"No problem. Come on, let's go fight right now."
Xiao Tian was brimming with excitement. The next moment, he rushed over, hoisted the War Goddess onto his shoulder, and headed for the wilderness outside.
"You bastard, put me down."
The War Goddess had a very bad feeling. She realized that in the Blood Moving Realm region, she seemed to be no match at all for this boy. Before she could even react, he had carried her off.
The first time he kissed her, she could call it an accident.
The second time he held her, she could say Shi Hao had distracted her.
But this third time, she had been guarding against Xiao Tian all along.
Yet he crouched, wrapped his arms around her legs, and hoisted her up in one seamless sequence, leaving her utterly powerless to resist. Even when she struggled using the power of bone text, she stirred not a ripple, like a stone sinking into the sea.
Carried over his shoulder, the War Goddess resisted fiercely. She unleashed the Deer-Chasing Academy's Pavilion-Guarding Treasure Art, the pure-blooded Teng Snake Treasure Art, Teng Snake Silk-Winding Hand, and fought Xiao Tian at close quarters. Golden light flowed over her hands, golden snake scales emerged, and she struck at his face.
Xiao Tian reached out, his palm suddenly growing larger, and caught both her hands in a single grip.
"Stop fussing. If you keep misbehaving, I'll spank you," Xiao Tian said warmly, as though coaxing a little child.
By now, Xiao Tian had gained a deeper understanding of his Calabash Brothers innate abilities. He could split into two, with both bodies being his true self. If one body was injured, the other could feel it too-a genuine meeting of hearts.
It was far more profound than the primary-and-secondary-body cultivation method practiced by Yue Chan of the Heaven Mending Sect.
After splitting, the two bodies possessed the abilities of Da Wa and the Sixth Calabash Brother, respectively.
Xiao Tian was not surprised by this divine ability. The Calabash Brothers could split apart and merge together to begin with.
Thus, he could easily send one body to the Heaven Mending Pavilion and the other to the Deer-Chasing Academy.
His greatest problem now was that the two bodies looked exactly alike. He would have to find a way to learn Furball's Treasure Art, the Seventy-Two Transformations, from Shi Hao later. Only then could he change his appearance freely.
"Put me down. There's no need to fight. You can enter the Deer-Chasing Academy. You have my approval."
In all her life, the War Goddess had never suffered such indignity. In the Blood Moving Realm, she had cultivated strength of ninety-four thousand jin, yet she was utterly helpless against Xiao Tian. It was a heavy blow.
But suddenly, she felt she had guessed who this scoundrel was. "If you don't put me down, don't blame me for revealing that you beat up Shi Yi, the one with double pupils."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Xiao Tian would never admit it. This woman wanted to bluff him? In her dreams.
Smack!
Xiao Tian acted at once, bringing his palm down for a slap. The Deceit Beast Treasure Art enveloped his hand. Although her armored battle skirt lay between them, he had the Deceit Beast Treasure Art. He could deceive himself by saying there was no armor, and then there truly was no armor. The sensation was wonderfully springy, round and full like a huge sack filled with water.
The only pity was that, despite his diligent practice of the Deceit Beast Treasure Art, he had yet to master it. The War Goddess still wore a layer of underpants beneath her armor, and he had not penetrated that.
The War Goddess's lovely face instantly flushed red. What had this bastard done?
She was utterly flustered. She was clearly still wearing clothes.
Just then, Xiao Tian put her down. "Don't be scared. That's a secret art I cultivate. Others can't see it, and your armored battle skirt is still properly on you. Look, Xia Youyu from the Heaven Mending Pavilion is watching nearby. You wouldn't want her to notice anything, would you?"
The War Goddess, Yu Meiren, was overcome with shame and anger. She stared coldly at Xiao Tian for a few moments, threw him a token, then left the Void God Realm outright and returned to reality.
The Deer-Chasing Academy!
Beside a pool shrouded in spiritual energy and curling white mist, lush grass grew in an even emerald carpet. The vegetation here had basked in the essence of sun and moon and enjoyed the favor of the world's spiritual energy. Even ordinary plants were exceptionally verdant.
The flowers, grasses, and trees all looked as though they had been carved from green jade.
Ancient trees towered all around, their branches sturdy and powerful like coiling dragons. Aged medicinal plants and spirit herbs dotted the grass, giving off rich fragrances. Spirit birds wheeled through the sky, rare beasts roamed, and a divine spring flowed with a gentle burble.
A Five-Colored Luan Bird nearby also opened her eyes. Looking at Yu Meiren, she asked anxiously, "Sister Meiren, what's wrong? Why did you suddenly leave the Void God Realm?"
"It's nothing, Cai'er. Let me have some quiet."
Hearing that familiar form of address, the War Goddess could not help thinking of Xiao Tian. Irritated, she stood and followed a winding path into secluded surroundings. She stepped onto a cobblestone trail, passed a thousand-meter waterfall nearby, and stopped for a while. Watching the water wind its way deep into the beautiful immortal mountains, she became slightly lost in thought.
In all her life, she had never suffered such a loss. To become the Deer-Chasing Academy's senior sister of this generation, she naturally possessed formidable strength. Even some of the academy's elders were no match for her.
Yet facing Xiao Tian in the Void God Realm today, she had learned deeply what it meant to be powerless. In the Blood Moving Realm, the gap between them was enormous. Otherwise, he could never have taken advantage of her again and again.
Once she calmed down, the War Goddess knew that lecherous scum had to be the outrageously audacious boy who had beaten up the one with Double Pupils two years ago, driving him mad with rage and making him enter the Void God Realm repeatedly to search for that mysterious boy.
Yet after beating up the one with Double Pupils, that mysterious boy had never appeared in the Void God Realm again. It was as though he had vanished.
More than two years had passed. Some even speculated that something had happened to the boy-that the Martial King Manor and the Rain Clan had found and killed him.
Others said he had fled to another great region.
The lower realm had Eight Regions, and this was merely the Desolate Region.
But the War Goddess felt she now knew who that mysterious boy was. She just did not know whether he had changed his appearance with a Treasure Art again this time, or whether this was his real face.
Xiao Tian awoke atop the Sacrificial Spirit, Silver Mountain. This time, whether the War Goddess hated him to death or felt something else, she would never forget him. That was a good start.
"Ancestor, I've finished my secluded cultivation. Thank you for protecting me."
Xiao Tian reached out and patted the White Silver Mountain beneath him as he spoke.
"No need to stand on ceremony with your ancestor. This old man has gained quite a bit from witnessing the birth of a monstrous prodigy with the legendary ten heavenly grottoes. You've done well. Guard against arrogance and impatience, and remember one thing: stay alive. Live longer than your peers. With your talent, you're destined to become a Venerable, perhaps even reach the legendary divine spirit realm."
The Sacrificial Spirit, Silver Mountain, spoke.
"Take this Treasure Artifact.
"This Treasure Artifact was casually refined by this old ancestor over the past few years. Its power rivals that of a Treasure Artifact refined by an expert at the marquis-sealing level of the Inscription Realm. It would only sit here otherwise, so take it to protect yourself!"
Then a small cauldron gleaming with silver light flew out of the Sacrificial Spirit, Silver Mountain. It was only the size of a thumb, square in shape, and decorated with birds, beasts, insects, fish, flowers, grasses, and trees, as well as suanni, luan birds, and more.
"One must not refuse a gift from an elder. Thank you, Ancestor."
Xiao Tian extended both hands and solemnly accepted the four-legged silver cauldron as he spoke.
Although Xiao Tian had the Ruyi Jingu Bang and the Chef God Cleaver, neither could be used lightly. With a cauldron-shaped Treasure Artifact like this, he could use it openly whenever he pleased.
Most importantly, it could also serve as a cooking utensil. Just thinking about it made him feel-"Whew!"-that he was simply too clever.
Xiao Tian bid farewell to the Sacrificial Spirit and followed the bluestone path back to the Xiao Clan. Next, he would prepare to head to the Heaven Mending Pavilion and the Deer-Chasing Academy.
He had already decided to split into two and go to both places. One would pose as the mysterious boy, while the other would attend quietly under his identity as Xiao Tian.
Of course, the mysterious boy would be the one going to the Heaven Mending Pavilion. A great calamity already awaited the pavilion; when you had enough debts, one more would not weigh you down. He could not drag the Deer-Chasing Academy into trouble merely by attending it.
When Xiao Tian said he had received a special invitation from the War Goddess to study at the Deer-Chasing Academy, Marquis Ling Tian offered no objection. He already knew exactly what had happened in the Void God Realm. His grandson really had promise-and good taste, too. He had actually set his sights on the Deer-Chasing Academy's War Goddess. Naturally, Marquis Ling Tian supported him.
With the decision made, Xiao Tian announced that he would go to the Deer-Chasing Academy alone, without an escort. With his current strength, even ordinary spirit transformation realm experts were no match for him.
This was far from Xiao Tian's first journey outside to gain experience over the years, so his family felt reassured.
Xiao Tian's younger sister was six and a half. Her talent only qualified her as a genius among ordinary children; she could not even compare to the Xiao Tian of the original story.
Of course, having been born into the Xiao Family, she had enjoyed the treatment of a commandery princess since childhood. She lacked neither food nor clothing and only needed to cultivate steadily. Once Xiao Tian grew strong and obtained good things such as the Heavenly God Fruit, he could simply carry her straight to the top.
Xiao Tian departed. The journey was long, a full seven hundred thousand li, so setting out early was essential. Fortunately, the Deer-Chasing Academy and the Heaven Mending Pavilion lay in the same direction.
Presumably, Shi Hao had also set out for the Heaven Mending Pavilion with Shi Qingfeng and Furball on his journey of cultivation.
Xiao Tian split into two. Each could store the other's memories first, then review them one by one later when he had time.
Although he had already learned a Treasure Art that could change his physical appearance, obtained from a chameleon with flood dragon blood, it was far too ordinary. He still needed to find Shi Hao and obtain Furball's Seventy-Two Transformations.
"We're both the true body, with no distinction between us. Once we separate, we just need to complete our tasks and work hard to grow stronger."
The two exchanged a glance and spoke at the same time.
After all, the two bodies were completely linked in mind. To avoid disturbing each other in daily life, they would have to block out the other's perceptions. Otherwise, it would be terribly inconvenient.
This was probably why the Calabash Brothers were linked heart to heart. He had fused with the Calabash Brothers panels and gained the divine ability to split apart, but from beginning to end, he had only one consciousness. Thus, things had turned out this way.
Their innate divine abilities also represented Da Wa and the Sixth Calabash Brother, respectively. Although their linked minds allowed each to use a little of the other's divine abilities, neither could wield those abilities as freely and effortlessly as the body possessing the corresponding Innate Talent Panel.
There were advantages, too. If Xiao Tian had formation arts or Treasure Arts designed for joint attacks, then once he collected the Innate Talent Panels of all seven Calabash Brothers, the combat power his seven selves could unleash would be terrifying.
In the novel Tomb of the Gods, the heroine, the Seven-Extremes Woman, merged her seven bodies into one and gained Heaven-Defying-tier combat power outright.
With Yue Chan and Qingyi's primary and secondary bodies, one could also turn the tables and become the dominant one. After merging, their strength grew even greater.
Over mountains and across rivers, through a thousand hardships!
The two Xiao Tians set off separately, heading toward the Heaven Mending Pavilion and the Deer-Chasing Academy.
Xiao Tian had already made up his mind. The self entering the Heaven Mending Pavilion would mainly be there to check in. The Deer-Chasing Academy was important too, because the War Goddess, Yu Meiren, awaited him there, and that concerned his happiness in both mind and body.
Unfortunately, while the Heaven Mending Pavilion was recruiting disciples recently, the Deer-Chasing Academy was not. The two top powers usually staggered their recruitment periods by three years.
Of course, if one recruited an outstanding disciple, that did not stop the other from sending someone to try to win that disciple over. In the original story, for instance, the War Goddess could never forget Bear Child Shi Hao and wanted to lure him to the Deer-Chasing Academy.
(End of chapter)
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