I am the old, fiery-faced man from the senior department.

Fu Xun rushed in, but before he could finish speaking, the summons for the competition arrived.

"What...it's only been less than fifteen minutes..."

Fu Xun glanced at the clock. This match had only been going on for ten minutes since the last match ended, and it wasn't time for the scheduled break yet. Why was the match suddenly starting?

"Trial".

"What? Little Yan?"

Under their watchful eyes, the little girl got up and walked outside.

Her soft voice was full of determination.

"...This is a trial."

"Only by crossing over... will we have the right to stand before him."

what……

Hearing her words, the two looked at each other, both puzzled.

The young girl had already stepped into the room she regarded as a place of trial, to face her opponent directly.

"These days, even the most ordinary chickens and dogs can be transformed into human-like figures and come here."

Seated upright on the jade throne, his golden eyes radiated arrogance as he picked up a white chess piece with his claws.

"Though I am not human, you are still a dog."

The first speaker picked up a chess piece, using the language he had learned to retaliate.

"I understand."

Sui's momentum fell along with his chess piece, his pupils reflecting Hai Si's image.

"So...you wanted to die, you stinky fish!"

The force of thunder is about to erupt.

At thirteen: Having made a fool of himself, he covered it up with a loud voice (revised chapter).

Amber-colored tea was poured into an earthenware bowl, the fire crackling and popping in the stove, and a few bluish-brown tea leaves bobbing and swirling in the water.

Serve quickly, sip slowly. Swallow gently, sigh deeply.

"I had a dream..."

After swallowing the plump, scaly flesh in one gulp, the young beast rolled over, revealing its flat belly, and stretched comfortably, its gilded scales gleaming under the lamplight.

"What did you dream about this time...?"

He raised his paw and swatted away the man's outstretched hand, threatening him fiercely, "I'll bite you!"

"Ah……"

The man wasn't annoyed; he simply changed the direction of his hand and gently stroked the beast's head twice.

"Tell me quickly what you dreamed about, my patience is limited."

He narrowed his eyes, showing an expression of enjoyment, yet without any sign of yielding, a truly contradictory sight.

"I dreamt that..."

The man's expression changed, showing surprise mixed with a lingering sense of shock.

"I am like a scale, frolicking in a great river. A... boundless, deep, dark river."

"The river water was very cold... so cold it felt like it could freeze me to the ground... but sometimes it would be extremely hot, as if something had boiled the water."

"I swim forward without purpose... or perhaps I am not moving, but the river is pushing me forward... never stopping."

"At that time, I was surrounded by darkness. I swam for so long... so long that I forgot what light was..."

"Just when I thought I should wake up from that dream, the river suddenly..."

The man picked up the bowl, only to find that the tea was gone.

"Don't delay, speak quickly."

The cub raised its paw and slapped his hand, urging him on loudly.

"Don't rush..."

The man changed the bowl and poured the tea.

"...Tsk."

As if he hadn't heard the cub's disgust, the man leisurely drank his tea.

"That scenery... is indescribably beautiful... a masterpiece of nature..."

"Hearing your words is like hearing a lecture."

The young beast licked the pads of its paws speechlessly. It had thought the little brat could at least give a better explanation, but this was it…

"..."

The man shook his head and sighed softly.

How can someone who has never seen the beauty of the stars describe such beauty?

"So what do you think the meaning of this dream is?"

"Meaning..."

"You couldn't have just had a random dream, could you?"

The young beast flicked its tail, looking at him with an expression that said it was hopeless.

“Those who possess power at your and my level… especially you. We don’t dream easily, because our power is intertwined with everything around us. If we dream, it must have some meaning.”

"Just like me..."

He hesitated for a moment, then continued, “I dream that those who are born of me and possess my power will have the opportunity to live in this world.”

"Your words..."

He looked at the man, his hands tucked into his abdomen, his starry eyes extremely serious.

“This land is closely connected to you. If this dream is truly effective, perhaps strange phenomena will appear on this land.”

"Perhaps..."

He looked at the teacup in his hand, seemingly lost in thought.

Do not let your youth slip away in vain. Fellow traveler, your future should lie in the vast cosmos, not confined to this world as a minor mountain king.

Go! Go collect! Go forward!

[The Path to Ascension: Si Chen]

[One of the necessary conditions is your unwavering will—[Flame].]

[The second essential element: a trustworthy friend—[myself]].

[The third essential element: "Seven named individuals will surround the constellation of the celestial body, serving as constant guardians to protect the navigation."]

[The four essential elements, nine paths: [Key to Enlightenment], [Hour], [Moonlit Sky], [Day and Night], [Forbidden Legacy], [Shedding of Mortal Scales], [Heel of the Past], [Foot of the Present], [Toe of the Future].]

The fifth essential element is "hope."

[The necessary condition, the "origin," the East of the East, the land of birth and death.]

Thus, when the next "Star Tide" arrives...

— The position of the Minister of the Stars is not far off…

……

Sitting and watching the clouds roll and unfold, walking and seeing the gentle breeze and light clouds.

Today, I feel very comfortable.

She had made up her mind to go see him, to... keep him company.

Why are her two younger sisters allowed to go while she is not?

And... she has a treasure to show him.

She took a delicious sip of wine, then, carrying her wine gourd, swayed as she descended the stairs.

"……so?"

Looking at his brother on the other end of the video, Nian didn't understand what he meant.

"They suddenly called saying some old thing has appeared. Don't tell me ghost stories in broad daylight, okay?"

“I’m not talking nonsense, Ninth Brother.”

When the elder brother first received the news, he thought the boy had drunk too much. But when he checked the boy's recent travel history, he discovered that the old man had won numerous competitions in places they didn't know about, including but not limited to the "Suzhou-Hangzhou Steamed Bun Eating Contest", the "Xiaolu Town Flower Arrangement Competition", and the "All Nations Sword Forging Conference".

What shocked him most was the Yan Country Youth Go Competition that had just ended a few days ago. Their opponents had actually won first place right under their noses, and it had even made the news, while they remained at home completely unaware.

"...No way?"

Upon hearing this, Nian burst into laughter.

She simply couldn't imagine how that old man, who remained arrogant even in his most wretched state, could be sitting on a stage with a group of ordinary people, feasting on a steamer full of buns.

"And... how could He submit?"

I knew in advance that even that ancient dragon had never completely subdued Him. If it weren't for revenge, the old man would have chosen to fight to the death.

"Well... you'll have to ask him about that."

I understand what my elder brother meant.

This is something her own husband did again.

"That idiot, why can't he ever give me a break?"

She closed her eyes and shook her head helplessly.

Maintaining their existence through the old man's dreams was no longer enough for him.

Was he trying to subdue the old thing, to teach it to love others, so that they could live peacefully in the world?