The Star Dou portal was solemn and chilling.
The Brilliant Star River was dazzling beyond compare, yet concealed infinite killing intent within. Even Daoist Zhunti, a Sage, felt utterly uncertain and suddenly began considering retreat.
As the saying went, a Sage did not contend, and thus could not be defeated.
A Sage did not contend, and therefore none under Heaven could contend with him.
The original meaning was to preserve a humble, peaceful heart and avoid contention. If one did not contend with others, no one could contend with him, allowing him to stand undefeated.
In other words, as long as you remained high above all others, at worst you would draw, and you would never lose. But once you personally entered the fray, victory and defeat became difficult to predict.
That was precisely the situation Daoist Zhunti now faced. Gazing at the billions of stars joining into one vast formation, and at the new world within the portal that severed the cause and effect of all things, the alarm bells in his heart rang violently, warning him never to go deeper. Otherwise, regret would come too late.
If he entered, victory was uncertain. If he did not, he would lose all dignity and become a laughingstock. What was he supposed to do?
What was there to think about? It was only his face. He could do without it!
Everyone had seen that he had been the one to refrain from contending first, allowing the Human King to triumph afterward. This was called a Sage's refusal to contend—a manifestation of Great Compassion and Great Wisdom.
With that thought, Zhunti decisively admitted defeat. He withdrew his Dharma idol, held the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree, and bowed. "The Human King possesses remarkable methods. He has drawn the stars together into a world