“For the frog in the well, the well’s mouth is the sky. For the fish in the water, the water’s surface is the sky… the well’s mouth is the frog’s cage, the water’s surface is the fish’s boundary.” Lu Yuncong gazed upon the maiden, his voice deep and resonant. “Man, like frog and fish, thus, the sky becomes a cage! Yet, the frog yearns to leap from the well, the fish to breach the surface. Surely, man too possesses a path to shatter the heavens and escape his confines!”

Li Qianmei pondered his words, her eyes growing brighter, admiration sparkling within. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, whispering, “Brother Lu’s answer is most unique. I have sought counsel far and wide, yet only you have eased my perplexity.”

“You flatter me, Qianmei,” Lu Yuncong replied with a modest smile.

“You are the first, Brother Lu, to inspire me to a second question. I beg you, enlighten me further.” Li Qianmei regarded the man before her, having heard tales of Lu Yuncong, the prodigy of the Fifth Order Starfield. His mind was said to be sharp as a honed blade, his understanding of the Dao profound. “If you can unravel the mysteries of three questions, and truly dispel my doubts, what reward shall you seek?” Lu Yuncong inquired with a knowing smile, awaiting her reply.

Li Qianmei blinked, her lips curving into a gentle smile. “Should you truly solve my riddles, I shall grace you with a song played upon my flute.”

“Excellent!” Lu Yuncong chuckled, his gaze lingering upon Li Qianmei. He remained puzzled as to the true purpose behind her enigmatic questions. “The second question: What is the Sky?” Li Qianmei asked softly, her eyes fixed upon him.

An old man, who stood quietly by Lu Yuncong’s side, had listened intently. A smile had graced his lips upon hearing his sect leader’s first answer, but now, hearing the second question, his face took on a strange expression.

Lu Yuncong furrowed his brow, lost in deep thought. This time, his contemplation stretched far longer than before. Li Qianmei remained patient, standing silently, watching Lu Yuncong as he wrestled with the enigma.

“The Absence… is the Path!” After the time it took to burn a single incense stick, Lu Yuncong spoke slowly, each word carefully chosen.

“Explain yourself,” Li Qianmei urged gently, her voice soft as a summer breeze.

Lu Yuncong lifted his gaze to the starry expanse above. After a long pause, he spoke. “All that we tread upon is a part of this grand universe, and within lies the key, this is the realm of the Heavens. Therefore, The Heavens are the road forward, and from the road forward, and from the road, The Dao is born!”

“The so-called *road*, is this very meaning, and the Dao and the Road are one and the same. The Heavens are merely the path forward, the direction we need to take to break free of these cages.”

Li Qianmei’s eyes shone brighter still, her admiration deepening. “Thank you, Brother Lu, for unraveling the enigma, bringing clarity to my mind. Your journey seems urgent. Whither do you travel?”

The old man beside Lu Yuncong hesitated, then clasped his hands in a respectful bow. “Does this count as a third question, Fellow Daoist Li?”

Li Qianmei offered a serene smile, remaining silent.

“I journey to Moro Continent, to settle a matter of the heart, to demand an accounting,” Lu Yuncong replied, his expression calm, with no regret, even though he knew he would not have the chance to answer the third question.

“Would Brother Lu object to my company on this journey?” Li Qianmei blinked, her voice barely a whisper.

“To travel with Qianmei would be an honor,” Lu Yuncong replied with a hearty laugh, nodding his agreement.

And so, they set forth, Lu Yuncong and Li Qianmei engaged in hushed discourse, each sharing their insights into the Dao. Their understanding of each other deepened, admiration blossoming between them as their conversation flowed with ease.

The old man remained a few paces behind, his gaze flitting between Lu Yuncong and Li Qianmei, a strange light in his eyes, a hint of joy hidden within.

“Since the sect leader’s wife passed, he has known no other companion. This Li Qianmei, hailing from the Ninth Order Sky-Piercing Sect, though newly met, seems to share a profound connection with him. If they could become Daoist partners, then with the sect leader’s wisdom, he could surely ascend to greater heights, his future limitless… and my Purple Dao Sect would rise to renown throughout the Cloud Sea!”

Since leaving the Sky-Piercing Sect, Li Qianmei had rarely engaged in such discourse. Few possessed the capacity to converse with her in such a manner, save for this Lu Yuncong.

“No wonder my master praised him, calling him the preeminent figure in the Fifth Order Starfield, and even the Divine Sect holds interest in him… he is truly a rare and extraordinary man. To possess such a profound understanding of the Dao at his age is remarkable. In this, though my cultivation surpasses his, I am undeniably inferior. Alas… even such a man could only reach the second question.”

“My Quest for The Jade Key” Li Qianmei thought to herself.

“Qianmei seeks the mysterious cultivator who obtained the jade slip, a task fraught with difficulty,” Lu Yuncong confessed, neither concealing his intentions nor deeming it necessary. He spoke his thoughts openly.

“This mysterious cultivator possesses a cunning mind indeed. Finding him will not be easy,” Li Qianmei acknowledged, nodding her head. Having heard Lu Yuncong’s analysis, she found herself intrigued by this enigmatic figure.

“Decisive in action, with a mind like a demon, ruthless in his killings! Few have earned my admiration in this life, but this mysterious cultivator is worthy of it.” Lu Yuncong’s voice was filled with admiration, a hint of camaraderie in his eyes.

“These are but your analyses, Brother Lu. Perhaps the truth is far different,” Li Qianmei gently suggested.

“I hope my conjecture proves true, granting me the chance to cross blades with him, to add a flourish to this life.” Lu Yuncong sighed, his eyes filled with anticipation.

As they journeyed onward, Moro Continent drew ever closer. In the distance, shrouded in faint astral mist, the dark silhouette of Moro Continent emerged. The fierce tiger spirit beast slowed its pace, hovering motionless in the starry sky, its eyes fixed coldly on the horizon.

“The Purple Dao Sect shares a common ancestor with the Returning Origin Sect. Best to avoid unnecessary conflict. I shall venture forth alone while you remain here,” Lu Yuncong instructed the old man beside him, his voice calm.

The old man nodded in agreement.

“Qianmei, will you join me?” Lu Yuncong offered with a gentle smile, his gaze resting upon Li Qianmei.

Li Qianmei nodded in acceptance, and together, they transformed into two streaks of light, hurtling towards Moro Continent. The old man watched them vanish into the distance, whispering, “Perhaps the sect leader and she… truly are destined to become Daoist partners.”

***

**Moro Continent**

Wang Lin had sampled the elixirs of the Cloud Sea Starfield, subtly experiencing the comprehension of beastly souls within each pill. He had faintly felt the concepts and nuances, with the elixir ideas themselves. He had been using these souls to comprehend the Dao so that he could integrate it into his understanding of his own intent.
Wang Lin sat cross-legged in the Herb Garden, dismissing the pleas of Lu Yanfei and others. In his hand, he held an Eighth-Order pill, his face etched with thoughtful consideration.

“The pills of the Cloud Sea Starfield possess a flaw. They seek enlightenment through the spirits of beasts, yet such understanding is fragmented. To glean the necessary essence from this disparate source, one must consume an endless stream of pills to achieve success.”

After a moment of contemplation, Wang Lin gazed at the pill in his grasp. Suddenly, his expression shifted, and he lifted his head, looking into the distance.

“This is…” He betrayed no other reaction, his face remaining placid as he lowered his gaze back to the pill.

Moments later, the gates of the Herb Garden creaked open, revealing a man and a woman. The man, middle-aged, was clad in regal purple robes, his countenance imposing and radiating an aura of quiet authority. His eyes, like distant stars, held depths of untold wisdom.

Beside him stood a woman of surpassing beauty. Her skin was like sculpted jade, and she wore snow-white robes. In her hand, she held a flute of crystalline jade, and about her was an air of ethereal tranquility.

Their arrival went unnoticed by the disciples of the Returning Origin Sect, as if they had materialized from thin air. As they entered the Herb Garden, the middle-aged man’s eyes locked onto Wang Lin, and his pupils contracted almost imperceptibly. He began to approach, his steps deliberate.

His pace was unhurried, yet with each footfall, he seemed to strike the beat of Wang Lin’s very heart. As if imbued with a subtle rule, a pressure, both unseen and profound, emanated from him.

Even more unsettling, as the man drew closer, the sky above transformed. Shadows gathered, as if darkened by the wings of unseen birds, swallowing the light of day. This encroaching darkness seemed to dance to his rhythm.

“Sit,” Wang Lin said. He had not raised his head. He was not surprised these two managed to find him here, escaping notice.

It was but a single word, yet as it left his lips, the man’s footsteps faltered. The measured rhythm of his approach shattered, as if the countless steps, the thrumming heartbeats, were undone in an instant, turned to illusion. It was as if all that had transpired before was at Wang Lin’s whim, and now, it was collapsing.

Lu Yuncong’s expression hardened. The sensation was distinct. He had unfurled his cultivation, his very essence, to envelop the white-robed figure before him. Each step, each measured pace, was an assault of intent.

With each stride, his essence fused with the heavens, conjuring a curtain of storm clouds, a theft of daylight. His aura surged to its peak, as if he were borrowing the strength of the very cosmos, bringing it to bear upon the seemingly ordinary man before him.

Any other would have crumbled before this onslaught, their Dao-heart shattered, their soul wounded. Some might resist, but at least a flicker of weakness would betray them. Lu Yuncong was confident in the resilience of his intent, yet now, he was shaken to the core by a single word.

The single word cast down everything he brought to bear, as if everything before had simply been a dream.

“Indeed, why not sit?” Wang Lin finally raised his gaze from the pill and met the eyes of the purple-robed man. In that instant, a storm of unseen thunder echoed within the Herb Garden. Lu Yuncong felt a jolt of pure terror in his mind, and he stumbled back two steps, his face paling.

As he retreated, the sky above was rent asunder, the storm clouds torn away as by a furious wind. In moments, the shadows vanished, leaving behind a clear, bright sky…

No matter how deep Lu Yuncong’s understanding of the Dao, no matter how resilient his intent, how could he compare to Wang Lin? Wang Lin had cultivated for over five centuries, tasted the bitter wine of life and death, and transcended to grasp the cycle of cause and effect. After a thousand years, he had mastered cause and effect, and began a second transformation into the realm of truth and illusion! What could Lu Yuncong bring to the table? What right did he have to measure himself against such a being? He could not compare!

Li Qianmei had observed everything. She had accompanied Lu Yuncong because she respected his comprehension of the Dao. In her heart, she believed that few among the rising generation possessed a deeper understanding of the Dao than Lu Yuncong, a fact which had drawn the attention of powerful sects in the higher starfields. But now, her heart trembled. She gazed at Wang Lin, her eyes shining with a brilliance she had never known before.

“Esteemed cultivator,” she said, “I have three questions. Would you be willing to offer your wisdom?”