I Pick up a Lost Godhood

Chapter 315 - 302: Fighting Desperately for a Better Life

When Hex Zui heard this, his head started to ache all over again. ’Why does everyone act first and ask permission later?’ he thought, feeling dizzy.

Li Tianyi laughed and gave her a thumbs-up. "So decisive, Senior Sister. I’m impressed!"

Li Tianyi was a simple and direct person, and he appreciated people who were just as straightforward.

The others just looked at one another. Truthfully, even with the establishment of the Holy Hall Faction, there was no need for Ma Tian’Er to withdraw from the Empress Faction. Being under the Empress Faction’s protection was a good thing, after all. But she had gone and thrown away such a great opportunity, just like that. And most importantly, their own venture here was still completely up in the air.

"As a member of the Holy Hall, I will stand with all of you, through thick and thin!"

Ma Tian’Er said resolutely. Giving up the Empress Faction meant the road ahead would be much harder, but she didn’t care about that in the slightest.

Wang Meng laughed heartily. "You’re amazing, Junior Sister! Don’t worry, a mere Qi Feiyu won’t be enough to bring me down!"

Wang Meng’s eyes shone; this was exactly the kind of support he had been hoping for.

"Alright then. We have no way to turn back now. Our only option is to press on together!"

Hex Zui said with a wry smile. ’This must be the recklessness of youth,’ he thought. He really wasn’t used to living this way.

The group chatted and laughed together. Then, as usual, they moved on to discussing Sword Techniques, Talismans, and other related matters. Communication was crucial. Everyone had a different understanding of Magic, and thinking in isolation could easily lead one to get stuck on minor details. Brainstorming was the superior path. However, on the journey of Cultivation, most practitioners hoarded their knowledge, no matter how humble. A truly open exchange was practically impossible anywhere else.

But this place was an exception. At least Wang Meng, Ma Tian’Er, and Li Tianyi were genuine. Hex Zui, having had his own great awakening, truly stepped into the role of a senior brother, willing to share what he had learned. Sometimes, one’s own methods weren’t necessarily the best, but they could resonate with others and spark a moment of realization. Gradually, everyone began to appreciate the benefits of this process.

In this situation, one plus one was definitely greater than two.

As Wang Meng and Fan Hong were walking back, Ma Tian’Er caught up with them. "Senior Brother, wait up! I have something for you."

Wang Meng and Fan Hong stopped. Fan Hong gave them a suggestive smile. "Well, I won’t disturb you two."

Ever since his heartbreak, Fan Hong had become a self-proclaimed love guru. "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may..." he recited.

THUMP...

A stone hit Fan Hong in the head. "Get lost," Wang Meng cursed, laughing.

"Damn! What kind of world is this, where a man can’t even speak the truth?" Fan Hong clutched his head with a pained expression, then vanished with light, quick steps. His slightly hoarse voice drifted back. "Oh, to ask the world what love is... Crap, bird droppings!"

Wang Meng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "Don’t mind him, Junior Sister. The guy has no filter."

Ma Tian’Er looked at Wang Meng with a calm expression. "Senior Brother, you should just call me Tian’Er. Hearing ’Junior Sister’ all the time is a little strange."

"Haha, to be honest, I felt it was a bit awkward too. So, what did you need?"

"This is a letter from Senior Sister Yang. She asked me to give it to you. Also... she asked me to look after you."

Ma Tian’Er said softly, biting her lip.

"Haha, you two treat me like a child," Wang Meng said as he took the letter, his heart filled with longing. The woman he loved was thousands of miles away, and he had no idea when they would meet again.

Wang Meng ran his fingers over the letter, his mind drifting. Immersed in battle and Cultivation, he hadn’t felt this longing so acutely. Perhaps, deep down, he wasn’t a man given to romantic sentimentality.

"Tian’Er, thank you. I’ll treat you to a feast another day," Wang Meng said with a wave.

Watching Wang Meng’s retreating figure, Ma Tian’Er broke into a knowing smile. Wang Meng might not understand the meaning behind Yang Ying’s words, but girls had their own way of communicating. She understood what Yang Ying was really saying. Wang Meng wasn’t a man who knew how to take care of himself. Being brave and decisive was one thing, but he always neglected his own well-being. He needed someone to look after him. Before, it had been Yang Ying, but here at the Cultivation Academy, she couldn’t. And Yang Ying trusted her.

For any girl, being entrusted with such a task would be a little strange. But Ma Tian’Er was quite content. She had come to certain realizations through her life-and-death experiences, but Yang Ying had always been a barrier in her heart. Ma Tian’Er was a sensitive person; though she herself no longer held back, she didn’t want to hurt anyone. Now, Yang Ying’s letter had undoubtedly untangled a knot in her heart.

Yang Ying had sent two letters—one for Wang Meng, and one for Ma Tian’Er.

Back in his room, Wang Meng flopped onto his bed, spreading his limbs out like a starfish. "A letter from home is worth ten thousand gold in times of war." It was a slight exaggeration, perhaps, but receiving Yang Ying’s letter instantly filled him with warmth.

The elegant, small handwriting flowed into his heart like a warm spring. She wrote about Zhang Xiaopang’s latest embarrassing antics and Hu Jing’s decisive, efficient manner. Zhou Qian was as easygoing as ever, and Suo Ming remained as quiet as always, though his cooking was apparently still just as delicious. It seemed he was well on his way to becoming a master chef. Old Zhou had become the head Elder of Thunderlight Hall and was swamped with work, treating the disciples like his own sons and wearing himself out in the process. But he was a natural fit for the role, and no one seemed to mind his nagging.

Because a "certain someone" didn’t know how to take care of himself, Yang Ying had entrusted him to Ma Tian’Er’s care. Wang Meng was at a loss for whether to laugh or cry. He was a grown man, wasn’t he? ’So what if my place is a little messy? It’s still fit for human habitation, isn’t it?’

Wang Meng glanced around his room... ’Okay, it’s definitely a nest...’

Only at the very end did her writing betray her own sense of longing. Reading it made Wang Meng wish he could fly back to the Holy Hall that very instant and pull her into his arms.

He pressed the letter to his face, inhaling its faint fragrance, as if Yang Ying herself were right there beside him.

He had to survive. He had to live a good life!

His Star Ring flashed. It was a communication from Qi Feiyu of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect. Qi Feiyu was even faster than he’d expected.

The duel.

Qi Feiyu was actually going to lower his Elemental Power by ten layers and fight him to the death.

A ruthless light flashed in Wang Meng’s eyes. He fought with his life on the line precisely so he could live a better life. He would never allow the Ten Thousand Demons Sect to attack the Holy Hall!

In the entire Four Directions Small Thousand World, one couldn’t find another place like the Holy Hall, a place that gave so many Cultivators such a wonderful opportunity. And that wasn’t to mention how important he, Wang Meng, was to the people back in the mortal world.

And now, the Holy Hall was home to his brothers, his friends, and the woman he had to protect. Others could afford to be soft, but he had to be ruthless!

Qi Feiyu was the strongest opponent Wang Meng had ever faced, and he didn’t dare let his guard down. He spent two days centering himself and cultivating in quiet focus.

「Two days passed in the blink of an eye.」 At the Hundred Battles Pavilion, disciples from both the Ten Thousand Demons Sect and the Holy Hall had gathered.

The disciples of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect had never imagined that the "senile" Holy Hall would actually launch a counterattack, much less one so sharp. Although the Ten Thousand Demons Sect still had a few disciples remaining, their morale had been completely crushed. This was especially true after Li Tianyi had killed five disciples from the Celestial Demon Sect; these students, who had been at the Cultivation Academy for years, were no match for him. Li Tianyi had also suffered serious injuries, but Ma Tian’Er’s newly learned healing Alchemy Skills, combined with her Wood Life Attribute, guaranteed his string of victories and boosted the Holy Hall’s reputation. The disciples of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect had long since come to see Ma Tian’Er as a thorn in their side, but there was nothing they could do about her.

It was the same standoff as before, but this time, even Qi Feiyu felt that the Ten Thousand Demons Sect’s presence had dwindled. It was time to teach the Holy Hall a lesson.

Li Tianyi stared at Qi Feiyu, fighting the urge to challenge him. In his current state, however, he was better suited to being a spectator.

"Wang Meng, you always seem to have that little bit of extra luck. Make sure you seize this opportunity!"

Li Tianyi said.

Wang Meng smiled. "Don’t worry. I won’t be giving you that chance."

"Wang Meng, you must be extremely careful!" Hex Zui said solemnly, clapping Wang Meng on the shoulder. ’Everything hinges on this,’ he thought. He had considered it carefully; while it was incredibly dangerous, it was also an opportunity.

"Wang Meng, let’s go. Stop wasting time," Qi Feiyu said coldly. This kind of atmosphere would be impossible in the Ten Thousand Demons Sect. Not that he needed it. ’Friendship... friends... all just childish sentiments. A waste of emotion.’

A Steward from the Hundred Battles Pavilion was already waiting for them. He cast a detached glance at Wang Meng and Qi Feiyu.

"Your duel will take place in the Sea Emperor’s Small Thousand World. Qi Feiyu of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect will have his Elemental Power suppressed by ten layers."

The Hundred Battles Pavilion Steward placed a Sealing Array on Qi Feiyu. Once it was complete, Wang Meng and Qi Feiyu entered the Teleportation Array.

The Holy Hall Disciples and the Ten Thousand Demons Sect disciples waited outside. The latter were clearly full of confidence in Qi Feiyu. Even with his Elemental Power lowered by ten layers, he was still far stronger than Wang Meng.

This Wang Meng had gradually become the de facto leader of the Holy Hall group. Killing him would undoubtedly be a devastating blow to them.

A cold sneer touched Qi Feiyu’s lips. ’Naivete has its price.’

With a flash of light, the two of them disappeared from the Teleportation Array.

The Holy Hall Disciples and the Ten Thousand Demons Sect disciples stood apart, a clear line drawn between them. While the Ten Thousand Demons Sect still had a slight numerical advantage, the Holy Hall faction’s morale was clearly higher.

The two sides glared at each other, silently awaiting the outcome of the battle.

Hex Zui was a veteran, after all. He had followed Li Jing back in the day and had even crossed swords with Qi Feiyu. There was a fundamental difference between Demon Cultivators and Saint Cultivators: while all Cultivators were proud, Demon Cultivators would resort to any means necessary for victory, and would even revel in it.

Hex Zui couldn’t help but worry. ’Will Qi Feiyu try to pull some kind of trick?’

Only those who had been around the Great Yuan Realm for a long time knew the truth. The Cultivation Academy had its rules, as did the Star Alliance, but those rules weren’t unbreakable—not if you were willing to pay the price.

This was Hex Zui’s real worry. If it was purely a contest of strength, he wasn’t certain that a Qi Feiyu with his power suppressed by ten layers could defeat Wang Meng. Wang Meng was a prodigy, a genius the likes of which Hex Zui had never seen or even imagined. He was different from Li Tianyi or Ma Tian’Er—he was unconventional.

「Sea Emperor’s Small Thousand World」 Wang Meng had been here once before, but Qi Feiyu was even more familiar with the place. After so many years at the Cultivation Academy, he had visited many of the Small Thousand Realms multiple times.

Both of them landed silently on the surface of the sea. Qi Feiyu stared at Wang Meng but didn’t attack right away. "Before you die, I have a question for you."

Wang Meng smiled. He liked the sea breeze and the feeling of the vast, open ocean. It was just a shame this location wasn’t exactly advantageous for his plans.

"Ask away."

"Do you really believe in friendship?" Qi Feiyu asked.

"It exists if you believe in it, and it doesn’t if you don’t. And I believe!"

Wang Meng said with a laugh.

Qi Feiyu gave a bitter smile. "You truly are naive. If you were fighting this desperately to make a name for yourself, I could understand it. But to do it for the Holy Hall, for others... that’s just utterly naive." (To be continued. If you like this work, you’re welcome to vote for it and leave a monthly ticket on Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation.)