The War Goddess looked at the tender-faced boy before her, her expression grave. "You've got some nerve, taking something like this out so casually."
"Why wouldn't I dare?"
Su Ye blinked his big eyes, looking utterly innocent and guileless.
The War Goddess looked at Su Ye's guileless face, and the corner of her mouth twitched. She felt he was far too good at pretending. Taking a deep breath, she said, "The Divine Script Precious Technique is the Deer-Hunting Academy's most treasured art. It can't be taught to outsiders."
"Outsiders?"
Su Ye thought it over. Treasure Arts, especially powerful ones, indeed weren't casually passed on. Looking at the peerlessly beautiful, valiant War Goddess, he said, "How about you follow me? Then I won't be an outsider."
"..."
The War Goddess wanted nothing more than to spit a mouthful of blood onto the earnest-looking fellow before her. Her body trembled with anger, her chest rising and falling like waves. Soon, she managed to calm herself and looked at Su Ye. "Since you insist on joining the Heaven Mending Pavilion, I won't try to persuade you anymore. But joining the Heaven Mending Pavilion doesn't mean you can't also join the Deer-Hunting Academy. I can give you the status of an apprentice disciple."
"An apprentice disciple?"
"The Deer-Hunting Academy's system is different from that of other powers. Its disciples are divided into three kinds: Inner Academy disciples, Outer Academy disciples, and apprentice disciples. Inner and Outer Academy disciples are both official disciples of the Deer-Hunting Academy, while apprentice disciples aren't.
"Although apprentice disciples aren't official disciples of the Deer-Hunting Academy, they still count as its disciples and can study its inheritance."
The War Goddess briefly explained, then said, "Also, although you're an apprentice disciple, remember that you're a disciple of the Deer-Hunting Academy. If the academy ever needs you, you must respond at once."
The boy before her was shameless, but she had to admit that his talent was extraordinary. He would surely become a powerhouse who shook an entire era. Since she couldn't bring him into the Deer-Hunting Academy, she would at least make a friend of him.
"Fine."
Su Ye nodded and removed the restriction on the War Goddess. Since they had reached an agreement, there was no reason to keep her bound.
"You're just going to let me go like that? Aren't you afraid I'll suddenly change my mind? At this distance, I could kill you in an instant."
The War Goddess couldn't quite figure out the boy before her. He was undoubtedly clever, but if he was foolish, he was a special kind of fool.
"You won't."
Su Ye smiled. "I trust you."
The War Goddess smiled. "What you said almost makes me feel bad about attacking you. But... I'm still going to do it."
The War Goddess struck, runes taking shape as she moved to suppress Su Ye. He had dared to smack her bottom. There was no way she would forgive him.
Soon, the War Goddess was suppressed by Su Ye once again.
Looking at the War Goddess, her face flushed with humiliation and anger, Su Ye said helplessly, "At this distance, where did you get the confidence to think you could suppress me?"
Inscription Realm cultivators were indeed powerful. They could instantly activate the runes inscribed within their bodies and wield their rune-powered might, making them terrifying.
But the two of them were far too close, barely a step apart. With his powerful body, Su Ye could easily suppress the War Goddess again.
Of course, this was mainly because the War Goddess had no murderous intent. Otherwise, she could simply activate a treasure, and even his powerful body would be useless.
Su Ye released the War Goddess. "Stop fooling around."
"..."
The War Goddess's face was grim. She gritted her teeth, wishing she could suppress Su Ye and beat him up on the spot.
He was infuriating.
Hum.
Runes gathered in the War Goddess's hand, and then she pressed a finger to Su Ye's brow.
Su Ye felt the Origin Rune the War Goddess was teaching him. The runes transformed into a book filled with countless characters, each one dancing and shifting.
Watching Su Ye study with such focus, the War Goddess marveled at how much he trusted her. If she had any ill intent at that moment, she could kill him instantly.
Soon, Su Ye opened his eyes. Mysterious patterns appeared in his gaze, then quickly faded.
"The path of Divine Scripts truly is profound."
Su Ye sighed. Although he hadn't fully grasped it yet, he could tell that this Treasure Art was powerful.
"Take this."
Su Ye took out the Seven-Colored Origin Divine Light and held it out to the War Goddess.
The War Goddess didn't accept it. "I taught you the Divine Script Precious Technique, not for the sake of the Seven-Colored Origin Divine Light."
"I know. You did it for me. But I still want to give you this Seven-Colored Origin Divine Light."
Su Ye sent the Seven-Colored Origin Divine Light straight into the War Goddess's brow, smiling as he said, "It's a gift from me."
"Dog, we're leaving."
Su Ye didn't give the War Goddess a chance to refuse. He turned and left with a carefree stride.
The War Goddess stared after Su Ye's retreating figure, lost in thought.
Several months later.
The Heaven Mending Pavilion.
Riding Big Gold Dog across the boundless Great Wilderness, Su Ye finally arrived at the place where the Heaven Mending Pavilion stood.
With the Heaven Mending Pavilion's recruitment day approaching, this area, once quiet, had become exceptionally lively. Temporary markets and inns had even been set up.
"Are we going straight in, or what?"
Big Gold Dog asked. It had no interest in entering the Heaven Mending Pavilion, but unfortunately, the choice wasn't up to it.
"Wait."
Su Ye replied.
"Wait?"
Big Gold Dog looked puzzled, then seemed to realize something. "You don't have a Heaven Mending Pavilion Talisman Token? That can't be. With your strength, how could you not have gotten one?"
"They offered me one, but I didn't take it."
Su Ye said, looking into the distance. There were many people over there. The Heaven Mending Pavilion's recruitment hadn't begun yet, and people arriving from all over the Great Wilderness had settled in this area.
Of course, those with Talisman Tokens were the exception.
Those holding a Talisman Token could enter the Heaven Mending Pavilion directly, without taking the examination held a few days later. They would even be sent straight into the Genius Camp upon entering the pavilion and receive special cultivation resources.
Su Ye had originally been offered a Talisman Token, but he hadn't accepted it. It was the last one in Xia Youyu's hands. If he took it, he would affect Destiny, and that might cause Little One to...
It probably wouldn't make much difference. With Little One's strength, getting Qing Feng through the examination would be a piece of cake.
In that case, hadn't he missed out on a chance?
Su Ye hadn't given it much thought before, simply worrying that he might affect Destiny. But now it seemed that even with his arrival, the Destined events would still unfold. Just as Shi Hao had broken the record in the Void God Realm and ultimately been expelled from it.
Shi Hao—the universally hated Milk Baby, the savage Bear Child, the Desolate Heaven Emperor who would tower across all ages—wouldn't lose his ferocity because of a few minor things.
Su Ye smiled. He, who had never believed in fate, had somehow begun to care about Destiny without even realizing it.
Destiny was something that was meant to be broken. If he feared Destiny and followed its path, then the thing he should do now was kill himself.
After all, his very existence could only disrupt Destiny.
Kill himself?
Impossible. He would never kill himself—not in this lifetime.
Since he wasn't going to die, then he would fight. He would struggle against Destiny and carve out an era of his own.
At that moment, Su Ye was no longer the same as before. He would no longer sit back and watch the tides of Destiny sweep across the world, content to be a spectator. He would step into the fray.
Although he had been in the arena all along, before, only his body had been in it while his heart remained outside. Now, not only would his body be in the arena, but his heart would enter it too. Amid this chaotic age, he would fight for his place.
Big Gold Dog suddenly sensed something different. It could clearly feel an air of supreme dominance emanating from Su Ye.
Su Ye had always been domineering, but before, that dominance had felt lazy, as if nothing mattered to him—a haughty air of having everything under control, watching the world's tides roll by.
Now, his aura was still domineering, but that laziness was gone. In its place was a wild, untamed spirit.
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