Chapter 1083: This Can Also Be Competed Over?

The three Sheng Ji Guo were enveloped in spatial power, ensuring their distinctive aura didn't draw back the Xu Kong Shi that had already left.

Faced with his own people, Xu Xiaoshou never hesitated.

Even for showing gratitude, he could have easily picked some unused sacred herbs from the Shen Nong Yao Yuan, or even taken a bit more, and given them to the three standing before him.

But he felt that would still be too stingy.

Sheng Ji Guo was, in Xu Xiaoshou's view, the most suitable sacred herb for these three at the half-saint level.

By piling up his allies to reach the Tai Xu realm with sacred power, at least they'd have an easier time facing half-saints in the future, right?

Besides, if they encountered another situation like before, where support was needed against a half-saint, then having Mister Ba Ren, Xiao Kong Dong, and Ye Xiao Tian mastered in sacred power would let them play a much bigger role than now!

"This..."

Yet, confronted with these three sacred herbs, the three of them were all stunned.

With their extensive knowledge, they immediately recognized what Xu Xiaoshou was holding and were both shocked and puzzled.

"Sheng Ji Guo."

Mei Si Ren stared blankly for several breaths before lifting his gaze to Xu Xiaoshou, a thought crossing his mind—"Did you empty the Shen Nong Yao Yuan?"—though he didn't say it out loud.

Xiao Kong Dong felt the same.

He recalled Xu Xiaoshou's earlier words about "several large stalks" and thought it couldn't be that the Shen Nong Yao Yuan was full of Sheng Ji Guo, so that the "several large stalks" Xu Xiaoshou picked happened to be all Sheng Ji Guo!

Ye Xiao Tian's first reaction was shock, and his second was to sneak a glance at the reactions of the two beside him, feeling a bit worried.

But soon, he realized he was being too suspicious.

Mei Si Ren smiled and fanned himself with his paper fan, saying, "I appreciate your kind intentions, but I can't accept this Sheng Ji Guo."

On one hand, as a teacher, he hadn't even given his student a meeting gift yet—how could he start receiving gifts?

On the other hand...

Mei Si Ren hadn't wanted to explain, but seeing Xu Xiaoshou's surprised expression, he had no choice but to add reluctantly, "Maintaining my realm has been tough enough as it is. If I touch a sacred herb, I might end up sealing my sainthood on the spot, which isn't what I want."

Xu Xiaoshou:

That reason was almost terrifyingly extreme...

But Mei Si Ren Mr. wasn't just saying that; it seemed genuine, especially after seeing how close he came to sealing sainthood earlier. He wasn't being coy.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't push further. Holding the Sheng Ji Guo, he turned to the other two.

After thinking it over, Xiao Kong Dong shook his head and said, "Keep this for yourself. For ancient sword cultivators, resources are needed in the early stages, but I don't lack them now. In fact, swallowing a Sheng Ji Guo might even disrupt my will."

The path of ancient sword cultivation emphasized honing the heart.

Since he was committed to this path, Xiao Kong Dong wouldn't be swayed by external temptations.

He believed he could achieve sainthood, but only by forging what he considered his peak sword, then ascending to the position of Sword Saint—not through external aids.

Xu Xiaoshou was left speechless.

Why were fellow ancient sword cultivators so calm in refusing Sheng Ji Guo?

Didn't they know that two Tai Xu masters had once risked their lives for this very thing?

But then he thought...

Of course! Those who would risk their lives for Sheng Ji Guo were probably at the end of their road, capped at Tai Xu. But these two were among the peak figures on the continent, unmatched in current combat and with a smooth path ahead.

As for people like Shuang Dai or Hong Dang, they were already at a dead end, their Tai Xu the limit, so they had to fight desperately for Sheng Ji Guo to grasp a future.

That was a fundamental difference.

"Impressive."

Mei Si Ren looked approvingly at Xiao Kong Dong. After learning he wasn't the Eight Venerable An, Mei Si Ren had developed a strong admiration for this talent.

In the world, few could impersonate the Eight Venerable An so successfully.

This meant Xiao Kong Dong's swordsmanship was undoubtedly top-tier among the younger generation.

So, for this young man's future, even if Xiao Kong Dong wanted the Sheng Ji Guo, Mei Si Ren wouldn't let him have it.

For ancient sword cultivators, strength couldn't come from external sources—except for Xu Xiaoshou, of course.

Mei Si Ren meant no disrespect toward Xu Xiaoshou; he just understood that Xu Xiaoshou's path was broader and harder.

Sword cultivation, spirit refining, body forging...

Even alchemy, spirit arrays, and other side paths...

If it were anyone else, Mei Si Ren would think they were ruining themselves by spreading too thin.

But Xu Xiaoshou had proven with his actions that he could handle it all. His energy allowed him to master so many paths—he was a monster.

The world did have such geniuses.

Mei Si Ren knew that, so his attitude toward Xu Xiaoshou was one of tolerance, while toward Xiao Kong Dong, it was: "Stick to your current path. If you dare go astray, dabble in nonsense, and waste your perfect sword talent, you'll get a beating."

"It's just following my heart, Mei Si Ren Mr. You're overpraising me."

Xiao Kong Dong was flattered and grateful for the compliment from this swordsmanship senior, then turned to Ye Xiao Tian with a smile and said,

"Ancient sword cultivation doesn't need it, but for spirit refiners below half-saint, Sheng Ji Guo is the greatest help. I think you need this."

Ye Xiao Tian stared blankly at the two who had refused the Sheng Ji Guo, suddenly feeling like he was the petty one.

Are they crazy?

So both of them are basically saints—they don't even eye Sheng Ji Guo, but I need it that badly? Earlier, I was even worried they'd snatch the Shen Nong Yao Yuan from Xu Xiaoshou...

In that moment, Ye Xiao Tian gained a clear understanding of why Xu Xiaoshou dared to openly offer three Sheng Ji Guo—this guy never puts himself in danger!

"I..." Ye Xiao Tian opened his mouth but struggled to take the Sheng Ji Guo.

"Take it." Mei Si Ren said with a gentle smile, "Spirit refiners need resources to build up, even up to Tai Xu. You have a solid foundation with spatial mysteries, and with Sheng Ji Guo's help, your future achievements will be limitless."

Xu Xiaoshou watched this unfold quietly, thinking to himself that things had gotten way too competitive—even the dean was holding back, though he clearly needed it.

Without another word, Xu Xiaoshou placed the Sheng Ji Guo in Ye Xiao Tian's hand and said with a raised eyebrow, "Don't be polite with me, Dean. From the Spirit Palace to now, I've received far more than just this. Giving you one Sheng Ji Guo might even benefit me down the line."

Ye Xiao Tian fell silent but couldn't refuse the Sheng Ji Guo anymore. He glanced at the three around him and nodded. "Alright, then I won't hold back."

For ancient sword cultivators, Sheng Ji Guo was a temptation, but for spirit refiners, it was a massive boost!

After swallowing this one, he could even go toe-to-toe with Huang Quan, as long as the latter didn't use sacred blood.

The power increase would be more than double—Ye Xiao Tian had no reason to turn it down.

But he felt a bit guilty taking it, since he hadn't really helped much in rescuing Xu Xiaoshou. Thinking about it, Ye Xiao Tian pulled out a crystal gem in return.

"This is... a Ban Sheng Wei Ge..."

The moment he did, the other three were completely floored.

Xu Xiaoshou:

Ban Sheng Wei Ge?

Did I hear that right? This is key to the path of sainthood—a Ban Sheng Wei Ge!

"Shocked, passive value +1."

"Where did you get this?" Xu Xiaoshou stared at the dean in utter disbelief. How did it come to this? I just gave one Sheng Ji Guo from the Shen Nong Yao Yuan—do we really need to one-up each other like this?

Ye Xiao Tian glanced at Xiao Kong Dong and sighed deeply. "He tried to trick me, but in the end, those last few hundred stone giants were taken out by Jiang Ban Sheng."

Stone giants... Xu Xiaoshou suddenly remembered the massive giants that had followed Xiao Kong Dong and Ye Xiao Tian when they arrived—bigger than even Xu Kong Shi.

You basically raided their nest! You're even bolder than me—you got a Ban Sheng Wei Ge... Xu Xiaoshou looked at Xiao Kong Dong in utter shock.

"Just a coincidence..." Xiao Kong Dong chuckled awkwardly, not admitting it was his curiosity that caused it, and added, "Good thing my resolve was strong enough to pass on this hot potato quickly."

"You knew it was a hot potato!" Ye Xiao Tian said, frustrated. Only he had spatial attributes; anyone else holding this would have been smashed to pulp by the stone giants.

Then, something occurred to Ye Xiao Tian, and he turned seriously to Xu Xiaoshou. "It was before, but it's not anymore. The stone giants are dealt with, so you can take this without any danger."

Xu Xiaoshou wasn't sure whether to accept it or not.

He was only at the master level, with the Wang Zuo three realms ahead, and sainthood was still far off. Holding a Ban Sheng Wei Ge wouldn't make much difference for him now.

If Sang Lao were still around, he could take it and gain a half-saint level bodyguard on the spot.

But now... Xu Xiaoshou had ambitions. He'd seen the Yu Ling Drop and witnessed Ye Xiao Tian's power, knowing the Wang Zuo Dao realm might be key to his rise.

He wanted to master mysteries—maybe even more than one!

That was tough for others, but with his cheats, he believed he could do it.

The time from entering the Dao realm to mastering mysteries was just too long.

A Ban Sheng Wei Ge would be a waste on him, but for the dean, it was perfect.

He just needed to sever his Dao, pass the Nine Deaths Thunder Tribulation, and with the Sheng Ji Guo, he could step into the ranks of the strongest Tai Xu, possibly surpassing people like Water Ghost or Huang Quan.

With a ready Ban Sheng Wei Ge, if he wanted, the continent could see the birth of an extraordinary half-saint—one who mastered spatial mysteries. That would be world-shattering.

"I can't take it."

Xu Xiaoshou figured it all out and firmly refused, still reeling from the shock.

What's wrong with this world?

Tai Xu masters would risk their lives for Sheng Ji Guo, yet you all are passing it back and forth.

A Ban Sheng Wei Ge, something so elusive, and you're treating it like a hot potato.

Am I the crazy one, or are you? Xu Xiaoshou suddenly wondered why everyone around him seemed abnormal.

Ye Xiao Tian tried to insist.

But Mei Si Ren spoke up: "No, Xu Xiaoshou can't take it."

Everyone turned to him.

Mei Si Ren held his paper fan, still processing the shock of Ye Xiao Tian pulling out the Ban Sheng Wei Ge, not fully recovered yet.

But he adjusted quickly and said, "You all know sacred objects have a tendency to conceal themselves for self-protection, but a Ban Sheng Wei Ge doesn't. It's truly a hot potato—always has been, always will be!"

Staring at Ye Xiao Tian, Mei Si Ren said seriously, "Without a half-saint force to suppress it or a half-saint ruin to seal it, a Ban Sheng Wei Ge that's surfaced will mysteriously attract many who are on the verge of sainthood, leading to disaster."

"It's inevitable. Xu Xiaoshou alone might not even survive against a Tai Xu right now, and he's far from sainthood. Holding this during that time would mean death by fate's hand one day."

"You're different."

Pausing, Mei Si Ren continued, "With spatial mysteries, you could probably escape even if a half-saint chased you—as long as it's not one of the rare few. Plus, you have the Sheng Ji Guo now."

"So, for this Ban Sheng Wei Ge, you're the ideal guardian. You should be the one to protect it."

Ye Xiao Tian's face turned a bit green at these words, and Xiao Kong Dong looked equally astonished.

In fact, neither of them had dealt with a Ban Sheng Wei Ge before and didn't fully understand it—that was their first time hearing this from Mei Si Ren Mr.

"So, even without the stone giants, it's still a hot potato and will bring danger?" Ye Xiao Tian swallowed hard, wanting even less to hold the crystal gem. Wasn't this just a death beacon? The pressure on him was immense!

"It's pressure, but also motivation." Mei Si Ren smiled. He had his own Ban Sheng Wei Ge, but he wasn't afraid of pursuits—that was his confidence.

Ye Xiao Tian lacked that confidence.

He clutched the crystal gem and suddenly turned to hand it back to Xiao Kong Dong, but Xiao Kong Dong backed away instantly, as if facing a demon.

For sainthood, Xiao Kong Dong had his own plans.

His teacher hadn't sealed sainthood yet—what was he rushing for? Had he mastered all nine great sword techniques? Grasped the eighteen sword flows?

If not, why rush to seal sainthood and head to the grave early?

Ye Xiao Tian's face darkened, and he turned to Xu Xiaoshou, but Xu Xiaoshou also stepped back.

No way—I'm not short on this thing right now, and even if I am later, I might be able to sever sainthood by then. Jiang Bu Yi's Ban Sheng Wei Ge would be a great choice. Why suffer now?

Xu Xiaoshou knew his place perfectly!

Without a Ban Sheng Wei Ge, he already had enough trouble under the Eight Venerable An's arrangements. With this, he'd be constantly watching for half-saint pursuers every time he stepped out.

Half-saints might not care about the Ban Sheng Wei Ge itself, but they'd definitely want another half-saint in their faction!

Ye Xiao Tian had thought of that too.

He held the Ban Sheng Wei Ge with a bitter face and turned to Mei Si Ren. "This..."

"I won't take it." Mei Si Ren laughed, but his tone grew serious. "Maybe you should give yourself some pressure. Mysteries are strong, but severing the foundation is hard."

Ye Xiao Tian took it in.

Indeed, as Sang Lao had said, he'd been too comfortable lately—perhaps he really should use this Ban Sheng Wei Ge to create some pressure for himself.

If he couldn't fight, with the Sheng Ji Guo's sacred power, he could still run.

"I understand." Ye Xiao Tian nodded, no longer insisting on giving away the Ban Sheng Wei Ge. Instead, he pulled out a jade talisman and handed it to Xu Xiaoshou.

"Take this. As long as you crush it, no matter how far apart we are in the same world, I can instantly locate and find you." Ye Xiao Tian wasn't taking the Sheng Ji Guo for free.

He knew with Xu Xiaoshou's talent for trouble, future dangers would be even greater, and even if he went to help, he might not be much use.

But for escaping...

Spatial mysteries— who'd dare claim first if he said second?

The strongest teleportation array in the Five Domains wasn't just for show. If he broke through later, this jade talisman would be Xu Xiaoshou's ultimate safeguard.

Watching Xu Xiaoshou smile and take the jade talisman without hesitation, treasuring it like a gem, Ye Xiao Tian warned seriously, "Remember, don't go acting recklessly just because you have the jade talisman. I have times when I can't escape either."

It used to be that way, but with the Sheng Ji Guo, it's different now. You're being too modest... Xu Xiaoshou chuckled and said, "Don't worry, Dean, I know my limits."