Liu Xiu: I've Grasped the Future!

‘As the saying goes: Autumn rain strikes withered lotuses like arrows, while a ruined temple's bonfire reflects a pair of beauties. Cold fragrant sweat as poison enters jade flesh; the wick burns down to ash, what of the night?’ "???" Why did this place come with its own voiceover narration?! And where the hell had this flung him? As Liu Xiu's vision cleared, he took in the desolate mountain, the decrepit temple, and the drizzling rain before him. The voice echoing by his ear could not merely be described as identical to that of Grand-Master Tianning—it was completely indistinguishable from hers. He looked down at the blood-stained black Daoist robe he wore, felt his body's rather severe injuries, and took note of the memories of a man named Fu Xingren that had suddenly flooded his mind. "A Chen Shimei betrayal plot?" Liu Xiu looked around calmly, inwardly rating it: *Remarkably realistic.* Compared to the ghost Madam Liu's dreamscape, the illusion forged by his beautiful—and suspiciously ghost-like—Grand-Master Tianning was visibly far more lifelike. With that thought, Liu Xiu stepped through the main doors of the dilapidated temple, which flickered with the faint glow of the bonfire. At the same moment, the voice of the narration cheat chimed in: [Jie-jie-jie! Gazing upon this illusion where reality and delusion intertwine, you see through its fundamentals in an instant, discerning that this realm was constructed by the Perfected Tianning using her own three ethereal souls and seven corporeal spirits, aided by the *Shangqing Three Souls Delusion-Forging Heart-Tempering Great Art*...] [...Though you know this illusion can temper your Dao heart, anyone unable to conquer their inner demons or see through the false phantasm will suffer fractures and damage across every inch of their Dao heart. Recalling how she dragged you into this illusion by force without the slightest consultation, towering fury erupts in your chest...] [...In the midst of this towering fury, your Dao heart suddenly turns luminous and clear, instantly locking onto the source of this illusion. Benevolent intentions immediately surge within you; you resolve that once you locate the source of this realm, you will unleash the Soul-Suppressing Cauldron-Absorbing Art—deduced from the *Heaven-Burial Earth-Destruction Great Demonic Art*—to forcibly bind and refine this deeply cultivated female grand-master, taking her as your exclusive yin vessel in the days ahead to aid your diligent daily cultivation, using her Dao foundation to compensate for your shortcomings, sweeping across the realm's great Daoist sects, and ultimately dominating the entire cultivation world!] "..." *Do I look like the type to betray my masters and annihilate my ancestors?* Liu Xiu muttered to himself inwardly. Having just entered the temple, he spotted two women across the bonfire—one seated, one standing. The woman on the left sat on the ground, wearing a black-and-white Taiji Daoist robe matching Grand-Master Tianning's. The woman standing on the right was dressed in purple robes. At first glance, their beauty each possessed distinct merits: dignified on the left, alluring on the right. But upon closer inspection, Liu Xiu realized both were Grand-Master Tianning. What a two-faced grand-master! Could she manage a thousand faces too? As Liu Xiu pondered this, his eyes carefully sized up the seated woman on the left. Perfected Tianning's narrating voice echoed once more: ‘Beneath the boundless night, two figures stand apart. First, you look upon the woman seated on the ground. She hails from the Pure Mystery Yuheng Sect—the revered Yuheng Saintess Chu Ningshuang, held in awe by all within her sect...’ ‘...Her features are gentle and serene, her skin like congealed fat, with dark moth-like brows framing clear eyes... Her heart is benevolent and generous, ever devoted to saving the world and aiding the common folk. She has immersed herself in comprehending the orthodox Shangqing dharma, never bullying the weak, treating others with unfailing modesty and courtesy, strictly abiding by Daoist precepts in all matters, slaying fiends and banishing demons solely to protect mortal lives... an immortal cultivator of the righteous path whose heart embraces all living beings.’ There were so many compliments that Liu Xiu had no desire to comment. Subconsciously, he shifted his gaze to the enchanting woman in purple standing nearby. At the same time, Perfected Tianning's narration resumed: ‘Next, you look upon the standing woman—the wicked, utterly unprincipled, and viper-hearted demoness Su Yeli! Looking upon her face, you cannot help but suspect she must have used the art of painted skins!’ The description was brief, but it dripped with intense, negative personal emotions and subjective bias. *Mm... the woman in purple really is prettier!* Liu Xiu judged inwardly. Furthermore, he didn't even need to think to guess that his Grand-Master Tianning must have lost out in romance to this demoness Su Yeli back in the day. And lost devastatingly hard! Just as Liu Xiu wondered whether this illusion called for him to slay the demoness, Perfected Tianning's narration chimed in again: ‘Yet whether it be Su Yeli or Chu Ningshuang, both are the women you deeply love. While you cherish them both, they, too, love you deeply...’ "..." *What an absolute scoundrel!* Liu Xiu mentally respected—no, disdained—Fu Xingren's two-timing behavior, only to hear Perfected Tianning's narration continue: ‘Worse still, both women have been afflicted by the Heart-Devouring Gu poison. They have but half an hour left to live. Fortunately, after braving countless perils, you just managed to wrest an antidote pill for the Heart-Devouring Gu from the Heart-Devouring Cult Master's hands... Yet there is only one antidote... Whom will you choose to save?’ Grand-Master Tianning's deeply conflicted voice trailed off, then added: ‘Do not think of splitting the pill in two. The medicinal potency of this antidote cannot possibly save two people. You... can choose only one!’ Feeling a twinge of anguish surface in his heart at Perfected Tianning's words, Liu Xiu knit his brows as he retrieved an elixir pill from his bosom. "I knew it. That old bastard would only carry a single antidote..." Su Yeli scoffed, eyeing Liu Xiu's furrowed brow. Pausing, she continued, "Don't bother trying to find another. He's my master—I know how his mind works. He would never leave a second pill behind. Your only option is to pick one!" With that, Su Yeli, leaning against a temple pillar, cast a playful glance toward Chu Ningshuang, who was still seated cross-legged, circulating her qi to tend to her wounds. "Fu, stop hesitating. Use that antidote to save her. After all, she is your fiancée..." "No, save her instead. I know your heart does not lie with me. Even if you save me, you will regret it for the rest of your life. Besides, she just risked her life to protect you..." Chu Ningshuang opened her beautiful eyes from where she sat cross-legged on the floor. Her tone was aloof, calm as though death itself meant nothing to her. "I saved him only so he could live. Besides, why should he save a demoness like me? If anyone should be saved, it's you!" Leaning against the pillar, Su Yeli spoke with an amused smile. Watching the two women before him, Liu Xiu's brows furrowed slightly. After some thought, he ventured, "How about the three of us just die together?" "???" ×2 "What, you're not willing?" "???" ×2 "Hm? You don't love me?" "???" ×2 As Chu Ningshuang and Su Yeli stared at Liu Xiu with wide, utterly dumbfounded eyes, the scene before him shattered with a sharp *crack* and reset. The illusion rewound to the exact moment when the two women urged him to let the other live. At the same time, Liu Xiu noticed that amidst the faint sorrow in his heart, a sliver of will to survive had emerged. A will to survive aimed at preventing him from suggesting they all die together again! *Can this stuff really temper a Dao heart? Why does it just feel like cheap melodrama?!* Liu Xiu frowned, watching the two women start bickering all over again—or rather, Su Yeli speaking once more. "I saved him only so he could live. Besides, why should he save a demoness like me? If anyone should be saved, it's you!" After Su Yeli finished, Chu Ningshuang, seated on the floor, said, "Saving me would only leave him full of lifelong regret. I do not want him to regret for the rest of his days!" "Oh? And here I thought you believed he only ever loved you. Who would've guessed you realized he loves me too!" Su Yeli sneered sweetly, her words thick with gunpowder. Liu Xiu raised a brow, waiting for them to start trading blows. Strangely enough, neither woman was a noble gentleman, yet they only used words without lifting a finger. What a pity! Lamenting the missed spectacle in his heart, Liu Xiu looked at the two women as they finished speaking and turned to him for his choice. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "You both love me, right?" "What do you think?" "Yes." "Loving me is enough. I wonder, would either of you be willing to accept somewhat excessive physical contact before marriage?" "Mmh~" "No!" "..." Fine. One yes, one no. That meant neither was viable! Looking from the consenting Su Yeli to the refusing Chu Ningshuang, Liu Xiu continued, "That's fine, no contact is fine too, not a big deal. By the way, the potency of this pill is quite strong, isn't it?" "Yes. It can easily purge the Heart-Devouring Gu poison from either one of us, but it cannot purge both of our poisons simultaneously!" Su Yeli nodded slightly. "Oh, then there shouldn't be an issue. Have either of you heard of administering medicine via the lower orifice?" Liu Xiu suddenly asked with a grin. The two women stared blankly, their eyes widening. Liu Xiu continued, "It's a curious thing, but I just remembered a book I once read. It said that medicine taken orally enters the stomach first, then passes into the liver, where the liver breaks down and metabolizes thirty to seventy percent of its potency. Administering medicine via the lower orifice is quite different..." "...Because the potency bypasses hepatic metabolism and breakdown, medicine absorbed through the lower orifice is taken up by the body quickly and with virtually no loss... By the way, you know what the lower orifice is, right? The rectum. Speaking of which, have either of you achieved inedia? Oh, you both achieved inedia long ago. Great, that's wonderful..." The scene that followed was roughly as follows: (͡°͜ʖ͡°) Σ(ŎдŎ|||)ﾉﾉ Σ(ﾟ∀ﾟﾉ)ﾉ As Liu Xiu solemnly explained the mechanics, Chu Ningshuang and Su Yeli stared back at him, their beautiful eyes wide with sheer horror. "Um, so, do you two need a hand? I really don't mind!" Seeing the two women—manifestations of Martial Grand-Aunt Tianning's three souls and seven spirits—staring at him in utter shock, Liu Xiu spoke with all the filial piety of a disciple honoring his elders. "No answer? Then I'm making my move!" Liu Xiu rolled up his sleeves and immediately stepped forward. But the moment his foot moved, the scene shattered with a resounding *crack*. When his sight returned, he had broken free of the illusion and returned to reality. From the head seat where he had just sat down, Shi Jian watched his martial aunt, Perfected Tianning, suddenly take on a peculiar expression—turning red, then pale, before finally settling into an embarrassed, flustered huff. *Wait? Embarrassment?* Shi Jian was thoroughly baffled. Perfected Tianning said coldly, "You... you certainly took in a fine disciple!" "Yes, indeed!" "???" *Can't you hear the sarcasm in my voice?!* Perfected Tianning froze, staring at Shi Jian. Too tired to bother with this senior martial nephew who still understood nothing of social tact, she bit her red lips and turned to glare at Liu Xiu, who stood before her with his head bowed, not daring to meet her eyes. "Hmph!" Perfected Tianning let out a cold snort and took a step forward. Her figure vanished into thin air, and Liu Xiu vanished right along with her. At this, Shi Jian merely frowned slightly—not in anger, but in confusion over what Perfected Tianning intended to do. Still, he didn't pay it too much mind. After all, Martial Aunt Tianning had shared an exceptionally close bond with his late master; he wasn't afraid she would actually harm Liu Xiu. Instead, he frowned at the others: one shouting about tons of money, one shouting that he wasn't laughing anymore, and Shi Shaojian wearing a wicked smirk. "Hmph!" Shi Jian snorted coldly, his expression sour as he looked at the three men completely ensnared in an illusion from merely being struck by the *Shangqing Karma-Grasping Illusion-Forming Heart-Tempering Great Art*. However, seeing Daoist Zhaixing still striving to keep his spiritual platform clear, he nodded slightly with a glint of approval. *** Meanwhile, ten thousand meters up in the sky. *Falling from this height would turn someone into paste, wouldn't it?* Liu Xiu kept his head lowered, staring down at the earth ten thousand meters below his feet. Beside him, Perfected Tianning spoke with a frosty face. "Why won't you look up!" "Uh, Grand-Master is too beautiful—a face that sinks fish and grounds birds, eclipsing the moon and outshining flowers..." Liu Xiu piled on the flattery without missing a beat. Perfected Tianning's expression softened slightly, thinking to herself what a glib-tongued brat he was, though her face remained stern. "Look up!" "Yes, Grand-Master!" Liu Xiu raised his head, revealing a pale yet handsome face. Perfected Tianning's gaze softened further before turning abruptly cold. "What a pretty boy!" "Heh, Grand-Master has sharp eyes. But that makes sense—Grand-Master is so breathtakingly beautiful, like an immortal maiden descending from the Ninth Heaven..." "..." *What a glib-tongued pretty boy!* Perfected Tianning's icy gaze softened bit by bit. Liu Xiu continued pouring praise: "As the saying goes: The Mysterious Maiden of the Ninth Heaven descends to mortal earth, her curves sculpted purely by nature's hand. Curves where they should be, plump where it counts, brimming with auspicious grace beyond that of gods and immortals! Grand-Master, only upon seeing you did I realize all the women I saw before were merely vulgar powder and paint..." "..." *What a glib-tongued little thing!* Her softened gaze gave Liu Xiu a disdainful roll of her eyes as she sneered playfully, "As the saying goes: When the Red Phoenix stirs, peach blossoms entangle; amid a garden of flowers, the roving eye never rests alone. One can never suspend a thousand-autumn calamity; what is called passionate is merely toying around. You had better watch out for the day your debts come knocking and cost you your life!" She practiced the art of destiny, highly skilled in divination and physiognomy. She could clearly see three red threads of karmic marriage tied to this martial grand-nephew of hers. In short: another scoundrel! Hmph! "This disciple is devoted solely to the Dao!" "Heh!" *How many times did you eye my chest and hips just now? And you claim to be devoted solely to the Dao?* Perfected Tianning was filled with scorn, though she wasn't truly angry. Aside from understanding the impulses of a hot-blooded, handsome young man like Liu Xiu, his behavior proved that she hadn't grown old! And that her charm remained intact! Thinking this over, she knit her delicate brows at Liu Xiu and asked, her face flushing slightly, "Could that pill truly save two people?" "What pill? I wouldn't know." "Heh, do you know why I cast the *Shangqing Three Souls Delusion-Forging Heart-Tempering Great Art* on you, instead of the *Shangqing Karma-Grasping Illusion-Forming Heart-Tempering Great Art* like I did with the others?" Perfected Tianning smiled as she looked at the playing-dumb Liu Xiu. Before he could speak, she scrutinized him and said, "Do you know how strange you are? Ordinary people have hearts brimming with seven emotions and six desires, their minds flooded with obsessions. Yet your heart holds not the slightest obsession; your spiritual platform is as clear, empty, and profound as the Yellow Court..." This was precisely why her *Shangqing Karma-Grasping Illusion-Forming Heart-Tempering Great Art* had no effect on Liu Xiu. Without obsession, how could illusions form? Pausing, she studied Liu Xiu's bewildered face and continued, "I suspect it wasn't just my Karma-Grasping art that failed on you. The memory-hiding and thought-suppressing power of the *Shangqing Three Souls Delusion-Forging Heart-Tempering Great Art* was probably useless against you as well, wasn't it? Inside that illusion, his memories didn't obscure your spiritual platform at all, did they?" Liu Xiu's illusion had been personally woven using her own three souls and seven spirits. She typically used that art only on female cultivators. Comparison brought contrast. Compared to those female cultivators who genuinely came to believe they were the fickle heartbreaker, Liu Xiu seemed completely unaffected. Otherwise, she could not fathom what had prompted his absurd suggestion that all three of them die together. "Grand-Master, what are you talking about?" "Heh, with your current cultivation, what do you think would happen if you fell from ten thousand meters high? Would you die a gruesome death... Brat, why are you hugging me? Let go of me!" "I won't!" "I'll count to three. If you don't let go, I'll break—" Perfected Tianning trailed off. She fell silent, staring at Liu Xiu, who had let go instantly. Inwardly muttering *cowardly scoundrel*, she knit her brows and asked again, "Could that pill really save two people if administered from below?" "...Yes!" "Heh, didn't you say you didn't remember?" "It just came back to me..." Liu Xiu offered with a smile. As long as he wasn't embarrassed, the embarrassment belonged to someone else. Besides, he felt that if he didn't talk, this woman might actually toss him down! Better to speak the truth than get beaten before speaking it. Still, he made a mental note of this. Just wait, old lady! Perfected Tianning said nothing more. With a conflicted expression, she waved her sleeve at Liu Xiu. A gust of fragrant wind caught him, and he found himself descending toward the ground at a gentle pace. At the same time, Perfected Tianning's voice rang in his ear: "Though I do not know what method you used to sever the Upper Corpse of the Three Corpses during the Hundred-Day Foundation Building stage to purge your obsessions, such a technique defies the heavens too greatly. You had best keep that glib mouth of yours shut and not speak of it carelessly..." "???" *Me? Severed the Upper Corpse of the Three Corpses?* *Huh? How come I didn't know I'd become a sage?* The thought flashed through Liu Xiu's mind. He naturally knew that the Three Corpses Perfected Tianning referred to were not the Three Corpses of modern primordial-chaos fiction, but the Three Corpses and Nine Worms of orthodox Daoism! They were the Upper Corpse Peng Ju, the Middle Corpse Peng Zhi, and the Lower Corpse Peng Jiao—also known as Green Maiden, White Maiden, and Blood Maiden. The Three Corpses governed human obsessions and desires. These desires encompassed a great deal: the seven emotions, the six desires, gluttony, lust, and speech itself. For that very reason, all cultivators regarded the Three Corpses as formidable enemies along the Dao path, dedicating immense effort to deducing methods to sever the Three Corpses and expel the Nine Worms. Practices like observing the Gengshen day, ingesting external elixirs, and talisman-dispelling arts had all been created, though aside from the simplest practice of observing the Gengshen day, the other methods had been lost to time. Still not convinced he had severed any corpse, Liu Xiu put aside the fleeting stray thought. Maintaining his steady descent toward the ground, he tilted his head up and called to Perfected Tianning, whose back was turned to him above: "Grand-Master, you can never trust a man's words!" "He is different!" "..." *Old lady, you deserved getting duped by a scamp!* Liu Xiu couldn't be bothered to argue further. He had roughly pieced together this grand-master's past: she had been engaged to a scamp, only for him to meet a demoness and fall for her. Unwilling to let go of Tianning, he wanted both women to reach the same destination together! In the end, they were ambushed, forced into a dilemma where one antidote could only save one person. Ultimately, Tianning was saved, and the demoness undoubtedly died. As for the scoundrel... honestly, Liu Xiu suspected the guy wasn't dead. No other reason than that Liu Xiu understood the nature of such scoundrels all too well. Don't misunderstand—he wasn't saying he was one himself. He had simply seen too many! *Looks like I need to put in some effort too, so that Caiyi, Bai Min'er, and Miss Su...* Liu Xiu cut off the thought. Not because he hit the ground, but because Perfected Tianning had suddenly materialized right before him, meeting him face-to-face for a split second. Then, after an electric glance from her beautiful eyes, she vanished. "This method is called the *Shangqing Embryonic Origin Qi-Locking Trace-Concealing Mysterious Method*. It is one of the three secret breath-concealing methods of our Maoshan Shangqing lineage, blending the principles of internal elixir embryonic breathing and the Luoshu's concealed astral qi. Once mastered, it can conceal your cultivation and the arts you practice..." "Thank you, Grand-Master, for bestowing the art! I knew Grand-Master was not only beautiful in person but also beautiful at heart. No wonder you look like an eighteen-year-old maiden..." Liu Xiu praised with a grin. Seeing how generous she had been, he would magnanimously overlook her earlier attempt to drop him from ten thousand meters. Having returned to the wooden cottage, Perfected Tianning rolled her eyes and spat mentally, *What a glib-tongued grand-disciple!* Liu Xiu had no idea what she was thinking. After skimming through the somewhat esoteric art in his mind, he made a steady landing. He touched down right where the imperial-clan jiangshi's tent had once stood. Telling Jiale and the others rushing toward him that he was fine, he waved them off. *Did I really sever the Three Corpses?* Standing in place, Liu Xiu pondered the question, his mind instinctively turning to the narration cheat that babbled about dominating the cultivation world the moment it opened its mouth. Just as he was about to retrieve it to check, he saw Miss Su appear beneath the tree shade nearby, looking at him with concern. He drew an umbrella from his storage thumb ring and unfurled it. "Don't worry, I'm fine. Grand-Master Tianning is wonderful—not only beautiful, but with a heart of gold. Taking me flying just now was solely to impart a cultivation art to me!" Liu Xiu smiled at Miss Su as she stepped up beside him. He ruffled her hair, his consciousness probing into his violet palace to inspect the narration cheat. "Yeah, I know what to do. As if I don't know how to handle people! Relax... Why are you nagging so much when we haven't even tied the knot yet? Hey, I'm not telling you not to care..." "...It's just that with so many people around, lecturing me like this hurts my pride, get it? Hmm? As long as you know you were wrong. I'll forgive you this once, but don't do it again, hear me? Huh? What pretty butterfly?" Replying casually to Miss Su, Liu Xiu followed her gaze. Finding no butterfly, his eyes fell instead upon a cicada on a tree branch, in the midst of shedding its shell. A pale, whitish cicada. Or rather—a cicada! "Oh, I think I understand..." Something seemed to click in Liu Xiu's mind, yet at the same time, nothing did. But he roughly grasped the meaning of what the narration cheat had once told him: *The butterfly is me, and I am the butterfly.* Cicadas and butterflies were ultimately the same: Animalia, Arthropoda, Insecta, and Pterygota. In other words, a cicada was a butterfly! At least, that was how Liu Xiu chose to view it right now! After sending Miss Su away, Liu Xiu looked down at the White Jade Cicada he had retrieved from his violet palace into his right palm. [Jie-jie-jie! Clever as you are, to think you would suddenly comprehend the principle of Zhuang Zhou dreaming of a butterfly and the butterfly dreaming of Zhuang Zhou! You suddenly realize that the fragmented *Xiyi Hibernating Dragon True Scripture* of old is the complete scripture, and the complete scripture is the fragmented scripture! You suddenly comprehend the Yin-Soul Locking Dream Art! You suddenly realize how to seize this heavenly gate to forge your path of dominating the myriad heavens...] *Crack—* Under the pressure of Liu Xiu's fingers, the White Jade Cicada fractured with a crisp snap, and the voice fell silent. Liu Xiu looked up expressionlessly and thought: *I knew it. This thing wasn't formed from my Upper Corpse. So, have I actually severed the Three Corpses or not?* Sensing no shift whatsoever in his emotions, Liu Xiu curled his lip. He didn't dwell on the matter, merely raising his left hand into the air and grasping at nothing. "Still, I've grasped the future..." The moment the words left his mouth, the cracked White Jade Cicada in his right palm vanished into thin air. Time and space subtly warped around him. In the sky above, an unblemished White Jade Cicada—gleaming with even richer treasure radiance—appeared out of thin air, fluttering its translucent, crystalline wings. It swiftly descended into Liu Xiu's hand. At the same instant, the remnants of the heavenly gate beneath his feet, once used by a certain layman to traverse space and time, vanished completely. With the White Jade Cicada back in his grasp, the voice of the narration cheat chimed in once more: [Jie-jie-jie... Dominate the cultivation world of the myriad heavens!] "..." *That's really the limit of your ambition!* *Seriously, are you sure you aren't my obsession?* After some thought, Liu Xiu figured it probably wasn't. No other reason than that his own obsession couldn't possibly be so uninspired. Ending his train of thought, Liu Xiu stored the new White Jade Cicada back into his violet palace to inspect it. Moments later, the following information formed in his mind: [Item: Narration Cheat] [Form: White Jade Cicada] [Host: Liu Xiu] [Abilities: Butterfly Dream of the Myriad Heavens, Deducing Heavenly Secrets...] [Origin: Forged personally by a future Liu Xiu using the residual time-space power of the Heavenly Gate, infused with the Dao of Zhuang Zhou dreaming of a butterfly. Restricted to use by Liu Xiu: must stand 185 cm tall, exceedingly handsome, with the looks of Pan An... bearing the Crimson Firmament Sword magic treasure, parents deceased, master Shi Jian, senior brother Shi Shaojian, sits up first in the morning before opening his eyes... With this item, Liu Xiu may travel through the myriad heavens and worlds in dreams!] [Note 1: From the moment it was infused with time-space power, it was fated to appear in Liu Xiu's hands...] [Note 2: From the moment it was infused with time-space power, it was fated to appear in Liu Xiu's hands...] [Note 3: From the moment it was infused with time-space power, it was fated to appear in Liu Xiu's hands...] The three notes looked redundant, and indeed they were somewhat repetitive. But Liu Xiu realized his future self seemed fairly formidable. *My future self can even gather time-space power?* Stroking his chin, Liu Xiu muttered inwardly, *I want to become a sage right now.* After waiting a moment and seeing no signs of sainthood, he decided his future self wasn't all that impressive after all. If his future self couldn't even make his present self an instant sage, how formidable could he be? *True enough. If he were genuinely invincible, this narration cheat capable of dream-traveling the myriad worlds should have appeared right from the start... In the end, one still has to rely on oneself!* Liu Xiu sighed inwardly. While pondering how time-space power was collected and infused, he glanced toward the wooden cottage. Seeing everyone still occupied with their own tasks, he tacked on four words to the narration cheat's abilities: *Shielding Heavenly Secrets*. With that done, Liu Xiu walked toward the cottage. He was in no rush to dream-travel the myriad worlds; his cultivation was still somewhat low. He would wait until he reached the Refining Essence into Qi realm before trying! The two-hundred-meter walk passed quickly. Standing at the door, he looked into the cottage where Perfected Tianning was no longer present, then peered at Shi Shaojian and the other three still trapped in their illusions. He thought to himself: *These guys are done for! They might end up having to undergo lightning liberation!* "Your Grand-Master Tianning has already left. She will help us track down the one operating from the shadows who cast the *Three Calamities and Nine Hardships Star-Shifting Form-Substituting Chapter*," Shi Jian spoke from the head seat, though his face clearly showed his foul mood. "Oh, I see. Grand-Master is skilled in the art of destiny?" Liu Xiu asked curiously, though the way he lingered outside without stepping in made Shi Jian's mouth twitch twice before nodding slightly. "Yes, she is indeed proficient in destiny. But she is even more skilled in traveling the underworld and consulting grain spirits. By the way, she is the master of your Seventh Martial Aunt, Zhegu!" "Oh..." Realizing he wasn't about to get struck by Shi Jian for no reason, Liu Xiu finally stepped inside. His mind instantly flashed to Zhegu from the movie *Mr. Vampire 1992*—the Zhegu who had successfully snagged Ninth Uncle. "Speaking of which, your Seventh Martial Aunt Zhegu has long been enamored of your Second Martial Uncle, Lin Fengjiao. Sadly, your Second Martial Uncle has refused to accept her!" Shi Jian offered a rare smile. *Are you gloating? No, you are definitely gloating!* Liu Xiu muttered inwardly. He picked a spot near the doorway to stand and listened to Shi Jian talk about Zhegu and Lin Fengjiao. There wasn't much to say, really—just a woman pursuing a man who wasn't willing. As for whether looks were a factor, Liu Xiu couldn't comment; that was business among his elders. "Your Seventh Martial Aunt truly loves your Second Martial Uncle Lin Fengjiao. According to your Grand-Master Tianning, she is already preparing to relocate her branch hall to Ren Family Town, where Lin Fengjiao is!" Shi Jian chuckled. Catching Liu Xiu's look, his face straightened. "Ahem, I am simply happy for them!" "Mm, I believe you!" "..." *This disciple can't be left to run wild anymore!* Shi Jian stared expressionlessly at Liu Xiu, who was growing more and more like Shaojian by the day. Liu Xiu coughed to change the subject, stepping up to Shi Jian's side to gossip: "Master, um... did Grand-Master Tianning suffer some heartbreak in the past?" "Well..." Shi Jian hesitated. Though puzzled as to how Liu Xiu knew, he understood once he recalled the illusion. Glancing left and right, he spoke in a low voice about Perfected Tianning's past, recounting virtually the exact tale Liu Xiu had deduced. Perfected Tianning had indeed been cheated of her heart by a scoundrel—though fortunately, her virtue had remained uncompromised. And that scamp was indeed still alive. "After that demoness took her own life, Perfected Tianning was saved, but that man surnamed Ming broke off his engagement with your Grand-Master Tianning. Afterward, he vanished without a trace, though later word had it he was entangling himself with a female Daoist from Longhu Mountain..." Shi Jian's expression soured, clearly disgusted by the man's conduct. Liu Xiu quickly shifted the topic: "Master, how does one seize intangible things, like... time-space power or spatial energy?" "..." "Huh? You don't know how either?" "..." *Honestly, this disciple's words are getting harder and harder to stomach!* Shi Jian stared expressionlessly at Liu Xiu, who was aiming far too high. Liu Xiu brought a fist to his mouth and coughed. "*Ahem*, I'm off to cultivate!" Seeing Daoist Zhaixing and the other three on the verge of waking, Liu Xiu swiftly offered his respects and took his leave. He had barely cleared the doorway when— *Bang—!* The wooden door slammed shut. Searing white lightning flared once more alongside screams that were cut short, prompting Liu Xiu to quicken his pace. "Master wouldn't accidentally lightning-liberate Martial Uncle and the others, would he..." Liu Xiu whispered to himself, already a hundred meters away from the cottage. Nearby, Jiale, who had been watching the cottage out of concern for his master, widened his eyes in horror. *Is my master about to die? No, this can't be—I haven't saved enough money to buy a bronze-cornered golden coffin yet...* Just as Jiale instinctively thought this and prepared to beg Liu Xiu to plead for his master, he froze. Not just Jiale, but Dong, Nan, Xi, and Bei froze as well. Even Master Yixiu and his companion rubbed their eyes, staring at one of the figures among an approaching group. *No way. Did he finish lightning liberation and reincarnate back here that fast?!* Liu Xiu looked curiously at the middle-aged man walking toward them, whose features were almost identical to Daoist Zhaixing's. However, his attention was quickly drawn to the crowd accompanying the man. Taking in their attire, his brows rose slightly. What a crowd. A whole host of people had arrived! "This humble Daoist is Mao Xiaofang, a thirty-eighth-generation disciple of the Tiandao Sect of Longhu Mountain. May I ask who you are, fellow Daoist?" the middle-aged man who bore an uncanny resemblance to Daoist Zhaixing greeted Liu Xiu with a warm smile and a bow. "..." *Actually... I'm your martial nephew!* Liu Xiu stared blankly at Mao Xiaofang standing before him.