Strike One Fist to Prevent a Hundred

After Zhou Ming entered Seclusion, Wu Ming did not remain in Pangu Hall for long.

Leaving Pangu Hall, Wu Ming headed straight for Five Village Temple on Longevity Mountain.

Longevity Mountain was still wreathed in immortal mist, with countless auspicious clouds glowing in the sky.

Zhen Yuanzi seemed to have sensed his arrival beforehand and was already waiting before the temple gates.

Wu Ming lowered his cloud and landed before Zhen Yuanzi.

"Daoist Friend Wu Ming, I trust you have been well." Zhen Yuanzi rose to greet him, a gentle smile on his face.

Wu Ming cupped his hands in salute. "Daoist Friend Zhen Yuanzi, I have come to return the Earth Book."

He handed the Earth Book back to Zhen Yuanzi.

Zhen Yuanzi accepted the Earth Book and nodded. "I troubled you to make the trip in person."

"It was only proper," Wu Ming said. "By borrowing Daoist Friend's treasure this time, I found what I sought. It was all thanks to your aid; the entire Wu Clan is endlessly grateful."

Zhen Yuanzi waved a hand. "Why be so courteous, Daoist Friend? You and I have known each other for many years. Such a trivial matter is hardly worth mentioning."

"Please." Zhen Yuanzi stepped aside and led Wu Ming into the temple.

Zhen Yuanzi personally poured Wu Ming a cup of spirit tea.

"Did your journey go smoothly, Daoist Friend?"

Wu Ming lifted the teacup, took a light sip, and nodded. "It went fairly smoothly. There were some twists and turns, but in the end, I found what I wanted."

Zhen Yuanzi was a tactful man as well. He did not press for details, instead turning to the general situation in the Primordial World.

"Alas, the Primordial World may seem calm now, but undercurrents are surging beneath the surface." Zhen Yuanzi let out a soft sigh.

"Over in the Demon Race, Di Jun and Taiyi are quite capable. Their consolidation of the Demon Race is growing faster and faster. Before long, I fear the entire Demon Race will be twisted into a single rope by them."

"This humble Daoist estimates that within a thousand years at most, the Demon Race's power will surely reach its peak."

Wu Ming nodded in agreement. "Daoist Friend speaks truly."

"Once they consolidate the Demon Race and gather boundless Fortune, Di Jun and Taiyi may well use that immense Fortune of the Demon Race to take their cultivation a step further and enter the Mid Quasi-Saint realm."

"When that time comes, with the two brothers joining forces and the entire Demon Race aiding them, I fear... few forces in the Primordial World will be able to halt their advance."

Zhen Yuanzi looked at Wu Ming and asked tentatively, "Not even the Wu Clan...?"

"Daoist Friend, do not forget that the Wu Clan still has Daoist Friend Zhou Ming overseeing it."

"With Daoist Friend Zhou Ming's unfathomable cultivation..."

In his view, with Zhou Ming present, the Wu Clan should have nothing to fear from the Demon Race.

Yet Wu Ming merely chuckled and shook his head.

He set down his teacup, his tone calm.

"Daoist Friend Zhen Yuanzi, you misunderstand."

"From beginning to end, my Wu Clan has never intended to participate in the struggle for supremacy in the Primordial World."

"Nor have we ever had any desire to dominate the Primordial World."

"We Thirteen Ancestral Wu were born bearing the legacy of Father God Pangu. From the very founding of our clan, we swore an oath to the Primordial World."

"The purpose of the Wu Clan's existence is to guard the land, sort out the earth veins, refine the baleful intent of the Primordial World, and protect the Primordial World—not to fight over power and profit, slaughtering and battling."

"Striving for supremacy? That is not the Wu Clan's business."

Zhen Yuanzi's brows furrowed slightly. Looking at Wu Ming's calm face, he slowly said, "Daoist Friend, your intentions are good. This humble Daoist also believes that the Wu Clan has no heart for supremacy."

"It is only... Daoist Friend may think so, but those two of the Demon Race may not think the same."

"How can one allow another to snore beside one's bed?"

"The Wu Clan occupies the finest lands of the Primordial Land and possesses such formidable strength. In Di Jun and Taiyi's eyes, you are the greatest obstacle to their unification of the Primordial World!"

"Even if you do not provoke them, they will surely see you as thorns in their eyes and splinters in their flesh!"

"Whether or not the Wu Clan has ambitions of supremacy, the Demon Race will come knocking sooner or later. Between them and your Wu Clan... there is bound to be a battle!"

"When that day comes, even if you wish to avoid it, there will be nowhere to avoid. A great battle will be unavoidable!"

Zhen Yuanzi's tone carried a trace of gravity.

Wu Ming still wore a calm smile, as though Zhen Yuanzi's concerns had not surprised him in the least.

He nodded. "This humble Daoist naturally understands what Daoist Friend has said."

"How could we not know Di Jun and Taiyi's intentions?"

"But the Demon Race... does not yet have the qualifications to truly battle my Wu Clan."

Zhen Yuanzi's heart gave a jolt.

What arrogance!

He knew the Wu Clan was powerful, and that it even had a mysterious existence like Zhou Ming. But to say that the consolidated Demon Race Heavenly Court was not qualified to battle them—was that not a little too...

Wu Ming continued, "Rest assured, Daoist Friend."

"When that day truly comes, all we need to do is beat them until it hurts, beat them until they're afraid. Then they'll naturally behave themselves."

"As the saying goes, throw one punch to clear the way and spare yourself a hundred punches to come."

"Only when they personally experience the price of making enemies of our Wu Clan will they truly rein in those ambitions they should never have had."

Zhen Yuanzi felt a slight tremor in his heart as he listened to Wu Ming's words.

Good heavens, he had said it so lightly, yet the killing intent within those words was enough to make one's heart quail.

Beat them until it hurt? Beat them into submission?

It seemed the Wu Clan had long since prepared a countermeasure—and they intended to strike without mercy.

"But... even if you beat them until it hurts, I'm afraid it will still be difficult to erase their wariness." Zhen Yuanzi still had his doubts. "So long as the Wu Clan exists, I fear they will never truly rest easy."

Wu Ming set down his teacup and looked at Zhen Yuanzi.

"That is why, after making them feel the pain, we must prove it to the entire Primordial Wilderness."

"Prove that our Wu Clan truly has no intention of vying for hegemony."

"As long as they—as long as every living being in the Primordial Wilderness—becomes convinced of this, they naturally will no longer keep hounding our Wu Clan."

"If we do not make them feel pain, they will not believe us."

"And..." Wu Ming paused. "This punch is not merely meant to intimidate the Demon Race."

"It is also meant to intimidate those petty villains across the Primordial Wilderness who harbor sinister intentions."

"To make them see clearly that although our Wu Clan does not contend for hegemony, we are by no means soft persimmons for anyone to squeeze!"

Zhen Yuanzi understood.

First, establish authority with thunderous measures; then make their stance known—dispensing both grace and might.

Only...

Zhen Yuanzi asked curiously, "And how does Daoist Friend intend to... prove it?"

How could they prove to the entire Primordial Wilderness that the Wu Clan had no desire to contend for hegemony? That was no easy task.

Wu Ming smiled mysteriously. "Hehe, as for that..."

"When the time comes, Daoist Friend will naturally know."

Seeing this, Zhen Yuanzi did not press further.

After the two fell silent for a moment, their conversation naturally turned to the future Sages of Purple Cloud Palace.

"Speaking of which, the Dao Ancestor accepted the Three Pure Ones, Nuwa, Jieyin, and Zhunti—six Daoist Friends in all—as disciples, and even bestowed Hongmeng Purple Qi upon them. That is truly a heaven-sent blessing."

Zhen Yuanzi sighed. "The seat of a Sage... among the countless billions of living beings in the Primordial Wilderness, only this scant handful can ultimately hope to reach it."

"I simply wonder which of the six will be the first to take that step and Prove the Dao and become a Saint.

To become a Saint!

That was the ultimate realm dreamed of by all the Great Powers of the Primordial Wilderness.

Once someone became a Saint, the entire structure of the Primordial Wilderness would surely undergo earth-shaking changes.

At this, Wu Ming raised his teacup and took another sip, his movements unhurried.

"Prove the Dao and become a Saint? Hehe, how could it be so easy?"

"Hongmeng Purple Qi is merely a key, the qualification to become a Saint. To truly push open that door, one still needs immense opportunity and Merit."

"In this humble Daoist's view, it will still be a long while before the six of them can Prove the Dao."

Zhen Yuanzi sensed there was more behind Wu Ming's words and quickly asked, "Oh? It seems Daoist Friend Wu Ming knows something?"

"Could it be that Daoist Friend knows roughly when they will be able to Prove the Dao?"

Wu Ming shook his head. "Naturally, this humble Daoist does not know the exact time."

"However..."

He paused, then continued, "What this humble Daoist can say for certain is that, at present, the opportunity for them to Prove the Dao has yet to arrive."

"Until the time is right, no matter how bitterly they cultivate or how many profound mysteries they comprehend, they will be unable to take that final step."

"Therefore, no Sage will appear in the Primordial Wilderness anytime soon."

After hearing this, Zhen Yuanzi understood.

It seemed Daoist Friend Wu Ming's grasp of the Heavenly Secrets and the greater tide of events far surpassed that of ordinary people.

Since he said the opportunity had yet to arrive, then the time truly had not yet come.

This put Zhen Yuanzi somewhat at ease.

At the very least, before a Sage emerged, the situation in the Primordial Wilderness would not spiral completely out of control.

The two chatted idly for a while longer, exchanging insights on cultivation.

Wu Ming rose to take his leave. "Daoist Friend Zhen Yuanzi, I have imposed upon you for quite some time. This humble Daoist should be going."

Zhen Yuanzi stood as well. "Take care, Daoist Friend."

He saw Wu Ming off outside the temple gates.

"Daoist Friend, if you have leisure in the future, do come visit my Wuzhuang Temple often."

Wu Ming nodded. "Certainly."

With that, he clasped his hands and bowed to Zhen Yuanzi, then transformed into a streak of light and vanished beyond the horizon.

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