The Path to Godhood

Lu Shui stared at the river for a moment, unsure what to say. He'd already decided to make a move, and now the enemy was gone.

It was like finally getting to the point of what you were saying, only for someone else to beat you to it.

He felt like he had to get it off his chest.

He still wanted to land one more hit.

Just as he was about to go over, something suddenly flew out of the river.

Lu Shui reached out and caught it, using Heaven and Earth Power as a shield to prevent any accidents.

Then a voice came from beneath the river:

"Human, since you seem pretty cocky, I'll give you a copy of The Path to Godhood."

Lu Shui sighed inwardly. There was a reason this God had been suppressed here.

Finally, he glanced at the thing in his hand. It was a book, though the words on the cover were a little hard to make out.

It wasn't a matter of blurriness, but of levels.

"Looks like it's not an ordinary book after all." Lu Shui thought to himself.

Then he used Heaven and Earth Power to examine the book. This time, he could see it clearly. The title was:

Nine Hundred Years of Compulsory Education for Godhood—Dark Chapter.

Lu Shui: "..."

Curious, Lu Shui checked the first page:

I am the Sole True God of Heaven and Earth.

I should have seven Sovereigns under my command.

Page two

I woke up in bed today to another beautiful day. As long as I work hard, I'll definitely make it to Godhood Academy.

Once I get to Godhood Academy, I'll become a god.

Keep it up, Liya.

Madam Dai Er said we're going to the mountains today to chop firewood. I've already gotten ready.

There are Magic Beasts in the mountains, but I'm destined to become a god. I'm not afraid.

Lu Shui flipped through a few pages, then closed the book.

If he wasn't mistaken, this was a badly written autobiographical novel.

The protagonist was a woman named Liya.

Her main goal was to get to Godhood Academy.

But she kept getting stuck chopping firewood. Heaven only knew what year she'd finally make it to Godhood Academy.

Curious, Lu Shui opened the book again. He flipped straight to the last page to see if she'd become a god:

Today I arrived in a big city. They say Godhood Academy is only three years away from here. I feel like godhood is just within reach.

I've been hungry for days, so I'm going to buy some bread to celebrate.

When I got to the Bread Shop, I found they were having a special: buy one, get two free.

I bought quite a lot, and I was very happy on the way back.

Once I got to my lodging, I was going to have a feast.

But as I ate, I started feeling like something was stuck in my throat. I was eating too fast, and my neck felt uncomfortable.

I struggled for a long time, then collapsed and couldn't get back up.

I couldn't move anymore, either.

I died.

Lu Shui: "..."

What a horrifying novel.

Then Lu Shui put away Nine Hundred Years of Compulsory Education for Godhood, along with the Heaven and Earth Array Patterns.

He felt it was about time to leave.

Only after Lu Shui put away the book did the surrounding mist begin to disperse. Zhen Wu and Zhen Ling both looked toward Lu Shui.

They had no idea what that terrifying aura had been. They could only hope to get an answer from Lu Shui.

But Lu Shui didn't even turn his head.

He just stood there quietly.

Had that aura had something to do with their young master, or had their young master been frightened too?

Zhen Wu and Zhen Ling weren't sure. But it really had been terrifying. At first, it was just one-sided pressure, but later, it felt as though two forces beyond their understanding were clashing invisibly.

After that, Zhen Wu and Zhen Ling didn't dwell on it. But one thing was certain: this place wasn't very safe.

Lu Shui began to move.

He wasn't going to stay here any longer. It was about time to leave, and if anything else went wrong, he was worried he wouldn't be able to take it.

After all, that "God" had taken the Twelve-Leaf Green Lotus. Who knew if it might cause a chain reaction?

Lu Shui glanced at Zhen Wu and Zhen Ling, then headed out.

Zhen Wu and Zhen Ling understood. Their young master had his concerns.

They quickly followed him out.

Mm.

They had to protect their young master as he left.

Deep within the area, Old Man Withered Tree furrowed his brow.

"The Twelve-Leaf Green Lotus I sent out was taken by something. Was it a creature from the Wind Frost River?

Was that faint pang of unease just now caused by it, too?"

Old Man Withered Tree dispelled the mist. That's when he noticed Lu Shui and the others leaving.

That made sense. Even he would choose to avoid such a dangerous aura. Blindly enforcing a punishment wasn't Lu Shui's style.

At last, Old Man Withered Tree sighed.

"What a pity. It was so rare for a Wind Frost River Spirit Creature to appear, and it had to be something other than the common Blazing Sun Fire Fish or Myriad Law Spirit Crab—the harmless spirit creatures that could bring such incredible fortune.

Sigh.

It seems the young master wasn't destined for that kind of opportunity after all."

In the main hall.

After hearing Old Man Withered Tree's report, the Third Elder merely waved him away.

Old Man Withered Tree left, while the Third Elder leaned back.

He closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.

"Forget it."

But a moment later, he opened his eyes again and sighed once more.

"When will the Lu Family ever produce a prodigy?"

The Lu Family hadn't paid much attention to the strange changes in the Wind Frost River. Lu Shui could tell as much from the reaction of the person hidden deep inside.

So that "God" going off the rails wasn't a first.

Lu Shui left the Wind Frost River and made it back to his lodgings without a hitch. That meant the Third Elder had tacitly approved of it, too.

Lu Shui was relieved.

Back in his room, Lu Shui sat straight down in a chair. The moment he did, his brows knitted together.

"Hiss, it hurts. I feel like my whole body's splitting apart."

He'd been hurt by the cold. He might not have felt it at first, but once his body warmed back up, he could feel it.

The pain was excruciating.

It hurt far more than his last back injury.

"No, I need to get some medicine."

Lu Shui looked outside. The trip seemed a bit far, so he decided against it. He'd circulate his energy and sleep; he should feel much better afterward. He'd get medicine tomorrow.

His cultivation was already at 2.7, just a hair's breadth from Third Tier.

Ordinarily, advancing from Second Tier to Third Tier required undergoing a tribulation.

But as long as he absorbed yang-attribute power, he could advance without the Heavenly Tribulation.

Naturally, if he could avoid undergoing a tribulation, he would.

Would skipping the tribulation affect the strength of his cultivation?

The standard answer was: yes.

But Lu Shui wasn't standard.

Then Lu Shui prepared to rest. But as soon as he lay down, the door opened.

The first person to enter was his mother.

Lu Shui was at a loss. "..."

Couldn't she knock?

Even if he didn't want to get up and open the door.

As soon as Dongfang Liyin came in, she cast a Healing Spell on Lu Shui, who was lying in bed.

"Couldn't you cast a Healing Spell on yourself?"

"It doesn't work." Lu Shui answered with his eyes closed.

Healing Spells weren't万能, especially not a Second Tier one.

Of course, he knew all kinds of Healing Spells. But with his Second Tier strength, they still weren't very effective against the cold from the Wind Frost River.

Dongfang Liyin kept the Healing Spell going as she smiled at Lu Shui.

"Want your mother to help you apply some medicine?"

"No. I'm not a child." Lu Shui refused outright.

"Then how about letting the Mu Family Little Girl apply it for you?" Dongfang Liyin suddenly asked.

Her voice carried a strange hint of amusement.

At the sound of that, Lu Shui sat bolt upright, startled. His eyes flew open.

It wasn't that he minded. It was just terrifying.

Of course, the main reason he'd sat up was to look around. Apart from his mother and his stern-faced father, no one else was there.

He felt inexplicably relieved.