Chapter Twenty-One: Are You Trying to Fool Me?

"Damn it! Are you kidding me? Are you trying to fool me?"
Ye Qiu was dumbfounded, utterly bewildered.
Do you think I haven't read books? Just a glance and you broke through?
Isn't that a bit exaggerated? That really is just an ordinary book, absolutely nothing like a secret manual of cultivation, and you managed to break through?
Look at this scene—a beam of cyan light wrapped around Fu Feng, and beneath that sacred radiance was a terrifying pressure, forcing everyone to bow their heads.
But Ye Qiu remained unaffected, feeling especially speechless, as if he had been overlooked.
"Hiss… My god, just a single glance and he broke through the Supreme Pinnacle? How is that possible…"
"Damn, I almost got fooled. It turns out the Classic of Mountains and Seas really is the supreme immortal method. Damn it, Fu Feng the old Taoist got lucky…"
For a moment, the whole crowd was in an uproar, everyone utterly confused.
The elder Tian Yi muttered gloomily, "Damn it, this old Taoist Fu Feng is about to rise. From now on, what holy land in the wilderness can contend with them?
This Classic of Mountains and Seas, just as the legends say, is truly terrifying…"
Feng Xiao spoke coldly, "No, the Classic of Mountains and Seas is indeed terrifying, but what’s even more frightening is the peerless master who wrote such an unparalleled scripture!
Who is he? Why has he never been heard of in the wilderness? Could he have come from the Heavens above?"
At these words, the crowd was shocked. Everyone looked at Ye Qiu with anxious hearts. The three great fierce beasts, once poised to act, suddenly stopped in their tracks, not daring to advance any further.
This man was undoubtedly a true immortal. Everyone at their level could sense the faint aura of righteousness emanating from him.
Such pure energy from the world—never seen among mortals!
With a thunderous boom, a dazzling light burst from Fu Feng, propelling him skyward, reaching for the moon in the nine heavens.
He then slowly descended, returning to stand respectfully before Ye Qiu. "Thank you for your guidance, senior. Had you not intentionally pointed the way, I would never have broken through to the Supreme realm…"
"Huh?"
Guidance? What guidance did I give?
Hey, I really didn't do anything. Are you mistaken?
Besides, it really is just an ordinary book. Your breakthrough has nothing to do with it.
"Senior, this book is grand and magnificent, splendid beyond compare. From the chaos of ancient times, all the strange tales and beasts are recorded within. Every fierce beast holds a legacy of precious techniques. To learn just one is to be invincible in the world…"
Fu Feng spoke, his heart shaken.
"Precious techniques? Are there any?"
Ye Qiu was baffled—he hadn't seen any precious techniques.
He took the Classic of Mountains and Seas back from Fu Feng, opened it up, and saw a collection of bizarre creatures—dragons, phoenixes, qilins, Qiongqi, Taotie—every variety of strange beast.
But Ye Qiu saw no precious techniques.
"Could it be that my aptitude is insufficient? Impossible, I don't believe it. In this day and age, who still writes stories about useless people?
Hmm, this old man must be bluffing. What heavenly techniques could there be in this shabby book? I wrote it myself, so wouldn't I know?
I can't even perform them myself, how could I have written them? This old man must be bluffing…"
"You really broke through?"
Ye Qiu turned and asked incredulously.
Fu Feng was briefly speechless, not understanding why Ye Qiu would ask. Anyone with eyes could see, surely?
"No, this question isn't so simple! Anyone with a bit of cultivation can see I've broken through.
If the senior is a master, how could he not know? A master wouldn’t ask such an ignorant question. Unless… he’s asking on purpose, to hint at something?"

The more Fu Feng pondered, the more disturbing the question became.
He mused, "I understand! In cultivation, two things are essential: first, one’s cultivation; second… one’s state of mind.
Though I have broken through in cultivation, my heart remains unable to reach true freedom.
At this realm, the core principle is freedom—not being disturbed by the secular, not being trapped by fame and fortune, seeking only to roam the world at ease.
Hiss… My god, is that why? No wonder the senior is willing to hide deep in the mountains, living incognito—he is refining his heart amidst the mortal dust…"
The more Fu Feng thought, the more alarmed he became. Suddenly, much became clear. He said, "Senior, you are trying to tell me that my heart has not yet reached true freedom of the Supreme realm, is that it?
I understand! Please, senior, enlighten me—what is freedom?"
"Huh?"
Ye Qiu was stunned. He just wanted to confirm whether Fu Feng had really broken through—how did it turn into such a question?
How would I know what freedom means? Smoking, drinking, getting a perm? Some lively youth on a scooter? Playing a song on a broomstick?
No, that's not it… What is freedom? I have no idea…
"Well, he wants me to enlighten him? Heh… Isn't this a classic case of the worst teaching the best? One dares to teach, one dares to listen.
Hmm, not bad! Let’s see how I fool him. If he ruins himself, he can’t blame me…"
Ye Qiu was inwardly amused, casting Fu Feng a meaningful glance and giving an evil smile, becoming increasingly bold.
"The way of heaven and earth lies in freedom! Its meaning can be found in a single phrase: the highest goodness is like water…"
"The highest goodness is like water?"
Fu Feng trembled inside. It was the first time in his life hearing such a phrase. He savored it, sensing a different kind of meaning within.
"The highest goodness is like water? How fascinating, as if it contains some great truth. Is this the realm of a true master?"
When Ye Qiu spoke, the whole field fell silent. Everyone listened intently, completely absorbed.
To hear a master expound the Dao was itself a tremendous fortune, especially when it was Ye Qiu.
"Senior, what does this phrase mean?"
Fu Feng asked with confusion. He had pondered it for a long time but still couldn't grasp the meaning, blaming his own poor aptitude for failing to understand the true Dao.
Ye Qiu saw everyone's reaction and was delighted.
"Haha, how amusing—they actually believe this? Well, I'll take full advantage…"
Nowadays, even nonsense gets believed. Indeed… when your status is high enough, even your nonsense becomes a principle.
"Water benefits all things and does not contend, following the natural flow—that is freedom…"
As Ye Qiu spoke, everyone shivered inside, whispering the phrase repeatedly.
"Water benefits all things and does not contend—Senior means to say, one should be like water, not fighting or grasping, following nature, and thus transcending the masses, entering the path of freedom?"
"Hiss… Truly the words of the Dao."
For a moment, everyone was shocked—as if they had discovered some earth-shattering secret.
Suddenly, light burst forth in all directions, accompanied by deafening sounds, creating an extremely spectacular scene.
"Damn? Did… did they break through just like that?"
The sight before him left Ye Qiu stunned—had everyone gone mad? They all broke through?
Damn, isn’t this a bit much? I was just bluffing, is it necessary to take it so seriously?
From the sky, everyone slowly descended, sitting cross-legged on the ground, multicolored light rising all around, power increasing steadily, even the three fierce beasts were dumbfounded.
They glanced at each other, unable to understand what truth Ye Qiu’s words held. Were they simply too stupid?

Otherwise, why did these people all break through, while they had no reaction?
Bah, you're the stupid one.
The Fearless Giant Ape glanced disdainfully at the other two beasts, then pretended to break through, sitting cross-legged like the others.
Everyone was now comprehending the Dao, and at such a moment… anyone not entering the Dao would feel awkward. The ape truly didn't understand, but that didn't stop it from pretending.
In its own words, "I'm clever, alright."
Its actions left the Nine-Headed Lion and the Suanni utterly dumbfounded.
"Damn, this shameless creature! Not understanding is just not understanding—why pretend? I refuse to be associated with you…"
The Nine-Headed Lion cursed, then copied the others and sat down to comprehend the Dao.
The aloof Suanni, seeing the scene, turned dark-faced.
It walked aside, pretending not to know these two idiots.
How humiliating!
They were ancient, fearsome beasts, yet for the sake of saving face, they had no limits!
I, Suanni, refuse to be associated with you. Not understanding is just not understanding—why pretend?
The scene was magnificent—a whole crowd entering a state of comprehension, with only Ye Qiu left baffled.
"Damn, their ability to fill in the blanks is too much! Just a single phrase, and they can comprehend the Dao?"
Ye Qiu felt the world was insane. He had just said it casually, not knowing the meaning himself.
What have you even comprehended?
Are you trying to fool me? Do you think I've never read books?
"Oh, it seems there's still one normal person here—no, a normal beast…"
Seeing Suanni still standing, Ye Qiu felt delighted inside.
A kindred spirit! Looks like we're the same type—we both don’t know what they're comprehending.
When Suanni saw Ye Qiu smiling at him, it panicked inside, "Oh no, everyone else has comprehended the Dao, even those two idiots, but I haven’t. Won’t he think I’m disrespecting him and kill me?"
The more Suanni thought, the more frightened it became. Seeing Ye Qiu smiling at it, the smile seemed tinged with killing intent.
It closed its eyes and abruptly sat down, entering a state of comprehension.
Ye Qiu: "???"
Damn, what happened to kindred spirits?
Ye Qiu was dumbfounded. He thought Suanni was on his side, but it suddenly entered comprehension as well—had it lost its way?
"Stop it! Please, stop trying to fool me…"
Ye Qiu felt like crying. How could everyone think his words made so much sense?
With his eyes closed, Suanni felt Ye Qiu was no longer watching him and sighed in relief, thinking, "Good thing I reacted quickly, or else he’d have slaughtered me!
Though it’s a bit shameful, survival comes first—when it's time to be cowardly, just be cowardly…"
Across the wilderness, colors burst forth. At the same time… many roars echoed as people broke through.
Even those who didn’t break through found the path to do so, their hearts excited, all thanking Ye Qiu.
"Thank you, Senior, for your guidance…"