The old man stepped forward, and the chaotic heaven and earth instantly split into three.
One, the real world.
Second, a realm of mountains of swords and seas of fire, where gods stood in great numbers, a world of illusion.
Third, a peak of lush mountains and clear waters.
...
At the entrance of Zouma Alley, Chu Yu, Zhao Yichuan, and a group of generals and cavalry suddenly froze. Only two people were missing from their surroundings: Yu Rang and Lin Zhao.
In the first heaven and earth.
"Swish!"
Yu Rang's body burned, and he felt as if his soul had been separated. The next moment, he appeared on a fiery red lava reef, holding his battle saber. He looked up to see a vast expanse of fiery red, scorching land. As he raised his head, he saw colossal figures lying across the land, their bodies shrouded in a gray mist. In their hands, they either held swords and sabers or carried blood-red long spears. They stood on the earth, crushing the countless common people into a sea of blood.
"..."
Yu Rang trembled, his entire soul seeming to shatter. The aura of these ancient gods was too immense, almost crushing Yu Rang's cultivation and foundation. He had no way of judging their realms. Thirteen realms, fourteen realms? Or perhaps the legendary fifteen realms? In any case, a single breath from these ancient gods would be enough to turn him, a warrior at the Sea-Stepping Realm, to ashes.
"The strong enjoy absolute freedom, while the weak are only fit to be ants. Is this the world in your heart?"
On a green mountain peak, the old man stood with his hands behind his back, his long robe fluttering in the fierce wind, exuding an air of celestial grace. His eyes looked down at Yu Rang and he said, "You think the strong can do as they please, is that right? What do you think of the ancient world before you now? Does it mean that humanity deserves to be exterminated, is that it?"
Yu Rang trembled and knelt directly on the ground, his heart and mind shaken. "Old sir... who exactly are you?"
"Does it matter?"
The old man stroked his beard and said lightly, "If this world were as you, Yu Rang, desired, where the strong seek to be unrestrained by rules, what direction do you think this world would eventually head towards?"
"I... I don't know..."
Yu Rang felt his whole body tremble, his mental state unstable. The general's courage in his chest cracked continuously. He could feel his Sea-Stepping Realm cultivation about to falter. He knelt and kowtowed, begging, "Old sir... let me go back, please let me go back... please, I can't bear the pressure of the Heavenly Dao here anymore..."
...
In the second heaven and earth.
Lin Zhao's body floated gracefully, landing on a mountain peak with beautiful scenery. Birds sang, flowers perfumed the air, and a gentle breeze blew. On a flat area of the peak, there was a stone table with two stone stools. A chess set was placed on the table. As he stood there in a daze, an old man with a cane came up the mountain. He had a wine gourd tucked at his waist and a bamboo basket slung over his back, filled with wild fruits. He came up, panting, and said with a laugh, "Old, old, I'm no longer useful. Even this little bit of mountain path is exhausting."
Lin Zhao knew that he was currently in a world created by someone else. He had experienced something similar when he and his mentor Qin Suihan were tracing back time. So, he cupped his fists and said, "Lin Zhao greets the old sir. May I ask why... why have you placed me in this world?"
"What else could I do?"
The old man sat down at the chess table and said with a smile, "Could I just watch you throw yourself against a rock, taking five hundred cavalry to fight against Yu Rang's tens of thousands of iron cavalry?"
Lin Zhao scratched his head, his expression awkward. "I really had no choice. Protecting the ten thousand people in Zouma Alley was my last resort. I didn't expect the Great Shang cavalry to be so ruthless. And when my bottom line was trampled, I lost my mind for a moment and didn't think of the consequences. But no matter what, thank you, old sir, for saving me."
"Since that's the case, play a game of chess with me?"
"Ah?"
Lin Zhao was slightly stunned. He had played Go a little, but he wasn't skilled. So he scratched his head again and said, "I'm not good at chess, I'm afraid I'll make a fool of myself."
"Perfect."
The old man laughed. "I'm also a terrible chess player. This truly is a case of worthy opponents meeting, a general encountering a talented subordinate. When shall we not fight it out?"
"Good!"
Lin Zhao cupped his fists and smiled. "Then I'll play a game with the old sir, not to dampen your spirits."
Saying that, Lin Zhao sat down, and he and the old man began their battle.
At first, Lin Zhao played cautiously, pondering for a long time before each move. But as they played, he began to see the pattern. The old man was truly a straightforward person, and indeed, a terrible chess player. Their chess skills were evenly matched, so they both furrowed their brows, engrossed in their fight. After a game, they finally counted the moves, and Lin Zhao was ultimately defeated.
"Close, very close."
The old man laughed heartily and said, "In terms of chess cultivation, it's still quite a bit worse than Suihan."
Lin Zhao was stunned for a moment, then immediately stood up and performed a respectful Confucian salute. "Old sir... you know my mentor, Qin Suihan?"
"Mm."
The old man smiled. "Years ago, I taught Suihan how to read and write. So many years have passed in the blink of an eye. Suihan has already become a Confucian Sage, recognized by heaven and earth. And I... am still in my humble alley, arguing with village women over trivial matters, haggling with peddlers for a bit of wine money. Enough, enough, it's all in the past."
"Old sir..."
Lin Zhao was not foolish. This old man could create such a grand heaven and earth, his cultivation must be extraordinary. And now he said he had taught Mr. Qin to read and write. Who he was was already quite clear. This was his mentor's mentor.
"It's a pity..."
The old man placed his hands on his knees, clenching his fists gently. "It was my own words of 'not shirking responsibility' that harmed Suihan. Of all the sages in the human world, why did a frail scholar have to bear the severe punishment of the Heavenly Dao? That child Suihan studied and learned by my side since he was young. Enduring hardship was just traveling ten thousand miles. How painful it must have been for the Heavenly Dao's punishment to fall upon him in the sea of heavens..."
Lin Zhao couldn't help but feel his eyes welling up with tears. He thought of Mr. Qin, of his mentor's unyielding pride as a scholar before his death, of how Mr. Qin shouldered the fortune and misfortune of the entire world with his own shoulders, of how Mr. Qin had given him the tip of the Han Niu sword before he died. Hearing the old man say that Mr. Qin had not suffered much and must have been in great pain before his death, Lin Zhao's heart felt as if it were being torn apart.
He slowly knelt on both knees, tears streaming down his face. "Lin Zhao, greets the mentor of my mentor..."
The old man's eyes also reddened.
"Get up, Lin Zhao."
He stepped forward and helped Lin Zhao up. "Suihan, as a Confucian Sage, did not disappoint the human world, nor did he disappoint me, his teacher. You, as Suihan's student, have also not disappointed me."
The old man looked at the young man before him, his eyes filled with hope, and said with a smile, "I have seen everything you have done in Zouma Alley. A gentleman is cautious in solitude and does not deceive himself in a dark room. As Suihan's student, as a man of integrity, standing between heaven and earth, cultivating the noble spirit of heaven and earth, acting with honor and integrity, self-restraint, propriety, guarding the heart, and illuminating the nature – you have done all of this very well."
Lin Zhao stood before the old man, nodding with tears in his eyes.
"Alright~~~"
The old man gently placed his hand on Lin Zhao's shoulder, looking at this young grand-disciple. The more he looked, the more he liked him. There were no unattractive children in our lineage. Suihan was handsome and elegant since he was young, and his disciples were no less. Although a sword cultivator, he possessed a rich scholarly aura, which greatly comforted the old man. He looked at Lin Zhao and smiled, "Suihan's student should be like this, otherwise, he wouldn't be worthy of the Confucian Sage's Han Niu sword, would he?"
"Mm."
Lin Zhao pursed his lips and asked cautiously, "The Han Niu sword is the Confucian Sage's personal sword... After my mentor's passing, will the Heavenly Dao re-confer a Confucian Sage? Should Lin Zhao return the Han Niu sword then? I ask the mentor of my mentor for guidance..."
In fact, although Lin Zhao had been immersed in the background of "Tian Xia" for a long time, he really didn't know how to address the mentor of a scholar's mentor. Grand-mentor? Or great-mentor? They all seemed a bit... awkward.
As a result, the old man also quite liked the title "mentor of my mentor," and he couldn't help but laugh. "It's alright. The complete Han Niu sword is the Confucian Sage's personal sword. Now the Han Niu sword is shattered, and you've only obtained a sword tip. This sword tip can't even be considered the Han Niu sword. Feel free to refine it. If anyone causes you trouble over the Han Niu sword in the future, the mentor of your mentor will stand up for you."
"Good!"
Lin Zhao nodded excitedly. It wasn't that he was truly unwilling to part with the valuable flying sword embryo, the sword tip of the Han Niu sword, but rather because this sword tip was the only memento left to him by his mentor, Qin Suihan. If he lost this sword tip, although he wouldn't say it, he would definitely be very sad in his heart.
At this moment, a "buzz" suddenly sounded in Lin Zhao's mind. His spiritual sea seemed to churn with spiritual objects. It was precisely that sword tip of the Han Niu sword, sealed for a hundred years. Although the sword itself was not visible, he could see strands of sharpness surging from the depths of his spiritual sea. The next moment, a bell sound rang—
"Ding!"
System prompt: Congratulations on obtaining the Heavenly Dao's recognition for [Han Niu Sword]. Upon reaching level 100 and obtaining the second Sword Cultivation Lake, the sword tip will awaken in the form of a flying sword embryo!
Finally, it's here!
Lin Zhao was greatly elated and filled with joy. With this sword tip of the Han Niu sword, it was as if Mr. Qin were standing beside him, giving him enough confidence to face anyone.
...
In another heaven and earth.
Yu Rang knelt, coughing up blood incessantly.
The old man stood atop the mountain peak, looking down condescendingly at this deputy commander of the Great Shang Lin Lu Army, and said lightly, "Why did you want to harm Lin Zhao? Just because he refused to kill people in Zouma Alley, refused to engage in those petty and despicable deeds?"
"I... I..."
Yu Rang looked up, his face contorted in pain, unable to speak.
The old man frowned and said, "When a ray of morning light shines into a humble alley, it exposes the filth and squalor hidden in the corners. Therefore, this ray of morning light is guilty, is that what you think?"
Yu Rang knelt, his body trembling. "Old sir, I was wrong... I know I was wrong..."
"Your karma is not in my hands."
The old man said calmly, "Let this be the last time."
...
With that, the two heavens and earths vanished instantly.
As before, Lin Zhao stood with Chu Yu and the others at the entrance of Zouma Alley. Yu Rang, along with a group of Great Shang cavalry and Zhao Yichuan's accompanying cultivators, were aggressively surrounding the five hundred cavalry of the Snow Domain Army.
However, at this moment, Yu Rang was already drenched in cold sweat through his armor.
In this world, one who can create a heaven and earth must at least be at the True Return Realm of the Upper Five Realms. To create a vast heaven and earth like the old man's, one would likely need the cultivation of the thirteen realms to sustain it. This old man was at least thirteen realms!
As soon as Yu Rang thought of this, cold sweat poured down. A thirteen-realm scholar would definitely be ranked among the scholars at the Confucian Academy, perhaps even among the seventy-two sages of Confucianism!
However, he was unaware that the old man had simultaneously created two heavens and earths!