Ye Xiaotian was not surprised by Xu Xiaoshou’s reaction and remained calm as he said:
“A-jie is a Tianji Kuilei, and it’s also been your Qiao Changlao’s research subject for decades, but even more so, it’s his closest companion.
“You should know that a true spirit array master, utterly devoted to the path of lingzhen, would cherish and protect an intelligent Tianji Kuilei like it’s their own child.
“It’s just like…
“His child.”
Ye Xiaotian paused after speaking, smiling faintly.
Perhaps Xu Xiaoshou couldn’t fully grasp what he was saying yet.
But as a friend of Qiao Qianzhi, Ye Xiaotian knew that Qiao Qianzhi’s affection for A-jie was no less than Xu Xiaoshou’s.
In fact, it was even greater.
After all, an old man with no children had poured most of his life into A-jie—how could he not have deep feelings for it?
Seeing no response from Xu Xiaoshou, Ye Xiaotian continued:
“In fact,
“From the moment you encountered A-jie at Tianxuan Men, your Qiao Changlao knew about it, but he didn’t stop you from taking it away—that was part of the research strategy.
“We were testing a possibility…
“Whether there exists a way to ‘build a bond’ that could make A-jie, this original Tianji Kuilei, which had gone out of control and only knew destruction and slaughter after being cast into Xukong Island, become controllable through emotions.
“This is something your Qiao Changlao tried for decades without success. Although he loves A-jie, it’s undeniable that his experiments
“have, to some extent, harmed A-jie… Well, that’s unavoidable.
“And because of that,
“your Qiao Changlao can no longer interact with A-jie normally.”
Ye Xiaotian suddenly shifted his tone,
gazed deeply at Xu Xiaoshou, and said: “Fortunately, you succeeded. You built a deep bond with A-jie.”
“Mama…”
Just then, a sudden voice rang out.
The iron ball in Xu Xiaoshou’s embrace trembled, glowing red.
It seemed A-jie had sensed the tension between the two and was preparing for battle.
Xu Xiaoshou realized he couldn’t hide it anymore, so he reached out to soothe A-jie, sending calming emotions to indicate that the person in front of them was not an enemy and that there was still room for discussion.
Ye Xiaotian’s gaze followed downward to Xu Xiaoshou’s arms, but he didn’t make a move to seize it. Instead, he calmly met Xu Xiaoshou’s eyes with a look of inquiry.
He treated Xu Xiaoshou as an equal, disregarding the earlier senior-junior dynamic implied by Xu Xiaoshou calling him “Yuan Zhang,” and he wasn’t trying to pressure him with that relationship.
On the contrary, Ye Xiaotian respected Xu Xiaoshou’s choices and only offered reasonable persuasion.
He understood Xu Xiaoshou’s feelings for A-jie,
but he also believed that if Xu Xiaoshou calmed down,
he would see that his advice
would ultimately benefit A-jie more.
Xu Xiaoshou remained silent, gently stroking the iron ball in his arms, his eyes showing hesitation.
He could see the sincerity in the Yuan Zhang’s words.
Moreover, based on his understanding of Qiao Changlao, that elder treated all outer court disciples like his own children, even if he was a bit greedy in daily life—his character and integrity were beyond reproach.
The people of Tiansang Linggong all had their minor flaws, like Sang Lao’s gloom and obsession, Qiao Changlao’s miserly nature, Ye Xiaotian’s height…
But in truth, they were all good people.
After a moment of contemplation, Xu Xiaoshou made his decision and became firm.
He looked straight ahead, shaking his head as he continued to refuse: “To you, A-jie is an experimental subject, but to me, it’s a partner.
“The past A-jie has suffered enough. Now, I won’t allow it to be hurt again, not even a little!”
Here, the harm referred not to injuries from battle, but to the deliberate damage caused by research.
Like the pain A-jie must have endured when it was first created—Xu Xiaoshou didn’t know the details, but he could imagine the repeated modifications due to its loss of control…
Or, if it were returned to Qiao Changlao’s hands, the potential dissections, alterations, and refinements that might follow…
Xu Xiaoshou feared this kind of “research.”
After all, he had his own “passive system” in his mind, and from the moment he obtained it at Tiansang Linggong, he had worried about being captured and studied due to his rapid cultivation progress.
Later, knowing that Bazzun An was watching over him, he felt completely at ease.
But that didn’t mean he had lost his fear of being subjected to unknown experiments.
Since even he dreaded such terrifying possibilities, how could A-jie, still like a baby, bear it?
Thus, Xu Xiaoshou was resolute, clutching the iron ball tightly and refusing to let go.
We wouldn’t harm A-jie, so why would you think that… Ye Xiaotian could see Xu Xiaoshou’s genuine concern and knew he wasn’t just saying this to keep A-jie’s powerful combat abilities for himself.
He felt happy that A-jie had found such a true master and relieved that Xu Xiaoshou, even after joining Shengnu, hadn’t forgotten his original intentions. With a smile tugging at his lips, he said:
“Xu Xiaoshou, your mindset right now is just like your master’s—stubborn to the extreme.
“The situation is that your partner is sick, has been for decades without cure, and could relapse at any moment.
“Now, there’s someone who’s spent decades developing a targeted treatment skill and holds the plan to cure your partner’s illness completely.
“Curing and saving will never have a one hundred percent success rate, but as your partner’s only friend, can you afford to pass up this chance?
Ye Xiaotian spoke as if he were lecturing inner court disciples, his tone gradually growing heavier, but he quickly realized that Xu Xiaoshou was no longer part of Tiansang Linggong.
His final words softened, accompanied by a sigh: “You’re Xu Xiaoshou, not A-jie itself, so what right do you have to prevent A-jie from becoming a normal being?”
This gentle last sentence struck like thunder in Xu Xiaoshou’s mind.
Xu Xiaoshou was somewhat swayed.
The Yuan Zhang’s words made sense.
A-jie was like a child with an innate defect, almost incurable.
Yet, in this world, there was still a doctor willing to spend decades studying the condition, trying to find the right treatment.
Was that a bad thing?
No! It was actually A-jie’s good fortune!
But even knowing this, Xu Xiaoshou didn’t lose his rationality.
He realized that if Dao Dianzhu could have cured A-jie, it wouldn’t have ended up with him.
If even the mysterious Dao Qiong Cang couldn’t heal it, who else in the world could claim to truly cure A-jie?
“Qiao Changlao, how certain is he?” Xu Xiaoshou closed his eyes, his voice barely a whisper.
“He didn’t say, and I didn’t ask… but I believe in him, just as your master believed in me, and you can believe in what your master believed.” Ye Xiaotian was honest.
“Thirty percent? Fifty percent?” Xu Xiaoshou couldn’t leave A-jie’s fate to chance; he needed a definite answer.
Ye Xiaotian sighed, not responding directly: “Success might let A-jie reach the level of Ban Sheng, while failure could mean injury, death, or disability—at worst, it would stay as it is now.”
“How can I hand A-jie over to you like that!” Xu Xiaoshou erupted in anger.
Success reaching Ban Sheng…
That sounded appealing, but even Dao Dianzhu couldn’t achieve it, could he?
Could Qiao Changlao?
Such a huge potential reward must come with unbearable risks of failure.
If it really failed…
Xu Xiaoshou didn’t dare think further.
In that moment, he even wanted to slap Ye Xiaotian away and leave, feeling that Ye Xiaotian was joking!
Ye Xiaotian took a deep breath, his heart heavy.
He knew being honest wasn’t helping, and perhaps if he had been evasive and claimed “seventy percent” or “ninety percent,” Xu Xiaoshou would hand over A-jie without a word.
But Ye Xiaotian wouldn’t do that; he despised such deception.
“Xu Xiaoshou, perhaps you only know a fragment of your master, but you don’t truly understand Tiansang Linggong or the seniors you’ve met before.” Ye Xiaotian sighed.
“Yuan Zhang, just say what you mean.” Xu Xiaoshou lost his respectful tone, growing wary, knowing the Yuan Zhang might try to persuade him further.
Ye Xiaotian didn’t blame him; he just smiled and said something astonishing: “I, your master, Lao Qiao, and Lao Xiao—all of us came from Shenggong.”
Xu Xiaoshou’s eyebrows twitched, but he feigned calm: “So?”
Ye Xiaotian continued smoothly: “What does Shenggong mean?
“To put it simply, it’s like passing the Wangcheng trials and getting into the top thirty-six, then going through the next round of continental selection, sifting through the best of the best to pick the absolute elites among elites—that’s the basic qualification to enter Shenggong.
“And even then, Shenggong’s heritage hasn’t been cut off; it’s full of more outstanding geniuses and monsters who could make newcomers feel utterly inferior, sink into despair for years, and eventually give up the chase.
Ye Xiaotian paused suddenly, his eyes lighting up as he said emphatically: “But back then, the four of us were known as the strongest among Shenggong’s younger generation, namely… the Shenggong Four Sons: Qiao, Xiao, Ye, Sang!”
The Shenggong Four Sons?
Qiao, Xiao, Ye, Sang?
Xu Xiaoshou couldn’t maintain his composure; he was stunned.
This was the first time he’d heard of this title, but from the Yuan Zhang’s description, he could imagine what kind of honor it was.
Earlier, when Sang Lao had gradually revealed his strength and Xu Xiaoshou learned he was from Shenggong’s Jin Zhao lineage, he already felt that Tiansang Linggong hid tremendous power.
Then, Ye Xiaotian displayed spatial attributes, which Xu Xiaoshou thought was just a “special case under normal circumstances.”
But after experiencing the jianghu and witnessing so many Wangzuo and Zhandao, Xu Xiaoshou understood the implications of spatial attributes—especially since Ye Xiaotian had comprehended “spatial essence,” rivaling the Lingbu Head.
At that point, he found Tiansang Linggong even more terrifying.
Yet, he never imagined that the unassuming Qiao Changlao, the straightforward Xiao Qixiu, and Sang Lao and Ye Xiaotian were all on the same level in Shenggong?
The highest level… the Shenggong Four Sons?
Xu Xiaoshou felt like he was listening to a fantastical story, utterly unreal. He said nothing, just stared silently, waiting for Ye Xiaotian to continue.
Ye Xiaotian gave the young man time to process his ignorance, then went on:
“In Shenggong, your master had the hottest temper, and I had the best demeanor.
“But in terms of talent, your Qiao Changlao was the strongest, and in terms of methods and combat prowess… your Xiao Changlao had the title of ‘Wanren Xue Tu’ back then.
“The three of us were basically there to clean up after him—to handle the aftermath.”
This crude description left Xu Xiaoshou in a daze.
This…
It didn’t make sense!
Xiao Qixiu, the Wanren Xue Tu?
Xu Xiaoshou vaguely remembered that night at Linggong when Xiao Changlao thrust his sword at Bazzun An, only to be pierced through the chest himself, nearly dying.
That was his only impression of Xiao Qixiu in action.
He had to admit, it made Xiao Changlao seem… quite ordinary.
“Heh, you’re thinking of that sword strike, aren’t you?”
Ye Xiaotian seemed to read Xu Xiaoshou’s mind and chuckled: “But you don’t need to expect too much from your Xiao Changlao, because that night, I also lost an arm to Bazzun An.”
Xu Xiaoshou snapped back to reality.
That was Bazzun An, after all!
Back then, even the Yuan Zhang couldn’t defeat him, and Sang Lao couldn’t hold him back, let alone Xiao Qixiu.
Just as he thought that, Ye Xiaotian added:
“But now, you should understand what you didn’t back then.
“Bazzun An is arrogant; normally, anyone who dares point a sword at him doesn’t live to tell the tale.
“Well, Xiao Qixiu lived… I know that sounds underwhelming, but Bazzun An is an unprecedented prodigy, on par with the veteran powerhouses of the older generation. You can think carefully about his choice and what it implies.”
Xu Xiaoshou was bewildered.
He thought of Su Qianqian’s family, who had all perished for their dao.
Yes, why did Xiao Changlao survive? Was it because of something special about him?
What was that special quality?
Xu Xiaoshou pondered, but remained puzzled.
Ye Xiaotian didn’t elaborate more on Xiao Qixiu, as he was just using him as a contrast. He paused briefly before continuing:
“Setting aside the digressions, among the Shenggong Four Sons, the one with the strongest talent wasn’t us three—it was your Qiao Changlao.
“Back then, Qiao Qianzhi’s talent was so exceptional it nearly rivaled the Eighth Jianxian, but after breaking through to Wangzuo, he made a mad decision…
“He chose to become a pure lingzhen master!”
Xu Xiaoshou was stunned for a moment, then quickly accepted it, thinking this was exactly the kind of insane choice madmen would make—he already considered the Linggong F4 as a group of lunatics, the twisted kind.
Moreover, he could guess that Qiao Changlao’s definition of “lingzhen master” was probably not the ordinary one.
Ye Xiaotian spoke up to this point, seeming a bit helpless, and shrugged slightly:
“Qiao Qianzhi believed that in this world, ‘tu’—well, ‘zhentu’—is the external manifestation of all things, and ‘wen’… you can think of it as simple ‘lingwen’ or ‘daowen.’
“‘Wen’ is the internal form of all things.
“And humans possess abstract spiritual will, which can use ‘wen’ to alter or even create ‘tu,’ thereby ‘actualizing abstract concepts.’
“In simple terms, it’s turning ‘fantasies’ into ‘reality.’”
3945 · 0 · 8
