See the Great Way by Breaking Through Life and Death; Create the Future with the Nine-Turn Divine Art (Continued)

Just then, Yun Xiao walked over and patted Xiao Bai on the head.

"I'll definitely attain the Dao someday!" Xiao Bai carried Yun Xiao on his back, turning his sorrow into motivation.

"I believe you." Yun Xiao nodded.

"Master believes in me too?" Xiao Bai asked, delighted.

"I believe that even if you were just a piece of wood, I could still help you attain the Dao."

Xiao Bai: ...

"Let's go. We're heading to Kunlun Mountain in the North Sea."

Yun Xiao pointed ahead. Xiao Bai spread his wings, glanced back reluctantly, then turned into a streak of light and vanished through the restriction's entrance.

"Anyone who hopes to accomplish great things must never remain confined to one small corner."

"Tiger Ancestor, we believe you'll definitely attain the Dao someday!"

After Xiao Bai left, the white tigers who had been searching Fangzhang Island all looked up, their expressions sorrowful.

In the Western Land, before a massive Innate Restriction.

As if they shared the same understanding, one person and one tiger—on their way to the Primordial Wilderness's North Sea—had once again, for the umpteenth time, "happened to pass by" this place.

"Since we're already here, let's take another look inside. It's not as if we have anything better to do."

Yun Xiao murmured to herself, then broke through the restriction and walked in.

"Rustle, rustle!"

When the Bodhi Tree and Bitter Bamboo saw it was Yun Xiao again, they shook violently before finally resignedly offering up their branches.

It was as if they were saying: Take them, take them! Go ahead and strip us bare this time—just don't come back!

"This is absolutely unacceptable!"

Though the Bodhi Tree and Bitter Bamboo had offered their branches of their own accord, Yun Xiao protested politely as she stripped them clean.

Before long, the Bodhi Tree and Bitter Bamboo were nearly bald.

Only then did Yun Xiao finally stop, nodding with satisfaction.

"Thank you both for your generous gifts. The next time I pass by, I'll be sure to visit you again."

Yun Xiao cupped her hands to the Bodhi Tree and Bitter Bamboo, then turned and left.

A person ought to understand the importance of sustainable development.

"Rustle, rustle!"

After Yun Xiao left, the two spiritual roots clung tightly to each other. At that moment, even the usually resilient Bitter Bamboo burst into tears.

She's coming back? Will this ever end?!

What a force of evil in the Primordial Wilderness!!!

Leaving aside the psychological scars Jieyin and Zhunti were left with, several months later, Yun Xiao was on her way to the North Sea when a sudden thought stirred in her heart.

With Barrier Penetrating Insight, she sensed an Innate Restriction nearby.

"Xiao Bai, head over there."

Yun Xiao pointed the way. Xiao Bai covered a thousand miles in an instant, and before long, they arrived in front of a spiritual mountain.

"Hmm? What a strange mountain."

Looking at the spiritual mountain before her, Yun Xiao let out a soft exclamation.

From a distance, the entire mountain looked like a hawk crouched there, poised to strike from the shadows and kill its enemy with one blow!

The mountain was riddled with caves, too, and a chilly wind swept through from time to time, giving the place an eerie, frigid feel.

Following her sense of the restriction, Yun Xiao landed in front of a cave. She sent out a beam of spiritual light, forcing the Innate Restriction out of the void.

Unlike the Innate Restrictions she had seen before, this one was dark green, its runes flickering with a ghostly glow. It looked like a burial ground.

"What a bizarre Innate Restriction. Could something terribly vicious be inside?"

Yun Xiao brought out the fragments of the Jade Disc of Creation and the Enlightenment Mirror and began deciphering the restriction.

At this point in time, even if something terribly vicious was inside, it probably hadn't taken form yet. Otherwise, this Innate Restriction would have long since disappeared.

And even if it had taken form and was cultivating inside, Yun Xiao had no reason to fear it with her current strength.

"Buzzz—"

Several years later, Yun Xiao deciphered the Innate Restriction. After telling Xiao Bai to keep watch outside, she stepped inside.

"What is this?"

When Yun Xiao saw what lay within the restriction, her eyes widened slightly.

It was an exceedingly quiet cave. Countless ghostly flames floated in midair, dyeing it a ghastly dark green, like a hundred ghosts wandering through the night.

At the very front, a coffin lid floated in the air. Ancient, profound runes were carved into it, as if it meant to bury the entire world!

A spiritual lamp rested atop the coffin lid. Its sickly green flame flickered, but no matter how violently the Chaos Qi Stream inside the restriction raged, it couldn't extinguish the flame!

"A coffin lid and a spiritual lamp. Could this be...?"

Yun Xiao flashed over to the coffin lid. As she studied the profound patterns carved into it, she formed a theory.

No wonder this spiritual mountain looked so much like a hawk.

If she wasn't mistaken, she was inside the restriction at Yuanjue Cave on Vulture Peak Mountain. And this coffin lid must belong to one of the Primordial Wilderness's most "renowned" figures—Ran Deng!

The spiritual lamp on the coffin lid must be his Accompanying Spiritual Treasure, the Spirit Coffin Lamp.

Ran Deng was formed from the first coffin lid between heaven and earth. Because his Accompanying Spiritual Treasure was the Spirit Coffin Lamp, he had been named Ran Deng, meaning "Burning Lamp."

Ran Deng was famous not for his strength, but for his shamelessness.

With a single "This treasure and I are fated," he had committed countless deeds of stealing other people's opportunities, yet Ran Deng himself was always smug about it.

He could be called the most shameless person in the entire Primordial Wilderness!

"Fellow Daoist, since we've met here, we must be fated to do so."

"Since we're fated, I'll give you a treasure as a gift, so we can form a good karmic bond."

"But if I give you a treasure, Fellow Daoist, shouldn't you show your appreciation as well?"

Smiling, Yun Xiao scraped off a tiny sliver of the Innate mineral vein with her little fingernail and placed it on the coffin lid. Then her gaze shifted to the Spirit Coffin Lamp.

"Clang!"

At that moment, the coffin lid shook violently, but Yun Xiao held it firmly in place.

"It seems you agree."

She smiled faintly and put away the Spirit Coffin Lamp.

When doing things, one had to stay true to one's conscience.

If someone didn't agree, then even if their belongings were right there in front of you, you shouldn't take them!

As for how Yun Xiao could tell whether Ran Deng agreed or not—

Don't ask.

Just call it a meeting of the minds.

"Clang!"

After Yun Xiao took the Spirit Coffin Lamp, the coffin lid suddenly jolted again, as if it were about to take form at any moment.

A tangled mix of fury, frustration, helplessness, and other complicated feelings came through the coffin lid.

"Could it be that you'd like to go outside for a walk and get some fresh air?"

Yun Xiao paused, then sighed. "Unfortunately, I'm about to travel far away. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to carry a coffin lid around with me."

At her words, the coffin lid shook even more violently.

Who said I wanted you to carry me around? I was telling you to put down the Spirit Coffin Lamp!!!

What kind of person was she? If circumstances allowed, would she even carry off someone else's coffin lid?

Unfortunately, Ran Deng hadn't taken form yet and couldn't speak. All he could do was shake the coffin lid to express his frustration and fury.

"Fellow Daoist, I have other things to attend to, so I'll be leaving now. I'll come back to see you once I'm done."

Yun Xiao looked around and saw no other Spiritual Treasures. She scraped off another chunk of the coffin lid with all her might, then turned and walked out of the restriction.

Come back?

At Yun Xiao's words, Ran Deng felt as if ten thousand horses were stampeding through his heart.

At that moment, he secretly vowed to cultivate as hard as he could and take form as soon as possible—before Yun Xiao came back!