I Pick up a Lost Godhood

Yang Jian chuckled. Zhang Xiaojiang’s mood helped him relax a little.

Along the way, Yang Jian learned that the so-called Immortal Spirit Secret Realm wasn’t a place for Spirit Cultivators at all. On the contrary, it was the domain of an Ancient Demon Cultivator. The deeper one went, the more lethal the array techniques became, and in the end, vast numbers of terrifying Demonic Puppets had appeared. Almost everything that moved in the secret realm was a Demonic Puppet. It had taken Wang Meng’s group over half a year of constant battle to finally stamp them out.

However, this also meant the Immortal Spirit Secret Realm was basically ruined.

Neither Yang Jian nor Xie Tianhua said a word. The path was littered with shocking craters and countless Demonic Puppet fragments. They couldn’t imagine what sort of battles Wang Meng and his group had endured. ’If it was truly that dangerous, they could have just left at any time.’

They met Wang Meng and his group in the heartland of the Immortal Spirit Secret Realm. Everyone looked a bit battered, but their spirits were incredibly high.

"Seeing you in a good mood puts me at ease. Otherwise, I’d have thought it was the end of the world."

Yang Jian chuckled.

"We had a minor incident. Is the Battle of the Other Shore about to start?"

"Uncle, the Battle of the Other Shore officially begins in seven days. The preliminary rounds will be held at the five major academies. The strongest who are selected will then enter the Pure Land for the final battle."

Xie Tianhua said, his attitude far more respectful than it was toward Yang Jian.

"Are Old Mo and the others doing well? Has that girl, Cheng Cheng, been behaving herself?"

"My Master and your fellow uncles are all well. The Little Princess is still a bit mischievous," Xie Tianhua said with a smile.

"Good. It’s time we left this dump." It was time to say goodbye to the place where they had lived and fought for three years.

Yang Jian’s gaze then fell on Zhao Xinglun. "Heh, it seems congratulations are in order, Brother Zhao, for reaching Great Perfection."

Zhao Xinglun smiled faintly. "You flatter me, City Lord. It’s nothing worth mentioning."

Yang Jian found this a little strange. He knew Zhao Xinglun’s personality well. Reaching Great Perfection was something Zhao Xinglun had longed for for ages, yet he was able to act so calm and collected about it.

Soon, the Holy Hall Disciples had gathered. Yang Jian and Xie Tianhua observed the group. It looked as if life here had been hard—the Demonic Puppet uprising had certainly made a mess of basic necessities like food and lodging—but a fire seemed to be burning in everyone’s eyes.

The journey back was filled with joyous chatter and laughter. Zhang Xiaopang was the happiest of them all. He’d had enough of this godforsaken place long ago. Every day was either beating up Demonic Puppets or getting beaten up by them. ’No girls! No romance! The exciting world outside is waiting for me!’

"Tianhua, you’ve reached the Fourth Layer of Minor Perfection. Remember to call me when you’re ready to advance," Wang Meng said with a smile.

Xie Tianhua, walking alongside them, jolted. "I will be sure to trouble you then, Uncle."

Yang Jian, on the other hand, was watching Wang Meng. He could also estimate Xie Tianhua’s cultivation level, but not with Wang Meng’s certainty. And as for Wang Meng himself...

Suddenly, Yang Jian realized he couldn’t read him at all. He was stunned for a moment. Wang Meng... unless he was actively using magic, he seemed no different from a mortal, with no worldly aura whatsoever.

Looking at the other members of the Holy Hall, both the men and women exuded a fierce, battle-hardened aura.

"There must have been a massive number of these Demonic Puppets. I never expected this to be the domain of an Ancient Demon Cultivator."

"It was like the storehouse for some Demon Cultivation Sect. We triggered an array technique six months ago, and they all came pouring out. I think it was from a Demon Cultivation Sect called the Great Treasure Wheel. A few of the Demonic Puppets were exceptionally powerful."

Wang Meng said nonchalantly, since it was all over and done with.

’Great Treasure Wheel?’ Yang Jian couldn’t recall any particularly powerful ancient Demon Cultivation Sect by that name.

Upon returning to Snow Moon City, the first thing everyone did was take a long, refreshing bath. Yang Ying and the other women had been through hell these past six months. Demonic Puppets were everywhere, and the entire Demon Spirit Secret Realm acted like a giant control array. It was their world; they were practically omnipotent, able to go anywhere. Forget taking a bath—you could get ambushed just for yawning.

In the beginning, they were completely on the defensive, taking turns to stand guard. The first two weeks were the most agonizing, and they almost didn’t pull through. But ultimately, the human will was more than a match for those lifeless things. After surviving that most difficult period, life became a little easier. They broke the stalemate, and as everyone’s power erupted in the heat of battle, wiping out the Demonic Puppets became just a matter of time. The last step was to deal with the three most difficult super-puppets. Unexpectedly, once the puppets were destroyed, the entire Demon Spirit Secret Realm was finished as well.

Those Demon Cultivators were truly ruthless; it was as if they had prepared for this exact outcome.

As a result, Wang Meng and his group were unable to gain any benefits from the realm. If they had cleared it normally, they would have received a great deal of rewards and resources.

But for the Holy Hall now, they no longer needed any of that.

The return of Wang Meng and his group didn’t create any major waves. Over the past three years, Holy Statues had begun appearing one after another. A Holy Statue was an ability, a form of a Human Cultivator’s fundamental power. As long as one found the correct method, anyone had a chance to obtain it. Furthermore, with countless cultivators, the sheer numbers meant there were bound to be explosions of talent. Many were now emerging for the Battle of the Other Shore. In reality, though, some with special Life Artifacts were even more powerful.

The men were quicker, as usual. Wang Meng and the others were already in the main hall, drinking tea and enjoying the comforts of a normal human life.

He observed that Zhao Xinglun and the others had all grown more composed, shedding their former impetuousness. They now carried themselves with the air of true masters.

"Sect Leader, a message came from Zhou Luodan. The Holy Hall wants to use the opportunity of the Battle of the Other Shore to hold a major tournament in the Four Directions Small Thousand World and scout for any promising new talent."

"That’s a good idea. You can go and preside over it," Wang Meng nodded.

"Understood." Zhao Xinglun didn’t refuse. Now that he had reached Great Perfection, he was more than qualified to dominate the Four Directions Small Thousand World. Yet, after truly gaining this qualification, Zhao Xinglun had instead become more humble.

He truly no longer felt that Great Perfection was anything special.

When Hu Jing, Yang Ying, and Ma Tian’Er emerged, it was as if the world itself brightened. They had suffered the most during that time. As Female Cultivators, they had shown immense strength in that harsh environment, and now, they had regained their gentle beauty. It was truly a contrast of fire and ice.

Xie Tianhua, watching from the side, looked on with awe and admiration. For Cultivators, one’s bearing naturally changes with advancements in their realm. Clearly, Hu Jing’s transformation left even Xie Tianhua dumbfounded.

The last time he had seen her at the Holy Hall, she was, frankly, a somewhat rustic-looking Female Cultivator from the countryside. No matter her strength, she couldn’t shake that air. But now, a single casual glance from her was almost enough to make Xie Tianhua’s heart pound in his chest.

For someone with Xie Tianhua’s level of composure, this was extremely rare.

...Unless her strength had reached a level where it could affect him. ’But I’m already at the Fourth Layer of Minor Perfection, only a single step away from Great Perfection!’

First, Wang Meng had seen right through him, and now he was being affected by Hu Jing. Xie Tianhua, who had arrived full of confidence and believing he could hold his own, suddenly felt immense pressure. Looking at the others, he saw their eyes were also brimming with explosive power. He started to wonder if he was losing his ability to judge properly.

However, Xie Tianhua’s thoughts soon returned to normal. As the lively conversation continued, he gradually relaxed. ’I’m definitely overthinking things. It must be the "psychological trauma" I have from Wang Meng. He’s my uncle in name only. It’s a title of respect, not one based on actual strength.’

On the day the Battle of the Other Shore began, the five cities that housed the five great academies were already overflowing with Cultivators from every Small Thousand Realm. This time, the Great Yuan Realm had opened itself up completely to the outside. From this moment forward, the Great Yuan Realm would truly become a hub for all the Small Thousand Realms, fulfilling its intended purpose.

This had been accomplished step by step over many years, a true miracle of the Cultivation Realm.

And now, that miracle was about to be taken one step further.

The competition for Wang Meng and his group was to be held in Starlight City. Since it was their home base, they didn’t need to brave the crowded city. All the members were staying in the Little Holy Hall.

Under the leadership of Hex Zui, the Holy Hall Disciples at Starlight Academy had been working hard, though they certainly couldn’t compare to the students from Wang Meng’s time. These disciples, led by Youn Yuqing and Anx Dao, were extremely diligent and had achieved decent results, fulfilling the Holy Hall’s goals. After all, they were not considered the Holy Hall’s front-line forces. That they could perform so well and secure their footing in Starlight Academy was already commendable.

Overall, the absence of Hu Jing and the others was actually a good thing for Anx Dao and Youn Yuqing. Without their safety net, they were forced to stimulate their own potential. In times like these, they had to rely on their own strength to defend the honor of the Holy Hall.

And for the past three years, they had done just that. Within the Little Holy Hall, Wang Meng was not stingy with his praise. Everyone’s abilities were limited, but to use those abilities to their absolute fullest was its own kind of perfection. Anx Dao and the others had made great strides in the past three years. In another two years or so, they would likely be able to make a push for Minor Perfection.

This sort of steady, methodical progress was the path to long-term development.

However, everyone’s excitement was now completely focused on the Battle of the Other Shore.

Anyone who met the conditions could sign up for the Battle of the Other Shore. At this point, that meant pretty much anyone could participate. Humans, demons, dragons... even human-demon hybrids would probably be allowed to enter without anyone batting an eye.

In the past, humans had feared and been hostile toward the Demon Race because humanity was weak and afraid for its very survival. But now, Human Cultivators were stronger than ever before. What was there to fear?

On the contrary, given humanity’s inherent desire, there was only one thing they wanted now—conquest!

Starlight City, Starlight City, Starlight City, Star Shining City, and Star City—the bustle in these five great cities was beyond description. On this day, the Cultivation Realm entered a new, interconnected grand era.

It was no longer possible to survive by being sealed off in an isolated Small Thousand Realm. Every Cultivator longed for a greater world.

In this moment, brilliance illuminated the stars!

In Star City, where Wang Meng was stationed, the younger generation of Human Cultivators—led by Peacock Princess Ling Fei, with Hua Jianyu and Ji Rushan as commanders—would give their all to repel the powerful offensive from the Demon Race and the Dragon Race.

Tiger King Lishan of the Demon Race and Purple Dragon of the Dragon Race were the main forces for their respective sides.

Giant Dragons, of course, could not participate in the Battle of the Other Shore. The Dragon Race, though rare, was not extinct. The Dragon Emperor had announced the lifting of their seal, and the dragons had begun to enter the mortal world. The moment these young members of the Dragon Race appeared, they instantly became the center of attention.

This time, the Dragon Race was represented by Linglong, as well as two dragon princes: one named Purple Dragon and the other Celestial Dragon. They did not make as big a show of their arrival as the Demon Race did. For the Dragon Race, their name alone was enough to guarantee a meteoric rise. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian.com to vote for recommendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)