"Why do you need to chase my footsteps..."
Li Zhexian's calm voice lingered in the air.
Huo Yuhao's gaze froze in place.
At times it was clear, and at others, it was lost, like looking at flowers through a fog.
Behind the two of them, Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and the others felt that the voice of the white-robed youth sounded like the resonance of the Great Dao itself, echoing in their ears.
Watching Li Zhexian casually alter the phenomena of heaven, they remained completely silent, afraid of disturbing the one in the sky.
Just then,
they suddenly saw two figures appear out of thin air on the vast horizon of heaven.
One was a middle-aged man holding a scroll.
The other was an old man in green robes holding a storyteller's wooden clapper.
"Li Youwei, Divine Official of Kindling Fire / Meng Songgu, Divine Official of Fleeting Life—by the oracle of the Creation God, we roam the myriad heavens, recording all things."
Li Zhexian could see that Huo Yuhao was still confused.
He beckoned with his hand.
A withered twig appeared in his palm.
"This wood—if it grows in the south, it turns toward warmth; if it grows in the north, it endures the cold.
If it encounters cracks in stone, it bends and stretches; if it stands in fertile soil, it grows tall and straight."
"Its Dao lies in living, not in imitation."
Having said this,
Li Zhexian lifted the twig and lightly tapped Huo Yuhao over the heart.
"You saw me cut through time and space with the sword, saw me drunkenly roam the cosmos, and so you wish to pursue the same—this thought is already misguided."
The night wind suddenly slowed.
The drifting clouds paused.
The river of stars fell silent.
"Your Dao…"
Li Zhexian's voice became quiet and deep.
"Lies in your resolve to cultivate both soul and spirit.
In your vow to protect your teachers and friends.
In the passion and clarity that remain unbroken even after passing through calamities and returning again."
"Why must you cling stubbornly to a single kind of power?"
With a sweep of his sleeve, he gathered the entire night into view.
"Take this night for example—
the movement of the wind is Dao,
the drifting of clouds is Dao,
the shining of stars is Dao."
"The anxiety in your heart at this very moment is Dao.
My swinging of the sword across the universe is also Dao."
"The Dao is not something sought outside yourself.
It is the 'original path' that naturally reveals itself in every step you take, every breath you draw, every arising and fading of thought."
Huo Yuhao trembled all over, like ice breaking upon a spring river.
He saw Li Zhexian tilt his head back and drain the last wine from his flask. The night wind filled his white robes, and his clear laughter rose into the clouds.
"If you cling stubbornly to one path, you will instead lose the vastness of heaven and earth."
"Yuhao, watch."
He raised two fingers and drew lightly through the air.
In the night sky—
drifting clouds became paper, starlight became ink, and the long wind wielded the brush.
With a few sweeping strokes, countless phenomena appeared:
Sword light splitting open primordial chaos,
time reversing into a ring,
life and death cycling like a lotus.
In an instant, all of it dissolved back into the boundless night, leaving only the familiar river of stars.
"All paths are my dao; all forms are not truly forms."
Li Zhexian tossed the wine flask high, shattering the reflection of stars in the sky like a river breaking apart.
"You only need to keep walking forward."
"When you have walked it through, look back again."
"Along the road you came, lotus flowers will bloom with every step."
Behind Huo Yuhao, the Level-9 Golden Winged Soul Tool stopped beating.
He stood suspended in the air, motionless for a long time.
Li Zhexian's words filled his mind. Suddenly, he felt all the confusion in his heart vanish.
He looked up at the vast river of stars, listened to the murmuring streams below, and heard the wind passing through the forest like the breathing of heaven and earth.
So it turns out…
The Dao lies beneath one's feet. It had never wandered far.
He straightened his clothes and composed himself, then deeply bowed toward the carefree white-robed youth strolling ahead.
Under this starry sky, the scene of Huo Yuhao bowing respectfully to Li Zhixian was recorded by the two Divine Officials.
The middle-aged man flicked his wrist.
With a few swift strokes—
the scene appeared vividly upon the scroll.
"The Divine Star is vast, filled with countless gods. We roam the myriad heavens and have heard all the joys and sorrows of the mortal world. But what the gods most wish to hear are still the stories of Lord Sword Wine."
"Sir, what shall we name this scene?"
The old man in green robes pondered for a long time, then stroked his beard and smiled.
"Resolving a Youth's Confusion Beneath the Starry Night."
"Marvelous."
After saying this, the two smiled and cupped their hands toward Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and the others—who were still frozen in place—before slowly fading into the night sky.
The group finally came back to their senses and hurriedly returned the salute.
...
The next morning, after an unhurried journey, the group returned to Shrek Academy.
Passing through the academy gates,
morning sunlight fell upon the students coming and going.
Huo Yuhao looked at Li Zhexian walking among the crowd—still dressed in white, with clear brows and bright eyes. He looked no different from the surrounding boys and girls, perhaps even more relaxed and carefree.
Unable to help himself, he asked: …
"Senior… are you accustomed to this?"
Although last night's return journey had been short,
that exchange beneath the starry sky had felt like a clear spring pouring over his mind.
Just a few simple sentences,
yet they had dispelled the confusion blocking the road ahead.
In Huo Yuhao's heart,
he had already regarded the person before him as a teacher who had guided him.
"Why wouldn't I be accustomed to it?" Li Zhexian raised an eyebrow and smiled.
He had never liked studying in the first place, but seeing these young boys and girls full of vitality made him feel rather pleased.
And in terms of age, he was actually not much different from these students.
Students passing by cast curious glances at them.
Huo Yuhao and his group were already famous throughout the academy and even across the continent.
Yet at this moment,
these renowned figures seemed to vaguely place the white-robed youth at their center, and their expressions naturally carried respect.
How could that not attract attention?
Li Zhexian waved his hand.
"Don't call me 'senior.' It sounds awful."
"Go see your teacher."
This time, Mu En was not waiting beneath the boys' dormitory building.
The group passed through the outer academy, entered the inner academy, and finally boarded a small boat on Sea God Lake.
The little boat cut through the morning mist and slowly sailed toward the center of the lake.
As they approached Sea God Island,
they could already see a hunched figure in the distance, clearly standing there waiting for quite some time.
The lake water rippled gently.
The boat swayed slightly and slowly came ashore.
A kind smile appeared on Mu En's wrinkled face.
"It's good that you're back."
Before leaving, Huo Yuhao had explained the purpose of this journey to him.
Although he knew that this disciple now possessed strength unmatched across the continent and that very few people could threaten him,
as a teacher, it was impossible not to worry.
Mu En's gaze slowly swept over Huo Yuhao, Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi…
And finally,
stopped on that unfamiliar yet handsome face.
His expression suddenly stiffened.
Deep within his cloudy eyes, a flash of light flickered.
Immediately afterward,
a look of shock that he could not conceal appeared on Mu En's face.
The white-robed youth was clearly standing right in front of him!
Yet in his spiritual perception, there was absolutely nothing there—only emptiness!
As if the youth did not exist in this time and space at all!
Even when facing other Level 99 Limit Douluo, he had never felt such a chilling sensation.
"This… gentleman…"
Mu En even wanted to address him as "senior."
But the other party looked young and full of vitality.
Clearly just a young man.
The words reached his lips, yet he did not know how to address him.
Huo Yuhao hurriedly said,
"Teacher, this is Li Zhexian. I call him Brother Zhexian."
"The strength Yuhao has today is all thanks to Brother Zhexian's devoted guidance."
Upon hearing this,
Mu En's heart trembled violently.
Across the continent, everyone already said that Huo Yuhao's talent was an anomaly, and that behind him must stand some unimaginable existence.
In truth,
even Mu En himself had speculated the same.
"So the true master behind Yuhao… is the person before me?"
The thought flashed through Mu En's mind as he quickly composed himself.
"I am Mu En. On behalf of Shrek, I welcome your visit."
Li Zhexian smiled and nodded.
Taking a step forward,
he silently set foot on Sea God Island.
"Yuhao asked me to help him fuse with the Ancient Golden Tree and heal your old injuries."
"Let's not waste words. We'll begin now."
Inside the Sea God Pavilion,
Huo Yuhao, Bei Bei, and the others sat cross-legged beneath the Ancient Golden Tree.
The spiritual herbs placed before them suddenly shattered,
transforming into clusters of pure energy that surged into their bodies…