Karma

With all those halos surrounding him, Shi Yi recovered swiftly from his injuries. Everyone in the Martial King Manor was running themselves ragged for his sake, apart from the Martial King, who had remained in seclusion for years, and the clan elders who favored Shi Hao's branch.

Powerful healing medicines, ancient blood-replenishing pills, divine bone-mending herbs... all were delivered to Shi Yi for his recovery. Such treatment was without equal in the entire history of the Martial King Manor.

However, Shi Yi had no need for so many resources. The life-creating power of his left Double Pupil could all but heal the injury to his chest on its own.

His so-called injury was merely the upheaval caused by driving the Supreme Bone at full power before it had finished growing. It was nothing serious; the people of the Martial King Manor were simply being overly anxious.

As Shi Yi's pale face gradually regained its color and his breathing steadied, the gathered ancestors and clan elders finally relaxed.

Ever since Shi Ziling had wreaked havoc in the Martial King Manor, their nerves had remained taut, terrified that something might happen to the manor's future.

Once Shi Yi had fully recovered, with no lingering risks, people stopped coming and going from his courtyard. An ancestor had ordered that he be given a quiet environment and left undisturbed unless something important arose.

Shi Yi let out a long sigh of relief. With so many halos over his head, there was no shortage of people wishing to approach him and curry his favor-enough to form a long line. If they were allowed to do as they pleased, he would never have a moment's peace.

Now, this rare stretch of tranquility gave him time to consider his present circumstances.

As matters stood, he had transmigrated into Shi Yi, and the bone had already been dug out. In other words, the karmic bond between him and Shi Hao had already been forged.

That bond could hardly be called friendly. According to the original course of history, "Shi Yi" would sacrifice himself when Shi Hao fought three fallen Quasi-Immortal Emperors alone. Those words-"The cause of the past, the consequence of today-I repay you!"-still echoed in Shi Yi's mind.

He had no desire to tread the same disastrous path as "Shi Yi," giving up his life to settle that karmic debt.

Shi Yi pondered.

In his previous life, he had been born in the wrong era. His Double Pupils had made him run into walls at every turn, casting him into the depths of life. In this life, heaven had granted him a chance at rebirth in a world of gods and demons where his Double Pupils could shine. Naturally, he intended to use these eyes to ascend above every mountain peak and savor all the splendor the world had to offer.

The road to the pinnacle of the Great Dao was often long and rugged. Time would carry away everything at one's side, and one day, even heaven and earth would cease to exist.

If, along the way, he could have an evenly matched rival to gaze toward from afar, competing and clashing constantly, the journey would surely be far more interesting.

Shi Yi was a solitary traveler by nature. He could not put aside his past grievances with Shi Hao and become an affectionate elder brother to a deferential younger one, nor did he want to.

Setting those grudges aside, being Shi Hao's rival was the best choice. An age of turmoil was approaching, bringing a struggle for fortune. Traveling alongside Shi Hao would put him on the lesser path; only competition could spur Shi Yi to go farther.

After all, at present, Shi Yi had no cheat to speak of. Everything he possessed was exactly what the original Shi Yi had possessed.

Thus, he rejected the option of returning the Supreme Bone. Instead, he looked forward eagerly to their coming clash.

Still, refusing to return the Supreme Bone did not mean he would nourish it with all his might as "Shi Yi" had, trying to fuse it completely with himself.

That was impossible. Something that was not his could never truly become a part of him.

Even after "Shi Yi" had gained a tremendous opportunity at the Ancient Sacred Academy and eliminated the divide between himself and the Supreme Bone, that bone had ultimately been his downfall.

Most importantly, doing so would allow Shi Hao's supreme blood to flow within his body. Through the cycle of cause and consequence, that blood would ultimately return to Shi Hao in some form. That was precisely why "Shi Yi" had sacrificed himself.

In this life, Shi Yi would not take that path. The Supreme Bone would always remain an external thing.

Just as the saying went, "Double Pupils already pave an invincible path; what need is there to borrow another's bone?"

He had given much thought to how he would deal with the bone. Digging it out and throwing it away was out of the question-that would be far too wasteful. He could, however, use it for other purposes.

Besides considering his karmic bond with Shi Hao, Shi Yi was also familiarizing himself with the various powers of these eyes.

Before his arrival, "Shi Yi" had already unlocked quite a few abilities of the Double Pupils: seeing directly into the essence of things, disrupting the formation of precious techniques, and rudimentary powers of life creation and destruction.

Any one of these abilities would have been unstoppable in his previous life. Unfortunately, the Double Pupils in that world had possessed no supernatural powers whatsoever. They had been nothing more than an eye disorder.

The vast courtyard was filled with flowers, grasses, and trees, every variety extraordinary. Spiritual energy spilled from their branches and leaves, so dense that it condensed into clouds and mist. From afar, the place resembled an immortal paradise in the mortal world.

Through the efforts of the Martial King Manor's senior figures, the courtyard where Shi Yi lived had become an excellent cultivation environment. Of course, he was still laying his foundations and had yet to truly embark on the path of cultivation.

After quietly recuperating in the manor for a time, Shi Yi had mastered the various abilities of his Double Pupils, wielding them as naturally as his own limbs. He was also about to resume unlocking their potential.

Developing such a talent consumed an enormous amount of resources, but with the Martial King Manor supporting him, none of that was a problem.

Aside from developing his Double Pupils, it was also time to put his cultivation foundation-the foundation laid before embarking on the path-on the agenda. Once it was complete, he could begin cultivating and realize the formidable talent of an ancient sage.

Suddenly, the tranquility was broken. An old man pushed open the courtyard gate and walked inside.

He was tall, with crimson radiance surging around his body like a blood phoenix reborn through nirvana. His eyes were golden, like two dazzling golden lamps.

He was Shi Yuan, a clan elder of Shi Yi's branch, and also Shi Yi's great-grandfather.

When Shi Ziling had wreaked havoc in the Martial King Manor, Shi Yuan had fought him fiercely to protect Shi Yi. During the battle, "Shi Yi" had even used the powers of his Double Pupils to assist Shi Yuan.

The outcome needed no telling. Shi Yuan had been no match for Shi Ziling and had suffered defeat. One of his arms had nearly burst apart, and he had forcibly held it together with a precious technique.

More than ten days later, that arm still moved somewhat unnaturally, hidden beneath a broad sleeve.

He strode over and saw Shi Yi seated cross-legged on a meditation cushion, cultivating earnestly. A smile rose unbidden to his lips.

Ever since this great-grandson of his had obtained the Supreme Bone, his bearing had grown increasingly extraordinary. Not only did divine light flow through his eyes, but every movement carried a terrifying majesty.

To possess such an imposing presence at his age meant that he was destined to stand above the countless masses and look down upon all living beings. He was nothing less than a divine being descended into the world.

With a great-grandson like this, his old heart was naturally filled with comfort and pride.