162 - Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts

Chapter 162: This Is My Name Xu Ming gazed at the five divine beast bloodline essences in his hand, unsure of whom to give them to. Perhaps he could pass them on to those few demon clan members he encountered on the Heavenly Ladder, particularly that toad. They were likely the strongest beings in the Baiwa Secret Realm. By doing so, these bloodline essences could help them ascend to greater heights. With a mere thought, Xu Ming sent the five divine beast bloodlines into the toad's temple. The toad, who was steadily hammering within the temple, stopped in surprise and, laying the hammer aside, turned to bow respectfully towards the air: “Master.” The toad referring to Xu Ming as “Master” was quite reasonable. After all, Xu Ming was the ruler of the secret realm and had control over every grass and tree within it, not to mention holding sway over life and death. Even if they were outside the secret realm, Xu Ming possessed an innate dominance over them. In the secret realm, all it took was a single thought from Xu Ming for the toad to perish utterly. Of course, Xu Ming could not act recklessly, as the laws of the heavens required appropriate conduct. For instance, Xu Ming could grant someone the longest lifespan in the secret realm, yet he couldn't allow everyone to live long lives, lest the rules of the Baiwa Secret Realm be damaged and it collapses prematurely. Xu Ming’s consciousness manifested as his image, floating in the air. As he looked at the golden statue behind him, it appeared not as a toad but as a scholar: “What are you doing?” The toad replied, “I am constructing a golden statue for the Master.” Xu Ming chuckled, “You’ve crafted a golden statue for me, but what about yourself?” The toad also chuckled, “Previously, when the Baiwa Secret Realm had no master and I cultivated to a higher level, the residents of Baiwa City respected me and built this temple. Now that the Baiwa Secret Realm has a true deity, how could I continue in such a position?” Xu Ming shook his head, “I am just an ordinary person. Whoever this temple was originally built to venerate, let it remain so. I won’t govern the Baiwa Secret Realm excessively. How can I accept incense without fulfilling the wishes of the realm’s people?” The toad said, “Master, you speak too gravely. It is natural for the master of Baiwa to enjoy offerings. If you do not mind, I can assist in granting the wishes of the people.” “That’s not necessary,” Xu Ming replied, unwilling to be someone who oppresses others while taking all the benefits, “Things should remain as before.” Toad: “But Master, after you sent the Dao rain, the people were very grateful and wished to build a temple for you. It’s a gesture from the people of Baiwa Secret Realm.” Xu Ming considered for a moment, “There’s no need for a temple. If it truly has to be done, find a remote area and construct a simple statue. Tell the people that worshipping me isn’t beneficial and there’s no need to kneel, nor set up incense in front of the statue.” “Yes,” the toad nodded, seeing the resolve in his master’s decision and knowing not to press further. The toad felt quite moved. In the outside world, surely others would obtain their own secret realms, and he imagined they would extract every resource for personal gain, disregarding the rest of the realm's needs. Yet his Master not only refrained from taking anything but even blessed the realm with Dao rain. “Also, don’t call me Master anymore,” Xu Ming added. He wasn’t fond of that title, as it felt like they were his servants, a role no one is born desiring. The toad blinked, “If not Master, then what should I call you?” Unable to call him by his name, and “Young Master” seemed unsuitable considering its implication of parity — which wasn’t accurate. “How about calling you ‘Lord’?” the toad suggested after some thought. “As long as it’s not ‘Master,’ anything else is fine,” Xu Ming agreed. “I have five items to give you,” Xu Ming said, waving his sleeve as five small divine beast statues descended from the sky. The toad reached out and touched them, feeling immense pressure upon his bloodline at the instant of contact. “These five statues each contain a divine beast bloodline: Shengyu, Qilin, Teng Snake, Xuanwu, and Chenghuang. See which is useful to you and choose one. Distribute the other four to those demons who stood before me on the Heavenly Ladder.” “Thank you for the reward, Lord, but I follow the path of the ancient glutton, so these precious bloodlines aren’t suitable for me,” the toad replied. “As for the others, they likely don’t suit them either. That bird follows the path of the phoenix, which favors fire, while Shengyu is water-based, unsuitable for her. The tiger follows the fierce path, and the wolf follows the dreaded path,” said Xu Ming. Xu Ming nodded, “If they do not align with their paths, then place the five bloodlines in the five directions of the Baiwa Secret Realm for those fated to find them.” “Yes, my Lord,” the toad agreed. Following this, Xu Ming dropped off bags containing a thousand catties of spiritual rice. “What is this, my Lord?” The toad was taken aback by the dense spiritual energy emanating from the items piled before him. “Open them and see for yourself,” Xu Ming instructed. Upon receiving permission, the toad opened a bag to reveal sparkling white rice—spiritual rice of exceptionally high grade! “These are spiritual rice seeds. See if you can find a place in the Baiwa Secret Realm to cultivate them. They have a high yield and require less growing conditions than typical spiritual rice, so if you can plant them extensively, let the people of Baiwa eat this rice,” Xu Ming elaborated, though unsure about their exact yield or ease of cultivation. Spiritual rice usually needed a place rich in spiritual energy and required watering from spiritual springs. “Yes, my Lord, I’ll arrange for it tomorrow,” the toad replied, marveling at these offerings. Instead of draining the realm as anticipated, the Lord was enriching it. “That’s settled then.” Having given all instructions, Xu Ming’s consciousness began to fade from the Baiwa Secret Realm, “By the way, what’s your name?” The toad shook its head, “I have no name. The monk who saved me always called me Toad.” Xu Ming suggested, “Why not find a name for yourself? Otherwise, I don’t know what to call you.” The toad bowed deeply, “Please bestow a name upon me, my Lord.” Xu Ming looked at the toad and, after a moment’s contemplation, offered, “Yuan Yu, that shall be your name from now on.” “Thank you, Master.” As Xu Ming’s consciousness gently dissipated, the temple walls echoed with the toad's transformation into a chubby man clad in a blue robe. “Yuan Yu,” the man softly spoke, “This is my name.”