"You've got some nerve touching the girl i like. Are you looking to die?!"
"Goku!"
The moment Yi Xian saw who had arrived, her face lit up with joy. Just seconds ago, she had been filled with despair and anxiety—but now, a soft smile bloomed on her lips. Goku's sudden appearance made her feel an overwhelming sense of safety.
"Are you okay?" Goku turned to Yi Xian, his voice filled with concern. As he scanned her cultivation level, he was mildly surprised. The last time they had parted, she'd only been at the level of basic Dou Qi. He didn't expect her to have broken through to the Dou Practitioner stage in just a few days. It seemed her Woeful Poison Body really did possess unique potential.
"I'm fine… but Niu and the others…" Yi Xian shook her head, her eyes drifting toward the blood-soaked bodies lying nearby. A look of pain crossed her face.
Most of the mercenaries were already dead. Only Niu still clung to life—but barely. His condition was horrific: limbs shattered, chest caved in, covered in blood. He was breathing more out than in, clearly suffering massive internal injuries. He had only a thread of life left.
"Don't worry. With me here, he won't die. Go wait in the back." Goku gave her a nod. Niu and his men had been hurt protecting Yi Xian. There was no way Goku would just stand by and watch them die.
Yi Xian nodded and obediently retreated, standing alongside the remaining mercenaries—but she kept her distance from the people from Ten Thousand Medicines pavilion. After what had happened, she was deeply disappointed in them. Watching them cower in fear and do nothing had left a mark on her heart. Any goodwill she once had toward them was gone.
"Elder Third, Young Master… the Young Master, he…"
A middle-aged man from the Dark Nether Sect carried the unconscious youth who had been sent flying by Goku and rushed up to a gray-robed elder. His face was grim.
The elder's expression darkened. After checking the young man's breathing, his face turned completely cold. He glared at Goku and the others, killing intent radiating without restraint.
"Kill them! Leave no one alive!"
Behind him, three Dou Kings moved in unison. Their expressions shifted slightly, but upon hearing the order, bloodlust erupted from their eyes. In an instant, they turned into three black streaks, launching a fierce assault toward Goku's group. The dark, foul Dou Qi they exuded was laced with poison—it was suffocating.
"Poison Dou Qi, huh? No wonder they went after Yi Xian," Goku muttered. He was slightly intrigued as he watched their toxic aura—but then his body flickered.
His movements were so fast, they became almost imperceptible to the naked eye.
With three muffled bangs—BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!—the three Dou Kings who had charged in aggressively were all sent flying at the exact same moment. Their bodies smashed through the courtyard walls, shattered stone scattering everywhere, before crashing heavily into the ground, creating three large craters. Their auras disappeared instantly.
Dead in one move.
The people from the Dark Nether Sect were stunned.
The gray-robed elder, a Dou Ancestor expert, now wore a heavy expression. He stared at Goku with seriousness in his eyes. "May I ask your name, sir? And why you're interfering in my sect's—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Goku's figure appeared directly in front of him. Like a sword, his right hand pierced through the elder's chest in an instant.
"From the moment you targeted Yi Xian, your fate was already sealed," Goku said coldly. He withdrew his hand from the Dou Ancestor elder's chest. Not a single drop of blood clung to his palm.
"We… were wrong?" the gray-robed elder muttered in disbelief. With a final breath, he collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from the wound.
"Elder Third… is dead?! That's impossible…"
The remaining Dou King and Dou Emperor were shocked and terrified. Elder Third was a Five-Star Dou Ancestor—yet he didn't even have time to react before being killed? How was that possible?
"This can't be real! How could a place this remote have someone like you?! Who the hell are you?!"
The Dou Emperor stared at Goku, eyes wide with fear and disbelief. If even a Dou Ancestor had been wiped out instantly, what chance did a measly Three-Star Dou Emperor like him stand?
His answer came in the form of two beams of light fired from Goku's fingers. In the blink of an eye, they pierced through the hearts of the remaining two Dark Nether Sect members.
The expressions on their faces froze.
"To offend our Dark Nether Sect… is a death sentence…"
That was their final message before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.
The people from Ten Thousand Medicines pavilion were utterly dumbfounded. That… that was a Dou King, a Dou Emperor, and even a Dou Ancestor just now! All wiped out in mere moments?
They couldn't believe what they had just witnessed. The pavilion master was already filled with deep regret. Who would have thought that Yi Xian had someone like him backing her? If they hadn't backed down earlier… But now, they could only be grateful that Goku hadn't held them accountable.
Still, he couldn't help but sigh in regret. If only they hadn't shown cowardice earlier—maybe they could've forged a connection with someone like that. Now it was too late. The pavilion master was practically turning green with regret.
____
Led by a few mercenaries, Goku and Yi Xian arrived at the base of Niu's mercenary group.
"Goku, is Captain Niu going to make it?" Yi Xian asked anxiously, glancing at Niu who was now pale and barely breathing. His condition was dire. After all, he had gotten hurt trying to protect her, and Yi Xian couldn't help but feel guilty.
Along the way, she had wanted to ask Goku for help, but seeing him walking so calmly ahead, her courage faltered. Maybe it was because Goku was too powerful now—so much so that she felt a growing distance between them.
Finally, now that they were here, she couldn't hold it in anymore and asked.
"Relax," Goku smiled faintly. "They got hurt because of you—and were even prepared to die for you. Of course I won't just stand by and watch."
He turned toward the five fallen mercenaries lying on the ground, including Niu. His expression focused slightly.
A shimmering divine light flashed in Goku's eyes as his fingers began forming complex seals. A glowing aura burst forth from his palm, enveloping the wounded and the dead in a golden radiance.
As the light washed over them, their horrific wounds began to heal at a shocking rate. Flesh regenerated, bones rejoined, skin reformed—and even the lifeless bodies began to stir. Slowly, faint signs of life flickered across them.
"This… this is…"
Yi Xian and the mercenaries nearby were utterly dumbfounded. Their eyes widened as they watched what looked like a literal miracle unfold before them.
People who were dead… were coming back to life.
Under the stunned gazes of Yi Xian and the others, Niu and the mercenaries who had already stopped breathing slowly opened their eyes.
They sat up with groggy expressions, looking around in confusion.
"Where… are we? I… wasn't I dead? Is this… a dream?"
Each mercenary looked around blankly, not understanding what had just happened. Only Niu had a vague idea—because although his consciousness had faded, he'd still retained a faint awareness of what had occurred around him.
Even so, he wasn't certain. All eyes slowly turned toward the other conscious mercenaries.
One of them dumbly pointed at Goku, his throat dry. After a hard swallow, he finally spoke.
"You… were dead. All of you… but Lord Goku… he brought you back…"
As he said the words brought back to life, the mercenary could hardly believe them himself. The shock of the scene still hadn't settled in for any of them.
"Dead? Revived? We really… died?"
The revived mercenaries were finally remembering the moment of their deaths. Instantly, they turned toward Goku in awe and fear, then one by one—knelt.
"Lord Goku! Thank you… thank you for saving us! We… we can never repay you!"
Their voices trembled with emotion as they kowtowed again and again, overwhelmed by reverence and gratitude. In their eyes, Goku was no longer just strong—he was a god.
Even Niu opened his mouth to speak but was at a complete loss for words. He had never imagined that the man he'd once befriended could perform miracles—resurrecting the dead. That was a power said to belong only to the gods.
"Get up," Goku said with a soft smile. "There's no need for this. You died protecting Yi Xian—of course I wasn't going to let you stay dead."
Being worshipped like a divine being wasn't the worst feeling in the world—Goku couldn't deny that. But he still kept his composure.
After the mercenaries stood up, they all looked at Goku with admiration and awe. In their hearts, they were deeply moved. Just what kind of good karma had they accumulated to meet someone like him?
"Niu," Goku said with a faint smile. "You did well. Even with an enemy that strong, you still stood your ground. I have to say—you've earned my respect."
On the way here, Goku had already heard from Yi Xian what had happened. The people from Dark Nether Sect were terrifyingly strong—so much so that even Ten Thousand Medicines pavilion didn't dare utter a word. Yet Niu and his group had stepped up to defend Yi Xian anyway.
That kind of loyalty? Goku liked that.
"F-Friend… You… you still think of me as your friend?"
Niu's face flushed with excitement. For someone like Goku—who possessed the power of gods—to still regard him, a lowly mercenary, as a friend… it overwhelmed him.
"Of course. You did well. Come here—this is your reward."
"Reward?" Niu blinked in surprise, excitement rising. Could it be a rare treasure to boost his cultivation?
Just as the thought crossed his mind, Goku raised his hand and placed it on Niu's head. A golden light surged from his palm, instantly enveloping Niu's entire body.
At once, he felt a massive surge of Dou Qi erupt from within. Years of stagnated cultivation broke open all at once—and the power kept rising!
One-Star Great Battle Master… Two-Star… Three-Star…
The surge didn't stop.
This explosive leap stunned not just Niu, but all the mercenaries around him. They stood frozen, mouths agape, eyes bulging in shock.
'He can… bring the dead back to life… and even raise someone's cultivation like this?! Who is he really…?'
Yi Xian's eyes flickered as she watched Goku work. Though shocked, she still handled it better than the others—clearly, she had stronger nerves.
In just a few moments, Niu had advanced from a Nine-Star Battle Master to a Six-Star Dou Spirit. It was already the limit of his current potential.
"I've awakened all the latent potential inside you," Goku said as he removed his hand. "From now on, if you want to improve further, you'll have to surpass your own limits."
"Dou… Dou Spirit… I actually broke through to Dou Spirit…" Niu muttered, stunned. Then he shook his head vigorously. "That's more than enough! Even if I can never improve again, I'm already beyond grateful! Thank you, Lord Goku! If you ever need me, I'll charge through fire and water without hesitation!"
Goku smiled and waved his hand. Then, seeing the eager and glowing faces of the other mercenaries, he said lightly, "Line up. One by one. I'll awaken your potential as well. How far you get will depend on your own limits."
"I'm first!"
"No, me!"
"Let me go first!"
The group instantly broke out in excited chaos, lining up like eager children.
Goku activated his power again, one by one unlocking their hidden potential. Most of them only advanced to the Battle Master before reaching their natural limits. One lucky mercenary managed to hit Two-Star Great Battle Master, while Niu remained the only one to reach Dou Spirit.
With more than a dozen Battle Master, one Great Battle Master, and one Dou Spirit, Niu's mercenary group had now become the top force in the entire Qingshan Town.
Once the enhancements were done, Goku quietly pulled Yi Xian aside and whispered, "Let's go."
After Goku had just finished enhancing everyone's potential, he took his leave with Yi Xian. The reason was simple—he couldn't stand the way that group of mercenaries looked at him. Their gazes were far too intense—filled with admiration and fervor, as if they were a bunch of love-struck girls! It made Goku incredibly uncomfortable. Without hesitation, he used Instant Transmission to leave the area with Yi Xian.
Out on the street, Yi Xian noticed Goku staring at her intently, making her heart race nervously. Her eyes darted around uneasily until she finally couldn't take it anymore. Summoning her courage, she looked at him and asked, "W-Why are you looking at me like that?"
"The Woeful Poison Body... You're cultivating the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, aren't you?" Goku said calmly, his gaze still fixed on her.
Yi Xian's heart skipped a beat. She immediately lowered her head, unable to meet his eyes, her expression full of guilt and anxiety. After a long pause, she asked in a soft voice, "Do… do you hate me because of it?"
As she slowly raised her head, she looked at Goku, her eyes filled with both worry and hope. But when she saw the gentle smile on his face, all her fears melted away. For some reason, her anxious heart finally relaxed. A faint smile appeared at the corners of her lips—she had already found the answer she needed in Goku's eyes.
Using Instant Transmission, Goku returned to Jia Nan Academy with Yi Xian. Now that the Flame Mantra was in hand, it was time to pass it on to Xun'er for cultivation.
As for Goku's Instant Transmission, Yi Xian was only momentarily surprised. She quickly came to terms with it—after all, Goku had already shown the ability to bring people back from the brink of death. Compared to that, this was hardly anything extraordinary.
____
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