Chapter 448: Awakening, One Step to Heaven

Chapter 449

He returned to the room.

His Qi sea was now completely full.

Halfway through the journey, after "Huxi Zhifa" absorbed a bit of spirit essence as its foundation, "Yuanqi Manman" began to take effect.

In no time, Xu Xiaoshou's condition had fully recovered.

"Beidong Zhi: 57959."

Xu Xiaoshou pondered again.

He had to admit that with "Yinni" in place, he no longer needed to deliberately suppress his cultivation realm.

But this came with a foundation.

"If even the Wangzuo can't detect my cultivation, then these fifty thousand Beidong Zhi can go straight to 'Huxi Zhifa'."

Xu Xiaoshou understood the benefits of passive cultivation.

Up to now, his total active cultivation time didn't even exceed a day.

Yet his realm was so solidly built, with no signs of instability.

Without a doubt, the greatest contributor was "Huxi Zhifa," which had always been there, working silently in the background.

Add to that the terrifying inhalation during battle.

Whether sucking spirit essence from others' bodies or pills from their hands,

Such unexpected moves were often the key to deciding the outcome of a fight.

And at the Innate level, the power of that critical inhalation was surely not as great as at the Zongshi level.

"So..."

Xu Xiaoshou steadied his mind and made his decision.

He didn't impulsively upgrade the skill. Instead, he touched his chest, and his entire body turned into points of light, vanishing from sight.

Yuanfu.

Today's Yuanfu surprised Xu Xiaoshou.

He saw that the various poisonous flowers and exotic plants near the spirit pool had, under the nourishment of surging life force, sprouted and budded.

The faster-growing ones were already over a person's height.

The ground was no longer barren.

It was covered with a type of strange, purple, vine-like creeping vegetation, blanketing the entire floor of Yuanfu.

Of course, the area with chaotic mist remained impenetrable, even to the poisonous plants.

"Thriller Paradise?"

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned for a moment before snapping back to reality from the completely transformed Yuanfu space.

"Meow."

The little white cat, Tan Shen, had clearly recovered from its drunken slumber in Xu Xiaoshou's Yuan Court space.

As soon as it saw Xu Xiaoshou enter, it pounced from under the Life Spirit Seal and leaped onto the young man's shoulder.

It seemed completely unafraid now.

It rubbed against Xu Xiaoshou's face with all its might.

"What's going on?"

Xu Xiaoshou flicked his finger, sending Tan Shen flying through the air.

It didn't get annoyed.

Seeing no special reaction from Xu Xiaoshou, it casually dove into the spirit pool and started playing house with the various spirit fish again.

Only then did Xu Xiaoshou notice that even the spirit fish now had some purple-black patterns on their bodies.

Clearly, the Yuanfu space, filled with life force and poisonous gas, had started these creatures mutating in strange directions.

"This..."

For a moment, Xu Xiaoshou wasn't sure if this result was fortunate or regrettable.

But since the poisonous gas wasn't excessive and didn't affect him, he didn't pay it much mind.

"The planting plan can be implemented."

"In the future, I can really search for some spirit medicine seeds or even transplant an entire medicine garden over."

Xu Xiaoshou nodded in satisfaction.

As for whether the poisonous gas and spirit medicine would interfere with each other, he didn't see it as a problem at all.

He could just divide the areas and set up some spirit formations to prevent any interference, even if they wanted it.

"Woken up?"

Xu Xiaoshou walked to the front of the scripture storage pavilion tower and asked Xin Gugu, who looked utterly drained.

To kill Zhang Taiying, this guy had directly transformed into his ghost beast form.

After the battle, he was exhausted and thrown into Yuanfu by Xu Xiaoshou.

Clearly, even with this place's abundant life spirit energy, his aftereffects hadn't fully healed.

"This is the difference with or without 'Shengsheng Buxi' and 'Yuanqi Manman'."

Xu Xiaoshou sighed.

He had also transformed into a violent giant, but after a nap, he was completely fine.

"Woken up."

Xin Gugu ended his cultivation state and opened his eyes upon seeing it was Xu Xiaoshou.

"You..."

He furrowed his brows as soon as he looked up. "Broken through? Or..."

"Suspected, Beidong Zhi, 1."

Xu Xiaoshou smiled.

This was exactly the result he wanted.

"Yes, broken through."

"Can you tell what my cultivation is now?"

Xin Gugu's eyes flashed with confusion.

What was going on? He could see this guy's cultivation clearly before.

Now, after a breakthrough, he couldn't see through it?

What a joke!

As a Wangzuo strongman, how could he not see through a mere Innate realm?

Even if Xu Xiaoshou had broken through to Zongshi, he should see it at a glance!

Besides, even if he had, it would at most be Yuan Court late stage—how could he jump straight to Zongshi?

"Suspected, Beidong Zhi, 1."

Xu Xiaoshou glanced at Xu Xiaojii, who was shrinking his neck and huddling up.

Clearly, the second message came from him.

This guy isn't simple.

Xu Xiaoshou had always known that.

From their reactions, he knew his passive skill "Yinni" had worked perfectly.

"What does it feel like?"

He asked again.

Xin Gugu hesitated: "I can't see through your cultivation?"

"That's as it should be."

After getting the affirmative answer, Xu Xiaoshou smiled.

"I've cultivated a special spirit technique. It's quite strong—you not seeing through it is normal."

Xin Gugu: "..."

I'm a Wangzuo!

If I cultivated any spirit technique, I should still see through it—that's normal, right?

"Cursed, Beidong Zhi, 1."

With the verification successful, Xu Xiaoshou didn't dwell on it.

He scanned the area and noticed A'Jie waiting off to the side.

In front of it was the "Tianji Jipan."

"A'Jie is actually interested in the 'Tianji Jipan'?"

Xu Xiaoshou was surprised.

This was the first special reaction from A'Jie he'd noticed, besides its thirst for battle, blood, and "Mama."

"I'll talk to you later."

He said to Xin Gugu, setting aside his plans for now.

Xu Xiaoshou headed to the other side.

Yuanfu seemed larger.

He had been so distracted by the strange changes here that he hadn't noticed earlier.

Now, after walking around, he realized the Yuanfu space was indeed slowly expanding over time.

The "Tianji Jipan" had originally been placed next to the chaotic mist.

Xu Xiaoshou remembered the position.

It hadn't moved, but now it was several zhang farther from the chaotic mist.

Sure enough, with the "Life Spirit Seal" nourishing it,

Even if it couldn't fully repair this ruined Yuanfu, time could change everything.

After all, that was one of the powerful town-bound treasures from the Tianxuan Sect's small world!

"What are you looking at?"

Xu Xiaoshou called out softly as he approached A'Jie.

Ever since learning that A'Jie's origins were far from ordinary, he paid close attention to its every action.

At that moment, A'Jie was lowering its head, staring at the Tianji patterns on the "Tianji Jipan," with a thoughtful look in its eyes.

"Is it... learning?"

Xu Xiaoshou was shocked.

That expression was undoubtedly one of learning and absorbing.

But how could it be?

Suddenly, Xu Xiaoshou's gaze froze.

With the Tianji patterns on the "Tianji Jipan" as a reference, and the experience from upgrading "Fangzhi Jingtong" to Zongshi,

Xu Xiaoshou could clearly detect the obscure lights flowing over A'Jie's body.

"Tianji spirit patterns?"

This discovery opened his eyes wide.

"Was A'Jie made with Tianji Shu?"

Xu Xiaoshou felt like he had unlocked a new world.

Creating a semi-intelligent being with Tianji Shu?

What kind of powerhouse could grant a soul to something they made?

"Could A'Jie's existence really be related to the Shengshen Hall's lord, Dao Qiong Cang?"

From hearsay, the current lord of Shengshen Hall, Dao Qiong Cang, was the ultimate master of Tianji Shu.

If he said he was second, no one in the world would dare claim first.

And to create something like A'Jie, it would probably take a great power of that level—or even higher.

The most spiritually aware thing Xu Xiaoshou had encountered was probably just a famous sword.

But that was merely spiritual awareness.

Something that could talk, think, and learn—like a special intelligence— even famous swords couldn't do that!

He had heard that a sword's spirituality, if it kept growing, might give birth to a sword spirit.

But such existences were rare in the world—probably fewer than few had ever seen one.

"Tianji Shu..."

Xu Xiaoshou felt that his "Fangzhi Jingtong" had a new direction to explore.

He didn't speak.

He quietly observed the "Tianji Jipan" and A'Jie.

At the Zongshi level, "Fangzhi Jingtong" made the Tianji patterns on the jipan no longer obscure; instead, they felt straightforward.

After all, the foundation of the passive skill was vast enough.

Even at "Zongshi Lv.1," Xu Xiaoshou was confident that in terms of basics, no spirit formation Zongshi in the world could beat him.

But after examining the "Tianji Jipan,"

Xu Xiaoshou found that the obscure Tianji patterns on A'Jie were still beyond his understanding.

Like a complete mystery.

"Too strong."

"These Tianji patterns are way beyond what I can comprehend right now."

"Combining with A'Jie's feet that appeared back then... Taixu force, yes. The one who made A'Jie, if not Dao Qiong Cang, must be someone of the same level."

"At least, it has to be a Tianji Shu master above Taixu!"

Reaching this conclusion made Xu Xiaoshou's heart race.

Taixu.

Above Zhandao.

What a terrifying realm!

But even that wasn't enough.

It would take a Tianji Shu master of that level to have even a slim chance of creating something like A'Jie.

"When I get back, I have to ask Elder Qiao exactly where A'Jie came from."

"How could such an existence be sealed with double seals in the Tianxuan Gate?"

Xu Xiaoshou suppressed his shock and didn't disturb A'Jie's learning, leaving directly.

"You remember anything else? Tell me."

Xu Xiaoshou squatted down in front of Xu Xiaojii.

This guy didn't lift a finger in the fight, just played dead.

He hadn't had time back then and was afraid of accidents, so he let it slide.

Now, it was time to deal with him.

An unknown, strange non-human thing...

"A time bomb?"

Xu Xiaoshou narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint in his gaze.

It had finally come...

Xu Xiaojii grimaced.

"I really don't remember much. I've already told you everything, just like you understand it."

He glanced timidly at A'Jie, who was quietly learning, and said, "I was drawn here by a special sense, wanting to take the Tianji Jipan, and then I ran into you and Jie Ge."

"What about before that?"

Xu Xiaoshou wasn't satisfied with this answer.

"Before..."

Xu Xiaojii hesitated.

"Answer, or die."

Xu Xiaoshou's face turned stern.

He wasn't the same kind-hearted Xu Xiaoshou from the Fengyun Competition anymore.

He had made the most decisive choices about life and death.

"I..."

Xu Xiaojii trembled in fear.

If it were anyone else, he'd have struck first.

But Xu Xiaoshou...

This guy was not only terrifying himself but also had two calm Wangzuo-level experts by his side.

How could he fight back?

Man proposes, but God disposes.

Give in, Xu Xiaojii—you can't beat this guy.

"I really don't know."

Xu Xiaojii came clean.

"Even before you gave me a name, I didn't know who I was. I only knew I had to survive, and I've used many names since I can transform."

"About my strength, you know it—I'm weak. Sometimes I have Wangzuo-level cultivation, but it fades after a while."

"So last night, I wasn't refusing to help; I was just powerless!"

Xu Xiaojii pointed at himself, indicating he posed no threat now.

"Once that feeling passed, my cultivation was back to zero."

Xu Xiaoshou felt troubled by what he heard.

He had verified Xu Xiaojii's identity and knew this guy was probably telling the truth.

But this kind of talk that said nothing useful—what was the point?

"You're not human."

Xu Xiaoshou stated firmly: "So, what exactly are you?"

Xu Xiaojii shrank his neck, feeling insulted but not daring to retort.

"I'm not human? What am I? I am human; I just happen to transform."

"No!"

Xu Xiaoshou shook his head.

Perhaps even Xu Xiaojii wasn't sure.

But the system had confirmed it—this guy wasn't human.

"You've deceived yourself. Have you ever thought that 'human' is just one of your forms?"

"To survive in the human world, you've used that form so much that you've convinced yourself you're human."

"This..." Xu Xiaojii hesitated.

He had suspected that before.

But if not human, what could he be?

"What about your origins? Your initial story—where did it start?"

Xu Xiaoshou decided to help him recall.

If it worked, Xu Xiaojii could stay.

If he was a threat, better to deal with him early to avoid future trouble.

"Originally, I think I was in a small space?"

Xu Xiaojii recalled: "I don't remember clearly. There seemed to be a void rift, and I entered it and came out."

Entered?

Came out?

Xu Xiaoshou didn't get confused and tried to help clarify.

"You entered the void rift and came out into the human world? Left that small space?"

Xu Xiaojii shook his head.

"It wasn't like that."

He tried harder to remember and said, "I think I went from a small space to a larger one."

"It was pretty big there, and dangerous—full of white-flame skeletons, people, and other creatures."

"I had no strength back then, so I relied on transforming to hide and escape."

"The way out was also through a void rift."

Xu Xiaojii straightened up, as if he'd reached a clearer part of his memory.

"Because I suddenly gained Wangzuo-level strength, I tunneled straight through the void rift and escaped that larger space."

"That's how I ended up in the human world!"

Two spaces...

Small and large?

Xu Xiaoshou pondered.

Perhaps it was a conditioned reflex.

Given all the recent events with extradimensional spaces, his first thought was "White Cave."

"You said you saw people in that larger space?"

Xu Xiaojii nodded.

"People were rare; there were more of those white-flame skeletons..."

"What kind of people?"

Xu Xiaoshou interrupted, a vague guess forming.

Xu Xiaojii paused and recalled: "They had obvious features—all wore red robes, but there weren't many; I only encountered a few."

Red robes!

Xu Xiaoshou's pupils shrank suddenly.

Spaces and red robes.

Weren't these the patrolling red robes in the extradimensional space?

"Like the ones on night watch..."

Xu Xiaoshou started to say but stopped.

Night watch—Xu Xiaojii probably hadn't seen them.

Sure enough, Xu Xiaojii looked puzzled.

"Night watch?"

"Never mind."

Xu Xiaoshou waved it off. It wasn't a big issue.

So, Xu Xiaojii came from White Cave?

Or at least from an extradimensional space?

But he wasn't a ghost beast, so what was he?

Xu Xiaoshou felt his mind going in circles.

"The small space?"

Right, before entering White Cave, this guy had been in a small space.

How did he get out?

"Do you remember anything from the small space?" Xu Xiaoshou asked.

"No."

Xu Xiaojii shook his head: "Even the memories after coming out are fuzzy. I only gained real awareness after reaching the human world."

"Then you followed your senses all the way to the city lord's mansion?" Xu Xiaoshou added.

"Not that fast..."

Xu Xiaojii looked a bit embarrassed: "After all, once I was out, I lost that Wangzuo strength again. To survive, I used all sorts of methods and lived for quite a while."

"How long have you been out?"

"A little over a month, I think. Not sure exactly."

Xu Xiaoshou nodded.

That was probably the gist of it.

"White Cave?"

"And connected to the Tianji Jipan?"

"The small space?"

Xu Xiaoshou thought, his eyes fixing on the groove in the Tianji Jipan.

Based on his earlier judgment, that groove was likely a sword mark.

And very possibly the resting place for the "You Si Jian"!

Piecing together all the information fragments into a somewhat complete story, it should be:

"Xu Xiaojii is the sword spirit of You Si Jian?"

"That small space was the internal space of You Si Jian?"

"The sword spirit of You Si Jian awakened, escaped from the broken sword body, and went to White Cave?"

"At that time, the sword spirit was unstable, with fragmented memories."

"But as a sword spirit, it occasionally gained strength like a Wangzuo and successfully escaped to the human world?"

"Sensing its former home—the Tianji Jipan—the sword spirit wanted to check it out and ended up in my hands?"

Xu Xiaoshou's expression turned strange.

If that was true, it was too coincidental and absurd.

The legendary eighth sword immortal's sword, You Si Jian, having such a cowardly sword spirit—who would believe that?

But for now, there didn't seem to be a better explanation.

Xu Xiaoshou knew he had decent deductive skills.

Before things were confirmed, he'd treat this as the answer.

If it panned out, his deduction would be the conclusion.

If not, he'd rethink it!

With that thought, Xu Xiaoshou pulled out Cang Ku.

An eighth-grade spirit sword!

His personal sword had evolved to eighth grade under the nourishment of "Guan Jian Dian" and the black-fallen sword sheath.

But that wasn't the point.

Xu Xiaoshou drew Cang Ku and casually tossed it away, sending it off.

"The black-fallen sword sheath..."

This thing's true name wasn't black-fallen sword sheath at all.

It was the real sheath of You Si Jian, one of the eighth sword immortal's possessions!

He remembered promising to help it find its former master when he took it from Black Fallen Cliff.

And now, it seemed like that moment had arrived.

"Do you recognize it?"

Gently stroking the sheath, Xu Xiaoshou knew it had strong spirituality.

But he received no response, just a flat feedback.

Xu Xiaoshou immediately realized the black-fallen sword sheath didn't recognize Xu Xiaojii.

"What?"

"Was my deduction wrong?"

Xu Xiaoshou was puzzled.

He looked at Xu Xiaojii and held up the sheath. "Do you recognize it?"

"No."

Xu Xiaojii shook his head in denial.

He thought Xu Xiaoshou liked making unrealistic jokes.

A sword sheath pulled out of nowhere—how could he recognize it?

"Mocked, Beidong Zhi, 1."

"How strange."

Xu Xiaoshou put away Cang Ku and the sheath, scratching his head in confusion.

"Wait!"

He suddenly realized something. The black-fallen sword sheath had separated from You Si Jian decades ago.

What if Xu Xiaojii was a new sword spirit born from You Si Jian in that time?

Slapping his forehead, Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts cleared.

"That's right! How could the mighty You Si Jian have such a cowardly sword spirit? This must be something Xu Xiaojii sneakily created when You Si Jian wasn't paying attention!"

"With that said..."

Xu Xiaoshou felt his deduction was verified again.

According to Xu Xiaojii, he came out through a void rift in that small space.

If that small space was You Si Jian's, then You Si Jian had a problem.

"A rift?"

"Maybe the sword body cracked or shattered?"

Xu Xiaoshou's heart tightened as he thought of something else.

He quickly pulled out the bronze fragment from the scripture storage pavilion tower in Zhang Manor.

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly recalled the scene he saw after entering the demonic state.

A mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, with a black sword standing alone!

"Was that really You Si Jian?"

"So, after the sword body shattered, this fragment fell off."