Chapter 192: A Tumult of Divine Omens

Crackle, crackle!

A raging storm whipped the heavens, its winds howling and pelting down like speeding bullets.

But a shroud of mysterious mist halted the barrage, sparks of fog rippling outward.

A gentle chime echoed amid the piercing raindrops tearing through the mist—a sound of anger and lament.

Yet at that moment, no one atop the Stone of Furious Echoes had the heart to listen to that wrathful sound.

Every eye was fixed on the end of the torn mist, where a lone figure had squeezed into the Bizarre Temple, seated on the steps and cloaked in a dark lotus platform.

“Could it be her?”

“Our very own prodigy of Jin Guang Mansion!”

“Ha ha ha! It’s truly our mansion’s prodigy!”

……

Exclamations rang out ceaselessly, and even many cultivators from Jin Guang Mansion couldn’t help but stifle their laughter, soon bursting into bright merriment.

For many cultivators, a sense of honor tied to their region was of utmost importance.

After all, the Third Prince’s Bizarre Temple was located in Jin Guang Mansion; even though it wasn’t private property, the cultivators instinctively felt it belonged to them.

Thus, when forces from other prefectures, provinces, Daocheng, or even Divine Capital sent forth prodigies and spiritual talents to compete,

their suppressed pride would erupt without warning.

It was much like any competitive match where one naturally supports the contestant from home.

Originally, when XiXi first entered the Temple Spirit Resonance,

she hadn’t even taken a single step—many believed she lacked any resonance at all, destined to return empty-handed at this conference.

But the current turn of events far exceeded all expectations.

“As expected, she truly is Jin Guang Mansion’s prodigious child!”

“Incredible! The prodigy of Divine Capital and even that of Daocheng pale in comparison!”

“Not even close!”

Excitement surged unrestrained.

XiXi became the only prodigy among the children to have stepped more than a hundred meters into the Bizarre Temple area.

Her Temple Spirit Resonance level… exceeded ninety percent!

Atop the stone cliff!

Nan Lihuo exhaled a long breath, a smile at the corner of his lips now impossible to contain!

“Ha ha ha ha! Good girl, good girl!”

With his white hair flaring and billowing sleeves trailing behind, Nan Lihuo laughed heartily.

Even though the Divine Guardian and six Black Armor Blood Guards beside him glared with cold, murderous intent, Nan Lihuo couldn’t stop smiling.

“Your Little Prince is dead, yet you still dare to stop me, Nan Lihuo, from celebrating my disciple?”

City Lord Su Huai Li’s expression turned icy as he glared at Nan Lihuo.

He then turned his gaze back to the surging, angry waters—a chill gripped his heart.

Little Prince Ji Haihui was dead…

And Nan Lihuo’s little disciple had become the one with the highest Temple Spirit Resonance!

She was about to inherit the Temple Spirit’s legacy!

Humiliation, frustration, anger!

Su Huai Li clenched his fists as he glared at the smug Nan Lihuo; his murderous intent now impossible to hide.

Yet he held it back.

With a cold expression, he lowered his hand, concealing his lethal intent in his eyes.

Su Huai Li was fully aware.

Ji Haihui had died here—he bore responsibility, and his reputation with his teacher would be irreparably tarnished.

Closing his eyes, Su Huai Li realized that his future… might very well be over.

He would have to find a way to make amends elsewhere.

……

……

Inside the carriage.

Zhang Ya burst into excitement, her shriek sweeping away the grim pall of Lu Chi’s bloodstained presence.

“Oh—my husband! Could that be XiXi? Is that truly my daughter, XiXi?”

“My daughter is amazing!”

“XiXi has achieved the highest Temple Spirit Resonance! She did it!”

Zhang Ya was overjoyed.

She cared not for the details of temple legacies—she only knew that among all the prodigies and spiritual talents, her daughter had taken first place!

Her happiness was boundless!

“Bravo, XiXi! When we get home, I’ll make you red-braised pork, sweet and sour fish, and braised pork trotters!”

Zhang Ya beamed uncontrollably.

Shangguan Qinghong nearby couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh.

Li Che leaned against the carriage, a gentle smile on his lips. Though he had expected this outcome, a surge of relief and joy still welled within him.

Seeing his daughter become the center of attention brightened Li Che’s mood immensely.

As a father, isn’t it all you hope for—that your child will rise to greatness?

“Not bad, little one.”

Li Che chuckled softly.

His only curiosity now was what kind of temple legacy XiXi would inherit.

During the Temple Spirit Resonance, XiXi had already acquired two divine weapons.

One was a second Yulian Fenghuo Jingguang Wheel, and the other—a divine weapon that Ji Haihui had unceremoniously hammered into a Gold Brick.

Li Che had yet to inspect that Gold Brick.

It appeared to be forged purely from gold… exceedingly expensive-looking.

So Li Che couldn’t predict whether, after the final outcome, the Third Prince would bestow another divine weapon upon XiXi.

After all…

XiXi was still far from assembling the complete divine weapon set of the Third Prince!

Although she possessed the Purple-Flame Serpent Spear, one Yulian Fenghuo Jingguang Wheel, and a Gold Brick,

in Li Che’s memory there were also the Hun Tian Ling, Qiankun Ring, Yin-Yang Sword, Jiulong Divine Fire Shield, Demon-Subduing Cudgel, Demon-Cutting Blade, and the Embroidered Ball…

Well, mixed up as they were, they still matched what Li Che remembered from his past life.

Of course, whether the temple in this world even held those divine weapons was another matter entirely.

Li Che couldn’t simply rely on past knowledge to predict now.

Yet, hope was still allowed.

Atop the Stone of Furious Echoes,

the atmosphere shifted continuously—some rejoiced, others despaired; some laughed heartily, others raged.

Lu Yao stroked his beard, his eyes sparkling.

He hadn’t expected much from his prodigy Tang Ren,

but who would have thought Li Che’s daughter, Li Nuǎnxi, would emerge so astonishingly?

A local prodigy from Jin Guang Mansion outshining those from Daocheng, Divine Capital, even the sons of King Ping Luan—and even that one…

Lu Yao glanced at Lu Chi, a hint of realization in his eyes.

Wang Kuyu stroked his beard and laughed heartily, his mood buoyant.

He could now honor the bet he made with Nan Lihuo.

With the Third Prince’s Temple Spirit Resonance reaching ninety percent, recommending such a prodigy to the Divine Sect’s leader was no issue at all.

Boom—!!!

But then,

just as everyone’s anticipation peaked,

a surge of overwhelming wrath swept in.

The Divine Guardian, enshrouded in black miasma, unleashed a mighty surge of divine energy like a collapsing mountain, plunging the entire cliff into silence.

Lu Yao, Wang Daoren, and Zhu Chaoyang furrowed their brows.

“Where is the Martial Saint Will of the Little Prince?!”

In a cold, incredulous tone, the Divine Guardian demanded.

At those words,

everyone fell silent.

The Divine Guardian had been waiting for the Martial Saint Will—the explosive energy generated by a grandmaster’s clash in the mist.

But now…

the Martial Saint Will that the Divine Guardian, the Black Armor Blood Guards, and Su Huai Li had awaited simply did not appear!

What on earth was happening?!

After all, that was the Martial Saint Will inherent in the Little Prince’s bloodline following his demise.

With power at a grandmaster’s level, how could it just vanish?

Could it have been snuffed out by the Temple Spirit?

Or perhaps by the murderer who ended Ji Haihui’s life?

An outrage against nature!

How dare they!

At this thought, the Divine Guardian’s anger boiled over!

Su Huai Li, who had initially been furious, gradually began to relax.

At least he wouldn’t have to immediately face his enraged teacher.

The Martial Saint Will… had it been extinguished?

This news left many momentarily stunned.

Lu Yao, Wang Kuyu, Zhu Chaoyang, and other divine masters and grandmasters narrowed their eyes.

They recognized the sheer terror this implied.

They knew all too well the significance of a Martial Saint Will.

None of them, individually, could possibly shatter the Martial Saint Will of King Ping Luan or Ji Mo Li’s if they were to confront it!

“Who is it?!”

The three watched, hairs standing on end.

Among them…

was there someone so powerful hidden among these youngsters?!

To shatter a Martial Saint Will, one would need to be a divine practitioner who had transformed their Primordial Spirit to the final stage or a grandmaster who had forged at least twenty-five layers of Silver Guts!

“Could it be Elder Jiao?”

Zhu Chaoyang suddenly spoke up.

Yet before he could finish, the carriage master’s piercing gaze swept over them, his fierce aura roaring like a rampaging lion.

“No, that’s impossible…”

“Elder Jiao must be busy commanding the Yulian Fenghuo Jingguang Wheel; he wouldn’t have the heart to tussle with the Martial Saint Will.”

Wang Kuyu immediately denied it.

A heavy silence fell over the crowd.

The Divine Guardian said no more.

He understood the gravity of the situation; something unknown had certainly occurred during the Temple Spirit Resonance.

Because with Ji Haihui’s death, the Martial Saint bloodline as well as the Dragon God bloodline within him would flare up…

Though the Dragon God bloodline, due to the Dragon Queen’s influence, might not be as formidable as the Martial Saint bloodline, it was still nearly at a grandmaster level.

And now…

Even the Martial Saint Will had been completely extinguished!

Who could it be?!

The Divine Guardian had first ruled out Elder Jiao Shaoqiu, but if not him… could it possibly be one of the young prodigies or spiritual talents at the Temple Spirit Resonance?

After all, only those with inherent divine talent—prodigies and spiritual children—could step into the Bizarre Temple at this critical moment.

Others who entered would trigger the violent backlash of the sanctuary, drawing them into its clutches to face the Temple Protection Incantation and monstrous apparitions.

Even a Martial Saint’s fall into the Four-Yu Bizarre Temple would spell utter chaos against those guardians.

“Once we’ve retrieved the Little Prince’s body… we must immediately leave Jin Guang City!”

The Divine Guardian’s voice turned grim as he addressed the six Black Armor Blood Guards.

“The one who killed the Little Prince must be connected to these prodigies and spiritual talents…”

His eyes, burning coldly within the black mist, swept over the assembled children.

His gaze passed over the figures in the first rank: Tie Shancai, Qin Fenghuo, Lu Chi, and… XiXi.

At the very least, these four were undeniably involved!

This revelation…

must be taken back with us.

As for how to handle it, the Little Prince would undoubtedly send his best investigators.

No need for us to overthink it.

……

In the distance,

Li Che sat calmly on the carriage, his eyes unruffled as he observed them.

He had clearly heard what the Divine Guardian said.

It was evident that the divine master understood the severity of the matter.

Grandmaster Xue Dufu had died in Jin Guang City, and so had the Little Prince—this was beyond what they could handle.

His words carried a mix of stubborn defiance and deterrence.

Retrieving the Little Prince’s body… safely returning?

But Li Che felt a twinge of unease.

“Return…”

“How could I let you return safely?

The ruthless Corpse God Sect and the Lie Shen Pavilion… will not let you go.

If the water is muddy, it must be even muddier.”

A wry smile tugged at Li Che’s lips as he tapped his fingers on the carriage.

……

……

Time ticked away.

The fervor gradually gave way to silence.

The outcome of the Temple Spirit Resonance was final—no changes could be made now.

What remained was the closing of the ceremony and the benefits the children had gained from it.

For instance, whether they would truly inherit the Temple Spirit’s legacy and acquire the rumored complete divine weapon set of the Third Prince!

After all, this was the Four-Yu Bizarre Temple.

Its legacy transmission could reach the pinnacle of the Four-Yu level!

In the midst of the swirling mist,

Elder Jiao Shaoqiu sat cross-legged, his gaunt, decaying face beaded with sweat.

Just maintaining this Temple Spirit Resonance had drained every ounce of his energy.

And during the process, some unforeseen mishap forced him to expend even more strength—he nearly couldn’t hold on.

Elder Jiao Shaoqiu couldn’t worry about so many details; he simply devoted every effort to hosting the ceremony.

Buzz, buzz, buzz—

The reverberations of divine energy surged like a tidal wave.

It was the gifts and legacies of the Temple Spirit bestowed upon these children.

After a moment more, Elder Jiao Shaoqiu slowly rose from his seated position, his tattered robes billowing as a look of relief crossed his solemn face.

Only then did he muster the strength to survey the final outcome.

The results of the Temple Spirit Resonance were unexpected in some respects, yet not entirely surprising.

His murky, profound gaze lingered on three figures:

XiXi, Lu Chi, and Qin Fenghuo.

His eyes rested longest on Qin Fenghuo, a heaviness mingling with apprehension.

“XiXi and Lu Chi—I had my suspicions… but what of this Qin Fenghuo?”

The old man frowned deeply.

Though puzzled, he did not dwell on it as his thoughts moved on.

Boom—!!!

High above the firmament, countless golden wheels burst into furious spin, flinging sparks in every direction.

In the next moment, a sound akin to an ancient bell being struck resounded through the heavens.

Everyone woke from their stupor,

opening their eyes wide.

XiXi, seated atop the lotus platform, blinked her long, curved lashes before fully opening her eyes.

She scratched her back and shifted in her seat.

The lotus platform was uncomfortably hard.

Voices filled her head—the gifts and legacies of the Temple Spirit echoing within.

Boom—!!!

In an instant, the lotus platform burst into dark flames, transforming into a black lotus of fire—like a hellish bloom—intertwining into waves that gently lifted XiXi’s figure.

XiXi giggled merrily, her eyes sparkling.

The fiery tendrils crept into her flesh before gradually subsiding, revealing on her brow a black lotus divine pattern.

This added an air of divine intent to XiXi.

Below,

both Lu Chi and Qin Fenghuo were engulfed in black flames.

Yet compared to XiXi, the intensity of their flames was much reduced; in the end, they too coalesced into the Yulian divine pattern on their brows.

A mischievous smile curled on Qin Fenghuo’s lips as he admired his blazing mark.

He reached up to touch the searing emblem.

That Yulian divine pattern was the mark of the Temple Spirit’s divine essence—even if lesser now, it signified his task was complete: he had absorbed the Temple Spirit’s power.

“What a pity that I couldn’t step fully into the Bizarre Temple… Huh?!”

Qin Fenghuo’s eyes narrowed.

His gaze fell on the little maid, who was innocently scratching her itch on the temple steps.

“Impossible!”

How could that little girl have stepped into the Bizarre Temple?

This was the Four-Yu Bizarre Temple—what degree of Temple Spirit Resonance was needed to step within its bounds?!

Moreover, he saw the Yulian divine pattern on XiXi’s brow and felt his whole body tremble as an overwhelming surge of black flames bore down.

Compared to the Temple Spirit he harbored, it was far too immense!

No wonder he ended up absorbing far less Temple Spirit than he expected…

It was all because that little girl had alone absorbed most of the Temple Spirit’s power?!

Lu Chi also opened his eyes. Though covered in blood, his gaze remained calm and clear.

He stood and glanced at XiXi coolly.

XiXi noticed Lu Chi and scampered down from the Bizarre Temple in a hurry.

“Lu Chi! What happened to you? Why are you so covered in blood?”

“Who hurt you? Tell me, and I’ll have you taught a lesson by XiXi the Great!”

XiXi clutched her chubby arm and waved it about.

She skipped right up to Lu Chi, her cherubic face lighting up with big, sparkling eyes.

But Lu Chi only regarded her with indifference.

Even though, in his heart, XiXi was as adorable as the blazing sun and as brilliant as blooming flowers.

Yet…

At that moment, Lu Chi’s heart was as still as a stagnant pond, his eyes devoid of any emotion.

“Get out of my way,” he said coolly.

XiXi froze for a moment.

Stunned and silent,

she retorted, “Lu Da Tou… what are you saying?!”

Angered, XiXi’s voice trembled.

But Lu Chi remained unmoved, not even glancing back as he turned and walked past her.

As they brushed past one another, their exchange was as cold and detached as strangers passing on a winter street.

Fists clenched, XiXi spun around, her face a mix of hurt and fury as she shouted, “Lu Chi!”

Yet Lu Chi continued on his indifferent path.

XiXi felt both slighted and deeply upset!

Was this really the friend she’d known as Lu Chi?!

“Lu Chi! You can forget about riding my Twisty Car ever again!”

“And don’t you dare come to my place ever again!”

XiXi fumed.

Lu Chi paused, his body trembling briefly as pain and conflict flashed in his eyes, but ultimately that pain dissolved into cold indifference.

Wiping a smear of blood from his face, he replied flatly, “Whatever.”

And he strode on.

XiXi hurled fists into the air, angrily punching at nothing.

“Damn you, Lu Chi! How dare you speak to me like that, XiXi the Great!”

“Ah—I’m so mad!”

“We’re not friends anymore!”

“XiXi the Great said so!”

XiXi was fiery indeed!

Yet Lu Chi did not turn back; instead, a cool, detached voice drifted after her.

“Friends? Perhaps not…”

“And Twisty Cars? What a childish, laughable thing.”

Qin Fenghuo, watching from aside, eyed Lu Chi with a trace of horror.

A madman!

To choose the Temple Spirit Resonance in such a manner—

truly, does he really sacrifice flesh and spirit so gladly?

To cut off all desires and emotions?

How can he endure such torment?

That rascal… what a ruthless character!

He even managed to snatch away more Temple Spirit than him, and Qin Fenghuo wasn’t even a bit jealous…

This guy got what he deserved.

The Temple Spirit Resonance was over.

The Yulian Fenghuo Jingguang Wheel cleared the path, and the children, whether disappointed, elated, or regretful, turned and left the path carved out in Jiulong River’s Bizarre Temple, returning to the Stone of Furious Echoes.

Elder Jiao Shaoqiu, controlling the gold wheel with intricate hand gestures, walked over to XiXi and ruffled her tousled head.

“Let’s go, little one,” he said gently.

Just as his hand touched her head, his eyes flickered with surprise, “XiXi… you obtained the second Yulian Fenghuo Jingguang Wheel?”

At that moment, XiXi was still fuming at Lu Chi—feeling the sting of losing a good friend.

After all, Lu Chi had been her friend since Feilei City all the way to Jin Guang Mansion.

Just like that, friendship was over; she was deeply hurt.

Yet amidst it all, pride sparked within her even as Lu Chi ignored her.

Gradually, her mood settled.

Forcing a smile, she wiggled her chubby little toes.

“Elder, you guessed it right!”

“But it seems XiXi can’t get the little wheel to break free.”

XiXi lamented.

Elder Jiao Shaoqiu paused before bursting into hearty laughter, his whole body trembling with mirth.

“Ha ha ha ha… Wonderful, simply wonderful!”

The second Jin Guang Wheel had finally appeared!

The Yulian Fenghuo Jingguang Wheel—this divine weapon—was now complete!

What spectacular fortune!

A prodigy as promising as XiXi would be a waste in Jin Guang Mansion; she must be sent to the Qianyuan Divine Sect!

Only the Orthodox Divine Sect could train such a genius…

to harness the power of these Four-Yu Divine Weapons and grow even stronger!

Such a prodigy…

truly a blessing for the Qianyuan Divine Sect!

Elder Jiao Shaoqiu beamed as, having dedicated his life to the Divine Sect, his sense of belonging ran deep.

Seeing the Divine Sect acquiring a prodigy of such caliber brought him immense joy.

Taking XiXi’s hand, Elder Jiao Shaoqiu led the little one along the path.

The Jin Guang Wheel whirled happily, sparks flying as if lighting their way.

Soon, the pair reached the spot where Ji Haihui’s corpse lay.

Elder Jiao Shaoqiu’s eyes hardened.

“Corpse God Sect…”

Immediately, his gaze fell upon the morbid aura entwining Ji Haihui’s body—a foul stench of death and a trace of potent Silver Guts!

Corpse God Sect…

Cursed Silver Corpse!

Elder Jiao Shaoqiu recalled the clash of energies from earlier.

It turned out…

the miscreant from the Corpse God Sect had struck Ji Haihui down, triggering the Martial Saint Will within his bloodline.

But…

this villainous force from the Corpse God Sect had the audacity to crush even the Martial Saint Will.

Surely, such a blow must have wounded him grievously, preventing him from attacking the children in the Temple Spirit Resonance before he fled…

Elder Jiao Shaoqiu pieced together the events in an instant.

“All we can say is that the Little Prince saved all the children taking part in the Temple Spirit Resonance.”

“Great indeed, no words needed.”

With a heavy sigh, Elder Jiao Shaoqiu murmured.

Some lives are not as light as a feather.

XiXi pressed her lips together, obedient and quiet, too afraid to speak.

The clever child understood that the death of that little maid, Ji Haihui, would bring immense trouble.

No one must ever know it was XiXi who did it.

Otherwise, her parents would suffer terribly!

Surging with divine power, Elder Jiao Shaoqiu hoisted the half-human, half-dragon corpse of Ji Haihui—with a pained expression, knowing all too well the trouble it would bring.

But eventually, it was a matter that must be faced.

Leading XiXi by the hand, Elder Jiao Shaoqiu, supported by divine power, carried Ji Haihui’s corpse as the children departed from the swirling, mysterious sanctuary.

As they left, the eerie mist reclosed its shroud!

When everyone reconvened atop the Stone of Furious Echoes,

the little ones—Hai Chaosheng, Gong Yuanliang, Gongyang Xiu and the others—rushed over in excited chatter.

A cluster of children surrounded XiXi,

and the youngsters eagerly discussed among themselves.

“XiXi! I made a slight mistake this time—I didn’t do as well as Gong Yuanliang—but I still received the Temple Spirit’s gift, a lower-grade Divine Essence Technique from the Six Ministries! I’ll be much stronger soon! XiXi, wait for me!”

Hai Chaosheng leaned close, beaming at XiXi in excitement!

He knew that XiXi needed a powerful friend, and he was determined to grow strong!

“XiXi, I too received the Temple Spirit’s gift—a mid-level Divine Essence Technique from the Six Ministries! Far better than Hai Chaosheng’s! And you? What gift did you get from the Temple Spirit?”

Gong Yuanliang shoved Hai Chaosheng aside and curiously asked.

The chubby kid Zhou Peng, Yun’e, Gongyang Yu and the others joined in with curious glances.

XiXi put her hands on her hips, her small face quivering with excitement as she boasted,

“You’re only mid-level!”

“Ni hao, you little runt!”

“XiXi the Great received a Divine Essence Technique called Eight-Armed, Three-Faced, Unbreakable Divine Fetal Technique!”

“At the Three Pure levels!”

Seven-thousand words—this chapter was hard to write. After some rewrites and edits, please support with your fresh upvotes! Every day I wake up to write and finish, then sleep… In between, I only have the monthly votes and recommendations to lift my spirits. Keep reading, and thank you from Old Li!