Chapter 1828: Half Ancestor

“Jinren?”

“I’m here.”

“What ‘here’? Did I send you to Gan Shi to go shopping? Did you forget something important?”

“I’m working on it. Gan Shi seems a bit strange. Perhaps they’re waiting for us to contaminate the imprint, preparing to ambush us instead.”

“Things on Bei Ming’s side are over, and you’re still shopping?”

“No, boss, this is called ‘waiting for the opportune moment’!”

Opportune? What opportune moment? To wait for that flamboyant old Taoist’s heavenly secret?

Xu Xiao-shou sensed something unusual. After finishing the Bei Ming affair, he immediately focused more of his attention on Jinren in Gan Shi, trying to establish more contact. In reality, he had been multitasking, paying attention to the movements in Gan Shi from the very beginning. However, on Gan Shi’s side, although Jinren’s actions were a bit slow, it was understandable. Even if he immediately encountered pursuit from the Heavenly Machine Puppet army, he could push through with just his Limit Giant and other Second Awakenings—no big deal. Dao Qiong-cang was interfering. This was better than Dao Qiong-cang doing nothing at all. Xu Xiao-shou suppressed his urgency at the time, slowing his own pace to focus more on Gui Zu. But once Gui Zu’s matter was settled, his thoughts returned to normal, and he immediately realized something was wrong.

“Jinren is fighting fiercely with the Heavenly Machine Puppet army in Gan Shi, and not a single Half-Saint from the Gan Shi Emperor Realm is coming out?”

“Is that Gan Shi Holy Emperor blind, seeing nothing?”

The answer was obviously no. With such a huge commotion, anyone would want to come and see the excitement. Gan Shi was not Wu Rao, not a desolate, war-torn place. Therefore, tracing it back, the only possibility was that everything happening now was the doing of the Gan Shi Holy Emperor.

“But isn’t Gan Shi forbidden to Heavenly Machine Puppets?”

“If this isn’t Dao Qiong-cang interfering, but the Gan Shi Holy Emperor playing tricks, does that mean the Gan Shi Holy Emperor also plays with Heavenly Machine Puppets and Heavenly Machine Arts?”

It was too strange! It was as if everything seen was unreal, with a feeling of being kept in the dark… Wait! Xu Xiao-shou’s pupils constricted, and he immediately wondered if it was possible that everything he saw about Gan Shi through Jinren was fake from the start?

“No, illusions are ineffective against me…”

But Jinren doesn’t have spiritual awakening, and only half of a residual will went to Gan Shi; his power is limited!

“No, Jinren still has the Super-Daoized Mind Dao Disk. Ordinary illusions are easily seen through, and guidance can be avoided…”

But Dao Qiong-cang has already Super-Daoized the Way of Memory. Even I, the true body, have to be cautious when dealing with him, for fear of being caught. If the Gan Shi Holy Emperor has no ability to resist Super-Daoized “Memory,” even as a Holy Emperor, wouldn’t he be easily manipulated by Dao Qiong-cang? In other words, the Gan Shi Holy Emperor must also have Super-Daoized at least one of these three ways: Memory, Guidance, or the Great Way of Intent!

“Jinren, he’s fallen…”

When he reached this conclusion, Xu Xiao-shou’s heart trembled. Gui Zu’s last piece of advice, “Do not go to Gan Shi,” truly held a weighty significance, pressing down on Xu Xiao-shou until he could barely breathe.

“They wouldn’t want to cripple my ‘Second True Body’ too, would they?!” Xu Xiao-shou immediately thought of the worst outcome. There was a precedent for this.

Super-Daoized Way Disk, Xu Xiao-shou saw Cui Yin. Cui Yin had the experience of being toyed with by “Disappearance Art” plus “Isolated from the World” in the God’s Remnant. Although he reacted in time back then, with Cui Yin’s cunning, it was clear at a glance how much pressure this combination of skills would bring him as he continued to grow. He did nothing else, influencing the future through the past, using one art, “Reverse Isolation,” to ban “Disappearance Art” and “Isolated from the World.”

“But that’s Cui Yin, he’s an Ancestor God, capable of such feats, I acknowledge that!” Xu Xiao-shou felt he had messed up, but was a bit stubborn: “How could the Gan Shi Holy Emperor, a mere Holy Emperor, control the ‘Second True Body,’ or even affect the connection between me and Jinren…”

“Memory? Did he tamper with what Jinren saw and heard in Gan Shi, or did he tamper with the memory images Jinren fed back to me?”

“The only time Dao Qiong-cang almost caught me, I tricked him through Jinren in the God’s Remnant, and his plan fell through…”

Is Dao Qiong-cang someone with a very petty mind? He holds grudges too well! If he and the Gan Shi Holy Emperor had mutual understanding, once Jinren was caught, he would be captured but not killed. Would that mean that he could no longer split off another Jinren, effectively crippling his Second True Body as a Second Awakening?

“Close the net!”

Considering this, Xu Xiao-shou didn’t hesitate, wanting to end Jinren’s journey through the five Holy Emperor families early. As for the Gan Shi Emperor Realm, he didn’t want to explore it. This cursed place was even more disgusting than the Bei Ming Emperor Realm. Bei Ming at least had Gui Zu showing goodwill, but the people surnamed Dao were in cahoots, even if they outwardly appeared to be “at odds,” who knew how close they truly were in private.

“Jinren, I’m sorry, I have to kill you myself.”

The true body always held the power of life and death over the Second True Body. With a single thought, Xu Xiao-shou felt Jinren die. Not even a wail came from that side; he was utterly extinguished in body, spirit, and will, with no possibility of recovery. So smooth! So smooth that it made one’s heart pound. It was as if Jinren died, yet Jinren was still alive, an incredibly contradictory feeling.

“Really dead?”

Whether Jinren was truly dead was easy to verify. In the same space-time, there could only ever be one Second True Body. If Jinren were still alive, Xu Xiao-shou wouldn’t be able to give birth to another. He immediately verified, using half of his own strength, to split another Second True Body from himself.

The Ghost Buddha Realm was filled with chilly winds. Xu Xiao-shou strained to split himself, but nothing happened. The familiar pain of his body tearing did not appear, nor did the familiar voice of Jinren, whether mocking, flattering, or condemning, appear after his birth. It was like holding in a f*** that would surely be loud and explosive, but at the very threshold of release, it disappeared into the intestines – making him sick and uncomfortable!

“Blessings and misfortunes are intertwined, blessings and misfortunes are intertwined…”

Xu Xiao-shou’s face alternated between cloudy and clear, trying to comfort himself in this way. He had gained so much, infiltrating the three Holy Emperor families’ memory imprints through Jinren in a circuitous manner. He could clearly feel that he no longer needed to go through the Heavenly Ladder; he could easily descend with his true body to the Han Palace, Cloud Mountain, and Wu Rao Emperor Realms, simply by using Shen Bai-liu’s guiding power and his own Godfall Art. Furthermore, meeting Gui Zu in Bei Ming was an additional gain. He not only received many Ancestor God secrets, allowing him to prepare in advance, but also acquired the Scythe of Death, enabling him to comprehend Samsara. These were all tangible aids. Jinren’s journey yielded abundant benefits, far exceeding expectations.

“But the cost is losing the Second True Body…”

How could this be blessings and misfortunes intertwined? How could he endure this? The more Xu Xiao-shou thought about it, the angrier he got. Jinren knew so many of his secrets, possessed so much power identical to his true self. Could that be leaked?

“Calm down.”

“I have to trust Jinren, no, I have to trust myself…”

It’s just not a smooth battle, that’s all. Taking a step back, this is just returning to the adverse moments shortly after his debut. Hasn’t he fought enough uphill battles? Xu Xiao-shou was fighting Rao Yao-yao when he was still a先天宗师 (Xian Tian Zong Shi, Innate Grandmaster). Jinren, who went to Gan Shi, was indeed only half of a residual will, an external force. But his core was still his own core. It was Xu Xiao-shou, the incomparable genius of a hundred generations, the unparalleled master of ten thousand years!

“Hiss, but I really can’t calm down!”

“To be able to ban my ‘Second True Body,’ that damn Dao Gan Shi must at least have the strength of a reawakening Cui Yin, an Ancestor God, right?”

Xu Xiao-shou was still angry. The feeling of being tricked was truly unpleasant. Unable to find the Gan Shi Holy Emperor, he red-eyed, wanted to find that damned, treacherous little person who was undoubtedly scheming everything behind the scenes. He directly activated the灵犀术 (Ling Xi Shu, Spiritual Connection Art) and cursed him from thousands of miles away, demanding an explanation:

“Dao Qiong-cang, you have found the path to your own death!”

“Eternal life…”

In the Gan Shi Emperor Realm, beneath the back of the old Xuanwu, Jinren muttered in a daze, a faint light flickering in his eyes. He wasn’t foolish. From death to rebirth, only one experience was needed. He knew that “A-Jie” on the Xuanwu’s back was not someone he could deal with at his current state. Super Holy Emperor, akin to Cui Yin. This seemingly tender and adorable little boy was absolutely one of the most dangerous types of people in the world today—cunning, powerful, and capable of guidance! Not a debilitated Ten Throne Seat. Not a Holy Emperor family head in reclusive cultivation. And certainly not some inferior Ancestor God, either slumbering or reawakening. The one who had always hidden behind the scenes and never shown his face naturally maintained his state in the most perfect way—Gan Shi Holy Emperor, definitely Ancestor God-level strategy, Ancestor God-level strength!

Jinren never bowed for trivial gains, only for his true body. At this moment, understanding the times makes a hero, he bowed to the little boy on the Xuanwu’s back, cupping his hands in salute: “From today onwards, Jinren shall follow your lead, my lord.”

“Oh?” The little boy on the Xuanwu’s back smiled. “You change your allegiance very quickly, but for what?”

“Eternal life!” Jinren stated emphatically, his eyes filled with intense hatred, yet he clenched his back teeth and uttered only this, saying nothing more.

“I’d like to hear the details.” The little boy clearly wanted more.

Jinren pursed his lips, wanting to speak but hesitating. His eyes twitched, his eyelids fluttered, and his lips trembled. Finally, he looked out at the myriad stars, and under the terrifying gaze of what seemed like countless eyes peering into his essence, he understood that he could no longer conceal his inner thoughts. So he unreservedly revealed his ambition, saying in a broken voice:

“The Art of Evil, the True Form of Gods and Demons, the Life and Death of Medicine Ghosts, each originating from an external avatar.”

“They are external avatars, and I am also an external avatar. Why can they… and I! I, Jinren! must suffer the true body’s humiliation and repeatedly self-detonate?” Jinren looked into the distance, towards the unknown, towards the unseen true body, his eyes wide with rage, bursting at the corners:

“He can be replaced!”

The little boy on the Xuanwu’s back was not swayed by such surging emotions, remaining as calm as ever: “You overestimate Xu Xiao-shou.”

“No, my lord, I am him. I understand better than anyone that Xu Xiao-shou has the potential of an Ancestor God!”

“Perhaps he does, but have you overestimated yourself?”

This choked Jinren, who after a moment of stunned silence, laughed and waved his hand, saying, “My lord, you are wrong again. I am Xu Xiao-shou. The only difference between him and me is external factors. As for the internal, I possess all his abilities!”

“All?”

“Yes, including all the great profound insights, all the paths to Super-Daoization, including his thoughts, his mind, his combat style—everything he has, I possess. And he is completely unaware of my ambition!”

“What use is ambition? You are not him; a substitute will always be a substitute,” the little boy mocked.

“Precisely because of that, I am more useful, my lord!” Jinren panicked, his face showing even more distress. What his true body feared, he feared too. He didn’t want to become another powerless invalid on a sickbed, nor did he want to be subjected to dissection and research. He didn’t want to become one of the three variations of Dao Qiong-cang’s abilities, the “Three Heavens Dome Mode,” that suddenly appeared in the God’s Remnant. He wanted his talents to be realized within himself, not to become one of the abilities of “A-Jie” on the Xuanwu’s back, seeing the Limit Giant, the Grotesque Arts, manifest through him…

“Haha.”

The laughter interrupted Jinren’s panic. When he looked up, the little boy on the Xuanwu’s back cast his gaze upon him, seemingly able to peer directly into his heart, and slowly said:

“Are you thinking that since you can’t die, you might as well lie low by my side, planning to play the double agent, and then benefit your true body later?”

Jinren’s pupils constricted, and he trembled all over: “You wrong me, my lord!”

“Jinren has no such thoughts at all. He only wishes to serve you faithfully, to be used by you, to shine and contribute, only asking for the Way of ‘Eternal Life.’ Please do not take my power, study me thoroughly, and then discard me like a worn-out shoe.”

The boy on the Xuanwu’s back was amused and said, “But if I can take your power and use it for myself, why would I use you? Use someone who would devour his master, first devoured Xu Xiao-shou, and then me? Do I look stupid?”

Not a single drop leaked! Flawless! Jinren, upon hearing this, couldn’t stop his hands and feet from trembling: “I just want eternal life, I just want eternal life! I didn’t think that far. You have the power to control me, how could I escape your grasp?”

“Didn’t you jump from Xu Xiao-shou to me?” The little boy chuckled. “And then use me as a stepping stone to go even higher later.”

Jinren was numb. He couldn’t argue at all; this was a hexagonal warrior, and his thoughts were completely exposed before him.

“Good!”

Jinren suddenly let out a roar, his eyes flashing fiercely. When the true intent was revealed, he unexpectedly transformed into a Limit Giant without warning, instantly growing to an immense size that obscured the sky, and punched the ant-like old Xuanwu and the Xuanwu Boy.

“Damn you, Dao Gan Shi, die!”

The little boy smiled and attacked. With just a flick of his finger, a speck of starlight shot out, and Dao patterns intertwined across the sky. The Limit Giant was instantly pulverized into dust.

“Ancestor of War’s power…”

The Xuanwu Boy narrowed his eyes, savoring the memory of the giant, lost in thought. Jinren, covered in blood, fell heavily to the ground, forced back to his original form. He couldn’t fight, he simply couldn’t fight. This guy had mastered the power of Ancestral Source, and it didn’t seem to be any of the Ten Ancestors?

“Star Power?”

Only high-level Holy Emperors could cultivate Ancestral Source power. They either studied the power of the Ten Ancestors, or self-researched other ways to create another Ancestral Source power. That’s what they say. Following his true body all this way, this was the first time Jinren had seen someone who transcended the Way of the Ten Ancestors and self-researched a brand new Ancestral Source power. Others had the potential to be canonized as Ancestor Gods, but this guy was clearly half a step into Ancestor Godhood!

“Then I can’t let you live!”

Jinren had always inherited his true body’s ferocity. After a brief喘息 (chuan xi, rest), his injuries recovered, and he erupted again, striking out with a palm towards the old Xuanwu. The old Xuanwu was old and slow to react. Just as he was about to move, under the powerful distortion of the Grotesque Art, he turned into a thin, translucent piece of paper like a cicada’s wing.

“Name: Tide Rising!”

Jinren grabbed the sharp paper and slashed it upwards, using his true body’s name. His true body was him. Jinren did not possess borrowed Ancestral Source power, nor did he have unique treasures like named swords or anomalous weapons. But he could perfectly replicate this acquired named sword technique! Without the old Xuanwu, the Xuanwu Boy showed no panic. Although he was surprised by the sword strike, he still murmured to himself:

“This is, Medicine Ancestor’s power? Art Ancestor’s power? Formed by the fusion of the two… a life transformation technique?”

He actually offered no resistance, treating the even more surging named sword technique as nothing. The sword light slashed down. Jinren’s heart, however, was already filled with despair. As expected, he was too weak, his power too meager, and the old Xuanwu’s vitality was even more terrifying, completely on par with Elder Yu. He simply couldn’t maintain the Grotesque Art for too long! With a boom, in just an instant, the paper turned back into the old Xuanwu. The Tide Rising sword strike couldn’t even be fully unleashed. After the old Xuanwu returned, one claw pressed Jinren to the ground, making him vomit blood uncontrollably. There was no way to recover! Jinren’s eyes lost their light. My life, like walking on thin ice…

The little boy rode back onto the Xuanwu’s back, resting his hands on his thighs, and looked down with a playful smile: “What other tricks does Xu Xiao-shou have? Show them all. I’m very curious.”

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