《9 Lives》


 Chapter 1: My Name is...

    In a cave somewhere in the Rhine Continent, there was an old man sitting in a meditative position. He did not look in any way to be wise or intelligent. Instead, he was struggling to breathe. The man himself looked weary as if he was tired of the world.


    Then, suddenly, a golden light surrounded him. It bathed him and the features of the old man changed. He lost some of his weariness and gained some of the wisdom an old man should have.


    "Ha-ha. I cannot tell whether I should be happy or not. After all, the world has finally allowed me to break through. But I had to wait an hundred years just to enter the 1st stage of the Origin Realm."


    The old man''s feelings were very complicated and then he just laughed.


    "Every single person who ever mocked me was right. After years of hard work, thanks to my talent, this is the best result I could achieve. The heavens have completely shunned me. I have truly wasted my life for this power I could never receive. Why did I not ignore them and spend a life of pleasure? I can''t even have the revenge I deserve on all those people who have shamed me."


    The old man began to reminisce his life of suffering and defeat. He had been a member of a famous clan in a world of cultivation. Naturally, he was expected to be talented since he was the son of the patriarch of the clan. However, it was found out that he had not talent for cultivation. Once every clan member found out about this, they began to treat him like trash even in front of the patriarch. After all, he did live in a world of survival of the fittest.


    "Son, you do not have to worry about what other say about you. I shall still love you and take care of you. You do not have to live a life of cultivation. Pursue your other interests or dreams. If others try to hurt you, I shall protect you."


    "Father, I can never bear that shame in my whole life. If you protect me, whatever little pride I have will also be destroyed. And no matter what others say, I will not be deterred because I have no talent in cultivation. I wish to pursue a life of cultivation, so I can become strong. Please do not stop me."


    The old man laughed when he remembered this because now, he wished he had never said this. If he had done what his father told him to, even if his pride was gone, his life would not have been wasted. However, he did not heed his father''s words.


    Year after year, he practiced cultivation, but he did not make any progress in his cultivation. As his fellow clan members grew and accomplished many things, he was stuck at the beginning stage of cultivation. Soon, his father died of natural causes and an elder came into power.


    In all his days, the one day that the old man hated to remember was the day he was humiliated horribly. The new patriarch kicked him out of the clan and humiliated him with the elders in front of all the clan members. Everybody at the clan insulted and disgraced him. That was the day his pride was completely lost.


    From then on, he lived a life of training. However, he could not make a breakthrough in his many years of life. Everywhere he went, he suffered. He had to go through ten times more shame than a normal man does. People kicked him around. They robbed him. The rich made him beg and tortured him. Until, he decided to isolate himself from the world 50 years ago. He had come to this cave and lived in it for 50 years without contact with the world. The cave had enough food and nobody ever disturbed him. This cave had become his home.


    Remembering his life, the old man began to cry. These tears came from 100 years of suffering. He had struggled to become a cultivator his whole life. The old man had no pride left and he could not be considered a man. However, this was the result.


    "Hey, old man. Quit crying, all right. You''re not a kid alright. It''s annoying. Otherwise, I might kill you."


    The voice caused the old man to stop crying. He was shocked more than he had ever been. He had been in this cave his whole life, but no one else was ever here. They could not even come in because the main entrance had sealed up 50 years ago.


    "Who are you?"


    The old man looked around for any sign of life.


    "Who am I? Who are you, old man? I don''t remember a cultivator being here and I''ve been here for a thousand years, Wait, why are you still at the 1st stage of the Origin realm?"


    The voice was very arrogant and had a air of superiority.


    "Why do you care? I''ll kill you if you don''t shut up."


    The mysterious voice incited the anger of the old man because he could not bear to suffer any more shame.


    "Oh, you dare insult the Great Master by not respecting me. I''ll kill you if an other word comes out of your mouth."


    The old man did not what this voice was, but he could tell that the threat was very much real.


    "Good, it seems you''re learning to respect the Great Master. Then, I shall reveal myself to you. You should be thankful, since many have wished to see me, but they never succeed because I am the Great Master."


    The old man could finally locate the arrogant voice. It was coming from where he was sitting. Suddenly, the earth started to shake and something came out from the ground beneath the old man. The blur, which came out from under him, knocked the old man into a wall in the cave.


    "Aaaaaaah. My arm."


    The tremendous pressure from the force of the blur coming out broke the arm of the old man.


    "Old man, you really are weak. Your arm was completely broken and that was just a minuscule amount of power I put in."


    After the old man got used to the pain in his arm, he looked at the source of the voice.


    It was a cat . The owner of the voice was a cat of all things. The cat was black almost everywhere but his paws and mouth. It was wearing a white scarf around its neck. It was possible to tell how arrogant the cat was from a mile away.


    "A cat. Ha-ha."


    The old man at first was shocked not because of it being a cat because there were monsters that could talk. However, they were very rare. Still, he could not help but control his laughter once he learned that it was a cat. When he saw how arrogant this cat was, he could not stop it because he had not laughed in a long time.


    "How dare you laugh at me!"


    The anger of the cat could be sensed and the old man stopped laughing because he could sense its aura. The old man gulped and hoped he could avoid the anger of the cat.


    "Since you love using your mouth so much, I''ll help you."


    The cat waved his paw at him and muttered something.


    "Aaaaaaah."


    The screams of the old man echoed through the cave. His other arm was also broken, now, because of the cat.


    "That''ll teach you to laugh at me."


    The cat grinned as if he had done some great deed that needed to be venerated.


    "Well, after a thousand years, I finally escaped the seal thanks to your breakthrough. Still, I''m never thanking a trash like you. You broke through to the first stage of the Origin realm at that age. How pathetic. I''ve never seen a trash as trashy as you."


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    The old man once again was very angry. He knew how much of a trash he was, but the cat was rubbing it in his face. Still, he did not argue with the cat because he knew the cat would kill him if he did argue back with it. However, what did the cat mean when it said his breakthrough helped it?


    "Still, you would be a useful pawn, old man. After all, such a trashy dude would be the perfect tool for me."


    The cat stared at the old man coldly. In its eyes, the old man was just a puppet for it to use.


    "How could I ever help someone like you?"


    In his and  society''s view, he was a useless person that was disposable. The old man could never see how he could be useful. Even if he was useful, he would never help the cat that broke his two arms. But he did not say that because he was scared of the cat.


    "Do you know what reincarnation is, old man?"


    The cat had a cold smile when he said this and even his aura became cold.


    "Of course, who doesn''t know what reincarnation is? Everybody is going to reincarnate as they die. Do you not know that?"


    The old man was baffled why the cat had asked him this question.


    "I should rephrase my question. Do you know what soul reincarnation is, old man?"


    "Soul reincarnation?"


    The old man had never heard of such a thing and he had completely read all the books in his clan library.


    "During reincarnation, the soul is cleansed and all memories are forgotten. However, soul reincarnation is a special case that happens in one in a billion cases of reincarnation. Only a handful of people have experienced this type of reincarnation."


    "Then all the knowledge you have from your previous life can be kept!"


    "Yep."


    The old man was shocked to the extreme. That would be desirable to anyone because of all the advantages it possesses, but it would be useless to him because he did not have any knowledge.


    "What if I told you I could give you a chance at this type of reincarnation?"


    "What do you mean?"


    The old man just learned of how rare it was, but this cat said he could allow him to reincarnate this way.


    "I mean that you would be able to reincarnate with the knowledge you possess now."


    The cat was annoyed at the stupidity of the man. But he was happy anyway because he had found someone he could use.


    "No thank you."


    "Huh!"


    The cat was completely baffled at the reason why anyone would refuse this type of deal.


    "This is a great opportunity and I''m kind enough to offer it to a trash like you."


    "I don''t need to. I have barely gathered any great knowledge that will give me a great advantage in life. Also, I would rather forget all the shame I have went through in this life. The only knowledge I have right now is that you are trying to use me."


    The old man was sure of his answer and he did not want to be used by this arrogant cat.


    "Che. You idiot. Did you not know that no matter how many times you reincarnate, you will have the same talent? The only thing that is cleansed is the soul. Talent can never change. That is a law set by the heavens. The strong always are the strong and the weak continue to be weak. Who knows how many times you have suffered this same fate over and over again?"


    The old man was shocked. No book had ever told him this. He believed that reincarnation was a second chance, but if what the cat said was true, his life was never going to change.


    "How do I know you''re telling the truth?"


    "You don''t, but let me just say that I can help you."


    "How?"


    The cat grinned as he realized that he had caught his prey.


    "There is another taboo type of reincarnation called Soul travel. The soul never goes to the heavens to get cleansed. Instead, it gets reborn instantly after finding a suitable womb. It''s like soul reincarnation, but there is something different about it."


    "What is this difference?"


    "Soul travel allows for the change of talent and allows one to keep their cultivation."


    "What?"


    The old man''s jaw dropped. If such a thing was possible, all the cultivators across the entire world would kill for it. And this opportunity was being given to him.


    "Is such a thing really possible?"


    "Of course, it is. I am the Great Master after all and that isn''t all I''m offering you. You will have 9 chances to Soul travel."


    The old man could not say anything else. Every time the cat said something, he was shocked out of his mind, but he could not comprehend what the cat just said. There was no way to evaluate how priceless this offer was. But, still, the old man was not dumb in the slightest.


    "I would want to accept such an offer, but there must be some drawbacks if it''s taboo."


    The cat frowned at the old man''s statement. Most would beg for this opportunity and do anything it takes. But the old man had figured out the cat was trying to trick him.


    "Interesting. Even those guys wouldn''t act like him."


    The cat had probably never thought of anyone like this before and it made it want to use the old man even more.


    "Who knows, old man? But the offer isn''t just going to wait for a trash like you. If I have to, I can find others."


    The old man smiled at the cat''s intelligence. It was planning on making sure that he wouldn''t analyze the situation. Still, the old man remembered what his life was like and what the cat told him about reincarnation.


    "If all my lives must be the lives of a loser then why not take a risk to change that?"


    This was what the old man had decided. He wanted a change to happen, even if it was tabooed by some greater force like the heavens.


    "Fine, I accept your offer."


    "Very well, then. The Great Master shall fulfill our deal, then."


    The old man relaxed, waiting for the cat to do something. However, suddenly, the cat disappeared in an instant and appeared in front of him. The cat''s paw stabbed the old man in the chest and took something out. This all happened in an instant so the old man was not able to make sense of it. However, he focused on what the cat was holding. It was the size of his hand and beating rapidly. He realized it was his heart.


    "Why?"


    The old man was struggling to speak and could not understand why the cat had killed him.


    "Don''t worry. I don''t break my promises. You will be reincarnated."


    The old man collapsed and was beginning to lose consciousness.


    "Old man, before we see each other again, tell me your name."


    The old man struggled to speak, but he succeed with the last of his strength.


    "My name is Xiao San."

 Chapter 2: Where Am I?

    In the Northern District, there is a place called the Tang Prefecture. In this area, snow falls constantly throughout the year. The snow white mountains are said to be one of the greatest attractions of this prefecture. The beauty of this scene cannot be denied since tourists and cultivators come here throughout the entire year because of the peacefulness of the scene.  However, that is very odd since the weather can freeze any man to death in a few minutes.


    In this freezing weather, a man was running. This man had long white hair and was very handsome. You could not tell the age of this man from just looking at him because he seemed as if he was in his prime. All that man was wearing was a robe. He looked like he could not even feel the cold.


    The place the man was heading to was a huge mansion. The mansion was also very decorated and seemed to suit the beauty of the man as well. It looked as if it was perfect without the slightest scratch on it.


    However, the man did not notice any of this features. He was in a great hurry as if the world was about to end. As soon as he arrived at the main gate of the mansion, he snapped his fingers and they opened.


    As soon as the doors opened, there was a huge snow-white wolf there to greet him. The wolf had blue eyes and was completely white-furred. It had a troubled look that did not match his appearance.


    "Xiao Yun, it seems the baby is about to be delivered."


    The snow-white wolf said this worriedly.


    "What? It''s too early for this. Still, thank you for telling me quickly, Hong."


    Xiao Yun quickly ran inside the mansion with lots of worry on his face. It was his first child and he couldn''t help but be nervous. He was also very worried about his wife because his wife carried a higher risk of survival when birth occurred.


    "I must be there in time for the birth."


    He ran inside the bedroom to find his wife on the bed. There was also a doctor beside her.


    "Elder Brother Mubai, will my dear Xiao Li be alright?"


    Xiao Yun knew the doctor, Ling Mubai, very well. He knew he was the best doctor in the prefecture, but he could not help but worry.


    "Younger Brother Yun, it will be alright. It seems as if the baby will be delivered safely."


    As soon as Mubai said this, Xiao Yun''s mood brightened up. He then went to his wife''s bedside and held her hand.


    "Please stay strong, Xiao Li."


    Xiao Li, his wife, smiled back at him.


    "It will be alright, Yun. Both my baby and I shall survive."


    Xiao San was shocked.


    He had trusted the cat and it had killed him. Now he was floating in this dark abyss of nothingness. The abyss seemed to last forever and he could not tell how long he had floated in the abyss for.


    "I should curse that cat for eternity. It probably ate my soul."


    Xiao San''s anger against the cat did not subside no matter how many hours had passed. What annoyed him the most was that he was existing in an ethereal form. He could not move or speak. Xiao San could only curse the cat in his mind. He couldn''t even sleep.


    "Is there any existence as bad as this?"


    His whining continued for a long time. Xiao San could not do anything else.


    Suddenly, a light shone in the dark abyss. Xiao San could instantly see it. His ethereal form instantly went toward because he believed anything was better than the dark abyss he was in. As soon as he touched it, he instantly lost consciousness.


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    The whole abyss shone with a golden light and the ethereal form of Xiao San disappeared.


    When Xiao San regained consciousness, he felt very different. He could not move or do anything.


    "Huh! Where am I? This definitely isn''t the abyss."


    Soon, Xiao San felt as if he had a body. He felt that he had the ability to move no matter how little. Then, he opened the eyes that he realized were closed.


    "Huh! Who is that giant?"


    That was what Xiao San thought as soon as he opened his eyes. As soon as he did, he saw a huge giant with beautiful blue eyes and long white hair. The giant was holding him.


    "Wait, could I have reincarnated? Then, the cat told me the truth. Then that means this man is my father."


    Once he realized this, he quit cursing the cat and began to look at his surroundings. The man who was his father seemed to him as if he was very strong. He gave of a cold aura. But, you could see a little bit of love in the man''s eyes.


    "My father seems to be very strong. Maybe, I can be strong as well. At least, the cat helped my life a little bit."


    For the first time, Xiao San thanked the cat. He was grateful because he started to believe his destiny could be changed.


    "Yun, I think you''re scaring our child."


    Then, Xiao San realized there was a female next to his father. She had jet black hair and alluring red eyes. In the Rhine Continent, Xiao San thought people would do war for such a beauty.


    "So, she is my mother."


    Xiao San continued to thank the cat because he started to see promise in his life.


    "Xiao Li, even if he is a child, the tougher he is, the better."


    Xiao Yun wanted his child to be strong, He wished for him to surpass him.


    "Yun, what should we call our child?"


    Xiao San also began to wonder what his new name would be.


    "What about Xiao San?"


    "That sounds perfect."


    Xiao Li liked that name as much as she liked her child. She smiled at Xiao San and took him from Xiao Yun''s hands.


    "Eh, my name is the same."


    Xiao San was surprised how reincarnation worked, but he realized this would make things easier.


    "Still, where am I?"


    That was the big question in his mind because he wanted to know what his family was like. He realized that both Xiao Yun and Xiao Li were different and should be cultivators. So he believed that he finally received some luck.


    "Depending on where I live and who I am, I might be able to make a name for myself in this life. However, why do I not feel my cultivation?"


    No matter how weak his cultivation was, it was the sum of a 100 years of hard work. He did not want to lose that hard work, no matter how meager it was. Still, the cat had not lied so far, so he had reason to believe it would work out somehow.


    "Xiao Li, we should head to the Prefecture mansion of Lord Tang. He shall place the seal of the heavens on this boy. We must do this quickly or he might be rejected by the Heaven Realm and descend to the Mortal Realm. That happened to a child in the Southern Prefecture."


    Xiao Yun was in a hurry because he did not want his son to face any problems. He wanted the boy to possess the mark of the Heavens as quickly as possible. While this was happening, Xiao San''s mind was shocked.


    "Heaven Realm. I was reborn in the realm of the Immortals."

 Chapter 3: Lord Tang

    Xiao Yun and Xiao Li rushed out of the mansion with their newborn child in hand.


    "Xiao Yun, was the baby delivered safely?"


    Hong, the snow-white wolf, was worried since Xiao Li had gotten pregnant. Birth rates were unusually low in the Heaven Realm since it was hard for many newborn children to survive in the realm of the Immortals. He did not want his sworn brother, Xiao Yun, to suffer that sad fate that many others did. Hong could never bear than because Xiao Yun had even made him his sworn brother. He was the given the surname Xiao by his brother.


    "Hong, the baby has arrived safely. We are now taking him to Lord Tang to get the seal placed upon him."


    Xiao Hong was instantly relieved, but he did not ask anything beyond this. He knew that his brother did not want anything to happen to his child.


    "Yun, let''s head for the Prefecture Mansion. Get on me."


    Xiao Yun and Xiao Li got on Hong instantly.


    "I''ll fly as fast as I can."


    Xiao Hong jumped up in the air and began making strides. It seemed as if he was walking upon an invisible path, but if a true master ever looked closely, they could see the Ice qi beneath his feet.


    Xiao San was reeling from the shock that he was in the world of the Immortals, but now he was riding on a talking wolf, which was flying in the air.


    "Amazing, so this is the world of the Immortals."


    He could not fully comprehend this chance he was given, but he did understand that he should forever be grateful to the cat.


    "Still, I wonder where that cat went."


    After pondering this for a while, he gave up and observed his surroundings. Snow was falling nonstop and the weather seemed to be freezing. However, he could not feel anything thanks to a blanket his parents wrapped around him. He could feel the qi coursing through it.


    "Amazing, the Immortals have everything in this realm. Still, this area is a bit plain."


    From what the baby Xiao San could see, the land was just mountains and plains. There was nothing too decorative, except the mansions he saw on the way. The mansions, however, seemed as if they came from a distant land. Some were made of brick and others marble, but you could not deny the lavish quality they all possessed.


    "I wonder where we are heading in such a rush. I heard my parents talking about a seal. Is that some sort of ritual for newborn children?"


    In the legendary Heaven realm, Xiao San could not help but wonder what surprises existed in these lands.


    After a short while, the snow-white wolf began to descend. When the baby Xiao San, he could not help but be surprised. A huge palace was standing in front of where he was. It was a huge pagoda with many stories. However, the beauty of the structure came from the material, which seemed to be completely made out of crystals. Even the main gate seemed to built out of this material.


    "Lord Xiao, please allow us to welcome you. Great Master Tang has been waiting for your arrival for a few days. You may enter immediately."


    The guards by the main gate seemed to hold a great respect for Xiao San''s father even though they looked fierce.


    "I wonder how strong my father is if even the lord of this palace respects him."


    Xiao San couldn''t wait to start his life as he was surprised continuously by his new family. He was also intrigued by who this Tang person was if he could live in such a great place in the Heaven Realm.


    Xiao San''s family began to walk inside, while the wolf stayed outside. The guards escorted them inside the palace, which completely contrasted with the outside of the palace. It reminded him of an imperial palace in the mortal realm with lavish designs and decoration. There were also many strange artifacts lining the walls. The crystal was not seen inside the palace however.


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    "This Tang person doesn''t seem to have good sense of design."


    When Xiao San''s family stepped into the main hall, there were already many people waiting for them.


    "Ah, Xiao Yun, you made it."


    The man who said this was on throne. He was mostly bald, with hair on the side of his head. He had a childish face, however, with a smile that was very charismatic face. By his side, there was another man. He had a good build and a thick beard. The man seemed to be very angry and serious. For a second, Xiao San thought that man was staring at him. The rest of the people seemed to be nobles or someone with similar wealth because of their lavish clothes.. These people had varying expressions since some smiled, while others had faces with anger upon them.


    "Lord Tang, I have come here for the sealing."


    "This is Lord Tang."


    Xiao San was underwhelmed. He had expected the man named Tang to be someone that looked very powerful. However, he knew the man had to be special in some way or he would not have the respect of these people.


    "Yes, we shall begin momentarily."


    "Lord Tang, this decision of yours is very unfair to the rest of us."


    One of the nobles had interrupted Lord Tang. Xiao San thought he looked very snobby. It was possible to tell immediately what type of person this man was. Xiao San had dealt with many of these type of people in his previous life. However, the look this man wore was not superiority but a look of envy,


    "What do you dislike about it, Wang Yue?"


    "Lord Tang, I think that you should give all the children a chance to participate in our sacred event instead of just Xiao Yun''s son. You even told us that you will give the seat of Prefecture Lord to his son. This seems highly unfair to me."


    The noble that was called Wang Yue glared at Xiao Yun while he said this. It seemed to Xiao San that he hated Xiao Yun very much. However, Xiao San was interested as soon as he heard that he will become the Prefecture Lord. It seemed to be a high-ranked position, which made him desire it very much.


    "Oh, you actually dare to argue, eh, you little brat! It seems to me that you have grown up a lot. Why don''t we go outside and settle this with a fight?"


    As soon as Lord Tang said this, Wang Yue''s face gave off fear. This noble stepped back and put his head down instantly.


    "It''s alright, my lord. You do not need to make rash decisions before the sealing. After that, we can find out how talented this child is."


    As soon as talent was mentioned, even the face of baby Xiao San became solemn. He wished to know how much his destiny had changed and if he could finally obtain talent for once in his existence.


    "Very well, we shall begin. Bring the sacred item out."


    The guards then brought something out from another room.


    *thud*


    Xiao San found the source of that sound. It was a cauldron that was black and decorated with dragons along the side. In it, there was a pool of what seemed to be golden water. The water kept on flowing and flowing forever.


    As soon as it was brought out, everyone that was there focused their attention on Xiao San. They were sweating so much as this was happening. Xiao San could figure out what would happen next would decide his life.


    "Place him in the cauldron, Xiao Yun."


    Xiao Yun did as he was told and place the baby Xiao San carefully into the cauldron. There was a hint of worry on his face.


    As soon as Xiao San entered the pool, he kept on falling and falling into the endless golden pool.

 Chapter 4: The Seal

    Xiao San didn''t know how long he floated in that golden pool of water for. Instead of a pool, it was more like a sea. Everywhere he look, he could not see anything but this sea. Unfortunately, he did not have the form of a baby. Instead, he was a floating ball of light.


    "It''s just like that dark abyss I was in. What is with me and boring situations. I wonder how long I have to stay here for."


    Xiao San already gotten used to this type of situation, so he managed to remain calm. Still, he started to worry since this was a test of talent somehow. He needed to get good result if he wanted to succeed in the new life.


    "Hey, old man or should I call you kid now? Looks like you reincarnated in an annoying place. I can''t tell if you have bad luck or good luck anymore."


    Xiao San recognized that arrogant voice even though he had only heard it once before. The source of it was someone he hated dearly, but he still had to thank. It was the arrogant cat.


    "Cat, we finally meet again after a long time. Thank goodness we finally met again. Now I know for sure this isn''t a dream. Otherwise, why would I see the Great Annoyance once again?"


    Xiao San was happy he met it again, but he still had to pay the cat back for all the things it had done in his previous life.


    "You bastard! How dare you address the Great Master in such a way! I''ll torture you to death by cutting off each of your limbs."


    The cat was completely fuming. It was at least willing to murder Xiao San on the spot. The honor of the cat was its greatest pride.


    "Eh, you wish you could kill me, but you''re welcome to try anytime."


    Xiao San was completely confident that the cat wouldn''t and couldn''t touch him. After all, it had made a deal with him, so if he died, there was no way their deal would ever be complete and the cat would be the one at a loss. Also, he felt safe in this golden sea without any basis at all.


    "Hmph, you''re much smarter than I though, kid. Even if I can''t touch you, I never told you what you had to do for me. I mean, when you want something, you have to give something."


    The cat grew calm and it acknowledged Xiao San for the first time, even if only slightly. Then, it went back to its arrogant attitude.


    "From what I see, I''m guessing you reincarnated in the Heaven Realm, am I right?"


    "Yeah, I have to thank you for giving me the chance to live in the heavens."


    It was the dream of any cultivator to go to the Heaven Realm. Even if it through birth, Xiao San was happy to be in this realm because he knew it might help in his dream of becoming strong. The dream he could never fulfill in his previous life."


    "Uh, damn it. If I''m right, the seal is going to be activated any minute now."


    The cat''s face grew grim as he spoke those words.


    "Are you talking about the ritual I''m part of right now?"


    Xiao San knew the ritual was special, but he did not know how or why other than the fact that it determined talent.


    "Kid, this ritual thing is the Seal of the Heavens. It''s a special ritual done to protect children in the Heaven Realm. The Heaven Realm was originally meant for Immortal level cultivators. Most children will easily die in this environment. So, to protect them until they become an Immortal, the Immortals use this seal to allow them to gain a body that is similar to the Immortals, so they can survive. But the seal is formed out of the Heaven Arts."


    Xiao San could not understand how that was a problem until he heard it was formed out of the Heaven Arts. They were one of the four Profound Arts. Cultivators in the mortal realm could not learn them easily, but he had read in many legends that in the Heaven Realm, you could learn them easily.


    "Wait, could it be because of the taboo?"


    "Yep, kid. Soul travel was tabooed by the heavens, not only because it was bad. It is an Evil Art."


    The cat looked at Xiao San''s face and just as expected, there was shock.


    "What? The legendary Evil Arts!"


    Xiao San could not contain his surprise. Out of the four Profound Arts, the Evil Arts were tabooed because they were way too dangerous. It was said if Deities and Sovereigns of the Heavens caught you practicing them, you would be killed on the spot.


    "Also, when I followed you to your next life, I had to fuse with your soul. Currently, my essence is purely that of the Evil Arts. That seal might try to kill me and since I''m fused with your soul, you could die."


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    "What?!"


    Xiao San had just gained his new life, so he definitely did not want to die as a baby.


    "Is there a chance that the seal won''t notice?"


    He was attempting to find any escape from death, no matter what.


    "Kid, sadly, once you use Soul travel, you lose a huge amount of luck. That seal will most likely try to find and kill me for sure."


    The cat was also pondering at the possible solutions to the dilemma.


    "Is there any way out of this?"


    "Kid, I might have to use my power, but I don''t know."


    "Then, use it already!"


    Xiao San was confused at why the cat was thinking about it. If this seal caught them, they would die instantly.


    Suddenly, an angel-like being appeared from the sea. It was red in color and had two wings. It seemed to be a defense against users of the Evil Arts. There was only a visible shape, but Xiao San could sense its power. It was at an incomprehensible stage of power in the eyes of him. There was no way he could survive.


    "Oh no! I''m done for!"


    "Fine, I''ll use my power."


    The cat sighed at this idea, but since it decided already, it got ready to fight.


    Xiao San did not know if the cat could beat it, but he had to bet his hopes on it.


    "Please win! Please win! I''ll buy you a ball of yarn if you win."


    The cat glared at Xiao San and he shut up.


    "Let''s see how strong you are, red wing."


    The angel instantly flew in front of the cat at a speed that Xiao San could not see its movements. It began to punch, but it realized the cat was not there anymore.


    "Behind you, loser. Heh!"


    The cat was behind the angel and it was laughing. The angel turned around, but the cat once again circled around him.


    "So annoying. I''ll finish you in one blow."


    The angel moved back to prepare for the attack, but the cat was behind him once again.


    "Void Punch!"


    The cat punched the angel with its paw and at the location of the attack, a void that was completely black formed. It started to suck in the angel and no matter, what it did, the angel could not fight back. Soon, it was completely sucked in and the void disappeared.


    "Kid, that was way too easy. I overestimated that thing."


    The cat grinned at his victory, while Xiao San was extremely relieved.


    "Thank goodness I''m safe."


    Suddenly, the sea began to shake. There were spatial cracks forming at certain parts of the golden sea.


    "Uh-oh, Kid, it seems I overdid it when I fought that thing. Well, see ya. Getting out here is your own problem."


    The cat suddenly disappeared and Xiao San could not find a trace of it anywhere.


    "Damn it. Where''d it go? How do I leave this place?"


    Then, suddenly, a beam of golden light hit the ball of light that was Xiao San.


    "Aaaaaaah!"


    In the Prefecture Mansion, everybody was very happy, with the exception of Lord Tang and the Xiao family.


    "Lord Tang, it seems that the child of the Xiao Family will not be the next Prefecture Lord. After all, no one has stayed that long in seal cauldron. A child that takes that long is surely not talented in the least."


    The one who said this was Wang Yue. He was all smiles. After all, now his family had a chance to rule the prefecture.


    Lord Tang sighed deeply.


    "Xiao Yun, sadly, unlike you, your son is not very talented."


    "Sorry for making you lose face, my lord."


    Xiao Yun was very sad because his son was not talented in cultivation. One cannot help but be disappointed when such a thing occurs.


    Suddenly, from the cauldron, the baby named Xiao San had come out. But, unusually, the golden sea had become completely red.


    "What is this?"


    Lord Tang was very surprised. The time it took to come out determined talent, but the golden sea had never changed color.


    "My lord, what level of talent does he possess?"


    Wang Yue wanted to make sure that the talented Xiao family was out of the competition for the Prefecture Lord, but he had been at many of these rituals and this had never happened before. The others were just as surprised at the result.


    Lord Tang could only give a very confused face.


    "I have no clue."

 Chapter 5: 7 Years

    Wu Yan was extremely tired. It was another boring day working at the library.


    "Why do I have such bad luck? After working extremely hard in trying to become an official of the Prefecture, I got assigned to this dump. Prefecture Library or not, almost no one comes here every day. My Wu family would be disappointed in me if they saw me now."


    Wu Yan sighed deeply and reminisced. His Wu family was pretty rich in their prefecture and Wu Yan was in an average position within the clan. However, he had wanted to work for the legendary Lord Tang that no other Prefecture Lord dared to fight. None of the great sects or even the Northern Palace would not dare to insult him. So he had come to this secluded Tang Prefecture for this goal. However, after all his years of hard work, he was stuck as a librarian.


    "How pathetic is my life. I would have also been at an higher level of cultivation if I hadn''t left my family."


    However, after a while, he completed his daily duties in the library. After, except the occasional scholar, no one even bothered to come to the library.


    *creak*


    The door to the Prefecture Library was opened by someone. It was a boy of approximately 6-7 years of age. The boy had very dark hair and an charismatic smile. He also had red eyes. They hinted others of a wisdom that was unusual for someone his age. The boy was pretty handsome for a child, but he would be considered "cute" by most.


    Wu Yan recognized this boy very easily. After all, he was the most common visitor this library had. The boy had started to come 3 years ago and since then, he had almost come to the library every day. The boy was probably one of the only things that kept Wu Yan sane in this library.


    "Xiao San, you''ve come again. Not that I wasn''t expecting you. What did you come for this time?"


    Xiao San smiled and greeted Wu Yan.


    "Elder Wu Yan, I am searching for a text that possess knowledge of the Heavenly War."


    "Oh, you flatter me too much, Xiao San."


    "Lord Tang, I have arrived, What did you need me for?"


    Lord Tang was in his meeting room for his private guests. When he turned around, he saw that his guest had arrived.


    "Ah, Xiao Yun. You don''t need to be so stiff. I just called you over for a little chat. Sit down."


    Xiao Yun was as handsome as always. But now, he was very serious. Lord Tang was someone of great importance, so he believed this to be an important matter. However, he did not expect that he was called for a little chat. No matter, he still sat down.


    "Xiao Yun, it''s been 7 years since your son was born, right. Your son is also starting to become as handsome as you. I expect that many will be attracted to him soon. Like father like son, eh, Xiao Yun. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"


    Lord Tang began to laugh at the thought for a while. However, a true expert could see that he was thinking about something else.


    "Milord, I''m sorry for what happened to the sealing water."


    Ever since the sealing, the golden sea had remained red. Sealing water came from the Sea of Sealing in the Central District. It was a very rare material. Cultivators could use it to enhance their abilities.


    "It''s alright, Xiao Yun. If I, the Prefecture Lord, ask, they would instantly give me a cauldron of sealing water. It was not that difficult to get more."


    "However, as soon as Xiao Yun mentioned the water, Lord Tang stared into space while pondering something.


    "Milord, may I ask the true reason behind calling me here?"


    Xiao Yun was a true expert and could realize that Lord Tang was thinking about something else. Most likely, it was related to the sealing water, which had turned red.


    "Ha-ha! I guess you''ve found me out. The true reason I''ve summoned you is to give this to you. It''s for your son."


    Lord Tang brought a green scroll from his robe. It was pretty worn out, but it was radiating a strange aura. The aura seemed to attract the qi around it.


    "Milord, is that the real World Qi Art? I cannot take this art."


    Xiao Yun was shocked as he saw it. Even he could not afford the real World Qi Art because of its worth. The World Qi Art was something all children used for self-defense and qi practice. There were many copies of the basics, but the real World Qi Art scrolls were only available to people of extremely high status like Lord Tang. The main reason was because it was a Sage art.


    "It''s alright, Xiao Yun. We do not know your child''s talent, so we cannot release his cultivation base as of now. Still, he is your child, so he might be able to comprehend this art. It''s my own copy, but I never use it, so give it to Xiao San. Think of it as a gift."


    Xiao Yun was shocked that the Prefecture Lord would give his own scroll of the real World Qi Art to him for his son.


    "Thank you, milord. I will pay you back, someday."


    "Ha-ha, it''s a gift, Xiao Yun. You don''t have to pay it back. You need to learn not to be so stiff from your son, you know. Ha-ha!"


    Xiao Yun took the scroll and thanked Lord Tang once again. Then, he left the meeting room in the Prefecture Mansion. As soon as he left, the expression in Lord Tang''s completely changed to one of seriousness. No one would believe that Lord Tang could make such a serious face in his whole life.


    Lord Tang snapped his fingers and he disappeared. If an expert saw this, they would figure out that this was the Art of Teleportation and it was mastered to an extent which would scare even Immortals.


    He reappeared at what seemed to be a cave. There were about a dozen people in the cave wearing black robes. Their faces could not be seen, but they were working by a cauldron. That cauldron possessed the sealing pool which had turned red.


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    "Did you make any progress in synthesizing it? After all, I''m paying you very well."


    Lord Tang seemed to be extremely impatient.


    "Forgive us, milord. This pool seems to impossible to synthesize. Even though we are some of the best alchemists in the Northern District, I doubt we can synthesize this pill easily."


    The alchemists had no emotion in their voice while saying that.


    "It seems they might be catching on to what this pill is."


    Lord Tang sighed at this thought because that meant he needed to find more master alchemists.


    "Your services are no longer required, master alchemists."


    "What are you talking about, milord?"


    The alchemists grew confused, but they were Immortals, so they knew something was wrong.


    "Shadow Blade"


    As soon as Lord Tang sang, a blade made purely of darkness formed in front of him and slashed at the alchemists at a terrifying speed. Until they were cut in half, they did not realize the blade was even there.


    "Why, milord?"


    All of the alchemists'' upper bodies fell down one by one. Lord Tang revealed a cold smile.


    "To make even me go blind with greed, this divine blood is truly a great treasure. With it, I could obtain a divine pill. It seems that it won''t disappear no matter how many times the synthesis fails, so I won''t need that brat to make anymore, but still, I should keep him close. After all, he is a treasure worth keeping. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"


    Lord Tang''s laughter echoed endlessly in the cave.


    "Eh, so in the Heavenly War, there truly was a supreme sovereign core. I wish I had a chance to become a supreme Sovereign."


    In the Prefecture Library, the 7 year-old Xiao San was engrossed in reading a text about the Heavenly War. He was curious about the subject since he had read about a few days ago in another text. Xiao San then got up from a chair he was sitting on in the library.


    "Eh, it''s almost time for dinner. I guess I have to go home soon."


    Xiao San smiled at the thought of a loving family waiting for him. It had filled the void of isolation that he had possessed for almost 50 years.


    Throughout the last 7 years, Xiao San had to say that he loved his new life. After all, he could live in the Heaven Realm and study some of the Profound Arts and even the history of the world. That was exactly like heaven for him. In these years, he lived very peacefully with his family and went to the library for the last 4 years to learn about the Heaven Realm and cultivation in depth.


    "I still have to wait a few more years for my cultivation base to be released."


    Xiao San was disappointed at this because he wanted to practice cultivation dearly. However, unless kids had very good talent, they could die if their cultivation base was released because of the qi coming in could be too much for them. In the Heaven Realm, the wait was much longer because the environment was full of qi. His talent was undecided because Lord Tang couldn''t figure it out after the sealing, so to be safe, he had to wait.


    "The only benefit I gained from being reborn here is the seal of the Heavens and knowledge, eh. Just a few more years and I''ll be a true cultivator."


    Xiao San was impatient, but still he was very happy. The seal of the Heavens was a great benefit since it was for the soul. Even if he died, he could come back because it was imprinted in his soul. Also, it gave him the protection that a Immortal has against weather and similar things. Even though it did not give him protect against attacks, he acknowledged to be useful.


    "Xiao San, it''s time to go home."


    A fierce voice rang throughout the library. Xiao San could recognize it anywhere.


    It was his uncle Xiao Hong after all. At first, when he saw the snow-white wolf with blue eyes, he was scared. But, as time went on, Xiao San truly came to care for his uncle. After all, his uncle Hong even took him to the library every day.


    Xiao San said goodbye to Wu Yan and left the building. In front of the door, he met the huge wolf outside.


    "Uncle Hong, are you here to take me back?"


    "Yes. Hurry up or Xiao Yun will kill me."


    Xiao Hong adored his nephew. At first, he was skeptical since he was a wolf and Xiao Hong thought he might scare him. But, now, they were like two inseparable friends.


    Xiao Hong quickly flew across the frozen land of the Tang Prefecture and arrived at the Xiao mansion. Then, Xiao San leapt of his back and said goodbye to his uncle. Just when he was about to enter, a white blur suddenly landed in the courtyard of the mansion.


    "Father must have come home."


    When Xiao San realized this, he ran through the halls of the mansion in order to greet him. By the time he arrived at the courtyard, his father was talking with his mother in a very serious tone.


    "I don''t know. It might be too early."


    Xiao San realized his parents were having a serious conversation and waited at the entrance of the courtyard. After a while, Xiao Yun realized he was there and smiled at him.


    "Father, today, it seems you have come home early."


    Even though the mind of Xiao San was that of a man that was 107 years old, he still admired his strong father. He really felt the urge to become someone like his father.


    "Xiao San, I''ve come early to meet you today. I need to ask you something."


    "Eh, what is it, father?"


    Xiao San wondered what his father needed to urgently ask him.


    "I know you are young. Still, I must ask, what do you wish to do with your life?"

 Chapter 6: The Path of Cultivation

    "What do I wish to do. Isn''t it obvious, father? You are a great expert, after all. I wish to walk upon the path of cultivation because I wish to become strong. After all, this is a world where the strong survive and the weak die. However, I want to become strong so the weak won''t suffer."


    As Xiao San said this, he had a resolute face with unwavering determination. It was quite unusual for someone of that age, but he was a man who had experienced the worst possible life. He had felt shame and lost enough pride enough for a hundred lives. In determination, he would obviously be second to none.


    For a second, Xiao Yun was shocked, but then he started to smile.


    "Very well, meet me tomorrow morning in the courtyard."


    Then, Xiao Yun left the courtyard and Xiao Li followed him.


    "I wonder what my wants to talk about with me."


    Xiao San knew this was important and had a few guesses at what was happening tomorrow. Still, he wasn''t sure.


    After a while, the moon could be seen and the sky drew dark. Xiao San was in his room and reading a book. Rather, he was thinking. Ever since he could freely move around, he would always think about his life at night everyday. After all, if he told others about his reincarnation, they would think he was crazy. The only one who knew about it was the cat and it had gone and disappeared after he exited the sealing pool. Even though he hated the cat, it would serve as a form of comfort because he could let out the emotions that had been stuck in his heart for a while.


    "Well, it has to be here, though. I wonder if it only comes when big events occur in my life."


    Other than someone to talk to, he wanted to ask the cat about its power. It had defeated the angel, who Xiao San knew was strong, in one punch. He could not help but let his curiosity ponder all the possible solutions.


    Lord Tang was flying in the sky of the Tang Prefecture. Even though there were supposed to be freezing winds, it seemed as though that they wouldn''t dare go near Lord Tang. Rather, these winds were going around him as if they feared him.


    "Che. It''s so annoying to fly to keep up an image, but I can''t let people learn that I know the Art of Teleportation. Otherwise, annoyances will pop up in this prefecture."


    Lord Tang felt disappointed as he was thinking this. When one possesses great power, they must hide it. That was his greatest philosophy, after all. Even though people knew of his power, in his heart, he had hidden most of it. After all, he couldn''t do what he wanted to do with his time because he would have to take challenges from many cultivators. Who wouldn''t want to face a strong opponent in the Heaven Realm?


    As soon as he arrived at the Prefecture Mansion, he landed in the courtyard. Waiting there for him was a bearded man who seemed to radiate an intense aura. If Xiao San saw him, he would recognize him as the serious man next to Lord Tang on the day of the Sealing.


    "Lord Tang, I have contacted a Grandmaster like you have told me to. However, he has told me it will take him some time to arrive since he is in the Southern District."


    The bearded man seemed to have a great sense of loyalty to Lord Tang. However, Lord Tang did not look at him and started to enter the mansion.


    "Good, if that old bastard appears, it won''t take long to even make a divine pill. Just a few more years and I shall have it."


    As Lord Tang was thinking, a greedy smile began to appear on his face. Even the bearded man was shocked for a second when he saw the face full of greed. He could not have expected Lord Tang to ever make that face.


    "Um, Lord Tang. About the tournament a few years from now. Have you thought about my request?"


    The bearded man seemed very desperate.


    "Zhan Huang, I have decided that the Xiao family''s child shall participate."


    Lord Tang grew annoyed at the the matter and dismissed it.


    "But, my lord, my so-"


    "You dare question my authority?!"


    Lord Tang''s face was full of anger and Zhan Huang stopped talking.


    After Lord Tang headed inside, Zhan Huang gritted his teeth.


    "How dare that old bastard disregard my talented son. I shall show him how superior my bloodline compared to that Xiao family."


    The next day, Xiao San immediately got ready. He had many ideas of what was going to happen, so he rushed out to the courtyard in anticipation. When he got there, his father was waiting for him.


    "Father, good morning. I hope that I can learn many things under you."


    Xiao San cupped his fists and greeted his father. Xiao San responded with a smile.


    "Son, if you think your cultivation base is going to be released today, you''re wrong."


    As soon as his father said those words , Xiao San was shocked.


    "Eh, why would you think that, father? I was just greeting you out of respect."


    Xiao San tried to cover up his emotions with a fake smile, but he knew that his father could see through him. He felt very disappointed about this matter, but then he began to wonder why his father really had called him here. After all, there was no reason to ask that question yesterday.


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    "Xiao San, I want ask you something. Do you know what the stages of Cultivation are?"


    Xiao Yun asked him this, but he knew how much of a genius his son really was.


    "Yes, I do, father. They are the Core Stage, Spirit Stage, Immortal Stage, and the legendary Sovereign stage."


    Xiao San had always known most facts about cultivation, so reciting this was simple to him.


    "As you might know, each of these stages have four realms within them, like the Origin realm of the Core stage. Each realm also has 9 levels.Only when your cultivation base is in one of these realms can you use qi. However, you base is still not released."


    Xiao San couldn''t understand why his father was repeating such common knowledge.


    "However, you must know the way to use these techniques without having your base released."


    Xiao Yun asked that question, but he knew his son could answer it.


    "Father, do you mean the World Qi Art?"


    Xiao San knew very well what the World Qi Art was. In the world of cultivation, there are four Profound Arts, which are the Magic Arts, Martial Arts, Heaven Arts, and the Evil Arts. However, other than these four Profound Arts, there are countless Sage Arts in the world of cultivation. The most famous one was the World Qi Art. It allows cultivators to use the Qi of the World, which could be used without a released cultivation base, but it is known to be very complicated. The basic copy is almost everywhere in the world, but it is quite difficult to comprehend. Xiao San knew this well because he could not understand it all. In the Prefecture Library, the copy had been destroyed, so Xiao San could not practice it. Still, Xiao San wondered if his father wanted him to practice it to protect himself.


    "Here, take this. This is a gift from Lord Tang for you."


    Xiao Yun gave him an worn out green scroll. There was an odd aura radiating from it. It felt as if his whole body was vibrating. From this strange aura, Xiao San realized what this scroll actually was.


    "Could this be...?"


    Xia San did not want to believe the truth. After all, one needs to be extremely wealthy to acquire something like this scroll.


    "Yes, my son. It is the real World Qi Art. Lord Tang insisted it was a gift from him."


    Xiao San could not believe this scroll could be considered a gift. Even though they were many of these scrolls, the difficulty in acquiring could be compared to the difficulty of comprehending it. If this was just a simple gift in the eyes of Lord Tang, he wondered how wealthy that man truly was.


    "Amazing. I knew Lord Tang was hiding many things, but to give this scroll away as a simple gift. I have underestimated that man."


    "To thank Lord Tang, why don''t you master it? In fact, I have got the perfect challenge for you, my son."


    Xiao Yun began to smile, but instead of a warm smile, it was an evil smile. As soon as Xiao San saw this, he gulped.


    "What do you mean, father?"


    "I shall tell you tomorrow. Practice that art for the rest of the day. Then. tomorrow, you shall come with me to a certain place."


    The evil smile grew wider on Xiao Yun''s face.


    "I wonder what father plans to do tomorrow."


    Xiao San was not an idiot and knew his father was planning something horrible for him.


    "Now go, my son. Practice the art and make your father proud."


    However, as Xiao Yun said this, the evil smile on his face did not go away."


    The Heaven Realm is divided into five districts, which are each the size of a continent. Only the Immortals could live in such a place. However, the biggest district was the Southern District. It was twice the size of any other district. Also, there were many more monsters living in it due to the perfect living conditions. In many ways, it was the opposite of the Northern District, which was cold throughout most of the year and the smallest district.


    In the Southern District, there is a huge mountain range. Even many Immortals feared the place due to the fearsome monster that existed within it. It was called the Death Trail.


    Deep in the Death Trail, there was a pile of monsters piled on top of each other. From their face, you could see that they had been beaten to the point of death. They were bleeding allow over the place and their organs were laying on the ground. On the top of the pile, a man was sitting on them. He was wearing a red robe, so it was not possible to see his smile.


    In his hand, there was a jade bead. It seemed as if the jade bead was showing the man something since he was muttering something.


    "Interesting. So that old geezer Tang wanted me to make this. Knowing him, there has to be something behind this request"


    Then, the robed man began to laugh.


    "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! He thinks he can fool me with a fake recipe or did he do this on purpose? No matter, I shall still make this pill he is willing to pay a lot for. Looking at the difficulty, it will take some time, even for a Grandmaster like me. Adding the time it will take me to get out of the Death Trail and arrive at the Tang Prefecture, it shall be completed in 6-7 years. But in the end, I shall be the one to possess this pill he seeks. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

 Chapter 7: Above the Heavens

    The Heaven Realm is thought to be the most supreme realm in the world by mortals. However, there is always an odd sheep in the flock. Similarly, many mortal philosophers believe that there is an higher realm than the coveted Heaven Realm. However, no one believes these philosophers and considers them to be crazy. After all, only the wisdom of the strong truly matters in the world. So no one would believe philosophers unless they are strong, but those philosophers do not meet the requirement for strength in the eyes of most.


    However, there is a place in the world that could prove this theory. Sadly, this place is located in the legendary Doom Volcano Range. The monsters are supposedly at a level that many cannot comprehend. However, the volcanoes are the true danger of the area. They randomly erupt all day and according to rumors, anyone in a ten-kilometer radius will die from the magma and lava.


    In this horrifying place, one day, supposedly, a cultivator saw a feather falling down right when the volcano erupted. Even after it erupted, it was perfectly fine with no harm done. However, the cultivator was at least a hundred kilometers and he believed that it was the extreme heat causing him to hallucinate. After all, even if he was a cultivation expert at the beginning of the Spirit stage, he would still be victim to the volcano range even if he was a hundred kilometers away.


    However, the monsters of the volcano knew what the fall of this feather meant. A feather had fallen every year ever since the volcano range had formed. Many monsters had died trying to get their hands on the pile of feathers which were sadly in the most powerful volcano''s, the Doom Volcano, center. However, even they could withstand the might of an eruption. If the Doom Volcano Range was a danger zone to most cultivators, the danger zone to the incredibly powerful monsters living there was the place was the Doom Volcano''s center, the Nest of the Heavens.


    Still, even the monsters had no idea where the feathers came from. But, on a certain day, the monsters noticed something. It seemed as if the sky was shaking and the world was being destroyed. A hole began to form in the sky. However, the monsters were not powerful enough to realize what was going on.


    After all, at the location where the hole was formed, an epic battle of unknown proportions was going on. There were two beings that were fighting. They were both monsters, but any being could see that they had transcended that existence.


    One was a red phoenix. It seemed to be very majestic and prideful. However, its face was filled with rage. The anger could be noticed by anyone because it was on fire. However, the power this phoenix possessed made it a true monster. Despite its strength, it was bleeding at multiple places. One of its wings was almost destroyed.


    The other monster was a dragon. It was azure in color and its scales seemed to be made out of blue iron. It had no wings, but it could still fly. The dragon was gritting its teeth in anger because some of its scales had been destroyed. A cold aura came from it, which seemed to freeze the air itself.


    Both phoenix and bird screamed at each other. The azure dragon charged at phoenix at a incredible speed. However, the phoenix did not try to dodge. It charged straight at the dragon completely covered by fire. As both monsters clashed, an explosion resounded in the air and the phoenix was blown back. Its left wing was now completely destroyed. The dragon also was bleeding intensely.


    "You bastard. I shall take that egg away from you at all costs. It is my destiny to possess it. Give it to me or face the consequences!"


    As the dragon shouted this at the phoenix, it did not budge.


    "You shall never ever lay your hands on my child. You will never find him no matter how long you search."


    The phoenix sneered as he said this to the dragon, but its strength was starting to dissipate.


    "What?! You fucking bastard. I''ll kill you no matter what and make sure nothing is left."


    The dragon roared in anger. The roar could be heard even in the Doom Volcano Range. It caused the monsters from the volcano range to even shudder. The dragon raised it mouth and qi began to concentrate around its mouth. A ball of blue qi soon formed by its mouth. It swallowed the qi and then the azure dragon radiated blue fire.


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    "How do you know that technique?!"


    The red phoenix was shocked by the rare technique. It had heard about it before, but even it could not find that technique. After all, the technique was the legendary Bluefire Art. It was a rare Sage Art that rivaled the flames of the red phoenix. However, the phoenix did not fall back. Instead, the fire it was covered in became thicker and stronger.


    "How brave, phoenix. Instead of falling back, you decide to fight. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"


    The two monsters charged at each other. Once they came in contact with each other, a huge explosion resounded in the place that was above the heavens. This time, the shock waves could even be felt in the Doom Volcano Range.


    "Aaaaaaaah!"


    The azure dragon''s hand and eye had been destroyed. Some of his scales were extremely burnt.


    However, the one who lost was the red phoenix since a single trace of it could not be seen except for the burnt feathers that remained. Feathers that even the Doom Volcano Range could not burn.


    "You bastard. I swear that I shall find that egg and make its power mine."


    "Damn it. How are people even supposed to understand this gibberish?"


    Xiao San was extremely angry. On the frozen courtyard, it was possible to make out where some punches had landed. After all, he had been trying to understand the real World Qi Art was for a whole day and he was very frustrated.


    "I know that this is hard if even Lord Tang could not make sense out of it, but with all the new talent I have, I should at least be able to understand the basics."


    He had read the basic copy of the World Qi Art, but even though he didn''t understand how to use it, he could at least understand what the sage who wrote it was trying to say. But, in the real World Qi Art, everything was extremely confusing. For example, the author had written that you must make a "whoosh" with your hands to absorb the World Qi.


    "What the heck was this author thinking when he wrote it down?"


    Xiao San sighed heavily. He had been excited to get his hands on the real World Qi Art, but he couldn''t even understand the most basic principle of the real World Qi Art.


    "I wonder what ''Become one with nature'' means. It has to be the basic principle. After all, it''s on every page."


    He laid down on the ground and began to ponder for a while. Xiao San knew how lucky he was to be born in the Heaven Realm, but now, he wished that he had more talent in cultivation.


    "Still, it''s better than my old life. I guess one must never be too greedy."


    Xiao San smiled and got back to attempting to understand the scroll for his father''s test.


    However, after a while, he laid down once again for a rest.


    "I wonder if there is something up there above the heavens.''


    As Xiao San looked at the blue sky of the heavens, he dismissed this crazy thought. After all, the Heaven Realm was thought to be the pinnacle of the world by mortals and Immortals. It would be crazy to think there was something up there.


    However, while he was thinking, he saw something in the sky.


    "I wonder what that thing is."


    He squinted his eyes for a better look. Xiao San saw something that looked like an egg and it seemed to be coming straight at him! He suddenly panicked and ran inside. He knew that whatever it was, something flying him at that speed was not a good thing.


    "I have to go inside before it hits me."


    Xiao San ran as fast as he could. However, he was regular child, so he could not run very fast. In contrast, the egg was falling at the speed that a cultivator move at. There was no way that he could dodge it.


    "Aaaaaah!"


    That was the last thing Xiao San could say once the egg hit him in the chest.

 Chapter 8: The Lion and the Cub

    Every being possesses a soul space. It is the inside of their soul. Many scholars have researched the concept of soul space for many years. However, like most great mysteries, they could not understand its purpose. Still, that does not mean that everyone doesn''t know the answer to this question


    Ironically, the ones who understand soul space are the what society calls dumb, but powerful. They have realized the true purpose of the soul space, but they cannot understand its importance. But like all rules, this also has an exception because a scroll that does explain its purpose does exist.


    However, the world dismisses most texts to be useless, unless they are made by a master. The cultivator who had written this scroll had not written any copies. It was in one of the many towns of the Rhine Continent. Even the cultivator who wrote probably does not remember. Sadly, one of the greatest revolutions in cultivation was about to be discarded in the library.


    Still, that is not true reason for it being rejected. The real reason is that on the location where the name should be contains a phrase. It states, "Fuck you, world. Who needs you anymore?" As soon as most people see this, they put it back. Even the library would have discarded it. However, the owner of the library strictly ordered them not to do it. Most did not understand his reason, but they did not care.


    In present day, another great proof of the purpose of soul space had shown up. However, this time it was is in the heavens, so no mortal would ever know. However, a certain cat did know of this proof. After all, he was also proof of the soul space''s purpose.


    "Hm. What''s the hell disturbed my sleep?"


    The black cat was extremely annoyed. It hated when someone disturbed its sleep. The cat looked around for a while, until it noticed something.


    "An egg. How could that thing come into the soul space? It''s only been seven years and his cultivation base hasn''t been released yet. He shouldn''t be able to access it and the kid''s definitely not a genius. The only possibility is that the egg came in by itself."


    The black cat was very knowledgeable, contrary to its appearance. After eliminating the possibility of Xiao San being a genius, it guessed that the egg came on its own. However, it knew that if something could come into the soul space by itself, the object could not be anything normal.


    "I wonder what egg this is, anyway. Are there any eggs that come into the soul space?"


    The cat began to ponder the situation, until its mind came to a sudden realization.


    "There''s no way that kid could have that much luck. Besides, regular souls could not tolerate this egg."


    Suddenly, the egg began to light up and the cat was shocked at this.


    "No way, all that bad luck he had actually helped him. Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! How ironic is this. His luck was so bad that he should have died, but this egg is actually resonating with his soul. However, this species is very rare and the only place in this world it would be show up would be that place."


    The black sighed and then raised its paw.


    "Since I still need this kid, I got to keep him alive. I guess this seal should be enough to make sure he lives."


    A purple light formed on its paw and it shot toward the egg. Now, the egg had a complicated black seal on it.


    "Che. More of my power has been wasted. I can''t tell if this kid is a a ball of yarn or a thorn on my paw. Damn it! I knew I was losing more of my power. I''m even starting to speak like a cat."


    However, the black cat had forgotten about a flaw in its logic. Cats don''t speak. Only its distant cousins, such as the tiger, do. That was the one thing Xiao San also did not know.


    *yawn*


    "Huh, what am I doing in bed? Wasn''t I in the courtyard until just now?"


    Xiao San had suddenly woken up in bed. He knew for sure that he had been in the courtyard until just a few minutes ago. He tried to remember what had happened, but his memory was very blurry.


    "You finally wake up, huh. Do you know how worried you father and I were when you fainted."


    When Xiao San tried to find who had said those words, he saw his mother, Xiao Li.


    "Eh, mother. What happened to me?"


    He was confused at why his mother seemed to be extremely angry at him.


    "What a troublesome child you are. You fainted for an entire day."


    "Eh! A whole day!"


    Xiao San was extremely shocked because he did not have the slightest memory of how he had fainted.


    "Yep. When I found you, I contacted your father and we were worried. Until Elder Brother Mubai appeared, we thought you were in danger. However, he told us that you had just fainted from loss of qi."


    Xiao Li was angry at that fact because she believed that her son overexerted himself.


    "Loss of qi. How is that possible?"


    Xiao San could not believe this because he thought that he made sure he didn''t overuse the meager qi he possessed. After all, children can only use the minuscule amount of qi that leaks from their cultivation base and he had been extremely careful not to overuse it.


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    "No hows. You didn''t have to exert yourself to that point."


    "But, mother   "


    "No buts. Never ever do that again. Also, your father told me to tell you to meet him outside."


    Only then did he remember that he had to take his father''s test.


    "Aah! I forgot about father''s test. I have to hurry and meet him."


    Xiao San immediately rushed outside and Xiao Li frowned.


    "What''s the problem with men? They never listen to you."


    When Xiao San ran outside, he met his father.


    "Ah, son. It seems that you are fine now."


    Xiao Yun had been pale until he saw his son come outside. He felt guilty for giving his son a Sage Art because he believed it was his fault when his son fainted.


    "Father, forgive me for fainting. This will never happen again."


    Xiao San wanted to practice cultivation no matter what. So he would definitely not lose his chance of gaining a useful test no matter how hard it was.


    However, Xiao San did not know that his father was also happy. He believed that this showed how dedicated his son. This made him want to test his son with the challenge he had came up with.


    "Son, follow me. I shall take you to the testing ground."


    Xiao San did not know where he was expect the fact that he was on a cliff. His father had flown there while holding him in his hands, but for some reason, his father had blindfolded him when he was coming here.


    The cliff was frozen like everything else. However, below the cliff, Xiao San saw something odd. He saw a forest that was completely green from above. It did not seem to be frozen at all.


    "Son, that is a forest from the mortal realm."


    "The mortal realm?!"


    As soon as Xiao Yun said those words, Xiao San was interested. After all, the mortal realm had been his home for many years and he wished to know what was going on in there. Because of his desire, he wished to find out anything he could, but most Immortals were not interested in topics about the mortal realm. Therefore, his search had failed. Now, he believed he could learn something about the mortal realm. However, he was about to be disappointed.


    "Yes. It is a forest that has been brought into the Immortal Realm by Lord Tang for newbie cultivators."


    "Eh, what do you mean when you say that Lord Tang brought it here?"


    Xiao San could understand those words, but he could not comprehend them.


    "He pulled it out of the ground and placed it here. There is even a seal that makes sure the environment of the Heaven Realm cannot affect it."


    "Eh, Lord Tang can actually do that."


    Xiao San knew that Lord Tang was powerful, but he could not help but me amazed at the power that Lord Tang possessed. Not only that, but his father''s words made it seem that it was an easy thing for Lord Tang to do.


    "Yes, he can. It is actually a common hobby for people of his level. However, that is not important. What you must know is that this forest will be the location of your test.''


    "Eh, what do you mean, father? It probably has many strong monsters. There''s no way I''m a match for them."


    Xiao San''s gut warned him that something unfortunate would happen to him. He could, more or less, predict what was about to happen and why he was on the cliff.


    "Here, son. Take this sword I have chosen for you. It should be enough to protect you."


    "Father, I think we should just go home."


    However, Xiao San''s requests did not deter his father. His father still had a stern face, but a smile had formed.


    "Son, the seal of the Heavens should protect at this height."


    At these words, Xiao San''s heart began to beat faster.


    "Son, your test will be to survive in the forest full of monsters for a month. We shall begin the test as soon as possible."


    "Eh, father, you don''t mean I have to go to that place full of terrifying monsters."


    Xiao San put on a cute face and what many would call "puppy eyes". However, the smile on Xiao Yun''s face had grown wider.


    "Son, throughout my whole life, I have regretted the fact that my father had not given me this test. So, I shall task you with this."


    "Father, mother would kill you if you do this. You will never survive her wrath."


    Xiao San knew he could not escape his father''s clutches, so he tried to persuade him out of his crazy idea.


    "Son, she will understand. Have you not heard of the saying that a lion must push a cub off a cliff and it must learn to climb back up. Well then, it is time for you to leave."


    Xiao Yun waved his hand and his son was pushed off the cliff by an invisible source. For a second, Xiao San felt that he was floating in midair, but he began his descent down the cliff.


    As the cub was falling, it could see the lion praising itself for its ingenious idea. The cub had one thought going through his mind.


    "What era do you live in, o wise father?"