10: Chapter 10 An Encounter with the Ruthless Emperor, a Limited Edition from My Childhood [

"I didn't notice before; I never expected that you are actually a good seedling for Cultivation." Chu Tianjiao looked at Xiao Shitou, a flash of surprise in his eyes.

He had previously assumed this pair of siblings were ordinary vagrants and hadn't examined them closely. Now, calming his mind to sense them, he discovered that Xiao Shitou's Physique was special—although his Bitter Sea had not been opened, his blood Qi was vigorous, and there was a faint, restrained golden light.

This is a Sacred Body! And it is a primordial Sacred Body, with a pure Bloodline!

Chu Tianjiao looked toward Xiao Nannan again.

The little girl hid timidly behind her brother, her small hand clutching his clothes tightly. Her Physique was ordinary, one could even say very poor—her Bitter Sea was dried up, her Meridians were blocked; she was a standard "Mortal Body."

But Chu Tianjiao saw something in her eyes—spirituality. It was a kind of Comprehension Ability that transcended Physique, an instinctive sensing of the Dao of Heaven and Earth.

"What kind of people are chasing you? Why are they chasing you?" Chu Tianjiao asked gently. "Don't be afraid, tell your teacher."

Xiao Shitou bit his lip and whispered: "I... I don't know. I only heard them say they wanted to capture me and use me to refine some kind of cauldron..."

"Is it called the immortal-becoming cauldron?" Chu Tianjiao's heart stirred, and he pressed further.

"Yes... yes! That's it, it's called the immortal-becoming cauldron!" Xiao Shitou looked at Chu Tianjiao in surprise. "Teacher, how did you know?"

The expression on Chu Tianjiao's face faltered.

The immortal-becoming cauldron!

That was an Immortal Artifact refined by the Emperor of the Mythological Era, which later shattered, its fragments scattering throughout the Universe. In later generations, factions collected the fragments, attempting to re-refine the immortal-becoming cauldron, and for this, they would not hesitate to blood-sacrifice those with special Physiques.

The Sacred Body is precisely one of the best sacrifices!

Chu Tianjiao looked toward Xiao Nannan again.

The little girl was a bit scared by his gaze and shrank back behind her brother.

But it was this shrinking back that allowed Chu Tianjiao to see her face clearly—although it was dirty, her features were delicate, especially those eyes, which held a kind of stubbornness within their clarity.

An eight or nine-year-old Sacred Body brother, a six or seven-year-old Mortal Body sister, being hunted to be sacrificed to refine the immortal-becoming cauldron...

A name flashed through Chu Tianjiao's mind.

The Ruthless Empress!

That peerless female Emperor whose talent was unparalleled throughout history, who attained the Dao with a Mortal Body in a Heaven-Defying manner, and who created the Heaven-Swallowing Demonic Art!

In her early years, she had a brother who possessed a Sacred Body; he was captured by the Yuhua Divine Dynasty to be sacrificed for the immortal-becoming cauldron and ultimately died a tragic death.

This event became the lifelong obsession of the Ruthless Empress. She rose to power for this, attained the Dao for this, and waited for two hundred thousand years for this, all just to see her brother one more time in the Mortal World.

"It can't be this much of a coincidence, right..." Chu Tianjiao's heart churned.

He carefully studied Xiao Nannan.

The little girl seemed to sense his gaze; she lifted her head and looked at him timidly.

It was this look that confirmed it for Chu Tianjiao—deep within those eyes was a kind of determination that transcended her age.

That was not the gaze an ordinary child should have; it was a gaze that had endured suffering yet would never yield.

"Teacher?" Xiao Shitou, seeing that Chu Tianjiao had not spoken for a while, felt somewhat uneasy.

Chu Tianjiao snapped back to reality and revealed a gentle smile: "It's alright. From today on, you can rest assured and live here. With your teacher here, no one can hurt you."

He patted Xiao Shitou's head, then patted Xiao Nannan's head.

Xiao Nannan initially dodged a bit, but after feeling the warmth of Chu Tianjiao's palm, she gradually relaxed.

"Thank you, Teacher!" Xiao Shitou said gratefully.

Xiao Nannan also whispered: "Thank you, Teacher..."

"Go eat." Chu Tianjiao smiled.

The siblings held hands and ran toward the cafeteria.

Chu Tianjiao stood at the classroom entrance, watching their backs, his mind filled with a thousand thoughts.

He had not expected that after five thousand years of living in seclusion in the Mortal World, he would actually encounter the Ruthless Empress and her brother in their youth.

Is this a coincidence, or the inevitability of fate?

"The Yuhua Divine Dynasty... has appeared?" Chu Tianjiao was somewhat surprised. One must know that he was still an Emperor, and he held the heavenly heart mark; it was impossible for anyone else to Breakthrough and attain the Dao.

Yet now, the Yuhua Divine Dynasty had appeared, which made Chu Tianjiao feel strange.

"It seems that during the five thousand plus years I spent traveling and training, many interesting things have happened on the Emperor Burial Star." A smile could not help but appear on Chu Tianjiao's face.

"Since the Ruthless Empress and her brother have both appeared, perhaps I can forge a Karma with her; the benefits for me would be immense."

Chu Tianjiao made his decision.

He would protect this pair of siblings, at least protect Xiao Shitou—and not let that tragedy repeat itself.

As for Xiao Nannan...

Chu Tianjiao looked at that small back, his gaze complex.

Right now, she was still a timid little girl, tugging on her brother's clothes, afraid of strangers.

Who could have imagined that this very girl would grow up to become the Ruthless Empress who would awe the ages, create the Heaven-Swallowing Demonic Art, attain the Dao with a Mortal Body in a Heaven-Defying manner, and become one of the most talented and brilliant women in history.

"In this life, with me here, perhaps your fate will be different." Chu Tianjiao whispered to himself.

He did not know what consequences changing history would bring, but he did not regret it.

What is the practice of the Dao? Isn't it just following one's heart and guarding one's original intent?

If one knew a tragedy was about to happen yet stood by and watched, then what Dao was he cultivating? What kind of Emperor was he?

"However, I cannot interfere excessively." Chu Tianjiao calmed down.

The rise of the Ruthless Empress certainly had the stimulus of her brother's tragic death, but more importantly, it was her own talent and perseverance.

If he protected her too well, it might instead stifle her potential.

What he needed to do was give her a relatively stable environment to grow up in, allowing her the opportunity to display her talent.

As for how far she could go, that would depend on herself.

That night, while Chu Tianjiao was deducing a Mind-Cultivation Technique in his room, he deliberately adjusted the direction for Xiao Nannan.

The Mind-Cultivation Technique he wanted to create not only had to be suitable for ordinary people but also for the Mortal Body—allowing those judged as having a "useless Physique" to also have the opportunity to embark on the path of Cultivation.

This was very difficult, almost Heaven-Defying to change fate.

But Chu Tianjiao wanted to try.

He had the cultivation of his third life, insights of the Emperor Realm, and an understanding of the Dao from the Chaos Body.

More importantly, he had this determination.

"Let it start with you two." Chu Tianjiao looked out the window; under the moonlight, the private school courtyard was quiet and peaceful.

Xiao Shitou and Xiao Nannan were sleeping in the side room, their breathing even.

They did not yet know that their fates had already been changed because of this "Master Chu."

They also did not know that this seemingly ordinary school teacher was actually the Jiaoheng Emperor who had suppressed an era.

And they did not know what kind of magnificent future was waiting for them.

The night deepened.

Chu Tianjiao continued to deduce the Mind-Cultivation Technique; the tip of his brush moved across the paper, leaving behind lines of the true meaning of the Dao.

Refining the heart in the Mortal World, only then does one know the suffering of all living beings.

Since he had seen it, he could not turn a blind eye.

In this life, he did not strive for Immortal Ascension, did not strive to be invincible; he only strove for that little bit of light in his heart.

"Ruthless Empress, let me accelerate your rise; perhaps your rise might break the existing balance..."

Chu Tianjiao understood that fighting alone would not be enough to defeat so many Supremes, so he needed a helper, and the appearance of the Ruthless Empress allowed him to see a glimmer of hope.