Chapter 181 : That Big Brother Xin Really Was a Fellow Townsman
Chapter 181: That Big Brother Xin Really Was a Fellow Townsman
Amid this subtle atmosphere, the scholar known as “Brother Shi” straightened his robes and was just about to continue speaking when Long Tao stepped forward with a faint smile, calmly cutting him off.
“Friends,” Long Tao said in a gentle tone. At some point, a mid-grade spirit stone the size of an egg had appeared in his hand. “May I ask what this is called where you come from?”
The mid-grade spirit stone circulated with a warm luster beneath the sunlight, as though liquid Spiritual Power flowed slowly within it.
Though it was merely an ordinary spirit stone, in this ordinary yet strange village, it appeared exceptionally dazzling.
The words Brother Shi had been about to say caught in his throat. He froze in place as if struck by a immobilization spell, even forgetting to close his mouth.
“Th-This is…” His voice trembled, and the finger he extended quivered slightly. “A Heaven-Grade Spirit Crystal!!”
In an instant, everyone gathered around Long Tao, surrounding him completely.
They stared fixedly at the spirit stone, each face bearing an expression of extreme complexity—unbelievable ecstasy, cautious reverence, and even a trace of near-fearful shock.
“How is this possible…” murmured the girl with twin buns in her hair. “A Heaven-Grade Spirit Crystal… our entire academy only has three!”
The boy beside her rubbed his eyes vigorously. “I’ve seen one of the academy’s Heaven-Grade Spirit Crystals. It seemed… slightly inferior to this one.”
Long Tao took in everyone’s reactions, understanding at once. As a transmigrator, he understood these youths’ feelings all too well.
If, back on Earth in his previous life, someone had claimed to be a cultivator in front of him and said they had fallen into being a mortal due to suppression by the Heavenly Dao—
His first reaction would certainly have been to treat the other party as some “Qin Shi Huang” trying to borrow money.
There would not have been the slightest inclination to take it seriously. Once an adult’s worldview solidified, it was extremely difficult to shake—especially in matters that overturned one’s understanding of reality.
It was easier to believe one was in an illusion or hypnotized than to accept that immortals truly existed in the world.
Precisely because of this, he knew arguing with them was meaningless. Rather than waste words explaining, it was better to present evidence they could not refute.
Since Du Yiluo had said these people came from a world where Spiritual Power was scarce, spirit stones might be exceedingly rare there. What he had not expected was that the effect would be even better than he had imagined—almost excessively so.
“Heaven-Grade Spirit Crystal.”
Just hearing the name carried an extraordinary nobility.
Long Tao had originally assumed that a mid-grade spirit stone from the Nine Radiance Realm might count as high-grade in their world.
Who would have thought that even the classification system was entirely different? Heaven-Grade? The title alone was astonishing—enough to frighten a crowd.
Brother Shi finally recovered from his shock, though his voice still trembled.
“Br-Brother Long… where did you obtain this Heaven-Grade Spirit Crystal? Even the most fertile spirit vein might not produce one in several hundred years…”
All eyes focused on Long Tao.
Even True Person Mingzhu temporarily set aside the earlier embarrassment regarding the “husband and wife” matter and watched the scene before him with interest.
Long Tao knew that one spirit stone alone would not completely overturn their perception.
He therefore took three more mid-grade spirit stones from his storage pouch, all shimmering brilliantly—these were the last mid-grade spirit stones he possessed.
Under the sunlight, the four spirit stones reflected each other’s glow, the Spiritual Power within them seeming almost ready to overflow.
The youths immediately fell silent, eyes wide as if beholding a peerless treasure. Some even pinched themselves, afraid the sight before them was merely a dream.
Of course, a few among them still harbored doubts, suspecting these might simply be convincing counterfeits. A bold young boy asked timidly, “C-Could we… touch it?”
Long Tao readily handed one of the spirit stones over. “Please.”
As they passed the spirit stone around as if it were the most precious of treasures, True Person Mingzhu quietly approached and whispered in Long Tao’s ear.
“They can sense the Spiritual Power within the spirit stone, which means they likely possess spirit roots as well. But they must touch it personally to confirm it—this suggests their spirit roots may have… severely degenerated from prolonged Spiritual Power scarcity. Their perception of Spiritual Power has grown dull.”
Long Tao chuckled softly. “Perhaps in their eyes, we are the ones with an ‘excess’ of Spiritual Power.”
Soon, amid lingering reluctance, the spirit stone returned to Long Tao’s hand.
Seeing their expressions—both shocked and yearning—Long Tao explained gently,
“Friends, these are called mid-grade spirit stones where we come from. With someone of my ordinary disciple status, under normal circumstances, I could obtain one every two or three months.”
He deliberately omitted the truth that spirit stones were never enough for cultivation and that he often had to supplement them out of his own pocket.
The focus now was to break through their cognitive barrier, not to complain.
Sure enough, his words caused an even greater stir. The youths whispered among themselves, their gazes toward Long Tao completely transformed.
“I am not trying to show off,” Long Tao said sincerely, looking around at them. “I merely hope everyone understands that we truly come from different worlds, and now, through fate, are all trapped here together. I hope no unnecessary misunderstandings arise due to differing beliefs.”
Just as everyone was still immersed in shock, someone suddenly shouted, “Big Brother Xin is back from hunting!”
All eyes turned toward the entrance of The Village.
A tall man was seen walking steadily toward them, carrying a massive wild boar on his back.
His steps were firm, utterly disproportionate to the heavy prey. Strangely, he bore neither bow nor arrows, no quiver at his waist.
Instead, he held a simple ancient longsword—a swordsman’s attire through and through, hardly resembling an ordinary hunter.
When he approached and lifted the hood of his cloak, both Long Tao and Mingzhu were stunned.
This… this Big Brother Xin truly was their fellow townsman from the Uncircumvented Heaven World—and not only that, but an acquaintance they had met not long ago.
Xin Wushe!
Long Tao had a deep impression of this man.
Back at the entrance to the Azurewood Demon Forest Secret Realm, he had joined forces with the notorious Withered Hand Elder, coordinating with three Golden Core cultivators of the Wuyi Sect to attack the Nine Radiance Heavenly Sect.
By coincidence, True Person Mingzhu had also been present at the time. Truly, enemies were bound to cross paths on narrow roads.
Xin Wushe had noticed them from afar but calmly unloaded the wild boar beneath a banyan tree before strolling over with a hint of amusement on his face.
“Mingzhu? And…” His gaze fell upon Long Tao. “I recall you were the Qi Refining brat from the Nine Radiance Heavenly Sect at the secret realm’s entrance. To dare enter the secret realm alone in that situation—your courage and judgment were commendable.”
Long Tao felt flattered by the praise and hurriedly cupped his fists modestly. “Th-This… Senior Xin, you still remember someone insignificant like me?”
“After forming the Golden Core, one’s memory becomes extraordinarily sharp,” Xin Wushe replied, his expression still cold. “Many people and matters one would rather forget simply cannot be forgotten.” His tone shifted. “But you—how did you end up here?”
To Long Tao’s surprise, Xin Wushe now seemed entirely different from the cold-faced killing god of before.
There was less hostility between his brows; he appeared more like an ordinary cultivator. Whether this was his true nature or the result of his surroundings, Long Tao could not tell.
True Person Mingzhu stepped forward, shielding Long Tao behind him, his tone guarded. “Do you intend to make a move here as well?”
“Against you?” Xin Wushe gave a faint snort. “A Qi Refining disciple whose swordsmanship has yet to even begin, and a Golden Core who has not practiced swordsmanship properly in centuries… Now that everyone has become mere mortals, two weaklings… are you worthy of dying beneath my sword? If Zhiying were here, I might consider it.”
Hearing this, Long Tao secretly let out a sigh of relief. It seemed this man, though hardly friendly, was not one who killed indiscriminately.
Recalling the scene at the secret realm’s entrance, before he fled inside, it had indeed only been the Withered Hand Elder who attacked him. Xin Wushe had never drawn his sword against him.
That recollection gave Long Tao a sudden understanding.
The man before him might be a truly pure swordsman—one whose eyes held only opponents worthy of battle, disdaining to strike at the weak.