Chapter 165: Chu Huaixu: Who If Not Me!
Inside the grand hall, Chu Huaixu listened to the system notification with a flicker of joy in his heart.
"Origin Spirit Realm?"
"Is that the name of the secret realm Li Chunsong mentioned?" he thought.
At that moment, Li Chunsong continued speaking:
"Of course, if you're willing to sell the ăFragment of Xuanhuang Origină to the sect, the sect will absolutely grant you incredibly generous rewards."
"Right? Sect Master and First Senior Brother?" He smiled as he looked at the two Eighth Realm cultivators.
To them, this item was practically a future necessity!
Li Chunsong turned to Chu Huaixu and said gravely, "So, you now understand the importance of the Eastern and Western Continentsâ Grand Competition, donât you?"
Chu Huaixu nodded solemnly. "Disciple understands."
He had previously wondered why the championâs rewards for the Eastern Continent competition were so lavish, with top-grade spiritual artifacts and seventh-grade spiritual pills.
But just now, after the conversation about the jade pendant, the Sect Master hadnât naturally mentioned the rewards for becoming the champion of the Eastern and Western Continents, as if to stir up motivation.
"So the reward for becoming the Eastern Continent champion is to arm you with gear and resourcesâso you can go fight the Western Continent champion!"
"And the true grand prize is the qualification to enter the ăOrigin Spirit Realmă!"
Actually, if it was merely about reducing the experience points needed to level up, Chu Huaixu could achieve that through acquiring the ăSpirit Embryo Attributeă.
But judging from Li Chunsongâs words, it seemed anyone who refined it could receive this benefit. In that case, even a monster like Han Shuangjiang with ăSpirit Embryo 10ă might not be an exception?
"If so, the so-called Origin Power might very well exist independently of the ăSpirit Embryoă!"
That changed everything!
Chu Huaixuâs desire surged in an instant.
Even more so, it was the key to unlocking the Ninth Realm!
Chu Huaixu immediately declared, "Disciple shall give it my all in the Eastern and Western Continentsâ Grand CompetitionâI shall not fail in this mission!"
Who cares about some Heir of Prince Rui.
Who cares about some world protagonist of the Western Continent.
I, Chu Huaixu, will beat you!
His eagerness to crush his opponent surged to a climax.
This hidden truth also cleared up a puzzle for Chu Huaixu.
Because in ăBorrowed Swordă, both the First Realm and Third Realm Eastern and Western Continent competitions were won by Xu Ziqing.
He had been wonderingâwasnât the Third Realm competition supposed to begin next year?
In ăBorrowed Swordă, Little Xu somehow always had a False Spirit Embryo. Even if he had an innate Drug-taking Holy Body, in such a short time, it should have been hard to reach the Third Realm without severe side effects.
The False Spirit Embryo was just too trashâit was worlds apart from even the weakest low-grade Spirit Embryo!
The difference was as great as between a lower-grade and a top-grade Spirit Embryo.
The cultivation speed of a False Spirit Embryo could only be described as turtle-like.
Even if you fed him a mountain of heavenly materials and earthly treasures, the effect would be minimalâunless you first raised the embryoâs grade.
"That being the case, he must have cleared the ăOrigin Spirit Realmă back in the First Realm, refined the Origin Fragment, and significantly boosted his cultivation speed."
At that moment, as Sect Master Xiang Yan and the others heard Chu Huaixuâs bold declaration, satisfaction bloomed on their faces.
They had revealed all this in advance precisely to inspire an unyielding resolve.
However, Jiang Zhi disrupted the mood with a cold snort.
"Donât get ahead of yourself, kid!" he said icily.
The white-robed Little Martial Uncle Ancestor gave Chu Huaixu a frosty glance and continued:
"Let me be clearâthat secret realm is perilous beyond measure, a journey of nine deaths and one life."
"It might be your opportunity, your fortune, but it might also be where you die without even a grave!"
Xiang Yan frowned and interrupted, "Little Martial Uncle!"
He thought Jiang Zhiâs timing was terribly off.
The Eastern and Western competition hadnât even started yet, and nothing had been decided.
Saying something like that now just felt⊠off.
It was like winning a competition, bringing glory to your sect, your nation, even the entire Eastern Continentâonly to be sent to your death.
In Xiang Yan and the othersâ eyes: "If things go as usual, Chu Huaixu should definitely return safely."
"Even if the Dao Ancestorâs Maxim mentioned it, didnât he already defeat the Bronze Sword?"
"This kid is practically the reincarnation of the Dao Ancestorâhe shouldnât face any major problems."
Of course, no one could guarantee such things.
But cultivation had always been defying the heavens. External secret realms werenât like those inside the sectâthey didnât spare lives.
Sectsâ internal trials were more like games between the deceased seniors and younger disciples.
Fortunes outside required risk to grasp!
Every person present had experienced life-or-death scenarios.
That was simply part of cultivation.
"Little Martial Uncle saying such things now is a real buzzkill. Chu Huaixu is still so youngâdonât let this affect his mindset in the upcoming championâs duel," Xiang Yan and the others thought inwardly.
Still, they could understand why he reacted this way.
After all, his experience was different. He was originally supposed to enter the fifth level of the Origin Spirit Realm.
But by twist of fate, he was gravely injured during a demon-slaying expedition, and thus missed his chance.
"That mustâve become Little Martial Uncleâs heart demon."
"No one expected the fifth level to be so deadly."
"And he attained the Dao through killing. By the Eighth Realm, his strength was already approaching the early Ninth Realm."
"He must often wonderâif he had gone in too, would the ending have been different?"
"He was meant to enter the spirit realm, so his nightmares differ from ours."
"But in the end, the one who âbarely survivedâ ended up with the Origin Fragment brought back by the maddened Fifth Martial Uncle, and broke through to the Ninth Realm," Xiang Yan thought.
Oftentimes, it was unclearâwas it the dead who suffered more, or the lone survivor?
"Thus, Little Martial Uncle now lives in contradiction," the Sect Master sighed inwardly.
"He was always headstrong, stubborn, playful, and even a bit rebellious."
"Demon-slaying expeditions suited him best."
"But now, he often tries to imitate the maddened Fifth Martial Uncleâyet always ends up a poor imitation."
"Anything related to the Origin Spirit Realm, he canât help but butt in. Always the first to act, impossible to hold back."
"Yet his decisions are never as well thought-out as Fifth Martial Uncleâs. He only mimicked the surface."
"After extreme grief, people may mature."
"But abilities you donât possess wonât magically appear just because you suffered hardship."
In truth, Xiang Yan and the others understood very well. The current Little Martial Uncle, who always acted cryptic and all-knowing, was likely mocked behind his back by many in the outer sect. Some even found him irritating.
But to them, who were essentially family, they had witnessed his turbulent life firsthand.
Oftentimes, seeing this version of Little Martial Uncle evoked sympathyâeven pity.
To Xiang Yan and the others, this latest expedition was merely about finding someoneâand Dao Gateâs second-in-command accompanied him.
If not for the sudden emergence of Chu Huaixu, none of the ensuing chaos would have happened.
Even if Li Chunsong had arrived early at the foot of Wumeng Mountains, upon seeing only Han Shuangjiang, he wouldâve waited. Nothing major wouldâve gone wrongâthey still could have smoothly escorted the Sword Attendant up the mountain.
And whatâs even more bewilderingâthis unforeseen variable before them had now become the Eastern Continentâs champion!
He had even inherited the Dao Ancestorâs legacy!
Everyone turned their gaze to Chu Huaixu, observing his reaction.
To their surprise, this brat showed no change in expression after hearing Jiang Zhiâs words.
Not the slightest hint of fear or confusion.
Just like that peculiar Sword Intent heâd comprehended!
Whatâs more, Chu Huaixuâs thinking was ridiculously simple: "If Little Xu could do it in ăBorrowed Swordă, why canât I?"
Iâm not as good as Little Xu?
Are you kidding me?
That, as the head of his household, was something he absolutely could not accept.
But after some thought, he still spoke up to gather useful information. "Little Martial Uncle Ancestor, do you think that, given my current level, entering that secret realm still carries great risk?"
Jiang Zhi looked at him and answered directly, "I can tell you very clearlyâthat secret realm is of utmost importance. It concerns the Great Calamity of Heaven and Earth, and is closely tied to the lives of all living beings."
"Originally, Xu Ziqing was supposed to become the Sword Attendant for that sword and be the one to enter."
"Donât think that just because you defeated him in the Eastern Continent competition, you're now invincible."
"If you hadnât given him the Xuantian Embryo Breathing Pill and led him onto the path of Body Training, he would have become a perfect Sword Attendant and brought out the Dao Ancestorâs swordâs full power!"
"Now, even with secret arts enhancing him, its power is likely only seventy to eighty percent."
"And even so, your victory was barely won."
"Therefore, whether youâll make it out of that secret realm aliveâno one can guarantee it. Do you understand?"
Chu Huaixu digested the information.
"Sword Attendant?"
He didnât like those three words.
His Little Xu, going to serve that sword?
It felt like raising a child only for them to become a dog for someone you hate.
Who could feel okay with that?
"So all of this... itâs because of the Great Calamity? Because of the Origin Spirit Realm?" Chu Huaixu thought.
Everyone looked at him, watching his constantly changing expression, as if he was weighing something.
Xiang Yan and the others inwardly thought, "This isnât good."
But then Chu Huaixu suddenly raised his head and spoke seriously: "Little Martial Uncle Ancestor, this disciple has one question."
"Speak," Jiang Zhi replied calmly.
"If my Little Xu still had a False Spirit Embryo and hadnât walked the path of Body Training, if he truly became the Sword Attendantâwould using that Evil Sword come at a great price?" Chu Huaixu asked.
He said it directlyâbluntly calling the Dao Ancestorâs sword an Evil Sword.
"Yes," Jiang Zhi answered without hiding anything.
The next moment, everyone saw a faint smile appear on the young manâs face.
"Then thatâs good," said Chu Huaixu.
His thoughts were simple.
He wanted to enter the Origin Spirit Realmâthe temptation was too great. Riches lay within danger.
Even if he currently only matched seventy to eighty percent of Xu Ziqingâs power from ăBorrowed Swordă, he still had ways to improve. It wasnât game over!
Besides, so long as Little Xu was safe, that was enough.
If the golden finger shrank, so be itâit was better than dying in the future, wasnât it?
As a seasoned Play Companion, having played so many games, in a world like ăBorrowed Swordă where a Great Calamity was the setting, wasnât it completely normal for a protagonist to die in the finale?
He even felt that someone as pure-hearted as Little Xu... his character seemed designed to be sacrificed!
Even before transmigrating, the game plot for ăBorrowed Swordă hadnât progressed to the later stages.
But heâd always had this theory.
In fact, there were many similar prediction threads in the game forums.
This was also the biggest reason for Xu Ziqingâs popularity among players.
Because he was short, gentle-lookingâand was supposedly headed for such a tragic end?
"But why should my Little Xu have to die?" Chu Huaixu had long since stopped seeing this as just a game.
"In the future, who the hellâs going to wash the dishes in this house? Who the hellâs going to do my laundry? Damn it!"
"We even spent Mid-Autumn Festival together this year!"
For all these reasons, when Chu Huaixu learned that Xu Ziqingâs fate had truly changed, he smiled and said, "Then thatâs good."
However, Jiang Zhi immediately frowned and said sternly:
"Chu Huaixu, this matter concerns the Great Calamity, concerns the lives of all beings. Because of your appearance as a variable, events have gone off track. Have you still not understood the gravity of this?"
Xiang Yan opened his mouth. As Sect Master, he intended to cut inâthis was placing too much pressure.
After all, this wasnât something Chu Huaixu could have known in advance.
Saying such things now felt overly harsh.
In fact, not just the Sect MasterâLi Chunsong and Chu Yinyin also looked ready to speak up.
Especially the Old Girlâextremely protectiveâwas about to lash out again.
"Do you even know how to talk?!"
But the youth standing at the center of the grand hall was the first to respond.
"Replying to Little Martial Uncle Ancestorâthis disciple understands," he said, lifting his head.
Chu Huaixu continued loudly, "The Xuanhuang Realm, Eastern and Western Continents, the living beings of this world... Honestly, Iâm not someone with grand ambitions."
"Though I havenât figured everything out, perhapsâas Little Martial Uncle Ancestor saidâit all stems from me being a variable."
"It was I who disrupted the path Little Xu was meant to walk, who changed the course of events."
"But now, this matter is already set in stone."
"I defeated Little Xu and became the Eastern Continent Champion."
"If I somehow manage to defeat the Heir of Prince Rui, then Iâll be the rightful candidate to enter the secret realm."
âSince itâs come to this, who if not me?
"But Iâm still glad Little Xuâs unharmed."
"So then..." Chu Huaixu paused.
Then, this black-robed young man, standing in the center of the grand hall, cupped his hands toward the Dao Gate elders and declared loudly:
"His karmaâthis disciple shall bear it!"
......