Chapter Four: Little Fool
Noxin could hardly believe her eyes. The golden giant egg vanished, replaced by a young child. Was this another event like when our master discovered us? The spiritual energy from the lake continued to surge into the infant’s body. Not long after, the shattered golden eggshell slowly rose into the air, dissolving into fragments. As the spiritual energy poured into the child's body, mysterious patterns appeared on the child's skin, only to fade away again. When all was calm, the array around the boulder also disappeared.
With the disappearance of the array, Noxin flew directly over the lake, rushing toward the boulder. For reasons she could not explain, seeing this child filled her heart with an inexplicable sense of affinity. Watching her disciple’s impulsive actions, the Supreme Swordmaster did not intervene, for now that the array was gone, Noxin could easily reach the top of the boulder.
Looking at the child in her arms, Noxin felt a surge of joy from deep within. The child’s face was snow-white, softly glowing, with bright eyes. Upon seeing Noxin, his crying ceased. He placed his tiny hand in his mouth, gazing intently at the person before him.
“Sister, quick, let me hold him,” said Noyu, who arrived on the boulder soon after Noxin. Seeing the little one in her sister’s arms, Noyu felt the same sense of closeness. “Sister, let’s raise him together. He can be our brother.”
Noxin nodded in response to her sister’s earnest gaze.
Seeing his disciples had all but forgotten him, the Supreme Swordmaster could only sigh. Why is it that every time we come here, we pick up a baby? Am I to have yet another disciple? Judging by their expressions, it seemed there was no room for negotiation.
The two sisters cradled the child. “Master, look how adorable he is!” Noyu said, presenting the little one before the Supreme Swordmaster, who lifted the child and took hold of his tiny hand. Suddenly, his expression became one of disbelief.
“What’s wrong, Master?” Noxin asked anxiously, noticing the change in his face.
The Supreme Swordmaster hesitated. “This child is likely unable to cultivate.” Both sisters were stunned.
“This little one’s body is flooded with spiritual energy, his constitution is extraordinary, but he has no meridians.”
“No meridians!” Noxin quickly grasped the child’s hand and sent her own energy into his body, only to find that it simply disappeared inside him. Yet she confirmed: he truly had no meridians. Without meridians, could a person even survive?
On the Wild God Continent, whether human or demon, all possess meridians, which crisscross their bodies. Cultivators channel energy through their meridians, nurturing and opening the dantian to form the cycle of cultivation. Without meridians, how could one live, let alone cultivate?
The Supreme Swordmaster frowned at this situation. The child’s birth was clearly extraordinary, his potential unmatched, yet without meridians—what manner of being was this? Had he really picked up a monster this time?
“Never mind, let’s take him back first. As for the issue of meridians, we’ll consult the ancient texts when we return and see what’s going on.” With no other recourse, the Supreme Swordmaster made his decision.
The child seemed oblivious to his predicament, grabbing the Supreme Swordmaster’s beard and tugging at it with all his strength.
Seeing this, the Supreme Swordmaster felt his beard would soon be in dire straits—yet another mischievous brat who liked to pull his beard.
Noyu cared little whether the child could cultivate. She snatched him back from the master, amusing him. Even if he could not cultivate, she would protect him; nothing else mattered.
At the edge of the island, the group of four gathered. The Supreme Swordmaster summoned his energy, sharp sword aura flaring. Space twisted, and in an instant, all four vanished. Moments later, their figures reappeared ten kilometers away from the island. Looking back, they saw the island’s spiritual energy suddenly erupt violently. A beam of dazzling light shot to the sky, the winds and clouds churned. Then, monstrous waves surged around the island, clearly the work of the three figures who had lingered outside.
In an instant, the island sensed the external threat. A thunderous explosion erupted from its center, sending intense spiritual energy radiating outward. Even ten kilometers away, they could feel the power. The tidal waves vanished under the force of the explosion, the chaotic energy distorting space so that the four outside could not see what was happening within. When all settled, only the dark waters of the Nether Sea remained; the site of the island was now just eerie water. The island had disappeared.
The three—apart from the child—were deeply shocked. “This was where we appeared, and now it’s gone. Will we never learn our origins?” The sisters felt a profound sense of loss.
“Perhaps this place existed solely to nurture the child in the end,” mused the Supreme Swordmaster, watching the little one tug at Noyu’s hair.
The Divine Sword Sect, one of the Wild God Continent’s most powerful, dominated the continent’s north, boasting hundreds of thousands of disciples. Internal competition was fierce. The sect was divided into nine peaks and eighteen caves. New disciples, after testing, were assigned as outer disciples by the cave masters.
Cultivation in the Divine Sword Sect began as an outer disciple—often called a menial disciple—who cultivated while performing basic tasks assigned by the sect. When an outer disciple reached a certain level, they could participate in the selection for inner disciples. Passing the test meant becoming a true member of the Divine Sword Sect, able to freely enjoy the sect’s resources.
If an inner disciple reached a high realm or displayed exceptional talent, they might be chosen by a cave master as a personal disciple, becoming part of the sect’s elite.
At that point, elite disciples could enter the nine peaks through selection, training in the sect’s true sanctuaries.
Outstanding disciples of the nine peaks might become core disciples, who wielded great authority within the Divine Sword Sect and could represent the sect throughout the Wild God Continent.
On the continent, the strength of core disciples was the true measure of a sect’s future potential.
As the spatial transfer arrays of the Demon Domain became more stable, disciples from various sects appeared more frequently in the secular world—both to temper themselves against hidden evil cultivators, and to discover secular talents to expand their sects’ power.
Since demonic energy invaded the Wild God Continent, conflict became commonplace. Whether cultivator or imperial court, all fought to strengthen themselves for future disasters. The empires of the secular world became tools for cultivators, helping to search for treasures and resources. In the past century, bloodshed had stained the land.
On one lofty peak of the Divine Sword Sect, clouds shrouded the mountainside, and atop the summit stood a grand palace.
No bird or beast flew near the mountain’s perimeter. It was as if a sharp sword lay concealed here, and standing nearby, one could sense the threat of sword energy. Thus, this mountain was the least populated in the sect.
Though nearly deserted, it was renowned throughout the Divine Sword Sect. Ten years ago, the Supreme Swordmaster used extraordinary methods to move it here, and all the arrays on the mountain were his own, so none dared trespass.
Only two disciples lived on the mountain—his only personal disciples. Their status was so high as to rival the cave masters.
Moreover, these two disciples were unmatched in both cultivation and appearance. Each year, they descended the mountain to challenge the core disciples of the peaks. Among their peers, they were invincible. As both were peerless beauties, each challenge became an event for the nine peaks’ core disciples, all eager to spar and express their admiration.
Yet the two disciples cared only for cultivation, indifferent to all else, leaving countless core disciples heartbroken.
Heavenly Pride Peak was their residence. In a nearly all-female chamber, a breathtakingly beautiful young woman sat upon her bed, cultivating and absorbing the ambient energy of heaven and earth.
Suddenly, a little one entered without knocking. Dressed in luxurious silk, hair tousled and casual, bright eyes, rosy lips, he sat directly on a small stool in the room.
Resting his chin in his hands, he gazed at the figure on the bed.
Noxin circulated the last round of her energy. Since reaching the Central Realm, her cultivation had advanced rapidly; in just three years, both sisters had reached the late Central Realm. She sensed the breakthrough was near.
She opened her eyes, seeing the little one on the chair. A smile appeared that could outshine all things.
“You little fool, how did you get here? Isn’t your sister Noyu watching you?”