In the Void God Realm, Shi Yi had just crawled out of the mountainside, dazed and dizzy. Jun Moxiao's slap had knocked him senseless.
Shi Yi kept asking himself, Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing? Ow! Why does my face hurt so much? Who hit me?
He had barely emerged from the mountainside when an arrogant voice rang out from afar.
"Shi Yi, my dear elder cousin, I accept your challenge. I won't take advantage of the fact that Invincible Handsome Guy just sent you flying. I'll give you two months to recover, then you can take a brutal beating from your younger cousin."
After saying that, Shi Hao immediately returned to his physical body and threw himself into cultivation. He and Huo Ling'er had just found an entire pool of Divine Liquid. This was probably the divine substance Jun Moxiao had mentioned before!
The two immediately entered the Divine Pool to cultivate. Since Shi Hao's Supreme Bone had already recovered, he did not drain every drop of Divine Liquid from the pool as he had in the original storyline.
Shi Hao used the Divine Liquid to reach the perfected Inscription Realm, while Huo Ling'er advanced to the late Inscription Realm. She became even more beautiful, leaving Shi Hao staring in a daze. More importantly, neither of them wore any clothes in the pool, leaving them facing each other completely bare.
Seeing Shi Hao's expression, Huo Ling'er flushed crimson and covered her chest with both hands. "You scoundrel! Still staring? Turn around!" she said shyly.
Shi Hao's face also turned bright red, but he stubbornly retorted, "Junior sister, weren't you looking at me just now too? We're even."
"You scoundrel, you're asking for a beating!" Huo Ling'er said.
With that, Huo Ling'er chased Shi Hao and pummeled him. Shi Hao covered his head with both hands, howling with exaggerated cries. He could not bear to hit Huo Ling'er back at all, so he could only let the lovely girl before him rain her little fists down on him.
"Junior sister, not the face...!"
After that bout of playful scuffling, their feelings for each other deepened further.
Shi Hao and Huo Ling'er left the Secret Realm. Seeing how much stronger his beloved daughter and prospective son-in-law had become, the Fire Emperor was deeply pleased.
"Excellent! You've both made breakthroughs. This time, you really must thank Xiaoxiao for holding back and leaving all those opportunities to you two."
"Thank you for driving away those heavenly prodigies from the Outer Regions, Junior Brother Xiaoxiao," Huo Ling'er said.
"Xiaoxiao, I've reached Great Perfection in the Inscription Realm. I've almost caught up with you," Shi Hao said.
A single sentence from Jun Moxiao extinguished Shi Hao's excitement.
"Then keep working hard. I'm in the mid Array Formation Realm."
Everyone exclaimed, "That's far too fast! Xiaoxiao is only eleven, and he's already in the Mid Formation Arrangement Realm!"
Shi Hao sighed. "I was just thinking about reaching Great Perfection in the Inscription Realm. Before I could even celebrate, Xiaoxiao dumped a bucket of cold water over me."
The Fire Emperor hurried to comfort his prospective son-in-law. He could not let him grow discouraged.
"Hao Tian, don't compare yourself to Xiaoxiao. Just keep surpassing yourself."
"Xiaoxiao, even your big sister's cultivation is lower than yours now. I'm only at the peak of the early Formation Arrangement Realm," the Witch said.
Jun Moxiao shrugged nonchalantly, utterly composed.
"Just business as usual. No need to be surprised. All right, Hao Tian and I are returning to Stone Village. We'll see everyone again at the Battle of the Two Stones."
"Junior sister, just watch me unleash my might when the time comes!" Shi Hao told Huo Ling'er.
The Fire Emperor said he would personally bring his daughter to the Void God Realm to watch the battle and cheer Shi Hao on.
After Jun Moxiao and the other two departed, they returned directly to Stone Village through the spatial passage the Willow Deity had constructed.
The moment Shi Hao arrived in Stone Village, he shouted, "Stone Village, I'm back!"
At that moment, all the unhappiness in his heart vanished. Here and now, he was simply a carefree child of Stone Village.
When the villagers heard that Little One had returned, they all cheered.
"Welcome back," the Willow Deity transmitted.
"Sister Willow Deity, you've recovered so much more of your strength," Jun Moxiao said.
Jun Moxiao took the Witch by the hand and introduced her to the Willow Deity. "This is my friend, Feng Jiu. She's the Saintess of the Heaven Severing Sect."
The Witch bowed to the Willow Deity. "Hello, sister. Xiaoxiao talks about you so often. I've been longing to meet you!"
The Willow Deity gently stroked the Witch's lovely face with a willow branch, remembering that this Witch was her dear sister in the future. Fate truly was wondrous beyond words.
"Your name is Feng Jiu. Mm, very good," the Willow Deity transmitted.
Jun Moxiao's love of showing off always left the Willow Deity a little worried that the Little Fellow would stir up serious trouble.
"Xiaoxiao, you two are famous now. Your exploits have spread throughout the Eight Lower Domains-killing three Venerables while in the Inscription Realm. But wasn't that a little too conspicuous?"
"Willow Deity, how did you know?" Shi Hao asked.
"There's nothing I don't know," the Willow Deity replied.
"Sister Willow Deity, don't worry. My strength was bound to be exposed sooner or later. Besides, I still have trump cards," Jun Moxiao said.
"Willow Deity! Will Xiaoxiao and the others be in danger now that they've revealed their strength?" Old Grandpa asked worriedly.
"Don't worry. With me here, no one will dare touch them. Besides, they need trials to grow, and Shi Hao will soon fight a life-and-death battle against Shi Yi of the Double Pupils. He'll reveal even more of his strength then."
The Willow Deity thought, With me here, wouldn't it be terribly embarrassing if anything still happened to these two little fellows?
Old Grandpa went to arrange a welcoming feast for the two Little Fellows.
The villagers happily declared that Xiaoxiao had finally brought an immortal maiden home.
That evening, the villagers drank and ate meat while listening to Shi Hao talk about everything under the sun, drinking themselves into a happy daze.
The Willow Deity pulled Jun Moxiao and the Witch into her Divine Kingdom Space. Jun Moxiao looked utterly bewildered. He had been feasting a moment ago, only to be suddenly dragged inside by the Willow Deity, along with the Witch.
"Sister Willow Deity, what's the matter?" Jun Moxiao asked with a grin.
The Willow Deity chuckled, reached out with her fair hand, and lightly tapped Jun Moxiao's forehead before speaking worriedly.
"You! You went out to gain experience without showing any restraint. Killing Venerables while in the Inscription Realm-do you realize what a stir that caused?"
"Show me that divine ability. Let me take a look."
Jun Moxiao had no choice but to summon the I Am the Sovereign Domain. Sensing that time, space, and spacetime were all under Restraint within it, the Willow Deity was astonished.
"This divine ability of yours is immensely powerful. Its power will grow as you become stronger. Nothing within the domain can be divined from outside, as though everything in this space simply doesn't exist."
"That's why you don't need to worry, Sister Willow Deity. I have trump cards. Even if the great sects of the Upper Realm come, I'm not afraid," Jun Moxiao said.
"Don't worry, sister. I'll keep it secret," the Witch assured her.
The Willow Deity sighed. "I'm not worried about those great sects of the Upper Realm, but about far stronger enemies. I'm afraid I won't be able to protect you."
"Are you worried about the powerful beings in the Boundary Sea, Sister Willow Deity?" Jun Moxiao asked.
The Willow Deity froze. "Xiaoxiao, you know about the Boundary Sea too? How much else do you know?"
Jun Moxiao switched into full bluffing mode. "As I've gradually grown older, all sorts of information has appeared in my mind. I know certain things, like who our future enemies are."
The Willow Deity waved her hand, cutting off the will of the Heavenly Dao, and told Jun Moxiao, "Xiaoxiao, tell me. What else do you know?"
"There are four dark Quasi-Immortal Emperors in the Boundary Sea, one Wounded Dark Immortal Emperor, and countless Dark Immortal Kings, True Immortals, and so on. The Foreign Realm is merely their vanguard," Jun Moxiao explained.
The Willow Deity and the Witch sucked in cold breaths and exclaimed, "Our enemies are that powerful? If they attack, it will be devastating."
When the Willow Deity had explored the Boundary Sea, she had abandoned her body. Her Primordial Spirit had been injured by powerful enemies, forcing her to flee back. Later, after her rebirth through nirvana, several Immortal Kings from the Immortal Domain had ambushed her. She had nearly died and could only flee to the Desolate Region. This was also why she had lost so many memories.
Hearing Jun Moxiao mention the four Quasi-Immortal Emperors on the other side of the Boundary Sea stirred some of the Willow Deity's memories of being surrounded and attacked. She had left her bodily shell in the Boundary Sea and had no idea what had become of it. Perhaps it had turned into a Dark Willow Tree.
Jun Moxiao knew about the Willow Deity's situation. Not wanting her to enter the Boundary Sea again as she had in the original storyline, he offered her a warning.
"Sister Willow Deity, don't go to the Boundary Sea again. Wait until we're stronger before going. Besides, I've obtained even more powerful immortal arts."
"Xiaoxiao, I understand. I won't go. Did that supreme deity leave these to you too? How powerful are they? Stronger than the Original True Understanding?" the Willow Deity asked.
The Witch listened from the side, lost in the clouds and mist, realizing how little she knew.
"Sister Willow Deity, the Original True Understanding can only take you as far as Quasi-Immortal Emperor. I have an Immortal Emperor Art called the Great Unity Immortal Art. I'll pass it to you so you can study it and see how it compares with the Original True Understanding. I also have an Immortal King Art, the Two Principles Heavenly Art. I'll pass that to you too," Jun Moxiao explained.
After receiving them, the Willow Deity said in astonishment, "This Great Unity Immortal Art is truly exquisite. It isn't an art of this world. It's incredibly powerful, and this Two Principles Heavenly Art is unfathomably profound as well. If these two arts are exposed, the entire Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, the Immortal Domain, the Foreign Realm, and the Burial World will never know peace again."
The Willow Deity also passed the Great Unity Immortal Art to the Witch and cautioned her, "Feng Jiu, cultivate this Immortal Emperor Art too. Don't let Xiaoxiao's kindness go to waste. I've also passed you several Ten Fiends Treasures. Xiaoxiao gave all of these to me before, but you must keep them secret. Otherwise, if the great sects of the Upper Realm find out, even the Heaven Severing Sect won't be able to protect you. Instead, it will be destroyed because of them."
"Sister! Don't worry. Xiaoxiao already gave me a suit of Supreme Weapon Armor. From now on, I'll stick with Xiaoxiao and go nowhere else," the Witch said excitedly.
The Willow Deity thought, This little fellow really is generous. He casually handed me such tremendous fortune.
"It's only a Supreme weapon. Feng Jiu, give me the Divine Silkworm Armor. I've obtained some immortal gold, so I'll upgrade it."
Jun Moxiao took out the Flowing Cloud Boots and yellow dao immortal gold and gave them to the Willow Deity. He could not let her keep going outside barefoot.
"Sister Willow Deity, these Flowing Cloud Boots are an Immortal King Weapon. Refine them. I also have plenty of immortal gold, so you can forge some divine weapons too."
"Xiaoxiao, shoes that are an Immortal King artifact? Then I won't stand on ceremony," the Willow Deity exclaimed.
The boots suited the Willow Deity's bearing perfectly. She knew at a glance that they were treasures. After putting them on, she felt the might of an Immortal King Weapon. An Immortal King Weapon! And the little fellow had given her shoes-was it because he had seen her appear barefoot outside before? What a thoughtful boy.
The Willow Deity thought, This little fellow really is boundlessly good to me. An Immortal Emperor Art, an Immortal King Weapon, all sorts of cultivation arts and supreme treasures-he's given me everything. Yet I don't seem to have anything worthy to give him. The next moment, she thought of how this little fellow was her future. For now, she was keeping him by her side and raising him, while he remained foolishly unaware of everything.
Whenever she thought of this, the Willow Deity found it terribly amusing.
Through Jun Moxiao, she had learned the ultimate secret of the Boundary Sea, something countless Immortal Kings knew nothing about. She now had a clearer goal for the future: first, stay by this little fellow's side.
Seeing the Willow Deity put on the boots, the Witch immediately exclaimed, "Wow! An Immortal King Weapon! Those boots suit you perfectly, sister."
"Feng Jiu, your Divine Silkworm Armor can be upgraded into an Immortal King Weapon later too," Jun Moxiao said.
"I know," the Witch replied.
"Xiaoxiao, give me the immortal gold and armor. I'll refine and upgrade it. I guarantee I'll make Feng Jiu a perfect suit of armor," the Willow Deity said.
The Haotian Pagoda and Great Void Divine Armor flew out of Jun Moxiao's body and said to him, "Quick, give me some yellow dao immortal gold. This old fellow should be able to upgrade into a Quasi-Immortal Emperor Weapon."
"Sure. I only just obtained the immortal gold and haven't had time to examine it yet. I'll get everything ready for you two right away," Jun Moxiao said.
The two divine artifacts' sudden appearance and terrifying auras frightened the Willow Deity and the Witch.
"Xiaoxiao, are these the trump cards you mentioned before?"
"Sister Willow Deity, this is the Haotian Pagoda and the Great Void Divine Armor. Perhaps because they've been protecting me, they're only peak Immortal King Weapons right now," Jun Moxiao explained.
The Haotian Pagoda and Great Void Divine Armor sensed the Willow Deity's strength and immediately understood her true condition.
"You've undergone rebirth through nirvana. It seems you were once an Immortal King Giant too. But why is there such immense karma between you and this little fellow? No! This should be called fate-a bond that can never be severed."
The Great Void Divine Armor continued, "Never mind. With such a tremendous bond intertwining you, you're already one of us."
"Yes! Ever since I found Xiaoxiao, I've had a mysterious feeling, as though he were very familiar," the Willow Deity explained to the two divine artifacts.
"Hurry up and upgrade, you two. Our future enemies are extremely powerful," Jun Moxiao said.
"Yes. This world is far too dark, and the evil fiends are very powerful. Work hard to become stronger!" the Haotian Pagoda said.
Jun Moxiao took the two artifacts back into himself, and they happily went off to upgrade. This immortal gold and divine material had come from the system, so its quality was guaranteed.
The Witch was still stunned. Jun Moxiao flicked her forehead, snapping her back to her senses. "Those divine weapons are so powerful. Xiaoxiao, you're amazing!" she said in astonishment.
"Stay calm. They aren't Quasi-Immortal Emperor Weapons yet! The next time the Haotian Pagoda appears, it will be one," Jun Moxiao said.
Jun Moxiao took out the True Immortal Liquid he had obtained from a previous check-in and gave it to the Willow Deity. "Sister Willow Deity, these are ten drops of True Immortal Liquid. After refining them, you should be able to recover to the peak Supreme Realm."
"That should be about right. I've already recovered to the mid Supreme Realm," the Willow Deity said.
Remembering Shi Hao, the Willow Deity asked, "Xiaoxiao! What about Shi Hao? Should we pass the Immortal Emperor Art to him?"
Jun Moxiao asked the system, "Meng Die! Can I pass the Great Unity Immortal Art to Shi Hao?"
"An Immortal King Art is fine, but not an Immortal Emperor Art. In the future, he will be a Transcendent above the Sacrificial Dao Realm, and he will create the He Transforms Freely Art himself. If Shi Hao cultivates the Great Unity Immortal Art, it may introduce a major variable into the future—an uncontrollable one. His Immortal Emperor Path was determined long ago. He doesn't need anything else," Meng Die replied.
Jun Moxiao thought that made sense. If Shi Hao failed to create the He Transforms Freely Art in the future, there would be no Desolate Heaven Emperor to stand alone and sever the ages. That would never do.
At that thought, Jun Moxiao immediately explained it to the Willow Deity.
"Shi Hao can't cultivate the Great Unity Immortal Art because he'll become a supreme powerhouse in the future too. He has his own art. We can't bear the weight of such immense karma."
"Are you saying Shi Hao will become an Immortal Emperor in the future?" the Willow Deity and the Witch exclaimed.
"Immortal Emperors aren't the strongest either. Don't worry. With me here, we'll become Immortal Emperors in the future too, and there are still stronger beings above them. Shi Hao is this world's Child of Destiny, born in answer to its calamity. Sister Willow Deity, do you remember the future divined by the Reincarnation Immortal King and the others that I told you about? Shi Hao will ultimately resolve the darkness of this era. We can pass him the Two Principles Heavenly Art, though. Sister Willow Deity, pass Shi Hao the Ten Fiends True Dragon and Gu Precious Technique later too. Let him break through to the Array Formation Realm first-the Battle of the Two Stones is almost here. But don't tell him he'll become an Immortal Emperor. These secrets should stay between the three of us," Jun Moxiao explained.
"I hope he can become even stronger! Feng Jiu, you'll follow me and cultivate diligently from now on, or you'll fall far too far behind Xiaoxiao," the Willow Deity said.
"Thank you, sister. I'll work hard. After all, I'm a genius who opened Ten Cave Heavens in the Cave Heaven Realm," the Witch said happily.
The next day, Jun Moxiao found Shi Hao cultivating and said, "Hao Tian, the great battle is almost here. Go see the Willow Deity first. There are several treasure techniques to pass to you. Also, it's time you broke through to the Array Formation Realm. Give the Martial King Manor a proper slap in the face this time and show them what a truly peerless prodigy looks like."
"Xiaoxiao, just watch. I won't disappoint any of you. I've waited far too long for this day," Shi Hao said excitedly.
Shi Hao came before the Willow Deity and said, "Willow Deity, thank you."
"Mm! I'll pass you the True Dragon Treasure Technique and the Gu Precious Technique. These are among the most powerful Ten Fiends Treasures. There's also an incomparably powerful cultivation art, the Two Principles Heavenly Art. Study them carefully and break through to the Array Formation Realm. The Desolate Region Calamity will arrive before long. I hope you can become stronger. Until you're powerful enough, you must not reveal these arts."
The Willow Deity passed Shi Hao a whole collection of supreme divine arts. People in the Upper Realm would fight until their heads split and blood flowed over these arts, but to that little fellow, they were as common as cabbages.
"Don't worry, Willow Deity. I know what to do."
After receiving these arts, Shi Hao understood their importance. Once he broke through to the Formation Arrangement Realm, he studied the True Dragon Treasure Technique and the Gu Precious Technique. Cultivating the Two Principles Heavenly Art made him even stronger, raising his cultivation to the peak of the early Formation Arrangement Realm.
Counting them up, Shi Hao now had the Ten Fiends Treasures of the True Dragon, Gu Tribe, Phoenix, Thunder Emperor, Kun Peng, and Qilin. He also had countless high-level fierce beast treasure techniques, along with the God-Striking Stone, Little Pagoda, the divine weapon Kitchen Knife, the Grass-Character Sword Art, the Pacifying Chaos Art, the Six Paths of Reincarnation Heavenly Art, and the Two Principles Heavenly Art. His Supreme Bone had also revived, and he had opened one more cave heaven than in the original storyline.
It could be said that Shi Hao was now a cheater too, countless times stronger than he had been in the original storyline.
Before you continue