Chapter 939: Another Path to Sainthood Qiao Qian Zhi's Request

Because of Sang Lao's sake...

Ye Xiao Tian pondered it from every angle but could only conclude that Ba Zun An had stepped in to save him because Sang Lao was the second-in-command of the Sheng Nu.

He stopped dwelling on it, finished applying the medicine to himself, and then examined his body from head to toe.

The flesh and blood that had been nearly shattered by Huang Quan's attacks were now showing initial signs of repair under the powerful effects of Sang Lao's healing remedy.

But the recovery speed was still too slow.

Ye Xiao Tian paused briefly in thought, then unfolded the Space Aoyi diagram beneath his feet. His body gradually became translucent before fully merging into the space.

Crack!

In the instant his body integrated with the space, his injuries transferred to the surrounding space as well.

In just a split second, the area around him collapsed and fractured, revealing just how severe his wounds were from the battle with Huang Quan.

Yet, space had its own self-repairing ability, and after a short while, the surrounding area returned to its original state.

Ripples then stirred in the void, forming a vague outline of a human figure, as if struggling to break free from the emptiness.

It took a long time before Ye Xiao Tian finally succeeded in reforming his body, returning to his human form.

He examined himself again, and though his injuries had completely healed—which was good news—Ye Xiao Tian still felt a lingering sense of dread.

"Integrating with space can certainly use the great dao of space to mend injuries, but the consequences are severe.

"As the number of integrations increases, my consciousness will gradually merge with the heavenly dao, eventually leading to a complete 'eternal life with the heavens.'

"This is, in a way, a form of 'immortality,' but in another sense, it's a kind of 'death'!"

The mastery of Space Aoyi brought abilities that were nearly flawless.

Ye Xiao Tian had such means to heal himself yet still used healing pills, simply because he feared one day truly becoming 'eternal with the heavens.'

He didn't like immortality.

He only wanted to follow his own consciousness through a limited life, living out this ordinary existence.

Unfortunately, after his battle with Yan Wang Huang Quan, what awaited him would be endless storms!

"Sheng Yuan Jing Shi..."

Ye Xiao Tian pulled out the six-sided crystal stone hidden in his personal space. It was about the size of a fist, emitting a mysterious holy light that was mesmerizing.

Yet, it was this very object that had brought him so much trouble.

"Sang Lao, oh Sang Lao, I've helped you to this extent—I've done more than my fair share..."

Ye Xiao Tian sighed, holding the Sheng Yuan Jing Shi that he had protected through so much hardship, suddenly feeling at a loss for what to do next.

"In Sang Lao's letter, he only told me to seize the 'Sheng Yuan Jing Shi,' but didn't explain what it's for...

"Could it be that he wants me to use it to achieve sainthood?"

Ye Xiao Tian knew full well that although he had mastered Space Aoyi, he still had a long way to go before reaching sainthood.

Sang Lao wouldn't have him fight for the Sheng Yuan Jing Shi just to let him become a saint.

So...

"For Xu Xiao Shou?"

Ye Xiao Tian speculated, but quickly dismissed it, because Xu Xiao Shou was even further from sainthood.

Snap.

As he was thinking, the specially made, one-of-a-kind "Space Zhi Zhu" on him made a soft crack and shattered into pieces.

Ye Xiao Tian took the fragments of the Space Zhi Zhu from his pocket, his brows furrowing tightly.

There were originally two Space Zhi Zhu, paired together, with the other one in the hands of Qiao Qian Zhi at Tian Sang Ling Gong.

Though it didn't have communication functions, as long as one was crushed, no matter how far apart—even across two realms—the other would react.

Ye Xiao Tian knew that the Yun Jing world prohibited communications, so he had left this Space Zhi Zhu with Tian Sang Ling Gong as a precaution.

"Tian Sang Ling Gong wouldn't crush the Space Zhi Zhu unless it was a matter of life and death, and now, Qiao Qian Zhi clearly wants to contact me...

"What's happening over there?"

Ye Xiao Tian's heart raced slightly. He looked up at the sky, and instantly, a spatial layer appeared, altering the scene in that area.

Then, with a wave of his hand through the void, a mirror surface formed.

Even if Qiao Qian Zhi exhausted all his efforts at Tian Sang Ling Gong, he couldn't reach Ye Xiao Tian in the Yun Lun mountain range, but with Ye Xiao Tian's mastery of Space Aoyi, he could observe any part of the five realms.

In the spatial mirror, Qiao Qian Zhi's face slowly emerged. Even with the distance, Ye Xiao Tian could see the anxiety on his face.

"What happened?" Ye Xiao Tian asked.

Qiao Qian Zhi was in a dimly lit space, with a square table behind him holding a mouthwatering dark red roasted goose.

He held chopsticks in one hand and fragments of the broken Space Zhi Zhu in the other, clearly having received some urgent intelligence before sending the signal.

As soon as the spatial mirror formed, he spoke eagerly, getting straight to the point:

"People from the city lord's mansion showed up—Fu Zhi acted personally, with a search warrant from Sheng Shen Dian Tang. In no time, they took all the intelligence related to you.

"Then, shortly after, people from Sheng Shen Dian Tang came directly and verified your 'resignation report.'

"The report was flawless, of course—the processes have all been completed in the last few days. Lao Xiao is now the new dean, and they couldn't find any issues.

"But they left a message."

Qiao Qian Zhi paused, his eyes full of worry.

"What message?" Ye Xiao Tian took a deep breath, already realizing his identity had been exposed, and Rao Yao Yao had sent people to verify it, successfully.

Qiao Qian Zhi sighed and imitated the person's sarcastic tone from back then: "'Tian Sang Ling Gong has had Sheng Nu Wu Xiu in the past, Sheng Nu Xu Xiao Shou more recently, and now a smuggler like Ye Xiao Tian—your academy sure produces some top-notch talents...' That's exactly what he said!"

Ye Xiao Tian was stunned, understanding that Sheng Shen Dian Tang now intended to eradicate Tian Sang Ling Gong.

He hadn't thought much about it before, but now, hearing Qiao Qian Zhi's words, a chill ran down his spine.

Indeed!

In his own impression, Tian Sang Ling Gong seemed normal enough.

But as time passed, more and more problems surfaced—Sang Lao from Tian Sang Ling Gong had been captured, Xu Xiao Shou had joined the dark forces, and he himself had inexplicably ended up opposing Sheng Shen Dian Tang.

This...

Ye Xiao Tian suddenly felt a headache coming on. Staring at the Sheng Yuan Jing Shi in his hand, it felt like a hot potato.

"Ye Xiao Tian, what exactly have you done out there!" Qiao Qian Zhi finished speaking and couldn't hold back his anger. "If you want to die, go bury yourself somewhere! But Tian Sang Ling Gong still has so many young ones—do you want them to go down with you?"

Ye Xiao Tian fell silent for a long moment before responding:

"I've already resigned and become a free agent. Now, Xiao Qi Xiu is the new dean, so anything I do has nothing to do with Tian Sang Ling Gong anymore.

"Sheng Shen Dian Tang may be powerful, but if they want to hold the academy accountable, they still need Sheng Gong's approval—they can't bypass that.

"And to get through Sheng Gong, Sang Lao, you, me, and even Lao Xiao still have connections there, so don't worry. They can never touch Tian Sang Ling Gong."

Qiao Qian Zhi was furious and snapped back:

"But what about you?

"You've stirred up trouble in the Yun Lun mountain range that's drawn Sheng Shen Dian Tang's attention. If this keeps up, you'll end up dead!"

Ye Xiao Tian chuckled lightly, casually flicking his sleeve as if unbothered: "You don't need to worry about me. Don't forget, I've mastered Space Aoyi completely."

He paused, as if recalling something, and sneered: "Just earlier, I faced Yan Wang's boss, Huang Quan. That guy was at Tai Xu level, mastering the power of time and space—he was formidable...

"But what happened when he went up against me?"

Ye Xiao Tian extended a hand, gripped the void, and slammed it down hard, declaring: "With one Splitting Heaven Hand, I nearly smashed that guy to pieces!"

Qiao Qian Zhi seemed shocked, and only then noticed the bloodstains on Ye Xiao Tian's clothes. He asked worriedly: "You're injured?"

"Injured?" Ye Xiao Tian raised his voice slightly, pulling at his collar and laughing. "That's his blood!"

Qiao Qian Zhi was stunned for a while before muttering quietly: "Is Space Aoyi really that powerful..."

"I told you to focus on your cultivation ages ago." Ye Xiao Tian smirked, his eyes filled with a look of dominance. "Anyway, you don't have to worry about me. Even if I face Ba Zun An... that grudge from Ye Ling Gong's severed arm, I can settle it right away."

Qiao Qian Zhi rolled his eyes: "Just take care of yourself. I'll handle Tian Sang Ling Gong with Lao Xiao. Don't worry about the fallback—we've got it covered. Once you're done with Sang Lao's business, get out of that trouble spot in the Yun Lun mountain range!"

"I can leave anytime." Ye Xiao Tian weighed the Sheng Yuan Jing Shi in his hand.

At that moment, Qiao Qian Zhi seemed to think of something, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes.

Ye Xiao Tian caught it and asked directly: "Is there something else you want to say?"

"You..." Qiao Qian Zhi still hesitated, but recalling Ye Xiao Tian's mention of "Space Aoyi mastery," he felt more confident and said, "Since you can come and go freely and you're still in the Yun Lun mountain range, I might need your help—just do what you can."

"What kind of help?" Ye Xiao Tian paused, his face showing sudden realization. "Have you made progress with your Tian Ji technique research?"

"Hee hee hee..." Qiao Qian Zhi chuckled and corrected him: "It's the final step in researching the Tian Ji Kui Lei. I've figured out a way to crack it. If it succeeds, I'll be one step ahead of Dao Dian Zhu and create a half-saint level Tian Ji Kui Lei that can evolve on its own!"

Ye Xiao Tian was dumbfounded, staring in disbelief.

After a long pause, he gasped: "You're not joking, right?"

"Heh..." Qiao Qian Zhi laughed and shot back, "I told you to study the Ling Zhen dao and Tian Ji dao with me ages ago. That's the real key to unraveling the world's mysteries... As for refining spirits? Hmph, anyone with hands can do that."

Qiao Qian Zhi gripped his chopsticks, clasped his hands behind his back, and stood tall with pride.

Ye Xiao Tian was at a loss for words, his mind racing with thoughts.

Back in Sheng Gong, where talents abounded, Qiao Qian Zhi had proposed the idea of "not conforming to the vulgar world" and resolutely chose the path of Ling Zhen.

With his insight, even in refining spirits, he could have excelled, but once he committed to Ling Zhen, everyone believed he could achieve something great.

After all, Sheng Gong was a place that nurtured saints.

Theoretically, anyone who entered there for cultivation was a prodigy from the five realms, all with the potential for sainthood.

But switching paths mid-journey was too late.

Qiao Qian Zhi's choice had drawn mockery from his peers, and for a long stretch, his cultivation had plummeted to the bottom among them. Under survival of the fittest, he had nearly been expelled from Sheng Gong.

At that time, the paths of Ling Zhen and Tian Ji were still without clear goals.

Even Dao Qiong Cang wasn't famous yet, and while Tian Ji techniques were occasionally heard of on the continent, no one had become a leading figure.

Without a target, Qiao Qian Zhi persisted, believing that "patterns" were the secrets of all things.

Like the veins and meridians in the human body, the leaf veins and growth rings in plants, the textures in all living things...

These "biological patterns" that corresponded to the "Ling Wen" and "Dao Wen" evolved in inanimate objects like Ling Zhen and Tian Ji arrays—if mastered, sainthood would be effortless.

This idea, when it emerged, was groundbreaking, no less shocking than the later advent of "Che Shen Nian."

The only difference was...

Kui Lei Han had proposed "Che Shen Nian" and successfully developed "Fa Shen Xing Jie," standing on the shoulders of the refining era giant to realize his vision.

Qiao Qian Zhi had no reference; the path he chose had no predecessors, so he had to forge ahead alone.

Decades passed...

Just when Ye Xiao Tian thought Qiao Qian Zhi was delusional and was about to give up on him, the man suddenly announced that he had taken the final step.

"Half-saint?"

Ye Xiao Tian's thoughts wandered, and he nearly burst out laughing.

He mocked himself for the years of hard work that had only brought him to the completion of Space Aoyi, still a vast distance from half-saint.

Yet, he also wanted to congratulate his friend who had pursued this alternative path to sainthood, hoping his idea would succeed and let him surpass Ye Xiao Tian and Sang Lao, becoming the first to achieve sainthood!

"It's not me achieving sainthood, ha—it's the Tian Ji Kui Lei that would. And this is just an idea; I haven't actually implemented it yet." Qiao Qian Zhi seemed to sense Ye Xiao Tian's expectations and quickly tried to temper them.

Ye Xiao Tian smiled: "If you've got the idea, success can't be far off, right?"

He left unsaid: If the Tian Ji Kui Lei succeeds in sainthood, you'll have a blueprint to follow—how could you not cross the Wang Zuo three realms?

If anyone else had suggested such an out-of-the-ordinary idea, Ye Xiao Tian would have dismissed it.

But Sheng Gong didn't admit mediocrity; anyone who entered possessed boundless imagination and grounded action.

Qiao Qian Zhi had gone from Sheng Gong to Tian Sang Ling Gong, spending decades on this.

For him to claim he had an idea now, even while downplaying it, there had to be at least a seventy or eighty percent chance.

Besides, in this world, every path, big or small, could lead to the end.

For instance, in the ancient sword cultivation era, the first person to conceive of "refining spirits" was also seen as a discarded eccentric of that time, wasn't he?

"What do you need me to help with?" Ye Xiao Tian felt energized, deciding that no matter the danger, he'd charge through for Qiao Qian Zhi.

"Only do what you can, don't be reckless—put your own safety first." Qiao Qian Zhi cautioned carefully first.

Then, he chuckled "hee hee hee," rubbing his hands together as he said:

"The test subject is the Tian Ji Kui Lei, but I don't have one on hand. The only one at the academy was taken by that kid Xu Xiao Shou—you go and get it back for me.

"It's the first-generation Tian Ji Kui Lei created by Dao Dian Zhu, with growth potential, and it's the one I've analyzed for decades—the perfect subject for my experiments.

"I originally lent it to Xu Xiao Shou just for him to play with and see if he could activate more of its spirituality...

"With Sang Lao's connection, Xu Xiao Shou and I get along well privately. If you find him, he'll agree."

Ye Xiao Tian's brow twitched at this, thinking to himself that it might not be that simple.

Who knew what Xu Xiao Shou had become after joining the Sheng Nu?

"I'll try my best, but only if I can track him down—he's always elusive." Ye Xiao Tian nodded, then asked, "Anything else?"

"And one more thing..."

Qiao Qian Zhi took a deep breath and said:

"Isn't there a rumor in the five realms that the Eighth Sword Immortal mentioned a 'Seal Saint Dao Ji' in the Sky City? I don't need the 'Seal Saint Dao Ji,' but if possible, help me get something he talked about back then..."

"Sheng Yuan Jing Shi!"