Chapter 48: The Origin of All Things, the Might of the Divine Crossbow

The towering waves rushed toward the shore with the speed of a thunderbolt, leaving the praying clansmen no time to evade. Old Hei and Yuezhi thrust out their palms simultaneously, and two overbearing and fierce flashes of thunder directly repelled the huge waves.

The turbulent waves grew even more violent, and the power of the Golden Heaven-Swallowing Thunder Flame Art made the spring water boil instantly.

Wave after wave surged toward the goddess's stone statue.

"Not good! Protect the goddess statue!"

Clan Chief Yue Wu shouted, "Hurry!"

Old Hei transformed into a streak of stunning light, arriving before others could react. Wielding a thunder-light divine spear in his hand, he whipped up a cloud of lightning that swept the giant waves directly into mid-air, only letting them fall back down after the spring water calmed completely.

Even so, it still churned up a massive swell.

After a few breaths, the spring water finally grew still.

Old Hei felt no joy in having saved his clansmen. Since Li Xuan had still not emerged by this point, it meant he was likely never going to return.

According to the age-old legend, the physical remains of the Azure Leaf Goddess's tomb had already departed, taking Li Xuan with them into another realm of the starry sky.

Now that the Azure Leaf Goddess's cultivation method had found an inheritor, the mission of the ancient tomb was fulfilled.

As orphans of the mythological era, the Azure Leaf Tribe was also drawing a complete and perfect full stop to their history.

"Yuezhi..."

Tears welled in Old Hei's tiger-like eyes, his voice choking with grief.

Yuezhi did not know what to say either, and the clansmen sharing this scene felt a profound sorrow in their hearts.

Things had reached this stage; nothing could be undone.

"Clan Chief, I am going to help the Li family until the Li family fully rises to prominence!"

Clan Chief Yue Wu hesitated for a moment before saying, "Old Hei, we can discuss this matter later. You must understand the burden on your shoulders. We can enshrine Young Master Li Xuan just as we do the Azure Leaf Goddess and build a tomb for him, but..."

Old Hei had no heart to listen any further. He dropped to his knees and said, "Brother Li Xuan is a benefactor of our Azure Leaf Tribe, and my own savior. Even if Brother Li Xuan can truly never return, I will share the fate of the Li family, through thick and thin."

Old Hei's words voiced the inner thoughts of the Azure Leaf Tribe's members, but as the clan chief, he had to consider the future. The survivors of the mythological era had to be constantly on guard against invasions by foreign races and strengthen their own power in order to survive.

Clan Chief Yue Wu was not a heartless man; he had simply seen too much of the world's cold fickleness. He closed his eyes and trudged forward with difficulty, leaning on his staff.

Yuezhi could empathize with Old Hei's current state of mind. Under those circumstances, Li Xuan's self-sacrifice to find the "Golden Heaven-Swallowing Thunder Flame Art" for them had been so resolute, without a shred of hesitation. Yet now that disaster had struck Li Xuan, the clan chief was considering other matters—it truly felt inappropriate.

Yuezhi wanted to offer a few words of comfort, but the words died on her lips.

The tears swirling in Old Hei's eye sockets finally spilled over. This was something Yuezhi had never witnessed before. Even when his flesh had rotted, he had not shed a single tear, yet now, he was weeping.

At that moment, a child pointed toward the waters beneath the goddess's stone statue and shouted, "Look! What is that thing floating over there?"

The clansmen looked in that direction, their jaws nearly dropping in shock. A person was actually floating right there.

Hearing this, Old Hei looked closely and saw that it was none other than Li Xuan. He immediately burst into laughter through his tears, made several rapid leaps across the water's surface, and scooped Li Xuan up with one arm.

"Brother Li Xuan, wake up!"

Panic-stricken and clutching at straws, Old Hei patted Li Xuan's face repeatedly until an infuriated Yuezhi scolded him, "Give him CPR! Do artificial respiration!"

Old Hei was completely dumbfounded. If Li Xuan ever found out about this, wouldn't he hunt him down to the ends of the earth?

In the end, it was Yuezhi who used her quick wit, employing a jolt of lightning to stimulate Li Xuan's cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Blech!

Li Xuan spewed out a few mouthfuls of spring water, slowly opened his eyelids, and his breathing gradually returned to normal.

Old Hei pulled Li Xuan tightly into his embrace and said, "Brother Li Xuan, I am so glad you could return alive!"

Li Xuan gave Old Hei a side-long glance and said, "Knowing that you obtained the Azure Leaf Goddess's inheritance and your cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds, I almost got killed by you. It was already dangerous enough for me jumping down from the sky, and then you had to summon those fierce waves, making me float around. If you had found me any later, I would have been a gononer."

Old Hei, however, burst into hearty laughter and explained, "I was leading the clansmen in prayer for you, who could have known you would drop from the sky and cause such a huge commotion? I only stepped in to protect the clansmen!"

Li Xuan waved his hand dismissively and said, "Since everyone is safe, Old Hei, you should stay in the Azure Leaf Tribe for a while to help the clansmen begin their cultivation. Do not mine the Obsidian Dark Thunder Source Ore again until you reach the God-Slashing Realm!"

Li Xuan formally issued this command because he did not want his own affairs to bring harm to the members of the Azure Leaf Tribe once more.

With a grave expression, Old Hei said, "I cannot agree to this matter. The Golden Thunder-Singing Body bloodline of our clansmen has been sealed for too long. If we want to awaken our bloodline, we have no choice but to take risks."

Li Xuan looked at Yuezhi, only to see her slightly nod her head and say, "Indeed. Mining the Obsidian Dark Thunder Source Ore can not only help you, but it can also trigger the awakening of our clansmen's bloodline. I stand by Old Hei's opinion."

Li Xuan let out a sigh and said, "After all this commotion, I'm starving. Let's get something to eat!"

The clansmen swarmed around Old Hei, Yuezhi, and Li Xuan to start preparing a meal.

Since Li Xuan had brought back plenty of ingredients—enough to last them half a year—this meal could be considered the most lavish feast in the history of the Azure Leaf Tribe.

"Clan Chief Yue Wu, I propose a toast to you!"

The elderly clan chief, Yue Wu, raised his trembling cup, drained it in one go, and said, "Young Master Li Xuan flatters us. You are our benefactor, and before..."

Li Xuan waved his hand and said, "Who does not have selfish motives? Let's not speak of past matters anymore. Has the Obsidian Dark Thunder Crossbow been successfully cast? My main reason for coming this time is for this very matter."

Clan Chief Yue Wu nodded slightly and said, "Although the divine crossbow has taken shape, it is very crude. I must ask you to think of more ways to refine it."

After draining his cup of wine, Li Xuan said, "Leave it to me."

After the meal, Li Xuan inspected the body of the divine crossbow. Though rough around the edges, it possessed a thunderous, overbearing aura.

Returning to his thatched hut, Li Xuan began carving source runes. Because the Obsidian Dark Thunder was far too hard, he ultimately had no choice but to summon the Primeval Myriad Qi Cauldron.

To his surprise, the bottom of the Primeval Myriad Qi Cauldron was actually damaged.

Li Xuan's excited face instantly turned as dark as charcoal. If it weren't for the presence of the Azure Leaf Tribe's members, he would have broken into a torrent of curses.

"As expected of a cheating deity!"

Obtaining the Primeval Myriad Qi Cauldron was a tremendous fortune for Li Xuan, and likewise a gift from the Azure Leaf Goddess.

The reason the Primeval Myriad Qi Cauldron was damaged was because the catastrophe of the mythological era was simply too unimaginable to fathom.

"So be it. People experience sorrow and joy, the moon waxes and wanes; being too flawless only invites trouble!"

Li Xuan placed the divine crossbow body and the Purple-Gold Divine Dragon Tendon into the Primeval Myriad Qi Cauldron. Using source energy as fire and reversing yin and yang as charcoal, he began refining the repeating Zhuge crossbow.

As the source fire burned, the Primeval Myriad Qi Cauldron began to be wreathed in pale blue primordial Qi, and the source energy within the crossbow body and the Purple-Gold Divine Dragon Tendon began to swirl and vaporize alongside it.

The sound of thunder intertwined with the roar of a dragon, slowly fusing within the Primeval Myriad Qi Cauldron.

This process was exceptionally arduous. Two entirely different materials mutually repelled each other, and the only solution was to continue channeling more source energy.

This was the ultimate test of a cultivator's state of mind and wisdom; the slightest carelessness would plunge one into an illusion from which they could never escape.

Although Li Xuan's source energy was not profoundly deep, his mind was firm and his resolve complete. Supplemented by the blessing of the *Saint Emperor Blue Lotus Classic*, he naturally managed to resist the temptations within the illusions.

Yet, after all, Li Xuan's cultivation realm was not high and his source energy foundation was insufficiently deep, forcing him to carve a Spirit-Gathering Source Rune Array once more. Through gathering spiritual energy, he continuously poured source energy into the Primeval Myriad Qi Cauldron.

After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the entire body of the Primeval Myriad Qi Cauldron turned glowing red, and faint signs of melting even appeared.

At the same time, the Obsidian Dark Thunder and the Purple-Gold Divine Dragon Tendon began to melt as well, eventually forming a pool of liquid.

Seizing the moment, Li Xuan began carving source runes and injecting them into the liquid. As the runes poured in, lightning flashed in all directions, and the phantom image of a golden divine dragon emerged.

Suddenly, a pillar of light soared straight into the heavens, piercing the firmament. Roars of various rare beasts and exotic creatures echoed, and the sky rumbled like ten thousand galloping horses or ancient elephants trampling across the earth.

The surrounding source energy surged toward that pillar of light like a storm, but it lasted only a very short time—vanishing after about a few seconds.

The Primeval Myriad Qi Cauldron spun rapidly, wisps of primordial Qi vaporizing and fusing into the divine crossbow.

Li Xuan felt as exhausted as if he had just had a hundred women align his four wheels—sprawled out on his back, panting heavily. He had no choice but to wait for the Primeval Myriad Qi Cauldron to cool down naturally.

Just as Li Xuan drifted into a hazy moment of exhaustion, with a "whoosh" sound, the repeating Zhuge crossbow broke through the air and flew toward him.

Li Xuan instinctively grabbed it and held it tightly in his grip. The divine crossbow emitted crisp, clinking sounds as mysterious source rune incantations twisted and coiled around it, looking so lifelike as if they possessed a life of their own and wriggling ceaselessly.

Li Xuan finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It is finally complete!"

Although it was his first divine crossbow, it deserved a resounding name.

After racking his brains in deep thought, Li Xuan finally named it: Sun-Eclipsing Heaven-Swallowing.

The divine crossbow seemed to understand Li Xuan's intent, trembling slightly as if excited by the name.

Li Xuan checked the Primeval Myriad Qi Cauldron once again and found that the hole at the bottom had actually shrunk somewhat. It seemed that as long as materials suitable for the Primeval Myriad Qi Cauldron were melted down within it, some of the flaws could be repaired.

While pleasantly surprised, Li Xuan also felt a sense of pressure; he had to find suitable materials for the Primeval Myriad Qi Cauldron as soon as possible. A damaged Primeval Myriad Qi Cauldron forged a Sun-Eclipsing Heaven-Swallowing that inevitably possessed major defects, and its full power certainly could not be unleashed.

However, this matter could not be rushed; there would be plenty of time in the future.

Eager to test the power of the Sun-Eclipsing Heaven-Swallowing, Li Xuan now wished that Tang Chen, Xiao Ning, and Wang Teng would all come and challenge him.

Caressing the Sun-Eclipsing Heaven-Swallowing, Li Xuan had a gut feeling that even entities at the peak of the Profound Realm would not dare to take it on head-on; a few shots would definitely leave them bleeding.

Having accomplished the purpose of his trip, Li Xuan intended to leave. Before departing, he said to Old Hei, "Old Hei, since you insist on mining the Obsidian Dark Thunder Source Ore, I will no longer stop you. After you stay for a while longer to help the clansmen awaken their Golden Thunder-Singing Body bloodline, you can make your choice. Whether you decide to come to my Li family or stay, I will respect whatever you decide."

Old Hei kicked a boulder into the air and shattered it with a fierce punch, saying, "Old Hei is a rough man, but I know a promise is a promise. Once the tribe's affairs are settled, Old Hei will come to help you!"

Li Xuan and Old Hei slapped their palms together in agreement, exchanging a gaze for a few seconds of tacit mutual understanding.

Riding the wind, Li Xuan vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye.