Chapter 175:

“You should go back and rest first. We also need to prepare to ensure everything goes smoothly and revive the Sacred Guardian,” said the master of the Sky Mending Pavilion, his voice gentle, his body radiating light that illuminated the ancient land.

The Sacred Guardian, withered and scorched yellow, had lived since ancient times—far too long—and now lacked vitality. Without intervention, it would likely pass away in recent years. Over the years, the Sky Mending Pavilion had exhausted every method to prolong its life, but with little success. However, they had gathered some rare spiritual treasures, which they now planned to use alongside the sand nourished by the Fountain of Youth to maximize their efforts.

This required meticulous preparation, even refining remnants of divine artifacts from ancient times to infuse into the golden sand, ensuring success.

Little Rascal dashed off in a flash, thrilled with the outcome upon his return. After resting, he would finally enter the Scripture Pavilion. The ancient sacred land was rich in spiritual energy, far surpassing the outside world—though it paled in comparison to the Hundred Broken Mountains. After all, everything fears comparison. In that ancient pocket realm, spiritual energy had condensed into liquid, flowing upon the ground—a rarity seldom seen in the world.

Little Rascal ran into a cluster of stone mountains, where rows of bamboo groves surrounded the base of each peak. This was the residence of newly enrolled disciples, lined with refined bamboo cottages. He hadn’t found Furball yet, having left it loose in the Sky Mending Pavilion before his departure. The thought unsettled him—that little troublemaker had an even bigger appetite than he did!

“Isn’t this our junior brother? You’re back!” Many greeted him warmly. Before leaving, he had defeated a group of prodigies, shocking the new disciples. Of course, some fled at the sight of him, afraid to approach—rumors spread that he was haunted by an ancient spirit, with a ghost following him at night.

But as cultivators, and under the bright sun, most weren’t afraid and came forward to greet him. They also eyed the bald, featherless bird beside him with curiosity. Ordinary disciples didn’t know his origins or what he had been up to lately. Only a few from the Prodigy Camp and some elders’ disciples vaguely understood just how monstrous this fierce child truly was.

Clearly, secrets couldn’t stay hidden forever. Soon, the truth would spread.

“Have any of you seen a little monkey? Chubby, round, about the size of a fist,” Little Rascal asked.

“That little menace? Of course we know it! Wait, junior brother, wasn’t it yours? It used to sneak into your place. You don’t know—it caused huge trouble!”

“Yeah, that monkey was unstoppable! It devoured an entire spirit herb field and cleaned out the ancient medicines on some spiritual mountains. If it hadn’t gorged itself and fallen asleep under a spirit herb, we’d never have caught it!”

A group of teenagers, both boys and girls, recounted the recent events with awe.

Little Rascal scratched his head—his bad premonition had come true. Furball had wreaked havoc on the Sky Mending Pavilion’s herb fields and was captured by an elder.

“I should’ve taken it to the Hundred Broken Mountains,” he muttered.

Back then, he thought the ancient pocket realm was too dangerous. With Furball’s knack for trouble, they’d have been hunted endlessly. Now, leaving it behind seemed like a mistake.

A crowd soon gathered—new disciples, all curious about him. Little Rascal was sociable and had befriended many since joining.

Before long, he arrived at the Prodigy Camp, drawing peculiar glances. Some had heard whispers about his exploits but weren’t entirely sure.

“Junior brother, is it true you caused a storm outside, defeating geniuses from every clan?” A green-robed girl approached, fair-skinned and graceful, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

This was Yan Xin, a lively girl of fourteen or fifteen. She had once fought Little Rascal and lost, but no grudge lingered.

“Pretty sister, what are you talking about? I don’t understand,” Little Rascal feigned ignorance, still playfully wiping drool as he looked up at the taller girl.

“So, you really are that ‘Bear Child’ from the Void God Realm? And you stirred up the Hundred Broken Mountains too?” Another girl joined, clad in a beast-hide skirt, her wheat-colored skin exuding wild charm.

“Snowflake sister, long time no see! You’ve gotten even prettier!” Little Rascal dodged the topic, still pretending to drool.

The group chuckled at his antics. This little rascal, barely ten years old and shorter than the girls, still acted like a flirt.

There was no hostility—they’d all been beaten by him before, losing piles of medicinal powders and bone scriptures. They pressed for details, eager to confirm the rumors about his exploits in the Hundred Broken Mountains.

“Brother Yu Hao, long time no see! I’ve missed you!” Little Rascal grinned. “Are your injuries healed? When can we spar again?”

Zhou Yu Hao, bandages freshly removed, paled at the sight of the fierce child and quickly retreated. He had no desire to break more bones—the last two times had been agony.

“Big brother!” A delicate boy ran over, overjoyed. This was Qing Feng, now in the Cave Heaven Realm. He had trained harder than anyone, never wasting a moment, and had just heard of Little Rascal’s return.

“Let’s go find Furball!” Little Rascal grabbed his hand and dashed off, avoiding further interrogation.

A spiritual mountain crackled with purple lightning, resembling a sea of thunder. At its peak stood an ancient hall, grand and sacred.

Furball, in its true form—a golden-furred primate—was bound by divine chains, suspended before the hall amidst crackling lightning, unable to escape. It had been hanging there for half a month, utterly dejected.

“*Squeak!*” Seeing Little Rascal, it shrieked, demanding rescue.

“That monkey is no ordinary creature!” The featherless bird shuddered, sensing something immense within the tiny golden ball. Despite its own weakened state, its innate spiritual perception remained sharp—just as it had seen the curse within Little Rascal.

“Elder, please release Furball,” Little Rascal pleaded.

“It destroyed our herb fields and stole precious medicines. Its crimes are grave!” A thunder-wreathed elder sat within the hall, exuding authority without anger.

This was one of the Sky Mending Pavilion’s elders, a master of thunder runes, unfathomably powerful.

“Elder, give it another chance. Besides, big brother brought back the Fountain of Youth to save the Sacred Guardian. Please let Furball go,” Qing Feng added sincerely.

“So, you’re that child.” The elder materialized at the mountain’s base, lightning swirling around him, a radiant symbol forming above his head.

“Can you comprehend this rune?” he asked.

It was the essence of thunder, condensed into a single symbol—the culmination of a lifetime’s study, profound and intricate.

“Incredible! To simplify the endless thunder runes into a single divine symbol—this is astonishing, truly heaven-defying. Your mastery is peerless,” Little Rascal marveled.

He was deeply inspired. Having studied the Suan Ni’s precious technique, he was immersed in lightning runes and now glimpsed a new horizon.

After a long while, he snapped out of his trance, enriched by the insight, though not fully grasping it.

“You’re impressive, just as the rumors say—ferocious indeed,” the elder nodded, lightning intensifying around him.

“I’m actually very gentle, not ferocious at all,” Little Rascal said sheepishly.

“Who’d believe that?” Two-Baldie muttered.

*Thwack!* Little Rascal smacked it down, testing his newfound insights with a bolt of lightning. Two-Baldie convulsed, smoke rising from its body as electricity crackled.

“Truly a prodigy,” the elder praised.

The unlucky Two-Baldie, spewing smoke and sparks, cursed vehemently—it had become a test subject for Little Rascal’s techniques.

“When you enter the Scripture Pavilion, you may select thunder rune bone scriptures. Study them, and if you have questions, seek me,” the elder offered.

“Thank you, elder!” Little Rascal beamed with genuine gratitude.

“Thunder arts were once a pillar of our sect’s heritage. But over time, the essence was lost. Who knows when it’ll be restored?” The elder vanished in a flash of lightning, reappearing in the ancient hall.

“Big brother, this elder is teaching you thunder techniques! Your power will soar!” Qing Feng whispered excitedly.

“Elder, can Furball go now?” Little Rascal asked.

With a metallic clang, the chains released. Furball shot down like a golden streak, landing on Little Rascal’s shoulder before hiding behind him, peeking out with one eye to shake a tiny fist at the mountain.

“Keep it under control. Its true form must not be seen by others,” the elder warned gravely. Clearly, he recognized the golden primate’s extraordinary origins.

“Come, Qing Feng! Let’s go eat something good!” Little Rascal dashed off with Furball and Qing Feng in tow.

“Let’s celebrate! Tomorrow, big brother enters the Scripture Pavilion—a treasury of ancient bone scriptures! Maybe you’ll even find lost sect treasures!” Qing Feng cheered.

Upon returning to their residence, they found a silver-robed youth waiting outside the bamboo cottage, his face dark with fury.

It was Xiao Tian. After returning home briefly, he had rushed back upon hearing of the Hundred Broken Mountains’ events. The more he learned, the more he suspected the “ferocious child” was none other than his so-called “bosom friend.”

Now, after thorough investigation, he was ready to vomit blood. Without delay, he had returned to the Sky Mending Pavilion for answers.