Heavenly Dao Alliance

Zeng Anmin stared gravely at the phantom of the Dragon Survey Map.

It was still the same map, no mistake.

So why had the characters changed?

Zeng Anmin carefully observed that line of text.

He immediately determined that the person on the other side was conversing with him—?!?

Zeng Anmin's face showed astonishment, and he found it utterly absurd.

Yet it was happening right before his eyes.

From the other person's tone, Zeng Anmin deduced that they were likely from the Jiang Kingdom in the south.

Only someone from the Jiang Kingdom would refer to the Sage Dynasty as the "Northern Saint Kingdom."

Because the Demon Race lurked all around, relations between the Great Sage Dynasty and the Great Jiang Dynasty were not hostile.

The two kingdoms had always coexisted as allies, jointly resisting the Demon Race.

A thousand thoughts churned in his mind.

"Still, fortunately, the other person doesn't seem to know who I am..."

After a long time, Zeng Anmin narrowed his eyes and slowly wrote two characters behind the phantom of the Dragon Survey Map:

You are?

Blessings in disguise, misfortunes in blessings—this might not be a bad thing.

Zeng Anmin had a feeling that if he could chat freely with the other person, he would draw closer to the secrets of the Dragon Survey Map.

He had expected the reply to take a long time.

But no sooner had he set down his brush than he saw the previous line change to:

You seem quite wary.

Fair enough. The Xi Huang Diagram in your hands is one of the Four Heavenly Dao Diagrams—it's only natural you wouldn't want such a treasure discovered.

The Xi Huang Diagram?!

Zeng Anmin's heart jolted violently.

During the day, he had read about it in the Record of Strange Items.

There were four Heavenly Dao Diagrams in the world, peerless treasures...

Among them, one of the Four Heavenly Dao Diagrams, the Phoenix Strategy Diagram, was held by the Jiang Kingdom's imperial family.

But why was he so certain that what Zeng Anmin held was the Xi Huang Diagram?

Zeng Anmin knew full well that the diagram in his hands was definitely NOT the Xi Huang Diagram!!

The Xi Huang Diagram recorded in the Record of Strange Items depicted Xi Huang, the human leader of ancient times!

This was something anyone could look up in the records.

But the diagram before him...

Zeng Anmin looked up.

That fierce dragon-shaped creature...

You're telling me this is Xi Huang??

My eyes aren't blind...

Still, Zeng Anmin's lips curled slightly as a plan formed.

He did not refute the other person's words.

After all, the more outlandish the other person's assumptions, the better it was for him.

The owners of the Four Heavenly Dao Diagrams can converse with each other through this?

After writing, Zeng Anmin stared intently at the phantom of the Dragon Survey Map.

This was also a doubt in his mind.

The Record of Strange Items had no record of this.

Clever. But that fool in the Southern Wilderness should still be asleep now, and that silent gourd from the Dao Sect only chatted a few times at the very beginning—now he barely speaks.

It seemed the other person no longer doubted that Zeng Anmin was the owner of the "Xi Huang Diagram."

Zeng Anmin was slightly enlightened.

But he wanted to pry out more information.

So he wrote with a chuckle:

Then why isn't it recorded in the books?

Heh. From ancient times to now, those who could awaken a Heavenly Dao Diagram can be counted on one hand. For all four of us to awaken our diagrams in the same era—that has never happened before.

So that's how it is!

Zeng Anmin, playing the part of a humble and eager disciple, tested the waters:

"So whoever can awaken the Heavenly Dao Diagram must be a favored child of heaven, a prodigy born with extraordinary talent!"

"Then why don't we join forces? When one side is in trouble, the other three come to its aid—won't that let us grow even faster?"

As soon as these words were sent, the diagram fell silent.

The other person didn't reply for a long time.

Just as Zeng Anmin figured they must have logged off to sleep, two more lines suddenly appeared.

"Sure"

"I think that works"

?

This tone was clearly different from the previous speaker, catching Zeng Anmin off guard.

"When did you two, the blockhead and the mute, pop up?"

Seeing this, a smile tugged at Zeng Anmin's lips. Now that's more like it.

"Just woke up. I think this little brother from the Northern Sacred Dynasty has a point. Since we can all awaken the Heavenly Dao Diagram in the same era, that means we're fated!"

Zeng Anmin quickly typed back: "It's too hard to tell who's who like this. How about we each pick a nickname?"

"What's a nickname?"

"North: This is a nickname, see? I'm from the Northern Sacred Dynasty, so I'll call myself North."

Zeng Anmin, now a full-fledged QQ chat expert, began giving instructions.

"South: Then I, Nanjiang, will naturally be South!"

"Huang: This idea is exactly what I was thinking!"

"Dao: Mm"

As expected of top-tier talents—so disciplined!

Zeng Anmin gave the other three a thumbs-up.

With that, a temporary organization was born!

But he felt he needed to push a little harder.

"North: From now on, if any of us don't understand something, we can ask here and discuss it together. Once the four of us grow strong, the entire Nine Provinces Continent will be prostrate and trembling at our feet!!"

Rule 33 of the "Basic Sales Guidelines":

First, brainwash them—get the customer motivated!

"North: Also, I suggest we give our organization a domineering name. One that will go down in history!!"

Rule 69 of the "Basic Sales Guidelines":

Make the customer feel a sense of belonging.

"South: Great, great, great!! Well said!!"

"Huang: Holy crap, that got me wide awake!"

"Dao: Mm."

"South: So what should we call it? North, you're a master of the Confucian Path—why don't you come up with something?"

It's working!!

A smile spread across Zeng Anmin's face.

As they say, master sales, and the world is yours!

After thinking for a while, he wrote solemnly:

"North: Since we came together through the Heavenly Dao Diagram, how about we call it the Heavenly Dao Alliance?"

"Huang: Great name!! Badass!! Fits me!!"

"South: Not the best, but it'll do."

"Dao: Acceptable."

The first lively group chat among the members went on for quite a while.

"South: Oh, North, there's something I'd like to ask of you. Would you be able to help me out?"

Seeing this, Zeng Anmin's brow immediately furrowed.

It was just like meeting a fun new friend online in his past life—chatting excitedly, and then suddenly they ask to borrow money?

Don't these netizens have any sense of boundaries?

Still, to avoid ruining the persona he'd just built in this organization, he patiently wrote on the diagram.

"North: Go ahead, let's hear it. If I can help, I will."

After all, "helping each other among group friends" was a slogan he himself had shouted—he couldn't very well smash his own sign.

Nan: It's that poem you wrote last time, only half a verse. Could you write out the full poem and let me borrow it?

Seeing these words, Zeng Anmin breathed a sigh of relief.

He'd thought it was something major.

This was far too simple.

But as the saying goes, a thief never returns empty-handed.

"You help me, I help you"—that's the true foundation of harmonious human interaction.

Bei: Naturally I can. It just so happens I have a matter as well. How about we help each other?

Nan: What matter?

Bei: I have a friend who wants to enter the Martial Path but hasn't found the way. Would you be able to procure a copy of the "Qi Guiding Diagrams"?

Nan: That's simple. Our Jiang State's armory has countless Qi Guiding Diagrams. Wait a moment, I'll draw them for you directly.

Then, one after another, human-shaped diagrams appeared on Zeng Anmin's chat interface.

And he wrote the corresponding breathing methods beside them.

Nan: Each diagram can guide qi into the body. Is that enough? If not, I have more.

As expected of the Jiang State Imperial Family—truly rolling in wealth!!

Zeng Anmin wished he could give Nan a double thumbs-up!

He memorized all the diagrams.

Bei: Enough, enough! Now watch closely!

Zeng Anmin took a deep breath, hesitated no longer, and directly let his brush fly:

Bei: The sea ends where the sky becomes the shore; atop the peak, I am the summit. If the sun can rise again from the eastern hills, the great peng spreads its wings and resents the heavens for being too low.

A long silence followed.

Nan: Excellent poem!!! Truly grand and majestic! As expected of the Holy Dynasty where the Confucian Path flourishes!

Dao: The poem is indeed good.

Huang: Damn!! It gets my blood boiling!! No, I'm going to the wild mountains to kill some demonic beasts!!