A Glimpse into the Secrets of Human Creation!

On the other side, after Xu Xing and Chi Jiuyu emerged from the Iron-Tooth Crocodile Park, they continued their ascent.

"Hurry up, Uncle-Master!" Chi Jiuyu shouted from a higher vantage point.

Xu Xing always maintained a leisurely pace, forcing her to stop and wait for him every now and then.

After repeating this several times, the two finally reached the summit.

The mountaintop was flat and expansive, forming a massive plaza that looked as if it had been sliced clean off.

In fact, that was exactly what had happened; when the place was first built, the owner had specifically hired a Nascent Soul sword cultivator to shear off half the peak with a single strike.

It was the hottest time of the day, and the scorching sun beat down, adding a hint of irritation even to the mountain breeze.

The plaza was lined with trees whose bark resembled overlapping scales, and the fruit hanging from them looked like dragon eggs covered in golden scales.

This was the Dragon Scale Fruit, a type of tree that had absolutely nothing to do with actual dragons.

Chi Jiuyu moved with impressive speed, releasing her longsword with a flick of her hand. The blade streaked like a meteor, severing the stems of two Dragon Scale Fruits before catching them on the flat of the blade and ferrying them back to her side.

Because the admission fee was not cheap, all the fruits inside were free to consume.

After all, they weren't true spiritual fruits; if you sprinkled some Essence Recovery Liquid on them at night and had a few cultivators skilled in the Spring Breeze and Rain spell cast their magic, they would grow back by the next day.

"Here, this one is yours, Uncle-Master."

She sheathed her sword and handed one of the fruits to Xu Xing.

Xu Xing did not refuse and took it.

Peeling back the scale-like skin to reveal the tender white flesh inside, Chi Jiuyu took a bite and pointed ahead.

"Uncle-Master, it looks like there's a sword-flying race up ahead. Let's go take a look."

"Very well," Xu Xing nodded slightly.

The sword-flying race was one of the most popular attractions here, and even tourists could participate after signing a liability waiver.

Some people had once protested, arguing that since not everyone participating was a sword cultivator, why was it called a "sword-flying race"?

The park's response to this was simple.

As long as you could beat a sword cultivator in the race, they would change the name to whatever your profession was.

As it turned out, after all these years, the name remained unchanged.

"Uncle-Master, why don't we try participating too!" Chi Jiuyu said, eager to give it a go.

"It's restricted by realm."

"Eh?"

She glanced at the notice board to the side and only then noticed a line of small print in the bottom right corner.

[Restricted to Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators only]

If the realms were any higher, it would be troublesome for the park staff to intervene should a conflict arise.

Seeing Chi Jiuyu looking somewhat disappointed, Xu Xing chuckled softly, "However, once we return to the sect, we could organize a competition for the younger generation of all the sects."

"Hm?!" Chi Jiuyu's eyes lit up. "Don't worry, Uncle-Master, I will definitely win the championship!"

She didn't have that kind of influence herself, but her Uncle-Master was a person of such stature!

If he wanted to, he could certainly make it happen!

"As long as you have the confidence."

It would also be a good chance to see how much the escape techniques of the various sects had progressed over the years.

"Uncle-Master, lend me your phone for a moment, I want to take a few more pictures."

As for her own phone...

She had just angered her master, and she didn't quite dare to take it out right now.

"Here."

After taking the phone, she fiddled with it for a moment and opened the camera app to take a photo.

Suddenly, a message popped up.

The sender's nickname was... 'Senior Sister'.

Senior Sister?!

That was her master, wasn't it?!

Chi Jiuyu's hand trembled, and the phone slipped from her grip, though fortunately, Xu Xing reached out and caught it.

"What's wrong?" Xu Xing asked with a smile.

Gulp!

Chi Jiuyu swallowed hard.

"Un, Uncle-Master, how do you have Master as a friend?!"

"She is my senior sister, isn't it normal for me to have her added? Besides, what are you worried about? Senior Sister doesn't know it's you."

Right!

Master doesn't know it's her!

Having realized this, she asked Xu Xing for the phone again, but this time, she didn't get it.

"Don't think I don't know what you're planning," Xu Xing said.

"..."

Don't be like that, Martial Uncle. We're family, no need to be so formal and distant!

In the evening, Xiao Fan returned home.

After getting off work, he had visited his older brother at the hospital and handed his wages to his mother, who was acting as a caregiver. His father had already left for his night shift.

Staring at the empty house, he stood in silence for a long while before closing the door and stepping inside.

After pouring a glass of water and drinking it, he went straight to his bedroom.

He had already sold his previous house and was now living in a rental, so his bedroom was quite cramped; once the bed was placed, there was almost no room left to stand.

A ray of sunlight shone in from the window, revealing many dust motes floating in the air.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he took that jade box out from his pocket.

The jade was lustrous, white, and smooth, appearing as a seamless whole; if not for that extremely fine seam, one truly wouldn't be able to tell it was a box.

Should he... open it and see?

Once the thought arose, it could no longer be suppressed.

Even if he eventually discovered it was just a cruel joke, wouldn't that be better than constantly harboring unrealistic delusions?

Gritting his teeth, he applied a little force with his right hand.

Uh... it didn't open.

Hmm, is it stuck that tightly?

Xiao Fan stood up, grabbed the jade box with both hands, and pulled, but even as his entire face flushed red, the box showed no sign of opening.

What on earth is this thing!

He was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, after all—even if only a Pseudo Foundation Establishment, he shouldn't be unable to open a mere box.

This thing is not simple!

Realizing this, he frowned, then walked out of the bedroom to retrieve his flying sword, wedging the blade into the seam of the jade box to pry it open.

But even until the blade of the flying sword began to bend, the jade box remained unmoved.

Putting the sword down, he examined the box carefully for a while; the earlier struggle hadn't left a single mark on it.

"This... could it really be some kind of treasure?"

After thinking for a moment, Xiao Fan mobilized a wisp of true essence and attempted to inject it into the jade box.

It was like a clay ox entering the sea; the wisp of true essence vanished into the box without causing any reaction.

That doesn't work either?

Just as he was about to put the box down and go get his sword to try a blood-binding ritual, a powerful suction force emanated from the box.

"Damn!"

Xiao Fan was startled and jerked his hand, but he couldn't shake it off at all.

From within his dantian, from that mysterious and fragile dao foundation, a wisp of energy was drawn out by the suction, traveling along his meridians, spreading all the way to his palm, and entering the jade box.

Click!

With a soft sound, the suction vanished, and the jade box tumbled to the floor.

Hmm?

Xiao Fan froze, looking at the box on the ground, only to see that it was now half-open.

It opened?

After hesitating for two seconds, he stepped forward and picked up the box. He was just a hopeless cripple with no future; what could anyone possibly want to scheme against him for?

Thinking this with a self-deprecating smile, he tried to open the box again, and this time, it opened with ease.

He hurriedly looked inside, only to be stunned.

Inside was... a drop of blood?

It was a crystal-clear drop of blood, resembling red jade, and he could almost hear a faint, rhythmic pulsing sound coming from it.

What is this thing?

Before he could ponder for long, the drop of blood suddenly seemed to come alive, transforming into a streak of blood-red light that shot into the center of his brow.

His vision blurred, and a grand, ancient voice seemed to echo within his soul.

"Today, you shall catch a glimpse of the secret to the creation of the human race!"

Along with that voice came a searing pain, as if his entire body were being crushed and sliced by a thousand blades!

"Ah!!!"

Xiao Fan collapsed to the floor, curling his body into a ball as he let out a shrill, agonizing scream.

Yet at this very moment, a figure appeared on the empty sofa—a man with an ordinary appearance and a gentle temperament.

He looked down at the screaming Xiao Fan on the floor, a trace of a smile appearing on his face.

"Ride the wind when the momentum is with you, and soar to the heights; the opportunity is before you, it all depends on whether you can seize it."

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