Chapter 4: The Strongest Chat Group
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The notifications exploded like fireworks in a silent night.
[Martial Ancestor has joined the chat.]
[Hongmeng Wanderer has joined the chat.]
[Sword Devouring Venerable has joined the chat.]
[Nine Nethers Demon Lord has joined the chat.]
[Immortal Slaying Madman has joined the chat.]
[Little Foodie has joined the chat.]
For a long moment, nothing happened.
Then—
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Martial Ancestor:
"What is this place? I was meditating in the Martial Ancestor Palace, contemplating the mysteries of the Great Saint realm, and suddenly—this appeared before my eyes! Is this some kind of illusion technique? Who dares to toy with me?!"
Hongmeng Wanderer:
"Calm yourself, fellow daoist. I have roamed the Hongmeng for eight million years and have never encountered such a phenomenon. This is no illusion. This is... something else entirely. The energy signature alone is beyond anything I've ever sensed."
Sword Devouring Venerable:
"Energy signature? Who cares about energy signatures? I want to know if there's anyone here worth fighting! I've been stuck at Great Emperor peak for thirty thousand years, and my swords are getting restless. Anyone want to duel? I'll go easy on you."
Nine Nethers Demon Lord:
"...I sense something. Something ancient. Something that should not exist in any realm I know." A pause. "Whatever created this place, it is watching us. I can feel its gaze."
Immortal Slaying Madman:
"WATCHING?! WHERE?! POINT ME AT IT! I WANT TO FIGHT IT! I HAVEN'T KILLED ANYTHING INTERESTING IN THREE THOUSAND YEARS AND I'M GOING INSANE! HAHAHAHA!"
Little Foodie:
"...Is there food?"
---
Silence.
Then—
Martial Ancestor:
"Did... did someone just ask about food? In the middle of this cosmic mystery?"
Hongmeng Wanderer:
"I believe so. A child, perhaps? The energy signature is... mortal. Completely mortal. How did a mortal enter this place?"
Sword Devouring Venerable:
"Who cares about the mortal? I want to fight the madman! Hey, madman! What realm are you? You sound fun!"
Immortal Slaying Madman:
"IMMORTAL EMPEROR LEVEL 2! AND YOU?!"
Sword Devouring Venerable:
"Great Emperor Level 9! Close enough! LET'S GO!"
Nine Nethers Demon Lord:
"Both of you, shut up. Something is happening."
---
The screen flickered.
A new message appeared—not from any of the members, but from above them all, in text that seemed to burn with golden light:
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[Group Owner - Founder has spoken.]
Founder:
"Welcome."
---
The single word hit them like a physical force.
In the Martial Ancestor Palace on Tianwu Continent, a middle-aged man in golden robes stumbled backward, clutching his head. Billions of martial artists across the continent felt their founder's shock and looked to the sky in confusion.
In the endless purple void of the Hongmeng World, an old man with a compass froze mid-step, his ancient eyes widening. The compass in his hand—a treasure that had guided him for eight million years—shattered into a thousand pieces.
In the Sword Devouring Realm, a figure made of countless blades stopped mid-swing, his sword-arms trembling. Every sword in the realm—billions of them—hummed with sympathetic vibration.
In the Nine Nethers Abyss, a dark shape wrapped in chains looked up from his throne of skulls, red eyes blazing. The souls he had been refining scattered in terror.
In the Immortal Slaying Realm, a blood-drenched warrior paused mid-laugh, his axe frozen inches from an enemy's neck. For the first time in a million years, he felt something other than bloodlust.
In a ruined village on a forgotten mortal world, a little girl looked up from the half-eaten apple in her hand, tilted her head, and shrugged.
---
Martial Ancestor:
"Who... who are you? What realm do you hail from? I am the Martial Ancestor of Tianwu Continent, revered by billions! My cultivation has reached the Great Saint realm! I have created ten thousand martial techniques! Yet your single word made my soul tremble!"
Hongmeng Wanderer:
"My compass... my Hongmeng Compass has guided me for eight million years. It has never failed. It has never broken. Until now." A pause. "What are you?"
Sword Devouring Venerable:
"I... my swords are trembling. All of them. Even the ones I swallowed a million years ago. They're afraid. I've never felt my swords afraid before."
Nine Nethers Demon Lord:
"The souls. The three billion souls I have refined—they're all kneeling. Inside my own soul sea, they're kneeling and weeping. I can't control them. I've never lost control before."
Immortal Slaying Madman:
"..."
Immortal Slaying Madman:
"..."
Immortal Slaying Madman:
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Immortal Slaying Madman:
"FINALLY! FINALLY SOMEONE WORTH FIGHTING! WHERE ARE YOU?! I'M COMING FOR YOU! I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE A GOD OR A DEMON OR THE HEAVENS THEMSELVES—I WILL KILL YOU!"
Little Foodie:
"...Can I have more food?"
---
The Founder, sitting in his simple hut on the mountain, smiled at the floating screen.
They were perfect. Every single one of them.
Arrogant. Broken. Lost. Hungry.
Exactly his type.
---
Founder:
"You want to know who I am?"
He typed slowly, deliberately.
Founder:
"I am someone who has lived so long that I've forgotten my own name. I have destroyed more worlds than you have taken breaths. I have created beings greater than any of you and watched them fade into dust."
Founder:
"Immortal Emperor? That was my breakfast, once."
Founder:
"I am beyond your realms. Beyond your comprehension. Beyond your wildest imagination."
Founder:
"And I am offering you a chance."
Martial Ancestor:
"A chance? What kind of chance?"
Founder:
"The chance to become my disciples."
---
Uproar.
Martial Ancestor:
"IMPOSSIBLE! I am the Martial Ancestor! I have no teacher! I AM the teacher!"
Hongmeng Wanderer:
"I have roamed the Hongmeng for eight million years. I have studied under no one. I answer to no one."
Sword Devouring Venerable:
"I devour swords. I don't bow to them."
Nine Nethers Demon Lord:
"I am the lord of the Nine Nethers. I have three billion souls under my command. I bow to no one."
Immortal Slaying Madman:
"I don't want a teacher! I want a fight! COME FIGHT ME!"
Little Foodie:
"Will there be food if I become your disciple?"
---
The Founder's smile widened.
Founder:
"Martial Ancestor. You've been stuck at Great Saint for a thousand years. You've created ten thousand techniques, but not one of them leads to the true path. In another five hundred years, your lifespan will end, and everything you've built will crumble."
Martial Ancestor:
"How... how do you know that?!"
Founder:
"Hongmeng Wanderer. You've roamed for eight million years, searching for something you can't name. You've seen everything, done everything, learned everything—and you're more lost now than when you began."
Hongmeng Wanderer:
"..."
Founder:
"Sword Devouring Venerable. You've devoured 108,000 swords. You're at Great Emperor peak. You've been stuck there for thirty thousand years. You try to hide it with bravado, but you know—you'll never break through on your own."
Sword Devouring Venerable:
"...How?"
Founder:
"Nine Nethers Demon Lord. You've refined 3.6 billion souls. You sit on your throne of skulls and pretend you're invincible. But you can feel it, can't you? The karmic fire. It's burning inside you right now. In a hundred years, it will consume you completely."
Nine Nethers Demon Lord:
"..."
Founder:
"Immortal Slaying Madman. You've killed 10,000 Immortal Kings, 100 Immortal Venerables, and 1 Immortal Emperor. You laugh and rage and fight because if you stop, you'll have to face what's inside you. The heart demons. They're winning."
Immortal Slaying Madman:
"..."
Founder:
"And Little Foodie. You're just hungry. You've been hungry your whole life. Your parents died when you were five. You've survived by scavenging, begging, stealing. You've never had enough. You've never been full."
Little Foodie:
"...How did you know about my parents?"
---
Silence.
Absolute, complete silence.
Then—
Martial Ancestor:
"Can you... can you really help me?"
Founder:
"Yes."
Hongmeng Wanderer:
"What do you want in return?"
Founder:
"Nothing. Everything. I want you to become my disciples. I want you to grow. I want you to reach heights you never imagined possible. And when you do—when you stand at your own peaks—I want you to look back and remember who helped you get there."
Founder:
"That's all."
---
Sword Devouring Venerable:
"That's... that's it? You want nothing else?"
Founder:
"I want companionship. I've been alone for a very long time."
---
Something in those words shifted the atmosphere.
The arrogance drained away. The suspicion faded. Even the Immortal Slaying Madman stopped laughing.
They understood loneliness. Every single one of them.
The Martial Ancestor, surrounded by billions of worshippers, had not had a single conversation with an equal in centuries.
The Hongmeng Wanderer had traveled for eight million years without finding anyone who could truly see him.
The Sword Devouring Venerable had surrounded himself with blades because people were too difficult.
The Nine Nethers Demon Lord ruled over billions of souls, all of whom feared him, none of whom loved him.
The Immortal Slaying Madman had killed so much that he had forgotten what it felt like to connect.
And Little Foodie—she had been alone since she was five.
---
Little Foodie:
"I'll be your disciple."
Martial Ancestor:
"What?!"
Little Foodie:
"He's lonely. I know what that feels like. When you're alone and hungry and no one cares if you live or die... it's the worst feeling in the world." A pause. "If he can help me not feel that anymore, I'll do it."
Little Foodie:
"Also, he probably has food."
---
The Founder laughed—a real laugh, warm and surprised.
Founder:
"Little Foodie, you are my favorite already."
Little Foodie:
"Can I have some food now?"
Founder:
"Endless amounts. I'll send you some."
[System Notification: Group Owner "Founder" has sent a red packet.]
Little Foodie received: "Endless Food Pack" (Contains delicacies from ten thousand realms, unlimited supply).
Little Foodie:
"!!!!!!"
Little Foodie:
"THERE'S MEAT! AND BREAD! AND FRUIT! AND CAKE! AND—" A long pause. "I'm going to cry. Is it okay if I cry?"
Founder:
"Cry all you want. Eat all you want. You're safe now."
---
Martial Ancestor:
"...Fine. I'm in."
Hongmeng Wanderer:
"You've seen things I cannot comprehend. You've offered me something I cannot find alone. I would be a fool to refuse."
Sword Devouring Venerable:
"If you can really help me break through, I'll do anything. Even become a disciple."
Nine Nethers Demon Lord:
"I have one question. Can you really cleanse the karmic fire?"
Founder:
"I can teach you to cleanse it yourself. That's the only way that lasts."
Nine Nethers Demon Lord:
"...Acceptable."
Immortal Slaying Madman:
"I STILL WANT TO FIGHT YOU!"
Founder:
"One day, when you're strong enough, I'll give you that fight."
Immortal Slaying Madman:
"..."
Immortal Slaying Madman:
"DEAL!"
---
[System Notification: Six new disciples accepted!]
[Cross-Realm Disciples: 6]
[Martial Ancestor - Great Saint Lv.1 (Tianwu Continent)]
[Hongmeng Wanderer - Immortal King Lv.4 (Hongmeng World)]
[Sword Devouring Venerable - Great Emperor Lv.9 (Sword Devouring Realm)]
[Nine Nethers Demon Lord - Immortal Venerable Lv.7 (Nine Nethers Abyss)]
[Immortal Slaying Madman - Immortal Emperor Lv.2 (Immortal Slaying Realm)]
[Little Foodie - No cultivation (Mortal World)]
[Special Note: Little Foodie's trial is already complete. Reward pending.]
---
Founder:
"Now. Let me tell you about the Ten Thousand Realms Chat Group."
---
Meanwhile, in the Dao Seeking Sect
Shen Yi woke to the sound of screaming.
He was on his feet before his eyes fully opened, iron sword in hand, scanning for threats. Beside him, Xiao Cai slept peacefully through the noise, somehow still clutching a piece of meat despite having been unconscious for hours.
The screaming continued—not in pain, but in... excitement?
He stumbled outside.
The sect was in chaos. Disciples ran in every direction, pointing at the sky, shouting incomprehensibly. Shen Yi looked up—
And froze.
The sky had changed.
Where there had been ordinary clouds and ordinary blue, there was now... a screen. A massive, translucent screen stretching across the entire visible sky, displaying words that scrolled and shifted in real time.
He squinted, reading:
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[Ten Thousand Realms Chat Group]
[Martial Ancestor]: "Founder, what is this 'chat group' exactly? How does it work?"
[Hongmeng Wanderer]: "Fascinating. I can sense the other members despite being in entirely different realms. The implications for cross-realm communication are staggering."
[Sword Devouring Venerable]: "Can we fight through this thing? I want to test the madman's skills."
[Immortal Slaying Madman]: "BRING IT ON!"
[Nine Nethers Demon Lord]: "The Founder mentioned trials. What are these trials?"
[Little Foodie]: "Munch munch munch SO GOOD munch munch"
---
Shen Yi's jaw dropped.
"What... what is that?!"
Old Zhang appeared beside him, looking equally stunned. "It appeared about ten minutes ago. Right after I felt... something. A shift. Like the whole world took a breath."
Wei Chen stumbled over, his bandaged nose making his voice slightly nasally. "Is that... are those people talking? In the sky?"
More disciples gathered, all staring upward in disbelief.
Then the screen changed.
A new message appeared, written in characters that burned with golden light:
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[Group Owner - Founder]: "Disciple Shen Yi. I see you're awake."
---
Every eye in the sect turned to Shen Yi.
He felt his face heat. "F-Founder?"
---
[Group Owner - Founder]: "These are your fellow disciples. They come from different worlds—Tianwu Continent, Hongmeng World, Sword Devouring Realm, Nine Nethers Abyss, Immortal Slaying Realm, and a mortal world not unlike your own."
[Group Owner - Founder]: "They are your seniors in cultivation. Your juniors in the sect. Your brothers and sisters in the Dao."
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Treat them well."
---
The chat exploded.
[Martial Ancestor]: "There are other disciples?! In a mortal world?!"
[Hongmeng Wanderer]: "I sense them. Thousands of them. All... extremely low level. What is the Founder planning?"
[Sword Devouring Venerable]: "Mortals? He's teaching mortals? What can mortals possibly achieve?"
[Nine Nethers Demon Lord]: "Do not question the Founder. He sees things we cannot."
[Immortal Slaying Madman]: "MORTALS?! BORING! I WANT TO FIGHT THE FOUNDER!"
[Little Foodie]: "Hi other disciples! The food here is amazing! You should try it!"
---
Shen Yi stared at the sky, his mind reeling.
Disciples from other worlds. Beings at levels he couldn't even imagine. And they were... his fellow students?
A hand tugged at his sleeve.
Xiao Cai stood beside him, still half-asleep, chewing on something.
"What's happening?" she asked around her food.
"I have no idea," Shen Yi admitted.
"Oh." She chewed for a moment. "Is it bad?"
"I don't think so."
"Good." She went back to eating.
---
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Disciples of the Dao Seeking Sect. Both mortal and immortal. Both weak and strong. Both broken and whole."
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Listen carefully."
The screen flickered, and the Founder's face appeared—not in the chat window, but superimposed across the entire sky. His ancient eyes looked down at them, and despite the distance, despite the impossibility, every single disciple felt like he was looking directly at them.
"You are all my disciples now. The ones who knelt in the rain. The ones who crawled from ruins. The ones who fought and lost and kept fighting. The ones who have been alone for so long you forgot what companionship felt like."
His voice echoed across the sect, across the mountain, across the entire realm.
"I brought you together for a reason. You will learn from each other. You will grow with each other. You will fight alongside each other."
"And one day—when you've climbed high enough—you will look back at this moment and realize that it was the beginning of everything."
The face faded, replaced by the chat screen once more.
---
[Martial Ancestor]: "I don't understand. What can mortals possibly teach me?"
[Hongmeng Wanderer]: "Perhaps the question is not what they can teach us, but what we can learn from watching them."
[Sword Devouring Venerable]: "Learning from mortals? Ridiculous."
[Nine Nethers Demon Lord]: "Is it? I have ruled the Nine Nethers for millions of years. I have refined billions of souls. And I am about to be consumed by karmic fire. Clearly, my way has failed."
[Immortal Slaying Madman]: "I don't care about learning! I just want to fight!"
[Little Foodie]: "The mortals probably have food. Different food. From their world. I want to try it."
---
Shen Yi stared at the screen, something slowly dawning on him.
These beings—these impossibly powerful beings from other worlds—were just as confused as he was. Just as lost. Just as uncertain.
They hid it behind arrogance and bluster, but he could see it. The same emptiness he had felt his whole life. The same loneliness.
The Founder wasn't just collecting trash from one world.
He was collecting it from everywhere.
---
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Now. Let me explain the rules."
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Rule one: Respect each other. You are all my disciples. That means you are family. Families fight, but they don't destroy each other."
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Rule two: No killing. If you have a conflict, settle it in the arena. I'll create one for you."
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Rule three: Help each other. The mortal disciples need guidance. The immortal disciples need perspective. Share what you have."
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Rule four: Little Foodie can post food pictures anytime."
[Little Foodie]: "YAY!"
---
[Sword Devouring Venerable]: "That's... that's an actual rule?"
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Yes."
[Hongmeng Wanderer]: "I... I don't know what to say."
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Say 'thank you, Founder.'"
[Hongmeng Wanderer]: "...Thank you, Founder."
---
[Martial Ancestor]: "Founder, what about trials? You mentioned trials earlier."
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Ah. Yes. Trials."
The screen flickered again.
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Each of you has a mission. A goal to achieve in your own world. Complete it, and you will receive rewards. Fail, and you will remain stuck where you are."
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Martial Ancestor. Your trial: Unify Tianwu Continent. Become the true Martial God."
[Martial Ancestor]: "Unify the entire continent?! That's... that's impossible! There are seven Great Saints besides me! They would never submit!"
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Then make them."
---
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Hongmeng Wanderer. Your trial: Rule the Hongmeng. Become the Hongmeng Master."
[Hongmeng Wanderer]: "The Hongmeng has no master. It is chaos itself. It cannot be ruled."
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Chaos can be shaped. You've just forgotten how."
---
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Sword Devouring Venerable. Your trial: Devour all swords in existence. Forge the Primordial Sword Soul."
[Sword Devouring Venerable]: "All swords?! There are infinite swords across infinite realms! That would take eternity!"
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Then start with your own realm. One sword at a time."
---
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Nine Nethers Demon Lord. Your trial: Cleanse your karmic fire. Become the Nine Nethers Saint Lord."
[Nine Nethers Demon Lord]: "Cleanse... three billion souls? That would require releasing them. They would be lost forever. My power would be gone."
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Your power is already killing you. Choose: death as a demon, or life as something more."
---
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Immortal Slaying Madman. Your trial: Overcome your heart demons. Become the Immortal Slaying War God."
[Immortal Slaying Madman]: "My heart demons ARE me! If I overcome them, what's left?!"
[Group Owner - Founder]: "You. The real you. The one you've been running from."
---
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Little Foodie. Your trial: Eat your fill."
[Little Foodie]: "..."
[Little Foodie]: "That's it?"
[Group Owner - Founder]: "That's it."
[Little Foodie]: "I already did that. With the food you sent."
[Group Owner - Founder]: "I know."
[System Notification: Little Foodie has completed her trial!]
[Reward: Host receives "Innate Devouring Body" template. Cross-realm teleportation function partially unlocked.]
---
The chat went silent.
Then—
[Martial Ancestor]: "She... she completed her trial? Just by eating?!"
[Hongmeng Wanderer]: "Her trial was to eat her fill. And she did. The Founder's own words."
[Sword Devouring Venerable]: "That's... that's the stupidest and most brilliant thing I've ever heard."
[Nine Nethers Demon Lord]: "Perhaps the trials are not about difficulty. Perhaps they are about... alignment. Being true to oneself."
[Immortal Slaying Madman]: "I DON'T UNDERSTAND BUT I'M JEALOUS!"
[Little Foodie]: "Does this mean I get more food?"
[Group Owner - Founder]: "It means you get to visit the other disciples. And eat their food."
[Little Foodie]: "BEST. DAY. EVER."
Shen Yi watched the screen, a strange feeling growing in his chest.
These beings—these gods and demons and immortals—were arguing and laughing and competing like children. Like... family.
He looked around at the mortal disciples, all staring upward with expressions of wonder and confusion.
We were alone, he thought. All of us. In our own ways.
But maybe not anymore.
---
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Shen Yi."
He startled. The Founder's voice again—not in the chat, but directly in his mind.
"Yes, Founder?"
"You've been watching. What do you think?"
Shen Yi hesitated. Then, slowly, he typed his first message into the chat—not knowing how, but finding that the words appeared as he thought them.
---
[Disciple Shen Yi (Mortal Realm)]: "I think... we're all broken. In different ways. But maybe that's okay."
[Disciple Shen Yi (Mortal Realm)]: "Maybe being broken means we can be put back together better than before."
[Disciple Shen Yi (Mortal Realm)]: "At least... that's what I'm hoping."
---
Silence.
Then—
[Martial Ancestor]: "...Well said, young one."
[Hongmeng Wanderer]: "Wisdom from the lowest realm. How... humbling."
[Sword Devouring Venerable]: "I still want to fight people, but... that was nice."
[Nine Nethers Demon Lord]: "Perhaps there is hope for us all."
[Immortal Slaying Madman]: "I DON'T GET IT BUT YOU SEEM NICE! I WON'T KILL YOU FIRST!"
[Little Foodie]: "Shen Yi! Hi! I'm Little Foodie! What food do you have in your world?"
---
Shen Yi smiled—a real smile, the first in a long time.
[Disciple Shen Yi (Mortal Realm)]: "Rice. Vegetables. Sometimes meat. Nothing fancy."
[Little Foodie]: "I want to try it! Founder, can I visit?"
[Group Owner - Founder]: "Soon. Very soon."
---
The sky began to clear, the chat screen slowly fading as dawn truly broke over the mountain.
Shen Yi stood among his fellow disciples—three thousand seven hundred forty-four mortals, and now six immortals from across the realms—and felt something he hadn't felt in years.
Hope.
---
[System Notification]
[Ten Thousand Realms Chat Group fully activated.]
[Current Members: 7 (1 Group Owner, 6 Cross-Realm Disciples)]
[Mortal Realm Connection: Established]
[Cross-Realm Teleportation: 10% unlocked (requires more completed trials)]
[New Feature Unlocked: Inter-Realm Messaging]
[New Feature Unlocked: Resource Sharing (Limited)]
[New Feature Unlocked: Trial Tracking]
[Sect Status Update]
[Total Disciples: 3,750 (3,744 mortal + 6 cross-realm)]
[Core Disciples: 2 (Shen Yi, Little Foodie)]
[Completed Trials: 1 (Little Foodie)]
[Active Trials: 5]
[The Founder's Progress: 1/10 Immortal Emperor Disciples needed to break "Beyond the Dao" barrier]
---
End of Chapter 4