Author: Xiao Yifeng
Translator: PapaSmurf0700
Bai Ye was a young priest, taken in and raised by Blue Star from the famous Wudang Mountain. Even though Wudang Mountain is renowned for representing the Quanzhen School of Daoism, known for its strict rules, it shares similarities with Kama Taj from the Marvel universe. Despite the many rules, there are certain allowances, like using the internet under specific conditions.
For seventeen years, Bai Ye trained diligently under his master's guidance atop the mountain. His favorite pastime? Watching anime. His absolute favorite was "One Piece". Even though he loved it, he never once dreamed of being transported to the world of "One Piece". As he gazed up, he took in the people in front of him. The straw hat on the young boy, the one worn by a character who might someday become the fifth emperor, particularly caught his attention. Standing beside him was a short, chubby boy with pink hair and glasses. Even though his memory wasn't crystal clear, Bai Ye was fairly certain this boy would grow up to be a notable navy figure in this world.
Bai Ye thought to himself in astonishment, "Have I somehow traveled back to the beginning of the One Piece story?" Frantically running his fingers through his hair, he reminded himself that he was just a simple monk from Wudang. His daily routine involved waking up early, going to bed at a decent hour, eating well, and avoiding bad habits. How did he find himself here? Were people just randomly chosen to time travel nowadays?
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Bai Ye tried to recall the events leading up to this moment. He remembered being summoned by his master and introduced to a peculiar book named "Taomen Jilu". This book, as explained by his master, was penned by a legendary Daoist who had visited various Daoist sects. It was a treasure trove of Daoist magic concepts, including the inner alchemy of Wudang, the Qimen techniques of warlocks, the dual practices of life and death from Longhushan, and the talisman methods of Maoshan. According to his master, in any time other than an apocalypse, this book would be considered a Daoist masterpiece.
With a jolt, Bai Ye's memory returned. His master had talked to him late into the night, and, before going to bed, Bai Ye had placed the "Taomen Jilu" beside his pillow. That was the last thing he remembered before waking up here. He couldn't help but think that his master, that mischievous old man, might have something to do with his current predicament.
-----
Bai Ye stood lost in his thoughts, and the two pirates in the room grew restless. They had simply hoped for a relaxed evening with some wine, but what was happening? First, one of their comrades got knocked out by someone hidden in a barrel, who then had a lengthy chat with Koby. Now, here was another man, seemingly from another barrel, who spoke some confusing words and then got lost in thought, his expression shifting rapidly.
Initially, the pirates felt slighted. The one with the hood grew more and more angry, letting his annoyance build inside. With a fierce grin, he lifted his large knife and charged at Bai Ye, shouting, "Prepare to meet your end, kid!"
Bai Ye, though deep in thought, felt the pirate's hostile intent. He swiftly assessed the pirate and deemed him to be no threat. As the pirate swung his knife down, envisioning a swift victory, Bai Ye reacted.
To the pirate's surprise, Bai Ye deftly sidestepped the attack. Before the pirate could recover from his surprise, Bai Ye, drawing upon a decade of Tai Chi practice, delivered a swift and efficient push.
To an observer, it appeared that Bai Ye merely gave the pirate a light shove. But the hooded pirate felt the full force of the push, feeling as if he had been struck by a massive mace. He was thrown backward, crashing into another pirate in the room.
When the dust settled, only Bai Ye and Luffy remained standing. Koby, overwhelmed, had fallen to the ground in shock.
"Amazing!" Luffy exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with admiration. "Your move was incredible, long-haired guy!"
Bai Ye was taken aback. "Why is he giving me a random nickname?" he wondered internally. However, being familiar with the "One Piece" manga, he understood Luffy's unconventional way of thinking and decided not to dwell on it.
Straightening out his Daoist robe, Bai Ye brought his hands together in a traditional gesture and introduced himself, "I am Bai Ye, a Daoist priest."
Luffy looked puzzled. "Daoist priest?"
It's worth noting that priests might not be a common sight in the world of "One Piece." And even if they were, Luffy, with his limited memory of such things, probably wouldn't recall.
Luffy, tilting his head, asked, "Is it something you can eat?"
Bai Ye looked exasperated. "How did you get 'edible' from what I just said?"
Luffy's stomach grumbled. "Speaking of eating, I'm getting hungry. Hey, long-haired guy, do you want some food?"
Bai Ye sighed, "You change subjects so quickly! And for the record, my name is Bai Ye!"
-----
Five minutes passed, and in another storage room on the ship, Luffy was devouring a bucket full of fruit. Bai Ye, on the other hand, was eating with more grace than Luffy, but his appetite was surprisingly large. It seemed that in this world, his hunger had intensified! Even compared to Luffy, known for his large appetite, Bai Ye was matching him bite for bite. Could his physical nature have altered after traveling through time?
Bai Ye recalled the recent confrontation with the pirates. While he was always confident in his abilities, he didn't expect to subdue them with just one Tai Chi Push Hand move. In his previous world, Tai Chi Push Hands was about redirecting the opponent's energy. But here, he felt more than ten times stronger. Before, his maximum force might've been comparable to lifting a heavy weight, but now, it was vastly greater. Without even using Tai Chi, he believed he could've defeated those pirates with a single punch.
This newfound strength exhilarated Bai Ye. Who wouldn't want such abilities? In this tumultuous age of grand pirates, might determined one's standing. With enough power, even one's title became inconsequential.
His thoughts drifted back to the "Taomen Jilu," the mysterious book that might've been the reason for his journey through time. If his prior training in Wudang was akin to traditional martial arts, competing with the naval combat styles of this world, then the Daoist techniques in "Taomen Jilu" would be equivalent to the coveted abilities in this realm, like the devil fruit powers and Haki.
As he pondered this, he sensed the "Taomen Jilu" in his mind. It seemed that this book was his special gift upon arriving in this world. Just as Bai Ye was about to delve deeper into his thoughts, Luffy finished his food. Leaning back contentedly, Luffy's stomach shrank back to its regular size after a deep breath.
With a playful grin, Luffy adjusted his hat and pointed to himself with a thumbs-up. "Bai Ye," he declared, "I've made up my mind. I want you to join my crew and sail with me!"