The towering snow-capped mountains, the heavy snowflakes dancing in the air, and the galloping wax elephants on the grassland.

Chen Xu and Emperor Qin Shi Huang sat on top of the snowy mountain. In the distance were white-haired monkeys from Snow Mountain and Sulayman.

Emperor Qin Shi Huang had long hair draped over his shoulders, wearing a black robe that wrapped around his body.

At this moment, he was not an emperor but rather a cultivator, a madman with wild gestures.

When it comes to Emperor Qin Shi Huang, many people praise him as one of history's greatest emperors. However, few know that he was actually a cultivator who pursued immortality.

In this world, he was also a great cultivator who understood how to use different elements to create powerful spells and magic.

"Water gives birth to wood. What is wood? Wood is life; it is nourished by water and grows into all living things. Everything starts with water before there can be wood."

"Wood gives birth to fire. What is fire? Fire represents anger; it is nature's anger. At first lightning strikes wood creating fire which symbolizes destruction -the end of old life- while at the same time representing new beginnings since fire arises from destroyed trees giving rise to new ones."

"I call upon Earth for war! This war will be fought with fire -a spark igniting flames- leading to destruction of old dynasties while birthing new ones."

"Fire gives birth to earth. What is earth? It represents stability; it represents humanity itself because Nüwa created humans using earth as her medium for creation."

"Earth gives birth to metal. What is metal? Metal represents swords and weapons used in warfare: expansionism through power struggles where might makes right! I cast nine tripods so that I may collect all swords under heaven forging them into something supreme lasting for eternity."

Emperor Qin Shi Huang spoke of his path to Chen Xu, revealing everything without reservation.

Chen Xu listened intently, sometimes applauding or exclaiming in admiration while other times pondering deeply or feeling melancholic.

His own path was different from Emperor Qin Shi Huang's. However, the two men corroborated each other by discarding what was wrong and absorbing what was good to perfect their respective paths.

Human power is limited while the Dao is infinite. Pursuing the infinite with finite strength is difficult; therefore, cultivators support one another by discussing their insights and verifying them together as they pursue the great Dao.

This isn't about abandoning one's own path nor pursuing someone else's but rather learning and accommodating others' perspectives.

"My water isn't ordinary water; it's world-destroying water that annihilates all things! It doesn't represent life nor does it tolerate anything -it only destroys!"

"My fire isn't ordinary fire either; it represents civilization. At first people used fire to cook food which provided nutrition for brain development leading to civilization's birth. Therefore this fire represents civilization itself: its mother."

"My wood isn't ordinary wood either; it represents killing intent -wood absorbs nutrients from earth developing into a tree that devours all living things."

"My earth isn't ordinary earth either; it represents deathly soil where deceased individuals rest peacefully under its protection."

"My metal isn’t just any metal but immortal gold buried underground for thousands of years without decay.”

Chen Xu also explained his own path where he displayed five elements between his fingers: gold, wood, water, fire and earth representing respectively immortal gold, devouring wood, world-destroying water ,civilization’s flame and deathly soil .

"Your way of cultivation walks an unconventional path," said Emperor Qin Shi Huang observing Chen Xu’s essence of Five Elements at a glance.

The Five Elements give rise to each other creating an endless cycle of life and death. Only then can one possess boundless magical power. Although Chen Xu's path wasn't orthodox, it was still close to the right way; however, his Five Elements didn’t give rise nor conquer each other but deviated from their inherent characteristics by adding unique properties.

This isn't the right way but rather a side door or unorthodox method.

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"There are three thousand paths in cultivation with eight hundred being unconventional methods. Who says that these unconventional methods aren't part of the great Dao?"

"Are you willing to verify our paths together?" asked Emperor Qin Shi Huang.

"I couldn't ask for more," replied Chen Xu as they extended their hands and palms met, mutually sensing each other's path without reservation.

Chen Xu felt like he had entered a world full of smoke and fire while half asleep and half awake.

He ascended to the throne at thirteen years old with ambitious goals; he conquered six kingdoms at thirty-nine years old before ascending to emperorship himself.

He called upon Earth for war killing countless people only for unifying China under his rule; he built The Great Wall so that future generations could benefit from

Chen Xu shuddered and exclaimed how lucky he was.

The life of Qin Shihuang was so brilliant that he became obsessed with it. If not for the voice of Qin Shihuang crossing a thousand years, he would have been immersed in it and turned into dust along with history.

"I have collected ten thousand methods and, together with many fellow practitioners, intend to find a way out of the paths left by our predecessors to create a path to heaven. This is the innate Five Elements method."

"Who would have thought that there are such exquisite spells in the Western lands? By sacrificing oneself, one can become a god. If I had this wonderful method back then, why bother searching for the elixir of immortality? I could just cultivate my divine path and unify the world."

Chen Xu felt ashamed. If Qin Shihuang had obtained this kind of wonderful method earlier, relying on the land of Daqin and sending troops westward to conquer the world would not be an impossible task. At that time, all those Egyptian gods and masters would probably be crushed by Daqin's military might.

"It's a pity that we only found this wonderful method after thousands of years; too late."

"In fact, it's not too late, Your Majesty." Chen Xu confirmed their understanding of Taoism with Qin Shihuang which was equivalent to colliding memories but also added a sense of intimacy between them.

Both were descendants from China (Huaxia) - Yan Huang offspring - flowing through their veins was similar bloodline making their identities close-knit.

"The world today is about to erupt into war; we can collect souls during war as sacrifices for ourselves which may lead us towards becoming gods."

"Moreover, both Eastern and Western methods have their own mysteries: immortality lies in West while longevity lies in East; Western gods versus Eastern immortal beings - each has its own mystery."

"But no matter how mysterious it is, the number of those who achieve the status of gods and immortals is small. Japan claims to have eight million gods, but in Chen Xu's eyes, this is nonsense.

Are gods like ordinary people? They are not so common. Counting the famous deities in history does not exceed three digits. Similarly, counting the immortals in Eastern history does not exceed three digits either.

As for the heavenly soldiers and generals in myths and legends, they are just nonsense in Chen Xu's eyes.

If there were so many immortals, cultivators would have no need to pursue them.

As for the fairy world and god realm, they are even more nonsensical. If immortals were everywhere as if cabbages on a farm field...

Without corresponding spiritual cultivation, immortals at best are just powerful cultivators who can turn into ashes without needing thousands of years.

"But before that, Your Majesty should sweep away all opposition within our borders and restore order to our land."

"I have such intentions."

Emperor Qin Shi Huang withdrew his flesh palm and took a step forward. His clothes changed into armor as he declared: "My army will once again return to this land under heaven; wherever my troops go shall be where all subjects submit."

...

"Awaken!"

Qin Shi Huang drew his long sword and shouted loudly.

The earth collapsed with sinkholes appearing as an army of terracotta warriors emerged from underground with great momentum.

These were terracotta warriors - an army that swept across six kingdoms back then - now resurrected today after a thousand years following Emperor Qin Shi Huang once again sweeping across all corners of China establishing an everlasting foundation for generations to come.

This was their mission; this was their destiny since becoming Emperor Qin Shi Huang's army from that moment on meant being destined for greatness already set forth by fate itself.

"You awaken now amidst chaos and suffering of the world..."

"I shall reclaim the world, restore order to it..."

"Those who follow me will prosper; those who oppose me will perish."

As Emperor Qin Shi Huang summoned his terracotta army, Zi Yuan was also summoning laborers.

"Open the door to the past and release cursed souls..."

"In the name of our ancestors, we shall walk on a righteous path..."

"My daughter and I gave up eternal life to bear this curse for all living beings so they can be free from physical torment."

"Gather in anger against evil. Follow heaven's way and execute its punishment."

"Heaven's will cannot be defied. Unite as one against evil, seek revenge for grievances suffered, regain our former dignity."

Underneath The Great Wall lay buried bones of unjustly killed souls. Under Zi Yuan's incantations, these ancient dead were reanimated with renewed vigor.

These people died as laborers forced into building The Great Wall; they were slaves who perished under it using their flesh and blood to construct it while resisting foreign invaders.

This was merit; this was fault; this was virtue; this was sin - intertwined together where no one could distinguish right from wrong or good from bad. But their resentment remained below ground until today when called upon by Zi Yuan to vent their anger.

The earth shook violently with skeletons rising again as Emperor Qin Shi Huang attempted crossing over The Great Wall encountering his first obstacle.

"This is fate but also destiny. However today I shall defy fate." Chen Xu stood beside Emperor Qin Shi Huang holding onto Necronomicon tightly trembling in fear.

Resurrected dead soldiers that should have been destroyed a thousand years ago now returned once more through terracotta warriors' bodies violating fate itself disrupting yin-yang balance thus deserving punishment yet how could he watch them suffer? He must defy fate!

"With my lifespan and magic power offered as sacrifice unto great Anubis, I hereby bestow upon you the blessing of immortality curse..."