"Patriarch, I will definitely work hard."
Zhou Yi clenched his fists and answered solemnly.
"Mm! Very good."
Li Yu nodded approvingly. "The Path of the Great Emperor, invincible in the world. This is a path of conquest. If you wish to walk this road, then begin with what lies before you. Begin by defeating the Six Great Sects of Yan."
"Yes!"
Zhou Yi's blood surged, and his fighting spirit soared.
Encouraged by the Dao Ancestor, the first stage of the Main Quest 'Path of the Great Emperor' has begun. Defeat the Six Great Sects of Yan within one year and attain an invincible bearing.
The Heavenly Book Spirit's voice rang out in his mind.
"Ah?"
Zhou Yi's heart jolted. "Defeat the Six Great Sects of Yan within a year? I..."
I don't even know what the Six Great Sects are like. How could I defeat all six within a year?
Zhou Yi looked up at Li Yu, and confidence rose in his heart once more. With Patriarch here, what could possibly be impossible? Even the things that slipped through Patriarch's fingers would benefit me endlessly!
"Patriarch..."
Zhou Yi looked at Li Yu eagerly, his desire for benefits plainly written across his face.
"Mm."
Li Yu nodded. "It is time for you to begin cultivating."
"Please impart your teachings, Patriarch!"
Overjoyed, Zhou Yi hurriedly bowed down.
"You want me to impart a cultivation method? That is easy. I can teach you the Dao Scripture, the classic through which I attained the position of Celestial Venerable. I can also teach you your family's cultivation method, the Void Scripture. Both are supreme classics."
"Thank you, Patriarch!"
Zhou Yi was overjoyed. Whether it was the Dao Scripture or the Void Scripture, both were priceless treasures! In the Supreme Heavenly Book's exchange system, either one required an astronomical amount of energy to redeem.
"Uh... the Void Scripture is my family's cultivation method? My family? I..."
Zhou Yi suddenly recalled Li Yu saying that he was a Descendant of the Great Emperor. Could this Great Emperor... be connected to the Void Scripture?
"Mm. The Void Scripture was the Method of Proving Dao of your ancestor."
Li Yu smiled and nodded. "However, there is also a Ji family here, and the Void Scripture is their family's secret inheritance. After you learn it, they may cause you trouble. But that is nothing. You were family to begin with."
"Here? There is also a Ji family here?"
Zhou Yi froze, finding it somewhat unbelievable.
"Of course! A Great Emperor is invincible in the world and roams across the cosmos. Did you think he spent his entire life in only one place? What is strange about him reaching your world, leaving behind legends and bloodline descendants?"
Li Yu smiled at Zhou Yi. "Speaking of which, the Ji family in this world is the direct line. You can only be considered a collateral branch."
"Oh!"
Zhou Yi nodded. "Patriarch, which classic do you think is suitable for me?"
"Do you wish to become a Great Emperor?"
Rather than directly answering Zhou Yi's question, Li Yu asked one of his own.
"Yes."
Zhou Yi nodded solemnly.
"If that is the case, then neither classic is suitable for you."
Li Yu shook his head at Zhou Yi.
"Ah? Why?" Zhou Yi was stunned.
"The Dao Scripture is my Dao. The Void Scripture is the Dao of your ancestor. Even all the classics passed down today are the Dao of others, not your Dao. If you wish to attain the position of Great Emperor, you must forge your own Dao."
Li Yu smiled at Zhou Yi. "The position of Great Emperor is Unrivaled in the World. It is not something that can be attained easily."
"Then... what should I learn? Am I supposed to learn nothing?"
Zhou Yi was completely dumbfounded and did not know what to do.
"Of course you should learn everything!"
Li Yu burst into laughter. "Learn their methods, but not their Dao. Gather the strengths of a hundred schools and prove your own Dao. That is the path you must take."
"Thank you for your guidance, Patriarch!"
Understanding dawned on Zhou Yi.
The Path of the Great Emperor begins with conquest. So that was it! How else could I gather the strengths of a hundred schools without conquering them? The various sects keep their classics secret. Would I wait for them to personally deliver them to my door? Of course not! Then I can only seize them!
Gathering the strengths of a hundred schools might be difficult for others. But I have the Supreme Heavenly Book! As long as I have enough energy, what classic could I not redeem?
But redeeming those classics also requires energy. So... I can only seize it!
Zhou Yi raised his head, clenched his fists tightly, and wore a resolute expression.
"Hahaha! Very good!"
Seeing Zhou Yi's expression, Li Yu was greatly pleased. Of course he had to seize them. If Zhou Yi did not go rob them, how could Li Yu make a fortune? Young man, charge forward bravely! Your Patriarch was leading you astray!
"Cultivation begins with the Wheel Sea."
Li Yu smiled and extended a finger toward Zhou Yi's brow. "Among the Wheel Sea methods of this age, the Dao Scripture is the finest. I will first teach you the Wheel Sea Chapter of the Dao Scripture!"
A stream of information flowed forth, and the Heavenly Book Spirit's voice rang out in Zhou Yi's mind.
Your Majesty, having received the Dao Ancestor's teachings, you have obtained the Wheel Sea Chapter of the Dao Scripture. It has been recorded in the Supreme Heavenly Book and may be consulted at any time.
"Very good."
Zhou Yi nodded, then bowed to Li Yu. "Thank you for imparting the method, Patriarch."
"Since I have accepted you as a disciple, it is only natural that I teach you cultivation."
Li Yu waved dismissively. Although redeeming the Wheel Sea Chapter of the Dao Scripture himself had also cost energy, he could not give his disciple nothing as a Patriarch. Business required investment as well!
"This place is merely a mortal marketplace, not fit for cultivation. I will take you to find a place to cultivate."
Li Yu swept his gaze across the courtyard, shook his head, and waved his hand. A streak of rosy light wrapped around Zhou Yi and shot into the sky.
The escaping light howled through the air as they sped across the heavens.
Li Yu had long since chosen their destination. The ruins within Spirit Void Grotto-Heaven had quite an impressive origin, and there were many opportunities to profit and make arrangements there. How could Li Yu let them pass?
After speeding along for some time, Li Yu and Zhou Yi landed atop a mountain peak.
Clouds churned around the summit, and mist curled through the air, giving the place a faintly immortal air.
"Patriarch, is this the place?"
After steadying himself, Zhou Yi looked around before turning to Li Yu.
"Of course not."
Li Yu shook his head and waved his hand, releasing a ray of spiritual light that dispersed the dense clouds before them.
As the mist cleared, a vast and magnificent world appeared before their eyes.
Ancient trees towered into the sky, and strange peaks stood in rows.
Spiritual birds danced in the heavens, while waterfalls and springs flowed beside the cliffs.
"What a breathtaking immortal mountain!"
Zhou Yi could not help sighing in admiration at the sight.
"What kind of immortal mountain is this?"
Li Yu smiled and shook his head, waving out another streak of rosy light. "Let's go!"
The escaping light streaked through the sky like a long rainbow, and mountain peaks swept beneath their feet. Occasionally, several golden birds as swift as lightning circled nearby, seemingly intimidated by Li Yu's aura and not daring to approach.
After flying through the air for a while, a massive volcano appeared ahead.
From afar, flames shot into the sky. Even from such a distance, they could faintly hear magma boiling and roaring within the crater, its fiery glow dyeing half the sky red.
At the foot of the volcano lay a dense expanse of ancient architectural ruins.
Although more than half of those buildings had been damaged and collapsed, the surviving structures were still imposing and majestic, bearing an extraordinary presence.
"We have arrived."
Li Yu lowered the escaping light and landed before a towering hall amid the ruins.
"That volcano is the Grave of the Azure Emperor, isn't it? Excellent. This trip will surely yield great gains."