'Damn, does it have to go this hard?'
Yang Xiao stared blankly for a moment at the serene white clouds in the distance.
Then he looked at the Earth Fire Qilin Beast before him, its entire body now incredibly dim, and sighed internally.
'For this Earth Fire Qilin Beast, this Divine Communication Grass is probably as precious as its own life.'
'Too bad it's mine now.'
With a flash, Yang Xiao reached out, plucked the small purple grass from within the magma, placed it in a jade box, and stored it in his Storage Ring.
He had used the Nine Revolutions Concentration Spirit Technique precisely for this small plant.
He wasn't about to give it up just because of the Earth Fire Qilin Beast's persistence.
The path of cultivation is a path of contention.
You contend with the Heavenly Dao, you contend for opportunities, you contend for the upper hand, you contend for resources...
You contend for everything.
Without contention, there is no advancement.
Without contention, there is only death.
Yang Xiao had understood this point as far back as his first life.
So, this Divine Communication Grass...
He was taking it.
'As for the Earth Fire Qilin Beast's Inner Core...'
Yang Xiao glanced at the Earth Fire Qilin Beast.
But that single glance was enough to infuriate the Earth Fire Qilin Beast once again.
ROAR!
It was enraged once more.
Just moments ago, it had unleashed its Innate Divine Techniques.
Yet it had failed to kill the human before it.
And even let him take the Divine Communication Grass.
To the Earth Fire Qilin Beast, at this very moment, Yang Xiao was its greatest enemy.
The most hated living being.
Even so, in its current state, the Earth Fire Qilin Beast knew its chances of victory were slim, no matter how unwilling it was to accept it.
But Yang Xiao's glance just now...
It had sensed it.
This guy wanted its Inner Core, too.
ROAR!
Rage.
Fury!
Unbridled fury!
To barge into its home without reason, to steal the Divine Communication Grass it treasured like its own life—a treasure it was waiting to consume and refine once its Heart and Spirit reached Perfection.
And now, he even wanted its Inner Core.
If the Earth Fire Qilin Beast could speak at this moment...
It would surely say, "Even if I die, I will never let you succeed!"
However, while it did not say this...
Its actions...
Made its intentions clear.
The Earth Fire Qilin Beast, which had been weak and listless just moments ago...
...was once again wreathed in flames, fueled by its rage.
And these flames were completely different from before.
They were purplish-red.
It was its Origin True Flame, capable of causing the very void to sizzle and burn.
The moment this True Flame appeared, Yang Xiao knew that this big fellow had probably misunderstood him.
Originally, after seizing its opportunity and taking the Divine Communication Grass, Yang Xiao felt that was enough. Why push it to the point of killing it?
Why take its Inner Core?
Although this Divine Communication Grass couldn't help him break through to the Orange Flame Realm, it was still immensely useful. Moreover, it had been tempered by this big fellow's earth fire for so long.
It was practically ready to use right out of the ground.
How much effort had that saved him?
Under these circumstances, not taking the Earth Fire Qilin Beast's Inner Core was more in line with his true intentions.
But now!
'This guy... seems like it's trying to self-detonate its Inner Core?'
Yang Xiao recognized its intent with a single glance.
He felt utterly helpless.
At the same time, he was also angry.
'This beast is just too hot-tempered.'
But on second thought, it was precisely because of this volatile temperament that it considered the Divine Communication Grass, which could strengthen one's spirit and spiritual nature, so important.
So important it would even risk its life for it.
Otherwise, it wouldn't have unleashed that Innate Divine Technique.
'Then again, wasn't I the same way back then?'
For some reason, Yang Xiao thought of his first life.
A wisp of Heaven and Earth Origin Fire that had gained sentience. Though uniquely blessed by the heavens, its temperament was similarly volatile and incomplete.
Even later, when he was reincarnated into his second life as a member of the Human Race, there hadn't been much improvement.
Not until he was schemed against, struggled desperately, and finally gave up everything to drift in the endless void for a million years.
Only then was his temperament gradually honed.
He was no longer so impulsive, so violent.
'Forget it. This all started because of me, and I've already taken your Divine Communication Grass. I might as well play the good guy for once and spare your life.'
Yang Xiao sighed.
At the same time, he pushed the Nine Revolutions Concentration Spirit Technique another revolution higher.
The barrier to the Observing Micro Middle Stage shattered instantly.
Yang Xiao's Spiritual Power condensed to the level of the Observing Micro High Level.
At the same time, he felt that his physical body, which had reached the Innate Realm, was struggling to bear the strain.
The Spiritual Power of the Observing Micro High Level was too strong.
But for now, he could still control it.
Yang Xiao let out a soft breath.
'At least I didn't explode.'
'That's a good thing.'
Looking again at the Earth Fire Qilin Beast, whose flames were growing ever more intense, Yang Xiao suddenly found the situation somewhat incredible.
'Life is certainly fickle.'
A moment ago, he was planning to kill this big fellow and take its Inner Core to break through to the next realm.
Now, he was using a Forbidden Skill, risking his body exploding, to forcibly increase his Spiritual Power—all for the sake of letting this big fellow live.
'Honestly, would anyone even believe this if I told them?'
But regardless of whether they'd believe it, Yang Xiao did it anyway.
And he was quite happy about it.
ROAR!
Just then, the Earth Fire Qilin Beast's final roar echoed out.
Its entire body was glowing.
Emitting a purplish-red light.
But in the next instant, a terrible power descended upon it.
Suddenly.
It discovered that its Inner Core was no longer under its control.
Not only that, but even the Origin True Flame on its body was out of its control.
'What... what was happening?'
"Big fellow, the path of cultivation is not easy. Cherish it while you can. I don't want your Inner Core, but I'm taking this Divine Communication Grass."
Yang Xiao's voice entered its mind.
The Earth Fire Qilin Beast trembled.
Its large, bell-like eyes stared at Yang Xiao in disbelief.
But at that moment, Yang Xiao's expression changed.
His gaze shifted to the cave's entrance.
CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!
Applause rang out just as Yang Xiao looked over.
With a rustle, five figures walked in.
Azure, red, blue, green, and purple.
Five colors.
Five different auras.
What surprised Yang Xiao even more was that these five people looked very young, yet the weakest among them had an aura at or above the Innate Ninth Layer.
And their leader...
...possessed the aura of a Mid-Tier Martial Arts Grandmaster.
That wasn't the most critical part.
The most critical part was that they exuded an aura that made Yang Xiao feel agitated and uncomfortable.
That aura.
It stirred up the memories he least wanted to recall from the depths of his heart.
A giant hand that blotted out the sky.
Descending from the heavens.
It had crushed his second life, a life where he had just refined an Unparalleled Divine Pill, a pill that would have allowed him to break through, shatter all the Seals on his body, and use that power to ascend to the Great Emperor Realm in one fell swoop...
...only to be imprisoned once more.
If his past self hadn't acted decisively—or rather, if his volatile temperament hadn't been able to bear subjugation—and immediately detonated the Unparalleled Divine Pill and all the power of his first life's Divine Format to blast open the void...
...allowing a wisp of his remnant soul to escape...
...he would have long since been annihilated in the river of history.
It could be said that the one Yang Xiao hated most was the person who had schemed against him.
And now, these five people, to varying degrees...
...all carried an aura similar to that person's.
Yang Xiao's expression changed in an instant.