The heights were too cold to bear.
The Barbarian Tribe Divine Mountain stood a hundred zhang taller than Lal Mountain and Wumeng Mountain, making it the tallest mountain in the eastern part of this continent.
Thus, standing atop the felt tent where the Great Asa lived, one could see bright sunlight spilling over white waves of clouds, casting a golden radiance like a sea suspended in the heavens.
Gongye Bai sat opposite the Great Asa, bathed in this golden ocean. The cold wind stirred his white hair and robes, lending him something of an immortal's bearing.
"Great Asa, you have stood guard here for a hundred years, rendering a service to the Central Plains, the Barbarian Tribe, the Western Buddhist Kingdom, the Wa Kingdom of the eastern continent, and others. What a blessing indeed."
The Great Asa grinned. "You flatter me."
Compared with Gongye Bai, there was nothing outstanding about his clothing, build, appearance, or bearing, yet sitting there, he exuded a sense of weight.
A plain, unadorned weight-or rather, a "strength" that could not be ignored.
Especially to Gongye Bai, who cultivated Yi Dao, the Great Asa's strength exceeded anything he had previously imagined.
To describe it precisely, the Great Asa's power exceeded the limit of this world by exactly one measure.
No more, no less.
One measure more, and he would have attained transcendence, perhaps ascending in broad daylight like the ancient sages of legend.
One measure less, and he would not have warranted such attention from Gongye Bai.
Gongye Bai withdrew his gaze and sipped the Barbarian Tribe's distinctive Black Needle Tea. Bitter and flavorless, it offered little worth mentioning.
"I traveled thousands of miles to visit you this time for two matters."
The Great Asa raised his hand slightly, signaling for him to speak plainly.
"First,