Chapter 1082: Fate? Ill-Fated Relationship

The city walls towered high, covered in black moss.

In the ancient architectural district of the Giant Kingdom, space rippled and distorted as four figures—a large one and three smaller ones—materialized and landed.

"Came out."

Ye Xiaotian stepped barefoot onto the solid ground, then slowly floated up to match the height of the two beside him. Only then did he glance back toward the direction of Miracle Forest, finally feeling completely at ease.

The nightmare was over...

They had escaped unharmed, everyone alive and safe from that cursed place, Miracle Forest, far away from Ban Sheng.

"Spill it!"

Mei Yiren and Xiao Kongdong landed as well, staring unblinkingly at the black giant in front of them as it gradually shrank, eventually transforming back into Xu Xiaoshou's original form.

Not only were they curious about Xu Xiaoshou's farewell with Void Servant at the last moment, but they were even more intrigued about how the fight in Miracle Forest had started and how Xu Xiaoshou had provoked Ban Sheng.

After reverting to his true appearance, Xu Xiaoshou subtly glanced at Mei Yiren's gaze, full of novel curiosity, and gave a slight explanation: "It was just an ordinary... fight, I suppose? A series of coincidences made the process a bit complicated, but luckily, the outcome was good."

He paused, then turned to face Mei Yiren directly, saying: "This is my real self."

Mei Yiren nodded with a smile: "Much better looking than before."

In his memory, Xu Xiaoshou's appearance was still stuck on that version from the first floor of the heavens. Although he had seen various versions of Xu Xiaoshou's "true form," the one they spent the most time with was always Xu Fu Ji. So, seeing this as his actual original appearance naturally felt intriguing.

"Ordinary?"

From the side, Ye Xiaotian snorted in disbelief, his face unsettled as he said: "Xu Xiaoshou, have you grown too bold? Even my master wouldn't dare face Ban Sheng directly, and you're calling this ordinary?"

"Uh..."

Xu Xiaoshou was momentarily speechless, turning to look at the furious white-haired Daoist child. His eyes lit up as he said: "Greetings, Dean! By the way, I haven't congratulated you yet on mastering the spatial mysteries! In the whole world, probably no more than a handful of people have reached that level... Your talent is truly heavenly, a model for us all!"

"Stop flattering me!" Ye Xiaotian huffed coldly to himself: Back when you were with Void Servant, you were so cocky and smug, even teasing everyone. Now that you've shrunk back to normal size, why has your courage shrunk too?

"Hurry up and explain how you got into all this mess!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Mei Yiren and Xiao Kongdong turned their gazes toward him, clearly eager to hear the full story of the Miracle Forest battle.

After all, getting caught in a Ban Sheng vortex like that, if they didn't understand the situation clearly, the ensuing cycle of cause and effect could leave them confused and inexplicably injured—or worse.

With three pairs of eyes fixed on him, Xu Xiaoshou didn't dare dodge the question anymore. He laughed and said:

"Actually, it's simple. Let me sum it up briefly. Here's roughly what happened...

"I pulled a few spiritual herbs from Shennong Medicine Garden, which angered Void Servant. I thought this big guy might be able to take on Ban Sheng, so I disguised myself as that Jiang Shi fellow and started a fight with Void Servant.

"Unfortunately, Teng Shanhai showed up out of nowhere and used Xiao Shen Qiang to recognize my identity. So, I had to play along and drag him into it, making Void Servant think he and Jiang Ban Sheng were the ones who stole the herbs.

"Then I hid and watched as the three of them went at it. Later, Rao Yao Yao came to save someone... well, to save Teng Shanhai, but because of Jiang Ban Sheng, she failed. And the rest, you all know from when you showed up."

Xu Xiaoshou carefully chose his words as he spoke, while keeping an eye on the expressions of the three in front of him...

No reactions at all!

The three old foxes listened in silence, remaining quiet for a long time, as if turned to stone.

The atmosphere was too calm, eerily so. Only Xu Xiaoshou knew this was just surface calm, because his information panel was popping up notifications like crazy.

"Questioned, passive value +3."

"Reprimanded, passive value +3."

"Cursed, passive value +3."

Ye Xiaotian's mouth twitched. Seeing the other two say nothing, he had to take the lead and point out the inconsistencies in the story.

"Shennong Medicine Garden—you pulled 'a few' spiritual herbs?" He vaguely remembered the scene from the spatial mirror: Void Servant's guarded area had turned into a deep pit.

Xu Xiaoshou rubbed his hands, his eyes drifting skyward: "More like a bunch of them!"

Ye Xiaotian took a deep breath, realizing that Shennong Medicine Garden had indeed been completely emptied by Xu Xiaoshou—just like how he'd nearly collapsed that small world after entering Tianxuan Gate.

So many spiritual herbs—how could it have been just "a bunch" in the simple sense? That "bunch" probably meant the entire garden!

But the other two seemed amiable, with no clear hostility, so Ye Xiaotian, as the elder closest to Xu Xiaoshou, decided not to press further.

Yes, no matter what, Ye Xiaotian believed he could keep his composure and not lay hands on his own junior.

But he couldn't guarantee that others, upon learning Xu Xiaoshou had an entire Shennong Medicine Garden on him, might try to kill and rob him—even these two, who seemed close to Xu Xiaoshou and quite friendly.

"The Teng Shanhai you mentioned—is that the head of the War Department, Xi Shan Hai?" Ye Xiaotian subtly changed the subject, though he already knew the answer.

"Yep." Xu Xiaoshou nodded, his expression growing a bit serious: "He's from one of the six halls of Sheng Shen Hall. He did provoke Jiang Ban Sheng, but logically, his crime didn't warrant death...

"I think Jiang Ban Sheng killed him for other reasons, not just because I used him."

Xu Xiaoshou recalled the demonic god power that had erupted from Teng Shanhai back then.

That power seemed like an enhanced, dumbed-down version of the demonic power in Lei Xi Er's divine demon eyes!

Xiao Kongdong thoughtfully picked up the thread: "Rao Yao Yao was there?"

"Yeah."

"She tried to save Teng Shanhai directly, but Jiang... that one didn't give her any face."

"That's right!"

Xu Xiaoshou nodded, as this was exactly what puzzled him.

He already knew Rao Yao Yao's identity was no simple matter, so he couldn't understand why Jiang Bu Yi would show no mercy at that time and not give her any consideration.

That guy was Ban Sheng, after all—wasn't he afraid of repercussions from Sheng Shen Hall later?

There had to be another reason!

Mei Yiren was also deep in thought. Suddenly, he stopped fanning himself and tapped his palm: "I might know why."

"Why?" The three turned curious eyes toward him.

Mei Yiren glanced at the trio, hesitated for a moment, then decided to speak:

"When I performed the 'Space Leap,' I vaguely sensed that nearby, in the space-time before and after, there had been a power that didn't belong to Jiang Ban Sheng—one with an even higher rank."

"That puzzled me at the time, but now I think it might be the reason for Teng Shanhai's death."

The Saint Domain had isolated and shielded their senses before everyone entered, yet Mei Yiren had guessed it just from speculation.

He looked at Xu Xiaoshou and said: "Teng Shanhai—wasn't he wielding some kind of special power?"

Special power...

Xu Xiaoshou hadn't answered yet when Ye Xiaotian, who had secretly witnessed Teng Shanhai's entire death, suddenly remembered something.

Connecting it to Mei Yiren's words about a power "even higher than Jiang Bu Yi's," he had an epiphany, realizing he'd been misled by the Saint Domain and had underestimated the strength of the power Teng Shanhai wielded. His pupils shrank slightly.

"Yes."

Xu Xiaoshou, not fully understanding, glanced at the dean and tried to describe it: "It seemed like some kind of... demonic power."

Xiao Kongdong's eyebrows shot up—this "demonic power" sounded like the one he knew.

Mei Yiren smiled and said: "More precisely, it's called 'Zu Yuan Zhi Li.'"

At that moment, Ye Xiaotian and Xiao Kongdong's expressions changed, while Xu Xiaoshou, who took in all their reactions, still looked puzzled.

"What's 'Zu Yuan Zhi Li'?"

As he asked, Ye Xiaotian and Xiao Kongdong leaned in curiously.

Clearly, among them, no one thought their own knowledge could surpass that of Mei Yiren, who had lived through several eras.

What he knew was surely more detailed and comprehensive.

Mei Yiren hesitated over whether to reveal all this to the three in front of him, because some things, once known, meant you were in it for good, with no way out.

But then he thought, even if they didn't know, these three youngsters were already entangled in the vortex.

And for those involved, the risks of ignorance were far greater.

So, Mei Yiren began: "'Zu Yuan Zhi Li' is a power only high-level Sheng Di can master; it's the foundation for sealing gods and claiming ancestry. It has multiple definitions, but the most common ones are what you might know as... Shen Xing Zhi Li and Mo Xing Zhi Li."

Sheng Di... sealing gods and claiming ancestry...

These terrifying names made Xu Xiaoshou's head buzz, and his eyes widened involuntarily.

And when "Shen Xing Zhi Li and Mo Xing Zhi Li" were mentioned, Xu Xiaoshou no longer cared about the reactions of the other two.

The only thing flashing through his mind was Lei Xi Er's pair of mysterious eyes.

I think I get it... Xu Xiaoshou took a deep breath and asked: "Mei Yiren, are you saying that 'Zu Yuan Zhi Li' can exist in some form even for those who aren't Sheng Di, and be partially mastered by lower-level practitioners?"

"Exactly." Mei Yiren nodded. "'Zu Yuan Zhi Li,' like 'Ban Sheng Rank' or 'Sheng Di Rank,' is constant. There's only so much of it, in specific forms. When someone who possesses it dies, it 'circulates' among others of the same rank or gets 'inherited' between higher and lower ranks."

For example, the divine demon eyes.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't even dare ask that question out loud!

He already knew the answer and finally realized... the true reason behind the Lei family tragedy, and why Lei Xi Er's cultivation had advanced even faster than his own, despite his cheats.

This kind of power brings miracles wherever it goes, but it also inevitably creates disasters!

"So, you're saying... Jiang Ban Sheng was afraid, so he had to eliminate the threat. Since he'd already offended Teng Shanhai, he killed him before he could fully master that power." Xu Xiaoshou tried to steady his emotions.

"You're very sharp." Mei Yiren smiled.

"Can he be killed?" Xu Xiaoshou suddenly felt anxious, because he'd also offended Teng Shanhai—if that guy hadn't died...

"Of course he can. That's Ban Sheng!" Mei Yiren chuckled. "Even if a baby can lift a great sword, it can't beat an adult. And if there are no other adults around, the sword would just get taken away."

Xu Xiaoshou breathed a sigh of relief, but the next second, he tensed up even more.

Teng Shanhai had only exposed that power, and Jiang Bu Yi couldn't claim it, so he had to kill him.

Then, if someone coveted Lei Xi Er's divine demon eyes...

At that thought, Xu Xiaoshou froze.

On Gu Yin Cliff, to hold them back, Lei Xi Er had fully displayed the power of her divine demon eyes in front of Rao Yao Yao... completely and explicitly!

"Damn it!"

Xu Xiaoshou slapped himself across the face.

It's over!

Everything's ruined!

Rao Yao Yao knows!

With her status and position, how could she not recognize 'Zu Yuan Zhi Li'? As soon as she leaves Void Island, she can take that information back to Sheng Shen Hall...

"No!"

"There's one last way!"

A fierce glint flashed in Xu Xiaoshou's eyes.

But the next second, it faded.

He couldn't kill her...

Rao Yao Yao might not be the sharpest, but her combat prowess was undeniable. She only thought strategically because she led Yun Lun Mountains and had to consider the big picture and her subordinates.

If pushed to the edge, she'd drop all that, draw Xuan Cang Shen Jian, and as one of the Seven Sword Immortals, who on Void Island could guarantee to wipe her out completely?

What about Mei Yiren?

Mei Yiren had his trump cards, but did Rao Yao Yao lack hers?

From the night battle in Wang City to Yun Lun Mountains and now Void Island, Xu Xiaoshou had only seen Rao Yao Yao strike once formally, and that single strike had nearly "sent him to the afterlife."

And that was just a insignificant strike compared to Mei Yiren or Ba Zun An.

But was that all Rao Yao Yao had?

Absolutely not! It probably didn't even reach one ten-thousandth of her full strength!

In Xu Xiaoshou's eyes, Mei Yiren, who had never drawn his sword, was just a harmless old senior, wise from experience. But who could've guessed he harbored that vicious "Sword Image"?

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes—Mei Yiren slashing Ban Sheng with one sword—who would believe it?

Ancient sword cultivators either never grew at all or, once they did, became utter monsters!

"'Fate'... huh?" Xu Xiaoshou sighed heavily, thinking '孽缘' described this tangled mess far better.

"What's wrong?" Ye Xiaotian was startled by Xu Xiaoshou suddenly slapping himself and asked with concern.

"Nothing, just thought of some unpleasant things." Xu Xiaoshou didn't explain. After a pause, he looked at the three in front and bowed deeply in thanks. Then, he reached into his Yuan Fu World and pulled something out.

"This time, thank you all for stepping in to help. I'm broke and don't have much else, so here's a bit of freshly picked Sheng Ji Guo as a token of gratitude." As he spoke, he pushed three Sheng Ji fruits forward.

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