Once he was sure the others were asleep, Goku moved a thought—and vanished.
Back in the Palace
In the gilded hall of his private world, Saeko and the others wore anxious faces. Since that earth-shaking battle, none of them had seen Goku. No one knew how he was, and worry had robbed them of appetite and rest.
"When will Goku come back? It's been days with not a single sign… This sealed space traps us here—we can't even go look for him," Rika muttered, haggard and frustrated. This world was cut off; even if they wanted to search, they couldn't.
"Don't spiral," Saeko soothed. "If this space is intact, it means Goku is, too. He'll come back when he can." Still, the worry in her eyes was plain to every sister beside her.
"Alright, chin up! Didn't you all say it yourselves? That guy can't die. He's probably… flirting with some beauty out there."
"Oh? Is that my reputation in your heart, Ya Fei?" a familiar voice drawled right behind her.
The women jolted, then whirled as one—only to fling themselves at the figure who'd appeared from thin air.
"Goku!"
"Hey, hey—what are you—waaa!" Ya Fei yelped as the tangle of soft limbs bowled her over—fortunately with someone beneath to break the fall.
"Easy! Easy—mercy!" Goku protested from under the affectionate dogpile, wearing the happiest "help me" face imaginable.
They'd been genuinely terrified. All that bottled fear and love finally found release, expressed without reservation.
The reunion stretched into several blissful days. When at last he'd soothed every worry and shared time with each of them, Goku said his goodbyes and left that world.
Dawn Return
When he reappeared, morning light was just cresting the dunes. Several days had passed in his world, but here only a single night—time flowed as he wished within his own domain.
"Kiou!" The little pixiu chirped, leaping to his shoulder and nuzzling his cheek. Goku chuckled and stroked its head.
"G—ghost!" Tianming shrieked, then sagged with relief. "Don't do that! You're here—then poof—gone! We thought you ran off!"
"Tianming, mind your manners," Shaoyu nudged him, then bowed. "Brother Goku, forgive him. He's… single-threaded."
Goku waved it off, about to speak—then frowned, sprang up a tree, and looked to the horizon. A colossal sand-barge had just crested the far edge of the desert.
Xiao Li, Tianming, and Shaoyu scrambled up after him, all staring at the vessel.
"Brother Goku, that is…?" Shaoyu asked.
"A Qin sand-ship. They've already set out. We can't lag behind." Goku's tone was calm. "Eat something fast—we move immediately. We need to reach Loulan before they do."
They wolfed down a simple meal, hitched the wagon, and pushed on.
By late morning the sun blazed overhead. Staring at the boundless gold of the desert, Tianming's heart sank.
"No way! That's an endless sea of sand. You want us to walk into that? We'll die out there!"
"I agree it's unwise to rush in," Shaoyu said gravely to Goku. "We should plan. Charging into the desert is asking for danger."
"Who said we're walking?" Goku's mouth quirked.
"If not walking… are we flying?" Tianming blurted.
"Try it and I'll watch," Shaoyu deadpanned.
"We are flying," Goku said.
"Eh?!" All three stared—even Xiao Li looked curious.
"Brother Goku, you're not joking? With what?" Shaoyu glanced around. Aside from a tired wagon, they had nothing.
"With Xiao Xiuxiu, of course." Goku tapped the pixiu perched on his shoulder.
The little beast lifted its head, eyes bright with curiosity.
"With this little thing? No way," Tianming waved hurriedly.
"How do we do it?" Shaoyu asked instead. The pixiu was unusual; Goku even more so. Doubt wasn't worth much here.
"…If the pixiu had awakened, it could carry us," Xiao Li admitted. "But in its current state…"
"Down you go, Xiuxiu." Goku patted its head. It chirped, hopped to the ground, and peered up at him expectantly.
The others held their breath.
Goku raised one finger. A sphere of golden light formed at the tip, spinning, dense with terrifying power. Even at a glance, Tianming and Shaoyu felt it—if he loosed it, the resulting blast would be unimaginable.
"Open up," Goku said lightly.
The pixiu's eyes lit with craving. It bounced twice, then opened wide. Goku flicked his finger; the light streaked into its mouth.
Gold flared. Wind howled. Radiance streamed over the pixiu's body; a surge of aura erupted from within. The shockwave flung Tianming and Shaoyu backwards; only Xiao Li remained steady, shielded by Goku.
Bathed in light, the pixiu rose slowly into the air. Golden brilliance rippled across its form. From its back unfurled a pair of glassy wings. Its limbs thickened with strength; talons sharpened. Its head elongated like a dragon's; whiskers flowed at its snout. With a beat of those wings, a kingly presence rolled out—majestic and absolute.
This was no longer a "little" anything. Goku had fully awakened the ancient bloodline—the true divine beast: Pixiu.
"T-that's… really the same Xiao Xiuxiu?!" Tianming stammered. The pressure of its aura pressed like a mountain; sovereign, irresistible.
Goku nodded, satisfied. 'A sip of my energy did the rest. Its strength jumped nicely.'
"Goku… how did you do that?" Xiao Li was the most shaken. This flew in the face of the goddess's guidance. And the awakened pixiu seemed stronger, prouder—truly a divine beast fit to "rule the skies."
"Heh. I'll explain later. For now, we make time." Goku waved. The pixiu dipped low, wings stirring a gale, then settled before him. It rumbled—a low dragonish purr that, despite its grandeur, sounded like a child begging for praise—then rubbed its head against his palm.
Xiao Li watched, curiosity deepening.
'Just who was this man, to overturn a prophecy with a flick of his hand?'
_____
T/N:
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