Bei Ming calmly said, "We're on their territory, so it's not strange to run into them. He didn't make things difficult for you, did he?"
"No." Fuxi shook his head. "The Wu Clan doesn't seem to oppose visiting cultivators coming to pay respects.
According to Di Jiang, being able to worship Great God Pangu as cultivators is an honor for them."
Bei Ming nodded at that. "Great God Pangu opened up the Primordial Wilderness, which is why we exist. It is only right that we respect him."
As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of hearty laughter suddenly rang out from the depths of the void:
"Hahaha!"
The laughter rolled outward, stirring the winds and clouds atop Mount Buzhou Summit and scattering rosy clouds in all directions.
Then ripples spread through the void, and three towering figures emerged, their auras vast and powerful.
The burly man at the front said, "Fellow Daoist Beiming, what you said is right.
As expected of a friend recognized by my brother! Born in the Primordial Wilderness, we should naturally revere Father God!"
Bei Ming clasped his fists. "Three Ancestor Wizards, I am Bei Ming. A pleasure to meet you."
Fuxi and Nüwa did not delay either, clasping their fists in greeting. "Fuxi of Mount Qixi, greetings to the three Ancestor Wizards." "Nüwa of Mount Qixi, greetings to the three Ancestor Wizards."
The three burly men opposite them returned the gesture and introduced themselves:
"Space Ancestor Wizard—Di Jiang!"
"Gold Ancestor Wizard—Ru Shou!"
"Weather Ancestor Wizard—She Bi Shi!"
After both sides had introduced themselves, Di Jiang looked open and frank, though his eyes carried a faint hint of eagerness:
"Last time, Fellow Daoist was occupied with important matters and could not accept my brother's invitation. We deeply regretted it.
The Wu Clan has always been hospitable. Since Fellow Daoist has come, we should naturally receive you warmly.
Should evil guests come calling, the Wu Clan's divine abilities will deal with them!
I wonder, Fellow Daoist Beiming, would you be willing to visit our Wu Clan tribe for a chat this time?"
Although Bei Ming could sense Di Jiang's sincerity, the Wu Clan's distinctive bluntness and domineering manner made it sound as though they planned to kidnap him if he refused.
Bei Ming said solemnly, "I personally have no objections;
but I am not traveling alone this time. How could I leave Nüwa and Fuxi behind and visit the Wu Clan by myself?"
Ru Shou raised a sharp brow, visibly impatient as he said in a deep voice, "You personally have no objections, so isn't that enough?
Why are you being so fussy? They're your Daoist friends—does that mean the Wu Clan isn't?"
"???" Bei Ming stared blankly at Ru Shou. What kind of reasoning was that?
Of course, he still had to correct Ru Shou's misunderstanding at this moment:
"Ancestor Wizard Ru Shou, Ju Mang of the Wu Clan and I are indeed Daoist friends, but I am not familiar with the other Ancestor Wizards. Today is the first time the three of you and I have met."
Just as Ru Shou was about to speak again, She Bi Shi reached out and patted his shoulder.
"Ru Shou, don't be so impatient. Listen to Big Brother."
Di Jiang's gaze was profound. He was considered one of the more reasonable Ancestor Wizards.
"This invitation was indeed somewhat abrupt. Since Fellow Daoist Beiming has an arrangement with others, it would not be right for us to separate you."
At this point, his tone shifted, and his eyes suddenly sharpened:
"However, since you have come to Mount Buzhou and taken Father God's opportunity, then you must follow the rules of Mount Buzhou!"
"Rules?" Curiosity flickered in Nüwa's eyes as she softly asked,
"Does Mount Buzhou have any rules?"
Ru Shou and She Bi Shi, standing behind Di Jiang, exchanged glances. Confusion likewise surfaced in their eyes.
They had guarded Mount Buzhou for a long time, yet they had never heard of any special rules;
in the past, as long as those who obtained opportunities did not cause trouble recklessly, the Wu Clan, true to their simple and honest nature, had never deliberately made things difficult for them.
Except for the Three Pure Ones. Back then, both sides had fought fiercely over the title of Orthodox Lineage of Pangu.
However, in a three-against-three battle, the Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Exquisite Pagoda on the other side had been rather tough, causing the Three Ancestor Wizards to suffer a minor loss.
Though Ru Shou and She Bi Shi did not quite understand Di Jiang's intentions, their years of companionship gave them a tacit understanding. They silently held their tongues and did not interrupt.
Bei Ming took in the scene, and a measure of understanding arose in his heart:
This so-called "Mount Buzhou's rules" was probably a rule Di Jiang had just invented.
But Di Jiang was not wrong. They had indeed just obtained an opportunity from Mount Buzhou, so it would not be good to turn hostile immediately;
thus, the three of them suppressed their thoughts and waited silently for Di Jiang to continue.
Di Jiang said seriously, "Once, Ju Mang and Fellow Daoist Beiming became friends through combat on the East Sea Coast, and their names spread throughout the Wu Clan.
Once word of this spread, everyone in the Wu Clan rushed to imitate them.
Now there are three people on each side, so we can have an exchange of ideas!"
At this point, Di Jiang paused.
"These are the rules of Mount Buzhou—if you take an opportunity, you cannot refuse the Wu Clan's challenge! If you break the rules..."
With a hint of severity and intimidation, Di Jiang said, "Then don't blame us for being impolite!"
The wind howled, and the atmosphere atop the mountain peak suddenly grew tense.
When it came to the Wu Clan eagerly imitating Innate Gods making friends through combat, quite a few ridiculous misunderstandings had occurred.
After Ju Mang and Bei Ming became friends, the other Ancestor Wizards were enlightened as well:
So making friends was this simple!
Thus, they often patrolled through their tribes, watching the Innate Gods who passed by;
if they encountered a suitable one, they would casually find an excuse before charging forward aggressively to fight.
It was just that, in the Heaven and Earth of the Primordial Wilderness, there were not many experts who could match an Ancestor Wizard evenly.
Some Great Powers would see an Ancestor Wizard charging toward them with murderous intent from afar and immediately turn around and flee without a word;
others reacted too slowly and were blocked head-on, left with no choice but to fight for their lives.
The result was naturally swollen faces, broken tendons, and fractured bones.
Yet in the eyes of the Ancestor Wizards, that counted as "somewhat capable of fighting." Afterward, they would pat their opponent on the shoulder and heartily call it—making friends through combat!
The cultivators who had been beaten flat on the ground wore forced smiles while cursing endlessly in their hearts:
"You barbarians! Isn't making friends through combat supposed to stop at the right point? Who fights for real and tries to beat someone to death?!"
But the Wu Clan's philosophy was precisely the opposite—if one did not go all out, would that not be looking down on one's opponent and disrespecting the battle?
After this series of antics, Di Jiang gradually realized the problem:
Not only had the Wu Clan failed to make any worthwhile Daoist friends, they had also made their reputation worse and worse. Many Innate Gods avoided the Wu Clan as though they were plague.
That was why, when Bei Ming visited today, he had deliberately appeared to invite him for a detailed discussion. He wanted to learn from Bei Ming how these Innate Gods truly viewed the Wu Clan.
After all, the other Ancestor Wizards only needed to manage their tribes' development and wage war, but as the leader of the Wu Clan, he had to consider the future of the clan from more perspectives.
Having stated the rule he had just established, Di Jiang immediately erupted with a violent aura that thundered straight into the heavens.
Ru Shou and She Bi Shi exchanged a glance, then followed without hesitation as their vast magic power swept forth.
The Three Ancestor Wizards erupted together, their imposing might stirring the firmament and churning the winds and clouds.
Bei Ming's gaze narrowed. His sleeve robe stirred slightly, but he was not alarmed.
If they were going to fight, he naturally had no objections, but he could not make the decision for Nüwa and Fuxi without asking them.
So he turned to look at the two of them and asked meaningfully,
"What do you two plan to do? Will you follow the host's arrangements, or..."
Before you continue