Coral City, Eastern Region, Tianrui Manor.
Amidst a sea of flowers, the flora and trees swayed, rapidly forming a spiral around a silver-haired youth standing at the center. The ground beneath seemed to transform into a yin-yang diagram, two distinct forces continuously merging and separating.
Suddenly, the entire flower field froze in place. Puta Rui frowned as he gazed at the sky, his eyes reflecting a faint golden silhouette.
"Huh? Why did all my Straw Puppets suddenly collapse?"
"And who is that figure?"
Puta Guangrui immediately sent a transmission to his teacher, seeking answers.
In a vast primeval forest within Coral City, Fairy Youling stared at her shattered Straw Puppet, her expression one of pure shock.
"By the Three Treasures Ancestor... did Mushroom King really master Zuo Qiyu's technique?"
She was fairly familiar with Zhao Xing. Having interacted for over a thousand years, she recognized him even from a mere silhouette, especially with him wearing the Golden Cicada Robe.
"I should have expected this! I have to see it for myself!"
Without hesitation, Fairy Youling soared toward Haizao City.
On the endless farmlands outside Haizao City, thousands of "Yuan Qiusheng" puppets clad in raincoats and straw hats were busy at work when they suddenly exploded into dust.
"What the hell just happened?"
Yuan Qiusheng's true body immediately rushed to his spell-testing field, his eyes filled with a mix of shock and heartbreak.
The destruction of these Straw Puppets meant a significant loss of precious seedlings.
Lifting his head, he saw a familiar back figure reflected in his eyes.
"That's Zhao Xing's silhouette?"
"Zhao Xing, just what kind of technique did you master? These Straw Puppets… they were all at the Five Elements Dao Domain Realm!"
Yuan Qiusheng muttered to himself in disbelief.
On a battle arena in Coral City, two combatants were dueling using Straw Puppets.
The entire arena planet had been split into two starkly contrasting halves.
One hemisphere blazed with intense heat, dominated by Han Qianye's Giant Cauldron Straw Puppet and Sun Yang Straw Puppet.
The other side was cold and shadowy, where Daoist Miaosong's Antarctic Straw Puppet and Sky Demon Straw Puppet held their ground.
"Brother Han, in ten days, you'll lose. This match is mine."
Hovering on a floating platform outside the battle planet, Daoist Miaosong chuckled at Han Qianye.
"Hmph, it's not over until it's over."
Han Qianye remained focused, executing precise micro-manipulations, but his territory was clearly shrinking.
"Hahaha, you can keep trying, but your Straw Puppet army is just fodder for me. Do you really want to fight to the last soldier before conceding? That's boring."
"Surrender now, and I'll count it as only half a loss for you."
Daoist Miaosong laughed heartily.
"There's no such thing as surrender in my dictionary—"
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Suddenly, a massive explosion erupted across the battle arena.
In an instant, the entire battlefield was engulfed in spiritual energy dust, the void trembled, and all Straw Puppets detonated simultaneously.
"What?!"
Both Daoist Miaosong and Han Qianye were utterly stunned.
They instinctively tried to regain control over their Straw Puppets, but the destruction had already occurred in an instant.
At that very moment, a towering figure draped in a dark-gold robe appeared before them, standing in the void.
His presence alone severed their connection to their Straw Puppets, rendering them completely uncontrollable.
"Damn… this level of suppression—is this Zuo Qiyu's Void Straw Puppet?"
Daoist Miaosong gasped in horror.
"Zuo Qiyu wouldn't attack us! This can only mean Zhao Xing mastered it!"
Han Qianye was both shocked and exhilarated.
"The rumors were true—Void Straw Puppet really can suppress an entire domain?"
The two locked eyes before simultaneously exclaiming:
"Go! We have to find him in Haizao City!"
Deep within a dense primeval forest in Coral City, a cold-eyed, black-haired youth sat beneath an ancient tree.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes, and an autumn leaf imprint surfaced on his forehead.
"What a domineering technique."
Tuo Sen's eyes flashed with sharp brilliance.
Even though he had never trained in Straw Puppet Techniques, at that moment, he could clearly sense the presence of the Void Straw Puppet.
The shockwave spread rapidly, and across the Primordial Realm, many recognized the technique.
Countless experts at the Dao Domain Realm and Reincarnation Realm immediately realized that someone new had successfully cultivated the Void Straw Puppet.
Because if it were Zuo Qiyu himself, even Reincarnation Realm Shennongs' Straw Puppets would have been affected.
Judging by the strength of the technique, there was only one possibility—
A new Shennong had mastered the Void Straw Puppet!
"Who could it be?"
"Zuo Qiyu doesn't take disciples or pass on his techniques…"
"Let's ask the Law Enforcement Hall."
"Heh, another Master-Killer has emerged—this just got interesting."
At Huai Liu Courtyard in Haizao City, Zhao Xing sensed the commotion he caused and immediately withdrew his divine ability.
"Damn… so many Shennongs rely on Straw Puppets for work—I just poked a hornet's nest."
Even though the disturbance only lasted a moment, in that brief instant, Zhao Xing could sense thousands of high-tier Straw Puppets.
He even recognized some by name, like Han Qianye's Giant Cauldron Straw Puppet and Sun Yang Straw Puppet, or Daoist Miaosong's Sky Demon Straw Puppet and Antarctic Straw Puppet.
As for the lower-tier Straw Puppets, there were simply too many to count.
"The diversity and application of Straw Puppets are insane. In the Primordial Realm, no matter if you follow the Heavenly Timing School, Earthly Advantage School, or Self-School, nearly all Shennongs know at least a few Straw Puppet Techniques."
"Even support-type Shennongs use Straw Puppets for labor."
"Will I get penalized by the Primordial Realm for causing this disturbance?"
Zhao Xing felt a little guilty. He hadn't intended to show off.
At the moment of mastering the technique, it was only at entry-level, and he hadn't yet gained full control over its power.
That's why he had even worn the Golden Cicada Robe, hoping to enhance his precision over the Straw Puppets.
"Even though they only saw my silhouette, the great figures of the Primordial Realm will definitely figure out it was me."
"Better to come clean now than be found out later."
Zhao Xing thought for a moment before immediately sending messages to Zuo Qiyu, Gu Luohe, and the Five Venom Emperor. Then, he flew out of the cultivation chamber of Huai Liu Courtyard, hovering above the barrier as he waited.
As expected, two formations had already assembled in the sky above Huai Liu Courtyard, standing by in anticipation.
They were clad in black robes and armor, exuding an imposing aura, with their numbers totaling around a thousand.
"That's Gong Fa from the Primordial Law Enforcement Hall? Oh right, he was still with the Law Enforcement Hall at this time."
Zhao Xing's gaze fell upon the leader of the group. Gong Fa, a veteran Reincarnation Realm Shennong, was someone Zhao Xing vividly remembered. In his past life, he had once sought guidance from Gong Fa, only to be met with a scathing rebuke before he could even say much:
"Your aptitude is utterly disgraceful—a crooked melon, a rotten jujube, an inferior seedling unworthy of practicing this technique!"
Gong Fa remained silent after appearing. However, beside him, a handsome youth with golden hair and azure eyes, wielding a jade-green staff, stepped forward.
His eyes flickered with curiosity as he glanced down at Zhao Xing.
"A Haizao-ranked member, Zhao Xing—was he really the one who caused this disturbance? My lord, could this be a mistake?"
Zhao Xing also cast a glance at the youth standing beside Gong Fa.
His name was Carlos Yang, ranked among the top ten combatants of the Primordial Assembly's Self-School Battle Division.
The Carlos family, originating from a distant star system, had a cultural tradition of excessively long names. "Carlos Yang" was already a simplified version of his full name.
By the year 1775 of the Primordial Realm, many former Haizao-ranked members had already advanced to Coral rank, and Carlos Yang was among them. He had since joined the Primordial Law Enforcement Hall.
Carlos Yang had a strong impression of Zhao Xing—not only because he was Gu Luohe's disciple, but also because Zhao Xing had once endured over a thousand years in the trials of Tai Chu City, gaining widespread recognition.
However, Carlos knew nothing about the events in the Yanxing Corridor involving the Grand Zhou Empire.
Today, upon receiving deployment orders, Carlos assumed it was merely another military dispute, only to discover that the assignment involved Zhao Xing.
"So it really was him?" Gong Fa glanced down at Zhao Xing.
"But what exactly did he do to make you personally intervene—and with so many people?" Carlos's curiosity deepened.
It wasn't as if someone could cause trouble at this level without the ability to do so. Normally, if a Shennong accidentally blew up a laboratory, it would be considered a minor matter—not something worth dispatching the Law Enforcement Hall over.
Gong Fa didn't answer Carlos's question. Instead, he lifted his gaze toward a certain direction.
Moments later, the Five Venom Emperor and Zuo Qiyu appeared.
"Gong Fa, Zhao Xing is my disciple. His spell caused the disruption, so the responsibility falls on me."
Zuo Qiyu transmitted his voice calmly.
"As for any damages incurred, he will cover the compensation."
The Five Venom Emperor immediately protested.
"You take full responsibility, and I foot the bill? What kind of ridiculous logic is that?"
Zuo Qiyu replied flatly, "It's settled."
Without a word, Gong Fa cupped his hands and transmitted a command to the formation behind him:
"Withdraw."
The Law Enforcement squad had moved swiftly—it was their duty, after all. Regardless of the situation, their response time had to be impeccable.
However, the fact that they had not immediately arrested Zhao Xing or held him accountable indicated that they were waiting for someone. Gong Fa had recognized the Void Straw Puppet—how could he dare to make an arrest?
Now that the necessary people had arrived, there was no reason to stay any longer. After all, this wasn't truly a major incident.
Carlos, however, was utterly confused.
"Why are we withdrawing already?"
"What exactly happened?"
Carlos Yang had arrived without a clear understanding and was now leaving just as clueless.
Before departing, he glanced once more at Zhao Xing before finally following the main force away.
With the Law Enforcement squad gone, only Zuo Qiyu and the Five Venom Emperor remained hovering above Huai Liu Courtyard, engaged in a heated argument.
Just then, Gu Luohe arrived, putting an abrupt end to their squabble.
"Elder."
"Mm."
Gu Luohe nodded slightly before looking down at Zhao Xing.
For once, a rare smile appeared on his face.
"Not bad."
"Greetings, Elder Gu, Senior Zuo, Master… just now, I—"
Zhao Xing bowed respectfully and was about to explain, but Gu Luohe interrupted.
"You've just begun, and you're still unfamiliar with controlling it. It's understandable—there's no need to worry."
"Is that so? If anyone's to blame, it should be those lousy mechanists of the Primordial Realm—their formations and barriers aren't sturdy enough!"
The Five Venom Emperor scoffed.
"Zuo Qiyu, you handle the matter. Five Elements, you cover the costs."
After dropping this statement, Gu Luohe promptly left.
The Five Venom Emperor was momentarily stunned, then promptly slapped himself across the face.
"Damn my big mouth—I almost forgot that most of the barriers and formations were arranged by Elder Gu himself!"
Zuo Qiyu gave him a mocking smirk, then mouthed something silently.
"You old bastard! Say that again!"
Furious, the Five Venom Emperor lunged at him, but Zuo Qiyu vanished on the spot.
"Coward! Always running away!"
The Five Venom Emperor fumed as he descended to the ground, still seething. He then turned to Zhao Xing and said,
"Disciple, curse at him too!"
"Master, I wouldn't dare." Zhao Xing answered honestly.
"What are you afraid of?"
The Five Venom Emperor scowled.
"Sooner or later, you'll have to fight him. If you can't even curse at him now, you're just a damn coward."
Zhao Xing was speechless.
You have the guts to insult him because you're strong. If I start cursing, won't I just be asking for a beating?
But knowing his master's temperament, Zhao Xing remained silent.
The Five Venom Emperor had a habit of scolding everyone—including himself. What was there to argue about?
Seeing that Zhao Xing wasn't responding, the Five Venom Emperor continued ranting for another half-hour.
At some point, his complaints shifted from Zhao Xing and Zuo Qiyu to an entire critique of the Shennong profession itself.
"…Those idiots at Primordial Hill are completely useless. It's been three thousand years, and they still haven't opened up Haitong Ancient Path!"
"They've been stuck at a single Tri-Layer Barrier Mountain for 325 years—what a damn waste of imperial funds! If it were me, I'd have blasted through it already!"
"And they call themselves Emperor Hongshan's top disciples? More like a bunch of failures!"
Zhao Xing simply listened in silence, filtering out the crucial information from his master's tirade.
"…They delayed for so long, and now look at the mess—what was once a two-party profit share is about to become a multi-party battle for resources!"
"I told them from the start—letting them join in was a bad idea!"
The Five Venom Emperor's words came so fast that Zhao Xing couldn't even interject.
It was only after a long while that his ranting finally slowed down.
Zhao Xing seized the opportunity and cautiously asked, "Master, are you saying that the Empire's collaboration with Primordial Hill to develop the northwestern barren region is not going well? Is Emperor Hongshan going to be involved as well?"
The Five Venom Emperor halted, gave Zhao Xing a sharp look, and said, "It's beyond that. Very soon, forces from Origin Heaven Palace, the Ancient Kingdom Alliance of the Barren Domain, and the Reincarnation Divine Palace will all be involved."
Zhao Xing was stunned. "What do you mean?"
"You are not yet qualified to hear such classified matters," the Five Venom Emperor shook his head. "Hurry up and reach Coral rank. You don't have much time left."
With that, now that he had vented enough, the Five Venom Emperor floated away, leaving Zhao Xing standing there in the wind, utterly bewildered.
"I don't even know what's going on. How did the exploration of Suyue Barren Region suddenly involve so many factions?"
Zhao Xing pondered for a moment before quickly returning to his room. He opened his Star Mirror and searched for the latest map of the Empire.
He then scanned through records of major events in the Xuanling Star Domain over the past two thousand years. After several days of research, a look of understanding appeared on his face.
"So that's how it is."
"After the Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom's Dharma Assembly incident, the entire territorial structure of the Shenluo Barren Domain changed dramatically."
"The barren region belt has expanded significantly. Compared to my previous life, its growth has accelerated more than threefold."
"The expansion of the barren region belt means a reduction in habitable Spirit Qi territories."
"Conflicts between the human race and the demon race have become significantly more frequent in the past two thousand years," Zhao Xing mused.
The impact of the Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom's Dharma Assembly was profound.
"It's not something that could be undone just by altering memories."
"During that event, the Reincarnation Realm cultivators who perished numbered only in the tens of thousands, but those at the Dao Domain Realm? They were practically uncountable."
"To supply enough sacrifices for reviving Lao Qing and the Ancient God Dongyan, the number of Dao Domain Realm casualties was probably even higher than in my previous life."
Zhao Xing analyzed the situation carefully.
"And the Dao Domain Realm cultivators… they are actually the backbone of resisting the spread of the barren regions."
While Reincarnation Realm cultivators were considered the high-ranking elites, how many of them actually went out to personally guard the borders? Most of the work of containing barren region expansion was done by the Dao Domain Realm cultivators.
With a significant loss of Dao Domain Realm cultivators, the expansion of the barren regions naturally accelerated.
"Even though the Empire's territories are far from the Shenluo Barren Domain, over the course of two thousand years, the impact has reached even here."
"With the demon race competing with the human race for land, the Empire's border pressure has also increased."
Zhao Xing scanned through various intelligence reports.
"In my previous life, the Empire had distanced itself from other factions and only cooperated with Primordial Hill for the exploration."
"But now, the landscape has changed. Even Origin Heaven Palace, the Ancient Kingdom Alliance, and the Reincarnation Divine Palace are all stepping in?"
His speculation was most likely correct.
"I really need to hurry up."
As the situation grew increasingly complex, Zhao Xing felt an overwhelming sense of uncertainty about the future. The only thing he could do was rapidly become stronger to deal with the unpredictable changes.
He closed the Star Mirror and immediately opened the contribution points leaderboard.
[Name: Zhao Xing]
[Rank: Haizao Seventh Level (19.25 million / 25.5 million points)]
[Available Points: 850,000]
[Extra Points: 19.25 million]
"Among the current Shennong members alone, there are already several hundred Coral-ranked cultivators."
"Across all professions, the number of Coral-ranked members exceeds five thousand."
"However, within the Self-School's Shennong division, there are only about eighty or so."
In the past 1,775 years, Zhao Xing had never deliberately farmed extra points, which was why he was still at Haizao Seventh Level.
To advance to Haizao Ninth Level, he needed 51.1 million points.
To reach Coral First Level, he required 102.2 million points.
"I've focused on cultivation for 1,775 years. Now it's finally time to reap the rewards of the Primordial Realm!"
Closing the Star Mirror, Zhao Xing immediately flew out of Huai Liu Courtyard.
"First stop—the Primordial Ocean."
—
Primordial Ocean, West Coast
"Splash~"
Zhao Xing was instantly transported out of the teleportation array.
At this moment, the West Coast remained as bustling as ever.
"Zhao Xing!"
"Brother Zhao, is the rumor true?"
"Mushroom King, do you dare to fight me?"
The moment Zhao Xing appeared, he immediately caused an uproar.
The legend of the Void Straw Puppet had already spread far and wide. Now, it wasn't just the Shennong profession that knew about him—other professions had also caught wind of his exploits.
"Shen Jin, I have no time to play with you all."
Without paying them any heed, Zhao Xing vanished from the shore.
—
Primordial Ocean, 100,001 Nautical Li Away
"Splash—"
The vast ocean stretched endlessly, forming a moving wall of water that surged toward him.
"Go!"
Zhao Xing released his Void Straw Puppet without hesitation.
The two-meter-tall straw puppet emerged, opening its mouth wide.
The chaotic waters of the Primordial Ocean unexpectedly stabilized, forming a rift in the void.
With a flick of its hand, the seven-meter-tall true body of Zhao Xing vanished into the rift.
"Boom—"
Waves surged violently.
The Void Straw Puppet opened its mouth once more, and an even larger spatial rift appeared before it.
"Splash—"
The overwhelming tides were instantly redirected, flowing into the rift behind it.
The Void Straw Puppet had essentially carved out a trench in front of it, causing the waves to bypass it entirely.
"Such a minor trick," the Void Straw Puppet chuckled.
Then, it effortlessly soared over the waves, leaping from one ripple to another.
With each bound, Zhao Xing's Void Straw Puppet completely ignored the turbulence of the Primordial Ocean.
In just the span of one incense stick's time, he had traveled from the 100,000-li mark to the 900,000-li mark.
Not a single obstacle stood in his way!
"The Void Straw Puppet is truly incredible!"
Seated inside the straw puppet's internal space, Zhao Xing couldn't help but smile.
"The impact of the Primordial Ocean is reduced by 99.9% before it even reaches the Void Straw Puppet."
"Mental and willpower-based attacks are also completely negated, unable to penetrate the Void Straw Puppet and affect my true body inside."
The Void Straw Puppet contained a vast internal space.
Advancing from Giant Sun Straw Puppet to Void Straw Puppet was, in a sense, an enlightenment into the Dao of the Void.
And Zhao Xing had only just taken his first step on this path—yet it was already a fundamental transformation!
This was fully reflected in the Void Straw Puppet's power, with its enhancements now exponentially more terrifying.
The profound fusion of law and Dao had elevated the Void Straw Puppet to an absurd level of power.
Just how absurd? Zhao Xing's current challenge was also a test of the Void Straw Puppet's limits.
"Mental attacks, soul attacks—anything that lacks a tangible form will be weakened by the vast spatial distance within the Void Straw Puppet."
Zhao Xing lay comfortably inside.
"With countless layers of folded void, it's like someone standing a million light-years away trying to launch a mental attack at me—their power would dissipate before even reaching me."
"Too far. Useless effort."
He recalled his past assassination attempt by Jiu, a mental sorcerer from the Shadow Sanctuary. Back then, his opponent had to get within a certain range for their spell to reach its full effect.
At a long enough distance, the various great Daos operating in the cosmic void would interfere, blocking or neutralizing the attack.
Now, with his true body securely inside the Void Straw Puppet, Zhao Xing effortlessly advanced to the 990,000-li mark.
Beyond the one-million-li boundary, the Primordial Ocean was lined with islands, each hosting a guardian post.
Each of these islands was manned by an Ocean Guardian.
At this range, the power of the Primordial Ocean was already terrifying. Any challenger attempting to cross it risked being injured if the spatial transfer arrays failed to activate in time.
The Ocean Guardians' duty was to prevent such accidents.
—
Island No. 188
Sitting in meditation, Lance suddenly opened his eyes.
"Someone reached the million-li boundary."
"I wonder who it is."
Raising his hand, his palm transformed into a mirror-like surface, reflecting the state of the ocean under his jurisdiction.
He was a Life-and-Death Dao Domain Realm Mechanist-Warrior.
"No one?"
Lance frowned. All he could see were the roaring waves, but no challenger in sight.
"Wait, no. There is someone—and they've already reached 990,000 li!"
Looking deeper, he finally detected Zhao Xing.
The Void Straw Puppet was only two meters tall, and its unusual movement method made it easy to overlook.
"A two-meter figure… What kind of technique is this?"
Lance quickly pulled up the challenger's profile.
[Name: Zhao Xing]
[Rank: Haizao Seventh Level]
[Profession: Shennong]
"Entered from the West Coast two days ago and has already reached 990,000 li in one go?"
A hint of shock flickered in Lance's eyes.
"A Haizao Seventh Level member reached this far in one breath?"
Whoosh!
A pair of mechanical wings unfolded from Lance's back. The void rippled like water, and in the next moment, he appeared high above the million-li alert zone.
He gazed down at Zhao Xing, now only a step away from crossing the threshold.
"This technique… It applies the Dao of the Void to such an intricate level?"
"The puppet's materials are nothing special—at best, they're on par with a low-tier Lunar Dao Soldier—yet it managed to reach this point?"
Lance's anticipation grew.
Moments later, Zhao Xing crossed the one-million-li boundary.
—
Boom!
Crossing the one-million-li mark was the dividing line between Yin-Yang Dao Domain Realm and Life-and-Death Dao Domain Realm combat power.
To even stand for ten seconds at this range, one had to meet at least one aspect of Life-and-Death Dao Domain Realm standards.
"Can he last ten seconds?"
Lance watched intently, ready to intervene at any moment.
The ocean waves suddenly surged—a wall of water formed, sealing the sky, ground, and surroundings, transforming into a domain of water.
Yet, in this place, there was no sound.
Everything seemed to slow down, as if time itself had been sealed.
It was like witnessing a world reaching the end of its lifespan, collapsing inward, trapping Zhao Xing inside.
"Ten… Nine… Eight—"
Lance silently counted down.
Around the Void Straw Puppet, spatial rifts appeared—like a prison of void, isolating it from the outside world.
However, water still slowly seeped through, forming an encirclement, pressing in from all directions.
"The pressure from the Water Dao is too much, even the Void Straw Puppet is struggling."
Inside, Zhao Xing's expression grew serious.
"The Dao of the Void may have the advantage, but the Dao of this ocean world is on a much higher level."
"I've only taken one step into this Dao, but the attacks I'm facing feel like they come from someone seven or eight steps ahead of me."
The flowing ocean acted like an adhesive, sealing the spatial rifts.
Despite the Void Straw Puppet's efforts, the inescapable current completely surrounded it.
"Pop—"
A massive force bore down on Zhao Xing's true body.
A suffocating pressure gripped him, a sensation as if staring directly into the face of death.
Heaven's might was unfathomable!
"The power of nature… Truly like the work of divine craftsmanship!"
Zhao Xing couldn't hold on any longer. His consciousness faded.
—
The blackout didn't last long.
Zhao Xing woke up on a soft bed.
As his vision cleared, he saw a man with mechanical wings, wearing a hat, standing beside the bed. His clothing was embroidered with ocean and island patterns.
"You're awake."
Lance turned around, his smile warm.
Zhao Xing sat up and bowed.
"May I ask who you are?"
"I am Lance, the Guardian of Ocean Island No. 188."
Lance returned the bow, then pulled out his Star Mirror.
"Congratulations, Zhao Shennong. You lasted ten full seconds at the one-million-li mark in the Primordial Ocean."
"According to the rules of the Primordial Realm, I will now officially verify your achievement. Upon confirmation, you will ascend to Coral Rank."
Zhao Xing handed over his Star Mirror.
Lance lightly tapped his own Star Mirror against Zhao Xing's.
A flash of red light burst forth.
On the back of Zhao Xing's Star Mirror, the Haizao insignia twisted and morphed—transforming into a crimson coral emblem.
Zhao Xing accepted it with a hint of emotion.
"I thank you, Daoist Lance."
Lance placed his hat over his chest and gave a slight bow.
"Crossing one million li in two days, enduring ten full seconds at the peak, and doing so without rest… This is the strongest Straw Puppet technique I have ever witnessed."
"To witness the rise of a true genius—it is my honor."