Chapter 1952: Capturing and Releasing

The Nine-World Breaking Fruit, a product of the Heavenly Realm, is sweet, has thick juice, and its pulp is fragrant, refreshing, and golden-yellow. Once refined, its juice can be used as a flavor enhancer or sweetener. Its dried core can be used in medicine, but it is addictive, and severe side effects can lead to schizophrenia.

It must be said that although "Cooking Mastery" seemed insignificant, it occasionally worked wonders.

After this passive skill advanced to the Saint Emperor level, the knowledge accumulated in Xu Xiaoshou's mind meant his understanding of herbs was no less than that of the Medicine Ancestor.

The Medicine Ancestor was too composed!

Even after "summoning" the Name Ancestor, this individual was indeed surprised but still maintained a skeptical stance.

Details determine success or failure.

If he couldn't fully accept and entirely believe in the Name Ancestor's arrival, then no matter how Xu Xiaoshou performed, he wouldn't be able to extract much useful information.

How could he make the Medicine Ancestor completely drop his guard?

Self-validation!

However, having lived from ancient times to the present, the Medicine Ancestor's experience and vision were undeniably vast and profound.

Attempting self-validation in front of him was an extremely dangerous endeavor.

Xu Xiaoshou, who had often "summoned" others to possess him in the past, was highly experienced in this regard.

He knew all too well that if this went wrong, revealing his identity would be secondary; the crucial point was that people, when enraged after being tricked, could easily abandon their principles and lash out to kill.

So, how could the Name Ancestor effectively self-validate?

Given the Name Ancestor's stature, it would naturally be beneath him to simply say, "I am the Name Ancestor, believe me."

The more one speaks, the more mistakes one makes; revealing too much cheapens oneself.

It's still that little trick: what you say yourself is not easily believed, but if others find the answer through their own effort, they are mostly willing to believe it, regardless of whether it's true or not.

Among the myriad herbs in the Sea of Flowers, the existence of the Nine-World Breaking Fruit could speak for the Name Ancestor.

Xu Xiaoshou had seen this item in the world behind the three doors.

At that time, in order to seek assistance from fellow cultivators from various paths during the great calamity, and also to save time, the Name Ancestor consumed the Nine-World Breaking Fruit obtained from the Nuo Ancestor and simultaneously underwent nine reincarnations.

Succeed or perish.

And then he perished...

Although the outcome was failure, the process itself was undeniably true, and the details were very intricate.

How intricate were they?

To put it this way, a mere Xu Xiaoshou could never possibly know that the Name Ancestor had consumed the Nine-World Breaking Fruit for enlightenment, let alone failed such a shameful endeavor.

Therefore, using the Nine-World Breaking Fruit to represent the Name Ancestor, there was no fear that the Medicine Ancestor wouldn't believe it!

"If he doesn't know that the Name Ancestor consumed this fruit, then his understanding of Time, Name, and Nuo is as limited as looking at the sky from the bottom of a well."

"If he does know that the Name Ancestor consumed this fruit, then he should be even more convinced of the Name Ancestor's arrival right now."

And no matter the outcome...

What Xu Xiaoshou knew was far more than just the Nine-World Breaking Fruit.

Assuming the persona of the Name Ancestor was merely for better information exchange, and this time, he was in charge.

As long as the Medicine Ancestor wanted to talk, Xu Xiaoshou was fully confident he could trick him into revealing everything, making him collapse to the ground and willingly show every trump card hidden behind his back.

For a trivial secret concerning "Name," the Devil Ancestor dared to make an exorbitant demand, asking for centuries and a promise.

Shennong's Hundred Herbs, I know more.

But what can you offer to appease me?

"The Nine-World Breaking Fruit..."

The Medicine Ancestor turned his head, staring at the glittering, fist-sized golden fruit, stunned for a full three breaths.

Three breaths!

His inner world was already in turmoil!

The Nine-World Breaking Fruit was not a product of the Saint God Continent but originated from the Heavenly Realm. It could aid Ancestor Gods in enlightenment and was incredibly rare.

What did this mean?

It meant that after the Heavenly Realm shattered, even cultivators on the Saint God Continent who had become Ancestors, like Hua Changdeng and Ba Zun'an, didn't recognize this item.

Because they had never been to the Heavenly Realm!

Even in the Heavenly Realm, although the Nine-World Breaking Fruit was well-known, it was priceless and unavailable on the market.

Back then, the Medicine Ancestor had gone through immense hardship to acquire only a discarded seed, its vitality completely depleted.

The successful transaction was ultimately due to the seller not recognizing what it was, mistaking it for the lesser "Golden Source Fruit."

Did the Medicine Ancestor recognize this seed?

Shennong's Hundred Herbs had tasted countless herbs, but even he couldn't immediately identify this one. Only the powerful intuition of the Way of Life regarding spiritual medicines told him that this seed was incredibly potent.

After acquiring it, he cultivated the seed to revive its life, causing it to bear fruit. Then, by comparing and distinguishing its life patterns, he inferred its medicinal properties and effects from its golden apricot-like qualities.

Only then could Shennong's Hundred Herbs confirm that this was indeed the legendary Nine-World Breaking Fruit.

A treasure!

This valuable item should be head-sized when mature.

However, cultivating it in the Heavenly Realm caused too grand a phenomenon. To avoid drawing too much attention, the Medicine Ancestor first transferred it to the Saint God Continent, prioritizing its survival.

But cultivated here, from its revival to the present, it had only grown from fingernail-sized to fist-sized, differing greatly in appearance and medicinal potency from a mature Nine-World Breaking Fruit.

At present, it still looked more like a "Golden Source Fruit" than a "Nine-World Breaking Fruit."

So!

Would a mere Xu Xiaoshou, only twenty years old, recognize this item?

The Medicine Ancestor's gaze solidified, his mind calming. He slowly turned his head, discerning a few clues.

There was no need to panic...

On the contrary, it should be him, the Name Ancestor, who was anxious...

Upon his arrival, he was so eager to use external objects to self-validate his identity, which seemed unlike what the Name Ancestor should do...

Moreover, what if he merely recognized it as a Golden Source Fruit? Then the answer would be clearer: even if Xu Xiaoshou was merely a contingency for the Name Ancestor, and the Name Ancestor had indeed descended, his presence was not strong!

If the Name Ancestor's presence in Xu Xiaoshou was not strong, it would mean that even if he knew something and possessed some power, it wouldn't be a variable for his own plans, much less could it disrupt them.

In a flash, his thoughts became extremely clear. The Medicine Ancestor seemingly casually mentioned, but in reality, subtly probed:

"The Name Ancestor cultivates the Way of Name; is he also so knowledgeable about divine herbs?"

"This 'Golden Source Fruit' is merely thirty thousand years old, cultivated not in the original soil of the Heavenly Realm but grown in this plane, so its quality is extremely poor."

"It appears more like a 'Golden Immortal Scale,' which, though also rare, can occasionally be found in the Heavenly Realm. It seems largely unrelated to the Name Ancestor's Way, so why the high praise?"

The Medicine Ancestor's eyes showed confusion, as if the Name Ancestor shouldn't praise this herb, whether it was a Golden Source Fruit or a Golden Immortal Scale.

If it was about cultivating "Name," he should immediately praise the better-cultivated "Great Source Memory Grass," an herb highly beneficial to both the Way of Name and the Way of Memory.

No sooner had he spoken than the Medicine Ancestor saw a flicker of surprise in the Name Ancestor's eyes opposite him.

Xu Xiaoshou was genuinely taken aback for a moment.

When he heard "Golden Source Fruit," he even wondered if he had overestimated Shennong's Hundred Herbs.

So, his performance was in vain? Did he not even recognize the Nine-World Breaking Fruit, and know nothing about the Name Ancestor?

But after hearing the subsequent words, his surprise turned into respect, mixed with a hint of trepidation.

What a cunning individual!

Almost as disgusting as Dao Qiongcang!

With one sentence, he dug more than one pit. If Xu Xiaoshou had truly not known about the Nine-World Breaking Fruit and tried to bluff, he would have certainly been exposed.

"Golden Source Fruit?"

Information about this herb appeared in Xu Xiaoshou's mind. His expression gained a hint of mockery. After repeating the phrase, he chuckled slightly, closed his mouth with a touch of disappointment, and said nothing more.

The Name Ancestor had made his point.

Self-validation was over; a single glance should have told him everything.

If he still expected him to lower his status and specifically explain to the Medicine Ancestor—a master of the Way of Life who had tasted countless herbs—that this was not a Golden Source Fruit but a Nine-World Breaking Fruit, how cheap would that make him?

The Name Ancestor's arrival was not to show off these petty tricks in front of Shennong's Hundred Herbs, nor was it to prove his identity.

He saw his potential, realizing he had a greater chance than the Demon and Calamity Ancestors to reach "zero" early. Therefore, he intended to give him an opportunity, bestow upon him a stroke of luck, and see if he could grasp it and forge a friendship with him.

But if the Medicine Ancestor kept dwelling on these trivial details, unable to distinguish between primary and secondary, important and unimportant, and persisted in probing again and again, then his evaluation would be:

Shennong's Hundred Herbs, nothing special!

"It's bad."

The Medicine Ancestor keenly caught that hint of disappointment.

The Name Ancestor's refusal to explain, in stark contrast to Xu Xiaoshou, who often spoke eloquently, created a sharp contrast in personality.

If he really was the Name Ancestor...

This was truly bad!

Perhaps his earlier performance had significantly lowered his impression score in the Name Ancestor's eyes?

The Medicine Ancestor, growing anxious, wanted to ask about the Nine-World Breaking Fruit again, to first confirm the identity and then proceed with the conversation.

He suddenly realized and clamped his mouth shut.

He couldn't ask anymore...

Asking again would only make him look cheaper...

He decided to treat him as the Name Ancestor seriously. That glance just now clearly indicated he had recognized the Nine-World Breaking Fruit!

From the "Empty Regret of the Flower of Life," the Medicine Ancestor traced the Name Ancestor's significant imprints left in the Time Ancestor's life.

Piecing together fragments of the Name Ancestor from various "empty regrets" also brought forth a hint of the Nine-World Breaking Fruit.

This was why the Medicine Ancestor was certain the Name Ancestor had consumed the Nine-World Breaking Fruit.

He had originally intended to trick the Name Ancestor into clarifying the matter himself and confirming the reason for consuming the fruit, to see if it matched his own thoughts. He hadn't expected the Name Ancestor to pay no mind to it at all.

Indeed, he had been too suspicious.

If he had re-achieved his Way through Xu Xiaoshou, it meant he had broken free from the Nine-World Breaking Fruit's shackles and entered a new life. Why would he dwell on such a trivial matter?

The Medicine Ancestor immediately cupped his hands in a salute: "Name Ancestor, your sudden descent caught me unprepared. May I ask the purpose of your visit?"

As soon as he spoke, he saw the Name Ancestor's brows furrow even deeper. The impatience in his tone was no longer concealed; it was overtly apparent:

"Shennong's Hundred Herbs!"

He sharply exclaimed, and the myriad herbs in the Sea of Flowers seemed to tremble along with him: "You should know, the time I can give you is limited."

The Medicine Ancestor froze, unable to respond.

The Name Ancestor clearly couldn't be bothered to waste any more time, stating directly:

"All your calculations and roundabout maneuvers, isn't what you seek precisely a meeting with me?"

"As you wished, I have arrived."

"Now that I am here, your performance, I must say, is merely passable."

Though he said "merely passable," the disappointment in the Name Ancestor's eyes was so severe that it bordered on disdain and a reluctance to associate with him.

This was bad!

Truly bad!

What important business did the Name Ancestor come for?

The Medicine Ancestor stopped defending himself, knowing it would only further reduce his score. He cut straight to the point, wanting to get to the main topic: "May I ask..."

"No need to ask!"

The Name Ancestor lightly waved a hand, forcefully interrupting, his expression returning to indifference.

That sense of aloofness, keeping others at a thousand li distance, left one feeling empty, as if something had already been missed.

"I am not Xi He; you do not cultivate 'Name,' so I can give you nothing and cannot help you cultivate 'Self.'"

He knew Xi He...

He knew Xi He could help people cultivate 'Self'...

"If you try to gain anything from me, my answer is: you will gain nothing."

He knew everything!

He truly was that person's friend!

"Under the great calamity, time is pressing. A body undergoing nine reincarnations is still insufficient, and even dividing the River of Time into ninety or ten thousand parts cannot accelerate it much."

Indeed!

He had consumed the Nine-World Breaking Fruit!

He also recognized the Nine-World Breaking Fruit!

"Shennong's Hundred Herbs, I have given you the chance to expound on the Way of Life reaching 'zero.'"

What?

So this was what he had been waiting for all along?

"Since you didn't speak, confident in achieving 'zero' through your own efforts, then I won't bother beating around the bush with you."

What did that mean?

What was he trying to say?

Suddenly, the Medicine Ancestor saw that the Name Ancestor's words became resolute, his tone unequivocally firm:

"Ba Zun'an cultivated 'Name' and achieved the Way; I sanctioned it."

"Empty Regret reshaped the Time Realm; I protected it."

"Ten thousand reincarnations, solely to find assistance during the great calamity. Yet, all Ancestors I met were lost, with only Ba Zun'an achieving transcendence..."

The great calamity?

So, Xi He approached the Devil Ancestor truly to deal with some great calamity that even Ancestor Gods who had reached "zero" might not be able to handle?

And the Name Ancestor voluntarily consuming the Nine-World Breaking Fruit and entering reincarnation was also to find an Ancestor who had reached "zero"?

Ba Zun'an was the only one among thousands?!

And the Time Ancestor's loss was related to the River of Time being divided into ninety or ten thousand parts?

The Medicine Ancestor's heart tightened.

He finally realized what he had truly missed.

How could Xu Xiaoshou possibly know all this, know so much?

And he himself, just like missing the Nuo Ancestor's cultivation of "Self" due to suspicion and caution, was about to miss the Name Ancestor's assistance, learning the hard way again and again?

His thoughts wavered, and the Name Ancestor's voice, thick with warning, rang out:

"Once the Heavenly Realm shattered, all paths to the various realms were severed, and all Ancestor Gods and Venerated Supremes lost their opportunities. You should have been removed from destiny long ago."

"However, with the great calamity approaching, for the sake of the greater good, I will not interfere with any Ancestors reaching 'zero.'"

"If you are capable of succeeding, you may seek out Mount Taiyao; a seat will be yours, and you may claim your destiny."

"But if, besides reaching 'zero,' you dare to obstruct the reshaping of the Time Realm and the return of the Heavenly Realm, slowing down the pace of Ancestor Gods and Venerated Supremes in overcoming the calamity, Shennong's Hundred Herbs, you should know the consequences!"

The Sea of Flowers erupted like a spring thunderclap on flat ground, and various spiritual herbs swayed, reflecting the Medicine Ancestor's profound shock.

The amount of information in those words was too vast, too immense.

So vast and immense that the Medicine Ancestor couldn't even distinguish which sentence was true, which was false, or if the Name Ancestor truly wouldn't act against him.

But...

The opportunity was missed!

This was certain!

And what was most frustrating was...

They were both Ancestor Gods, and he clearly knew so much, yet he could have said it earlier but chose not to.

He waited for others to suspect and probe, then used such a condescending tone to inform them they had been eliminated.

Was he not wrong?

The Medicine Ancestor cast aside the massive amount of information and sharply demanded:

"Are you threatening me?"

The Name Ancestor scoffed, no longer bothering with the act:

"Remember, Shennong's Hundred Herbs. This is both advice and a warning. Act wisely."

The Medicine Ancestor felt irritated, but in a flash, he saw that after the Name Ancestor spoke, the invisible power around Xu Xiaoshou seemed to gradually fade away.

Following that last remark, the Name Ancestor seemed utterly disappointed, disinclined to say more, and preparing to leave.

Leaving?

At that instant, the Medicine Ancestor's heart was filled with endless conflict.

On one hand, he couldn't bring himself to beg the Name Ancestor, who was in reincarnation with no hope of reaching "zero," to return and discuss cooperation amicably.

On the other hand, the Name Ancestor was merely a tool of the Nuo Ancestor, used to retrieve Ancestor Gods from various realms who had hope of reaching "zero."

If he didn't cooperate, the Medicine Ancestor couldn't kill him either.

Conversely, he would likely go to see, or perhaps had already seen, other Ancestor Gods, such as the Devil Ancestor or Sui Yin?

An extreme sense of loss washed over him.

The helplessness of having the rug pulled out from under him overwhelmed him.

The Medicine Ancestor suddenly realized there was no need to get angry with him. Having missed the Nuo Ancestor, he absolutely couldn't miss this second opportunity!

"Wait!"

The Medicine Ancestor reached out, shouting loudly, wanting to retain the Name Ancestor.

But Xu Xiaoshou's eyelids twitched violently; the Name Ancestor had no intention of stopping his departure.

He couldn't be kept...

This fellow was too arrogant; if he couldn't be given something beyond his comprehension, he simply couldn't be retained...

But this opportunity absolutely could not be let go!

And that great calamity, too, had to be clarified!

The Medicine Ancestor hardened his heart, gritted his teeth, and sharply provoked:

"A strategist as cunning as Name, even playing with reincarnation, can only see the path of the Time Realm's reshaping and the Heavenly Realm's return, seeing only 'Eight' but not 'Shennong'?"

"Hmph! Then my evaluation is: Time, Name, and Nuo are nothing special either!"

The Medicine Ancestor, fuming, turned away with a flick of his sleeve, forcefully clasping his hands behind his back, jutting out his chin, and puffing out his chest. He didn't even bother to glance at the Name Ancestor again, instead, he spat out in a tone of utter disdain:

"Go on then, I won't see you out!"