Chapter 141: Cousin, Let's Go Back
With the promise of the True Primordial Water, Shi Hao grinned and began storing the precious bones of fallen ancient beasts into his Cave Heaven, planning to carefully study the runes engraved on them once they left the Hundred Ruins Mountain Range.
Seeing Shi Hao so cheerful, the True Primordial Water was quietly pleased as well. Water gives life to all things. Though timid by nature, it was also kind-hearted—naive and gullible to the point of being easily tricked.
And then it remembered something.
"What about Teng Teng if I leave?" the water spirit asked, a ripple of concern surfacing.
Teng Teng?
Shi Yi, Shi Hao, Yu Zimo, their two temporary mounts—the Nine-Headed Golden Lion and the Crimson Flame Bird—all turned to look at the Divine Vine, which had been silently standing beside the True Primordial Water.
"I am willing to leave with all of you," the Divine Vine said after a moment of thought.
Without the True Primordial Water, there was little reason to remain in the Hundred Ruins. It might as well follow this group and explore the wider world—perhaps its destiny lay elsewhere.
"Brother," Shi Yi said, "this Divine Vine… it might share roots with the ancient Sacred Vine of the Heaven Mending Pavilion. Take it with you. Later, we can leave it with the Pavilion."
While the Heaven Mending Pavilion wasn't officially recognized by the Upper Realm's Heaven Mending Sect, they had shown great respect to Shi Yi as the Sect's Holy Son. That was enough. The Divine Vine could serve as a temporary substitute guardian spirit for them.
Why a substitute?
Shi Yi didn't believe the Pavilion's original Divine Vine could survive another generation. Even with support from the True Primordial Water and the Undying Divine Spring, it was nearing the end of its natural lifespan. Once it passed, the Pavilion would be left unprotected—an obvious target.
But with this substitute Vine in place, the Pavilion would retain its guardian spirit, even without Shi Yi's direct involvement. This way, it wouldn't fall like it had in that lost timeline.
Sure, the Pavilion could count on Shi Yi and Shi Hao. But relying on others was never as solid as relying on yourself. As long as they weren't fools, the Pavilion's elders would carefully cultivate the Vine.
Shi Yi trusted they'd be wise enough not to waste it.
"Oh, no problem at all!" Shi Hao said, still engrossed in transferring beast bones into his Cave Heaven. These were all beast remains—humanoid corpses were rare. He didn't care about bringing along an extra vine.
"Perfect!" the True Primordial Water chirped happily. Slowly, it began lifting itself from the earth. The small pool—about one square meter in size—rose into the air, swirling and reshaping itself until it formed a humanoid figure resembling Yu Zimo.
Water has no fixed shape. People, likewise, are ever-changing.
The True Primordial Water didn't have a true form—it could become anything it liked. But it chose to model its Dharma Body after Yu Zimo.
This didn't mean it looked exactly like her—only that it leaned toward a human form she inspired.
A Dharma Body, after all, was simply the spiritual embodiment of a chosen form. Every living being could evolve one according to its nature and preference.
Still… something felt off about it.
Shi Yi studied the newly formed figure, brows slightly furrowed. There was a strange sense of cunning in the way it smiled. He couldn't quite place it, but it didn't feel simple. That smile was up to something.
There was a scheme here. He could feel it.
But even so, Shi Yi couldn't just reject the True Primordial Water based on a gut feeling. Not when his cousin Yu Zimo and his mother, Yu Yuexian, needed it.
With this divine water on their side, even if the two stopped cultivating entirely, they'd still ascend to the Venerable Realm simply by lying down.
It was too important. And both women were Rain Clan descendants—beings for whom this water was especially vital.
So even if it was a trickster in disguise, Shi Yi had no choice but to let it follow.
"Cousin, let's go!" Yu Zimo cheerfully grabbed the True Primordial Water's hand and leapt onto the Crimson Flame Bird's back. She could've flown or used her One World Painting to travel. But why bother when there was a ride?
Laziness was everyone's first and oldest sin.
"Move out," Shi Yi said. His body shimmered and instantly appeared atop the Crimson Flame Bird's head—teleportation made casual.
The Nine-Headed Golden Lion looked over and urged Shi Hao, who was still busy packing up.
"What's the rush?" Shi Hao snapped. "I'm moving as fast as I can."
He shot the lion a glare. Mounts should know their place. Pushing your master was basically courting death. Believe it or not, I'll make Golden Lion Head Soup again.
"I'll help." The Divine Vine uncoiled itself and extended a thousand tendrils, wrapping all the scattered bones into a neat bundle. What would've taken Shi Hao ages was done in seconds.
Gathering the bones one by one was like pecking at grains of rice.
The Vine? It turned all the scattered grains into a steaming bowl of white rice.
"Amazing!" Shi Hao gave it a thumbs up. He opened his Ten Heavens Divine Passages to their limit and sucked all the remaining beast bones into his Cave Heaven.
"I'm going ahead!" The Crimson Flame Bird beat its wings and lifted off, gliding into the horizon.
"Let's go too!" Shi Hao scooped up the Divine Vine and wrapped it loosely around his waist like a sash, then leapt onto the large central head of the Nine-Headed Golden Lion, grinning from ear to ear.
Clearly, he was thrilled with the haul.
And who could blame him? Dozens of precious bones from Ancient Descendants, all etched with powerful divine runes—more than enough to keep him occupied for months.
"Hang on tight." The Nine-Headed Golden Lion's four paws hit the ground with thunderous force as it ran. But without its three missing heads, it looked a bit awkward—like a half-shaven lion.
Still, the central head was its core. The other eight were just for show. Even if they were lopped off, it could live. But the main one? Lose that, and it was finished.
—
Time passed.
After Shi Yi reunited with Huo Ling'er, the group shared a good meal and rested for a day. Then, led by Yun Xi, they continued on toward their next destination: the Undying Divine Spring.
For Shi Hao and the Heaven Mending Pavilion group, this spring wasn't just a goal—it was a sacred mission, a responsibility that could not be cast aside.
Shi Yi, too, was curious. He wanted to see which divine liquid was more powerful: the True Primordial Water or the Undying Divine Spring.
But so far, the Primordial Water had proven itself. Just a few drops had regrown the missing heads of the Nine-Headed Golden Lion.
That's right.
The lion's three lost heads had been restored using just three drops.
And those drops barely affected the True Primordial Water. It lost less essence healing the lion than it typically used nurturing the Divine Vine.
As long as it wasn't abused, a few drops were nothing—like taking a single sip from an endless ocean. It would replenish itself in moments.
To Shi Yi, it might not be that useful—he had the Willow Tree Method, after all.
But to Yu Yuexian and Yu Zimo, the True Primordial Water was invaluable.
And Shi Yi? He had no intention of leaving behind those who stood beside him.
If someone lacked talent, then heaven and earth's rare treasures would make up for it.
Especially someone like Yu Yuexian. She had her flaws—naive, often deceived by Qin Yining—but her loyalty to Shi Yi was total. With her, Shi Yi learned what it meant to be unconditionally protected.
And that was something he couldn't turn his back on.