He was invincible from the beginning of the Heaven-Covering Era.

In their view, Wang Teng's challenge was absolutely humiliating, and he had no chance of defeating the God Lord.

Although the scene before them was somewhat shocking, what shocked them was that the God Lord had it much easier than they had imagined. They had thought that the God Lord would have to throw at least one punch or one palm strike to defeat Wang Teng.

Unexpectedly, the situation they had imagined did not occur at all. A single strand of hair, like an aggregate of countless mountains, suppressed Wang Teng, pinning him down and rendering him completely immobile.

That's why Pang Bo asked so cautiously, because the two of them had a vague guess in their hearts, but the guess was so unbelievable that they dared not believe it.

"Just as you all think, I have now become a saint," Zhou Qing said calmly.

A huge wave of shock surged through Ye Fan and Pang Bo's hearts, their eyes filled with horror. Although they had expected it, they still couldn't help but be shocked when Zhou Qing finally admitted it.

"You can go back and tidy up your cave dwellings. I need to meet with the sage of the Qishi Mansion. I will inform you to leave after I'm done," Zhou Qing said.

"Understood," Ye Fan and Pang Bo replied in unison.

The two then quickly left and returned to their cave.

Many of the onlookers looked at Ye Fan and Pang Bo with expressions of deep emotion.

"I never expected that there was such a powerful figure behind the Holy Body. How many people in the world would dare to target the Holy Body now? This is not like the Tianxuan Saint from the Eastern Wilderness six thousand years ago. We all know that the Saint could not protect the Holy Body at all times, but this one is different. This one can truly protect it at all times!"

These people had naturally heard what Zhou Qing had just said, and they were all shocked, but also somewhat expected it.

If it weren't for a saint's intervention, who could suppress a supreme being with just a single strand of hair?

Only a saint, whose blood can kill a great being and whose hair can crush mountains and rivers, could accomplish such an inconceivable feat.

In a corner, two men stood together. One was of medium build, around twenty-three or twenty-four years old, with dark skin and sharp, piercing eyes.

The other was robust, two heads taller than average, dressed in white with his clothes fluttering in the wind. He stood on a snow-capped mountain, seemingly blending into the snow and wind.

This scene was created by his magic, simulating heavy snow that lasted for months, demonstrating his immense power.

But now the man's expression was bitter as he said to the man of medium build, "Brother Yan, do we really still have a chance to avenge the Holy Body?"

"Brother Chu, I'm also confused," the man addressed as Brother Yan murmured.

One of these two was Yan Yunluan, an incredibly monstrous talent who entered the Qishi Mansion while undergoing tribulation, which astonished everyone present.

The other is Chu Tian, ​​the most terrifying existence to emerge on the very first day of the Qishi Mansion's opening. With his cultivation at the fifth stage of the Dragon Transformation Realm, he fought his way in, and none of the tens of thousands of people in front of the Qishi Mansion could match him.

However, during their recent exploration of the Immortal Abode, these two were soundly defeated by Ye Fan.

Despite using all sorts of secret techniques and various methods, they couldn't inflict any harm on Ye Fan. Instead, the two men were beaten so badly that they had to run away with their heads in their hands, and were seriously injured. If it weren't for the timely intervention of the powerful figures from the Qishi Mansion, the two men would have been dead long ago.

It was this battle that silenced all the heroes, instantly making Ye Fan a dazzling new star in the Qishi Mansion. Some disciples from the Qishi Mansion even followed him and became his lackeys.

While the disciples of Qishi Mansion were lost in their own thoughts, Zhou Qing had already entered the small tavern.

At this moment, the old manor lord had already wiped a table clean with a rag, set out a pot of old wine and a few small dishes, and was waiting for Zhou Qing's arrival.

Chapter 257 The Debate on the Ideology of the Holy Path

This small tavern originally housed many disciples of the Qishi Mansion. As a small tavern that could be located within the Qishi Mansion, it was impossible for it to be without any background.

So even though there was only an old man with thinning, gray hair in this small tavern, no disciple of the Qishi Mansion dared to act recklessly.

It should be noted that many major sects among the various schools of thought in Zhongzhou were not qualified to set up businesses within the Qishi Mansion. Therefore, the disciples of the Qishi Mansion all knew that this old man either had an extraordinary background or possessed extraordinary strength.

But no matter what, they never expected that the God would walk straight towards them. Could it be that there was something about this little tavern that would attract the God's attention?

Just then, Zhou Qing spoke up.

"It's truly unexpected that you, a senior who was the lord of the manor several generations ago and an ancient saint-level existence, would be running a small business in such a small tavern and spending your days with the disciples of the Qishi Mansion."

Zhou Qing walked into the small tavern, looked at the old man with a smile, and sat down directly at the table that the old man had already arranged without any formalities.

"This little tavern is no ordinary place. Don't be fooled by the fact that I only have twenty or thirty people in this small building. Whenever something big happens in the Big Dipper, this place often becomes the information exchange center. Besides, watching the young people play around and listening to them discuss the heroes of the world makes my heart feel younger." The old manor owner poured two small cups of wine and then sat down.

At this moment, all the disciples of Qishi Mansion in the small tavern had left, leaving the place to Zhou Qing and their old master.

Moreover, after this conversation, the old manor lord realized that he could no longer hide his identity.

Thinking of this, the old manor lord couldn't help but glance at Zhou Qing. He originally wanted to interact with the disciples of the Qishi Mansion as an ordinary person and did not intend to reveal himself now. However, he could not control Zhou Qing's behavior and could only grit his teeth and accept it.

“Senior, hiding your strength all the time isn’t necessarily a good thing. Perhaps appropriately displaying your power is the best principle for survival.” Zhou Qing shook his head, his words carrying a deeper meaning.

The powerful figures of the Primordial Era have a peculiar trait: they particularly like to hide their strengths and conceal their abilities. This applies to both saints and great sects.

He could understand this idea; the goal was to keep others guessing about one's strengths and weaknesses, so that they wouldn't dare to launch an attack easily.

This was the case when the Sun Ancient Sect attacked the Taiyin Divine Sect. Because they were unclear about the Taiyin Divine Sect's true strength, the high-ranking members argued endlessly and could not reach a consensus, thus delaying the decision to start the war.

However, the powerful beings of the ancient times did not act like humans. It was an era of the survival of the fittest. If there was an Ancestral King, there was an Ancestral King, and they would definitely publicize it. Clans without an Ancestral King were often in a precarious state and could be wiped out at any time.

Now that the Primordial Race has begun to emerge one after another, the powerful figures of the Big Dipper are still using this deeply hidden rule to fight against the Primordial Race, which will inevitably lead to a great mistake.

However, this was a rule that these powerful individuals followed throughout their lives, a rule that great religions had upheld since their inception. Throughout history, this way of doing things often helped them live longer and benefit the great religions.

Because the tradition has been passed down for a longer period of time, people naturally assume that such rules must be very useful.

People are trapped in this mindset, and unless they experience a painful ordeal, they are unlikely to realize that times have changed.

No one knows why the saints, who had remained unmoved for over a decade in the original timeline, suddenly united, reached a consensus, and carried out a planned and organized strategic intimidation.

During those ten-plus years, the Holy Prince was relentlessly pursued and killed. Several small bandits died, and several big bandits also died. Even Ji Haoyue, who dared to go to rescue him, had to fight his way back to the Ji family covered in blood. The ancient clans didn't care about the Ji family's reputation at all.

After all, in the ancient era of the struggle for supremacy among all races, the law of the jungle prevailed. Even if the Ji family was an imperial clan with supreme imperial weapons, if the strongest member of the clan was just a powerful being, then their deterrent power would be greatly reduced.

When Zhou Qing returned this time, he never thought of hiding his saintly cultivation level, because he clearly understood that times had changed!

What the human race needs next is not to hide, but to show their power. For the ancient race, showing them their power is far more intimidating than hiding it and keeping their true strength a mystery.

"It seems you have some different ideas, young man?" The old manor lord seemed to take a liking to Zhou Qing's words and asked him in return.

"It's clear that you care a lot about the disciples of Qishi Mansion. After all, they are the best of the best who have emerged from the geniuses of the Five Regions. They are either people with special physiques or people whose talent for cultivation is truly extraordinary and close to immortality. Although there are some extremely amazing geniuses who choose not to join Qishi Mansion, they are only a minority. The disciples of Qishi Mansion have almost encompassed all the geniuses of Beidou."

"Senior, have you ever considered what would happen to these disciples if the human race doesn't show a single saint to the outside world? What if the ancient race emerges and sees a human race without any top-tier combat power? Even the death of one would be a tremendous loss to the human race's potential, wouldn't it?" Zhou Qing said, pointing to the disciples of the Qishi Mansion outside.

"But this might better unleash their potential. Besides, they are not without power behind them. Although the times will be cruel for them, it will also allow them to grow up quickly," the old mansion master said calmly.

"Is it necessarily right for a sage to live in seclusion, watching the world change and treating the people like straw dogs?" Zhou Qing asked rhetorically.

"Go on," the old manor lord said, raising his cup and drinking it down. He then poured himself another cup, seemingly ready to have a long talk with Zhou Qing.

Zhou Qing never expected this topic to end so easily. In the end, it was a struggle over the Great Dao, a struggle over Daoist beliefs, and even a struggle over the path of sainthood.

He continued, “Heaven and earth are ruthless, treating all things like straw dogs; the sage is ruthless, treating the people like straw dogs.”

"But the premise of the sage being ruthless is that the people are in a natural state of birth and death, like flowers blooming and withering, with times of prosperity and times of decline. Only then will the sage be ruthless."

"But if the people are not subject to the natural cycle of birth and death, but rather to calamities imposed upon them by external forces, then even a sage can wield his sword and point it to the heavens, forging a blood-soaked path forward for the human race!"

"Boom!"

Suddenly in the sky

However, a thunderous roar was heard, leaving many disciples of the Qishi Mansion puzzled.

They looked curiously at the small tavern, which was now engulfed in a chaotic mist, wondering what was being discussed inside.

One is the first genius of our time to achieve sainthood, representing the strongest voice of the new generation; the other is the old lord of the manor who achieved sainthood thousands of years ago. What great secrets of heaven and earth will they discuss? This made the disciples of the Qishi Mansion feel like they had a cat scratching their itch, eager to hear it all.

Inside the small tavern, the old manor tumbled to a halt as he poured wine. Only when the jar was full and overflowing did he snap out of his daze and put the wine away.

“Hundreds of thousands of years ago, the young and ambitious Void Emperor had the exact same thoughts as you,” the old mansion lord said slowly.

After he finished speaking, a brief silence fell over the small tavern.

Outside, Black Emperor, relying on a very mysterious ear-shaped artifact, actually broke through the chaotic barrier that Zhou Qing had casually set up. After it put on this ear-shaped artifact, it could hear the sounds inside the small tavern clearly.

"Black Emperor, Black Emperor, tell me quickly, what exactly are they talking about inside?" Zixia, the innate Dao embryo, urged from the side, her expression full of curiosity.

But when she pushed the Black Emperor a few times, he didn't react at all, which made her frown. Just as she was about to push harder, the Black Emperor suddenly said, "Zixia, what kind of saint do you envision?"

Zixia was taken aback at first, then replied without hesitation, "A saint? Invincible under heaven, traversing the starry sky, creating worlds, possessing unparalleled power, isn't that a saint?"

But to her surprise, the Black Emperor did not agree. Instead, it shook its big head, its large, bell-like eyes looking somewhat dazed, and murmured something.

"You're only talking about saints in terms of power. In reality, what exactly is a true saint? Even the Great Emperor Wushi doesn't know the answer to this question. Even though his cultivation is all-encompassing and invincible, he doesn't know how to describe a saint in terms of spirit."

Zixia was confused and didn't quite understand what the Black Emperor was saying, but she still remembered what he said.

She already knew that the Black Emperor was a dog that the Great Emperor Wushi had once adopted and knew many secrets. Therefore, whenever the Great Emperor Wushi was mentioned, she would secretly write it down and try to figure out what mysteries it contained.

However, she really couldn't understand what the Black Emperor said this time. As long as one breaks through the Dao, wouldn't one become a Saint by advancing one's realm? What's there to think about?

Inside the small tavern, after a brief silence, the old manor lord spoke again: "You have comprehended the power of humanity?"

Zhou Qing remained seated, revealing the trace of the Human Emperor's power hidden deep within his body, which then swirled around him.

In an instant, he seemed to become the center of heaven and earth, with all glory gathered upon him, revered by all, and possessing supreme and noble majesty.

The old lord sighed, "Indeed, your Sacred Path contains the power of humanity, and it is this highest level of power. I have only seen this kind of power in Xiang Yufei before, so even if it costs us a great price, we still managed to bring him back to life."

In this life, the power within you is even more concentrated than that of Xiang Yufei, which shows that you have truly grasped the essence of humanity. No wonder your path to sainthood is such a path.

After confirming Zhou Qing's level of understanding of the Way of Humanity, the old manor lord also gained some insight into Zhou Qing's philosophy. His words about a sage pointing his sword at the sky and wreaking havoc had shocked him, but now he felt it was only natural.

Because if Zhou Qing did not have that kind of awareness, he would not be able to comprehend the power of humanity, let alone the power of the Emperor of Humanity.

The two human emperors of that time were both outstanding in this field. Opening up the path for the human race was not a dinner party, and it was not a gentle and humble act. It was a completely violent action, and the two human emperors led the charge.

"Since that's the case, let me ask you another question: how do you plan to appropriately display your power?" the old manor lord asked with great interest.

In his view, Zhou Qing at this moment was not a junior at all, but a true saint. Therefore, he was really curious about what this strongest voice of the new generation was thinking.

“In fact, as millions of years have passed, not all ancient races are unaware of the changes of the times. A considerable number of ancient races have been affected by the development of the human race, and a considerable number of ancient races, although retaining their ferocity, also have some reservations. The ten races that are truly unscrupulous are the main ones,” Zhou Qing said solemnly.

Regarding the Primordial Clan, the Qishi Mansion, the future of the prodigies, and the future of the human race, Zhou Qing and the old mansion master discussed them one by one, exchanging their opinions and gaining much from the conversation.

A day and a night passed just like that. Most of the disciples had left the small tavern, but less than ten people were still waiting. Among them, Black Emperor and Purple Cloud were listening with great interest on a mountain peak not far from the tavern.

"This kid is really amazing. He has ideas and is very proactive. I never expected his ideas to be so inspiring. But I'm still not optimistic. After all, even the Great Emperor Wushi couldn't do it back then. No one in all the ages has ever been able to do it. It's simply beyond human capabilities," the Black Emperor remarked.

"Is this the God Lord? If even he cannot be called a saint, then no one in the world can be called a saint." Zixia's red lips parted slightly, feeling extremely shocked.

For so many years, she had only heard that the power of the God was invincible, but compared to the ideas she was hearing now, she suddenly felt that the invincible power was far too inferior to the God's ideas, and she felt like she was being crushed like an ant in terms of character.

At this moment, Zhou Qing's conversation with the old manor lord was also coming to an end. Although they had only talked for a day and a night, how fast could their thoughts be? They had already exchanged countless things in just one day.

"Would the Divine Lord be interested in becoming a teacher at my Qishi Mansion?" Before leaving, the old mansion master asked Zhou Qing with a smile.

"I don't have the time," Zhou Qing shook his head and refused.

"You don't need to preach all the time. Coming once in a while is enough. Many disciples of the Qishi Mansion are very curious about you and eager to hear your great teachings," the old mansion master said with a smile.