stepping ahead and laying down on his rocking chair, gesturing to the Martial Emperor, "Make yourself at home."
The Martial Emperor glanced around the empty surroundings, nodding, and with a light flick of his finger, a chair of martial energy rose from the ground. He sat down comfortably and said to Chen Xia,
"You're quite something; somewhat like me when I was young."
"Were you as handsome as I am back then?" Chen Xia tilted his head, curious.
The Martial Emperor shook his head and laughed,
"We're not similar in that; I was far more handsome than you. Our similarities might just be in having thick skin."
"No, mine isn't just thick; it's very thick," Chen Xia assessed himself clearly, then asked,
"What did you come to talk to me about? Can't be just this, right?"
"Just a few questions," the Martial Emperor smiled, his hands lightly patting his knees, thinking for a moment before asking,
"What do you think of the Way of Heaven?"
"To be honest?" Chen Xia didn't answer directly, first asking back.
"Just be honest; the answer doesn't matter. I want to hear your thoughts," the Martial Emperor nodded.
Chen Xia sat up straight, answering sincerely, "Personally, I think the Way of Heaven is pretty good."
After all, he’d benefited from the Way of Heaven in his alchemy.
"Then how do you explain your actions of devouring worlds?" the Martial Emperor pressed.
"The fact that it's good doesn't mean I can't devour it. The Way of Heaven has tried to kill me several times. It's mutual, and as long as the Heavenly Dao Reckoning exists, clashes with the Way of Heaven are inevitable," Chen Xia's response was honest.
The Martial Emperor retracted his hands from his knees, crossed them over his chest, and mused,
"So, your intention is... to become the Way of Heaven?"
Chen Xia shook his head, "Not really. I just don't want to be restricted by others. For the people and things in my heart, I’ve been striving, wanting to gain the ability to handle any crisis. I inadvertently ended up like this."
"Hmm," the Martial Emperor nodded gently, "I can see you're not a typical ambitious cultivator, not even really a cultivator."
"Probably not," Chen Xia rubbed his nose.
"I wasn’t very much like a cultivator when I was young either," the Martial Emperor chuckled, adding, "Back then, I was filled with righteousness, hating how cultivators on the mountain would slaughter ordinary people, bully the weak. To put it plainly, I had a righteous heart."
"Oh…" Chen Xia was slightly taken aback, wondering if his practice of demanding spirit stones from lower-level cultivators counted as bullying the weak.
The Martial Emperor continued, "As I grew older, I understood many things, realizing there's no absolute black or white in the myriad worlds. Most things depend on one's stance. Gradually, I also came to understand. I don't blame individual cultivators anymore; I blame this heaven, the so-called luck and fate, racial talents, family lineage."
"If possible, I’d like to create a world of equality, do you understand?"
A few threads of moonlight, a gust of wind through the mountain.
Chen Xia looked puzzled, nodding, "Maybe a little."
"You don’t," the Martial Emperor shook his head, looking at the moonlight, softly saying, "Not just you; no cultivator understands me."
Chen Xia sighed inwardly, thinking, *This is the kind of pretentiousness I can’t match.*
He didn’t dare say that aloud, extending his thumb and praising,
"High, truly high."
Flattering is an art.
The Martial Emperor stood up; the golden martial energy chair dissipated. His expression was somewhat listless, his eyes carrying a tired gleam. He whispered,
"Nearly a million years, I’ve waited too long. As early as eighty thousand years ago, I didn’t know why I was living anymore. Friends and relatives passed away one by one. They said it was ordinary life and death, the cycle of the Way of Heaven."
"I waited, for that last person I knew to leave. Looking back, the path is empty, just me all alone."
"Extensive loneliness accompanied me year after year. I hope I can escape it soon."
He turned again, smiling at Chen Xia, "You’re an incredible figure, even more talented than I was in my youth. In the future, you’ll stand at the peak of the myriad worlds, equal to me, maybe even surpassing me. What do I say…"
"I hope we can still sit and chat like this in the future."
After saying that, the Martial Emperor's figure disappeared from the sect gate, his whereabouts unknown.
Huang Qingyue paced nervously outside the sect gate, planning to summon the body of the Ninth Mountain Lord if Chen Xia encountered danger, ensuring he wouldn't suffer.
Her thoughts were still spinning when footsteps emerged from the sect gate. Chen Xia walked out, smiling and waving,
"Come in."
Huang Qingyue trotted over, her light green skirt swaying in the moonlight, her curious face asking, "Chen Xia, who was that man?"
"A very powerful existence, just someone I’m barely acquainted with," Chen Xia replied.
"Is he as strong as you?" Huang Qingyue pressed further.
"Roughly put, we’re about the same," Chen Xia chuckled.
He really understood the concept of rounding up; four Dao Quasi-Emperors were almost at the level of Supremes.
Huang Qingyue didn’t doubt him, merely exclaiming, "He’s very strong, almost as powerful as you."
These two had a knack for assessing power—one rounded up generously, the other dismissed quickly. With this duo’s evaluation, even a Supreme was almost as strong as a Four-Dao Quasi-Emperor, leaving a Five Paths Great Emperor in shock.
That same year.
Chen Xia was preparing for another matter once again.
The conquest of the entire East Jia State.