The Nine Godheads Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Sky Hound Swallows the Sun, the Greed Wolf Devours the Heavens

“You really plan on cultivating?” Demon Emperor Meng Xianji’s voice was considerably sinister, causing the scalps of those who heard it to go numb: “The martial arts I teach are martial arts to kill. Are you sure you want to learn it?”

“Uh, this….” Hong Xiaobao gulped down some saliva, then responded carefully: “Curious, I’m just curious. Actually, since we’re talking about this, even if I didn’t rely on martial arts, to make up some reasons would not be too hard. However, since everybody can do it while I can’t, there’s always of feeling of something missing, isn’t there? Furthermore, if *you think about it, since I’m such a cripple, would *you not get a sense of accomplishment by succeeding in teaching me?”

These words of his were quite reasonable.

In actuality, based on his experiences, the influence of being able to practice martial arts was not very big. The crux of the issue was that since he had come to this world, should he not try it out a bit?

“Oh? I didn’t know that this youngster was actually so confident. En, that Soft Hedgehog Armor or whatever, you’re the one who made it?” Meng Xianji chuckled, unexpectedly quite satisfied with Hong Xiaobao’s answer—after all, it was not wrong that any master hoped for their disciples to be surpa.s.singly smarter than others.

“Hehe, more or less,” Hong Xiaobao answered in embarra.s.sment as he scratched his head: “After all, I can’t cultivate, so oftentimes, I’ll create some of this stuff when I’m bored. I just know some stuff, just some stuff, ha!”

“En, that is really not bad,” nodded Meng Xianji when he suddenly said: “Xi Hong, it seems like this young fellow has some knowledge about forging. Come take a look.”

Huh? Forging? Xi Hong’s specialty was forging?

“Let me see.” With his ever-cordial, amiable temper Xi Hong circled around Hong Xiaobao in the form of a cold breeze before chuckling: “En, the workmans.h.i.+p isn’t bad. It’s just that some of the material used for this armor won’t do. If there was Fire Cloud Crystal along with some Phosphorous Iron Powder, an attribute could even be added.”

Fire Cloud Crystal? Phosphorous Iron Powder? Add an attribute?!

Hong Xiaobao immediately gawked: “When *you say an attribute could be added, do you mean like those top grade equipment in our Imperial Palace’s Treasure Pavilion where it’s possible to add an attribute as an auxiliary effect?”

To be able to add an attribute was amazing!

The equipment inside the Imperial Palace’s Treasure Pavilion were all genuine top grade goods, and nearly every article carried some extra effect. Some enabled the weapons to become sharper, while some made defense even stronger by solidifying it. There were even some that could help boost skills.

Now that it was known that Xi Hong could bestow additional effects onto equipment, he had struck it rich!

“This little boy’s getting all excited over nothing.” Meng Xianji’s relations.h.i.+p with Xi Hong could be considered pretty good, so he said: “The strength of Xi Hong himself is equal to mine, and he is originally the Forging G.o.dly Craftsman anyway. What do you think, can he add an attribute or no?”

Wow! Forging G.o.dly Craftsman! This was awesome to the extreme!

“Che, the other person’s clearly more formidable than you, right?” At this moment, Xiao Sanshao’s voice rang out: “When has a person failed to be more skilled than you?”

Hearing Xiao Sanshao’s words, Meng Xianji immediately exploded out of fury: “You old geezer, this old man’s long found you unfavorable to the eyes! Come, come, come! Let us go and have a great 300 round fight! Let’s see exactly whose skills are greater!”

Hong Xiaobao’s sweat poured like a waterfall. The relations.h.i.+p between these old men seemed to be quite strange ah….

And then he just felt cold winds blowing by, all the candle lights in the room flickering in a disorderly manner. The two grandfathers caused a crackling and rattling ruckus for a whole half hour until Meng Xianji panted roughly: “Hmph, I’ll consider we’ve fought to a draw this time. If there’s an opportunity later on, we’ll have another go!”

En, they are probably evenly matched….

Hong Xiaobao was dazed for a while until he heard Meng Xianji continue speaking: “Little boy, don’t mind that old geezer. Come, come, come, let this old man first give an explanation as to why your body cannot cultivate true qi!”

The main act has finally begun! Hong Xiaobao hastily p.r.i.c.ked up his ears.

“Your inability to cultivate true qi stems from an issue with your physique.” It was good that Meng Xianji clearly was not one of those who drew things out, seeing how he directly launched into an explanation: “For your situation, the amount of people who know about it can be counted on one hand—or maybe not even one hand. It’d be considered pretty good if one or two knew about your condition, and it is possible that not even one person knows. In any case, no matter what, it can be summed up in one sentence. There’s a reason behind your physique, called the Greed Wolf.”

“Greed Wolf? Greed Wolf Body?” This t.i.tle was quite impressive ah! Hong Xiaobao’s eyes immediately lit up: “Hurry up and explain exactly what the matter is with my body! Although I don’t understand, it sounds super awesome!”

“The Sky Hound swallows the sun, the Greed Wolf devours the heavens. This Greed Wolf Body of yours….” But Hong Xiaobao did not imagine that when the old fellow had just reached the fascinating part, he would actually snicker and change the topic: “I’ll explain this to you later. When I mentioned just before that the Greed Wolf Body could not cultivate true qi, I recalled that when I was bored before my tribulation came, I just so happened to create a cultivation art that is just right for you.”

Hong Xiaobao was immediately so depressed that he nearly went mad, crying out: “Old fellow, if you just explain halfway, your tongue will snap!”

“I have no tongue. Right now, I am but a roaming spirit.” The old fellow’s tone was that of ‘if you refuse to accept, bite me’: “Are you going to listen or not? If not, then I won’t say anymore.”

“Listen! It’ll be fine as long as I listen right?!” Hong Xiaobao wanted to unleash a barrage of various, vile phrases in rapid succession: “Old fellow, I wish you….”

“Whatever. In any case, I’m just a roaming spirit, and I’ve long lost any offspring of mine. I can’t have any more children either.” The old fellow expressed complete indifference—having children or any physical things no longer had any effect on him.

This is why Hong Xiaobao’s following barrage of words was stuffed directly back into his mouth.

d.a.m.ned old geezer, you’re fierce!

“If you have nothing more to say, then I’ll continue.” Clearly, this old fellow’s mood was still pretty good. It was probably because he fought to his heart’s content just before, so he chuckled: “This cultivation art of mine is quite magical. You can go bypa.s.s this world’s true qi cultivation system and directly start by tempering your body.”

“So your meaning is that you want me to become a sandbag?” The moment Hong Xiaobao heard Meng Xianji’s words, he exaggeratedly rolled his eyes.

Having traveled to this world from Earth, Hong Xiaobao did have somewhat of an understanding about tempering one’s body—after all, he had played online games. Tempering one’s body was basically becoming similar to a *main tank, taunted and then beaten—old man, let’s have a good chat about life ah!
(*TL: meat s.h.i.+eld)

“What are you thinking?” Meng Xianji’s tone of voice was quite displeased: “Can the cultivation art that this old man created be so inferior?”

“Right, right, right. *You are brilliant and wise!” Hong Xiaobao decisively began to kiss up to him: “What is so magical about this cultivation art then?”

“Nonsense. If it wasn’t magical, then wouldn’t it just be shameful for me to say it?” Meng Xianji slowly spoke: “Currently, this cultivation art is divided into two levels: Blood Qi and Forged Body. It’s extremely formidable!”

Only two levels?! Old geezer, you’re messing with me!

Hong Xiaobao howled: “Other martial artists can be divided into ten stars! Ten stars! At the peak of cultivation, they can split mountains and disrupt the waters; they’re strong beyond compare! You only have two levels here, so don’t tell me that I can confront other people with just Blood Qi or Forged Body! Even if I’m a sandbag, I have to be a bit solid at least don’t I?!”

“Rubbish, of course there are latter levels.” After mentioning this, Meng Xianji was a bit depressed as he spoke: “However, I only researched two levels at that time. Before I could study it further, the heavenly tribulation already came and I could not overcome it, so I just turned into dust…. However, these two levels are quite powerful! After reaching Blood Qi, you should probably be as powerful as that Ye Jinning or whatever, not to mention Forged Body.”

Holy c.r.a.p! Listening to his words, this cultivation art seemed to be super powerful! Its first level was equivalent to a 2-star martial artist?!

“Seeing as how it’s so magical, is it still okay?” Hong Xiaobao was a bit skeptical: “How do I cultivate such an awesome cultivation art? I can’t even cultivate true qi, but you’re sure that I can do this?”

“Nonsense! I’ve lived more than a thousand years. Would I deceive an infant like you?” The old fellow was just about to deliver his first command when a little bell suddenly rang from the top of Hong Xiaobao’s bed. He was instantly baffled: “There’s an a.s.sa.s.sin? Who is it ah that he takes the initiative to come look for a beating?”

　　……

Meanwhile, in Emperor Hong Wenqing’s sleeping quarters within the Xuan Ri Pavilion.

“Your Majesty, an a.s.sa.s.sin has secretly infiltrated the Xuan Xiao Pavilion which Ninth Prince lives in.” A palace eunuch hastily ran inside to report.

“Oh? An a.s.sa.s.sin? What strength?” Hong Wenqing’s eyes immediately shot open from his bed.

“Looking at his skill, probably a 2-star martial artist.” The eunuch answered respectfully.

“2-star martial artist, that’s probably that Ye Jinning or whatever, right? He wishes to a.s.sa.s.sinate my family’s Xiaobao with just that limited ability of his?” Emperor Hong Wenqing chortled, then resolutely turned over to continue sleeping: “It’s only a dispute of jealousy between youngsters. No need to mind him.”

“Yes.” The eunuch withdrew at once.