Chapter 119: Ye Xiu's Special Gift

This was not the first time Sang Sang had modified the "Divine Tomb." She intended to cultivate it into her trump card, reinforcing and strengthening the artifact periodically as her cultivation progressed and her understanding of natural laws deepened.

As it stood, the Divine Tomb combined the powers of devouring and convergence, absorbing a terrifying amount of energy into the painting. Were it not for the suppression of the Primordial Demon Sacred Heart, the space-time shell would likely have shattered within days under the violent will of the gods contained within. Perhaps only once she condensed the source of space-time would she be able to temporarily release the Primordial Demon Sacred Heart.

"Primordial Demon Lord," Sang Sang murmured to herself, "what exactly are you planning?"

Seeing that her meditation had come to an end, Xiao Jin drifted over. It had been so angry earlier that it had forgotten to mention something important.

"Sang Sang, your teachers from the Galactic Civilization didn't return. I've arranged for them to stay on the residential planet."

To be precise, of the people who came from the Galactic Civilization, most had stayed behind, with the exception of the heads of several major factions—such as the Galactic Emperor Jun Lin, the head of the Luo family Luo Suran, and the head of the Sang family Sang Le. Some had stayed through sheer shamelessness, barely stopping short of rolling on the floor to insist; others stayed because Jun Shi had respectfully offered them housing, vehicles, and wealth on a silver platter. Only the elders from the Sang family had been forcibly dragged away by their family head after being knocked unconscious.

Sang Sang’s teachers had naturally stayed because of Jun Shi's polite entreaties. As for those who had stayed by pestering, they were not left to fend for themselves, though they had all signed contracts—not quite indentured servitude, but close enough.

Qi Xuecen and Qing Yi, two men whose combined ages exceeded four hundred, had both broken through to the Heavenly Tier thanks to Sang Sang, becoming "Sanctuary" level figures in the eyes of the Galactic people. Their appearances had shifted from frail, white-haired octogenarians to middle-aged men with only traces of age. Since arriving at the Temple, they had lived in comfort, and the wrinkles on their faces had faded, making them look as if they had shed another ten years.

"Teacher Qing! Teacher Qi!"

Sang Sang found the two old men taking a leisurely stroll in the Interstellar City while practicing their body-cultivation techniques. With a light tap of her toes, she flew toward them like a swallow returning to its nest. The two elders’ reactions, however, were slightly unexpected.

Qi, the master of mental power, laughed heartily: "Hahaha, you really are aging in reverse!"

Qing, the master of painting and life mentor, teased: "Oh my, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen chubby little Hong Ye. You were definitely cuter when you were younger!"

The joyful expression on Sang Sang’s face darkened: "You two could also be rejuvenated. You arrived nearly a year ago, right after I left—why haven't you undergone the refinement process yet?"

Qi tugged at his beard and turned his head: "So serious, I'm a little scared."

Qing nodded: "It’s only natural. Little Hong Ye is a Saintess now, with an Interstellar City as her territory, and she’s even supporting the entire Galaxy. We rely on her for our food, drink, and lodging; naturally, our benefactor carries an air of authority."

Sang Sang was torn between laughter and tears: "You two... you’re at your age and still love to joke around. I’m being serious."

Qi said, "Fine, let’s be serious. I’m only two hundred-something years old. In Temple terms, that’s still the prime of youth."

Qing chuckled: "Exactly. Strictly speaking, we’ve only lived for twenty Temple years. We aren't old at all."

Sang Sang shook her head, ignoring their diversion: "Are you not refining because you want to save the medicine for the younger ones? I don't lack money, only my own people. You should undergo the refinement sooner to extend your lives and improve your ranks so you can help me."

Qing scolded: "Who said we have such noble, self-sacrificing spirits? We just worried that if you came back and didn't recognize us, we’d better let you memorize our old faces first."

Qi undermined him: "Tsk tsk, have some shame, Old Qing. It’s obviously because your training scores weren't ideal due to your lack of effort, and you’re just making me wait for you."

Sang Sang watched her two closest mentors bicker with a smile. She realized they simply didn't want to waste the expensive medicine and wanted to practice more until their scores were ideal before refining. Her heart eased.

Now that she was an intern Saintess of the Temple, a top-tier expert, and the national idol of the entire Galactic civilization, the elders no longer taught her as they once did, fearing their outdated concepts would hold her back. Naturally, Sang Sang no longer needed their instruction, but simply hearing them speak and chatting with them felt wonderful.

Both elders were her most important mentors. Especially Qing; while Xiao Jin was her mental pillar, Qing was the life mentor who had shaped her character. Without him, she might have become a narrow-minded, extremist criminal who saw the world only in black and white. During the darkest days of her life, Qing had been the lamp lighting her path.

"Teachers, are you doing well? If you need anything, just say the word. Should I bring your families to the Temple?"

"Listen to that tone—truly the provider of our food and clothing," Qing said, pointing at Sang Sang with a smile. "As the Heavenly Emperor says, we’ve become quite cunning in our old age. We wouldn't let ourselves suffer. It’s convenient to see people on the StarNet, and the realism is so high you can't tell the difference. We go online whenever we’re bored."

"Old Qing is right. If we worry so much at our age, we’ll suffer from premature aging. We still want to practice more and see if we can taste the feeling of the Profound Tier one day. You are a busy person now, so go attend to your own affairs." Qi waved his hand to shoo her away. He had no family, only his students; Jun Lin was the Galactic Emperor and naturally couldn't come.

"Teacher Qi, your passion is truly inspiring. I wish you success in condensing your source and advancing to the Profound Tier soon. If you could create miracles in the Galactic Civilization, you will surely succeed here in the Temple with better conditions."

Sang Sang was chased off by the two elders. Walking through the forest park of the residential planet—which Xiao Jin had dubbed "Wilderness One"—she couldn't stop smiling. Without needing to be told, Xiao Jin thoughtfully sent a message to Jun Shi, asking him to grant Qi and Qing more quotas. Qing’s grandson, Qing Si, had been a classmate of Sang Sang’s, so he had to be included. Oh, and she had once taught Qing’s smart nanny-bot how to cook; that counted as a master-student connection too, so she would have it brought over, upgraded, and returned to Qing’s service.

The Heavenly Emperor was still digesting the violent space-time energy. Sang Sang walked leisurely, whispering with Xiao Jin and gossiping about the new professions of the Galactic people.

Most were working, but some were starting their own businesses. The restaurant business was doing quite well, using Sang Sang’s reputation, with shares held by Jun Shi and Tom.

"What are you two whispering about?" Ye Xiu walked over and handed Sang Sang a folded piece of paper. "A gift. Tom is in the kitchen after his class, so order whatever you want to eat."

"Spicy food, a few types of freshwater fish, and 'Buddha Jumps over the Wall'..." Sang Sang ordered without restraint. She opened the note and saw a string of data—detailed soul fluctuation data. It was completely unfamiliar, and she looked up, puzzled: "Whose is this?"

Ye Xiu smiled like a charlatan: "You’ll know when you get close to that person. It should be able to help you."

"Thank you, Great God Ye, for using the Eye of Time for me." Sang Sang memorized the data on the note, ignited a flame at her fingertip, and burned the paper to ash.