The Sea-Calming Divine Needle

Taiyi True Water lay within a golden desert. Following the Rain Clan, they were led straight to their destination. From afar, they could see a pool barely a meter square amid the swirling yellow sand, yet untouched by it. Divine liquid bubbled from its spring, auspicious energy rose, and clouds and rosy radiance billowed. Any windblown sand that approached turned directly into essence.

The Divine Pool looked like a tiny puddle that could vanish beneath the sea of sand at any moment. Yet a careful probe revealed a vast, earth-shaking force capable of overturning rivers and seas, like the ocean surging above the Mariana Trench, brimming with boundless, tempestuous power.

The divine liquid of Taiyi True Water was clear as ordinary water, with divine light flowing through it. Its sacred brilliance arose naturally, rather than from sunlight shining upon it.

One could imagine how, at night, auspicious colors would swirl here, divine radiance would rise, and essence would gush forth.

The only pity was that such a tiny pool was difficult to discover in this boundless golden sea of sand. It truly embodied the words, "A mayfly adrift between heaven and earth, a single grain lost in the vast ocean."

The Rain Clan members were ecstatic. Some prayed, others embraced, and all stepped gingerly. They had succeeded. This little pool of Taiyi True Water was theirs, and it would surely restore the Rain Clan's former glory.

The Rain Clan had once produced a divine spirit known as the Rain God, an immensely powerful being—not merely a false god or a true god, but very possibly a Heavenly God. Countless ages later, in the Original Plot, Shi Hao had provoked the treasure that the Rain Clan's divine spirit left behind and sensed that the old monster might still be alive. He had merely gone elsewhere and could not return, much less muster the power to descend into the Lower Realm.

Xiao Tian reckoned he had probably gone somewhere in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

After all, in the Original Plot, Shi Hao had mainly been active in the Three Thousand Dao Provinces and Boundless Heaven within the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. He had also visited Great Red Heaven, also called the Heaven of Parting Sorrow.

As for Taiyi True Water, divine liquid that had long since awakened could fly through the heavens and burrow through the earth. Like the Earth Spirit Milk Xiao Tian had encountered, it knew how to hide itself.

This Taiyi True Water had nearly awakened, developing runes and laws and beginning its transformation into a sacrificial spirit. As the Rain Clan approached, its runes actually manifested all manner of Fierce Beasts, vivid and lifelike. They threw back their heads and roared, as though Inscription Realm Fierce Beasts had descended.

Most importantly, these manifested Fierce Beasts were not merely for show. Black tigers whipped up sandstorms that filled the sky, purple camels summoned thunder across the heavens, and golden rocs soared overhead, their beating wings sending golden feathers raining down like ten thousand swords unleashed at once...

This was Taiyi True Water's warning. It could also summon the remains of powerful beings who had died in the desert, forming an Army of the Dead to attack.

Xiao Tian's Sixth Calabash Brother's Body had already brought the Seven Deer-Chasing Sons along and was rushing toward them.

Xiao Tian's Seventh Brother's Clone had already been nearby.

And there was Xiao Tian's Da Wa Body as well.

Xiao Tian did not care how difficult Taiyi True Water was to obtain. Unlike the Rain Clan, who stood praying and communicating with it in hopes of receiving a gift, he wanted every last drop.

This world was on the verge of ruin. Who had time for talk of draining the pond to catch the fish, heaven cherishing all life, or leaving others a way out...?

He understood plenty of those principles and had learned all those sayings.

But he wanted it all.

He was doing this to grow stronger quickly and save the world!

Xiao Tian sharpened his blades with eager anticipation. This time, both the Ruyi Jingu Bang and the Kitchen God Knife would see action. Fortunately, his Sixth Calabash Brother's Body was not far away. With that body's innate abilities, he could lead the Deer-Chasing Academy group along without obstruction, even stepping over the heads of powerful ancient-descendant Fierce Beasts without a problem.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! There's a Guardian Spirit Vine too! It's a companion spirit vine raised by Taiyi True Water. They help each other grow and collude like wolves and their companions, keeping the Rain Clan out!"

Shi Hao's large eyes were round as he spoke excitedly.

Xiao Tian was speechless. Had Shi Hao used the wrong idiom? That was called siding with allies and attacking outsiders. He hurriedly sent Shi Hao a voice transmission, giving him a lesson on the spot.

"Mm-hmm, I get it, bro. So when do we make our move?"

Shi Hao wiped away his drool and asked as he stared at Taiyi True Water.

"Have you heard of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind it?

"Have you heard of the snipe and clam fighting, only for the fisherman to reap the rewards?

"Wait patiently."

Xiao Tian spoke with a broad smile.

Fortunately, he had recently made a conscious effort to bring his three bodies closer together. He had originally been preparing to break through to twelve heavenly grottos, but now it was coming in handy.

This Taiyi True Water really had awakened and already possessed a rudimentary consciousness. Wonderful-it could communicate. Better still, better still.

His Sixth Calabash Brother's Body would arrive in another five minutes.

His Seventh Brother's Clone already had his gourd ready.

That Jade Water Vine possessed King-Sealing Realm strength. It was formidable indeed. Even the imitation Heaven and Earth Bag that the Rain Clan deployed was torn apart.

In other words, so long as Taiyi True Water kept a low profile and avoided the few King-Sealing Realm old monsters in the Hundred Broken Mountains' Small World, it and the Jade Water Vine could live quite comfortably together.

The Rain Clan members were heartbroken. Their clan had spent a long time refining this Heaven and Earth Bag, yet the Jade Water Vine had now punctured it.

Xiao Tian's heart sank slightly. He reached up and took the Ruyi Jingu Bang from his ear. "For Brother Monkey's sake, Emperor Yu's sake, and Lord Lao's sake-and we might even be from the same hometown-you can't disgrace your reputation as the Sea-Calming Divine Needle. In a moment, pin that Taiyi True Water down."

"That staff is a fine treasure! Let me touch it."

Shi Hao immediately spoke up excitedly.

"Don't even think about it. No one but my woman gets to touch it."

Xiao Tian immediately moved his hand away and spoke with a dark expression.

Shi Hao looked utterly bewildered. He did not understand; his own staff was right there.

The Silver-Blood Giant, Nine-Headed Lion, Tree Person, and big red bird lying in ambush nearby were equally bewildered. They did not understand either.

The Rain Clan grew anxious. After discussing it briefly, they brought out a Small Altar, pitch-black and just over a foot tall. The clan members hurriedly knelt in devout worship. Once the altar was set in place, they took out a yellowed sheet of paper, carefully holding it in both hands before placing it upon the altar.

Then several of the Rain Clan's Sealed Ones silently recited incantations together, activating the Sacrificial Treasure Art taught by their Rain God and beginning their worship.

"What's the Rain Clan doing, acting all mystical like that?"

Shi Hao's attention was immediately diverted as he asked.

"That's a Divine Spirit Edict."

The knowledgeable Tree Person answered at once.

The Treefolk had also once worshipped a divine spirit known as the Goddess of Nature.

The golden-yellow paper gradually began to shine, then burst into flames. Words emerged in the void as though branded upon the air, every character a pearl, their strokes dancing like dragons and phoenixes. A mysterious pressure descended.

As this divine script appeared, ancient sacrificial chants seemed to echo faintly, solemn and sacred, grave and age-old, compelling people to bow in devout worship.

"Get ready, everyone. Once the Rain Clan finishes, you lot attack them. Run if you can't beat them-the important thing is to keep their attention occupied.

"Shi Hao, you and I will join forces to seize Taiyi True Water."

Xiao Tian gave his instructions.

"Here, I'll lend you this treasure. It's one of my clan's reserves, so I can't give it to you.

"Once we get Taiyi True Water, this treasure will help you refine it."

Xiao Tian handed Shi Hao a Water-Settling Pearl. Knowing the boy's troublesome nature, he made sure to remind him.

"Oh, got it, bro."

Shi Hao answered with an innocent expression.

Xiao Tian rolled his eyes. "Keep pretending. Who doesn't know what a little terror you are? If you weren't unable to beat him, you'd have turned the heavens upside down already."

This treasure had been refined by a former King-Sealing expert of the Xiao Clan and was one of the clan's reserves. Unfortunately, in the Original Plot, Xiao Tian had also been bestowed this treasure by his clan. Now he had given it to Shi Hao.

The treasure was quite famous. It had been refined from a fragment of an ancient Sea-Calming Divine Pearl after the pearl shattered.

The Seventh Brother's Clone had already approached through the void and naturally merged with Xiao Tian, like a primordial spirit returning to its body. This treasure had originally been in the clone's possession.

Xiao Tian gave him the Kitchen God Knife. He would use threats and enticements to take it into the gourd; if Taiyi True Water dared resist, he would use the Kitchen God Knife to chop away its spiritual awareness. The spirit vine would receive the same treatment, of course. If it refused to obey, it could prepare to be treated like a cabbage.

Sure enough, the Rain Clan succeeded. The Jade Water Vine was so frightened that it knelt outright, constantly communicating with Taiyi True Water.

The Rain Clan began spinning half-truths and grand promises. They said they would enshrine Taiyi True Water as their sacrificial spirit and help it become a god one day. Their clan had that capability: they had once produced a mighty Rain God, whose arts were naturally attuned to water and could guide Taiyi True Water to attain the Dao.

After Taiyi True Water and the Jade Water Vine discussed it, their attitude changed completely, and they agreed to follow. They had been thoroughly hoodwinked, especially Taiyi True Water. It had only just developed a faint, hazy will and had no deep schemes. Sensing tremendous benefits for itself, it was tempted, with no understanding whatsoever of the treacherous twists of the human heart.

The Jade Water Vine, which had grown alongside Taiyi True Water, was also willing to follow.

The Rain Clan members were overjoyed. They truly had no intention of harming Taiyi True Water. With Taiyi True Water and the Jade Water Spirit Vine, proper nurturing would give them not only two powerful sacrificial spirits, but also Taiyi True Water itself, which could bestow enormous benefits upon generations of their clan. The Rain Clan was destined for ever greater glory. In the future, they might even split from the Stone Kingdom and establish a Rain Kingdom of their own.

At this moment, every Rain Clan member looked solemn, utterly earnest and devout, not daring to harbor the slightest negligence or disrespect. They brought out a spotless white jade cauldron prepared long beforehand. It contained no harmful bone text whatsoever and was purely Storage Equipment. They respectfully invited Taiyi True Water to enter the jade cauldron so they could take it away, leaving this prison-like Small World to see the greater world outside. From then on, they would grow mighty together and create a glorious future.

Taiyi True Water and the Jade Water Spirit Vine rose into the air, becoming a dazzling, crystalline ball of light. Without resistance or mishap, they flew directly into the jade cauldron prepared by the Rain Clan. The little hollow in the sand dried up completely, leaving not a single drop of Taiyi True Water behind.

"Attack!"

Xiao Tian spoke, and he and Shi Hao moved first. In the Original Plot, Shi Hao had jumped straight into the Rain Cauldron. This time, Xiao Tian certainly would not let him squander it that way.

Xiao Tian told him to attack the old man holding the jade cauldron.

As for Xiao Tian, he leaped forward, light as a swallow, shrinking as he went. Upon approaching the jade cauldron, he jumped straight onto its rim and thrust the Sea-Calming Divine Needle into its center. Let's see where you can run now.

The spirit vine was not particularly quick-witted either. Like Taiyi True Water, it was still bewildered about what had happened when a mysterious force pinned it down.

The Jade Water Spirit Vine and Taiyi True Water were instantly suppressed together by the Sea-Calming Divine Needle. Sure enough, the Ruyi Jingu Bang was a marvelous treasure.

(End of chapter)