Gathering

"Two seats remain. Does that mean two people have yet to arrive?"

After taking his seat, Ning Fengzhi keenly noticed this and immediately asked.

"Indeed. I tried inviting them, but they kept declining my invitations.

No rush. Let's wait for them a little longer."

Li Ming smiled faintly, picked up the teapot, and poured into the teacups before the two of them. A black, bubbling liquid immediately flowed out.

"What is this?"

Looking at the dark, bubbling liquid, neither of them thought it looked like something pleasant to drink.

"This is a special beverage I made. Please, give it a try."

As Li Ming spoke, he poured himself a cup and drank first in front of them. A satisfied expression then appeared on his face.

This was the strength of the Dream. Things from his memories could be reproduced directly, and their taste could be shared with others as well.

Being able to drink familiar Iced Cola in this other world was truly relaxing.

Tang Xiao picked his up first and took a tentative sip. He was not worried about poison; this was only a Dream, and he could not die here.

As that icy burst of refreshment exploded across his tongue, Tang Xiao's brows rose slightly. This drink seemed rather good.

With Tang Xiao setting an example, Ning Fengzhi took a sip as well and could not help nodding. It truly had a unique flavor, and it was chilled too.

After drinking, Ning Fengzhi and Tang Xiao looked at each other.

At that moment, they were both extremely curious about one thing: whether what that white-bearded old man had said was true.

Was the person before them really someone they knew?

In fact, verifying it would not be difficult.

Ning Fengzhi spoke first.

"Since this gentleman claims that Sect Master Tang is truly Sect Master Tang, then Sect Master Tang should remember where the two of us first met, correct?"

That was right. Ning Fengzhi's method was to ask about information known only to the two of them.

This Dream might be impressive, but the notion of peering into their memories was simply wishful thinking.

A Dream was merely a Dream, not some Soul Skill capable of probing memories.

All a Dream could do was create things, not peer into hearts.

Their minds were like independent databases. Even Li Ming could not access them.

Besides, if he truly could peer into their hearts, how could a level seventy-nine Spirit Saint and a level ninety-seven Title Douluo possibly fail to notice?

Therefore, as long as the information matched, it could indeed prove that the other person was who he claimed to be.

Upon hearing this, Tang Xiao immediately revealed a thoughtful look. That was a memory from long ago.

"The first time you and I met was in the Star Dou Great Forest."

"At the time, we both needed to fuse Soul Rings and were brought there by our respective elders, where we encountered each other."

The moment those words were spoken, Ning Fengzhi's body shook involuntarily, and his pupils contracted slightly. It was actually true!

Other than the two of them, only the elders of their respective clans had been present at that meeting. No outsider could possibly have known.

"So it truly is Brother Tang. I never expected that after the Clear Sky Sect went into seclusion, we would meet again in a place like this."

Ning Fengzhi had resolved his doubts, but Tang Xiao had not. He immediately asked a question.

Ning Fengzhi answered swiftly.

Only then did Tang Xiao learn that what the white-bearded old man had said was actually true.

After the two reminisced, they looked at Li Ming again, their gazes now entirely different.

There was actually such a thing in this world—using a Dream to bring them together within a Dream.

More importantly, through their earlier exchange, they had already tested and learned that before entering the Dream, both of them had been in their own sects.

Although Ning Fengzhi did not know where the Clear Sky Sect had moved after going into seclusion, it could not possibly have been close to Heaven Dou City.

Tang Xiao, however, knew where the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was located. It was nearly half a Heaven Dou Empire away from the place where he had gone into seclusion.

Though separated by such a vast distance, they could meet within a Dream. That alone was enough to demonstrate the means of the person before them.

It was truly unheard of.

"Your methods are truly remarkable, sir!"

The two looked at Li Ming and had already realized something. They could not help praising him, sincerely and wholeheartedly.

They simply could not figure out how Li Ming had done it.

How could one person's Soul Skill affect two different people across half an empire?

Perhaps that was precisely why the power of the Soul Skill they sensed was so weak?

Both fell into thought, filling in the explanation themselves.

Someone capable of such a feat could not possibly be weak. At the very least, he had to be a Title Douluo. Yet the power of the Soul Skill they felt was so faint, so this could only be explained as the price of crossing such a terrifying distance.

Even so, it was still astonishing.

"Sir, what is the purpose of going to such lengths to pull us into this Dream?"

Ning Fengzhi could not help asking.

Yet after he asked, Li Ming did not answer. Instead, he looked toward the city gate, where two people were approaching together.

They were Emperor Xue Ye of the Heaven Dou Empire and Yu Yuanzhen, clan head of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

The two of them recognized them at once.

If the two of them were real, then those two might be real as well. Of course, they might also be fake.

The two immediately rose to their feet.

"Sect Master Ning."

Emperor Xue Ye wore magnificent golden robes, his face imposing.

"Your Majesty."

Ning Fengzhi immediately bowed.

Emperor Xue Ye then looked at Tang Xiao. Upon seeing his face clearly, he was greatly startled.

"It is actually Sect Master Tang."

"Your Majesty, it has been a long time."

Unlike Ning Fengzhi, Tang Xiao did not bow. He merely nodded and replied politely.

Yu Yuanzhen's eyes flickered as he greeted the others as well. As members of the Upper Three Sects, they naturally all knew one another.

He and Emperor Xue Ye had appeared together at the city gate, only to discover that the other was not a construct created by the Dream but a real person. This made him intensely interested in the Dream as well.

After exchanging greetings, everyone focused their attention on Li Ming.

Li Ming sat calmly in his chair and smiled faintly at them, giving a small nod.

"Please, sit."

Each of the four had his own thoughts, but they still took their seats.

Before Li Ming could speak, however, Emperor Xue Ye looked at Tang Xiao first.

"Didn't Sect Master Tang take the Clear Sky Sect into seclusion? Why are you here?

Could it be that you are near Heaven Dou City as well?"

Emperor Xue Ye appeared to be reminiscing, but a trace of suspicion flashed deep within his eyes.

As one of the Upper Three Sects, the Clear Sky Sect had vanished from his field of vision after going into seclusion. For years, he had known nothing of the Clear Sky Sect. Put another way, he had lost control over it.

If this so-called seclusion was merely an excuse, and the Clear Sky Sect had actually entered the world in secret without ever leaving, that would be interesting indeed!

"Your Majesty is overthinking it. I am not near Heaven Dou City. It is simply that this Dream technique is truly formidable. Even though I am far from Heaven Dou City, it can still reach me. It is indeed remarkable."

The moment Tang Xiao heard this, he knew what Emperor Xue Ye was thinking and immediately responded.

Emperor Xue Ye nodded at once, though no one knew whether he believed him.

"Sir, you used this Dream technique to gather the Upper Three Sects and the imperial family here. What is your purpose?"

Yu Yuanzhen looked at Li Ming and demanded.

The others all looked at Li Ming as well, wanting to know the answer.

"Because all of you are important figures of the Heaven Dou Empire,

And since my Purple Heaven City has just opened its gates, it is only natural that I host a banquet for all parties.

It will also allow you to witness how Purple Heaven City becomes a holy land coveted by Soul Masters across the world.

As for all of you, you are merely Purple Heaven City's first visitors."

Li Ming smiled faintly, but his words carried boundless dominance.