Opening the heavenly eye

And so, Xiao Tian and Shi Hao each found their own opportunities, swiftly comprehending the primordial Treasure Art runes revealed by the old Gourd Vine, the Sacrificial Spirit.

By the end, the tiny green gourd had become a rune in Xiao Tian's eyes. As it flickered, the sounds of the heavenly Dao thundered, while the Gourd Vine itself was another rune.

Soon, at eight the next morning, Xiao Tian opened his eyes first. After another ten-odd minutes, Shi Hao finished his comprehension as well.

A Dao marking glowing with brilliant violet light took shape between Xiao Tian's brows. It looked almost exactly like the marking between Yang Jian's brows in Lotus Lantern, except that his was purple, while Yang Jian's was silver.

With a mere thought, it could transform into a noble, deep-purple heavenly eye. Like heaven itself opening its eye, it looked down upon all living beings, carrying a terrifying spiritual pressure.

At another thought from Xiao Tian, the heavenly eye's power slowly subsided, and the Dao marking gradually disappeared.

"Congratulations, host. A new check-in location has been refreshed!"

"Please check in at the Divine Medicine Garden in the Hundred Broken Mountains Range for three minutes!"

Hearing the system notifications, Xiao Tian smiled faintly. He had accomplished everything he had come for, and now he even had an easy freebie waiting.

"Brother, I comprehended the Sacrificial Spirit's Treasure Art! How did yours go? Want me to teach you?"

Shi Hao spoke excitedly.

"No need. I comprehended it too."

Warmth stirred in Xiao Tian's heart as he replied.

As for Shi Hao's smugness, he simply ignored it. The Bear Child was prone to getting carried away, which was perfectly normal. He had been eight once, too.

Just then, eight senior elders of the Heaven Mending Pavilion arrived outside at the Sacrificial Spirit's dwelling. Apart from old Han, Elder Liu, Tao Ye, and Thunder Ancestor Mu Yan, the other four were all at the perfected Inscription Realm.

Judging by the current situation, the Heaven Mending Pavilion's reserves of powerful cultivators were inferior to those of the Deer-Chasing Academy.

The Deer-Chasing Academy's Old Dean was a Venerable, and so was its Sacrificial Spirit.

The Heaven Mending Pavilion's only advantage now was probably its old Gourd Vine Sacrificial Spirit. After all, he had once been a Divine Spirit who had ignited a Divine Flame.

Seeing that the two had finished cultivating, all the elders breathed sighs of relief.

The old men hurriedly gathered around them and began offering instructions, like elders fretting over children and grandchildren about to travel far from home.

"The Hundred Broken Mountains Range gathers outstanding talents from everywhere. You mustn't treat this as an ordinary outing. Once you're inside, anyone could become your enemy. The finest disciples of the greatest powers in the entire Desolate Region, primordial remnants, and Pure-Blooded Fierce Beast Descendants will all enter. You must be extremely careful when you go. Never let your guard down!"

Four others had accompanied the elders, two boys and two girls. They were gifted young talents whom certain elders had taken in and privately tutored. Each was around fourteen and rarely appeared in the Genius Camp, but as personal disciples, their cultivation far surpassed that of ordinary personal disciples.

Every elder knew about the Bear Child Shi Hao joining them.

Many had also heard of Xiao Tian. Just two days after he entered the Genius Camp, two promising youngsters there, the white-robed Yu Feng and Zhou Yuhao, had nearly gone mad.

Later, rumors even claimed that he had provoked the Heaven Mending Pavilion's Ancient Ominous Ghost Master. That all but confirmed he was a monstrous genius, because since ancient times, the Ghost Master had only ever haunted the very best talents.

This also had something to do with the Heaven Mending Pavilion having no Venerable presiding over it now. The Ghost Master, its long-dead founding Grandmaster, had effectively sabotaged the pavilion. From the Ancient Era to the present, many Heavenly Prodigies, and even elders, had died because of him. How could entering the Hundred Broken Mountains Range to find his Broken Sword be easy?

Xiao Tian knew some details from the original plot. Upon entering the Hundred Broken Mountains Range, provided they were not unlucky, a genius's best choice was to obtain Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, consume them immediately, and enter seclusion to improve themselves. Ideally, they would dig a hole, hide inside, and lie low until the end.

Finally, the elders mentioned that top talents such as Shi Yi, the bearer of Double Pupils, had already been escorted ahead to the Hundred Broken Mountains by their respective clans.

Shi Hao, meanwhile, instructed Shi Qingfeng and Furball to cultivate in seclusion in the Ancient Hall and wait for their return.

After finishing their instructions to the disciples heading to the Hundred Broken Mountains Range, the elders all knelt and began to pray. This was the Heaven Mending Pavilion's guardian deity, their ancient ancestor.

Xiao Tian and the other gifted disciples hurriedly knelt as well. Xiao Tian felt nothing wrong with kneeling before such an ancient monster, especially one who had shown him the kindness of imparting a technique.

Then the senior elders swiftly arranged and reinforced a formation. Pieces of special primordial remnant bone appeared one after another, forming the patterns of a teleportation array.

Once everything was ready, the Sacrificial Spirit acted. He extended a branch bearing a green gourd. With a boom, radiant light surged skyward, spatial power churned, and a green teleportation passage took shape. Tao Ye was leading the group this time. He took the six participating Heaven Mending Pavilion disciples into the passage, and with a flash of light, they vanished from the depths of the pavilion's rear courtyard.

Xiao Tian felt spatial power surging all around him. He had a natural affinity for it. Both the Sixth Calabash Brother and the Seventh Brother possessed abilities involving space, though the Seventh Brother's power leaned more toward devouring. In theory, that Treasure Gourd could contain all things and devour everything, turning it into the most fundamental essence for the Seventh Brother to refine and strengthen himself.

The entire teleportation passage resembled a road forged from green metal, with intricate runes arranged throughout it like stars scattered across deep space. It filled everyone with a sense of security, mysterious and unfathomable, peaceful and sacred.

The Sacrificial Spirit's power was stabilizing the passage. Such was a Venerable's strength. Upon reaching the Venerable Realm, one could forcibly open a spatial passage in the Lower Realm and cross a million li in very little time.

During this teleportation, everyone felt as though an eternity had passed, yet also as though it had lasted only an instant. Even their sense of time grew hazy. As distant gateways appeared, shining like stars amid rising green light, a gentle force carried everyone out of the spatial passage.

"Our Heaven Mending Pavilion is one million eight hundred thousand li from the Hundred Broken Mountains, yet we arrived in less time than it takes to drink a cup of tea. This is the might of our pavilion's Sacrificial Spirit. He is an ancient deity who rules over this land and holds it beneath his awe-inspiring power.

"Because our Sacrificial Spirit ancestor is advanced in years, he has rarely displayed his divine might over the past century."

Seeing everyone's astonished expressions, Tao Ye could not help stroking his beard and speaking proudly.

Xiao Tian sighed. It seemed that even the Heaven Mending Pavilion's upper ranks did not know the Sacrificial Spirit Gourd Vine had little time left. That was how the original plot had gone. In the end, four great Venerables besieged the Sacrificial Spirit, and numerous hostile powers, along with others fishing in troubled waters, destroyed the Heaven Mending Pavilion.

Of course, this time, Xiao Tian truly did not know that merging with the Seventh Brother's innate origin panel at the Sacrificial Spirit Gourd Vine's dwelling in the Heaven Mending Pavilion had produced unusual phenomena, bringing the Sacrificial Spirit Gourd Vine considerable benefits. If he could obtain the Fountain of Youth, perhaps the Sacrificial Spirit could live another lifetime.

His cultivation might even advance further.

"That's amazing!"

Shi Hao exclaimed, playing along.

The other four Heaven Mending Pavilion geniuses also voiced their amazement.

"Why can't I see any mountains? Where are the Hundred Broken Mountains Range?"

Xiao Tian casually added a remark, making his presence felt.

In fact, he had already sensed that the Deer-Chasing Academy's party had arrived as well. They were resting and waiting in the ancient city ahead.

Broken Void City stood upon an ancient land. Once, an incomparably glorious ancient kingdom had existed here, ruling boundless territory with a population of over a hundred billion. A great war had destroyed it, burying it in the river of time, and its Sacrificial Spirit had died as well.

In truth, this was much like the calamity the Heaven Mending Pavilion now faced. It, too, was a supreme power whose might overshadowed a vast territory. If the old Gourd Vine Sacrificial Spirit died, this power, passed down since the Ancient Era, would surely dissolve into smoke and ash.

Broken Void City was exceedingly ancient. Since the Hundred Broken Mountains Range appeared, a city had gradually formed here. It had once belonged to that destroyed ancient kingdom, but now lay within the Stone Kingdom's borders.

The time for the Hundred Broken Mountains Range to open had come again. Broken Void Mountain was now not only bustling but dangerous. Fish and dragons mingled together, with humans, beasts, and other races living side by side. Traffic streamed through the city, shops lined both sides of the streets, and cries of buyers and sellers rang out without pause.

The people living here had accumulated broad knowledge over generations. Besides ordinary people selling everyday necessities, cultivators sold all manner of precious beast bones, aged medicinal herbs, weapons, and more.

Xiao Tian's Blue Calabash Brother's Clone held the War Goddess's hand as they walked down the main street. Two Tai Shang Elders of the Deer-Chasing Academy, both at the perfected Array Formation Realm, accompanied them, along with seven disciples. Just as with the Heaven Mending Pavilion, some Deer-Chasing Academy disciples had chosen to enter the Hundred Broken Mountains Range with their own clans, like Shi Yi and Huo Ling'er.

Why had the War Goddess come too? Because a certain shameless person had declared that he would not enter the Hundred Broken Mountains Range unless she saw him off.

Along the way, Xiao Tian saw many members of the Human Race pulling carriages and carrying palanquins while Fierce Birds and savage beasts rode inside. Even more outrageous was the sight of someone carrying a Divine Li Fire Bull calf on his back as he traveled.

Apparently, while out gaining experience, this Li Fire Demon Bull calf had seen several Dragon Horses traveling with three humans who radiated powerful auras riding them. He had hailed them as heavenly steeds and idols of beastkind, and taken inspiration from them. Xiao Tian inexplicably found this familiar, though he could not immediately place it. Perhaps it was the difference between carrying and riding: a single word, yet worlds apart in meaning.

But on reflection, perhaps it meant much the same thing to a mount-it had ridden a human for once.

As Xiao Tian passed by, he secretly swallowed again and again. Pure-blooded offspring of the primordial remnant Li Fire Demon Bull, Golden-Winged Great Peng offspring, pure-blooded Pixiu offspring, and more.

"Meimei, once I come out of the Hundred Broken Mountains, I'll definitely lend you a hand and help you cultivate to the utmost limit of the Spirit Transformation Realm."

Xiao Tian declared without a trace of shame.

The Deer-Chasing Academy's other seven disciples remained silent. Xiao Tian had already beaten every one of them, and now they were all obedient and well-behaved. During this trip into the Hundred Broken Mountains Range, they had to follow his arrangements. Otherwise, even if they returned alive, they would be expelled from the Deer-Chasing Academy.

The disciples who had not left lacked influential backgrounds. Some were direct disciples of the academy's Tai Shang Elders or elders, and simply did not dare disobey orders.

Besides, Xiao Tian truly was powerful. Even when all seven attacked together and gave everything they had, they were defeated without so much as touching the hem of his clothes.

Even the Old Dean did not oppose Xiao Tian pursuing the War Goddess. Their own masters had also warned them that, barring any unforeseen developments, Xiao Tian would become the Deer-Chasing Academy's son-in-law. The War Goddess Yu Meiren was exceptionally talented, and becoming a Venerable was entirely possible for her.

Xiao Tian's talent was even greater. If he married her, they would be a gifted man and a beautiful woman, a match made in heaven. Many of the Deer-Chasing Academy's Tai Shang Elders were happy to see this happen.

To those ancient monsters, what mattered more was their legacy and descendants. If the younger generation was outstanding enough to protect the Deer-Chasing Academy, they could die with their eyes closed in peace when their time came.

(End of chapter)