Su Xi's pupils widened as she heard Tian Gang Zhenren's words, her mouth agape in disbelief.
Had her Ancestor Master really not lied to her?
From what she understood, elements in heaven and earth were generated freely; ordinary people had no way to control them. Now, Tian Gang Zhenren claimed he had a way to help her control them, which seemed fantastical.
However, Su Xi also knew well that the world she was in was already fantastical, and many strange things happened here.
Seeing the doubt in Su Xi's eyes, Tian Gang Zhenren felt a touch of helplessness. Did his words lack credibility?
"You don't need to worry about this matter for now. Go prepare dinner, I'll be back soon."
With that, Tian Gang Zhenren instantly transformed into an ethereal silhouette and vanished from his spot.
Watching Tian Gang Zhenren disappear, several dark lines appeared on Su Xi's forehead. Did all powerful cultivators like to appear and disappear without a trace?
Although she was grumbling about Tian Gang Zhenren in her heart, Su Xi dared not slack off. After all, Tian Gang Zhenren had asked her to prepare dinner, so she naturally couldn't be careless.
Based on her interactions over the past few days, she knew that Tian Gang Zhenren cared most about meals. If the food she prepared didn't satisfy him, her own problems might not be resolved.
Delicious dishes from various cuisines were soon prepared.
Looking at the appetizing spread before her, Su Xi suddenly had a thought: if she couldn't make it in the cultivation world in the future, she could probably earn a living as a cook.
Just as dinner was ready, Tian Gang Zhenren appeared on cue, as if drawn by the aroma.
He was dusty from his travels, and in his hands, he held several beads of various sizes.
Su Xi blinked, looking at the glass-ball-like objects in Tian Gang Zhenren's hands, and asked doubtfully, "Ancestor Master, what are these?"
She suspected that her Ancestor Master had not only lost his memory but had also regressed into a child, and these glass balls were his toys.
"I have examined your body. The lack of perception towards the elements in heaven and earth is because you lack the primal essence of the Five Elements. Therefore, I am here to supplement your primal essence of the Five Elements."
"The primal essence of the Five Elements can be supplemented?" Su Xi tried to maintain a neutral expression, not wanting to appear foolish.
From her education, she knew that the primal essence of the Five Elements was innate, and thus everyone's comprehension of the Five Elements' power differed, but she had never heard of it being cultivated postnatally.
Tian Gang Zhenren saw the confusion on Su Xi's face and explained as if accustomed to it, "As the old saying goes, 'What is lacking, is supplemented.' As long as an energy source is found, anything can be supplemented."
"What old saying is that?" Don't think you can spout nonsense just because you're old. I'm no longer a three-year-old child who can be easily fooled.
Tian Gang Zhenren glanced at Su Xi with a helpless look, clear disdain in his eyes. However, remembering Su Xi's excellent cooking, he ultimately swallowed the words he was about to say and patiently explained.
"Legend has it that the divine beasts between heaven and earth were formed from the changes of the primal essence of the Five Elements, hence their extreme affinity for the Five Elements' power. And their inner cores are the essence of their entire power..."
Su Xi listened to Tian Gang Zhenren's increasingly outrageous claims and asked in disbelief, "Are you saying these glass ball-like things are the inner cores from divine beasts?"
She suddenly felt a sense of madness. What was going on?
Were divine beasts in this world just food?
Tian Gang Zhenren nodded matter-of-factly, "Although they are not the true Five Great Divine Beasts, they are at least their direct descendants. They will suffice."
Su Xi swallowed, wanting to kneel before Tian Gang Zhenren.
Divine beasts possessed extraordinary power, capable of manipulating clouds and rain and easily destroying a small world. Although these were not divine beasts, their direct descendants were also incredibly powerful.
She suddenly noticed something and looked at Tian Gang Zhenren, asking in confusion, "Aren't there only Four Great Divine Beasts in this world?"
"Four Great Divine Beasts?" Tian Gang Zhenren was taken aback, then shook his head and said, "In my incomplete memories, I recall them being called the Five Great Divine Beasts."
Su Xi's face showed a look of astonishment at Tian Gang Zhenren's words.
The title of the Four Great Divine Beasts had been established for at least hundreds of thousands of years. Just how old was Tian Gang Zhenren?
Despite her curiosity, Su Xi dared not ask.
Regardless of their names, as long as they were useful, it was fine.
Tian Gang Zhenren smelled the aroma of the food and did not want to waste precious mealtime. He grabbed Su Xi from a distance with one hand and implanted all the items he held into her body.
"Ah~"
These divine beast inner cores, imbued with divine might, could not exert any resistance in Tian Gang Zhenren's hands, but it was a different story within Su Xi's body.
The dignity of the divine beasts, filled with divine might, made them unwilling to become mere accessories to a mortal. They struggled desperately. The Five Elements' power surged like a breached dam, showing no signs of relenting.
Seeing Su Xi's increasingly pained expression, Tian Gang Zhenren frowned.
A few little pets, useless in life, would they become even more arrogant in death?
Did they really think he didn't exist?
A pure white, sacred light emanated from him, instantly enveloping Su Xi and protecting her physical body. As the light enveloped her, the five struggling inner cores immediately quieted down, and the torn wounds on Su Xi's body began to heal.
Within the light, the five inner cores instantly turned into five colors. With a mournful cry, they perfectly integrated into Su Xi's body, leaving no trace of disturbance.
As the five inner cores merged with Su Xi, her body underwent a peculiar change, seeming to gain a connection to this small world.
She could clearly see countless points of light of varying colors drifting around.
Having completed this, Tian Gang Zhenren looked at Su Xi with a hint of surprise in his eyes.
A person without the perception of the Five Elements... seemed to be a legend.
*Clunk*, Tian Gang Zhenren's memory suddenly faltered, and he couldn't recall the rest.
Drawn by the rich aroma of the food, he indeed gave up on recalling. As long as he could eat delicious food every day, why bother with these matters?
Although Su Xi's cultivation had not improved, the intense change within her body gave her a feeling of being able to command the wind and rain, and to look down upon the world.
It seemed that as long as she wished, she could control everything.
"Thank you, Ancestor Master." Su Xi expressed her heartfelt gratitude, knowing she had struck a great bargain.
"Stop with the pleasantries. Hurry and eat. The food will get cold and won't taste good soon." Tian Gang Zhenren picked up his chopsticks and reached for the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall in front of him.
However, before he could even put the food in his mouth, he suddenly felt the ground beneath him shake violently, followed by a powerful suction force from above.
The magnificent feast on the table, due to the sudden tremor, rolled onto the floor.
Watching the uneaten food fall to the ground, Tian Gang Zhenren's expression gradually turned cold.
[○･｀Д´･○]
What had happened?
Su Xi looked at Tian Gang Zhenren in bewilderment. Had her Ancestor Master provoked the Five Great Divine Beasts by taking their inner cores just now?
Just as she was wondering what was happening, she suddenly heard a familiar voice, "Disciple, quickly leave with me."
"Master?" Su Xi's face lit up upon hearing Lin Qing's voice, knowing she had a way to leave.
As she was about to bid farewell to Tian Gang Zhenren, she saw him wave his hand, and a white light shot out.
Following that, the black hole that had appeared overhead was instantly smoothed over by the white light. The entire world returned to its previous state of tranquility.
Su Xi, ╮(╯▽╰)╭
What should she do? She still wanted to leave.