NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 8:
Chapter 8: When You Wake Up, Everything Will Get Better:
What are natural treasures?
Things like the Great Sun True Fire or the Moon Emperor’s Flowing Liquid from mythical tales would certainly qualify.
But such divine objects are far too transcendent, far too unreachable.
Now, standing at the peak of the Golden Core Realm, Xu Xi stared at the immense vitality released by his innate ability, Wood Rebirth. An idea began to form in his mind.
Could the spiritual Qi derived from the Heavenly Spiritual Root be considered a natural treasure?
The answer was clear: Yes.
How could something capable of healing Golden Core and Nascent Soul Realm cultivators not be deemed a treasure of heaven and earth?
What’s more, the potential of this ability was limitless.
The purer the spiritual Qi Xu Xi infused, the more Golden Core essence he burned, and the stronger the vitality released by Wood Rebirth would become—eventually forming something akin to a divine object.
“This is truly incredible…”
“If this had happened before, I would’ve been so thrilled, thinking I was the child of destiny.”
Standing under the fading thunder tribulation, Xu Xi had just broken through to the Golden Core Realm. His success brought waves of congratulations from all corners of the Heavenly Sword Sect.
“Congratulations!”
“Master Xu is young and promising!”
“Senior Brother, congratulations on forming your Golden Core and becoming a true cultivator!”
Cheers echoed across the sect, blending with the celebratory roars of spirit beasts. Fire-like streams of light filled the skies, creating a grand spectacle.
It was lively, noisy, and full of festivity.
Yet amidst the clamor, Xu Xi felt detached, as though a thick barrier separated him from the world.
“You’re very kind,” Xu Xi responded politely.
But deep down, there was no joy—only a hollow sense of loneliness.
Why?
Because missing from the celebrations was the girl who brought warmth to his life with her laughter, like morning sunlight, a beautiful dream, and a flawless sky.
And her ever-constant call of “Brother.”
…
[In the 17th year of your journey, you are 23 years old. Xu Moli is 17.]
[The Soul Locking Formation extended her life, but the damage caused by Heaven’s Misfortune was too severe. She often fell into comas, sometimes waking only once every ten days.]
[Your cultivation reached a breakthrough—you became a Golden Core Realm cultivator and awakened the magical ability Wood Rebirth.]
[You decided to base your efforts to create external spiritual roots on this ability. You had no alternative, clinging desperately to the last glimmer of hope.]
[Initially, your research progressed smoothly.]
[On a whim, you identified the commonalities of the four arts of cultivation and integrated them with your ability, creating a foundational method for shaping external spiritual roots.]
[But joy was short-lived.]
[You quickly realized that the amount of vitality required to create external spiritual roots was astronomical. Even if you sacrificed all your spiritual Qi and Golden Core essence, it would not be enough.]
Unless—
[You were willing to burn your own cultivation and spiritual roots entirely.]
Spiritual roots are gifts of nature. Whether one possesses them is determined by heaven.
For a mortal without spiritual roots to gain them and begin cultivation was to defy the will of heaven. The price for such a defiance would naturally be immense.
If a divine treasure were at hand, it could bear the cost.
But Xu Xi had no such treasure. The only thing he could sacrifice was himself.
“I knew it would cost dearly, but I never thought it would require burning all my cultivation and spiritual roots,” he muttered.
“If I go through with this…”
“I’ll lose my strength, become a mortal, and drastically shorten my lifespan.”
“In that case, this simulation will be over.”
In the wooden house cave on Forest Sword Peak, Xu Xi sat beside the bed. His eyes fell on Xu Moli’s frail, pale face, and memories of their early years in Black Rock City filled his mind.
He remembered little Moli, only 3 or 4 years old, shivering in the biting cold but still rubbing her small hands to warm his frozen cheeks.
Life had been so hard then.
And yet, even in the bleakest moments, she had brought warmth to his life.
He couldn’t ignore her suffering now.
Yes, this was just a simulation.
He could abandon the girl, his sister with no blood ties, and take the most utilitarian path—continuing his immortal journey and earning higher simulation rewards.
But…
Xu Xi was done being the kind of person who bowed to reality, unable to accomplish anything meaningful.
If he couldn’t even save the ones he loved in a simulation, what was the point of such a life?
Life didn’t need to be overthought.
Just do what feels right.
…
“Buzz—”
Xu Xi stretched out his hand, gently brushing his palm across the girl’s face. A faint green light flickered and seeped into her body, forming intricate patterns.
This was all the spiritual Qi of a Golden Core Realm cultivator.
This was the very essence of his Golden Core.
This was the burning of his innate ability and the combustion of his Heavenly Spiritual Root.
Everything Xu Xi had was transformed into pure vitality, carefully shaped into the form of a seed and infused into Xu Moli’s heart.
“Brother…?”
Her eyes fluttered open briefly before she slipped back into sleep.
“Rest, Mo Li,” Xu Xi whispered softly. “When you wake up, everything will be fine. Brother always keeps his promises.”
Pain.
Indescribable pain swept through his body as his cultivation and spiritual roots burned. His very essence was unraveling.
Blood surged to his throat, uncontrollable.
Yet, Xu Xi smiled.
Blood stained his lips. Tears filled his eyes.
But he smiled.
Because the girl’s heart was beating stronger now. Her life force was stable.
Trembling, Xu Xi reached out his hands and gently wiped away the tears that had inexplicably fallen from her eyes as she slept.
…
[You succeeded.]
[You successfully shaped external spiritual roots, sacrificing everything to save Xu Moli’s life.]
[You lost your spiritual roots, your cultivation, and now you are so weak that even an ordinary mortal could overpower you. You have only three years left to live.]
[You have no regrets. You would do it all over again.]
[But you know the girl will never accept this sacrifice if she learns the truth.]
[You also need someone to explain your actions to the sect.]
[You left the cave, boarded the flying boat that even mortals could control, and flew to the palace atop Forest Sword Peak. There, you met your master, Li Wanshou.]
[For the first time, you saw your master angry—truly furious. He scolded you harshly, sparing no words.]