Bro, you're drooling

"Crack!"

Meanwhile, Shi Hao directly unleashed his golden shears and cut off the arm of the elder holding the Jade Cauldron. He had seized this treasure from a pangolin Sacrificial Spirit. Even the Willow Deity had said that this treasure had once been extraordinary, but the deity within it had later been killed.

In fact, it was indeed extraordinary. A silver sword made from material shed by the Xiao Clan's Sacrificial Spirit had also been cut apart by this weapon.

Still, that sword had blocked the treasure briefly, giving Shi Hao an opening to kill the pangolin Sacrificial Spirit. Since then, he had kept the Golden Bone Shears as a trump card, alternating between them and the mirror polished from the Suanni Treasure Bone.

The Treasure Gourd appeared in Xiao Tian's hand, and he immediately drew the Jade Cauldron inside. Not stopping there, he aimed its mouth at the Rain Clan members.

"Get in!"

At Xiao Tian's command, he raised the gourd high. The mouth of this Treasure Gourd, comparable to the utmost limits of the Spirit Transformation Realm, glowed as though it had become a black hole. An irresistible, terrifying suction enveloped the Rain Clan members present. Purple chains of runes extended, coiling around them one after another and dragging them into the gourd.

Some unleashed treasures meant to save their lives. The Rain Clan naturally had deep reserves, and each treasure they brought out was powerful as they tried to escape.

The Food God Saber appeared in Xiao Tian's right hand. He spun it once, then sent it flying. "Crack, crack-" The saber swept in a circle, slicing every Treasure Artifact the Rain Clan members had unleashed into two.

Then, everyone was instantly drawn into the gourd's bottommost layer. Yin and yang energies circulated, enveloping them like a taiji diagram. Each person who fell inside turned into wisps of essence, refined on the spot.

Within the Hundred Broken Mountains Range, what did it matter if they were sealers? Against Xiao Tian, death was their only path. Even at their peak, they would have been no match for him.

After all, sealers generally cultivated in the Spirit Transformation Realm. Those at the Inscription Realm or above were already supreme elders within their clans. Who among them would willingly risk their lives like this?

The Rain Clan had suffered enormous losses this time. To leave nothing to chance, Xiao Tian killed everyone who could tell the tale. All twenty-odd Rain Clan members present were refined by the gourd into divine essence, along with their spiritual medicines and some of their Treasure Artifacts.

Once the last person had been drawn inside, Xiao Tian immediately plugged the gourd and put it away in the Heavenly Grotto between his brows.

Shi Hao gazed longingly at Xiao Tian's gourd, green with envy. So he had a gourd too! No wonder he had stopped Shi Hao from setting his sights on the gourd belonging to the Heaven Mending Pavilion's Sacrificial Spirit last time.

"Here, this is for you. Refine it and repair the hole, and you can still use it."

Seeing the look in Shi Hao's eyes, how could Xiao Tian fail to understand his little schemes? He immediately tossed the imitation Heaven and Earth Bag with a hole in it to Shi Hao, diverting his attention as he spoke.

Shi Hao immediately remembered the power of this Heaven and Earth Bag and grew wildly excited. Most importantly, it could shrink to the size of his palm and be tucked into his robes, giving him freedom to store things. Wonderful! He finally had somewhere to put the sacks he carried.

A little while later!

Xiao Tian's Sixth Calabash Brother's Body arranged for the Seven Deer-Chasing Sons to cultivate in seclusion nearby. They had all gained some benefits and had yet to finish refining the Earth Spirit Milk within their bodies. They treasured it dearly, taking it one drop at a time.

Then the Sixth Calabash Brother's Body quietly returned as well. With his three bodies united and so many precious cultivation resources in hand, Xiao Tian naturally announced that he would enter seclusion.

Before doing so, he generously gave Shi Hao ten jin of Taiyi True Water. The other followers each received half a jin. Everyone present got a share; they had contributed too and deserved some encouragement.

More than a hundred jin of Taiyi True Water remained, but he could not use too much, or he would damage its foundation. Xiao Tian took twenty jin and began refining it.

While Xiao Tian and Shi Hao cultivated in seclusion, the others naturally stood guard.

They could not refine Taiyi True Water themselves, so they could only keep it for refining Treasure Artifacts or making medicine.

After Xiao Tian drank the Taiyi True Water, his entire body instantly shone, as though he had vanished from the spot in a flash. His body devoured and absorbed the Taiyi True Water like a sponge soaking up water.

Sure enough, given his constitution, the Taiyi True Water was easy to absorb, and no mishaps occurred.

His left temple throbbed. Finally, with a "crack," a sound of the Dao like the creation of heaven and earth rang out. A spring opening appeared, gushing blazing white light. The power of the sun surged, turning into wisps of golden flame that burned fiercely, while hazy white mists of light drifted and swirled within the Heavenly Grotto.

Finally, a breakthrough! I'd been holding it in for so long. That felt great.

Xiao Tian was thrilled. In theory, this Heavenly Grotto was also one of Seventh Brother's hidden talents.

Among the Calabash Brothers, Seventh Brother was the most special.

In other words, Seventh Brother could actually open another Moon Acupoint Heavenly Grotto on the right side.

No rush. Once I get the Fountain of Youth, it'll be time to open my thirteenth Heavenly Grotto!

Xiao Tian examined himself inwardly. Within the Cave Heaven Realm, he had already reached heights others dared not even imagine. Moreover, during his breakthrough, his divine radiance remained contained, and the resonance of the Dao circulated through him. He felt his body and soul improve in every respect. His body was translucent, his bones gleamed white like divine mutton-fat jade, and his internal organs shone with crystalline colors. Even his skin glowed with flowing radiance. His hair was glossy black, every strand incomparably tough, shimmering with a jade sheen and untainted by a speck of dust.

He continued cultivating in seclusion. Every breakthrough deepened his understanding of his innate Calabash Brothers abilities, allowing him to wield them ever more freely.

After the Heavenly Grotto opened, the Sixth Calabash Brother's Body and Seventh Brother's Clone each used the Sixth Calabash Brother's invisibility talent and returned to their own tasks.

This made gathering resources all the more convenient for Xiao Tian.

As for the Taiyi True Water, it was now being kept in the White Jade Cauldron, suppressed by the Ruyi Jingu Bang. He would have to coax it gradually.

For the moment, following Xiao Tian had cost it dearly, but in the long run, this was a fortuitous opportunity for the Taiyi True Water.

To soothe the Taiyi True Water, Xiao Tian even gave it a bottle of Earth Spirit Milk to drink.

In the end, it was a child without complicated thoughts and was easy to coax.

Xiao Tian also told it a story about the Sea-Calming Divine Needle, encouraging it to worship the pillar holding it down whenever it had nothing to do. That was the true fortuitous opportunity.

As for the Jade Water Spirit Vine, Xiao Tian declared that if it disobeyed, the moment he left the Hundred Broken Mountains, he would have a Venerable act and stew it, using it as a saint medicine.

In truth, this spirit vine was indeed worth half a saint medicine. After all, it had grown by absorbing Taiyi True Water. It was anything but ordinary and possessed immense potential.

Xiao Tian continued cultivating in seclusion. Opening his twelfth Heavenly Grotto would allow him to control the power of the sun with effortless ease in the future. This was itself one of Seventh Brother's hidden talents.

Xiao Tian knew that Shi Hao would gain even more this time. Barring any surprises, his Reincarnation Bone would awaken. The Treasure Art contained within that bone was absolutely comparable to a True Immortal's art-and a top-tier one at that. This was an art that touched upon the domain of time.

Recently, Xiao Tian's brilliance had overshadowed Shi Hao, making their followers feel that Xiao Tian had hidden his strength even more deeply. They had also guessed his identity: the mysterious youth who had beaten up the one with Double Pupils.

That afternoon!

"Rumble!"

A terrifying force swept across the sky from where Shi Hao was cultivating in seclusion, making the surrounding mountains and land tremble slightly. Passing clouds were shattered outright, dissolving into nothingness. Shi Hao's chest shone with dazzling brilliance, more radiant than the sun, and carried a terrifying fluctuation. At that moment, even the surrounding heaven and earth paled in comparison.

Xiao Tian glanced over, utterly composed, then continued his secluded cultivation.

From this moment onward, little Shi Hao was truly about to rise!

Not only that, Shi Hao opened his ninth Heavenly Grotto with the unstoppable momentum of splitting bamboo.

The Fish-Dragon Banquet a few days earlier had already been incredibly nourishing. Along the way, they had eaten wherever they went. Shi Hao had been only the tiniest opportunity away from a breakthrough.

With the Taiyi True Water, had that opportunity not arrived?

Xiao Tian felt that he was in the same situation. All he lacked was the opportunity offered by the Fountain of Youth.

If that failed, he would find a way to nourish himself some more. He remembered that the Divine Monkey King had Silver Peaches, a Quasi-Saint Medicine. Right, there was also Monkey Wine, and the Golden Bee King's Royal Jelly.

Early the next morning.

Shi Hao opened his eyes and gazed at the rising sun. Feeling the warmth of the Supreme Bone in his chest, his large eyes slowly misted over. So much had happened to him because of this one bone.

Even now, he did not know where his parents were. Where was his grandfather?

"Your Supreme Bone has regenerated. Sure enough, a Supreme Bone is even more powerful after nirvana. Keep working hard. Now isn't the time for sorrow. Once you grow strong, all your great enemies will be nothing but clay chickens and earthen dogs. Even those once-supreme powerhouses will crawl at your feet and beg for mercy."

Xiao Tian also gazed at the rising sun. The sun in this Small World had to be a Golden Crow's corpse. If he stewed it, it would surely be very nourishing!

"Bro, you're drooling."

Shi Hao spoke.

"No, I'm not. You're seeing things."

Xiao Tian immediately replied with a serious expression.

"Bro, do you want to eat Golden Crow meat?"

Shi Hao asked, his large eyes sparkling.

Xiao Tian: "-"

Shi Hao's breakthrough left the Silver-Blood Giant, the big red bird, the Tree Person, and the Nine-Headed Lion deeply envious. At the same time, they looked at Shi Hao in an entirely different light.

Someone with eight Heavenly Grottos was already rare among the Human Race, worthy of praise as a heaven-gifted talent with the makings of greatness.

Now, Shi Hao had easily broken through to nine Heavenly Grottos. Moreover, the little sun at his breastbone last night had actually resonated with heaven and earth. All of this proved how extraordinary he was.

Recalling some scandals that had emerged from the Martial King Manor, there seemed to have been a child born a supreme being whose Supreme Bone had been dug out and transplanted into someone with Double Pupils, a born saint.

At the time, the affair had caused an enormous uproar. Shi Ziling, a genius of the Martial King Manor, had killed the mother of the one with Double Pupils, and word had spread throughout the Stone City Imperial Capital.

Looking back now and reasoning through everything that had happened to Shi Hao last night, they could tell that the rumors were true. The Bear Child before them was precisely that pitiful child who had been so cruelly wronged all those years ago.

A Young Supreme, crippled by the mother of the one with Double Pupils.

In any other race, would he not have been revered, with powerful experts assigned to guard him around the clock? How could something like that ever have happened?

What a sin!

With this breakthrough, Shi Hao felt as though he had shed his old flesh and exchanged his bones. His body had grown much stronger overall, strengthened not only by reaching nine Heavenly Grottos, but also by the Supreme Bone's Nirvana Rebirth.

Yet whenever he thought of Xiao Tian's terrifying combat strength, Shi Hao could not help worrying. He suspected that Xiao Tian had long since attained Ten Heavenly Grotto.

The Willow Deity had said that for a true Pure-Blooded Fierce Beast, only ten Heavenly Grottos represented perfection.

Thus, he would definitely have to reach ten Heavenly Grottos.

"Let's keep moving. Pay more attention to Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. My friend found Earth Spirit Milk. If you two contribute enough, I'll help you cultivate eight Heavenly Grottos."

Xiao Tian gave these instructions to the big red bird and the Tree Person.

(End of chapter)