Joe Di gazed at the gray-clad man sitting at the foot of the mountain, secretly astonished—someone had arrived at Mountainview before him. Since the other had reached Mountainview first, it meant he had already attained enlightenment.
“Impressive. So young, yet you’ve already realized that Mountainview is right beneath your feet and managed to appear here. You have a bright future ahead.” The man praised after a brief exclamation.
The man was dressed entirely in gray, blending into the gray foothills of Mountainview—so much so that one might not notice him at all. Now that he was speaking, Joe Di could see clearly: this fellow was at Genesis Perfection, not yet having stepped into the third realm.
“I suppose I’m just lucky, Senior. Were you the first to arrive here?” The latter half of the sentence was what Joe Di truly wanted to ask.
The gray-clad man chuckled, “The first? I saw seven or eight people climb the mountain before me. If you weren’t so young and still at the Genesis Realm, I wouldn’t bother speaking to you. My name is Zane Du, though I doubt you’ve heard of me…”
If it had been another cultivator, no matter how young, the gray-clad man wouldn’t have spared him a glance. But today, he sensed a familiar aura from Joe Di—enough to make him consider befriending him. After so many years in solitude at this spot, perhaps it was time for some company.
Zane Du—Joe Di truly hadn’t heard that name before. Even if he had, he wouldn’t have paid it much mind. What he cared about was how many people had already ascended Mountainview, and whether he could still make it to the summit if he rushed now.
Zane Du seemed rather gracious. Joe Di clasped his fists and said, “Junior Joe Di, greetings.”
Zane Du laughed heartily and waved his hand, “No need for ‘Senior.’ I despise those who flaunt their age. If you respect me, just call me Zane. If not, go ahead and climb the mountain—I suspect you’re anxious about not being the first to reach the summit.”
Joe Di awkwardly touched his face—was his anxiety really that obvious?
At that moment, Joe Di realized that countless millennia had likely passed since he arrived here. If someone had already ascended, then no matter how anxious he was, it would be too late. If no one had gone up yet, he didn't mind waiting a bit longer.
With this thought, Joe Di's mindset became completely calm, and the earlier urgency faded away. He even sat down and said, "Brother Zihen, it is truly my honor that you would befriend a newcomer like me."
Zane Du snorted disdainfully, "Don't be so sentimental. Friends are friends—no need for all that 'brother' or 'junior' nonsense. My master cared too much about status back then, and in the end, he was still betrayed and killed."
But it was Joe Di's genuine sense of letting go that Zane Du truly admired.
Joe Di could sense that Zane Du's Dao was extraordinary, even containing hints of the Path of Laws that he cultivated. In other words, Zane Du's Grand Way and Joe Di's Path of Laws seemed to intersect in some way.
"Zihen, your Dao is truly remarkable. Your master must be even more extraordinary, right? If that's the case, why was your master betrayed?" Joe Di asked, puzzled.
Zane Du laughed heartily, pulled out a wine flask and two cups, poured Joe Di a full cup and said, "Have a sip of my wine first. This story is a long one."
Joe Di was no ordinary man. With a sweep of his divine sense, he immediately knew this wine was extraordinary. The faint fragrance alone made his soul feel clearer. Unable to resist, Joe Di drank the wine in one gulp.
The bone-deep aroma of Dao Wine seeped through Joe Di's entire body. Instantly, he felt transformed. Before he could speak, his physical body boomed as the vast wine energy spread, leaving him feeling indescribably light and refreshed.
"Excellent wine!" Joe Di exclaimed, then looked at Zane Du in disbelief. "You actually used Genesis Dao Fruit to brew Dao Wine..."
To brew Dao Wine with Genesis Dao Fruit—just how wealthy does one have to be to pull that off?
"Haha, not bad, not bad! You drank a cup of my wine and your body didn't collapse, nor did you even get drunk. It shows your physical body is truly formidable." Zane Du laughed, giving a thumbs up.
He saw Joe Di drink it all in one go and didn't bother to stop him. Originally, he planned to help Joe Di if his body started to collapse. What surprised him was that, after drinking, Joe Di's face only reddened briefly before returning to normal—his physique was truly astonishing.
"Take the rest of this wine flask," Zane Du said, tossing it to Joe Di. "I've had enough myself. Unfortunately, this is all that's left, otherwise I'd give you more."
"Thank you, Zihen." Joe Di didn't bother with formalities. He knew that an ancient powerhouse like Zane Du surely had plenty of treasures; otherwise, how could he use Genesis Dao Fruit to brew wine?
Zane Du drained his own cup and, voice hoarse, said, "If my master were still here, would there be so many wars in the universe? The whole cosmos has been thrown into chaos..."
Joe Di knew well the kind of people who participated in the Creation War. He looked at Zane Du in surprise, "Zihen, are you saying there wouldn't have been a Creation War if your master was still around?"
Zane Du snorted again, clearly unimpressed by Joe Di's skepticism. "My master's name is Dominic Du. Maybe you haven't heard of him—you're from a later generation. But I have a junior brother you probably have heard of: his name is Du Mo..."
"You're one of the eight disciples of Dominic Du, the Lord of the Universe?" Joe Di suddenly understood.
"Oh? You even know about that?" Zane Du was even more surprised. In fact, aside from Du Mo, almost no one in the universe today knew about this. And as for Du Mo, he certainly wouldn't reveal such things.
Joe Di nodded. "That's what I've heard. I learned your master entrusted the eight Prime Laws to his eight disciples, each to govern their own domain. But because your master ruled with an iron fist, he provoked widespread resentment. In the end, Du Mo rebelled, schemed against your master, and then joined outsiders to kill several of your senior brothers."
"As the saying goes, there are no secrets that won't be revealed. After all these years, the story still survives so completely." Zane Du shook his head, mocking himself as he spoke.
Joe Di knew Dominic Du would never let him go, so he simply said, "Your master ruled the universe, but his methods were too domineering. It's no surprise he provoked resentment. However, Du Mo joining outsiders to ambush your brothers—that's going too far."
In Joe Di's view, Zane Du was also a victim of Dominic Du's oppression, forced to become his disciple.
Zane Du sneered, "Joe, even things you see with your own eyes aren't always true, let alone hearsay. Forget it, explaining this to you is too complicated. Maybe I'll tell you someday. I can sense your aura—if I'm not mistaken, you've encountered a Prime Law. But I'm puzzled how your cultivation can restrain its energy. Very strange."
Joe Di was about to respond when Zane Du waved him off. "Joe, you don't need to explain. I can tell you have issues with my master, but you don't have to say more. Since I've accepted you as a friend, I won't go back on my word. What happened back then is for those people to resolve. Your cultivation is too weak—my advice is to ascend the mountain and achieve union with the Dao as soon as possible. If my master saw your current level, he wouldn't even bother speaking—he'd crush you instantly.
When you reach Mountainview, you'll find Way Resonance Pools everywhere. Don't let them cloud your mind—just find the one that belongs to you. The highest may be the best, but it may not suit you. What matters is Dao Union, and any Way Resonance Pool is suitable for that."
Here Zane Du paused, hesitating for several breaths before continuing, "There's one more thing to remember: obtaining a Prime Law doesn't make you master of the universe. I once possessed a Prime Law, but now I'm stuck here. The Prime Law is merely a law of heaven and earth formed after the universe's creation—if you value it too highly, you'll suffer for it. Du Mo's fate won't be good, either."