Chapter 8: When You Wake Up, Everything Will Be Better

What counts as a Heaven And Earth Treasure?

Items like the True Fire of the Great Sun or the Lunar Emperor's Flowing Glaze from myths certainly count.

But such divine items are too transcendent.

They are nowhere to be found.

Now, Xu Xi, having advanced to the Golden Core Stage, looked at the dense life force released by his Divine Ability, and a thought couldn't help but pop into his head.

Can the product of a Heavenly Spiritual Root's Divine Ability be considered a Heaven And Earth Treasure?

The answer is—

Yes.

How could something capable of healing Golden Core Cultivators and Nascent Soul Cultivators not be considered a Heaven And Earth Treasure?

Moreover, there is no limit to this Divine Ability.

In theory, the purer the mana Xu Xi invests and the more Golden Core Origin he mobilizes, the more life force Wood Regeneration will release.

Forming an even more precious divine item.

"It really is quite extraordinary…"

"How should I put it? As expected of the benefits brought by a Golden Trait. In the past, I probably would have been so happy that I'd think I was the child of destiny."

Under the gradually dissipating Lightning Tribulation.

Having achieved the Golden Core, Xu Xi received blessings from all directions of the Heavenly Sword Sect.

"Congratulations, congratulations!"

"Martial Nephew Xu is truly young and promising!"

"Congratulations to Senior Brother for condensing a Golden Core and becoming an Immortal Master!"

More and more blessings arrived from Nascent Soul Stage Sect Seniors, Golden Core Stage peers, and Foundation Establishment Stage and Qi Refinement Stage juniors.

There was applause, cheering, and celebrations with Spirit Beasts breathing fire like fireworks.

It was a bustling scene that caused a sensation throughout the entire Sect.

As if some world-shaking feat had been accomplished, the world before Xu Xi's eyes fell into a mysterious frenzy after his Golden Core Breakthrough. Despite the liveliness, it felt as though there was a thick barrier between him and the world.

"You are all too kind."

Xu Xi responded out of politeness.

Facing the bustling crowd, he felt little joy in his heart; he even found it lonely and tedious.

If one had to ask why.

It was likely because he lacked the laughter of a young girl, which was like the morning sunlight, a beautiful dream, or a flawless sky.

And those constant calls of 'Elder Brother'.

…

[17th year of Transmigration: You are 23, and Xu Moli is 17.]

[Despite the help of the Spirit-Locking Array, your sister's life force has been sustained, but the damage from the calamity of heaven is too severe. She frequently falls into comas, sometimes only waking once every ten days.]

[Your cultivation has achieved a Breakthrough; you have become a Golden Core Cultivator and have awakened the Divine Ability: Wood Regeneration.]

[You decide to use your Divine Ability as a foundation to create an External Spiritual Root that can be used by Mortals. You have no way back, like a gambler at the end of his rope, clutching the last shred of hope and refusing to let go.]

[You succeeded; your research into the Divine Ability went quite smoothly.]

[On a whim, you keenly perceived the commonalities among the Four Arts of Cultivation. Based on this, you fused the Divine Ability and discovered the method to shape an External Spiritual Root.]

[But this joy did not last long.]

[Success comes with a price. You suddenly realize that the life force required to shape an External Spiritual Root is an astronomical figure. Even if you use all your mana and Golden Core Origin, it's not enough to truly create it.]

[Unless—]

[You are willing to truly burn your cultivation and your Heavenly Spiritual Root.]

Spiritual Roots are formed by heaven.

Whether one has a Spiritual Root is predestined by the heavens.

In other words, allowing a Mortal without a Spiritual Root to possess one for cultivation is an out-and-out Heaven-Defying act.

The price, naturally, would not be small.

If he had a divine item in hand, the Heaven-Defying price would be borne by the item itself, but Xu Xi had no such thing and had to endure it himself.

"I knew the price would be high, but I didn't expect it to be so high that I'd need to burn my entire cultivation and Heavenly Spiritual Root."

"If I really do this…"

"I'm afraid I'll not only turn back into a Mortal, but my lifespan will also be drastically reduced."

"In that case, this simulation would essentially be over."

Heavenly Sword Sect, Senjian Peak, wooden house Immortal Cave.

Xu Xi, having just finished researching the Divine Ability, crouched by a bed. Looking at the young girl's sickly, pale face, he couldn't help but recall the winter in Blackstone City, where a three- or four-year-old Mo Li shivered along with him.

Life back then was truly difficult, but even so, little Mo Li would rub her hands together to warm Xu Xi's cheeks.

At the thought of this, Xu Xi could not ignore the girl's safety.

Yes.

This was just a simulation.

Xu Xi could have completely abandoned the girl, abandoned this sister with whom he shared no blood relation, and chosen the most utilitarian path—continuing his adventure in this cultivation world to earn more simulation evaluation rewards.

But, but, oh but.

Xu Xi was fed up—fed up with his real-world self, who was timid and couldn't accomplish anything.

If he couldn't even be free within the simulator, if he couldn't even save someone close to him, then what meaning would such a life have?

A person's life.

Doesn't actually require too much consideration.

Just doing what one believes is right is enough.

Yes, that's all.

*Buzz—*

Xu Xi extended his palm and gently brushed it over the girl's face. Faint green lights flickered and intertwined, flowing into her body in a specific combination.

That was all the mana of a Golden Core Stage Cultivator.

That was the Golden Core Origin of a Golden Core Stage Cultivator.

That was the burning of a Life Divine Ability.

That was the self-combustion of a Heavenly Spiritual Root.

Everything he could command was transformed by Xu Xi into pure life force. Within rows of Formation Patterns, it formed the shape of a seed and perfectly merged into the girl's heart.

"Elder Brother…?"

Between sleep and wakefulness, the girl's eyes opened briefly for a moment, but she quickly fell back into a deep sleep.

"Keep sleeping, Mo Li."

Xu Xi said softly, "When you wake up, everything will be better. Your brother keeps his word."

Pain.

An indescribable, sharp pain instantly spread throughout his entire body.

Xu Xi could clearly perceive that as his cultivation and Spiritual Root burned, his body was gradually reaching its end. The blood welling up in his throat was also becoming difficult to control.

But the expression on his face grew increasingly radiant.

With blood.

With tears.

With a smile.

He just watched the girl on the bed, feeling the life that had regained its pulse.

This is wonderful… this method works…

Xu Xi tremblingly extended a finger, smiling miserably as he wiped the corners of the girl's eyes, which had somehow become wet despite her being fast asleep.

—

[You succeeded.]

[You successfully shaped an External Spiritual Root. In exchange for everything you had, you successfully saved your sister Xu Moli's life.]

[Having lost your Spiritual Root and cultivation, you are now incredibly weak—even an ordinary Mortal could easily knock you down. Furthermore, you only have three short years of life remaining.]

[You have no regrets about this; you did it willingly.]

[But you know you still need to do something more; otherwise, when the girl wakes up, she definitely won't accept this reality.]

[And you also need someone to explain things to the Sect on your behalf.]

[You leave the Immortal Cave, take out the Flying Boat that can be operated by Mortals—which you haven't used in a long time—and fly straight to the hall at the summit of Senjian Peak, where you meet your Nascent Soul Master, Li Wanshou.]

[This is the first time you have seen your teacher in such a thundering rage.]

[He is furious, and you are scolded mercilessly.]