The Nine Godheads

“Pft.” After Ye Jinning hopped away, Yun Caixiao could no longer hold it in and began to laugh. This laughter was truly similar to the appearance of the moonlight and the blossoming of fresh flowers, stunning beyond compare. After giggling for a while, she shook her head and said: “Ai, Big Brother Xiaobao, you’re so smart, but it’s a pity….”

“Hehe, it’s nothing much.” Hong Xiaobao scratched his head then said with a smile: “But now that we’re speaking about it. You know that I am a cripple who cannot cultivate, but you’ve not thought of breaking off the engagement? Just before, you even admitted that I’m your fiancé, giving me a sufficient amount of face hmm?”

“Break it off?” Yun Caixiao took out her jade pipe and gently wiped it, then answered in a gentle voice: “That you can remember the acupoints should mean that you’ve tried before. You being a cripple is not important. The most important thing is that you are ambitious, which is why I did not want to make you feel too bad just before. However, if you really cannot cultivate, then there’s no other way. You also know that the lifespan of martial artists….”

“I understand,” nodded Hong Xiaobao as he chuckled lightly: “The lifespan of 3-star martial artists can reach 120 years, 5-star martial artists 180 years, and 9-star martial artists an overwhelming 300 years. Your future is filled with limitless prospects, while there isn’t much to say about myself. That is why I understand. I cannot let myself age into an old man while you are still as beautiful as a flower. That would make it uncomfortable for both you and me, so breaking the engagement off really isn’t a big deal. I honestly don’t mind.”

These words of his actually came from the bottom of his heart.

Why did everyone in this world want to cultivate? It was because devil beasts were everywhere and because the lifespan of cultivators were even longer.

Who did not wish for a longer life? This was why Hong Xiaobao truly did not mind breaking off the engagement. After all, if he truly could not cultivate for the rest of his life, it was very probable that he would have turned into dry bones while Yun Caixiao continued living a glorious life.

“Thank you,” sighed Yun Caixiao. She spoke in a long-winded manner, “In fact, if the situation is not urgent, I do not wish to break off the engagement either. We’ve grown up together since we were young, and you’ve always treated me very well. It’s just a shame…. Ai, forget it. I’ll go back now. You should go rest earlier too.”

　　……

On the other hand, Ye Jinning was in his temporary residence.

After jumping back here, he had remained upright on his feet for two whole hours. Originally, he had been occupied about how to counteract this ‘Smiling Half Step Toppling” poison, but he soon discovered that his hands that were originally numb had begun to gradually recover to their normal states.

“What is this?” Ye Jinning knitted his eyebrows: “Could it be that the poison has already spread throughout my entire body? But that shouldn’t be ah. Logically speaking, if the poison has spread throughout my entire body, it’s impossible to not feel any sort of numbness in my hand. There’s nothing wrong with the other parts of my body. Could it be that this poison is fake?”

The more he thought like this, the more he felt that he had guessed correctly. In the end, Ye Jinning fiercely gritted his teeth: “I still don’t believe it. Would he really dare to poison me to death?” After he thought up till here, Ye Jinning carefully stuck one foot out, but very quickly put it back in place.

“That won’t do, that won’t do. I can’t play around with my life.” Beads of sweat densely covered Ye Jinning’s forehead: “I am a genius! I am a super genius! In comparison with Hong Xiaobao, this cripple, I am worlds beyond him! If I die, even if my father executes him, I’d still be receiving the short end of the stick! This won’t do, won’t do!”

However, he could not keep standing there either, especially since all traces of his poison were no longer existent. Ye Jinning hesitated once more for a while, then heavily gritted his teeth and stepped out with his foot: “Fu** his grandmother! I just don’t believe that Hong Xiaobao would dare to poison me to death!”

He took one step, and nothing actually happens!

With this initiative, the latter movements were much easier to do. Ye Jinning took another two steps and was still safe is sound. His true qi was also circulating without any obstruction.

“Hong Xiaobao! You f***ing dare to play me!” A furious howl of rage rang out from Ye Jinning’s temporary residence: “You actually f***ing dare to fool me! Making me make such a fool out of myself in front of Caixiao’s face, just wait and see! See that I won’t kill you!”

　　……

Hong Xiaobao lied on his bed, his facial expression a bit gloomy.

As the child of a rich family before traveling to this world, Hong Xiaobao’s perspective towards being able to cultivate or not was actually quite indifferent.

In any case, whether or not he was a cripple could not keep him from living a pleasurable life. However, the issue was that he was engaged. So what if he was already engaged, but someone was even trying to steal his wife!

Do you not think that that Ye Jinning or whatever was looking for a beating? He was but the great Hong Xiaobao; was he a person who anyone could casually trample over?

In reality, if the two of them were to truly get into a serious fight, ten Ye Jinning’s would not be a match for him. However, coming back to this topic, being unable to cultivate true qi was still a bit regretful, although it really did not matter that much….

“Why do you think this is so?” As Hong Xiaobao lied on the bed, he murmured to himself in a dejected manner: “How can I not even cultivate the smallest bit of true qi? I should at least be able to cultivate something. After all, I can’t have just traveled here for nothing, right?”

Originally, his words were simply spoken out of boredom and discontentment, and he had spoken such things before several times in the past as well. However, he did not expect that the moment he thought up till here, an ancient voice would suddenly ring out in his ear!

“Of course your body cannot cultivate true qi.” The voice was icy and cold, as though it contained no feelings or emotions whatsoever.

“Hey? Who said that?” Hong Xiaobao exclaimed in astonishment: “Could it be that you know why I am unable to cultivate true qi?”

“Less nonsense.” As the voice spoke, a spirit drifted out of the black gem inlaid into the bracelet that Hong Xiaobao previously found in the form of a white-garbed person. It was an elderly man with white hair and a white beard who embodied an imposing aura, and it was precisely him who spoke the previous words. However, now, his aura was even more bloodthirsty and biting: “That idiot Ye Jinning or whatever from before, do you want to skin him and tear his tendons apart? Kill him and steal all that belongs to him!”

Holy sh**, what freak is this ah?! So malicious?!

Hong Xiaobao’s scalp went numb as he responded in horror: “Can you not be so violent? In any case, even if he fights me, he won’t be able to beat me, but the most important issue is that I can’t stand the sight of blood….”

“Don’t kill him?” The elder’s voice abruptly turned even more ferocious as his white mane flew into the air: “Savages, kill! Mockers, kill! Those who defy me, kill! Sympathizers, kill! Strong people, eat! Valuable treasures and materials, eat! Good equipment, steal!”

Hong Xiaobao: “….” I’m so scared ahhhhhhhh!

Yet right at this moment, another voice rang out: “Young lad, don’t listen to his nonsense. It is this fool’s nature to kill others, and if you listen to him, you’ll turn into a murderous demon king sooner or later. Why must you be so brutal? If there’s something wrong, can we not just all sit down and have a nice chat? Eventually, we’ll sort out who’s right and who’s wrong, will we not?”

More or less, but….

Wait a minute ah, could it be that instead of just one spirit, there was a pair?

“Xiao Sanshao, don’t bicker with me so much. I’m the one who first discovered this young fellow, so he is my responsibility to teach!” The first ancient voice bursted into fury: “I, Meng Xianji, traveled to all the corners of the world that year! I killed the humans who blocked me and killed the buddhists who blocked me! When have I ever suffered this sort of grievance?! If that Ye Jinning or whatever even dared to peek at me, I would have long since skinned him and torn him apart! I would have even devoured all his true qi!”

Hong Xiaobao: “….”

Very quickly, yet another spirit drifted out. This time, it appeared from within the blue gem, and the spirit was holding a feathered fan and wearing a headcovering. Dressed in a light blue robe, he really gave off the feeling of a playboy; it seemed that this was Xiao Sanshao. Glancing at Meng Xianji, his tone was obstinate and resolute: “Which is why you were chased by the entire world! You were scorned by all and any who say you would shriek to beat you!”

Hong Xiaobao: “….”

From the words, these two spirits were actually arguing?!

“Fine, fine, fine,” growled the elderly Meng Xianji in anger: “Come, come, come! Let us compete! That year, ninety-nine percent of those who chased after me died, and it won’t exclude you today either!”

“Let’s first stop arguing. It’s somewhat confusing, somewhat confusing!” Hong Xiaobao vigorously rubbed his head: “You guys should be facing each other inside the bracelet on my wrist, right? From the looks of it, both of you should have interacted with each other for many years now ah. How is that you start fighting with just one simple remark?”

After he said this, Hong Xiaobao looked towards the bracelet on his wrist and cried out in horror: “Wait a minute. This bracelet has nine gems, but there are only two of you…. It can’t be…. That there are nine spirits in total?”

As expected, the third spirit’s voice rings out: “This young lad is actually quite smart. Correct, we are nine in total. Chen Nan, have you awoken?” The spirit that arose from the red gem this time was actually a laughing, small fatty…. So adorable!

Silence.

The silence continued.

Around fifteen minutes later, the fourth spirit peeked his head out from the green gem and looks around in every direction, then answered: “En….” He had already returned; it seemed that this one was probably Chen Nan….

There really were nine spirits ahhhhhhhh!

Hong Xiaobao’s scalp went numb as he carefully asked: “Then, this…. Grandfather? What is *your name?”
(*TL: formal form of you)

The little fatty spirit was clearly more amiable, and he said: “My name is Xi Hong. Young lad, you are quite smart. Although you don’t have any martial arts to speak of to intimidate that Ye Jinning into fleeing, you’re quite interesting. En, you can call us nine the five Heavenly G.o.ds and the four Great Monstrous Demons.”

Five Heavenly G.o.ds and the four Great Monstrous Demons! What a domineering term of address!

Hong Xiaobao gawked: “So impressive?! Then what are the details?”

“It’s pa.s.sable, I suppose.” Xi Hong was probably one of the more gentle grandfathers, so it was very easy to speak to him because he was quite patient: “Eastern Demon Demon Emperor Meng Xianji is that white-haired killing fanatic. Not only did the guy kill people, he also eats them. En, so he is a culinary grandmaster. *Xi Hong is me. Northern Berserk Tian Can is that lazy b.u.m, and I believe he is still sleeping right now. Southern Spirit Chen Nan is that taciturn person from just before, while Central Sanshao is that handsome gentleman. His name is Xiao Sanshao, and he enjoys reasoning with people. En, even if he cannot reason with them, he can still take action too. Tian Can, Tian Can,” called Xi Hong in a loud voice: “Would you came and take a look at our little friend here?”
(*TL: Xi = 西 = West, but I’m keeping it Xi Hong for now)

“My condition today isn’t very good, so I’ll go rest first. Let’s talk again when I feel like it.” An apathetic voice rang out in a drowsy manner, and very soon, there was no more sound—en, this was probably Northern Berserk Tian Can.

“Then…. Who are the four Great Monstrous Demons?” Hong Xiaobao swallowed his saliva with a gulping sound.

“The four Great Monstrous Demons?” Xi Hong laughed: “They probably haven’t awakened yet. In this Heavenly Bracelet, a millennium pa.s.ses in the blink of an eye. I don’t even know how long we have been in there. Usually, it is too boring, so they all went to sleep. Wait until they awake, and then I’ll introduce them to you.”

“Al….alright….” Hong Xiaobao nodded his head.

The five Heavenly G.o.ds and the four Great Monstrous Demons had just became his carry-on grandfathers, although Hong Xiaobao did not know whether it was good or bad….

“Then,” pondered Hong Xiaobao: “Can you teach me some things? Do you think I still have a chance to cultivate?”

In actuality, it did not really matter that he had become a cripple after traveling to this world. At most, he could just became a pleasure-seeking prince who played around with science and technology. Arrogantly laughing at the entire world and rebuking the weather was still possible. However, if he did have the chance, who did not wish for their strength to abruptly soar, to became a great genius, capable of seizing multiple championships for various compet.i.tions, to win the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth ranked beauties of the world, and then ascend to the peak of humanity?!

As such, now that he had the opportunity laying right in front of him, Hong Xiaobao would definitely get a clear answer!

These nine grandfathers. Just from their t.i.tles, if he randomly took out any one of them, they would probably be a tyrant, wouldn’t they?