Transmigrating over ten thousand years late, I was forced to become a mighty presence

The old man, seeing Ji Zhaoyang and his companions approaching, proactively docked his dilapidated little boat by the shore and asked with a smile:

"Do you young masters wish to cross the river?"

"Indeed," Ji Zhaoyang sized up the old man before him but didn't sense any traces of cultivation from him.

His mind somewhat at ease, Ji Zhaoyang took out a few pieces of gold from his Storage Ring and handed them to the old man.

"Could this serve as the fare for the boat?"

"Enough! Enough!"

The old man grinned as he accepted the gold and invited everyone onto the boat.

Once everyone was settled, the old man gently pushed off, steering the boat slowly into the river.

Sitting in the boat and looking around to confirm that the influence of the Way's rhyme in the river had been weakened, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

The boatman, in a leisurely posture, asked the group:

"Observing you young masters, you seem like scholars with extensive learning. Could it be that you're also planning to go to Jixia Academy to engage in philosophical discussions?"

"Jixia Academy?"

Ji Zhaoyang raised an eyebrow. The Great Yin Imperial Family's information spreading from the Luotian Realm was scarce, mostly limited to basics such as rivers and the Way's rhyme; he had never heard of the name Jixia Academy.

After exchanging glances, Ji Zhaoyang was the one who took the initiative to speak:

"We have just parted from our master and are traveling the world, knowing very little of the outside world. May I ask the elder what this Jixia Academy is?"

The boatman chuckled softly:

"Jixia Academy was founded by the King of Qi State originally as a place to cultivate scholars and gentlemen for the Qi State, but as Jixia Academy's reputation grew, more and more scholars from other states joined the academy.

Therefore, Emperor Zhou decreed that Jixia Academy no longer belonged to any one state's school but instead became a place of discourse for scholars and gentlemen from all over the world.

Over the centuries, various scholars have established schools to spread knowledge and thoughts within Jixia Academy, leading to today's splendid and prosperous era."

Ji Zhaoyang's eyes lit up.

From his recent experiences, he was keenly aware of the unique aspects of Luotian Realm, different from the outside world.

Knowledge within the Luotian Realm contained the true intent of the Major Path, which could assist them in comprehending the existence of the Way in advance.

And being the gathering place of knowledge in the world, Jixia Academy must have an abundance of wisdom and the Major Path, its importance self-evident.

If they could gain some insights into the Major Path's true intent within Jixia Academy, they would have the confidence to step into the Tao Harmony Stage in the future.

Not just Ji Zhaoyang, but the other cultivators also showed signs of being moved.

"May I ask the elder, where exactly is Jixia Academy located?"

The old boatman said leisurely:

"Jixia Academy is in the capital of Qi State, still tens of thousands of miles from here.

However, young master, if you have never heard of Jixia Academy before, please think twice before proceeding."

Ji Zhaoyang asked in surprise, "Why is that?"

"The scholars are about to initiate a grand event of philosophical discussions within Jixia Academy.

I assumed the young master was from one of the Hundred Schools and that there would be no harm in going to Jixia Academy to witness and discuss the event.

But if the young master is not a person of the Hundred Schools, attending the grand event could be perilous to your life."

At this, the old boatman shook his head with a bitter expression.

"Why would there be danger in merely discussing the Way?" Ji Zhaoyang clearly didn't believe it and reassured the old man:

"Rest assured, elder, we do have some ability to protect ourselves."

The old boatman glanced at Ji Zhaoyang and the others, seeming hesitant to speak.

The boat slowly docked at the shore, and after Ji Zhaoyang and his companions disembarked and thanked the old man, they rushed towards the direction of the capital of Qi State.

Having left the continuous mountains and forests, their speed on the road increased significantly, passing some simple towns and farmlands along the way.

As they drew closer to Jixia Academy, a Spirit Refining True Being who had been silent for a long time suddenly said:

"Since we were able to learn about Jixia Academy from the mouth of the old boatman, the Crown Prince, with a bit of investigation, might possibly find out as well.

Isn't there a high probability of running directly into the Crown Prince if we hastily head to Jixia Academy like this?"

This statement slowed down everyone's footsteps, and their faces showed an expression of surprise and uncertainty.

"What True Being He said is indeed true,"

"Our main goal is not to gain benefits from the All-Worlds Luotian Convention but to ensure we can survive and return to the Imperial Capital."

"The Crown Prince's power is formidable; we should avoid its sharp edge."

"Those who entered the Luotian Realm from the Crown Prince's faction include three Return-to-Void Great True Beings and even a Void Refining True Monarch who has concealed his identity. I urge the Third Imperial Prince to reconsider thrice."

Ji Zhaoyang frowned tightly, looking at the people by his side with displeasure.

"It is true that the Crown Prince's faction is formidable, but we have our trump cards, as long as we have..."

He was halfway through his sentence when Ji Zhaoyang's expression stiffened, and he suddenly faltered.

Scanning the cultivators present, including himself, there were a total of four Spirit Refining True Beings and two Return-to-Void Great True Beings. It seemed there were no issues in terms of numbers, but Ji Zhaoyang couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing.

"No! Who exactly are we missing?"

...

In an unknown territory, Shen Yuan looked around, finding himself enveloped by darkness and obscurity.

Looking down at his body, the thin mist concealed his physical form, severing all Tianji and causality, to the extent that even Shen Yuan couldn't see through the fog to his own flesh.

He even doubted at one time whether this body was his own.

Not long before, the Luotian Tao Hall had transported everyone to the Luotian Realm via a Void Channel, and with the spatial vertigo that came with void travel, most people lost consciousness immediately.

Only Shen Yuan, who possessed the Spatial Path, remained aware during the long-distance void travel, and even had the spare attention to catch the movements of the void and contemplate his path.

However, the moment the Luotian Tao Hall entered the Luotian Realm, a strange radiance enveloped Shen Yuan, causing him to suddenly lose consciousness for a brief period.

When he regained consciousness, he found himself in this space of darkness and obscurity.

Although he did not know his location, Shen Yuan was certain that this was not the Luotian Realm.

According to the information provided by Ji Zhaoyang, while the Luotian Realm was an odd place, it generally retained the logic of a normal world and would not present such a scene as he currently witnessed.

After hesitating for a long while, Shen Yuan realized that if he did not make a choice, nothing would change, so he took the initiative to explore his surroundings.

As he walked through this unknown territory of darkness and obscurity, it was as if Shen Yuan stirred the boundless mist, while the dark seemed like a giant beast opening its maw to devour everything.

Shen Yuan did not know how long he walked, but as the endless darkness slowly dissipated, the fog before his eyes seemed to thin a little.

At that moment, a figure stepped decisively through the mist from the other side.

It was a vague figure in a bright yellow Taoist robe, holding a horsetail whisk in the right hand, and striding forward with a prideful air as if looking down on the world.

Wherever the figure trod, the boundless mist naturally receded, carving out a path in this place.

"Eh?"

The figure in the bright yellow Taoist robe seemed to notice Shen Yuan obscured by the mist, pausing slightly in its advance with a puzzled look fixed upon Shen Yuan.

"The impartation is about to begin, why are you still lingering here?"

"Impartation?" Shen Yuan's heart suddenly trembled, and for some reason, he thought of the All-Worlds Luotian Convention set against the backdrop of the Tao's Way Great Exalted One imparting the Tao to the heavens.

Before Shen Yuan could respond, the figure in the bright yellow Taoist robe shook its head lightly and said:

"I almost forgot that you are not skilled in the Time Path, and since you cannot manifest your true form, it's normal that you find it difficult to lock onto the temporal node in this barrier."

With those words, the figure in the bright yellow Taoist robe lightly flicked the horsetail whisk, and in that instant, the boundless mist froze in place, following which a clear path was carved out.

"Let's go!"

The figure in the bright yellow robe strode forward, and Shen Yuan subconsciously followed closely behind.

Walking on this clearly marked path, Shen Yuan's internal Rebounding Wind Returning Fire Great Divine Power could distinctly sense the traces of time coming to a standstill, as if an invisible hand forcibly paused the flow of history, creating a path transcending time.

The aura so grand it made Shen Yuan's spirit soul shiver, and within the depth of his true spirit, the fragment of Emperor Fengdu's incorporeal persona flickered crazily, allowing Shen Yuan to withstand the breath of this supreme power.

"Who is he?"

"And where is this place?"

As questions began to rise in Shen Yuan's heart, he saw the figure in the bright yellow Taoist robe slowly turn around; beneath the fog, a pair of eyes gazed at Shen Yuan, shining with a light that seemed to observe all Yanfu worlds and discern all truths.

"You seem to be somewhat troubled?"

"Donghua Shaoyang Emperor!"