Chapter 41

The path ahead is blocked.

Seeing these words, Chi Jiuyu suddenly felt a complex emotion she could not describe.

"Then… if I continue cultivating in the Nascent Soul realm, can I also reach your level, Uncle?"

【Perhaps, but it's unnecessary】

【We of the past had no path forward, so we could only fumble and stumble in place】

【But now, the broad highway lies right before us—why abandon the root for the trivial?】

Soul Transformation, Return to Emptiness, Union with the Dao—even Higher Realm—our predecessors forged the way so those who come after might walk more easily.

Being trapped in the Nascent Soul realm, endlessly refining one's magic power, is the ultimate desperation—and in today's age, it might even be called a 'heretical path.'

【If you ascended to Soul Transformation, could you truly not block that sword strike?】

After ascending to Soul Transformation, could you block that sword strike just now?

Of course no need to say more—Soul Transformation is another qualitative leap beyond Nascent Soul. She was already at the forefront of her realm; after ascending, she certainly would not grow weaker.

Calculated this way, she could indeed block that sword strike—and perhaps even have the strength to fight back…

No!

"That's not how you calculate it, Uncle!"

Just because Soul Transformation can block a Nascent Soul sword strike and have fighting power, is that something to be proud of? I'm Chi Jiuyu—when did I become the one being overthrown?!

【That's exactly how you calculate it】

If Xu Xing had had a choice, he never would have wasted his years in the Nascent Soul realm.

【Do you really plan to stay stuck in Nascent Soul forever, competing with me for the title of strongest in Nascent Soul?】

"Of course not." Chi Jiuyu was not someone who dug her heels in.

Her goal was to become the next Zong Sect's leader—staying stuck in Nascent Soul, how could she compete with anyone by headbutting them?! Then she asked a question she deeply cared about.

"Uncle, when you and Master were in the Nascent Soul realm, who was stronger?"

In her expectant gaze, a line of golden text slowly appeared.

【Guess】

"..." Uncle had a mischievous streak too. After mentally grumbling, she looked up and called out, "Uncle, I want to try again!"

Though she considered herself a genius, she had to admit she still needed much time to advance from Nascent Soul to Soul Transformation—better to hone herself first.

【Agreed】

Soon, from deep within the mist, Xu Xing's Nascent Soul illusion stepped forward again.

At the same time, in the outside living room, Chi Jiuyu's screen suddenly accelerated.

Xu Xing stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.

The stars of heaven glittered, the silver moon hung high, and memories flowed past.

Myself in the Nascent Soul realm—that was long, long ago.

By the way, back then, this realm wasn't called 'Nascent Soul,' and the cultivation system of Tai Xuan Realm wasn't what it is today.

Fortunately, in the end, we won.

Moved by these thoughts, he found himself reflecting deeply.

Of his several Dao companions, and… the first human ever to reach Soul Transformation.

Xu Xing smiled lightly.

Wasn't he himself walking on a path opened by predecessors?

…………

The next day, Chi Jiuyu slept straight through until noon, and when she woke, she was dazed, her spirit clearly low.

She looked like a wilted eggplant—completely devoid of her former energy.

She yawned: "Good morning, Uncle."

"It's already noon—what morning?" Xu Xing chuckled.

"Oh~"

She answered listlessly, and as she descended the second floor, she misstepped and tumbled down the stairs.

Fortunately, as a Nascent Soul cultivator, her body was tough—she felt no pain, and immediately pushed herself up using the railing.

Last night, she tried honing herself against Uncle's illusion, but she couldn't survive a single sword strike the entire night—she'd lost count of how many times she'd died.

This was the gap forged by years of accumulation—extremely hard to bridge.

Worse still, all her techniques seemed full of flaws before her Nascent Soul Uncle, especially when using the Grand Void Sword Scripture.

Seeing her state, Xu Xing suggested: "How about I take you out for a walk, to clear your mind?"

"Huh?" She blinked, then slapped both cheeks hard with her hands—her fair, delicate skin turned red—"Sure!" She needed to get out, to reset her mindset.

"But I can't ride today—I can't take you, Uncle." Fatigue driving was dangerous, "How about you ride?"

"Heh, we'll take a taxi."

He hadn't planned to ride that absurd human-powered tricycle again anyway.

…………

Xuan Sword City's Strange Beast Observation Park is one of Xuan Sword City's most famous tourist attractions—a complete mountain, but in essence, just a zoo.

Only, it doesn't house ordinary beasts, but strange beasts with peculiar abilities.

Walking along the mountain trail, a small stream wound downward beside them; Chi Jiuyu paused frequently, glancing around, holding a cotton candy several times larger than her head—this was the local specialty.

The raw material for this cotton candy came from a bird called 'Miyu Que'—it couldn't fly, its entire body covered in crystalline feathers, sweet and delicious to taste.

Once frightened, its feathers turned deadly poison—only cultivators who had mastered spiritual-calming and mind-stabilizing techniques could pluck its feathers.

"Uncle, hurry up!" Chi Jiuyu called over her shoulder.

Below, Xu Xing was unhurried, already lagging far behind her.

She waited a few seconds, and finally could not help running down.

"You adjusted your state awfully fast."

"Of course, I was born optimistic!" She pulled out her phone from her trouser pocket. "Come on, Martial Uncle, let's take a photo together as a memento."

Just then, a strange beast happened to come near, circling once in the sky. Its fiery-red feathers had not a single stray color, and from afar it looked just like a ball of flame falling from the air.

It landed by the stream and plunged its entire head into the water—that was how it drank.

This bird was called a Blazing Feather; when provoked and enraged, the feathers all over its body would ignite, reaching an extremely high temperature.

In the past, low-level alchemists and artifact-smiths often captured this kind of bird, plucking its feathers to use as kindling.

Chi Jiuyu adjusted her position, fitting the Blazing Feather into the background while making sure both she and Martial Uncle were in frame, and snapped several shots in a row.

"Martial Uncle! Help me take a few photos too!"

She handed the phone to Xu Xing, then struck a sword pose with the cotton candy in her hand.

The Blazing Feather behind her raised its head, stared fixedly at Chi Jiuyu's back, suddenly spread its wings and flew over, its claws swiping at the cotton candy in her hand.

But just as it was about to grab it, a hand—not large, but extremely strong—seized its neck in one grip, and no matter how it flapped, it could not move.

In its panic—

Boom! A blaze of fire erupted, the very air seared and faintly warped, yet it could not overcome that thin layer of spiritual light.

"How dare you steal my stuff!" Chi Jiuyu shook it by the neck, then suddenly threatened, "Martial Uncle, let's buy this bird and roast it."

The Blazing Feather seemed to understand her words; a flicker of terror appeared in its little eyes.

"Forget it, after all, this is a strange beast the people here worked hard to gather."

"Fine."

Chi Jiuyu let go, and the Blazing Feather, already scared out of its wits, dared not linger and swiftly flew off.

Watching the Blazing Feather fly away, she stepped forward, took her phone back from Xu Xing, and flipped through the photos for a while.

"Martial Uncle, can I send these photos to Master for a look?"

"Suit yourself."

Xu Xing continued unhurried up the slope, Chi Jiuyu following behind him, beginning to send the photos to her master.

The first few were of her grabbing the Blazing Feather, posing with a sword stance.

A good while passed before a reply came.

My Most Most Esteemed Master: "The cotton candy in your hand looks good, send one back to me later."

"……"

After a silence, she sent the remaining photos over as well—these were all group shots with Xu Xing.

My Most Most Esteemed Master: "??? Junior Brother is with you?"

Chi Jiuyu did not reply, simply powered off the phone and tossed it into her storage ring.

After reading through the chat log, she was no longer afraid—after all, she was going to get a scolding once she got back anyway.

Sigh!

Today is another happy day!

Begging for favorites, begging for follow-up reads!! Also, let me explain a few things about the worldview.

It hasn't even hit a hundred thousand characters yet; even if I wanted to explain, I couldn't explain it clearly, unless I just dump the outline out here, so please don't be impatient.

(End of chapter)