[Ding! Congratulations, host, on earning the recognition of the Heaven Mending Pavilion's Sacrificial Spirit. The system has unlocked the sixth check-in.]
What would happen if a small pebble were tossed into the originally unchanging river of time?
Shi Xiu was just such a pebble, stirring up ripples.
In fact, the path that had originally belonged to the Desolate Heaven Emperor had already veered drastically off course.
Because this man had appeared, the ancient Sacrificial Spirit had ignored Shi Hao outright.
"What reward will I get this time?"
[The system will temper your Indestructible Golden Body, ensuring that your physical strength always remains the highest among those at your level.]
This looked a little like a passive skill.
But in truth, it would prove tremendously useful later on.
Whether he faced the approaching Desolate Region Tribulation or sought a path to the Upper Realm.
Everything ahead would place increasingly demanding tests on his flesh.
Although this so-called Desolate Region contained various continents, in the eyes of the Upper Realm's Three Thousand Dao Provinces...
This place was nothing more than Sin Land.
Its people were all descendants of ancient sinners.
Any single territory up there would be larger than the entire Desolate Region.
The Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, the Three Thousand Dao Provinces.
And the unknown Foreign Realm.
Without a powerful body, one could forget about waging war in those places.
Much less hope to reach the realm of an Immortal King.
Besides, he now possessed a Heavenly Dao Treasure Body.
He would certainly encounter plenty of divine maidens and Saintesses in the future.
Whether they became his Dao companions or merely shared a passing dalliance.
None of it would work without a healthy, strong body.
This was destined to be a completely different path from the one the Desolate Heaven Emperor had walked back then.
So now was the time to lay his foundations.
"Excellent. That's exactly what I want. Ideally, temper my body until it's as strong as those Primordial Ferocious Beasts!"
[Ding! Rest assured, host. Your Indestructible Golden Body can continue growing stronger as your cultivation realm rises.]
This was definitely good news.
In other words, every time he advanced a major realm...
His Indestructible Golden Body would rise another level as well.
If he cultivated it to its limit, his body might well become as formidable as those Dao weapons and immortal artifacts.
Then there would be nothing in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths capable of hurting him.
Throughout the Desolate Heaven Emperor's lifetime of battle...
There had been countless occasions when his body was torn apart, or even smashed to pieces.
As a transmigrator, Shi Xiu had yet to face anything so extreme.
But the easier things were, the more diligently he needed to lay his foundations.
That was also the best way to avoid unnecessary detours in the future!
"Hahaha! Big Brother Shi Xiu, you're already comprehending the Dao beneath the Heaven Mending Pavilion's Sacrificial Spirit!"
Just as someone was checking in...
That brat Shi Hao popped up from who knew where.
Furball and the boy seemed to have been getting along quite well these past few days.
Perhaps those two had a deep connection to begin with!
He had no spare time to nurture Furball just yet, so he would let him keep Shi Hao company.
In the future, he could also serve as the boy's bodyguard.
Although he did not know what fate held in store...
There was one thing Shi Xiu understood perfectly.
In the future that belonged to him, he had to protect the family and friends around him.
He would not let them fall, much less let them sacrifice themselves for his sake.
He had no desire to live the Desolate Heaven Emperor's lifetime of suffering.
But if he truly had to wage war against The Heavens, then fight he would.
"You little brat! You're disturbing your big brother's cultivation again, aren't you?"
With Shi Hao's arrival, Huo Ling'er came skipping out as well.
Perhaps it had something to do with the timeline and fate.
The girl seemed to hit it off quite well with Shi Hao.
"Oh, sister-in-law, shouldn't you be calling Big Brother your prince consort?"
"Prince consort, my foot!"
Huo Ling'er seemed particularly sensitive about that title.
She immediately raised her little pink fist, ready to punch Shi Hao.
But the next moment, another large hand caught that little fist.
"Exactly, my princess. Why aren't you calling me your prince consort?"
It was Shi Xiu, actually joining Shi Hao in questioning Huo Ling'er.
The Fire Kingdom Princess stamped her foot in anger.
"Hmph! Fine! The two of you are ganging up on me. I'm not talking to you anymore!"
With that, Huo Ling'er fled swiftly, her face red again.
Lately, the girl blushed every time she saw him.
He wondered whether she had been thinking about something naughty!
Interesting!
Since ancient times, a beauty's affection had been the hardest favor to bear.
Now Shi Xiu understood that deeply.
Perhaps wishing to give some special guidance to the disciple he had taken a liking to...
The Sacrificial Spirit slowly extended his long vine toward them again.
"Cultivation in the Heaven Mending Pavilion is quite unrestricted, but there are a few places I should warn you about..."
As it turned out, the Heaven Mending Pavilion had several forbidden grounds.
Ordinary disciples were advised not to visit them.
Because sometimes, they would encounter an old man drifting on the wind there.
He was none other than Weird Grandpa from the original story.
Since this old man would pop up at unpredictable times...
Terrifying legends about him had long circulated among the disciples.
Yet the Heaven Mending Pavilion's higher-ups were too embarrassed to reveal the truth.
If they told those disciples that the drifting old fellow...
Was actually the Pavilion's first master.
The great genius who had been driven out of the Heaven Mending Sect!
Many people would probably think much less of their sect.
However, even after all these years, the Heaven Mending Sect and the Heaven Mending Pavilion had never maintained any contact.
Because there was nothing here that those ancient sects considered worthy of their attention.
"Thank you for the warning, Lord Sacrificial Spirit. We'll be sure to keep it in mind!"
Despite Shi Xiu's outward agreement, he had already made plans in his heart.
If he came to the Heaven Mending Pavilion without meeting its legendary founder...
He would miss out on a tremendous opportunity.
And if that mighty expert from back then were still alive today...
The Heaven Mending Pavilion's prestige might already have rivaled the Heaven Mending Sect's.
Throughout the endless ages, countless titans had fallen.
Any one of them, brought into the present, would have been an unrivaled existence.
But the path of cultivation was that treacherous.
Great opportunities alone could not guarantee everything.
The right timing, favorable terrain, and harmony among people-not one could be missing.
Take his current Heavenly Dao Treasure Body, for instance.
It did not actually mean he was destined to become an Immortal King.
Even with so many potential fathers-in-law protecting him, the chances of his falling were still considerable!
Much as his big brother had imagined...
Shi Hao was the sort who knew there was a tiger on the mountain, yet insisted on climbing that very mountain.
The boy had immediately memorized every place the Sacrificial Spirit had just mentioned.
That very night.
Just as Shi Xiu was preparing to set off for those places...
The little monkey had already headed out a step ahead of him.
"Help! Stop chasing me! I've never wronged you, and I have no grudge against you! What are you doing?"
As it turned out...
This Desolate Heaven Emperor really did have a remarkable knack for attracting trouble.
He had actually drawn out Weird Grandpa, who rarely appeared even once in ten years.
Originally, the old man with a broken sword embedded in his head had been following Shi Hao relentlessly.
But perhaps he sensed the strange aura emanating from Shi Xiu.
When the big brother appeared before the younger one...
The strange old man opposite them stopped moving as well.
He stretched out his trembling right hand, his eyes filled with anticipation.
Then he pointed at the broken sword in his head, muttering to himself.
"Sword, my sword..."
This senior had actually suffered quite a tragic fate.
Since ancient times, even heroes had struggled to pass a beauty's trial, and he was precisely the hero described by that saying.
But the woman he had encountered was not truly a beauty, but a female assassin.
When a Heavenly Prodigy of his generation met a female assassin, there was no need to imagine the ending-it was already sealed.
Although that woman had not struck the final blow herself, her companion had completed the mission.
There was simply no helping it.
A man who could once have become the Heaven Mending Sect's leader had fallen just like that.
Now, the only grievance he could not lay to rest was the sword in his head...
Before you continue