Perfect: I am Shi An from Shicun, and I am Huang’s brother!

Chapter 440 Meng Tianzheng

The echoes still reverberated in the square as the three supreme beings transformed into three wisps of pure energy, dissipating into the depths of the sky.

In the square, light shimmered, and the academy's deacons remained calm and silent, using only hand gestures to direct the crowd.

The hushed conversations, the amazement at the new environment, and the anticipation for the future intertwined to create a peculiar background sound.

Cao Yusheng, looking excited, walked towards an area exuding an ancient aura. There, stone tablets stood in rows, inscribed with various mysterious runes and ancient cultivation insights.

He seemed to see countless treasures beckoning to him, and he couldn't wait to immerse himself in this ocean of knowledge and discover his own opportunities.

Holding his longbow, Chang Gongyan walked resolutely toward an area filled with a chilling atmosphere.

Arrows rained down there, and the air was thick with killing intent; it was the perfect place for him to hone his archery skills and improve his combat prowess.

His eyes revealed a firm determination, vowing to take his archery skills to a new level in this area.

The Moon Jade Rabbit, carrying the little Qilin, hopped and skipped towards an area filled with fantastical colors.

It was a colorful and shimmering world, like a dream.

The little Qilin struggled excitedly in her arms, letting out joyful cries, seemingly full of anticipation for this place.

With an otherworldly air, he walked towards the area that was as ethereal as the wind, where clouds and mist swirled and the wind howled, as if countless immortals were dancing in the wind, perfectly complementing his ethereal aura.

Shi Yi's gaze was deep as he walked towards an area radiating a mysterious, ethereal light. He sensed the profound power of the laws contained within, which was exactly what he needed to explore higher realms.

The Emperor, Yuechan, Qin Hao, and others also headed to cultivation areas that suited their own characteristics.

As for Shi An...
Instead of going to the training area that suited his own characteristics like the others, he came to the depths of the academy.

"You came!"

Deep within the academy, purple mist permeates the air, the bamboo roots glow purple, and the leaves are moist and lustrous.

This is a grove of purple bamboo!

Beside the cobblestone path, a crystal-clear stream flows gently over the roots of bamboo that are as translucent as jade, occasionally making a melodious tinkling sound.

On the other side of the path stood a simple thatched hut, no different from any ordinary dwelling. It was plain and unremarkable, lacking any aura of the Great Dao or any divine presence. Everything about it was simple and ordinary.

Around the thatched hut, several mud ponds of varying sizes dotted the landscape. The water was murky, yet one could vaguely see loaches scurrying about, or a flash of golden light, as if dragons or fish were swimming in the water.

Not far from the thatched hut, on a smooth, brown rock, an old man dressed in hemp clothing held a green bamboo pole and quietly fished. His aura was restrained, as if he had merged with the purple bamboo grove, the muddy pond, and the babbling brook, creating a serene and tranquil atmosphere, where all was still.

It was none other than Meng Tianzheng, the Grand Elder of the Heavenly God Academy and also the strongest person in the human realm in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths!

Shi An's figure appeared at the end of the path, his footsteps silent, yet seemingly stirring the tranquility of the place.

"I've met the Great Elder."

He walked a few steps away from the large brown rock, stopped, his gaze calm, and bowed slightly to the figure fishing. His voice was not loud, but it echoed clearly through the bamboo forest.

Elder Meng Tianzheng did not turn around. His gaze remained fixed on the seemingly ordinary muddy pond in front of him. His fishing rod was as steady as a rock, with the line sinking into the mud, as if he were not fishing for fish, but for the eternal silence of time.

"puff!"

After a long while, he gently trembled the bamboo pole in his hand, and a silvery dragonfish was pulled out of the water, drawing a graceful arc in the air before falling into the muddy pond next to him, splashing up a small patch of mud.

Only then did he slowly turn his head, his gaze falling on Shi An. His eyes were deep and calm, as if they contained endless wisdom and vicissitudes.

“Your heart is not at peace!” Meng Tianzheng’s voice was calm and detached, yet it seemed to penetrate all appearances and point directly to the source.

Shi An remained silent for a moment, then frankly admitted, "Yes! Brother Hao has fallen into a foreign land, and his fate is unknown. I am deeply troubled."

His voice was deep and steady, yet it was like a heavy piece of black iron thrown into a calm pond. Though the surface of the water only rippled slightly, it contained a power powerful enough to shake mountains.

The tranquility of the bamboo grove, the babbling of the stream, and the gentle ripples of the pond all seemed to freeze at this moment, leaving only the heavy anxiety and self-reproach in Shi An's words, which spread silently.

Meng Tianzheng slowly put away the bamboo pole and casually placed it on the large rock beside him.

He did not directly respond to Shi An's words about Shi Hao, but instead pointed to another relatively flat stone next to him.

"sit."

Shi An sat down as instructed, his posture remaining as upright as a pine tree.

Meng Tianzheng's gaze swept over Shi An, as if penetrating his flesh and blood, and seeing the vast, boundless, yet subtly restless, immense power within him.

This power was so profound and ancient that even he, a being at the pinnacle of humanity, took notice. No wonder the three elders deliberately told him about it.

"If the mind is not calm, the path will not be stable."

His voice remained calm, yet it was like jade that had been soaked in a cold spring for ten thousand years, carrying a coolness that understood all things: "Throughout the nine heavens and ten earths, through countless ages of rise and fall, which life has not experienced separation and death? Even a powerful immortal king cannot escape the changing of eras and his body turns to ashes."

As he spoke, he paused slightly, his cloudy yet extremely bright eyes looking at the surface of the muddy pond where ripples were spreading again, and a golden scale flashed and disappeared.

"Although the foreign land is not a good place, its laws are more complete and closer to the origin of the Great Dao than those of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, which are isolated by the 'Heavenly Abyss' and have been damaged."

"This trip may be a disaster, but it may also be a blessing in disguise!"

Meng Tianzheng's voice was as soft as the rustling of bamboo leaves, but when it entered Shi Anxin Lake, it stirred up layers of undercurrents: "Furthermore, Huang Zhi has exceptional talent and a resilient character. If he can find an opportunity in that foreign land, he may be able to soar to great heights."

After hearing Meng Tianzheng's words, Shi An finally realized what was happening.

Yes, that's a wasteland, how could something like that happen so easily?

As Shi An was thinking this, Meng Tianzheng did not stop speaking, but continued, "Moreover, the path of cultivation is full of thorns and challenges. If one hesitates because of fear of danger, how can one achieve the Great Dao?"

"Now that Huang has stepped into that alien realm, he can only move forward bravely. All we can do is improve our own strength so that one day we can fight alongside him and resist the alien realm together."

Upon hearing this, Shi An remained silent for a moment, then a determined light flashed in his eyes: "The Grand Elder is absolutely right. I will definitely work hard to cultivate and improve my strength, so that I can find Brother Hao in the future and protect the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths together with him."

Seeing that Shi An had come to his senses, Meng Tianzheng couldn't help but smile slightly, a smile that carried a hint of relief and approval: "It's good that you have this determination."

"However, one should not be impatient for quick success on the path of cultivation; one must proceed step by step and make steady progress."

"Your inner power is immense, but it is currently showing signs of agitation. If you do not regulate it, it may affect your future cultivation."

"Don't resist!"

As he spoke, Meng Tianzheng suddenly pointed, and a soft light shot out from his fingertip and entered Shi An's brow.

In an instant, Shi An felt a cool sensation spread throughout his body, and the restless power hidden within him gradually subsided, as if gently smoothed by an invisible hand.

"Thank you, Great Elder!"

Feeling the changes within his body, Shi An's respect for Meng Tianzheng deepened even further.

(End of this chapter)