I Pick up a Lost Godhood

"Heh, thank you for saving me and Sanmao. Perhaps I have a way to change your fate."

Wang Meng spoke. ’The Ninefold Heaven Saint Body is too powerful. It’s because it touched the Power of Laws that the Saintess’s body is so fragile.’

The girl smiled and shook her head gently, stepping down from the swing. "Can fate be changed? You may think you’ve changed it, but isn’t the new outcome just another form of fate?"

The girl’s large eyes, like pools of clear water, gazed at Wang Meng, and he gazed back at the girl, whose presence was as pure as a clear spring.

Wang Meng smiled. "Still, I have to thank you."

"You’ve already said that twice, so I accept," the girl said, clearly very attached to Sanmao. "Can you let Sanmao stay and keep me company for a while longer?"

"As long as he’s willing," Wang Meng said.

The girl’s face immediately lit up. She scooped up Sanmao. "Little Cutie, we can be together again!"

Hearing the girl use his name, Sanmao seemed quite embarrassed. It wasn’t a very intimidating name at all.

Seeing the girl’s attention focused on Sanmao, Wang Meng knew their conversation was over. He gave a small smile and turned to leave.

"Wang Meng," the girl suddenly called out.

Wang Meng stopped and looked back at this ethereal being who seemed not of the mortal world. ’The Star Alliance owes its success today almost entirely to her, yet she herself has gained nothing from it.’

"We’ll meet again!" The girl said with a radiant smile.

Wang Meng smiled back.

As Wang Meng departed, a look of sorrow suddenly filled Sanmao’s eyes. The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Object could sense the Vitality within the girl’s body gradually fading away. Yet, she remained so happy, treasuring each and every day.

"Don’t be sad, Little Cutie. Isn’t the end of a life also a new beginning?"

The girl watched Wang Meng’s figure as it gradually disappeared over the horizon.

Evidently, this philosophy was too complex for Sanmao. He didn’t understand all this talk of beginnings and endings. To him, dead was dead, and there was no coming back.

This strange meeting with the Saintess didn’t affect Wang Meng’s state of mind. In fact, he deliberately tried to push the encounter aside. The Saintess was likely the only one who could perceive something about him—it was a strange connection. But while she submitted to the will of heaven, he was destined to defy it.

Submitting to heaven, defying heaven—Wang Meng didn’t care one way or the other. He just wanted to do what he set out to do.

Not long after Wang Meng left, Linglong appeared. "Zhen’Er, what should I do?"

The girl hugged Sanmao. "In the whirlpool of fate, he has a boat. But even so, he’s not guaranteed to escape. All I can say is, let nature take its course."

Linglong nodded. "In the whirlpool of fate, he’s the only one with a boat, and you’re the only lighthouse. Why don’t you and him...?"

The girl stroked Sanmao’s ears and gave a mischievous wink. "If I had a long life ahead of me, perhaps I’d give it a try."

At this, Linglong’s expression darkened. This was precisely why the Battle of the Other Shore was proceeding with such urgency. The Saintess couldn’t hold on much longer; her life could end at any moment.

Every time she peered into the future for the Star Alliance, it consumed her very life.

Things had reached a point where no one could bear to ask her to use her power again.

"Come on, Little Cutie. Let’s go get some sleep."

As she watched the girl’s departing figure, Linglong’s proud, solitary form vanished into the night.

Without a doubt, the quarterfinals would be the most intense clash in history, and the Star Alliance was busy with preparations. Building on the tremendous momentum from the earlier stages of the Battle of the Other Shore, vast numbers of cultivators once again flooded into the Great Yuan Realm as the competition progressed. Many sects established massive visual Teleportation Arrays. The Holy Hall even made a special exception to build one, ensuring that all Holy Hall Disciples could witness the glorious moment.

The Star Alliance itself probably hadn’t expected such an explosive response. The Battle of the Other Shore had thoroughly solidified the Star Alliance’s system in the hearts and minds of the people, extending its influence into the various Small Thousand Realms for the first time. Cultivators now knew of the Star Alliance, and they knew of the future it represented.

「Seven days later. The Other Shore in the Pure Land, Sky City.」

It had been a long time since the Pure Land was this lively. The usually reclusive and mysterious realm had taken this opportunity to partially open its gates. This was, in truth, a test of the limits of direct coexistence between humans and the Demon Race. For now, relations were amicable, as both sides were captivated by the Battle of the Other Shore.

Simultaneously, across the five great cities of the Great Yuan Realm and within the fifty major sects of the Small Thousand Realms, all visual Teleportation Arrays were activated. Spirit Stones flashed continuously, their energy pouring into the Arrays.

Roughly a million cultivators from numerous Small Thousand Realms were gathered. Never before, since the founding of the Star Alliance, had a single event brought so many cultivators together.

Once certain things were set in motion, not even the Star Alliance or any single individual could control them. Clearly, everyone had underestimated the cultivators’ passion.

Under the watchful eyes of the world, four great experts were about to draw the matchups for the quarterfinals in front of all the assembled cultivators.

Undoubtedly, to advance to the next round, drawing a "suitable" opponent was just as important as one’s own personal strength.

As the Master of Star Alliance, Vast Sea was the first to draw. He crushed a Spirit Stone, and a name exploded from within.

Lin Jinghao.

Lin Jinghao walked to the center of the arena with his folding fan, the dashing Demon Crown Prince looking completely at ease. For a select few, it didn’t matter who their opponent was—their opponent was the one who ought to be concerned. Lin Jinghao was one of that select few.

Yellow Springs glanced impassively at Lin Jinghao before drawing his opponent’s name.

A truly formidable opponent: from the Dragon Race—Celestial Dragon!

The proud Celestial Dragon walked to the center of the arena. As their eyes met, they both broke into smiles, each recognizing a worthy opponent. Both were quite satisfied with this matchup.

Following him was Dragon Emperor Tu Mu. With a wave of the Dragon Emperor’s hand, a Spirit Stone flew out and shattered, revealing a name: Crown Prince Wanli, Jii Wanli.

It seemed several of humanity’s strongest fighters were slated to appear right at the start.

The Lord of Pure Land, Liao Qingqiu, drew Jii Wanli’s opponent: Suo Ming of the Holy Hall!

Jii Wanli smiled. It looked like he would have a relatively easy path into the top eight.

The third match: Bu Qingyun versus Zhou Qian.

The fourth match: Hu Jing versus Mingren. The moment Mingren’s name was drawn, the hearts of the Holy Hall Disciples went cold. ’What rotten luck!’ they thought. Not only had none of their disciples been paired against each other, but every single one of their opponents was a powerhouse. Facing Mingren, however, Hu Jing remained perfectly calm.

Zhang Xiaojiang was drawn for the fifth match. When his opponent was revealed, Master Zhang himself couldn’t help but twitch. It was the Dragon Race’s Purple Dragon.

For the sixth match, the Dragon Emperor smiled the instant the Spirit Stone shattered. It was Wang Meng. Wang Meng had been the subject of heated debate over the past few days. Because the Dragon Emperor had personally denied his status as a Dragon Emperor Body, opinions on his prospects were divided.

And Wang Meng’s opponent, drawn by Lord of Pure Land Liao Qingqiu, was a complete surprise: the Mengg Lord of the Demon Race!

Without a doubt, this was a brutal, finals-level clash happening far too early in the tournament.

The seventh match: Zou Chuang versus Longyue. This was a showdown between the Star Alliance’s third-ranked Taiyin Sect and its fifth-ranked Holy Light Sect, and the air was thick with the feeling of a Sect rivalry.

The eighth match: Linglong versus Li Xishui. The Dragon Princess, of course, was completely unfazed. It was the Wind God Sect that fell silent. No one could be happy about facing one of the Dragon Race’s strongest combatants.

Lin Jinghao vs. Celestial Dragon Jii Wanli vs. Suo Ming

Bu Qingyun vs. Zhou Qian Hu Jing vs. Mingren

Zhang Xiaojiang vs. Purple Dragon Wang Meng vs. Mengg Lord

Zou Chuang vs. Longyue Linglong vs. Li Xishui

(It’s the third day of February, and I have to ask for monthly tickets again. Please give me your guaranteed vote, thank you!) (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to come to Qidian.com and vote with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)