Chapter Eight: All for One
As Shen Yuan stood before the window, his eyes shining with newfound determination, a wave of exhaustion suddenly swept over his body. He couldn't understand where it came from. Though he had barely slept the previous night, never before had drowsiness weighed on him so heavily.
His eyelids grew heavier with each passing moment. He tried to resist, to stay awake, but it was as though an invisible hand was dragging him down into a dark abyss. His heart pounded, and he clutched the window frame to steady himself, but his strength gave out.
And in the next instant… his consciousness faded completely.
When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer in the small room of the inn. Instead, he stood in a place that was all too familiar.
Before him stretched endless green plains, the grass swaying with a gentle breeze that carried a fresh, fragrant scent. The sky was clear and pure, dotted with drifting white clouds like tufts of cotton.
Everything was so calm… so much so that when he whispered to himself, his voice seemed to echo across the boundless field.
"This place again…"
It was the same heavenly green plain he had seen the first time he met the mysterious man. That memory caused his heart to tremble violently. Back then, he hadn't understood how he came here. Now, he didn't understand it either. But deep within, a voice told him that this was no coincidence.
As he steadied his breath, a calm, familiar voice reached his ears.
"I see… you've succeeded in breaking through the barrier… and have returned as a cultivator once more."
Shen Yuan turned around sharply. There, on the same massive boulder in the middle of the field, sat the mysterious man. His appearance was unchanged: long hair of silver-white flowing freely, eyes as deep as the heavens, and a faint, serene smile—one that clashed entirely with the cold aura he exuded.
Slowly, Shen Yuan walked closer, his eyes filled with a mix of respect and unease. He spoke hesitantly:
"Senior…?"
The man raised his hand calmly, cutting him off.
"You may call me the Elder… at least for now."
Shen Yuan's confusion deepened. Why "Elder"? Why not "Master"? Did this mean their connection ran deeper than he realized? But he couldn't bring himself to ask outright.
After a moment of hesitation, he gathered his courage and asked,
"You… no, Elder… are you me? Are we connected? Is this some kind of reincarnation?"
Even Shen Yuan himself didn't know how these words had escaped his lips. It was as though something hidden deep within him had guided him to ask such questions.
The man smiled faintly, then lifted his hand. Out of thin air, a delicate white porcelain teacup appeared between his fingers. He raised it gently to his lips. A second cup materialized before Shen Yuan, steam curling softly from its surface.
"Before we discuss great matters," the man said with quiet ease, "sit. Drink. Serious conversations require a clear mind."
With some hesitation, Shen Yuan sat down and accepted the cup. The gentle warmth spreading from it brought him a strange sense of peace. When he took a small sip, his eyes widened—this was unlike any tea he had ever tasted. Its refreshing flavor seemed to seep directly into his soul.
After setting the cup aside, the man spoke quietly:
"Tell me, Yuan… what do you know of the Paths?"
Shen Yuan drew in a deep breath before replying:
"A Path… is the way one chooses and dedicates their life to. The Path of the Sword, the Path of the Alchemist, the Path of the Blacksmith, even spiritual paths like that of the Ascetic. To gain the recognition of Heaven and Earth, one must achieve great accomplishments within their Path… only then does the world grant them a title."
The man nodded, a faint smile touching his lips.
"Correct. But… in your opinion, can a human walk more than one Path at the same time?"
Shen Yuan hesitated for a moment before answering:
"It's possible… but rare. Only a handful of geniuses have ever managed it, and even then, they barely reached four or five Paths. As for those requiring special constitutions… they are nearly impossible."
The man chuckled softly.
"Your answer reflects what the world believes today. But it is shallow… like the surface of a calm lake, while the depths hold truths beyond imagination."
He lifted his gaze to the skies, as though his eyes pierced the clouds to glimpse ancient scenes long lost to time.
"Millions of years ago, the universe paid no heed to Paths. Anyone could claim to walk a grand Path, and no one dared deny it. There was no recognition… no system. Only chaos reigned."
"But… everything changed because of one man."
His voice grew heavier, carrying a weight that pressed against Shen Yuan's heart.
"That man shattered the unwritten rules. He spread chaos, sowed terror across countless worlds. The universe itself was forced to acknowledge the Paths, to reestablish balance. And when it sought a standard for accomplishment… it found no better measure than him."
Shen Yuan's eyes trembled as he listened, his heart pounding wildly. But he dared not interrupt.
The man's lips curled into a strange smile—a blend of pride and unfathomable mystery.
"What that man did… was walk the most impossible road of all. A path beyond reason."
He drew in a slow breath, then spoke each word with deliberate weight.
"The Path… of All for One."
Shen Yuan's body shook violently, as though those words reverberated through his very soul.
"All… for One?"
The man nodded.
"To master this Path, one must walk all other Paths. Every single one of the millions that exist. To master them all… and then fuse them into a single whole. That man truly accomplished it… standing in defiance of the entire universe."
Shen Yuan stumbled back a step, disbelief written across his face.
"This… this is impossible…!"
The man only smiled faintly.
"It was supposed to be impossible. Yet with willpower… with something that transcends comprehension… the impossible was achieved."
Silence fell. Only the sound of the wind through the swaying grass remained.
Then, the man pointed first to himself… and then to Shen Yuan.
"And that man… is us."
Shen Yuan's heart trembled violently. Every fiber of his being screamed rejection, while his mind struggled to grasp the weight of those words.
"We…?"
The man's smile didn't fade. His voice was calm, yet carried an unrivaled force.
"You and I… are but fragments of the same truth. You are the new beginning… and I am the echo of the old."
Shen Yuan's body shook uncontrollably. He was only twelve years old, a boy who had tasted betrayal and abandonment. How could such a burden be placed on his shoulders? Could it be true—that within him resided the shadow of a man who once defied the very universe?
He didn't understand why, but instead of feeling joy at the thought of such power or legacy, fear gripped him. Why was he afraid? Shouldn't this have been a blessing? He couldn't understand.
Yet the man showed no anger. He simply took another sip of tea, then said:
"I do not ask you to understand now. It is enough to know… that everything you've gone through, and all that lies ahead, is merely the beginning of a road far longer than you can imagine."
His gaze grew distant, as though peering into eternity itself.
"Remember this… the Path of All for One is not a curse… but your key."