An infinite Tree Universe could accommodate infinite worlds.
Every fantasy humanity held regarding other worlds could find identical or similar counterparts within the Tree Universe.
There could be a Journey to the West world, a Shakespearean tragedy world, a Walking Dead world, a Liaozhai world, a Dragon Ball world…
There were even countless worlds that possessed no logic whatsoever—purely idealistic, mind-over-matter worlds.
The reason Little Nora felt so heartbroken was much like a child shut up at home who assumed he knew the whole world from watching television, only to step outside and realize it was entirely different from what he had imagined.
It was like being abruptly shoved out of one’s comfort zone, leaving behind only bewilderment and anxiety.
When all was said and done, it was still just an eight-year-old baby.
"All right, stop crying."
"With Big Brother here, you’ll definitely grow up safe and sound."
"If your knowledge is obsolete, then learn it again. I don't know much about the outside world either, so we'll work hard together!"
Seeing Little Nora weep so sorrowfully, Yu Xian gently consoled the creature even if he did not fully understand, reaching out to pat its head.
"In truth, countless worlds are born and extinguished every single second. Little Nora's questions may be outdated, yet they are also timeless.
"For there will forever be a Tang Sanzang journeying on the path to retrieve the scriptures, and there will forever be a Romeo and Juliet still in love. Within boundless worlds, boundless coincidences and inevitabilities unfold.
"Sixty-four primordial forces compose all things under heaven, their sequences infinite yet bounded. Countless individuals and events constantly recur in cycles of samsara, so there is truly no need for Little Nora to grieve like this," Zhenwo Changjing said with a faint smile.
Yu Xian and Little Nora glanced at each other, both practically seeing question marks floating above the other's head. In the end, they unanimously decided to ignore whatever Zhenwo Changjing had just said.
"All right, Little Nora, I'm going to activate the bloodline power in your body now. Get ready," Yu Xian said to Little Nora with a smile.
Little Nora nodded repeatedly, looking up at Yu Xian in anticipation.
The greatest advantage of the Primordial Blood Pact was that once both sides became one, Yu Xian could use the energy he obtained from basking in the sun to strengthen his companion, allowing their bloodline to awaken much faster.
After confirming that Little Nora was ready, Yu Xian promptly mobilized the energy stored in his primordial pouch, slowly channeling it into Little Nora's body. Little Nora instantly felt its blood begin to boil. At the same time, the feathers on Yu Xian's body that belonged to Little Nora gradually took on a metallic sheen, their edges growing remarkably sharp.
This was the Garuda's innate ability, 'Adamantine Feathers,' granting plumage a hardness approaching that of a Star Divine Artifact.
In truth, Yu Xian was not genuinely at the Star Rank; his combat power had merely reached that level. His method of cultivation did not belong to this era at all, meaning he could not enjoy many of the perks exclusive to normal cultivation.
For instance, when Transcendent cultivators broke through to the Star Rank through regular practice, they could concentrate on tempering a specific organ, endowing it with defensive power no weaker than a Star Divine Artifact.
Most human experts chose either their skin or their skeleton. Coupled with the fact that normally promoted experts had access to a wider variety of abilities, they were inevitably stronger in the early stages than Star Rankers who had relied on Star Divine Artifacts to advance.
This advantage would persist until the Transcendent who advanced via an artifact forged additional Star Divine Artifacts, gradually leveling the playing field or even surpassing their peers.
"A whole year's worth of accumulated energy, and it was only enough to activate a single ability."
The energy gathered in Yu Xian's primordial pouch was emptied in the blink of an eye, only managing to refresh the feathers once over.
Although he had never dared dream of unlocking every ability in the Garuda bloodline in one breath, unlocking only one was still beyond his expectations—far less than he had hoped.
Even so, Adamantine Feathers was undeniably formidable.
Yu Xian gently stroked the feathers on his wings, clearly sensing their rigidity. He estimated that weapons below the Star Rank would be as soft as tofu before them.
Spreading his wings, he shot forward. Trees were sliced clean apart wherever the Adamantine Feathers brushed past. He soon discovered these feathers could be launched as projectiles and then automatically recalled.
With just a thought, the feathers could effortlessly shear through distant boulders and trees before circling back to settle upon his wings.
Just then, a horned dragon appeared up ahead. Yu Xian immediately fired off three feathers. Before the dragon could react, its head was severed clean from its neck. Swooping past, Yu Xian conveniently drained every drop of its blood.
Basking in the sun was merely one way to acquire this special energy.
A vampire's original blood-drinking method could likewise yield the specialized energy needed to unlock bloodline talents.
Right now, Yu Xian was in dire need of this energy, so from that point on, any living creature he laid eyes on was bled completely dry.
To Huaxia, this place was exceptionally perilous; plenty of dragonkin here reached the Dragon-rank, terrifyingly strong by virtue of their physical bodies alone.
Yet to Yu Xian, these draconic creatures posed no threat at all. He could kill them in the instant he flew by, siphoning their blood in a single second.
By dusk.
Yu Xian and Little Nora sat beside a campfire, where Yu Xian was roasting a dragon's tail.
Though neither Yu Xian nor Little Nora required conventional sustenance anymore, both were rather gluttonous by nature, especially when the ingredient at hand happened to be dragon meat.
"Auntie, would you say dragon meat tastes more like chicken or more like lizard?" Yu Xian asked casually, sprinkling a pinch of salt over the meat as the savory aroma drifted up.
Sitting atop a boulder not far off, Zhenwo Changjing replied placidly, "Actually, it is closer to crocodile."
"Fair enough."
Hearing that, Yu Xian's expectations plummeted.
He handed a piece of meat to Little Nora, then took a bite from the roast skewered on his stick. His brows twitched upward in surprise. It was considerably tastier than he had anticipated; though it indeed resembled crocodile meat, it had far more chew and spring to it.
"Delicious! Big Brother, I want more meat!" Little Nora gulped its share down in one bite, staring eagerly at Yu Xian.
Yu Xian had already used the Art of Large Within, Small Without from the Art of Grotto-Heaven to shrink Nora down. Yet even shrunken, it remained an insatiable eater. Yu Xian had no choice but to pass over the meat roasting on the other spit.
Before he had even finished his own piece, however, Little Nora had already devoured the second portion and was gazing back at him with an expression full of longing.
"Are you Zhu Bajie or something?" Yu Xian grumbled.
Each chunk of meat they roasted was the size of half an ox.
Having shrunk, Little Nora was only about the size of a calf, yet it cleared the food far too quickly.
Far from feeling embarrassed, Little Nora beamed proudly and smiled sheepishly. "Zhu Bajie couldn't hold a candle to my appetite! Even a hundred Zhu Bajies couldn't out-eat me!"
"..."
Yu Xian was left speechless. Letting out a sigh, he decisively headed over to carve more dragon meat for the roast. Little Nora was his little bro, after all—if he didn't pamper it, who would?
However, while he was carving meat beside a three-horned giant dragon, beams of light flickered from the nearby woods. A group of people walked out at a leisurely pace, adorned with various gear. Had it not been for their lights, Yu Xian likely wouldn't have noticed them until they had drawn quite close.
Yu Xian halted what he was doing and turned toward the forest, quietly steeling himself for battle.
Chapter 209