This Young Master is not Cannon Fodder

Ba Shifang exhaled, and a clear mist spewed out from his open lips. "I failed again."

Thanks to his main body, he had finally mastered all five elemental laws. That meant he was only one step away from the next step, merging five laws to form the Law of Five Phases. Although it sounded simple, the final step stymied many cultivators.

In fact, it was practically impossible. However, if he did, he would immediately reach the peak of the Seamless Immortal Realm, and it would only take some time to enter the Extremity Immortal Realm.

Ba Shifang sighed and waved his hand. Immediately, he was transported out of the unique space and back into Nine Heavens Palace on Ninth Heaven. 'This is just unfair. Main Body has already started to comprehend the Law of Five Phases, yet I can't even begin to fathom the first step of merging them.'

"How's it going, Immortal Lord Ba?"

Ba Shifang scrunched his brow, turned around, and saw a black-robed figure walking in. The most eye-catching thing about him was the two dragon horns sprouting out of his head and his slitted pupils. "What do you want, 'Monarch' Donghai?"

"Nooooothing," Donghai Longzi said. "I just wanted to see what my junior is doing. After all, you're the third clone."

"Yes, yes," Ba Shifang raised his head. "I congratulate the second clone for surpassing me and reaching the Seamless Immortal Realm before me."

"Tch, you're no fun," Donghai Longzi said.

Ba Shifang said nothing as he poured a cup of tea for himself and his fellow clone. After handing the teacup, he asked. "So, what're you here for?"

"Nothing much," Donghai Longzi said, taking the cup from Ba Shifang. "Thought I'd say goodbye before I leave."

"You're leaving for the Divine Beast Pseudo-System already?" Ba Shifang said in surprise, placing the teacup back on the table.

"Yeah, I comprehended all that I could, and my bloodline was strengthened to its current limit," Donghai Longzi said. "Even against the dragon king, I should be able to escape. I'd be in trouble if there were any demons equal to an immortal sovereign, but there shouldn't be any. Otherwise, we wouldn't have won the Human-Divine Beast War."

"I see," Ba Shifang said. "When will you be coming back?"

"Who knows?" Donghai Longzi said. "It could be a thousand or even ten thousand years. Maybe even a hundred thousand, but the Buzhou Immortal Sect wants to conquer the demon clan before fighting the Numinous Sword Sect."

"I guess, I'll be the only clone here," Ba Shifang said. "Unless Main Body forms another clone, or maybe when Juedai Fenghua comes back. I was created too late, and I still haven't seen her. What's wrong?"

Donghai Longzi was making a shushing motion with his finger. "Did you forget where we are? What if the Main Body hears? I don't care if you're punished, but I'll be punished by association too!"

'Gee, I can feel the camaraderie,' Ba Shifang thought. Suddenly, he snapped his head and looked at the sky. He could feel an immense pressure crushing him down, as if an emperor had arrived and he was just a lowly subject. 'Main Body really isn't going to punish me, is he? No, this feels different.'

'You're lucky you gave me a great idea. I'll let you off this time,' Tianyi thought. His will spread throughout the known boundaries of the Nine Heavens Universe.

It was annoying. Although his Past Incarnation was an exact replica of him in skill and comprehension, it lacked one ability, mastery of the Nine Heavens Universe. Like when he mastered the five elemental laws, he needed to spend time reorganizing his inner universe.

However, it wasn't perfect. He would need to calibrate many things to perfect the elements. Half of the artificial solar systems he created had strayed and needed to be salvaged. Even the Divine Beast Constellations showed problems. As he stepped closer to mastering the Law of Five Phases, the current Divine Beast Constellation needed to be reworked, causing him to stop his comprehension and fix the issue.

So what if he had a manager or agent to accomplish this task for him?

A clone, yet not a clone, but not quite an avatar; something akin to a second brain, one dedicated to managing the Nine Heavens Universe. Just like how his Past Incarnation was managing Cultivation Online, only on a much grander scale.

"Come forth, forth clone," Tianyi softly said, yet his voice reverberated throughout the Nine Heavens Universe.

A silver wisp appeared in the center of Ninth Heaven. It slowly took the shape of an infant under the nourishment of the essence from Ninth and Eighth Heaven, growing larger and larger.

Tianyi, who was observing all this, stilled and waved his hand. The time inside the core of Ninth Heaven froze. He closed his eyes and began to meditate.

A month later, he opened his eyes. "So that's the case. My current self is the Nine Heavens Universe. In that case, let my fourth split soul become my Present Incarnation."

Time resumed inside Ninth Heaven. The silvery infant-shaped soul began to enlarge until it grew bigger than Ninth Heaven. It kept growing until it shrouded Nine Heavens System. At that point, it split into nine sections and merged with all the heavens.

Although nothing seemingly changed, Tianyi could feel that it was easier to control the Nine Heavens Universe. No, rather than easier, it was more accurate to call it efficient. It felt as if he had grown closer to the Nine Heavens Universe, if that was even possible. He and the Nine Heavens Universe was one. As long as the Nine Heavens Universe continues to exist, he will not perish.

"Let's try doing some redecorating," Tianyi said to himself. His eyes widened when numerous lines of light appeared in his eyes. They connected everything in the Nine Heavens Universe to the Nine Heavens System. With a tap, he could easily change many things.

Tianyi observed these lines of light since they felt familiar to him, as if he had seen them from somewhere. His eyes widened when he recalled where. The lines of light resembled the light when he attained that fake sword light in his Inner Devil Tribulation.

'This is my intent?' Tianyi thought. In the past, he had tried to develop hand intent or sword intent, but he couldn't do it. He thought it was because he didn't have the talent, but it seemed he was wrong.

He possessed intent, but Tianyi never realized it. Just what type of intent did he possess?

Tianyi tried testing. His eyes widened. Before, if he wanted to summon heavenly tribulation, he would need to manually call it forth, but now, it would automatically come forth. After a few more tests, he was even more sure.

He could now add rules and restrictions to the Nine Heavens Universe. For example, he could even apply the whole system of the Cultivation World to the whole Nine Heavens Universe and make it a law.

'This is my intent? More than an intent, it's like I'm the Heavenly Dao!' Tianyi's mind spun. He had always thought his control of the Nine Heavens Universe hadn't reached its full potential. And it was true, he never realized the nature of his intent until now.

Tianyi recalled the words spoken to him by Caishen and smiled. "Let's call this heaven intent. My intent is the will of the universe. It is the Heavenly Dao."

Tianyi held his chin. No wonder the Heavenly Dao of the Three Thousand Immortal Realms System sent down heavenly punishment. When he was fighting Lei Jingye and Xi Longyi in the other timeline or when he tried to absorb parts of the Nether Realm, he brought out his Nine Heavens Universe. His will and intent entrenched the whole universe, and once recognized, the Heavenly Dao would try to erase it.

Two tigers cannot live on one mountain. The appearance of his Nine Heavens Universe might be akin to a usurper. In the history of China, such occurrences weren't rare. When Qin Shi Huang died, the Qin Dynasty declined and fell, and then the Han Dynasty emerged.

"No, no, that's still too soon. Become the master of the Three Thousand Immortal Realms System? What am I even thinking?" Tianyi asked aloud.

"Heaven intent? Master of the Three Thousand Immortal Realms System? Yi'er, do you want to become the Jade Emperor?"

'Crap!' Tianyi turned to see Mengfei staring at him. She had been so silent that as long as he didn't see her, he would forget about her presence. "No, no, I was just thinking out loud."

"If you want to be Jade Emperor, I can give you the position," Mengfei suddenly said.

Instantly, the image of Mengfei going on a warpath killing everything in her way, and becoming the number one expert, came to Tianyi's mind. Then, after she subdued everyone, she summoned him and commanded everyone to salute him as the new Jade Emperor.

"No, no!" Tianyi immediately said. Even though he was just imagining it, he couldn't take the risk of the one percent chance that Mengfei would do such a thing. "I really don't want to become the Jade Emperor. Ignoring the fact that I'm still an immortal, being Jade Emperor and managing the Three Thousand Immortal Realms System sounds way too exhausting."

"Are you sure?" Mengfei asked, staring closely at Tianyi.

"Y-yes, absolutely!"

"If you change your mind, just tell me. Mother will fulfill all your wishes," Mengfei said.

'I'm kinda scared at how far you'll go.' Tianyi thought, but a warm feeling still emerged from his chest. He continued conversing with Mengfei until he paused for a moment.

Tianyi and Mengfei paused for a moment and glanced at the foot of Nine Heavens Peak. A moment later, an incarnation of Tianyi's formed and descended.

Upon reaching the foot, he saw an elder saluting him.

"Junior Xia Yushan greets Nine Heavens Peak Lord."

'He's changed.' Tianyi thought. If he hadn't known Xia Yushan possessed the heavenly metal spiritual root, he would have thought Xia Yushan possessed the heavenly ice spiritual root instead. "Does the Sect Master need something?"

"Yes, Master ordered me to pass a message. He said thank you for your patience, I am ready to continue the discussion," Xia Yushan said.

"Alright, you can leave," Tianyi said.

Xia Yushan saluted again and left. Despite treating him as a senior brother for so many years, Tianyi felt no discomfort. It wasn't because his thoughts changed, but Xia Yushan no longer resembled the Xia Yushan he once knew. It was like a completely different person.

During the hundred years he had been gone, Xia Yushan had made a name for himself, and it wasn't a particularly good one. No-Heart Sword Immortal.

Not only did Xia Yushan kill the Buzhou Immortal Sect's enemies, but he would not hesitate to sacrifice his own teammates to attain the greatest results. He was like a machine, only caring about the end and not the process. As a result, both his allies and enemies feared him.

Due to his unique position and status, Sect Master Xia told him the reason. Xia Yushan practiced the Emotional Severance Sutra. Although he could no longer inherit the sect master's position, Sect Master Xia planned to transfer him to Justice Peak after the end of the war.

Only an emotionless person like him could be perfectly impartial, Sect Master Xia had said.

Tianyi shook his head. He lamented that Xia Yushan had degraded to this point. He couldn't even be called an animal anymore, much less a human. He was just a machine.

"Oh, Little Xi, you've arrived!" Sect Master Xia smiled and greeted him with a laugh.

"I'll congratulate Emperor Xia, too," Tianyi's Past Incarnation said. "Your fame resounds across the land of Heaven Continent. No one does not know your fame."

"Hahaha, Little Xi, you became quite the flatterer," Sect Master Xia said. "Let's move on to the main topic."

Sect Master Xia said that he would help Tianyi spread the Xiyi Talisman. The Works Hall would now be in charge of producing the Xiyi Talisman, and it would become a standard artifact for everyone under the Immortal Realm.

To Tianyi's surprise, Sect Master Xia wanted to add a Xiyi Coin exchange system, not with spirit stones but with contribution points. In addition, Tianyi needed to give admin privileges to the sect, and his identity as Xi Tianyi will be granted the position of Vice-Head Elder of the Works Hall.

Tianyi agreed. The Xiyinet was a massive net of information. If used properly, the Buzhou Immortal Sect would have valuable information sources. The sect probably had set its sights on it long ago, but because of his absence and Mengfei's status, it didn't bring it up.

Just as Tianyi was about to leave, Sect Master Xia said, "Oh right, Little Xi, do you know about reincarnators?"