"Yexiu, when shall we meet again?" Zhang Liang roared from a distance. Compared to what he was about to do and the historical mission he bore, the sorrow of parting was truly insignificant.

Yexiu did not turn back, merely waving a hand toward Zhang Liang before shouting, "It should be the day our great army breaks Qin."

When dawn breaks, they each step onto their respective paths; this was the fate of every ambitious soul in this era. As for Yexiu, his destiny was to find Wan'er and bring her back to the Ghost Valley. Other than that, what else was there? He was constantly pondering how he could return to modern times.

He still needed to find Sister Jijiang, and the mention of the Lord of the East Sea by Zhang Liang last time reminded him of the mysterious old man who gifted him that "2B" pencil. If there was truly a connection, if that pencil had also traversed through time, then that Lord of the East Sea must know everything about him.

He bade farewell to Zhang Liang and headed straight east, preparing to travel toward the East Sea. Along the way, thanks to the silver the few ruffians in Xiapi had given him, Yexiu managed to live quite comfortably. He diligently searched every town he passed, checking inns, restaurants, and even the pleasure quarters.

Regrettably, he found no trace of Wan'er. Now nearing Pei County, he heard that a wealthy family there was hosting a grand banquet. Thus, he snuck in, hoping this event might offer a chance to locate Wan'er.

Yexiu arrived at the rich merchant's gate and noted the extraordinary number of people. The entire courtyard and corridors were already filled with guests—a truly magnificent sight. Suddenly, a cry of "The County Magistrate has arrived!" rang out, and everyone parted to form a path, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the portly official.

The County Magistrate dismounted his horse and proceeded to waddle into the middle of the crowd, greeting everyone with clasped hands. However, among the few individuals accompanying him, one possessed an extraordinary bearing and moved with such dashing, unrestrained grace that he immediately drew Yexiu’s attention.

Amidst the clamor, the crowd quieted down. Everyone followed the Magistrate into the inner hall, and Yexiu slipped in to find a corner to sit.

It turned out to be a feast where, by custom, arriving guests were expected to present gifts of money. Yexiu listened as a clerk in the hall announced loudly, "Steward Wang, 3000 cash! Steward Li, 2000 cash..."

Yexiu had entered stealthily and hadn't provided his name, so naturally, he wasn't listed. Just then, a short man sitting next to him patted his shoulder with a grin, "Kid, you're here for the free meal, aren't you? I can tell at a glance."

"Oh?" Yexiu lowered his head to look at the short man, offering a confident smile in return. "It seems you, brother, are quite experienced. Could it be..."

"Cannot say, cannot say." The short man gave a strange smile and glanced around at the others. "There are always freeloaders at banquets like these. It’s actually an opportunity for swordsmen like you; perhaps some influential noble will take a liking to you, and you’ll soar to success."

"Hmph!" Yexiu paid him no further mind, letting out only a cold snort. He recalled that when he helped Chief Wei last time, he seemed to be on the rise, only to end up fleeing for his life—what irony.

"Chief Liu, 10,000 cash!" As this name was called, the clerk’s voice became particularly sharp. This was likely the heaviest gift of the day.

Yexiu also lifted his head to look. The man standing up was the distinguished-looking middle-aged man who had been behind the County Magistrate just moments before. Wait! Chief Liu, and this is Pei County?

"This Liu Bang is certainly willing to spend money," the short man next to him mumbled languidly.

"Liu Bang? He is Liu Bang!" Yexiu was both astonished and delighted. This time his journey through time was truly explosive—he had met both Xiang Yu and Liu Bang before their greatness was established! He needed to find a way to approach him. "I can be formidable myself."

Liu Bang rose to salute the Magistrate and then bowed to everyone present. Although his appearance wasn't particularly flattering, the aura and influence he projected were undeniably superior.

"Chief Liu, please!" The host smiled, returning the salute with both hands, inviting Liu Bang to sit. "It is rumored that Chief Liu is a man of grand spirit; seeing you today confirms the rumor is not without merit."

Liu Bang nodded and smiled gently, "Trifling sums of money hardly qualify as a 'grand spirit.' Today, it is a true joy to meet aspiring gentlemen passing through, to exchange knowledge and discuss ancient and modern matters."

"Oh?" Yexiu had initially assumed Liu Bang was just a rustic bumpkin like Xiang Yu, though lacking some of Xiang Yu's noble arrogance. Yet, hearing him speak for the first time, Yexiu felt this man was quite adept at deflecting.

"Indeed!" The host stood up, spreading his hands. "Today I have invited many capable individuals to discuss the state of the world. How does everyone view the current climate of the realm?"

"Chaos! It is chaos," the fat County Magistrate clearly understood nothing, merely shaking his head and muttering about chaos before turning his gaze to the minor strategists beside him.

Suddenly, an elder from beside the host, fanning himself vigorously, stepped forward with a deeply worried expression. "Alas, since Chen Sheng and Wu Guang raised their banners, the world has truly fallen into disarray. If this old man may speak frankly, the Qin dynasty is in peril."

"No, no, no. Elder, you speak incorrectly." Several rather effeminate-looking advisors shook their heads. "The King of Qin managed to unify the Six States; naturally, he has a way to restore order to the world."

The elder walked calmly to the center, smiling. "Now the Great Qin lacks loyal ministers like Shang Yang and Prime Minister Lü, and the King listens to slanderous talk about seeking the elixir of immortality. This is already a sign of decline."

When a mere lackey tried to interject, the elder silenced him with a single remark: "Prince Fusu spoke truthfully, advising that there is no such thing as an elixir of immortality in this world, yet he was exiled to the frontier, destined for a life of obscurity. What hope is left for this realm?"

Indeed, there was some truth to that. Yexiu nodded repeatedly. He hadn't expected an old man to possess such a clear grasp of the current situation; he certainly wasn't an ordinary person.

"Heh heh, Steward Lü is indeed a man of talent in these times," the host said proudly, introducing him. "Esteemed guests, this Elder Lü is an honored guest at my table, and naturally, he has his own insights into the grand currents of the world. Please forgive him, forgive him."

"Then, Elder Lü," Liu Bang stood up once more, bowing politely, "if what you say is true, how do you foresee the tides of the world shifting?"

"Heh heh." Elder Lü beamed when he saw Liu Bang. "The currents of the world, are they not currently held in the palms of capable men like yourselves, Chief Liu? Tell us your perspective."

Liu Bang straightened his posture and spoke righteously: "The uprising of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang has only scraped the surface of the Great Qin's skin, and Xiang Liang's attempt to dominate a region merely borrows the prestige of the old Chu state—it is fundamentally insufficient to succeed."

As soon as these words left his mouth, the hall nearly erupted into chaos. Everyone began pointing at the unremarkable, rustic petty chief, whispering amongst themselves. Who would dare openly belittle Chen Sheng and Xiang Liang in front of so many heroes of the age? Liu Bang was the first.

Elder Lü was initially stunned by the statement but quickly regained his composure, asking thoughtfully, "Then, in Chief Liu's opinion, what manner of person is capable of achieving true greatness? We elders here are eager to hear your discourse today."

"He who seeks to seize the great trend of the world must follow the will of the people." Liu Bang’s expression became noticeably strained when speaking of this righteous path. Whether others believed these words or not, Yexiu certainly didn't. His technique of observing the heart told him Liu Bang was lying. Was Liu Bang merely a treacherous figure from ancient times to the present? Or, perhaps more accurately, a true warlord?

"Hmph, Chief Liu speaks wisely, but I fear this matter is difficult to achieve." Elder Lü seemed slightly displeased, apparently having discerned that Liu Bang was merely using this opportunity to gather talented men across the land to win popular support, though he still felt a measure of respect for Liu Bang's performance.

"Does Chief Liu truly believe that?" Yexiu felt it was time for his entrance. It would be a pity to miss an opportunity to show off his historical knowledge in such a scene. He strode directly into the hall, grinning at Liu Bang. "Heroes of the realm are gathered here; please excuse the spectacle."

Liu Bang felt his words had been interrupted and replied dismissively, "I confess, Young Master Ye, I do not understand what you mean by 'truly believe that.'"

"You speak contrary to your heart," Yexiu simply could not stand pretense from those with ulterior motives.

"Does this Young Master Ye have some superior insight?" Elder Lü, for some reason, seemed to side with Liu Bang. It appeared this gathering was about to turn into a one-on-two debate.

Yexiu had anticipated this turn of events. He tilted his head back with an air of cool defiance. "The great trend of the world is that which is long divided must unite, and that which is long united must divide. He who obtains the world will be a man like Cao Mengde."

Another ripple of commotion swept through the hall. No one believed the idle rambling of a frivolous young man.

"Cao Mengde! Who in the world is that?" Liu Bang looked utterly bewildered, wondering where some unknown force was existing that was contending with the mighty Qin. He felt truly ignorant.

Damn it! Yexiu was momentarily stunned by his own words after uttering them. He had intended to use this moment to discuss his views on Cao Cao, but he had misjudged the timeline. How could these country folk know of the later-era cunning warlord Cao Cao?

Elder Lü also seemed intrigued, waving his hand, signaling Yexiu to elaborate quickly.

"Ah, this Cao Cao originates from a myth or legend; perhaps he is not well-known, and you haven't heard of him," Yexiu covered his slip while frantically racking his brain. "In any case, in such an age of chaos, the world was split into three kingdoms, and eventually, the state to which this Cao Cao belonged unified the Three Kingdoms."

"Such an era existed?" The others found this hard to believe. Only Liu Bang approached Yexiu with deference, saying earnestly, "I wish to hear the details."

Yexiu initially thought he had failed again, second-guessing his own performance, but he was struck by Liu Bang's attitude. He began to realize that in certain matters, the approach of truly successful people differed fundamentally from that of ordinary folk; while others dismissed something unbelievable, Liu Bang took it with profound seriousness.