Chapter 1393: Chapter 1394: Roll Over Them
Li Xiaobai muttered to himself.
He casually pulled out an ice bed, pristine and jade-like, a remnant from the resources he had looted previously.
The terrifying consumption during the battle against the Spider Woman had reduced his stockpile of top-grade Immortal Stones by more than half. Now, his remaining resources were scarce, totaling only a measly few hundred billion. He’d have to spend wisely.
Stretching his body slightly, he walked out of the room.
Li Xiaobai glanced around and realized, this truly was nothing more than a humble village.
The young men were tempering their bodies in the morning light. Layers of white mist radiated from their bodies, and with each inhale and exhale, faint yet pure Immortal Yuan Power circulated. Though weak, it was remarkably refined.
Big Fool was also among those absorbing Immortal Spirit Qi, focusing earnestly, but unlike the others, his results were far less effective. Only thin wisps of energy meandered through his body, making him considerably weaker.
These appeared to be the lowest tier of cultivators, with feeble cultivation levels—likely from the Mortal Realm.
“Young man, how’s your recovery going?”
The village chief approached cheerfully and inquired.
“Not bad, though I still don’t know where this place is. Are we still within the Central Origin Realm?”
Li Xiaobai maintained a polite smile and responded courteously.
“Of course, we’re still in the Central Origin Realm. This is merely a small border nation within it—poor and scarce in cultivators, hardly worth mentioning.”
“But I’m curious, how did you arrive here? And how did you end up inside that statue?”
The village chief stared at Li Xiaobai and couldn’t resist asking—the matter had puzzled both him and the villagers. How could someone emerge from a stone?
Moreover, the statue was handcrafted by the villagers, made from ordinary rock with nothing exceptional about it. They couldn’t fathom how this young man had burst forth from inside.
“I am omnipresent. To me, the great worlds are but one step away. Merging with a statue—a mere trifle!”
Li Xiaobai clasped his hands behind his back and said calmly. For a moment, the atmosphere grew dramatic, his imposing aura sweeping through the scene. Pretentiousness was his constant companion.
“Seems like you’re still not fully recovered. Rest up for a couple of more days then,”
The village chief shook his head and sighed, then as if remembering something, called out to Li Xiaobai’s retreating figure, “Young man, what’s your name?”
“My name is Li Xiaobai!”
Confidently turning back, Li Xiaobai flashed a bright smile, showcasing his perfect white teeth.
“Lost his mind. Definitely lost his mind—this one’s deeply ill!”
The young man seemed seriously deluded, caught in his fantasy, to the point where he didn’t even know his own name. The chief decided to send Big Fool to the mountains later to gather some medicinal herbs for him.
Looking at the old man’s sympathetic gaze, Li Xiaobai felt utterly exasperated. Had honesty become so unbelievable in this era?
It seemed there was no retrieving any useful information from the old man—he’d have to ask Big Fool later.
By noon.
Big Fool returned, his head hanging low in disappointment. Among the youth in the village, his progress was the slowest, and his cultivation ranked the lowest.
“Big Fool, what’s the situation outside? How is the Central Origin Realm now? Do you know about the cross-realm movement of the Immortal Gods?”
Li Xiaobai questioned him, knowing Big Fool’s straightforward nature—whatever was asked, he’d answer, devoid of tricks.
“Cross-realm movement of Immortal Gods?”
“Brother, that happened five hundred years ago. Why are you asking about that?”
Big Fool replied in his deep, resonant voice.
“Five hundred years ago?”
“Then what happened to those people who fought against the Immortal Gods back then?”
Li Xiaobai was startled. He hadn’t revived immediately—it took five full centuries!
“Of course they all died!”
Big Fool seemed perplexed, a question like this caught him off-guard—wasn’t this common knowledge? He started feeling like the young man in front of him might be even dumber than he was.
“What about Villain’s Guild then? Have you ever heard the name, Li Xiaobai?”
Li Xiaobai asked.
“Senior Li Xiaobai, Senior Beichen Feng, Senior Xiao Lao Di…they sacrificed their lives to slay that Immortal God. They’re revered as heroes. The Central Origin Realm built statues in their honor.”
Big Fool ticked off the names on his fingers, one by one.
“The Villain’s Guild is now the top power in the Central Origin Realm. It’s a holy land for cultivators. Only disciples from major sects have the privilege to train there. They say it’s truly a blessed ground—anyone accepted there is sure to soar to great heights!”
“Who’s managing the Villain’s Guild now?”
“That I don’t know. Matters of great powers are not something we can meddle in. Beware—carelessly speaking about the holy land can lead to death!”
“Villain’s Guild is different from other sects; it’s a sanctuary. Speaking ill of it could bring disaster!”
Big Fool made a shushing motion, signaling for Li Xiaobai to stop discussing it. These matters were sect secrets—if someone overheard and reported them, it’d spell trouble.
“I see…”
Li Xiaobai nodded slightly. The Villain’s Guild was still around—with the earlier generation long gone. He couldn’t help but wonder how many old friends remained.
His revival must’ve been due to the statue. Among the Central Origin Realm, his Power of Faith was undoubtedly the most abundant. Yet even with that, it still took five full centuries—he could only imagine how long others would take to accumulate enough faith to return.
“Brother, are you okay?”
“I have a pig in my backyard. Should I crack its skull and make you some broth? The village chief said—you are what you eat!”
Big Fool beamed brightly, showing no awareness of the problematic nature of his words.
Li Xiaobai’s face turned a deep shade of black, his forehead lined with frustration. Big Fool’s words were unintentionally more cutting than anything the village chief had said!
“No need. From what I saw during your cultivation, your internal energy flow seems obstructed—likely due to excessive impurities clogging your meridians. Just clear it out and you’ll improve greatly.”
Li Xiaobai waved his hand, flipped his wrist, and handed Big Fool an elixir.
“Take this. It’ll allow you to become a powerhouse. But remember—stay virtuous, and don’t misuse your blessings!”
With that, his figure blurred, golden radiance flickering, and Li Xiaobai disappeared completely in an instant.
He had plenty of elixirs but only gave one. Carrying treasures without readiness could lead to calamity. Besides, cultivation was ultimately self-driven. One elixir was enough to open Big Fool’s meridians and smooth his path forward in cultivation.
Big Fool stared vacantly at the now-empty room and the elixir in his hands, speechless for a long while. He couldn’t comprehend what had just happened—a healthy man vanished right before his eyes?
What was this sorcery?
Rumor had it that only true elites could teleport instantly and come and go unnoticed. Recalling the young man’s actions and words, Big Fool began to believe—could this truly be the reincarnation of Senior Li Xiaobai?
“And this bed!”
Big Fool swallowed the elixir and sat on the bed, realizing it was completely unfamiliar. A chilly sensation spread across his entire body. Looking down, he realized this was no ordinary worn-out bed—it was an Ice Essence Bed. Just by sitting on it, his Immortal Yuan Power began circulating automatically, to say nothing of its other myriad benefits. Combined with the elixir, his cultivation would be twice as effective!
“They say fools have lucky fortunes—looks like I’ve encountered a Living Immortal!”
Big Fool was thrilled and immediately assumed a meditative posture, earnestly cultivating.
Elsewhere.
Li Xiaobai activated the Thousand Mile Transmission Talisman, instantly returning to the core regions of the Central Origin Realm. Thankfully, the world map hadn’t changed—the four continents had still converged into one, with Villain’s Guild at its center, dominating everything.
Relying on his memory, he headed for the innermost area. Sure enough, a towering mountain loomed ahead—a familiar Second Peak, his territory.
People swarmed the place—cultivators increasingly dense compared to the outskirts.
“Brother, this is Sword Sect, right?”
Li Xiaobai intercepted someone and asked casually.
“Sword Sect? Never heard of it. This is Villain’s Guild. If you’re not here for the baths, stop blocking my way—I’m waiting in line to scoop poop!”
The cultivator snapped impatiently, shook his sleeves, and walked off.
Li Xiaobai stood there dumbfounded. The Sword Sect was gone, replaced by Villain’s Guild. From the man’s words, he understood—his sect was still the same, just under a new name. Unexpectedly, 500 years later, not only hadn’t the poop-scooping ceremony faded, but participation had actually surged.
“I never imagined Villain’s Guild would grow so massive that even the poop-scooping queue extends outside the mountain gate!”
“Truly gratifying!”
Li Xiaobai nodded, his eyes brimming with satisfaction. Good traditions ought to be preserved. Evidently, Villain’s Guild had maintained this fine practice from 500 years ago.
Joining the bustling crowd, Li Xiaobai queued up with others, excitement bubbling within him as he watched the chatter and anticipation among the cultivators.
“I’ll give them a surprise later!”
Li Xiaobai thought to himself.
Though the poop-scooping line was lengthy, its efficiency was astonishingly high, advancing swiftly. In just a quarter of an hour, it was his turn.
“Chen Yuan has improved—the speed is getting much faster. The sect’s management is truly impeccable!”
Li Xiaobai nodded in approval, walking confidently toward the mountain gate, smiling kindly at the welcoming disciples.
“What are you staring at? Hurry up and follow me!”
“Still dawdling? I’m talking to you!”
“Are you here to scoop poop? Do you realize how precious time is? Dare waste it—get over here now!”
The warm welcome and deferential treatment he’d envisioned didn’t materialize. Instead, the disciples barked curses and dragged Li Xiaobai to the back of the line, all set to lead him up the mountain.
Li Xiaobai was utterly flummoxed—he was a peak leader on his own turf. How did he end up being led off to clean toilets?
“Damn it, yet another clueless rookie!”
“Indeed. Nothing bothers me more than these airhead types delaying our time. That moments-long distraction probably cost us precious seconds—all because young folks nowadays don’t understand how valuable the chance to scoop poop here at Villain’s Guild truly is!”
“So many people grovel and beg, cutting their heads into sharp points just to get into this latrine!”
“Forget it—young ones don’t yet comprehend that time is money. They’ll learn over time.”
The escorting disciples glared at Li Xiaobai, loudly venting their frustration over their perceived losses.
“Brother, first time here?”
“It’s normal not to grasp the pace—I’ll tell you this: scooping poop might seem dirty and exhausting, but it gets sweet later. You’ll even start to find it appealing!”
The disciple in front turned his head and whispered to Li Xiaobai.
“It’s just poop-scooping—why the rush? Don’t tell me the waste accumulation in Villain’s Guild has reached crisis levels that require split-second action?”
Li Xiaobai felt puzzled and couldn’t hold back his question. Could it be the sect members were human sewage generators, so failing to clear it immediately spelled disaster?
“Not at all—it’s quite the opposite. Villain’s Guild is far from dirty; in fact, the waste has diminished. That’s precisely why this queue has become a situation of ‘many monks but few grains.’ If you miss cleansing the toilets, you can’t participate in subsequent perks like Tangneng First-class or the Fine Goods Pavilion. So we must rush, even for a moment’s worth!”
The cultivator explained.
“Even so, isn’t that a little extreme?”
Li Xiaobai still felt bewildered—it couldn’t have developed into such lengths, could it?
“Brother, you’re clearly new and ignorant of the toilet-ranking secrets!”
“If the workers before you are diligent, those behind have less work to do. This means only the front-row cultivators get to enjoy perks later, while the back-row ones lose out. Unknowingly, this creates inequality!”
“Consider yourself lucky—first timers rarely get a shot at lining up. I know plenty who queue seven or eight times in a day without succeeding!”
The disciple explained further, leaving Li Xiaobai stunned. Had things really evolved to the point where poop-scooping required fierce competition?
“Hey! Cut the chatter and explain the rules instead!”
An intimidating bald man barked, fed up with the ongoing toilet discourse. He issued a stern reminder.
“Understood. Brother, do you now grasp what we’re supposed to do?”
The disciple asked.
Li Xiaobai tilted his head, “Clean toilets?”
“Not just clean, but clean thoroughly—clear every speck as fast as you can!”
“This way, it messes up the cultivation rhythm for the following cultivators and ensures we outpace them!”
“Clean with all your might—disrupt those behind and roll them into oblivion!”
The disciple stated earnestly.
Li Xiaobai was speechless: “…”
In five centuries, had competition reached this level?
“We’re here—enter now!”
“Move quickly—the next batch is about to arrive, and then you’ll be off to Tangneng First-class!”
The escorting disciple instructed briefly before vanishing in a blur.
Apparently, this toilet-cleaning system operated on a streamlined process—waves of Poop Scoopers came and went with incredible speed. Despite this, the internal competition had only intensified.
A group surged forward, barging into the toilet as if waging war—ousting the previous team entirely.
“Nobody moves! Let me catch anyone touching the toilet even once!”
“Now clear out—this toilet is under our management starting now!”