A Deal with the Sacrificial Spirit

"You stop talking about me. Go check on them first—I'm leaving!"

Shi Jue gave a meaningful smile and vanished outright. When Shi Hao turned around, he jumped in fright. A group of elders were staring at him with green glints in their eyes, their lips curling into sinister smiles.

The other little geniuses all pretended not to see anything and ran into Heaven Mending Pavilion.

"Ahem, my brother already ran off. Elders, aren't you going after him?" Shi Hao gave in as well. Those elders with green eyes were overwhelmingly intimidating.

"Hah, Big Black Hand ran too fast. Besides, compared to him, you brat make us want to beat you up even more," Elder Xiong Fei said in a chilling tone.

Soon after, Shi Hao inevitably suffered a savage beating from the elders. It hurt badly, but they knew their limits and did not truly strike hard. They were merely venting their frustration. They were all delighted to have such geniuses join them.

"You brat, you waited here for us all this time. Aren't you afraid of getting beaten up?" After Elder Xiong Fei and the others finished beating Shi Hao, they were in excellent spirits. Seeing Shi Jue leaning against the mountain gate, they could not help teasing him.

"I admit I can't beat you, but when it comes to escaping and striking from the shadows, which one of you can stop me?" Shi Jue said lazily.

The elders were immediately speechless. Shi Jue's ghostlike speed truly gave them a headache.

"Take me to see your Sacrificial Spirit. Maybe there's still a chance to save it," Shi Jue said bluntly.

Liu Shen was far too exalted a figure. If she personally dealt with someone like the Sky Swallowing Sparrow, even if she did not mind, Shi Jue would not be willing. Thus, if Heaven Mending Pavilion's Sacrificial Spirit could recover to its peak, dealing with the Sky Swallowing Sparrow would be more than easy.

"Are you serious?!"

Elder Xiong Fei's face lit up with barely concealed delight. He stepped forward, wanting to grab Shi Jue by the shoulder, but Shi Jue easily dodged.

"I don't like men!" Shi Jue said with disgust.

"Ahem!" Xiong Fei realized he had lost his composure, and his old face immediately darkened. "I don't like men either. But if you truly have a chance to save the Sacrificial Spirit, I can introduce you to some female disciples under our sect. Didn't you ask whether we hand out Dao Companions before? I can help you get an opportunity."

Xiong Fei grinned shamelessly, and several elders nodded as well. Simply handing one over was impossible, but they could open the door by creating an opportunity.

The Sacrificial Spirit was simply too important to Heaven Mending Pavilion. One major reason Heaven Mending Pavilion had stood firm as an ancient Pure Land for so many years was that the Sacrificial Spirit deterred all sides.

"Forget it. That's unrealistic, and this sort of matter has to be decided by the Sacrificial Spirit itself." Shi Jue did not believe him at all. There was still some Ancient Desolate Divine Spring left; it could even water an Immortal Medicine, so saving a Sacrificial Spirit at most in the Divine Fire Realm would not be a problem.

"Mm. Though it's already late, we should act as soon as possible."

The elders exchanged glances and all agreed to Shi Jue's request.

Led by the elders, they arrived at a sprawling garden. Though it had small bridges and flowing water, it looked exceedingly dilapidated. The buildings were covered in cracks, as though they would collapse with a poke of the finger.

It was said that the Sacrificial Spirit had been planted by the founding patriarch, its origins tracing back to the very beginning of Heaven Mending Pavilion.

Within the garden, the essence of heaven and earth gathered from every direction. The essence of the stars above and the moon's radiance condensed into strands of divine glow that descended from the sky like silver rain, nourishing all things.

When Shi Jue saw the Sacrificial Spirit, it was nothing like he had imagined. This plant Sacrificial Spirit was withered in both form and spirit, its leaves yellowed like fallen autumn leaves. It looked as though it were on its last breath.

The five- or six-meter Gourd Vine had pitifully few leaves. Even with starlight and moonlight descending from above, it could not regain its vitality.

"What does Heaven Mending Pavilion need?" The Sacrificial Spirit's aged, weak voice rang out. Though it was incomparably frail now, as a Sacrificial Spirit that had lived for countless years, it still radiated a majesty akin to that of a god.

If an ordinary disciple had entered, it would not have responded, conserving what little strength it had left. But unless something important had happened, these elders would not have come here together in such numbers.

"Sacrificial Spirit Lord, this young friend wishes to see you. He says he may be able to heal you." Elder Xiong Fei respectfully cupped his hands in salute. The Sacrificial Spirit was old enough to be his ancestor many times over.

"Young friend, thank you for your kind intentions, but I am already nearing the end of my life. I fear there is no way to reverse this."

The Sacrificial Spirit's calm voice sounded. It felt no fear toward its impending death. Perhaps Heaven Mending Pavilion was its only remaining regret.

"Then what about this?"

Shi Jue rubbed his nose. A ball of transparent spring water floated above his palm, Life Essence bursting forth from it. That alone caused a trace of green to appear on the Sacrificial Spirit's leaves.

"What terrifying life energy. It truly can allow me to undergo Nirvana. However, one does not accept favors without reason. You must have some deal in mind, right?" The Sacrificial Spirit had lived for so many years and seen all kinds of people.

It did not entertain even the slightest thought of taking it by force, for anyone capable of producing such a divine treasure must have an existence behind them that it could not afford to provoke.

"There is definitely a deal. You know about the Sky Swallowing Sparrow, don't you? I want you to lure it here and kill it. Can you do that?" Shi Jue stated the terms of his deal.

"Just that? A trivial matter. Is there anything else?" Enemies like the Sky Swallowing Sparrow were at most peak Venerables. It might fear them now, but once it recovered to its full strength, they would not be worth mentioning.

"We'll talk about it then. I haven't thought of anything else yet." Shi Jue mainly wanted to get his hands on the Mountain Treasure, and he had not considered anything else.

Seeing this, the Sacrificial Spirit said nothing more. It accepted the ball of Ancient Spring Water and spoke to the elders.

"Next, I will enter seclusion. If this young friend has any requests, as long as they do not harm heaven or violate justice, you may agree to them."

As soon as it finished speaking, the Sacrificial Spirit fell silent and began recovering from its injuries. Yet all divine light around it had completely withdrawn, leaving no change in aura for the outside world to detect.

Shi Jue could not help clicking his tongue. This Sacrificial Spirit was quite good at acting. Without needing any reminder from him, it was already preparing to lure the snake from its hole.

"Elders, let's go. You're all so old, yet you're crying your eyes out," Shi Jue teased.

The dignified elders were now crying like children, all weeping tears of joy. They had long regarded Heaven Mending Pavilion as their home. As long as the Sacrificial Spirit remained, they would not need to worry that Heaven Mending Pavilion's future would vanish.

"Thank you!"

The elders wiped away their tears and gave Shi Jue deep bows, expressing their gratitude.

They would not go back on their word. Shi Jue, who had saved the Sacrificial Spirit, was a great benefactor of all Heaven Mending Pavilion and its eternal friend.