Chapter 1975: Stealing a Bite

The Bloodworld Bead fell to the ground, rolling to one side until it hit the corner and stopped. This bead, into which Bei Hai had frantically poured a vast amount of life force, now emitted a faint crimson glow from the shadowy corner. Naturally, compared to the sky-filling white flames of the Dragonmelt Realm, its light was insignificant.

“Meow,” Greedy God, walking with cat-like stealth, finally dared to approach. Xu Xiaoshou scooped it up, then crouched at the edge of the pit, carefully observing Bei Hai’s condition.

“He was on his last breath!”

Having entered a special reincarnation state, Bei Hai hadn't completely vanished or merged into the Dao. Perhaps all his spiritual energy had been completely drained? This saved a lot of trouble; at least there was no need to “dig for treasure” to find him again. Bei Hai lay curled up quietly in the deep pit. His aura was extremely faint, his remaining consciousness completely retracted into his Purple Mansion Core, leaving him utterly defenseless against the outside world. Xu Xiaoshou extensively probed with his spiritual sense, but Bei Hai showed no reaction. Seeing this, he could largely confirm his suspicion: Bei Hai, in his reincarnation state, indeed required an undisturbed environment, as he would offer no resistance to any external interference.

“It’s your turn,” Xu Xiaoshou said, lifting Greedy God. He certainly wouldn't allow Bei Hai to complete his reincarnation, shed all extraneous consciousness, fully recover, and advance further. Instead, he intended to use this opportunity to extract information. In this world, apart from the Medicine Ancestor herself, Bei Hai, who had been by her side day and night, was perhaps the most knowledgeable about her hidden preparations.

“First, try to control him,” Xu Xiaoshou instructed. Greedy God complied, though still hesitant to get too close. With its paws, it scratched the air as if manipulating a liquid during alchemy, then flipped open Bei Hai’s eyelids and prised open his eyes. Bei Hai offered no resistance. Greedy God's pupils vertically constricted, revealing the Three Aversions Eye, and unleashed a wave of powerful control at Bei Hai. The latter’s body twitched and squirmed before settling back into stillness.

He was under control... Xu Xiaoshou was all too familiar with this process. Had Bei Hai not entered reincarnation, had he retained even a sliver of resistance, Greedy God, attempting such a feat against a Saint Emperor, would have been courting death. But now, Bei Hai was utterly helpless.

“First, ask him...”“Ask exactly as I say, don’t miss a single word,” he instructed. Xu Xiaoshou didn't want to alert the Medicine Ancestor just yet. Since even he couldn't discern the situation within the Saint Palace Grand Array, it was likely that once the Crossroads was also covered by this array, the Medicine Ancestor wouldn't be able to perceive it either.

Carefully choosing his words, he held up the cat and began with a small probe: “Medicine Ancestor, is she resetting?”“Meow meow meow.”Greedy God scratched its paws, intensely focused and nervous; this was the strongest being it had ever controlled.Bei Hai’s body in the pit trembled, and a voice emerged: “How can you be so certain?”“Meow meow meow.”After a moment, Bei Hai replied: “Life perception...”Perception? If the Medicine Ancestor truly wished to sever the connection, how could a mere Saint Emperor perceive the state of an Ancestral God? It seemed there was an unbreakable bond between Bei Hai and the Medicine Ancestor, even one that an Ancestral God couldn't sever. Perhaps it was... the Great World Pagoda Tree?“Through what kind of perception?” Xu Xiaoshou asked, maintaining a steady verification.“Meow meow meow.”“The Great World... Pagoda Tree...”Good. It appeared that for all these years, the majority of the Medicine Ancestor’s main consciousness had indeed been residing within the Great World Pagoda Tree. And most of Bei Hai’s abilities were also related to it; for instance, he could still unleash Pagoda Tree branches even after leaving the Grieved Emperor Realm.

The question then arose: Was the Saint Palace Grand Array’s isolation stronger, or was their bond more potent?“Can you still maintain this perception?”“Meow meow.”“No...”“When did you lose the perception?”“Meow meow.”“After the Heavenly Secret... Grand Array... appeared...”It seemed that even after being so severely beaten at the Crossroads, Bei Hai hadn't thought to call for aid from the Medicine Ancestor. This was not only because he was reluctant to turn back unless absolutely necessary, but also because the replicated Saint Palace Grand Array was indeed incredibly powerful. The Medicine Ancestor was unaware of Bei Hai’s current state! All of Bei Hai’s signals were completely blocked!

With the premise confirmed, Xu Xiaoshou got to the point, asking, “Once your reincarnation state ends, what’s your next step according to your plan?”“The North Sea...”Xu Xiaoshou frowned. This answer was unexpected. What would he do in the North Sea? Destroy the time-space passage above it? That seemed like a thankless task.“What do you plan to do in the North Sea?”“Retrieve... something...”“What thing?”“The Life Potion Pool... Godly Exuviae...”Xu Xiaoshou’s eyebrows shot up. “Excellent, excellent,” he thought, “I’ve hit the jackpot.”

The Life Potion Pool... didn't that sound like the vast reservoir of energy that erupted when the City of Living Buddha unexpectedly exploded? The Medicine Ancestor had been furious then, completely disregarding her image, publicly grappling and devouring with Yue Gongli. Xu Xiaoshou had been incredibly envious. He could actually devour it too, as the Boundless Solitude Child consumed all. He coveted such “weakening the enemy, strengthening my own reserves” life pools immensely, wishing he could swallow all of the Medicine Ancestor’s hidden preparations in one go. And there was one in the North Sea? And the Godly Exuviae... wasn't that the one Kuilei Han had quietly transferred away during the previous battle?

“Where is the exact location?” Xu Xiaoshou asked, licking his lips, his tone calm.“Meow meow meow!” Greedy God, however, became excited. It wanted to eat, very much.“Deep within... the North Sea...”“Give me the specific spatial coordinates... bah, wait, don't translate that sentence yet.” Xu Xiaoshou reconsidered, remembering that he wouldn't have found the City of Living Buddha’s pool without the Medicine Ancestor’s unconscious exposure. So he asked, “How does Medicine Ancestor hide these pool spaces?”“The Dao of Reincarnation...”“What's the method for entering the space where the Life Potion Pool is located?”“Life... Reincarnation... Super-Dao Transformation...”I don't have a Wheel of Reincarnation Dao! Life and Reincarnation Dao, both at Super-Dao Transformation level... aren't these standards a bit too high? Can you, Bei Hai, even enter?“Can you enter normally?”“There’s a seal... can’t enter...”“Then how do you plan to get in?”“Break... the space...”So that’s how it was! Indeed, knowing the general vicinity, one could simply crush the space directly, just like Yue Gongli. But the problem lay elsewhere:“Won't Medicine Ancestor discover you sneaking in?”“She will...”“Then you still plan to go?”“Medicine Ancestor... is preoccupied... unable to act...”That revelation was like a sudden awakening. The Medicine Ancestor was resetting; even if she knew Bei Hai went in to swallow a pool of her power, what could she do? She could only watch! But the Medicine Ancestor wasn't foolish. Knowing there was an “extra complication” like Bei Hai, why wouldn't she clear her own house first before resetting?“Medicine Ancestor originally intended for you to consume the power in that pool?”“Yes...”“Why?”“Medicine Ancestor... after resetting... ends... wants to swallow... me...”“You know?”“Then what do you plan to do?”“I will... respect... her wishes...”“Why?”“I want to... obtain... Medicine Ancestor...”Xu Xiaoshou immediately fell silent. His information panel had been continuously verifying the truthfulness of Bei Hai’s words. So far, no “deceived” notification had appeared, proving that Bei Hai’s answers were indeed unconscious and completely truthful. So, this situation was equivalent to: “You want to eat me, I know you want to eat me, and I’ll let you have your way, because I also want to contaminate you, counteract you, or even eat you back?”

What means did Bei Hai possess to counterbalance the Medicine Ancestor at the very moment she consumed him during her reset? Right, these questions were based on the premise that he had already acquired the Devouring Body, which would indeed allow him to act. Perhaps he also secretly researched some unknown secret techniques? Xu Xiaoshou had no interest in their mutual devouring, but his interest in the Life Potion Pool was very high. Frankly, he wanted to steal the Life Potion Pool! This would not only disrupt the immense energy the Medicine Ancestor might need to complete her reset, but also leave her struggling with energy supply when constructing the New Heavenly Realm.

The question was, in what capacity should he steal the Life Potion Pool? If he could go not as Xu Xiaoshou, but as Bei Hai, this seemingly wild idea, could it actually be feasible? If this plan succeeded, the Medicine Ancestor would mistakenly believe that all her hidden preparations had been consumed by Bei Hai. At the end of her reset, simply consuming Bei Hai would be equivalent to reclaiming all her preparations, which was likely her intention. In reality, the Medicine Ancestor would only reclaim emptiness. When she realized something was amiss and furiously sought Bei Hai to settle accounts, she would find her mouth and stomach didn't match the ledger—energy hadn't been created out of thin air, but had vanished into thin air. Because there was a thief! What a brilliant method... I possess the talent for grand schemes...

However, there was a life perception link between the Medicine Ancestor and Bei Hai; once he left the Crossroads, he would likely be discovered. Xu Xiaoshou didn't lose heart. This method was truly beneficial to himself at another's expense, and he loved it too much to give up.“You said the life perception is through the Great World Pagoda Tree, but the Great World Pagoda Tree is just an ancestral tree; it shouldn't be capable of such a feat. What's the deeper mechanism?”“Medicine Ancestor... nurtures... the Pagoda Heart...”“Pagoda Heart? Is it an ‘object’?”“Do you each have half, or is there a parent-child relationship between them, allowing you to perceive each other through this Pagoda Heart? And at critical moments, can Medicine Ancestor also consume you through it?”Receiving an affirmative answer again, Xu Xiaoshou was slightly startled. Guessing wasn't difficult, but the implications were terrifying. He asked again, “Can I borrow the Pagoda Heart?”“No...”“Show me the Pagoda Heart!” he commanded, his face stern.Bei Hai finally began to struggle, a subconscious resistance, but he couldn't withstand the absolute command of the Three Aversions Eye’s mind-transferring pupils in his current reincarnation state. Soon, life force surged, and half a dark black Pagoda Tree heart emerged on his body.

“Whoa.” Xu Xiaoshou unceremoniously snatched it, examining it from all angles, unable to put it down. This thing looked lifeless, and indeed it was. Yet, it was the foundation of the life perception. This meant that the Medicine Ancestor had never been perceiving Bei Hai himself, but this dead heart. If it was planted on Bei Hai, he was Bei Hai. If it was planted on Xu Xiaoshou, he would be Bei Hai.

The Medicine Ancestor was resetting; it was highly unlikely she would suddenly have a whim, stop her reset, rush into the Holy Divine Continent, and appear before him to verify: “Let me see if you are still Bei Hai.” That would be insane! And a dead heart transplant operation, if performed outside the Saint Palace Grand Array, the Medicine Ancestor might sense it. But performed here, within the array, she should remain oblivious.

“What a good heart, truly a good heart...” No time to lose! With a “whoosh,” he pulled a strand of hair, blew on it, and formed a hair avatar. Then, he placed Greedy God into the hair avatar’s hand. Xu Xiaoshou patted himself, and the Grotesque Technique transformed him into Bei Hai’s likeness, a complete transformation from inside out, even altering his life patterns, not just superficial “change.” He carefully cut off a section of his finger, manipulating the severed digit to absorb the half Pagoda Heart. The two quickly merged. Xu Xiaoshou then swallowed the finger, wrapping it in spiritual power so that it would integrate without affecting him. Later, upon returning to the Crossroads, he would spit out the finger and transplant the Pagoda Heart back into Bei Hai’s body, thus completing his feigned attack, covert maneuver, and deceiving the heavens scheme.

Patting the hair avatar’s shoulder and soothing the plaintive Greedy God, who couldn't follow, Xu Xiaoshou immediately set off. “You continue asking questions; I’ll be back soon.”

In the depths of the North Sea, undercurrents surged. Beneath the icy deep-sea world, space suddenly tore open, and a figure flashed out. He wore a tattered orange robe, his face was like fine jade, his skin like white porcelain, yet his cultivation was extremely restrained. Only true contemporary powerhouses, with their unique insights, might perceive that this person possessed the formidable aura of a Tenth Realm Saint Emperor.

“This should be the location,” he murmured. The hair avatar had only managed to ascertain a general location in the end, as Bei Hai himself wasn't sure of the precise spot. But it was enough.

“Life...” Xu Xiaoshou clasped his hand, touching the deep-sea space. Faint life force surged, as if he too were a master of the Dao of Life, which he indeed was. While he outwardly demonstrated life perception, in reality, he was also using the Dao of Space to scan for anomalies. After all, Xu Xiaoshou only excelled in life, not reincarnation. The Grotesque Technique could easily simulate Bei Hai’s form and spirit, but to conjure all of his insights related to the Dao of Reincarnation from nothing... That would be as hard as ascending to the heavens! Regarding the Dao of Reincarnation, Xu Xiaoshou did possess a slight grasp. However, he had only comprehended a “reincarnation credential” and some basic reincarnation insights from the Art Dao Disk; beyond that, there was nothing. No matter! It was enough! After all, Bei Hai’s plan was also to violently break through. With the Dao of Life as primary, reincarnation insights as secondary, supplemented by spatial scanning, he would find the Life Potion Pool and simply kick it open.

The scan didn't last long. After about half an incense stick’s time, with the general location locked, and guided by the calls of life and reincarnation, Xu Xiaoshou quickly located an abnormal spatial node using his understanding of the Dao of Space. It was meticulously hidden. Even the spatial node itself was in its most concealed state, much like Bei Hai’s current “reincarnation” embryo-like phase. No wonder, even with his Limitless Intent Dao Disk combined with perception previously, if the Medicine Ancestor didn't actively expose her hidden preparations, he couldn't detect their whereabouts. But now that he had found it, Xu Xiaoshou wasted no pleasantries with Medicine Ancestor. There were many ways to break in, and he chose one suitable for Bei Hai’s identity: life force collapsed and compressed, then exploded at a single point.

“Boom!” A black spatial vortex erupted beneath the deep sea. It repaired itself too quickly; before even the seawater could be sucked in, it instantly returned to its original state. But... Bei Hai was gone. The instant the passage opened, he had flashed inside, entering another dimensional space.

“Ah!” A rich, fragrant life essence permeated his pores. His breathing technique passively activated, and a long-forgotten thrill washed over him, making even “Bei Hai” let out a comfortable groan. Xu Xiaoshou quickly suppressed it, pondering a question: “Would Bei Hai make such a sound?” Probably, right? Anyone entering such a place, feeling warm and as if their whole body was wrapped and gently caressed, would surely be unable to help themselves?

“It’s... it’s too full!” “It seems even more potent than the one in the City of Living Buddha?” Previously, when Yue Gongli exploded that pool, just observing it from afar made one drool. Now, truly inside the Life Potion Pool, Xu Xiaoshou was even more awestruck, shocked by the Medicine Ancestor’s grand scale. This was an entirely new world, encompassing ten thousand li! There was no sky, no land, no laws beyond the Dao of Life and Reincarnation. Not a single impurity existed within, only solidified life elixir—a golden ocean! A boundless ocean, without ripples or waves. Dense and profound, it spoke of only two words: “deep reserves.” Every single drop contained an extremely terrifying amount of life energy. If it were to fall onto the Holy Divine Continent, it would probably be enough to make all living beings in an entire city undergo a complete metamorphosis. If these elixirs were used to water the Ancestral Dragon Apricot Tree, just a small cup would likely be enough to nurture Dragon Apricot fruits that only yield once every three thousand years.

Not everyone was like Ba Zun’an, capable of “resetting” in one step. Even Ba Zun’an, after resetting, had no remaining energy to condense an Ancestral Court. While his combat power was off the charts, he still needed to advance further, requiring a significant amount of time to integrate and verify his Dao. What he lacked, was it truly time? No, what he lacked was energy that could compress time! Therefore, this pool of elixir must be the energy the Medicine Ancestor intended to provide after an Ancestral God’s reset, to help them through a long period of integration. And the New Heavenly Realm... He had heard about it before and only thought the Medicine Ancestor was dreaming. The ascension of the New Heavenly Realm sounded easy, but in reality, there were numerous obstacles in the details. It required not only a transformation at the Dao level but also far more energy than just a single “Art Seed.” Simply draining the Holy Divine Continent’s power would be nowhere near enough. However, if this pool of elixir was added, along with potentially more such pools... The Medicine Ancestor’s decades of planning were not entirely impossible! In fact, after being in the elixir pool, Xu Xiaoshou felt he had been too narrow-minded. If the Medicine Ancestor were to act after her reset, the New Heavenly Realm had at least a ninety percent chance of succeeding—it had a real foundation!

“Tsuen Yin is doomed then.” “In his state, even if he regained full consciousness, what would he fight the Medicine Ancestor with? With an unyielding will of steel?” “The battle for the Dao is about resources, about deep reserves, about these golden pools of elixir!” Gulp. Xu Xiaoshou’s Adam’s apple bobbed. At this moment, the only one who could stop the Medicine Ancestor from acting was perhaps the Demonic Ancestor, who still held some variables. Oh no, there was also one other person. “Me!”

Xu Xiaoshou took a deep breath, and his mouth filled with surging power, which was then transformed and entered the Boundless Solitude Child. He already regretted that over the past six months, in preparation for battle, he had spent a large amount of spiritual medicine, only filling the Boundless Solitude Child halfway. The energy in this pool was enough to fill more than nine rounds of the Boundless Solitude Child! Thankfully... He still had a Dragon Pearl within him. The previously depleted Heavenly Ancestor’s inherited power could now be replenished with this pool's energy. Of course, he couldn't absorb it directly. He had to be cautious, letting it transform through the Boundless Solitude Child, becoming his own energy—or rather, transformed by Bei Hai’s devouring power, becoming Bei Hai’s own energy. If there still wasn't enough room, he would open up his inner world and transfer the transformed energy of this pool into his body.

“It seems that if the nine rounds of Boundless Solitude Child are exhausted in battle, I could open another nine or ten rounds.” “After this, my attacks should be completely unrestricted. Furthermore, since God's Eye is limited by ancient martial elixirs, the boundless power of the Boundless Solitude Child can directly compensate.” “After devouring this pool, the combat power of the Ancient Martial Dao will also be completely unleashed. Won’t that be a perfect moment to give the Demonic Ancestor and Medicine Ancestor a shock with a perfected God's Eye?” Just thinking about it made Xu Xiaoshou want to chuckle.

He no longer hesitated, unleashing his “devouring power” and vigorously absorbing the energy from the pool. Of course, while his face showed satisfaction, he also had to force out a hint of hatred, because Bei Hai had come with a desire for revenge: “Medicine Ancestor, you forced my hand!”