Author: Xiao Yifeng
Translator: PapaSmurf0700
Bai Ye was a young priest from Wudang Mountain, a place renowned on his world—Blue Star—as a bastion of the Quanzhen School of Daoism. He had been taken in and raised there, living a life of disciplined training. While Wudang was known for its strict precepts, it wasn't entirely cut off from the world; like a real-world Kamar-Taj, certain allowances were made, such as supervised access to the internet.
For seventeen years, Bai Ye had trained diligently under his master's tutelage. His favorite escape? Anime. His absolute favorite was One Piece. He loved the series, but he never once imagined he would be pulled into its world. Yet here he was. His gaze drifted over the people before him. The straw hat on the boy's head—the signature of a character who might one day be called the Fifth Emperor of the Sea—was unmistakable. Beside him stood a short, chubby boy with pink hair and glasses. Though the memory was hazy, Bai Ye was fairly certain this was Koby, a boy destined to become a significant figure in the Marines.
Have I traveled back to the very beginning of the story? Bai Ye thought, his mind reeling. He ran his fingers through his hair in a frantic gesture. He was just a simple monk from Wudang. His life was a routine of early mornings, quiet evenings, and healthy habits. How did he end up here? Was time travel really this random?
He shook his head, trying to clear the fog. He remembered his master summoning him, introducing him to a peculiar, ancient-looking book titled the Taomen Jilu. His master had explained that it was a legendary text, a compilation of Daoist arts from various sects—the inner alchemy of Wudang, the esoteric Qimen techniques of the warlocks, the life-and-death dual practices of Longhushan, and the potent talismans of Maoshan. In any era short of an apocalypse, his master had said, this book would be considered a sacred Daoist treasure.
Then, the memory returned with a jolt. After a long talk late into the night, Bai Ye had placed the Taomen Jilu beside his pillow before bed. That was the last thing he remembered. He couldn't shake the feeling that his mischievous old master had something to do with this.
As Bai Ye stood lost in thought, the two pirates in the room grew impatient. They had just wanted a quiet drink, but the evening had descended into chaos. First, one of their own was knocked out by some kid hiding in a barrel, who then started chatting with the pink-haired boy. Now, another man had appeared—seemingly from another barrel—muttered some confusing words, and promptly zoned out.
The hooded pirate felt a surge of anger. With a fierce grin, he hefted his large knife and charged. "Time to die, kid!"
Though deep in thought, Bai Ye sensed the pirate's hostile intent. A swift assessment told him the man was no real threat. As the blade swung down, Bai Ye moved. He sidestepped the attack with practiced ease. Before the pirate could recover from his surprise, Bai Ye drew upon a decade of Tai Chi training and executed a swift, efficient push.
To an observer, it looked like a gentle shove. But the hooded pirate felt a force like a battering ram slam into him. He was thrown backward, crashing into the other pirate and sending them both to the floor in a heap.
When the dust settled, only Bai Ye and Luffy remained standing. Koby had collapsed to the ground in shock.
"Awesome!" Luffy exclaimed, his eyes sparkling. "That was an amazing move, long-haired guy!"
Long-haired guy? Bai Ye thought, taken aback. But he was familiar enough with the manga to know Luffy's simple way of thinking and decided not to dwell on it. Straightening his Daoist robe, he brought his hands together in a traditional salute. "I am Bai Ye, a Daoist priest."
Luffy looked completely puzzled. "Daoist priest? Is that something you can eat?"
Bai Ye's composure cracked. How did he get 'edible' from that?
Just then, Luffy's stomach rumbled loudly. "Speaking of eating, I'm starved! Hey, long-haired guy, want to get some food?"
Bai Ye sighed. "You change topics so fast. And my name is Bai Ye!"
Five minutes later, in a ship's storeroom, Luffy was inhaling fruit from a barrel. Bai Ye ate with far more grace, but his appetite was shockingly large, easily matching Luffy's legendary hunger bite for bite. It seemed his physical nature had been altered by his journey to this world.
He recalled the brief fight. He was always confident in his skills, but he hadn't expected to neutralize two pirates with a single Tai Chi Push Hands technique. In his world, that move was about redirecting energy. Here, he felt as if his strength had been magnified tenfold. He felt he could have defeated them with a single, unassisted punch.
The newfound power was exhilarating. In this tumultuous age of pirates, strength was everything. His thoughts drifted to the Taomen Jilu. If his Wudang training was like the fundamental martial arts of this world, then the Daoist techniques in that book were the equivalent of Devil Fruit powers and Haki.
As he pondered, he could sense the book in his mind, a special gift that had traveled with him. Just as he was about to delve deeper, Luffy finished his meal. Leaning back with a contented sigh, his stomach shrank back to its normal size.
With a wide grin, Luffy adjusted his straw hat and gave Bai Ye a thumbs-up. "Bai Ye," he declared with absolute certainty. "I've decided. You're going to join my crew!"