I Am Loaded With Passive Skills

by Stayrr

Outer yard disciple of the Tiansang Spirit Palace, Xu Xiaoshou, had average talent. However, after coming out of his death seclusion, he realized that everything had changed. He had received a Passive System with many strange, miraculous passive skills: He would become stronger with every breath. He would become stronger when he got attacked. He would become stronger when he got m

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Chapter 181: The Highlight of Zhou Tianshen's Life

The Slaughter Cape.

Xu Xiaoshou crossed his arms at his chest and looked at the puppet child that was doing the same. He then asked with a doubtful tone.

"What do they call you?"

"Jie…"

A shy voice was heard, yet it was no longer saying the word 'Mama' before and had said something else instead.

Xu Xiaoshou was delightfully surprised, noting that the child actually knew other words. While it was just a name, yet it was making progress.

"Little Jie, I, Xu Xiaoshou hereby extend my invitation again to you. Do you want to come with Mama?" The young man said, trying to puzzle the thing.

After the Sky Tree took form, the Tianxuan Gate was finally stabilized.

Yet, Xu Xiaoshou dared not stay for a moment longer. He wanted to get back to the portal and leave as soon as possible.

However, he needed to see to the matter with Jie the puppet child before that.

If the puppet child proved to be obedient and controllable, then it would definitely be a formidable weapon and it would do him more good than harm.

However, he wasn't sure if that thing would actually behave. As such, if it was proven not feasible, he wouldn't force it.

He already had a 'Raging Giant' which he had trouble containing and if he were to put yet another time bomb by his side, it would only be a matter of time before things go south.

"Mama…"

Jie's voice sounded hesitant.

Repeated tests showed that he was indeed able to detect the child's emotional fluctuations through 'Sense', which was one of the reasons why he dared to try to control such a devastating weapon.

"There isn't much time for you to think about it, as I'm about to leave soon. If I were to stay here any longer, I'd probably be trapped in here."

He looked up at the sky. "You see this world? While it's patching up, yet it's actually no different from that hole that trapped you. You just have more space out there, that's all."

"The true world lies outside…"

He halted as he recalled what Elder Sang said all of the sudden, that puzzling theory about the world.

He thought that perhaps even that world outside wasn't actually the true world.

"Mama…" Jie looked at him and seemed to be moved.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't mull over the matter too much and flashed a beaming, relieved smile, saying, "the point of living is to see a greater, wider world out there, right? What's the point of keeping oneself trapped in a dinghy place, eh?"

Jie walked up to him and was no longer crossing its arms. It put its arms on Xu Xiaoshou's shoulder and nodded.

"Mama."

Xu Xiaoshou wore a twisted expression as he felt as if his shoulder blades were about to crack. He hissed and said, "Alright, alright, I know what you mean, just let go for now and don't do anything rash."

Jie looked up and doubt was seen in its red eyes.

"Let… let go! Release your arms and do it like me. Cross your arms!"

The corner of his mouth twitched and he was feeling not alright at all.

Go*damit, if I were to take this thing outside, it'd still be fine if it just come and pinch me somewhat, but if this thing were to play with other kids and got riled up…

"Let's kick ball, eh?"

"Yippee!"

The head flew…

"Wuuuu, you killed the friend!"

"Alright, easy there. Let's hug."

The person shattered…

Xu Xiaoshou was feeling his legs wobbling, not daring to imagine the scene any further. If Jie were to not be able to control its own powers, there would definitely be trouble once they got outside.

He rather regretted his decision of extending such an invitation.

"If you're going out with me, then we'd need to set up rules."

Xu Xiaoshou crossed his arms before his chest all the time. Jie finally regained composure and imitated what he did.

"First, you couldn't go about attacking people."

Jie nodded.

"Second, unless I say otherwise, you'd need to stand with your arms crossed before your chest. This is utmost important."

Jie nodded again.

"Finally…"

Xu Xiaoshou paused, wondering if that thing actually understood what he said.

He wondered what would happen if that thing were to simply nod without actually comprehending what he said.

"Could you shrink yourself?" He asked.

A puppet could probably shrink and hide itself, and if it were to be capable of doing so, taking it outside would be a piece of cake.

Jie nodded.

Xu Xiaoshou was delighted and gave his order. "Shrink!"

Jie continued to nod.

Xu Xiaoshou was feeling a massive headache by then, noting that the puppet was indeed more like a loose cannon.

Pop!

The puppet that had been the size of a child shrunk itself into a metal ball about the size of a fist all of a sudden, hovering midair.

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes glittered, noting that the puppet could actually do so.

Good lord, you really know how to please me. Who the hell would find out if I were to just hide this piece of rock on my person, eh?

He grabbed hold of the ball and asked, "could you talk?"

"Mama…"

There were two red dots at the top of the ball, which should be where the eyes were.

"Nice. Unless told otherwise, you shall in this form at all times…"

The metal ball popped before he finished and Jie reappeared in puppet form again.

Okay, you're not listening to me, eh?

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned and thought that the thing was going to be quite a handful. He was most wary of things that had erratic behaviors, as that meant that they would tend to go haywire at key moments.

At that moment, a shout was heard not far away.

"Xu Xiaoshou, come out and meet your doom!"

It was obvious that it was Zhou Tianshen's voice.

Okay, it's doing this because someone's here eh… yet before Xu Xiaoshou was able to feel relieved, his eyes were thrown wide open, as jie was nowhere to be seen.

There was no need to speculate where that puppet ended up at all.

"Stop, that's not the enemy! Do not attack!" Xu Xiaoshou shouted to the top of his lungs. His Sense was locked at Zhou Tianshen's position as he took to the air.

"Remember the rules!"

Zhou Tianshen sensed movement behind his neck and turned around to find a child clenching its fist.

"Huh? There're survivors in this world?"

He was pleased yet he was all furious when he heard Xu Xiaoshou's voice, "So, you're with Xu Xiaoshou then?"

"You align yourself with evil to wreck the world, now die… well, this is a child. Damn it, how do I go about this…"

That stout man cradled his blade and hesitated. He wasn't one to kill a child.

Xu Xiaoshou got there and Zhou Tianshen's eyes glittered with anger again. I'd just go about getting rid of the one responsible then.

"Xu Xiaoshou, you shall die on this very day!"

His piercing killing intent was every bit on par with that metal puppet from before. Xu Xiaoshou noted the shifting look in Jie's eyes behind and stopped the puppet right away, "don't do anything rash!"

"Huh, rash?"

"I, Zhou Tianshen, am not doing anything rash because I'm about to kill you!"

Xu Xiaoshou felt like he was about to fall over, noting that the man before him was still steeped in a fantasy world.

Now is not the time for jokes, man.

"Quit yapping. This is the Tianxuan Gate and I'm sorry that I lied to you, about taking 10000 years and all…"

"By the way, you actually recovered that quickly? You could come out already?"

Xu Xiaoshou noted that his 'Amber Juice' was indeed doing wonders.

"Hmph, you think that a black wall could trap me?" That stout man snorted dismissively and recalled that something was off all of a sudden, saying, "Lied? You're trying to dupe me?"

Doubted, Passive Points 1.

Xu Xiaoshou felt like he was about to pass out, thinking that the man believed everything when he should have had doubts, yet go about doubting things when it was time to believe.

Zhou Tianshen drew his blade. He had no intentions of saying more to the man who wrecked the world.

He reckoned that it had been quite a pity, having seen that man before his eyes to be his guide 10000 years ago, never knowing that the man had such ulterior motives.

"Come, let us duel to the death!"

Whoosh!

That puppet child appeared before Xu Xiaoshou again, standing between the two of them.

Zhou Tianshen was furious. "Do not think for a second that I wouldn't kill you just because you're a child. Get out of my way!"

That shout caused Xu Xiaoshou's heart to race. Damn, this really is the highlight of your life, Sir Zhou, even I, Xu Xiaoshou, wouldn't dare to talk to the kid like that…

Booom!

Jie grabbed Zhou Tianshen's blade as expected, throwing both the man and the blade so high into the sky that they became like stars.

Bling!

The man was gone before shrieks were even heard.

A passage appeared coincidentally and that stout man just happened to fall into that right afterwards.

Xu Xiaoshou was speechless.

Chapter 182: Goodbye, Tianxuan Gate!

"I sure hope the guy survives this…" Xu Xiaoshou prayed inwardly.

"Well, I guess it serves him right for daring to mess with Jie here. Seems like he doesn't quite get the concept of 'never judge a book by its cover.'"

After seeing Zhou Tianshen disappear inside the portal, Xu Xiaoshou was feeling rather flattered.

"That thing opened right here to pick me up instead of appearing somewhere near the gate, huh?" he thought. "Is this some kind of reward for those who go out of their way to get things done?"

"Jie!" Xu Xiaoshou looked at the puppet child, and his mouth twitched for a bit. "We're leaving."

Jie looked at the portal, a flicker of doubt in its eyes. "Mama…"

"Shrink!" Xu Xiaoshou didn't bother yapping with it. Judging from the information he'd learned earlier, it would be very difficult to maintain that portal, even if it was Ye Xiaotian doing it.

Jie hesitated briefly before shrinking into a metal ball and hovering over to him. Xu Xiaoshou immediately grabbed hold of it.

"Remember. After we get outside, do your best not to take your original form in places with lots of people. Only attack when I give the order.

"Don't go about stirring trouble, understand?"

The two red dots on the ball flickered, and Xu Xiaoshou nodded with satisfaction, yet he nonetheless had to add, "If you do something wrong and get sent here again, I won't be able to do anything to save you."

"Mama…"

"Be a good boy, and I'll get you a girlfriend someday."

The metal ball didn't respond. Xu Xiaoshou stuffed the metal ball into his shirt and flew toward the portal and walked into it.

There was a flicker of light, and he disappeared.

The Tianxuan Gate was finally quiet again.

It'd only taken two days for the situation to go from abundant spiritual energy to looking like it was doomsday. He wondered what would've happened if the place had stayed like that for one more day.

It was fortunate that the Sky Tree had been sent there in time and that he did his best to salvage the world.

All in all, everything had turned out fine in the end.

With the exception of some poor, lost dude, and those world-stabilizing treasures that had been lost…

Whoooshh.

The winds howled, and it started to snow again. The sky was patching together, and the world seemed to be on the right path again.

The portal flickered, then flashed in the Council Hall.

"Hahaha, I, Xu Xiaoshou, am finally home!"

He was slightly disoriented, yet he recovered by just shaking his head for a bit and opened his arms to hug the sun that was setting in the mountains.

Watched, Passive Points 472.

"Holy sh*!" he thought.

He was immediately startled, feeling rather dazed by the fact that he was being watched, yet the corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch when he saw the three digits behind the notification.

"I'm still best suited to places with lots of people, after all." he thought. "Having just that little sister cursing me all the time would not only cause a slow increase in passive points but would probably get me in deep sh*t if one of those curses actually worked."

There were hundreds of men in black below starting at him intently. The faces were rather familiar.

"Huh?"

"All those people just to pick me up?" he thought.

There was a peculiar expression on his face as he recalled a certain scene, wanting to say something like "I shall rule over all from here on out," but he suppressed the impulse in the end.

His eyes roamed over the scene, and he saw the others from the Tianxuan Gate at a pavilion elsewhere. They all made it out.

He then turned his attention to the steps. The dean, Elder Qiao, and what was that…

"Oh sh," he thought. "That girl really is something else altogether. At the very least, she's at the pinnacle of Innate Level like Luo Leilei.

"Hmm. But if she's suppressing her powers, that would most likely mean she's actually at Master Level.

"And that one… that's her dad, eh? His power level should be at Sovereign Level, around the level of the dean."

His view had broadened considerably at present. Furthermore, with his "Sense" leveled up, he could now basically accurately tell the level of anyone he met, so long as it wasn't someone like that grey mist figure.

"Ma…"

Ehemm!

There was a soft cry from inside his robes all of a sudden, and Xu Xiaoshou immediately coughed several times to mask it.

"Ma… good boy, don't go about talking when you're not supposed to."

He almost ended up cursing right there and then, yet it would be inconvenient of him to do so, seeing how many out there were watching. As such, he went about trying to communicate with that metal ball telepathically.

He didn't know if it worked, but at least Jie was silent.

Everyone had initially turned their eyes away from Xu Xiaoshou, waiting for the last person to emerge, but Xu Xiaoshou's coughing attracted their attention again.

The young man hovering midair was growing rather uncomfortable from being watched like this again. He flicked his robe and said, "What are you all looking at? Never seen a handsome guy before?"

Doubted, Passive Points 472.

The very disciplined hundreds of men in black under the pagoda tree got somewhat riled up by that one man in the air.

"Hehehe…" Yu Zhiwen covered her mouth and chuckled. "This guy sure is bold, daring to joke before so many people. He really is a lot better than the few who were trembling with fear before."

"Joke?"

Despite the girl having lowered her voice, Xu Xiaoshou was able to hear her all the same. He turned to look at her and added seriously, "Do I look like I'm joking?"

Yu Zhiwen was speechless.

Cursed, Passive Points 1.

"You're interesting." She'd never met someone so shameless before.

"Heh, you're not being honest, woman!" he thought.

Xu Xiaoshou turned his attention away from the Information Bar and added with sincerity, "Thank you. your eyes look very pretty."

"Who doesn't know cheap flattery, eh?" he thought.

But then again, that wasn't actually just flattery. He noted that the girl's eyes looked like they had stars in them. They were very bright, very dazzling, and very charming.

Yu Zhiwen blushed a little, but fortunately, her veil covered enough of her face to conceal it. She turned her head around and said nothing else.

She'd met a lot of dashing men before, and quite a few had expressed their love and admiration for her, but none had spoken to her like this.

She was unable to come up with a comeback and could only stay silent for the time being.

Xu Xiaoshou was feeling amused, yet his grin froze the very next second.

Cursed, Passive Points 1, 1, 1, 1…

Man, just how dishonest could the girl get?

Looking embarrassed on the outside and cursing like mad deep down?

Wait, hold on…

The frequency of the curses…

He turned his attention to the pavilion back there. Some Inner Yard participants had emerged earlier, guarded by a group of men in black. Mu Zixi was among them.

"What?"

The girl innocently blinked her large eyes when Xu Xiaoshou's eyes locked onto her own.

Xu Xiaoshou checked the Information Bar again.

Cursed, Passive Points 1, 1, 1, 1…

"Well, no one can curse like you. I guess I have a lunatic for a little sister indeed," he thought.

Everyone saw him slowly descend from the sky, feeling that something was off with him, but they couldn't say what.

Qiao Qianzhi was the first one to note his peculiarity and asked, feeling surprised, "Xu Xiaoshou, you've broken into Innate Level, eh?"

Everyone was stunned. It was only then that they recalled that Xu Xiaoshou had only been at Spiritual Cultivation level nine before entering the Tianxuan Gate.

That meant he'd made a breakthrough first into level 10 and then into Innate Levels in just two days. Furthermore, despite being at early Origin Court Level, it didn't seem like the ordinary early Origin Court Level…

His training seemed to have solidified his cultivation foundation, and he looked like he could break into the middle stages of Origin Court at any moment.

"Oh, h*ll…"

Doubted, Passive Points 472.

Doubted, Passive Points 365.

Xu Xiaoshou was very pleased. This was why he liked places with many people, as those people would always end up racking up a lot of Passive Points for him.

Despite having shown up mere moments before, he'd already racked in nearly 2000 points.

"Yeah, I'm at Innate Levels now."

He flapped his sleeves, behaving as if he were invincible.

He'd had a dream a while back, and that dream was going to a place with 10000 people and shouting "I'm at Innate Level," then racking up 10000 points from doing just that.

At that time, he'd been worried people would gang up on him and pummel him to death just for doing that. It didn't take long for that dream to be reduced to something that could never be realized.

It was indeed a pity.

Qiao Qianzhi noted Xu Xiaoshou's smug look and couldn't help but flash a grin at him. "Hahahahahaha… hmm, looks like you've gained quite a lot in the Tianxuan Gate, then."

Gain?

He couldn't help but cradle his chest as he recalled the 28000 passive points he'd gotten at the Black Waterfalls and the three treasures currently with him.

Well, not quite. Counting Jie, he'd gotten four treasures.

He landed with a tap, feeling solid ground under his feet. There was an uncontrollable grin on his face.

"Well, when it comes to gains, I did gain quite a lot…"

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Chapter 183: Xu Xiaoshou, Could You Stop Yapping!

"Where's Yuan Tou?"

Ye Xiaotian was obviously nearing his limit, yet the two portals didn't show any signs of wavering at all, even though he'd been holding them for quite a long time.

Xu Xiaoshou saw everyone looking at him and simply shrugged indifferently. "How should I know? Maybe he's lost, that guy…"

He and Yuan Tou had never been on good terms to being with, and everyone knew that, so his response was expected.

Qiao Qianzhi glanced at him suspiciously, but said nothing else in the end.

There was no evidence confirming if Yuan Tou was truly dead, yet as one of the veterans from the Inner Yard, there was no way he hadn't sensed the changes inside the Tianxuan Gate.

His not having appeared at that moment itself already said that there was a problem.

"How about…"

"We'll wait a little longer." Ye Xiaotian cut Qiao Qianzhi off. He severed the portal linking the Slaughter Cape and devoted his powers to maintaining the other portal.

Xu Xiaoshou shrugged indifferently again. There was no way he would say more to that.

He had already given that fellow an opportunity, and it had nothing to do with him and that man had been unable to seize it.

It was rather unfortunate that the dean's efforts would definitely end up wasted, getting nothing in return.

"That, umm…"

Xu Xiaoshou wanted to say something, but hesitated.

He actually wanted to check on Zhou Tianshen's injuries, but the man was surrounded by those men in black at the pavilion. He could tell that Zhou Tianshen's injuries weren't fatal, but the man was still unconscious.

It became apparent that Jie's attack was something that no one without Master Physique would be able to withstand.

As for the pavilion…

Everyone else who'd been inside the Tianxuan Gate before and had already emerged were there but him.

Xu Xiaoshou looked at the pavilion and was able to tell with his Sense that the place was at the center of the peripheral vision of the hundreds of men in black.

If there was a reason for this, it had to be due to Luo Leilei being among them.

It was a given that there might be other spies hanging around.

"Seems like those old dudes in the spirit palace weren't blind after all," he thought. "They just couldn't let a spy do as they pleased in the Tianxuan Gate.

"I guess they've made a lot of preparations elsewhere, too, besides just this place."

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but recall that absurd counterattack back in his place at the Outer Yard that one night.

He'd jumped here and there right under the noses of hundreds of law enforcers out there, even though he thought he'd been clever enough with handling both Feng Kong and Shao Yi and that no one knew what he'd been doing.

"D*mn it…" he thought.

"Looking back on it now, that was as awkward as could be.

"Those old dudes sure know how to play the big game without alerting anyone…"

"If there's nothing else, I'll head back to my place to reinforce my training, then?" Xu Xiaoshou asked in a roundabout manner.

Shaking his head, Qiao Qianzhi unreservedly retorted, "Head to the pavilion, and stay put."

Despite being one of Elder Sang's disciples, it still wasn't the time for breaking rules. After all, he'd probably contributed to that ruckus happening in the Tianxuan Gate.

Anyone suspected of being a spy wasn't allowed to leave at that moment.

Xu Xiaoshou touched the metal ball before his chest. He didn't mind staying around. He was only concerned if Jie would get him busted for talking when it shouldn't talk.

If someone were to search him, they would find four world-stabilizing treasures on his person, and there would be a world of trouble for him if that happened.

He would be deemed the very culprit who had almost ended up collapsing the Tianxuan Gate.

While that had never been his intention, it would be impossible to clear his name if that happened.

He took a deep breath and, finding no other excuse he could use to slip away from the place with, simply said exasperatedly, "My stomach hurts…"

Doubted, Passive Points 472.

He was hoisted to the pavilion after racking up quite a bit of Passive Points.

There were four stone benches on the pavilion, and Zhou Tianshen alone took up an entire bench.

The rest of the spots were well-allocated. Mu Zixi and Mo Mo sat together, three people whose names he didn't know sat together, Luo Leilei was on the other side, and Zhao Qingteng, who was being rather restless, was sitting right across from her.

"Xu Xiaoshou." Mu Zixi patted the spot next to her, motioning for him to come and sit down.

Xu Xiaoshou went on to sit between Luo Leilei and Zhao Qingteng without a care instead.

Cursed, Passive Points 2.

Hmph! The girl flicked her pigtails, and, fuming, turned her head aside.

Xu Xiaoshou thought it was quite amusing. "Man, this brat really is too much. Is she really getting jealous over a seat here?"

He turned to look at Luo Leilei, who was sitting all prim and proper. While tension wasn't written all over her face, one could tell how tense she was by how tightly her hands were clenching her dress.

Xu Xiaoshou inched closer to her.

"What?" Luo Leilei tilted her head and glared at him.

"You're being rather obvious…" The young man smirked.

Luo Leilei followed his gaze to her hands, and casually loosened her grip.

She switched to telepathy: "The Black Scabbard isn't on me. You should be worried about yourself instead."

"I'm not buying that you didn't do anything else during the day after that," Xu Xiaoshou retorted, feeling amused.

Luo Leilei's eyes darted about, and she was feeling rather flustered as she said in an angry tone of voice, "Don't you know how to do telepathy? What are you doing being so loud? Do you have a death wish or something?"

"I don't know telepathy."

Luo Leilei was speechless.

Cursed, Passive Points 1.

She then threw a jade scroll at him. He grabbed hold of it and took a look at it before putting it away, feeling a headache coming on.

"This is rather difficult."

Luo Leilei couldn't believe her ears.

That man before her, who was capable of developing Innate Sword Will, was actually finding telepathy, which everyone knew how to do, "rather difficult."

Doubted, Passive Points 1.

She was silent.

Since he was incapable of telepathy, and given how many pairs of ears there were around them, she saw no need to continue talking to him.

The pavilion was all quiet after the two of them stopped talking.

It was even more so outside. Hundreds of people were around, and yet the only thing that could be heard was the sound of breathing. Everyone was paying attention to the sweat dripping from Ye Xiaotian's chin.

They wondered if the tenth person would emerge.

Xu Xiaoshou took a look at the jade scroll again but found that he was still incapable of learning it. Troubled, he looked into the distance.

The old pagoda tree was right ahead. The tree stayed lush throughout the seasons.

There was a nest of mystic sparrows on the tree. All the perceptive ones had left, leaving only one with a broken leg behind. That bird wanted to fly, yet was unable to do so under such a tense atmosphere.

"A caged bird unable to fly anymore."

Xu Xiaoshou watched for quite a while, a rather dazed expression on his face.

Luo Leilei was stunned. She followed his gaze, and, seeing the struggling bird, smirked.

The kid was incapable of telepathy, which meant there was no stopping him from yapping away.

"What do you mean 'caged'?" she asked exasperatedly.

"That tree's crown with lots of openings might as well be airtight to that bird now."

Luo Leilei rolled her eyes. She knew exactly what he meant with that line.

"If the bird really wanted to leave, it could simply spread its wings to do so," he said. "When push comes to shove, it could at least leave the crown by hopping on just one leg."

Xu Xiaoshou paused for quite a while before adding, "The mantis preys on the cicada, not knowing that the sparrow is right behind it. The sparrow's leg is broken, and it's the hunter's turn to salivate."

Luo Leilei was aghast.

Cursed, Passive Points 1.

The girl was already as flustered as she could be, and what Xu Xiaoshou just said was tantamount to pushing her over the edge, and she decided not to talk to him anymore.

Luo Leilei knew how much of a blabbermouth Xu Xiaoshou could be from back in the Tianxuan Gate. Her last psychological defense would crumble if she kept talking to him.

It was all silent again, and the young man by her side eventually turned his gaze from the tree back to her before sighing and lowering his head.

The pavilion was apparently rather old. There were cracks in the flooring, and several ants were seen dragging a dead body of a mosquito several times their size as they went on their way.

"It's probably gonna rain tomorrow…"

Luo Leilei was stunned again, and looked down, yet she was unable to tell where the voice had come from.

"What?"

"Haven't you heard that before? When the ants rush to move their lair, a heavy rain comes the next day that follows."

Luo Leilei's eyelids twitched. "What's all that nonsense?"

Sigh…

Xu Xiaoshou sighed all of a sudden and shook his head as he watched the exceptionally strong insects gradually disappear inside the cracks.

"It's a pity. Regardless of how strong the ants are, there's no way for them to fly, and they'll

eventually head into darkness all the same."

"The h*ll…" Luo Leilei thought. She was so furious she felt as if her veins were popping out of her skin and that her liver was about to explode.

"Xu Xiaoshou, could you just stop yapping for a moment!" she yelled.

Requested, Passive Points 1.

The girl by his side immediately stood up as he opened his mouth, then walked with great strides to Mu Zixi and sat by her side.

"Umm…"

"Shut up!"

Luo Lei glared at him so intensely that she felt like her eyeballs were going to pop out.

Xu Xiaoshou was flabbergasted.

"What?" he thought. "Couldn't we just have a nice chat, eh? It's not like you have long to live. I was just worried you'd be lonely!

"Gosh, this is what you do to people who are nice to you, eh…"

Crack!

Ye Xiaotian had finally reached his limit. The portal cracked and eventually shattered into specks of light.

Xu Xiaoshou smirked. That meant that Yuan Tou had succeeded in getting himself lost.

Dejection was seen in everyone's eyes, yet all of them moved at the same time, inadvertently scanning the pavilion as if they were expecting something.

Xu Xiaoshou shook his head a little and grinned.

"The show's about to start."

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Chapter 184: The Lucky One

Qiao Qianzhi clapped Ye Xiaotian on the shoulder and said, "Yuan Tou is done for."

It was difficult to foster an Inner Yard disciple, and, furthermore, that man was one of the new 33 and had a bright future ahead of him.

Despite having a somewhat stained record, given that no one was perfect, his flaws were forgivable.

In this world, no one paid particular attention to someone's flaws. What people did pay attention to was how powerful a person was.

"It's a pity…"

Ye Xiaotian simply sighed. The path to reach the Great Path was fraught with incidents, and it wasn't uncommon to see someone gone due to one of such incidents.

He turned around and added, "We'll try one last time when we open the gate of the place normally a day later."

"Sure." Qiao Qianzhi agreed to it without any hesitation. He then turned around to look at Zhao Xidong. "Time to get to work."

"We've been waiting just to do that."

Zhao Xidong all of a sudden had a piece of grass dangling from his mouth that no one recalled him putting there, and there was a cynical look in his eyes. He then disappeared from where he stood with the wheel in his hands.

By the time he reappeared, he was already seen squatting at the fence of the pavilion.

"Yo!"

Everyone turned to look at it, their moods different.

For some of the veterans, seeing Zhao Xidong in law enforcer mode was like seeing a walking, talking "Tribunal," and they instinctively became flustered.

"Alright. I'll cut to the chase instead of beating around the bush."

Zhao Xidong pushed the wheel and said, "This thing here is called the 'Spirit Curtain Wheel of the 12 Pearls.' It reflects the conditions inside the Tianxuan Gate.

"When four of the 12 world-stabilizing treasures are lost, the Tianxuan Gate will start to collapse. I think you all experienced that fact firsthand."

The handful of those who weren't in the know immediately realized what was going on right then and there, not daring to believe that the collapse was actually a man-made disaster.

Xu Xiaoshou glanced at the others, finding that everyone other than Luo Leilei and Mo Mo still seemed somewhat puzzled…

"These guys really are slow at picking up on things…" he thought.

Zhao Xidong then continued, "This type of incident didn't happen in years past, and even if someone was lucky enough to chance upon such treasures, it would still be difficult for them to break the seals.

"However, those treasures shall be the prizes of any who succeed in doing so."

"Prizes?" Xu Xiaoshou's eyes immediately lit up. "Wait, is this to say that all four treasures on my person now are all mine to keep?" he thought.

Zhao Xidong glanced at him thoughtfully and continued, "But things are different this time around."

"Oh?"

"The Tianxuan Gate was only open for two days. Losing four treasures at once is impossible, which means…"

"That there are spies?" Xu Xiaoshou finished the sentence.

Zhao Xidong stared at him and smirked. "You think that you're cleared of all suspicions just because you behave as if you're on our side?" he thought.

He then continued steadily, "Indeed. Furthermore, there's not one spy; there're two spies at hand."

Two?

Mu Zixi blinked her huge eyes, not quite following what he was saying.

She knew who the spy was if there was only one. Sister Mo would definitely be a suspect, as that girl had been after her "Spirit Mark of Life" the whole time, which meant there was something wrong with her.

She then turned to Xu Xiaoshou, feeling even more puzzled.

After all, judging from the outcome alone, not only had her brother-in-training gotten the "Spirit Mark of Life" all of a sudden, but he'd even gotten a small portion of the "Sealing Stone" as well.

As such, she chose to say nothing. Xu Xiaoshou was around and would say what needed to be said, after all.

However, Xu Xiaoshou was also somewhat shocked.

In the case of two spies, he already knew that Luo Leilei was of the "Holy Servant," as he was the one who'd busted her cover, which left one other person…

He thought that it could be Mo Mo as well, as that grey mist figure could be considered a spy.

Right, that thing had been after one of those treasures right from the start, after all.

However, when it came to sheer numbers alone, he was possibly the one with the highest number of treasures on him… and that thought caused him to immediately become somewhat flustered.

Zhao Xidong closely watched their reactions the whole time. Some were puzzled, some were confused, some were calm, and some were quiet…

Xu Xiaoshou was the one with the most reactions to pass over his face, and Zhao Xidong deemed that he was as suspicious as one could get.

"That guy definitely knows some insider information and is probably familiar with the treasures as well," he thought. "He could actually be the spy.

"But…"

Given that even Elder Xiao had made it very clear that the spy couldn't be Xu Xiaoshou, Zhao Xidong was feeling rather troubled, and he wondered why the elders were so sure about this.

Elder Sang's deduction made a lot of sense. There were probably two spies, and other than Luo Leilei, who they'd all seen from "Heaven's Vision," the identity of the spy was still a mystery.

If he were to go based on intuition alone, he would probably mark Luo Leilei, Xu Xiaoshou, and Mo Mo as suspects.

However, the Spiritual Law Division didn't go about their business through intuition alone. There needed to be evidence.

Even Luo Leilei, who was the most suspicious at the moment, could just claim that she just so happened to get to the top of the Black Cliff and saw the scabbard and tried to pry it out, just like anyone else would have.

As such…

"I'm very sorry to tell all of you and none of you are cleared of suspicion, so hand over your rings." Zhao Xidong opened his hands.

Everyone's expressions drastically changed. A space ring could be said to be a person's utmost privacy, with outcomes of their encounters stored within. They couldn't possibly just hand over their rings like that.

"It's absurd to make such a request on just suspicions alone!" The longer one spent in the Inner Yard, the more secrets one harbored. It was only natural that someone would be displeased.

"Oh?" Zhao Xidong looked at the one who'd said so and continued in a threatening tone, "If you get to the Tribunal, you won't even get to keep your underwear. We're not actually asking much of you now. What more do you want?"

"I…"

"Would you like to come with me, then?" Zhao Xidong twisted his head about.

That man became as flustered as one could get right there and then.

Xu Xiaoshou raised his hand. "I have a question."

"Speak."

"Assuming that there were two spies, and then someone else just chanced upon the treasures and managed to take them, what happens to them?"

Zhao Xidong was stunned. That was a question that he hadn't thought about, yet he quickly dismissed that possibility deep down.

"There were only ten of you in there," he thought. "Two of you were spies, and you're saying that one more of you was lucky enough to just stumble upon the treasures? Are there such coincidences in this world?"

"There couldn't be so many coincidences in this world," he answered exasperatedly. "You really think that those treasures are something that just drop from the sky?"

"Indeed," Xu Xiaoshou continued seriously. "There are indeed so many coincidences in this world."

"Heh, so you're telling me that you happened to get one of those treasures and that you're not a spy?" Zhao Xidong smirked.

Xu Xiaoshou said no more and broke out "Hiding Pain," letting it stand on the floor with a thump.

"What a coincidence. I'm indeed one of those lucky people."

Doubted, Passive Points 472.

Zhao Xidong almost burst out laughing and added, "Do you think I'm blind? That's just your cheap sword…"

He was stunned all of a sudden.

That sword was definitely the one he'd caught the crowd's attention with back in the contest and caused quite a huge commotion.

However, the problem was the scabbard…

"The Black Scabbard?" Zhao Xidong exclaimed.

The image from "Heaven's Vision" had been that of Luo Leilei prying off the scabbard and Xu Xiaoshou watching from the sidelines.

That meant that the two definitely had had an altercation.

He wondered how Xu Xiaoshou had managed to pry the "Black Scabbard" off of the most powerful member among the newly appointed 33.

"How is this possible?"

He turned to look at Luo Leilei, who blushed and said, "Why are you looking at me?"

"You really managed to take it off of her hands?" Zhao Xidong thought. He was shocked to the core.

He recalled the night where Xu Xiaoshou, who was still at Spiritual Cultivation Level nine, had managed to shoot Zhao Shu off like fireworks. As such, it would seem that it was plausible that this kid, who was already at early Origin Court Level, had snatched the scabbard from Luo Leilei's hands. Everything actually…

Felt rather possible.

But!

Zhao Xidong felt his worldview collapsing. How was this possible? This was absurd!

Someone at early Origin Court level defeating someone at the peak of Upper Spiritual Level?

Well, it wasn't like something like this hadn't happened before, but it was just too d*mn rare! You could say that Zhao Shu had lost due to miscalculations, but Luo Leilei…

The girl wasn't of the same order of magnitude as Zhao Shu to begin with!

More importantly, if the "Black Scabbard" was now in Xu Xiaoshou's hands, how would they confirm their suspicions with Luo Leilei, then?

Zhao Xidong was puzzled.

The two spies were now unknown again?

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Chapter 185: You Refuse to Balk even Now?

Was that the Black Scabbard?

Ye Xiaotian and Qiao Qianzhi turned to one another and looked knowingly into each other's eyes.

Unlike Zhao Xidong, both of them knew that Xu Xiaoshou was Elder Sang's disciple and would not make a fuss about his identity.

As for combat prowess, if the kid had caught the old fart's attention, it would mean that he had unique combat skills.

What they were most shocked about was how cunning Elder Sang had been.

Ye Xiaotian snorted coldly. "That old dude said that he had never given away any information deliberately. But looking at how things are going, he could have just given an order instead."

"I do not think so, though."

Qiao Qianzhi pondered over it and added, "I have only told the old man about the information regarding the White Cave after those kids got inside the Tianxuan Gate. It means that they knew nothing about the Fourth Sword beforehand."

"It could be intuition then?"

Qiao Qianzhi was a little puzzled and said, "Would it mean that the old man was accurate in his assumptions?"

"Assumptions?" Ye Xiaotian rolled his eyes and added, "He has duped you then. I think you would not believe it even if he were to tell you how much he had done behind everyone's backs."

Qiao Qianzhi did not know how to respond to the remark.

"Well, I do not think it is so terrible." He then recalled something and added, "The bet which both of you made…"

Ye Xiaotian then glanced at the two from the Holy Divine Palace standing behind them and said, "I think Jiang Bianyan is here to talk about it. Well, it is not like that guy is of much help, so we are already trying to get rid of them."

Haha, haha, haha…

Qiao Qianzhi laughed out loud. "It is easy to call for help but difficult to get them to leave. I think you are about to lose."

"Heh, it is still too early to tell who wins and who loses. Anyway, it is only the Black Scabbard," retorted Ye Xiaotian.

He waved the issue off dismissively.

Honestly, even if there had not been a bet between him and Elder Sang, Ye Xiaotian would have gifted the scabbard to Xu Xiaoshou, anyway. After all, the kid was Elder Sang's disciple. It did not bother him that the kid had the item.

Besides, life was full of surprises. They would continuously need to scout for people capable of accomplishing better things for the future.

Ye Xiaotian looked at his silver hair.

He knew it was past his time to continue fighting to be among the top. He felt satisfied just managing the Spirit Palace and nurturing some highly capable people.

The rest would be left to the young.

It also surprised Jiang Bianyan when he saw the Black Scabbard.

If Xu Xiaoshou only had another piece of treasure, it would not be so concerning to the Hallmaster of a side hall in the Holy Divine Palace. For regardless of how powerful the said treasure was, the Hallmaster would have experienced and seen it all.

However, things were different with the Black Scabbard. The symbolic meaning of the scabbard far eclipsed its value.

"The Tiansang Spirit Palace is something else. Instead of hiding the piece, they openly gift it to a disciple just like that."

Yu Zhiwen noticed Jiang Bianyan's unusual reaction and asked, "What is so special about this Black Scabbard?"

Jiang Bianyan had a wry grin on his face and replied, "It is the sole purpose of your trip."

Her sole purpose? Yu Zhiwen frowned and finally realized what he was saying. There was a startled look in her eyes as she asked, "Is this… the Scabbard of the Fourth Sword?"

"Indeed, it is."

Yu Zhiwen was flustered when Jiang Bianyan confirmed the fact.

That was the Scabbard of the Fourth Sword?

The Scabbard of the Fourth Sword, known as the Sword of Disaster, was one of the Five Great Divine Instruments of the Continent.

If she were to get her hands on it before entering the White Cave, would it not improve her chances?

The veiled girl's eyes flashed with excitement yet again. It was the sword that would have made the Eighth Sword Deity and any other swordsman go frantic to possess it.

Fueled with the desire for the Divine Instrument, she looked at Xu Xiaoshou and took one step forward, without thinking.

Jiang Bianyan casually tugged at her wrist with his spiritual source, pulling her back.

"Calm down," he whispered to her.

"Now is not the time for you to step out. It is already good enough that we could stay around and listen to the internal affairs of the Tiansang Spirit Palace."

Jiang Bianyan sighed as he shook his head. He felt disheartened as he watched as the girl finally suppressed her urge.

The Eighth Sword Deity.

Despite having perished for so many years, his glorious record in combat still shone as brightly as it had back when he was alive.

[Back at the Pavilion]

Zhao Xidong eyed Xu Xiaoshou's Black Scabbard and hesitated.

Why would he show off the thing out in the open? It was not how things were done!

Should he not be hiding it instead? Why would a spy be so conspicuous?

Zhao Xidong opened his mouth, but Xu Xiaoshou spoke before he could say anything. He said, " I headed east right after entering the Tianxuan Gate and reached the bottom of the Black Cliff not long after."

After training there for half a day, I got intrigued by the boundless sword aura blasting from the top. Since I have made some breakthroughs, I flew up there."

And then, I got my hands on the Black Scabbard."

Xu Xiaoshou looked sincere and truthful when he explained his exploits, elaborating facts using his initiative, and exhibited frankness. There was no reason to suspect him, was there?

It would be absurd if anyone still wanted to search for the ring.

The more Zhao Xidong analyzed the situation, the more he felt everything seemed suspicious. He kept feeling that Xu Xiaoshou was not someone he could apprehend. The kid had even evaded arrest after killing Zhao Shu.

Why was he so obedient this time?

It is impossible!

Zhao Xidong had a smirk on his face when he extended a hand and said, "Stop pretending, Xu Xiaoshou. Do you genuinely think that I do not know what you are trying to play here?"

Xu Xiaoshou immediately felt dismayed.

This Zhao Xidong character was a piece of work. But Xu Xiaoshou did not want to hand over the ring. There were two more treasures in there, and he would lose them if he were to hand it over. They would also regard him as a spy.

He immediately felt somewhat vexed, on account he was not the spy.

Seeing that there was not much chance of weaseling out of the situation, Xu Xiaoshou resorted to playing along to manipulate his way out.

"What does that mean?" Xu Xiaoshou asked as he looked at Zhao Xidong's extended hand.

"What do you think?"

Zhao Xidong retorted, adamant about checking Xu Xiaoshou's ring there and then, and believing no one would stop him.

When Zhao Xidong saw the young man hesitating, he grabbed his hand, then shook it twice.

"Well, good day," Xu Xiaoshou said, responding by gripping his hand in a shake.

Zhao Xidong felt the firm grip of Xu Xiaoshou's hand.

And right away, it made him furious.

"Your ring!" he scowled.

"I do not have a habit of giving guys rings," Xu Xiaoshou replied.

"Xu Xiaoshou, you dare to resist orders!'

Zhao Xidong's face twisted in fury when he could not shake off Xu Xiaoshou's hand.

What is with this guy? Why did he have so much power?

The law enforcers surrounding the pavilion were immediately riled up. From the way things looked between the two men, the impression was that a fight would break out

"I am a good guy." Xu Xiaoshou said with a sincere expression.

"If you are a good guy, you will hand over your ring," Zhao Xidong said as he lowered his head and looked at Xu Xiaoshou hand, then shouted, "Let go of me!"

He could shake off the hand with his spiritual force, but doing so meant he would have to resort to violence.

"I know who the spy is."

Everyone suddenly went silent after hearing him say that.

They seemed tense as they looked at the young man at the pavilion.

He slowly turned around to look at Luo Leilei, who looked at him with an uneasy expression.

Xu Xiaoshou felt sorry, but he could not bear to hand over his ring. To get out of the situation, he changed the subject and ratted out on Luo Leilei.

Whether she could get out of the situation would depend on how smart and witty she was. Xu Xiaoshou believed in her ability to do it.

"Luo Leilei."

He then pointed at the girl dressed in purple. Mu Zixi immediately looked startled, darting her eyes back and forth between the two of them.

She felt caught in a pincer attack.

The girl gripped her pigtails nervously. She wanted to stand up, but she was afraid that all eyes would be on her if she were to make any move.

After assessing the situation, she eventually chose to remain still, feeling like she was sitting on needles.

"Xu Xiaoshou, you…" Luo Leilei looked stunned, realizing that she was betrayed just like that.

However, when she thought about it, Xu Xiaoshou had not much to do with her.

She first met him at the top of the Black Cliff, back in the Tianxuan Gate.

She had extended her invitation for him to join the Holy Servant after he robbed her of the Black Scabbard, and he had refused the invitation.

As she recalled, she had been the one trying to win him over all the time.

Was there any reason for him to betray her? No, he was not doing that. He was merely making accusations, that was all.

Luo Leilei rose and chuckled bitterly. She was unfazed as she slowly removed an ice-blue egg from her ring.

"What a coincidence. I am one of the lucky ones too."

She looked at Xu Xiaoshou with an amused look in her eyes.

So, he wanted to play games? Fine then. He got what he wished.

Xu Xiaoshou looked shocked.

He seemed to remember how adamant he was all those years ago. Happy to play the role of a faithful follower of sorts…

Was he kidding? He would not balk at the chance even now!

Report chapter

Chapter 186: Exposed

Zhao Xidong froze, momentarily stunned by the revelation.

Was luck on his side?

Undoubtedly, these were two spies who were trying to double-cross each other!

They each possessed a precious artifact that held the Tianxuan Gate together. What else could they be, if not spies?

He put his palm out again. If he found something questionable in their rings, it would confirm his suspicions and their crimes.

"Give me your rings!"

Luo Leilei gave Xu Xiaoshou a dirty look. She was undaunted as she marched up to Zhao Xidong and her fearlessness stunned Xu Xiaoshou somewhat.

The Sealing Stone that he had taken was the third artifact holding the Tianxuan Gate together. The Gate had collapsed soon afterward. It meant that Luo Leilei had the fourth artifact.

But here she was, revealing the egg to everyone. Did it mean that there was nothing hidden inside her ring at all?

Did she play him out?

"Search his ring first. Look at him dragging his feet. He must have something to hide," Luo Leilei said as she glanced at Xu Xiaoshou.

"Hurry!" Zhao Xidong urged him hurriedly.

Exasperated and left with no choice, Xu Xiaoshou stepped forward. He hesitated when he held out his hand with the ring on one of his fingers.

"You are intruding on my privacy," he protested as a last resort.

"Hah!"

Zhao Xidong cared nothing for his privacy. He yanked the ring off with a furious tug.

A look of pain swept across Xu Xiaoshou's face.

With a Space Ring, a person could only access it after its owner died. Also, the owner would need to grant access to the said person.

Naturally, it did not apply to everyone. A person with supreme power like Ye Xiaotian was such an exception.

Zhao Xidong injected his spiritual senses into the ring after being granted access. A strange look flickered across his face soon after.

What had he seen inside?

A few heaps of clothes, of which some were wearable while others seemed stained with blood.

There were mountains of Spirit Crystals, a few jars of honey, and an incredible number of pills.

He did not bother with the number of Spiritual Cultivation Pills in the ring. But how did the guy get his hands on so many Origin Court Pills? The quantity he had amassed did not seem like something a disciple who had just joined the Inner Yard should possess!

Zhao Xidong did not spend too much time wondering about the pills, though. Instead, he focused on looking for the artifact. His initial search came up with nothing.

He searched repeatedly and still found nothing.

The corners of Zhao Xidong's lips twitched. It was not what he had expected. There were two spies, which meant that they should each have two artifacts on them. Why had he not found anything?

If Xu Xiaoshou only had the Black Scabbard on him, then the other three artifacts must be with Luo Leilei.

How could she have amassed them all within two days?

It seemed highly implausible!

Was Xu Xiaoshou telling the truth, after all? Perhaps he had been lucky enough to stumble across the Black Scabbard. Maybe there was another spy present who had not yet revealed himself or herself.

Zhao Xidong glanced at Mo Mo discreetly. She appeared composed and unfazed by what was going on.

The rest observed the change in Zhao Xidong's facial expression and silently concluded that Xu Xiaoshou was innocent.

"What about the rest of your rings?" asked Zhao Xidong after giving it some thought.

Xu Xiaoshou grimaced and replied, "Are you kidding me? Do I look rich? You think I have more Space Rings?"

"Why do you not ask me if I have the more expensive stuff like a Space Bracelet or a Space Necklace?"

A Space Necklace?

It was something not even Zhao Xidong had!

Zhao Xidong smiled mirthlessly at Xu Xiaoshou as he shoved his ring back into his hand. "Honestly, you are quite rich," Zhao Xidong quipped.

"Do not spout nonsense!" exclaimed Xu Xiaoshou as he waved his hands frantically. "There is a crowd watching us. Do you not know you might get me killed by saying stuff like that?"

"I am merely an Outer Yard disciple," he said, putting on as innocent a face as he could muster.

His remark left Zhao Xidong speechless.

Everyone else there was equally at a loss for words.

It was then that everyone remembered Xu Xiaoshou was just an Outer Yard disciple. If he had not mentioned it, they would have continued treating him like a core disciple.

: Suspected, Passive Points 144.

: Impressed, Passive Points 66.

: Begrudged, Passive Points 89.

Hmm…

"Hehe, hehe…" Xu Xiaoshou chuckled to himself, overjoyed at the unexpected Passive Points he had gained. He kept his ring and quietly stepped aside.

"You are not totally off the hook. Do not go running around. We will need to run another check on you using the Spiritual Law Division system."

"Sure, I understand."

Xu Xiaoshou nodded obediently. Then, under Zhao Xidong's reproachful stare, he dusted off his clothes, loosened his neck collar, and calmly sat down.

"Your ring," asked Zhao Xidong as he turned to Luo Leilei.

Disbelief and suspicion flickered across Luo Leilei's eyes as she pulled her eyes away from Xu Xiaoshou.

She remembered asking Xu Xiaoshou at the entrance to the Tianxuan Gate, and the latter had told her he had the other artifacts on him.

How did he slip past Zhao Xidong's inspection?

"Your ring," Zhao Xidong demanded again.

Luo Leilei's eyes fell on the Space Ring on her finger. Upon closer examination, one could distinguish the slight difference in the carving around the ring.

It was of a naked woman, her arms wrapped around and her face buried in her knees. With her limbs shackled, she looked like a slave, weeping silently to herself.

Luo Leilei pulled her ring off her finger, placed the Ice Dragon Egg back into the ring, and handed it to Zhao Xidong.

"Here."

Zhao Xidong raised an eyebrow at the gesture of utter sincerity. When did everyone become so honest?

He reached out for the ring and froze as soon as his fingertips touched it. He could not move at all, not even his eyeballs.

It surprised everyone who stood near him.

"What is going on?"

Zhao Xidong did not move for a long while. Someone finally realized something was wrong when they caught the faint smell of burning flesh in the air.

BUZZ!

Purple electrical discharge appeared on Zhao Xidong's body. It was then that he shook with violent convulsions.

"Ahh… Ahh… Ahh… Ahh…"

His teeth chattered, his muscles spasmed, and his hair stood on ends. The law enforcer's skin turned a charred black that matched his black clothes after Luo Leilei gave a boost to the electric shock she had unleashed.

An icy shiver ran down Xu Xiaoshou's spine. One should not trifle with this young woman. Look at Zhao Xidong. He looked as if lightning had struck him.

"A spy!"

"She is a spy!"

Angry roars echoed around the place as everyone finally realized what had happened. Men in black robes flooded the pavilion.

CRACK!

Suddenly, a dark purple lightning bolt struck the pavilion and pierced right through its roof.

The electrical discharge surged outward when it hit the pavilion, electrocuting and paralyzing everyone.

Luo Leilei pulled her ring away and gave Zhao Xidong a slight push. The man fell to the ground stiffly with a loud thud.

"I am sorry. Honestly, I only have the Ice Dragon Egg. But I cannot let you see what is inside my Space Ring."

She whispered and then swept her eyes across Xu Xiaoshou. She could tell that he was putting on an act to look paralyzed.

She turned to look at Ye Xiaotian. Her cherry red lips parted slightly.

"Sovereign Stage cultivators may not challenge lower-level Spiritual cultivators. Am I not right?"

The look in Ye Xiaotian's eyes hardened. "But you are different."

Luo Leilei laughed softly and asked, "How am I different? Besides, you have Hallmaster Jiang, do you not?"

Jiang Bianyan frowned.

She was right. The Holy Divine Palace had a rule that governed powerful cultivators on the continent.

Powerful cultivators who had knowledge of the Great Path could destroy everything in their path if they engaged in battle. Thus, they could not engage in fights with cultivators of lower cultivation levels.

Before Jiang Bianyan could say anything, a few law enforcers, who had regained their mobility, charged at Luo Leilei with their blades.

"Prepare to die, witch!"

"Your cultivation level is too low! You are not qualified to fight our Dean!"

Electrical discharge flashed in Luo Leilei's eyes. The fierce light revealed the anxiety churning inside her.

Even though a majority of the Spiritual Law Division's law enforcers were only at the Innate stage, quite a few had reached the Master stage as well. They were all worthy opponents in their own right.

That she had neutralized everyone temporarily was only because she had the element of surprise on her side.

Otherwise, Zhao Xidong alone would have given her a tough time!

Fortunately, her greatest threat was now lying unconscious at her feet from the earlier electrical shock. She should be able to handle the others.

But only if the three Sovereign stage cultivators stayed out of the fight!

She bit her finger. A spot of crimson red appeared on her fingertip. Luo Leilei pointed her finger downward and swiped it across her chest.

"As decreed!"

With a sudden flare of purple electricity, she shot up into the sky. Thick, fuming spiritual energy flooded into her energy reserve.

A faint Master-stage presence gradually billowed out and filled the air at the pavilion.

Report chapter

Chapter 187: Chapter 187 You Can't Force Happiness

A breakthrough?

Everyone around Luo Leilei reeled back with slight shock. They had not expected Luo Leilei to have surpassed the Innate Stage and entered the Master Stage at such a critical moment.

She had displayed a level of cultivation that few of the older cohorts of the Inner Yard Thirty-Three had shown.

Not to mention she had just recently joined as a member of the Inner Yard Thirty-Three.

Mo Mo studied Luo Leilei's cultivation level, still rising at an incredible pace, and shook her head. "It is not a breakthrough. She broke a seal."

She was rather surprised and wondered who had placed the seal on Luo Leilei in the first place. It must have been a seal placed in advance and slipped past the notice of the dean and the others.

Xu Xiaoshou was dumbstruck. He could not believe it. Had the young woman been suppressing her actual level of cultivation all along?

If she had unleashed her full power when they had fought in the Tianxuan Gate, he might not have had run into the Grey Mist Figure!

Hold on a minute!

If she had unleashed her seal in the Tianxuan Gate when her powers were no match for the Grey Mist Figure, then the laws that governed the world inside the Tianxuan Gate would have destroyed her.

Luo Leilei's sudden breakthrough was an unexpected turn of events that had suddenly shifted the odds in the fight.

The four Master Stage law enforcers stepped forward. They were the only fighters who could take on Luo Leilei, as Zhao Xidong was down for the count.

The remaining law enforcers remained calm and steadily got into formation around them. These law enforcers may not be able to take on a Master Stage cultivator one-on-one, but they could still provide adequate cover when they fought as a team.

Somehow, the law enforcers sensed they were in a precarious situation. Everything was in good order only moments ago, but now the control they had seemed to have slipped from their grasp.

But the presence of the three Sovereign-stage cultivators on the steps eased their anxiety.

Who cared if Luo Leilei was at the Master Stage? With the dean and the other bigwigs there, she would not cause them too much trouble at all!

"The Holy Vassal?"

Ye Xiaotian exclaimed out loud.

He could still join the fight and take Luo Leilei down. But like what Luo Leilei had said, Jiang Bianyan was standing right next to him. He had to spare a thought for the other man's dignity.

Luo Leilei did not answer him.

Upon unleashing Thor's Form, a field of purple electrical pulses crackled around her, and a majestic pair of Purple Lightning Wings sprouted from her back. Luo Leilei gazed down at the four Master Stage law enforcers.

Her four opponents unleashed their cultivation as well. While this young woman was not merely an ordinary Master Stage cultivator, they were not to be trifled with, either.

At that moment, the atmosphere became taut with tension.

A sparrow with a broken leg did not even struggle before it plunged from the old pagoda tree and dropped dead. It lay stiffly on the ground like Zhao Xidong.

The ground was scorched. A fight seemed on the verge of breaking out at any moment.

Jiang Bianyan seized the moment and telepathically sent a message. He said, "Dean Ye, please do not mind me. We have to kill every member of the Holy Vassal. They are the reason I am here. We cannot hold ourselves back, for it is what they expect."

Ye Xiaotian nodded. He would not have allowed Luo Leilei to have her way, even if Jiang Bianyan had not spoken those words.

The incident with Cheng Xingchu had shown that underneath his taciturn, reserved veneer was a man who did not shy away from exploiting his strength to overpower the weak.

"I will take your silence as an affirmation then."

It did not matter to Ye Xiaotian that she was from the Holy Vassal. She had tried to steal the Black Scabbard from the Tianxuan Gate. She might have failed, but her attempt still counted as an unforgivable crime.

Ye Xiaotian raised his hand. The sound of buzzing filled the air.

An incredible power suddenly filled the Heavens and brought with it a deathly silence.

"Shackles of the Abyss?"

Luo Leilei panicked. She might have lightning speed, but it would not help her against such powerful defensive skills.

She did not expect Ye Xiaotian would risk ruining his reputation to fight a female cultivator less powerful than he was. He was not giving her any chances of winning the fight at all!

Luo Leilei's eyes filled with trepidation as she stared across the horizon.

Based on their plan, the Holy Vassal should have already infiltrated the Spirit Palace. The lightning bolt she shot out earlier had been her signal to them.

But there was no sign of them at all.

Life always came with unexpected perils. Her reinforcements had not arrived!

It was then that she spied Xu Xiaoshou, trying to sneak away from the pavilion. She did not know what he was trying to do, but she had an idea about how to take advantage of him.

A sly glint flashed across her eyes. Luo Leilei pretended to act as if they had caught her. She shouted out desperately to Xu Xiaoshou, saying, "Xu Xiaoshou, run!"

Everyone froze instantly before swiveling their heads toward the pavilion.

There, they saw a young man crouching with his palm pressed against his chest. He looked suspicious with one foot out of the pavilion, like he was sneaking away.

Everyone looked surprised.

"Does it mean that Xu Xiaoshou and Luo Leilei are in on this together?"

[Flashback to a few moments ago]

A fight was on the verge of erupting. The four Master Stage law enforcers had already surrounded Luo Leilei.

While everyone's attention was on the young woman in the sky, Xu Xiaoshou steadied the metallic ball under his robes and quietly backed away.

Jie had been dying to speak a few times. Fortunately, Xu Xiaoshou seemed able to communicate with it using his spiritual senses. Having pacified it several times, Jie did not cause any commotion.

But Xu Xiaoshou could sense that it was agitated by the murderous tension in the air.

As a puppet from the Slaughter Cape, Jie possessed extremely violent tendencies. If Xu Xiaoshou ignored it, Jie would reveal itself and turn the entire place into a slaughterhouse.

But no matter how powerful Jie was, with three Sovereign Stage cultivators keeping watch, it could not take down all three of them if it tried.

Xu Xiaoshou was not willing to risk it. Besides, he was not a spy or a traitor. There was no point in getting into a fight with people on his side.

Would it not be so much better to sneak away to find a hiding spot far away from the thick of battle? Then he could carefully go through the loot that he had recovered in the Tianxuan Gate.

It was at that point that Luo Leilei shouted out, drawing attention to him.

: Suspected, Passive Points 471.

Xu Xiaoshou completely froze on the spot.

He turned around, looking rather silly. He did not know where Luo Leilei had learned to use such nasty tricks. Why was she so adamant in dragging him into her mess?

No!

She was not simply dragging him into her mess. The woman was shoving him right into the gaping jaws of death!

Why would she do something like that?

Then, Xu Xiaoshou remembered how Luo Leilei had extended to him several invitations to join her in the Tianxuan Gate. Was she trying to force his hand because gentle persuasion had not worked?

He looked at the stunned faces staring at him before he saw the expression of astonishment sweeping across the dean's face. Xu Xiaoshou knew he might not get out of the situation with ease.

How was he supposed to explain himself?

It was impossible!

Anyone else would have fallen to their knees and given up instantly. But not Xu Xiaoshou. The cogwheels in his head spun furiously, for at that precarious moment his life hung in the balance.

His face twisted with anguish as he shouted back, "Luo Leilei, I have told you countless times! I am not interested in you! You cannot force happiness! I will not join the Holy Vassal!"

Huh?

A deathly silence descended upon them all as soon as Xu Xiaoshou said that.

It was Luo Leilei who now looked shocked and embarrassed this time around.

She nearly fell from the sky. She stared at the looks of intrigue on everyone's faces and flushed bright red.

"Xu Xiaoshou, what nonsense are you spewing?

: Cursed, Passive Points 1.

: Impressed, Passive Points 366.

: Begrudged, Passive Points 101.

Xu Xiaoshou appeared oblivious and lost in his thoughts. His voice softened to a whisper after the thunderous roar he had released. He seemed to mutter to himself, but everyone could hear him as clear as day.

"I am sorry. I will not leave with you. You are a good person…"

But the Spirit Palace is where my best memories lie. My master is here, and so are my juniors and seniors. The ones who love me and the ones whom I want to kill… um, whom I love are here."

He looked up and stared Luo Leilei directly in the eyes. His voice was resolute as he continued, "I cannot leave!"

His words might seem like the words of a lost soul muttering to himself, but they were but mere distraction trying to hide a single word he had uttered.

Master!

Xu Xiaoshou had not singled out his master. But he could tell from his Sense that Ye Xiaotian and Qiao Qianzhi had lowered their guards as soon as they had heard him mention the word.

He had been right. They knew he was Elder Sang's disciple!

He had promised not to reveal his relationship with Elder Sang, but he had guessed that those old fellows had known all along.

Otherwise, he probably would not have been able to enter the Tianxuan Gate. Ye Xiaotian would not have tasked him with saving the world. He also would not have told Xu Xiaoshou that he was the most trustworthy of the lot.

After hearing what Xu Xiaoshou had said, everyone turned their attention back to Luo Leilei.

The young woman was hovering in midair, looking dumbstruck and horrified. Xu Xiaoshou stared at her with a smug smile on his face.

Hey! She tried to sabotage him, didn't she? Well, she still had a long way to go if she wanted to outwit him!

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Chapter 188: A Blind Guy?

Luo Leilei nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.

She had expected her devious plan to get Xu Xiaoshou expelled from the Tiansang Spirit Palace. If he could not remain there, it would force him to leave with her.

She did not expect him to respond in such a humiliating way. He painted her as a horrible woman who was trying to force herself on a young man! And he was so smug about how he had diverted back all the attention on her.

"What the hell!"

She nearly threw herself at the young man so that she could kill him!

Common sense stopped her from her rash impulse, but it didn't stop the torrent of furious curses she spewed at Xu Xiaoshou.

Luo Leile's ranting and dissatisfaction transformed into Passive Points that enriched Xu Xiaoshou's store of Passive Points.

When Xu Xiaoshou saw the flurry of notifications appearing on his Information Bar, the wide grin he had nearly split his face into two.

No, he had to get a hold of himself!

There were so many people watching. He had to keep up the act!

He forced a pained look on his face. It was a look of emotional turmoil and one that a person who was suffering from constipation would show. Xu Xiaoshou stared at Luo Leilei and shook his head. His eyes seemed full of grim determination.

Luo Leilei was speechless.

How infuriating!

She turned her head away. She might do something reckless if she did not get him out of her sight.

"Xu Xiaoshou, you will pay for this!"

Luo Leilei cursed and swore she would have nothing to do with him ever again. He already taught her a lesson in the Tianxuan Gate, so why had she not learned?

Ye Xiaotian stood on the steps and watched the two sabotaging each other. He realized what was going on.

If Xu Xiaoshou was not a spy, then besides Luo Leilei, the other spy must be hiding in their midst. Time waited for no man and he was not interested in watching the young pair bicker with each other.

"Seize her!"

With Shackles of the Abyss still activated, Luo Leilei was immobilized in midair. She could only watch as the four Master Stage cultivators around her unleashed their cultivation and lunged at her.

Her words were caustic and sarcastic, despite the look of helplessness in her eyes. "Hah! I cannot believe it! You are a Sovereign Stage cultivator. Yet, you need to mobilize four Master Stage cultivators to help you capture a helpless little girl. What a display of your might, esteemed Dean Ye!"

Ye Xiaotian ignored her words, then sighed softly and replied, "I am no longer your dean."

Luo Leilei shut her eyes in despair.

Was it the end for her?

She was the only one restrained by the Shackles of the Abyss. The shackles did not affect the four Master Stage law enforcers.

The spiritual force radiating from their raised palms contrasted starkly against their ordinary appearance, and it was a sight to behold.

The terrifying waves of energy seemed more destructive than Xu Xiaoshou's Lesser Fireball.

Luo Leilei had only unleashed her Thor's Form and could not summon further layers of protection after being held down by Ye Xiaotian's Shackles of the Abyss.

Her enemies' spiritual force streaked toward her, and everyone knew what was going to happen to her next.

Emotions rippled through Xu Xiaoshou as he watched imminent death approach the young woman.

He knew it was the harsh and cruel reality of the world of cultivation, where everyone would carry the burden of killing for a cause.

One's allegiance to a faction was a burden one had to bear. The slightest deviation from one's path because of the choices one made was another burden. They determined the fate that one might face at any given time in the future. And the fate that awaited the person might be a terrible one.

There were always opposing parties at odds with one another in the world. Good and evil were not easily discernible. It all depended on where one stood.

Perhaps, from where Luo Leilei stood, she was not wrong at all. Unfortunately, the circumstances dictated she had to face her fate.

"Power is the only thing that determines your fate."

Xu Xiaoshou turned away resolutely. He had no reason and no power to change what was happening.

BOOM!

Four palms pushed downward. The spiritual force building up in their palms erupted suddenly, sending waves of energy that distorted and shook the very fabric of the Heavens. A thunderous explosion echoed through the air.

Shocked by the booming explosion, everyone fell silent.

Was that the power of a Master Stage cultivator?

One who knew the Path at the Innate Stage could tap into its power at the Master Stage, and in time, master this power at the Sovereign Stage. Cultivators who reached the Master Stage already possessed enough strength to move mountains and fill oceans.

Boosted by the powers of the Great Path, even a simple punch could be devastating.

The looks of awe on everyone's faces gradually changed to sheer disbelief in the next instant.

Luo Leilei looked unaffected.

Surrounded by four Master Stage cultivators, Luo Leilei stood proudly in midair. Thor's Form and purple lightning were still twirling around her body.

The palms of the four Master Stage cultivators landed and failed to do her any harm. It was as if they had hit the most impenetrable object in the universe.

Everyone was dumbstruck, and the look of disbelief showed on all their faces.

"Is it because of the dean's Shackles of the Abyss? It is still active, so their blows landed on the barriers erected by the Shackles of the Abyss instead?"

"No! Look closer. The attacks from the four law enforcers did not land on Luo Leilei at all!"

Those who were more astute immediately realized what was going on. Everyone used their spiritual senses and was surprised when they saw the thinnest distance separating Luo Leilei and the blows from the four palms of the Master Stage cultivators.

It meant that the earlier explosion had resulted from the four Master Stage cultivators' spiritual forces suddenly releasing on their own!

The revelation sent everyone into a state of bewilderment.

Why had they stopped in the middle of their attack?

It was then that everyone realized the looks of agony on the faces of the Master Stage law enforcers. Someone had forcibly seized control over their bodies.

A bigger shock seized Xu Xiaoshou.

Unlike the others, he could see the terrifying sword energy that appeared out of nowhere and attacked the four law enforcers.

The sword energy suddenly materialized and hindered them in the middle of their attack. The law enforcers had turned their full attention to protecting themselves.

But he could see they were losing the fight!

The sword energy…

Those men…

The look of disbelief overwhelmed Xu Xiaoshou. It looked like a move in All Things are Swords: I Am the Sword!

Hold on a minute!

His pupils dilated with a sudden realization. He had stolen I Am the Sword from the masked man!

That meant…

"Is he here?" he muttered.

Xu Xiaoshou felt a sudden prickling numbness spread across his scalp. The impulse to turn tail and run for his life was overpowering, for here was a man who had his eyes on him!

But making a move at that point would be akin to throwing himself right into danger.

No. Xu Xiaoshou had to keep calm and blend in with the crowd!

He sneaked behind a pillar, threw a glance at Ye Xiaotian, and felt a wave of uneasiness.

The man had chopped off the dean's arm effortlessly. Was he still safe there?

The four Master Stage law enforcers in the air were showing signs of losing the fight. Blood was dripping from their eyes, noses, mouths, and ears. After a moment, their bodies stiffened.

Then, a sudden force broke out!

Four sword energies burst out of their bodies, skewering them from head to toe and locking them in place, as countless white sword energies slashed at them relentlessly.

And in no time, the four Master Stage cultivators were drenched in blood.

Xu Xiaoshou frowned. This display of All Things are Swords seemed impressive, but it was not as powerful as the one that the masked man had unleashed to contain the nine great Elders.

He had seized instant control over the Elders and had not given them any time to fight back.

What Xu Xiaoshou was witnessing at the moment was a pale comparison.

Instinctively, Xu Xiaoshou turned toward the small path in front of the Council Hall. It was the only path that led through the forest from the outside into the pavilion.

"A hostile intruder?"

The intruders were no ordinary cultivators. Everyone suddenly realized what was going on and looked to the small path.

They could hear something ominous moving slowly and deliberately.

"Dudu!"

When they heard the voice, the four Master Stage cultivators in the air finally succumbed and collapsed to the ground. Tiny sword energies continued to tear into their skin and flesh like daggers.

Luo Leilei was elated, and her eyes lit up.

Brother Shuangxing has arrived!

"Dudu!"

Everyone stared in horror at the four cultivators struggling on the ground. The voice sounded like a thunderous blow that struck them squarely in the chest.

Those were Master-stage cultivators! They were not the average run-of-the-mill cultivators. How were they taken down so effortlessly?

Was the new challenger a Sovereign Stage cultivator?

The law enforcers threw furtive glances at Ye Xiaotian and saw the solemn look on his face as he stared at the end of the narrow pathway.

After some time, someone finally emerged from the corner of the pathway.

A man dressed in old, faded robes dusty from travel and his snowy-white fingers gripped a purple cane.

"Dudu!"

It stunned everyone at the pavilion.

A blind guy?

Chapter 189: I Came to Pick Someone Up

The man was sweeping and tapping his cane as he made his way forward. He had to be blind!

But a cultivator who had reached the Innate Stage could see the world with his spiritual senses. Why would he require a cane to get around?

Was the blind man just an ordinary person?

Everyone extended their spiritual senses to probe the blind young man, but they detected no cultivation at all. He was devoid of any spiritual strength, and his body was no more than a fragile husk—he was just an ordinary man.

Was it a joke?

Four Master Stage cultivators were lying on the ground because of him. How could he be an ordinary man?

There was confusion on the faces of many of the law enforcers, and Xu Xiaoshou was equally puzzled.

With his spiritual senses and Sense skill, he should be able to detect everyone's cultivation.

He had used every means of detection at his disposal, but scanning this blind young man was akin to throwing a rock into the ocean. He got nothing.

"He is a pro! We have a pro at work here!"

Xu Xiaoshou shrank back to his spot behind the pillar. He was immediately on high alert. He could tell with one look that there was something amiss with the young man. He must be a great Master who was concealing his cultivation.

Ye Xiaotian kept his eyes fixed on the blind man as he walked right up to everyone and finally stopped calling out for Dudu.

"Who are you?" asked Ye Xiaotian.

"Lei Shuangxing of the Holy Vassal."

The young man's voice was raspy yet pleasant and easy on the ear. It had the quality of sandpaper easing gently across your skin and felt strangely soothing.

An odd expression flickered across everyone's faces. The man had a badly scarred face. It was such a shame that the soothing voice belonged to a man with such a disfigured face, and many sighed in sympathy.

What a pity. Such a pleasant voice wasted on a face that looked like that.

"Lei Shuangxing?" questioned Qiao Qianzhi as he tried to recall where he had heard the strange name before. He looked surprised moments later. "Your last name is Lei. You are a member of the Lei family?"

The blind young man did not reply. He just stood there. He did not open his eyes but merely lifted his head, and everyone knew he was looking at Luo Leilei.

Luo Leilei looked miserable and had tears in her eyes. She looked like a young girl who had just caught sight of her elder brother after being bullied. She had an expression like she desperately wanted to tell her elder brother what had happened to her.

"I am here."

Those three simple words had the power to set her heart at ease. Luo Leilei nearly burst into a flood of tears.

Yu Zhiwen's lovely eyes filled with disbelief as she stared at the blind young man. "He is still alive?"

Ye Xiaotian and Qiao Qianzhi turned toward Jiang Bianyan. The latter thought for a long moment before sighing and replied, "Unless something unexpected happened, I believe he is."

The certainty in his voice made their eyes widen in alarm.

Yu Zhiwen staggered backward. Her eyes looked empty. The cold, merciless words that she had heard in her youth swept through her mind once more.

"The Lei family has been secretly plotting to claim Abyss Island for themselves. For their crime, we must destroy them!"

It had been more than a decade ago. Yu Zhiwen had been a child who had known nothing of the world. Held within her master's arms, she had witnessed the true strength of Holy Divine Palace, the most powerful organization on the continent.

It did not matter that the Lei family had been a longstanding, semi-divine family. The simple order had led to their swift and utter extinction.

Those bloody memories had grown blurry with time. The only thing Yu Zhiwen remembered was some members of the Lei family had escaped death. But even though they had escaped with their lives, they were maimed or ruined for life.

The possibility that her childhood companion was still alive somewhere out there gladdened her.

But the appearance of the young blind man before her stunned her…

Yu Zhiwen stared at the face, badly scarred beyond the point of recognition. Her heart flooded with emotions, and she felt her head throb. With no warning, she clasped her head with her hands, and in a swoon, fell to the ground.

Jiang Bianyan reached out, using his internal energy, and steadied her. Then, in an instant, he appeared next to her and whispered, "Do not get caught up in the past. The Lei family conspired with demon beasts. They deserved what they got!"

"I understand," Yu Zhiwen softly replied.

She grimaced and shut her eyes tightly. She pursed her lips, nodding—then her eyes were clear and bright when she opened them again.

Ye Xiaotian turned his gaze away from Jiang Bianyan and Yu Zhiwen. He had not expected to hear such shocking information from the Holy Divine Palace. But he did not wish to pursue the matter, for it was not the matter which concerned him the most at that point.

"I cannot believe the Holy Vassal has the temerity to even think of sending someone to the Spirit Palace again," Ye Xiaotian said as he stared at the blind youth.

Lei Shuangxing tilted his head. His blank eyes looked like they were staring right back at Ye Xiaotian. His voice was calm when he spoke. "Why not?" he replied.

Ye Xiaotian froze instantly. Fury flashed across his face when he remembered how the masked man had effortlessly removed his arm.

He would have balked if it was the masked man who spoke in such a manner. But how dare the young man, at his level of cultivation, talk to him so brazenly!

"You think too highly of yourself. You are just a Master Swordsman!" Ye Xiaotian said.

A Master Swordsman?

Everyone froze for a moment. The blind youth possessed no cultivation at all. How could the young man be a Master Swordsman?

Xu Xiaoshou refused to believe that he had failed in his detection and scanned the young man with his Sense skill again. He appeared to be a Master Swordsman with no cultivation.

Something flickered across Xu Xiaoshou's face.

The young man must be an incredible prodigy to have become a Master Swordsman at such a young age. He thought of Su Qianqian—she might presently be a lot younger than he was, but no one could guarantee that her Sword Will would reach the Master Stage within ten years.

That was right! It was one's Sword Will and not one's cultivation that mattered!

One became worthy of the title of a Master Swordsman only when one possessed a Master Stage Sword Will.

It was then that Xu Xiaoshou realized why the blind youth could easily take down four Master Stage cultivators when he had no cultivation. He had chosen the path of Pure Sword Will Combat!

He might very well be the masked man's disciple!

Lei Shuangxing fell silent. He started feeling his way around again, tapping the tip of his cane on the ground as he moved. In front of him stood a group of law enforcers.

"Excuse me."

The others who heard him glared at him with sheer astonishment. The blind youth seemed to show no regard for the law enforcers at all! He had the gall to request that they let him pass through as if the place was his own!

"Stop right there!"

One of the law enforcers yelled at him. His voice quivered slightly.

Lei Shuangxing walked around him, passing him by, and walked right into the group of law enforcers.

Xu Xiaoshou was in awe and felt respect for the man. The members of the Holy Vassal seemed to know no fear at all!

But he should not be that bold, even though he was a Master Swordsman. His actions were tantamount to open provocation!

A mere Master Swordsman would not be a match for a Sovereign Stage cultivator whose wrath he had provoked.

Ye Xiaotian got mad. He held his hands out, intending to trap the blind young man with Shackles of the Abyss. But Lei Shuangxing was faster. He pulled a jadestone out of his robes.

What manner of attack was that? Did he plan to throw the rock at Ye Xiaotian?

Everyone stared in puzzlement as Lei Shuangxing crushed the jadestone in his hand. A pillar of sword energy surged into the sky, ripping the Heavens apart, before swinging toward Ye Xiaotian in a violent slash.

The move looked vividly familiar.

It abruptly distracted Ye Xiaotian, as the move instantly reminded him of the masked man. It was his sword energy!

Though the familiar sword energy the blind youth had unleashed was terrifying, it was significantly slower than one executed by the masked man. With a slight shift to the side, Ye Xiaotian dodged the sword energy which continued past him along its slashing arc.

The white sword energy continued striking relentlessly and surged toward the clouds. The Spirit Palace's array rippled into view as the blow landed on it.

Everyone laughed.

He was truly blind. He had missed his mark!

The next moment, the chimes of an ancient bell rang through the place.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

The smiles on everyone's faces froze. The chiming of the bell went on and only ceased after it hit seven times. It was then when everyone panicked.

The bell chimed seven times. It meant that a great enemy had arrived.

The blind man had no intention to hurt Ye Xiaotian with his sword. He used the attack to accomplish a task.

It was to send a signal.

Ye Xiaotian's ears twitched. A look of alarm appeared on his face.

It would seem Xiao Qixiu had requested help!

The man before him had not come alone. He had the Holy Vassal's bigwigs as his reinforcement!

"What do you want?"

Ye Xiaotian silently swore. The Spirit Palace was a small sect, but it seemed to be a repeated target of terrorist organizations such as the Holy Vassal. It was not a good feeling at all.

Lei Shuangxing steadied himself with his cane and stepped forward. There was fear and fury on the faces of the law enforcers as they gradually back away.

In response to Ye Xiaotian's question, Lei Shuangxing's voice remained calm, as if nothing in this world could faze or distract him.

"Nothing. I came to pick someone up."

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Chapter 190: An Urgent Matter

He was here to pick someone up…

Ye Xiaotian's expression was inscrutable as he stared at Luo Leilei, who seemed moved beyond words, and thought to himself how impossible this was. He simply couldn't stand for this.

No one could tolerate his sect being intruded by the same group of ruffians twice in a row!

He turned toward Jiang Bianyan. "A high-ranking member of the Holy Vassal has attacked the Spirit Palace. He is at our gates. Hallmaster Jiang, we're counting on you."

Jiang Bianyan nodded. This was why he came to the Tiansang Spirit Palace. The favor he did the Spirit Palace today would soon come in handy.

He turned his gaze to Yu Zhiwen, looking somewhat hesitant. He couldn't let this young woman get involved in a fight between Sovereign Stage cultivators. If she were to get injured…

The astute Yu Zhiwen immediately understood Jiang Bianyan's concerns. "Hallmaster Jiang, please go ahead. I'll stay here."

She eyed the blind youth before her, then glanced at Xu Xiaoshou's scabbard. They were her top priority right now.

"Alright. Be careful."

Having gotten Jiang Bianyan's agreement to help, Ye Xiaotian turned to Qiao Qianzhi. "Hurry, lead Hallmaster Jiang to Xiao!"

"He needs both of us?" Qiao Qianzhi's heartbeat quickened. With Xiao thrown into the mix, they now had five Sovereign Stage cultivators prepared for battle. Did they have the masked man at their gates again?

"It's not the masked man. But the new arrival… is very strong!"

Ye Xiaotian frowned. He clearly knew what Qiao Qianzhi was thinking. However, judging from Xiao Qixiu's message, it appeared that he still couldn't tell who the latest intruder was.

But he knew the masked man well. Someone had convinced him to summon so many people to infiltrate the Spirit Palace. This somebody must be someone extremely dangerous.

"Let's go!" Qiao Qianzhi dared not dally.

"Hold on!" Ye Xiaotian said suddenly just as they were leaving.

The snowy-haired child seemed torn. He stared at the puzzled look on Qiao Qianzhi's face and finally said, "If necessary, deploy the array that you've been studying…"

Qiao Qianzhi's eyes instantly lit up.

"Are you sure?"

Jiang Bianyan was completely lost as he listened to the two speak in riddles. He eyed the middle-aged man who was constantly smiling next to him and suddenly smelled a hint of danger in the air.

Ye Xiaotian sighed in exasperation. "Try your best to protect our own. Don't blow everyone up!"

Qiao Qianzhi was seized by excitement. Seemingly worried that Ye Xiaotian might regret his decision, Qiao Qianzhi vanished instantly without a trace.

Jiang Bianyan froze.

"Go. Leave this to me." Ye Xiaotian's gaze fell upon the blind youth again. He could also see the masked man's shadow in the distance.

Where else was he going to be if not at the gates of the Tiansang Spirit Palace?

Would that old geezer Sang be able to hold the fort…?

Jiang Bianyan turned and left, and Ye Xiaotian returned to his fight with the blind youth. He was about to make his move when he caught the blind youth pulling another jadestone out.

Ye Xiaotian was speechless.

It struck him then. This was what the masked man had planned all along. He was going to have a mere master swordsman trap him, one of the Spirit Palace's most powerful fighters, in a fight while he attacked the Spirit Palace from another location.

What a crafty man!

"Release her," the blind youth said calmly.

"Don't be naïve!" Ye Xiaotian laughed incredulously. "Do you really think you can keep me here with that stupid little rock in your hand?"

"You're wrong…"

Lei Shuangxing shook his head and pulled out another jadestone. "It's two stupid rocks."

Ye Xiaotian found himself at a loss for words.

Xu Xiaoshou nearly laughed out loud. Deadpanned humor like this was the deadliest. The young man had a talent for making people fold over with laughter.

The dean's voice appeared in everyone's heads then.

"Fall back right now!"

This wasn't a fight that law enforcers should get involved in.

They'd been tasked with entering the Tianxuan Gate to conduct repairs on the world. Bumping into Xu Xiaoshou, who'd been tasked with the perilous task of planting the Sky Tree, was merely a coincidence. Their mission had then shifted to that of capturing the spies.

But they were useless when it came to fights between incredibly powerful fighters like Ye Xiaotian. Hanging around was only going to get them killed.

The blind youth might possess no spiritual cultivation at all, but as a master swordsman, he could easily crush multiple Master Stage cultivators.

They mustn't forget the jadestones in his possession too. Few of them would walk out of this alive if they tried to attack him rashly.

"Let's go!"

Xu Xiaoshou was overjoyed when he heard that he could finally leave. He might be able to control himself, but Jie couldn't for much longer.

It shook ceaselessly and with violent excitement underneath his clothes like a metallic ball that had come into contact with electricity…

The law enforcers began to disperse. But Lei Shuangxing wasn't going to let them go anywhere. They were the ones keeping him alive. Letting them leave was akin to suicide.

He thought hard. The floor began to shake loudly as gravel rose into the air. Countless sword energies appeared out of nowhere, flooding the sky with what appeared like a flood of blades as they surrounded the law enforcers.

A Master Stage Sword Will!

The law enforcers were trapped. The sword energy-infused gravel hovering in the air exuded a menacing Sword Will that could easily pierce human flesh.

"All Swords to the Master?"

Xu Xiaoshou was caught by surprise… He knew that move too!

During his battle with the grey mist figure in the Tianxuan Gate, he'd gained progress in his Sword Technique Expertise. As a result, through the stripping of a thousand trees, he could now form a complete understanding of the Great Path, and through the gathering of ten thousand leaves, he could form a sword.

It shouldn't take a lot of work to take apart the blind youth's trap.

He set aside his eagerness to take up that challenge and instead rushed toward Mu Zixi. This was an emergency. Finding a safe place to hide themselves should be their top priority.

"Hurry up! We need to get ourselves to the Spiritual Library Division!"

It appeared that few places in the Spirit Palace were safe now. The Spiritual Library Division should be one of them.

Perhaps Elder Sang was still in the Spiritual Library Division refining pills. With him around, the masked man wouldn't be able to kidnap Xu Xiaoshou, even if he managed to find him.

Mu Zixi leaned against the pillar and wouldn't budge. She looked like she was in great pain.

"What's wrong?"

"It hurts…" The young woman's eyes were shut tight, her face deathly pale.

Xu Xiaoshou froze. Why was she making things difficult for them in the middle of an emergency?

"What hurts?"

After a moment's pause, he asked uncertainly, "Is it your tummy?"

Mu Zixi was speechless.

"Cursed, Passive Points 1."

"My head!"

Xu Xiaoshou reached out and felt her forehead. It was burning. What was wrong with this young woman? She'd been fine a moment ago…

"Is there something wrong with your head?"

She was a spiritual cultivator. She should be immune to fevers!

Mu Zixi seemed to be in a world of pain. She cradled her head with her hands and appeared to have lost her ability to curse.

"Xu Xiaoshou, save me…ah!"

Xu Xiaoshou dabbed some honey on her immediately. He had no idea what was going on with Mu Zixi. The honey was the only thing he had on him that could possibly save her life.

He prayed that the Amber Juice could help with the fever…

"Hang in there! I'll bring you to the Spiritual Library Division and to Elder Sang. He should be able to save you!"

He lifted Mu Zixi into his arms. The young woman was such a petite little thing. She hadn't been able to walk straight in the Tianxuan Gate due to the snow and wind and she hardly weighed anything at all in his arms.

At that thought, Xu Xiaoshou pulled out the Spirit Mark of Life and, in a series of practiced moves, tugged her clothes open and shoved the spirit mark inside.

"Hang in there!"

The law enforcers were starting to panic. With Zhao Xidong and the four Master Stage cultivators down, they were suddenly left with no leadership.

No one could be bothered with what Xu Xiaoshou was doing. They were all busy trying to get out of the predicament they were stuck in.

The sword energy-infused gravel wasn't something they could get around easily. It was as prickly as a porcupine. It remained still as long as they did, but as soon as they made the slightest move, it would stab them right in the face and make them bleed.

Ye Xiaotian's white hair stirred slightly in the breeze as he stared at the numerous law enforcers lying on the ground, clearly enraged.

Had the blind punk no regard for his presence at all?

Before he could do anything, Lei Shuangxing spoke again. "I forgot. Our leader told me to deliver a message."

Ye Xiaotian scoffed. "What message?"

"Have you recovered from your amputation?"

Ye Xiaotian felt the spot where his arm had been severed throb with a phantom pain when he heard those words.

His finger joints creaked violently as he tightened his fists. His voice came out in a forced whisper, "Thanks for the concern. My arm's grown back. It can once again cut down the Holy Vassal!"

Lei Shuangxing laughed softly. "Our leader said to chop it off a second time if you grew one back."

"Hahaha!"

Ye Xiaotian burst into laughter, eyes were ablaze with derision. "I would take that as a genuine threat if he were here in person. But there's no one but you and your jadestones. What can you do?"

"Are you going to fight me blind?"

Lei Shuangxing wasn't angered. He calmly clutched the jadestone in his hand, ready to crush it any moment. "It can lock onto a target."

The hundreds of law enforcers present were dumbstruck. Did that mean… he'd targeted the Spirit Palace's array earlier?

This meant that he could hit anyone that he wanted, didn't it?

Judging from the strength of the earlier attack, the dean himself would find it a feat to counter it!

The sword energy-infused gravel around them suddenly unleashed a second wave of sword energy and sent the gravel sinking into the ground.

The next moment, a young man dashed past the Council Hall. He had a look of panic on his face and a young woman in his arms. He sped past Lei Shuangxing and dashed off, heading straight for the small path that Lei Shuangxing had taken.

"I'm sorry, I have an urgent matter to attend to. I'll make a move first. You guys continue talking."

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Read I Am Loaded with Passive Skills Chapter 191 - What a Ruthless Calculation! online for free - AllNovelFull

Chapter 191: What a Ruthless Calculation!

The sudden commotion caused everyone present to freeze!

Everyone watched Xu Xiaoshou run away with Mu Zixi in his arms. They were all dumbfounded, seemingly unable to recover from this unexpected commotion.

The confrontation between the dean and the "Saint Servant," two powerful swordsmen, shouldn't be interfered with by a disciple of the Outer Yard. How could he dare to get involved?

Suspected, Passive Points 465.

Admired, Passive Points 166.

Worried, Passive Points 2.

In the blink of an eye, several mental activities and emotions gave thousands of Passive Points to Xu Xiaoshou.

Lei Shuangxing felt the wind brush past his shoulders and seemed to see Xu Xiaoshou's receding back as he left.

He was shocked.

He held two major jade stones in his hands, wondering how anyone could dare to act like this.

His idea of ruling the whole place seemed to fizzle out all of a sudden, and he felt an inexplicable emotion growing in his heart that hadn't appeared there for many years.

Displeasure?

Resentment?

Or was it the pain of being ignored?

Xu Xiaoshou sure had a way of drawing hatred. Lei Shuangxing subconsciously aimed the jade stone at his back, but just as he was about to crush the jade stone, he was suddenly taken aback.

"No! He did this on purpose!"

He realized that everyone had overlooked the Sword Sand Gravel because of Xu Xiaoshou drawing everyone's hatred to himself.

The Ancient Sword Technique he'd cultivated had already reached Master Level. If this guy wasn't a sword master, then how else could he have temporarily suppressed his sword will?

He was trying to provoke him into striking!

Realizing this, Lei Shuangxing broke out in a cold sweat.

He only had two jade stones left. If he shot one of them at the youth, Ye Xiaotian would definitely take advantage of the opportunity to strike.

Yet if the last Sword Energy Jade Stone couldn't cause damage to Ye Xiaotian, or the damage wasn't enough to kill him, the result…

He would definitely be killed!

"This lad, what a ruthless calculation!"

Finding that his only weakness seemed to have been unearthed by this unknown lad, Lei Shuangxing was filled with shock as he tightly squeezed the purple cane.

Although he held the killing power of the throne, this power was most threatening when it wasn't unleashed. Once employed, he would be like a lamb that had lost its divine power and would be completely at the mercy of others.

"Who is he?"

Lei Shuangxing didn't turn his head around. He didn't have any spiritual cultivation, and he couldn't even see clearly, but that voice was definitely to be remembered forever.

The person who could make such a judgment and take action in such a situation wasn't an ordinary one!

Luo Leilei, imprisoned in the empty space, had also witnessed the figure of Xu Xiaoshou leaving with someone in his arms, a complicated expression on her pretty face.

She'd also figured out Xu Xiaoshou's intention and knew the stalemate would soon be broken.

"It's really you, as expected."

This was the very reason why Luo Leilei had tried persuading Xu Xiaoshou to join the Holy Vassal. The guy could always do something ridiculous at the critical moment and make a perfect breakthrough.

Ye Xiaotian, after a moment of confusion, understood Xu Xiaoshou's intentions.

He was indeed worthy of being chosen by Elder Sang. That move was an excellent way to solve the situation!

"Everyone, retreat!"

Not wanting to wait any longer, he ordered all the law enforcers to leave.

Lei Shuangxing's Sword Sand Gravel was temporarily suppressed, and just as he was about to rise up again, the crowd scattered like fleeing birds and beasts.

He suddenly felt a little powerless. The situation had obviously been under his control, but he'd lost all his hostages and now feared it would be difficult to save Luo Leilei. "D*mn it."

"Great. As expected, those guys didn't figure it out!"

Xu Xiaoshou, who had started it all, was dashing through the woods, his heart full of happiness.

He'd thought that when the blind man attacked him, he could return his attack with Everything as a Sword and employ his Master Level body to at least resist the strike. As long as he could avoid fatal injuries, he would be able to survive.

He didn't expect the guy to be slow to react and not strike.

"It's like God is helping me!"

Master Level Agility was really excellent. As soon as Xu Xiaoshou started to fly, he escaped in the blink of an eye.

It was at that moment that notifications flooded the information bar.

Admired, Passive Points 56.

Thanked, Passive Points 77.

Xu Xiaoshou was startled when he saw a large group of black-clad people following behind him and couldn't help but shrink back with fear.

How had these guys come out of thin air like ghosts? How could the Spirit Palace still pursue the spies when it was in such a dire situation?

Unexpectedly, when they approached him, they patted his shoulder like they were old friends, not people out to arrest him.

"Xu Xiaoshou, good job!"

"Hey, man, that was a great move. If I'd known, I would have rushed to the outside!"

"Come on, could you've broken through the Sword Sand Gravel? You would've rushed out for nothing."

"Who would have thought the guy was merely a paper tiger? But I'm curious. How did you dare to do it? What if he'd had more than two jade stones? What would you have done then?"

Praised, Passive Points 44.

Xu Xiaoshou was confused, but before he could ask any questions, he understood what was going on from the group's words. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"I didn't think too much about it. I just wanted to take a leak at the time."

Mu Zixi, who was in Xu Xiaoshou's arms, had grown more feverish. He had no idea what kind of wrong medicine she'd taken, but things would become much worse if the fever damaged her already muddled brain.

He had to hurry to find Elder Sang!

"Man, stop being modest. I knew you weren't simple when I saw you employ the Striking Feng Kong the other night. The others didn't believe me when I told them."

"Yeah, I knew you weren't an ordinary person after you escaped from the masked man. Today, you've proved that you're really extraordinary, like you've turned into a dragon."

Suspected, Passive Points 32.

Praised, Passive Points 21.

Xu Xiaoshou was almost carried away by all these praises and compliments, and he nearly wanted to turn around and fight the enemies.

Yet he was still sensible enough to know that these guys were obviously very grateful to him for saving their lives, and that they were acting this way to show their gratitude, nothing more.

He shouldn't be too conceited!

Xu Xiaoshou held back for a while. When he saw the Passive Points stop appearing, he couldn't help but giggle.

"If you know how to talk, keep going. Don't stop!"

The crowd was startled, but they soon started talking again. Soon after, the Passive Points piled up like the rainbow hung in the sky.

Praised, Passive Points 46.

Complimented, Passive Points 21.

Xu Xiaoshou: "…"

Finding that the praises had gradually become tasteless and increasingly unpleasant, he finally became clear-headed.

After his sanity returned, he paused and looked at the crowd, finding that something was missing.

"Where's Zhou Tiansen?"

"Huh?" All were dumbfounded. Yeah, where was Zhou Tiansen?

Well, Zhou Tiansen wasn't the only one missing. Zhao Xidong and four Masters, and those who'd lost their ability to move, still seemed to be in the gazebo!

"I…" Xu Xiaoshou's heart wrenched.

Judging by the expressions on all their faces, he realized that they'd just focused on their own escape and forgotten about those people!

Someone in black had also regained his senses and said solemnly, "It's too dangerous for them there. Somebody must go back to save them."

Everyone stopped in their tracks, and their gazes unanimously converged onto Xu Xiaoshou.

Xu Xiaoshou's face turned green from resentment.

"What the h*ll does this mean?" he thought. "They want me to go back again? What a joke! That's a job for you guys, the law enforcers!"

He tightened his arms around the girl pressed against his bosom, his voice full of urgency as he said, "Sorry. I have an urgent matter to take care of."

"Xu Xiaoshou!" A man in black stepped forward. "As much as I hate to admit it, at the moment, apart from the five people lying there, it seems that you are the only one among us who can fight against that blind man's sword will."

"I can't!"

Suspected, Passive Points 46.

Xu Xiaoshou: "…"

"As a law enforcer of the Spiritual Law Division, I order you to perform your task immediately," the black-clad man bellowed. Then, he lowered his voice and advised:

"Xu Xiaoshou, make up for your mistakes. If you save them, you'll be able to prove that you aren't a spy!

"Dozens of people present could testify for you."

"I…" Xu Xiaoshou looked at the crowd surrounding him, his eyesight growing blurry.

"You're a group of white-eyed wolves," he thought. "Ungrateful!"

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Chapter 192: The Choice of Tao

Xu Xiaoshou didn't put up that much of a struggle. Obviously, he couldn't anyway.

It was rather unpleasant being watched by dozens of law enforcers!

He didn't care much about the injuries of those in the gazebo, but if Zhou Tiansen was targeted by the blind man, he would be finished.

After all, it was Aje who'd injured him.

Back then, it was just a savior's joke to begin with.

"D*mn, if I'd known it would turn out like this, I wouldn't have cheated that big dumb guy!" Xu Xiaoshou had finally tasted the evil consequences of lying.

This was a fable, and such an ending was very profound!

He handed the girl in his arms to the man in black and said, "You should know where the Spiritual Library Division is. Give her to Elder Sang. She should be treated as soon as possible. Otherwise, I don't know what will happen to her."

"This is…"

"Don't ask me more questions. I don't know either!"

Xu Xiaoshou vaguely felt that something was wrong.

Though Mu Zixi was usually a devilish girl, her life force was always in the overflow state, so she couldn't have such an incident all of a sudden.

Yet, everyone had their secrets. He didn't intend to dig deeper.

Well, after all, she was currently unconscious, so even if he'd wanted to dig deeper, he couldn't have.

The man in black moved to pick up Mu Zixi, but the girl bit Xu Xiaoshou's clothes and gripped him tightly with her small hands without any sign of letting go.

Xu Xiaoshou: "…"

He plucked at her hands a little, finding that he had no way of removing her.

Well, he could yank her away if he tried a little harder, but his clothes would be ruined, which wasn't worth it.

"Xu Xiaoshou, help me," Mu Zixi seemed to be murmuring unconsciously.

Hearing this, Xu Xiaoshou felt his headache grow worse. Why did everyone seem to suffer when the Spirit Palace had an accident?

Were there more disasters to follow?

He gently patted the little girl's head and found that the back of her head was burning hot as if it were filled with boiling water.

A mishap would occur if the fever continued!

"Sweetheart, go get treatment!"

After coaxing her in a comforting tone like he would have a child, he found that Mu Zixi seemed to have loosened her grip a little, and he immediately plucked her hands off of him and said to the man in black:

"Quickly, the Spiritual Library Division! If there's no one there, take her to the Spiritual Medicine Division for treatment right away!"

Everyone was stunned. His plucking technique was unexpectedly crude.

Before the man in black could reach out his hands, Mu Zixi took this opportunity to wrap her vine-like hands around Xu Xiaoshou's wrists, and she moved to his back like a wooden snake.

"Don't leave me."

With a gurgling noise, Mu Zixi opened her small mouth, revealing an amiable pair of glistering tiger teeth.

Feeling a chill on his neck, Xu Xiaoshou suddenly recalled an incident at the "Windcloud Competition."

As expected, the next second the little girl bit him, chewing a large mouthful of vitality.

"What level of teeth are these?"

Xu Xiaoshou was shocked. He didn't expect that the small girl could penetrate his master Level body.

It was so painful that he pushed her chin away, but the little girl instantly became displeased and started punching and kicking.

"You want to eat me!"

"You must have wanted to for quite a long time!" Xu Xiaoshou thought, feeling rather uncomfortable when he realized that he had a junior sister who wanted to eat him. It was quite creepy no matter how one looked at it!

"Forget it. She'll stay with me. You guys go ahead!"

Looking at the law enforcers, who were somewhat at a loss, Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but sigh.

It looked like Mu Zixi couldn't leave him in such a state. He was her senior brother of the same master, after all, and decided that he couldn't abandon her.

He said goodbye to the law enforcers and flew up with the girl on his back in the direction of the gazebo.

Seeing that no one was around, Xu Xiaoshou used the hand holding her chin to pull out the "Life Spiritual Seal" and stuffed it into the girl's mouth.

"Eat, and hurry up!"

Xu Xiaoshou regained his status as a sinister senior brother. "For biting me!"

"Whoa."

It was impossible to break the item. Choked, Mu Zixi started drooling uncontrollably.

She struggled a little. After sucking once, she found that it had more life force than Xu Xiaoshou, and immediately settled down.

"Whoa, whoa!" The sound of heart-felt happiness rang out.

Xu Xiaoshou: "…"

There was something wrong with this girl. Why did Elder Sang take such a disciple? Was his brain damaged?!

Gazebo.

Assisted by the sword energy, the five corpse-like men were floating in the empty space. These five men couldn't die. If they did, Ye Xiaotian might not be able to resist.

Lei Shuangxing had control of the five master law enforcers, and Ye Xiaotian had imprisoned Luo Leilei. It was a stalemate.

This blind young man's intentions were self-evident. His real goal was to stall Ye Xiaotian rather than save Luo Leilei.

As the dean of the Inner Yard, Ye Xiaotian's combat power was undoubtedly extremely strong and more terrifying than that of other elders.

The price the "Saint Servant" had paid was a swordsman with no cultivation plus three jade stones.

Lei Shuangxing had achieved the stalemate, even though their strengths were unequal. He'd achieved this because of his extraordinary reaction, which was as strong as someone at Throne Level, and because Ye Xiaotian didn't want to lose the hostages.

After all, five hostages were truly quite many.

He could lose one at any minute.

When Xu Xiaoshou arrived at the Assembly Hall again, he was stunned by the harmonious scene in front of him.

The affectionate glance at each other, and the silent stubbornness.

Were all fights so polite now?

"Xu Xiaoshou?" Luo Leilei, high above the ground, saw the back figure of the youth, feeling uneasy vaguely.

What was he doing here?

It was a hard-earned stalemate.

"Xu Xiaoshou?" Ye Xiaotian was also a little surprised. What was this lad trying to do by returning? But the lad always had clever ideas up his sleeve. Maybe he could help break the stalemate.

"What do you want to do? Go ahead, then. I'll protect those five people," Ye Xiaotian said through the voice transmission. He was short of a fighter right now, and the incoming lad was just what he needed.

Xu Xiaoshou felt a little amused at the thought of someone at Throne Level being stopped by a swordsman, and he couldn't help but recall how Elder Sang had advised Ye Xiaotian to quickly make up his mind the other night after the battle with the masked man.

He didn't know so much about the indecisiveness of the Master Dean. Judging by the situation, what that ruthless old man with a conical hat had said was true.

Perhaps what Ye Xiaotian was doing was right. Deep down, Xu Xiaoshou approved of his approach and thought he was much more humane.

If it were Elder Sang in this situation, even if it was a weakened version of him, one blind man wouldn't be enough for him to kill.

"Is this the choice of Tao?"

Seeing the somewhat absurd scene before him, and thinking of Elder Sang's brainwashing lessons, Xu Xiaoshou seemed to understand something.

The pyramid of cultivation was climbed by each person through the path they'd created. At the bottom, the general public pursued the peak hard, hoping someone would lend them a helping hand.

There were many choices on the road to the peak. One had to make choices all the time, and to gain something meant losing something at the same time.

Elder Sang had chosen a lonely road, and no one could use "affection" to trap him. Thus, he could charge ahead, and, naturally, wasn't liked by those at the bottom.

Ye Xiaotian wanted to take into account everything, and the people behind him had also slowed him down. After all, the top of the pyramid was very narrow, and few could reach the top.

"Choices…"

"….And life in all its forms."

Xu Xiaoshou seemed to have gained some understanding. He'd pondered how he should speak and achieve a desirable result, but now he felt relieved.

There's no perfect choice in the world. No tree has the same leaf, and no one is perfect. A road might be dark all the way to the end. The side one sees is the side one has to face.

He looked at Lei Shuangxing, and the blind young man also turned his head to look at him.

"Hello."

The voice sounded like the voice of the person who'd run away first, but Lei Shuangxing was unsure why he was greeting him.

Xu Xiaoshou was very direct and asked while pointing to the floating corpses in the empty space, "You have five people. Can you give one to me?"

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Chapter 193: A Blatant Plan to Move People

Lei Shuangxing's face twitched.

Was this lad really not following the routine?

Lei Shuangxing was quite chagrined, because he'd let Xu Xiaoshou run away when he was confused by the lad's unruly behavior.

It was like a quarrel during which one party says something strange and leaves while the other party is left behind and frozen in place.

Yet, the other party always thinks that he will be able to respond in time if the quarrel restarts.

The opportunity had really come…

"Impossible!"

Lei Shuangxing decided that he wouldn't let Xu Xiaoshou go, even if he was at risk of being attacked by Ye Xiaotian.

Xu Xiaoshou laughed.

"Sorry, I'm not discussing this with you."

No sooner had he finished this remark than his body disappeared. By the time he reappeared, he'd already arrived at the side of Zhou Tiansen, who was floating in the empty space.

The sword energy of "Everything is a Sword" was manipulating the big tall man, but Xu Xiaoshou ignored it. He took out a white ring and pressed it on Zhou Tiansen at the speed of lightning.

Under the white fog, the sword energy ceased to function.

Xu Xiaoshou picked up Zhou and ran away without hesitation.

Lei Shuangxing was dumbfounded. When he recovered from his shock, he wanted to squeeze that big tall man to death, but, unexpectedly, his sword energy was sealed off.

"What is that thing… a ring?" he thought.

What kind of ring could cancel Master Level sword energy?

He was so angry that he tightly gritted his teeth. But, on the other hand, this lad was too fast and had once again caught him off guard.

Yet, as he recovered, intending to shift his target to Xu Xiaoshou and control his body, he found that Xu Xiaoshou had already hidden behind Ye Xiaotian.

A hostage was taken away…

And he did it right in front of his eyes!

Lei Shuangxing felt uncontainable anger inside. He faced Ye Xiaotian and almost crushed the jade stone.

The white-haired Daoist boy could dodge his attack, but Xu Xiaoshou must not be able to!

"No!" Luo Leilei yelled from above, somewhat clearing Lei Shuangxing's mind.

Yeah, he wasn't the only one who had hostages. Ye Xiaotian was also holding Luo Leilei as a hostage…

Lei Shuangxing's expression was apologetic. He told himself to hold back and not act impulsively!

"What, you still won't make a move?" There was a hint of a smile on Ye Xiaotian's face.

He was waiting for a mad Lei Shuangxing to make a move. In so doing, the blind young man would be in an unstable state, and his reflexes would be slower. As such, the stalemate might be broken.

It was obvious that Lei Shuangxing had also thought of this, which was why he'd restrained himself.

This man had a mature mind… He must have experienced many things and had a good handle on his emotions, something that didn't befit his age.

"How did I do?" Xu Xiaoshou asked while hiding behind Ye Xiaotian, but he was too tall compared to Ye Xiaotian to fully hide.

Ye Xiaotian stared straight ahead, but his tone was somewhat appreciative as he said, "Well done."

Without turning around, he could still see Xu Xiaoshou put away the white ring, not leaving a trace, with his spiritual thoughts.

He felt that this seemed a bit familiar, but he couldn't remember what it was. He had no choice but to give up.

Yet, wasn't important. What was important was that Xu Xiaoshou had really succeeded in saving a person!

It's true that to deal with disgusting guys you have to use more disgusting… well, cleverer… means!

Xu Xiaoshou handed Zhou Tiansen over to Ye Xiaotian. After all, he was carrying Mu Zixi on his back, and his Master Level Agility would be affected if he had to carry the big guy as well.

Complete caution was needed when confronting a skillful opponent.

After successfully taking away a hostage, Xu Xiaoshou was feeling a bit excited. He stuck his head out from behind Ye Xiaotian when Lei Shuangxing didn't strike for a long while.

The blind young man's face had turned blue. He was apparently very angry.

"Whoa, he can even put up with this…" Xu Xiaoshou inwardly complimented him. "Look, didn't you say it'd be impossible for it to happen again?" he said. "Why, after I took away a hostage, have you still not done anything?"

Lei Shuangxing opened his blind eyes so wide that he could almost see. He uttered a "whoa" and fell silent.

Even though he couldn't see, he could imagine how hateful the speaker looked judging by his voice!

Cursed, Passive Points 1.

After forcefully taking a breath, Lei Shuangxing said calmly, "I still have four hostages…"

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes lit up. "Yeah, you still have four. Could you give me another one?"

D*mn it…

"Your name is Xu Xiaoshou, right? I'll remember you!"

Remembered, Passive Point 1.

Xu Xiaoshou wasn't very affected by the word "remember" anymore. This man would have to stand in line. After all, the masked man, Elder Sang, and the gray fog man were all ahead of him as far as "remembering" was concerned, and these guys were a lot more terrifying than him.

"Thank you for remembering me. I also like your name. Lei Shuangxing, the tears of double line. Very poetic. Why do you have such a name?"

Xu Xiaoshou thought that parents usually wouldn't give their children this kind of name. Unexpectedly, his thoughtless words made the blind young man fall silent.

There was a story?

Xu Xiaoshou had an idea. He said casually, "But compared to your name, I like your character more…"

Lei Shuangxing was momentarily perplexed. "Character?"

They'd met twice and had only exchanged a few words, yet he'd already figured out his character?

"Tsk, tsk…" Xu Xiaoshou continued, "Yes, you have a heart as soft as the bean curd, although your words are as sharp as a knife. You said 'impossible,' but let others do whatever they want. I like such character the most!"

Lei Shuangxing was so angry he almost spurted out a mouthful of blood. From a dark blue, his face turned pale, and his anger could've made the first Buddha appear and the second Buddha ascend to the heavens.

"Xu… Xiao… Shou!"

A low air pressure instantly enveloped the entire Assembly Hall.

Hearing the shout in the empty space, Luo Leilei was startled. She'd done the same in the Tianxuan Gate herself when she was in a totally insensible state after being angered.

How could Senior Brother Shuangxing, who was usually rather calm, be caught by such a simple trick?

This shouldn't be…

She wanted to say something, but was suddenly at a loss for what to say. If it were her, she would've lost her temper a long time ago.

Shouted at, Passive Points 1.

Xu Xiaoshou glanced at the notification and smiled, thinking that his plot had worked and he could act again.

"Yeah!" He responded, a puzzled expression on his face. "I'm right here. Why did you yell so loudly…"

Lei Shuangxing was so angry that he was having a hard time holding onto the cane in his hand.

It was just then that Xu Xiaoshou paused in the middle of his remark, a horrified look on his face. Alarmed, he turned his head to look at the small forest.

"The… the masked man?"

Everyone's heart skipped a beat. Ye Xiaotian's pupils shrank. Looking in that direction, he told himself that this wasn't good.

"It must be him. That's why I didn't detect him in advance!"

Lei Shuangxing and Luo Lei Lei were also astonished. The masked man, their chief, had appeared, which meant…

Their mission was completed?

He came over to offer his support?

Feeling happy and surprised, the two of them turned their heads almost simultaneously. Luo Leilei tried but failed to turn her head because she was confined and unable to move.

The other two, who could turn their heads, were also frozen in place. They could see nothing as far as their eye could see.

Not even a bird was in sight, let alone the masked man!

"Deceived?"

Both of them had the same thought. It was then that Luo Leilei's shout rang out, "Over there!"

Luo Leilei, who couldn't turn her head, was the only one to witness Xu Xiaoshou move people again.

He used the same ring and carried a person. The only difference was that the person being carried was a different one…

Zhao Xidong!

Lei Shuangxing was trembling from head to toe, feeling like his intelligence had been greatly insulted. It was obviously a clumsy trick, but he'd put on a believable act.

No!

The voice had sounded horrified and trembling. How had he made it sound so authentic?

Xu Xiaoshou had moved someone again. Yet, he couldn't hold back this time, and laughed out loud.

"Haha, you're so stupid. How could you be tricked so easily?"

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Chapter 194: Secret Technique, Human Shield

Though Xu Xiaoshou said this to Lei Shuangxing, Ye Xiaotian, who was in front of Xu Xiaoshou, also felt insulted, which was a kind of collateral damage.

"I was the first to turn my head earlier…" he thought. "And I'm being chastised too!"

However, he couldn't complain. This was indeed a good way to provoke Lei Shuangxing, yet, even though the insult was directed at the other person, he was insulted at the same time.

"Was this a planned scheme? Well, he probably didn't do it on purpose…"

Thinking all this, Ye Xiaotian somehow didn't utter the compliment he'd intended to offer.

On the other side, Lei Shuangxing was on the verge of exploding.

He felt like he'd experience enough emotions to last a few years in just this day alone, and all of them had been highly charged.

"Xu Xiaoshou, you're pushing it!" Lei Shuangxing opened his eyes so wide that his eyeballs almost popped out.

"Oh?" Xu Xiaoshou ventured. "You're going to crush the jade stone?"

"You think I wouldn't dare?"

"Yes, I know you'd dare, so it's better not to do it!"

Lei Shuangxing's words caught in his throat. Someone like him, who seldom spoke, was no match for Xu Xiaoshou when it came to talking.

After taking two deep breaths, he felt that he could no longer suppress the flood of power in his body.

Judging by the time, the chief's task was almost complete. Perhaps… he did not need to stay here.

Xu Xiaoshou saw he was silent and stole a glance at the remaining three hostages in the empty space, thinking it would be a little difficult moving them. But he decided to speak anyhow.

"Look… I heard that your sword energy can lock on to the target?"

Lei Shuangxing grunted and said no more, finding that it was best not to talk to this lad.

Fondling the jade stone in his hand, Lei Shuangxing imperceptibly gave a signal to Luo Leilei in the empty space. He was ready to strike.

His target was naturally that d*mned lad!

Xu Xiaoshou Sensed his intentions and asked while tilting his, "Why are you bending your fingers? Is it a signal?"

Lei Shuangxing: "…"

Luo Leilei: "…"

How could he detect such a subtle signal?

Did he have eyes on the back of his head?

Cursed, Passive Points 2.

Lei Shuangxing was annoyed. He didn't say anything more and raised the jade stone in his hand high, ready to crush it!

Whoosh!

It was just then that Xu Xiaoshou shook his body once and disappeared from behind Ye Xiaotian. By the time he reappeared, he was behind Luo Leilei.

Secret Technique, Human Shield!

"Sorry."

He picked up the shocked Luo Leilei by her waist as his human shield.

Unexpectedly, it was the empty space that Ye Xiaotian detained. Unless he could pick up the person and the space, he'd have no way of moving the woman.

Xu Xiaoshou: "…"

Awkward!

A major embarrassment!

He gently grabbed the woman's shoulders and, sticking his head out from behind her, said casually, "Come on, strike me. Can your sword energy go around, or cut me from behind?"

Lei Shuangxing grew furious again, but he loosened the hand that was about to crush the jade stone.

"This…"

This was too shameless!

For the first time, he wanted to curse someone, but, because he was a civilized person, he found that his vocabulary was seriously limited.

"Xu Xiaoshou, what the h*ll do you want to do?" Lei Shuangxing poked his cane into the ground.

"Nothing. You want to stall for time, and I want to save people. That's all." Xu Xiaoshou smiled gently. "Therefore, let's make a deal…"

"No way!"

Lei Shuangxing refused him without a second thought. He already knew what the result would be even before making a deal with him.

Xu Xiaoshou kept on smiling. "You think about it again."

He squeezed his five fingers together and turned them into a palm blade, the "Sharp Light," and cut Luo Leilei's neck. Blood poured out.

Luo Leilei: ???

"Why am I the one to get hurt when you two are the ones fighting?" she thought.

Lei Shuangxing's face was completely emotionless as he said calmly, "You think you can threaten me by doing this?"

"Can't I?" Xu Xiaoshou said, an insightful expression on his face that seemed to say he'd seen through his motivations. "On the surface, it seems that you're stalling to give the others more chances, but isn't saving people one of the purposes of your trip?

"If you ask me, this should also be one of the primary tasks. Luo Leilei… can't die yet."

He tightened his fingers slightly, and Luo Leilei's aorta was cut open. More blood poured out. Seeing this, Ye Xiaotian's eyelids twitched wildly.

"Is this guy messing around?" he thought.

Xu Xiaoshou had thought that Luo Leilei was merely a dispensable pawn of the "Holy Vassal." As such, they would save her if they could, and would abandon her if they had difficulty doing so.

This was the very reason why he didn't dare to match Lei Shuangxing in harming hostages.

In his opinion, any one of the five hostages held by Lei Shuangxing was much more important than Luo Leilei.

But…

Watching the slight change in Lei Shuangxing's expression after he cut Luo Leilei, Ye Xiaotian realized that he'd been tricked.

How did Xu Xiaoshou… know so much?

Suspected, Passive Points 2.

Suspected, Passive Points 1.

The information bar was flooded with notifications. It was obvious that several people present had a lot going on inside their heads. Xu Xiaoshou calmly waited.

He didn't exert more force, because Luo Leilei probably wouldn't be able to survive if he did.

She didn't have a Master Level body.

As for how he knew Luo Leilei was important, it was because he'd figured it out based on how she'd boldly invited him to join the Holy Vassal in the Tianxuan Gate and was being saved by someone.

In the eyes of the "Holy Vassal," Luo Leilei definitely wasn't a simple pawn!

"You want to exchange hostages?" Lei Shuangxing finally couldn't help but say.

The corners of Xu Xiaoshou's mouth curled up. He'd guessed right!

"No. You have three hostages, and I only have one. That's not fair. You let two people go first!"

"You…"

Lei Shuangxing was so angry that his lungs nearly burst. This lad was getting ahead of himself!

"Who's more important—Luo Leilei or the three hostages in your hands? Think about it yourself. To be honest, if I weren't a good guy, I'd have no intentions of saving any of the three.

"After all, I barely know them…"

Ye Xiaotian glared at him, and Xu Xiaoshou's voice faltered.

Lei Shuangxing hesitated. If he gave up two hostages, Luo Leilei's important identity would also be known.

Yet, even if he couldn't see, judging by the smell of blood in the air, he could tell what Xu Xiaoshou was doing.

Pah, pah!

The sword energy exploded, and two bloody figures fell to the ground.

"Sure, I'll give them back to you."

Though they were returned, their breaths were barely detectable.

Xu Xiaoshou grew cold. "You've messed them up!"

"An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."

The air was quiet for a second.

With a swooshing sound, Xu Xiaohu's palm broke through Luo Leilei from her back to her chest, and blood poured out.

"Sorry, I didn't want to, but your friend forced me to."

Xu Xiaoshou hesitated for a moment, then explained in a low voice, "Don't worry. I have experience. I've avoided the vital areas this time."

Luo Leilei's pretty face turned pale. When she heard what he said, she was so stunned blood almost spurted out from the corners of her mouth.

Those present were all dumbfounded. They all wondered how the two of them had started hurting people without speaking first.

Saving hostages wasn't supposed to end up like this!

Ye Xiaotian realized that the situation had gotten a bit out of control, but he didn't stop Xu Xiaoshou. Now that he'd chosen to believe in him, he had to support him to the end.

A great many sword energies came out from Lei Shuangxing's body, and the sword energies condensed and turned into thousands of small white swords hovering in the empty space.

The Assembly Hall, the old acacia tree, and a large woodland in the rear had all turned into large swords inserted into the ground, ready to fly up.

Master Level Sword Will was ready to strike at full strength!

The heavens and earth were in awe.

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Chapter 195: The Terrifying Blind Man!

Xu Xiaoshou, however, turned a blind eye to all this.

The reason why he dared to do so was because Lei Shuangxing was merely a swordsman and there was a limit to his strength. On the other hand, he had a Master Level physique. Hence, he wasn't weaker than the blind man.

Secondly, Ye Xiaotian, whose cultivation was at Throne Level, was watching from the rear. Thus, no matter how angry Lei Shuangxing was, he had to take this into consideration when he wanted to strike.

"Do you dare to strike?

"If you really dare to strike, you shouldn't just pose like you're going to. You should come over."

Seeing Lei Shuangxing becoming increasingly upset, Xu Xiaoshou felt assured.

This guy and Ye Xiaotian were basically the same: two paper tigers that could only threaten, not act.

He wanted to move forward by dragging Luo Leilei but found that the woman was still confined. He couldn't help but glance at the Master Dean.

Without hesitation, Ye Xiaotian released the confinement. It was apparent that Luo Leilei couldn't escape from Xu Xiaoshou.

"One for one exchange?" Xu Xiaoshou took a step closer.

A struggle went on in Lei Shuangxing's mind. He wanted to hit the unconscious man floating in the empty space, but he was afraid of provoking the lad, who often behaved unconventionally.

If he struck with his palm one more time, Luo Leilei would be finished.

"Okay."

Lei Shuangxing grabbed his hand in the empty space, and the "floating corpse" arrived in his hands.

He couldn't afford to gamble. All the people in the entire Tiansang Spirit Palace weren't worth one hair on Luo Leilei's head!

The two of them approached each other. They were so close that it looked like they were going to complete the hostage exchange in a face-to-face fashion.

Ye Xiaotian was a little worried. "Let me do it?" he said, transmitting his voice.

Xu Xiaoshou shook his head slightly and winked at him while tilting his head.

Ye Xiaotian" "…"

"What do you mean?" he thought. "Secret code? But I don't understand you. You're using a secret code we've never discussed before. Do you think I can read minds?

Suspected, Passive Points 1.

All he could do was stay alert and take more precautions.

It was obvious that the hostage exchange wouldn't go as smoothly as imagined.

As the two of them drew closer, Lei Shuangxing became more formidable. He had no intentions of backing down. He took a step forward every time Xu Xiaoshou took one.

Soon, the blind young man's formidable aura paused, and he had no choice but to halt.

"Phew."

Because he could feel Xu Xiaoshou's warm breath on his face.

With a slightly flushed face, Lei Shuangxing had to take a step back. He couldn't stand such a close distance.

Yet, with this retreat, the formidable aura he'd accumulated earlier went away.

Lei Shuangxing gritted his teeth. He couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Xu Xiaoshou, how do you want to trade?"

"We hand over the hostages at the same time!"

Lei Shuangxing: "…"

"Hand me Luo Leilei first," he said.

"Okay."

Luo Leilei was already unconscious due to the excessive blood loss caused by Xu Xiaoshou's strikes. With a sincere expression on his face, Xu Xiaoshou extended his blood-stained hand.

"To show our sincerity, let's shake hands first?"

Luo Leilei was hanging on top of his wrist.

Lei Shuangxing almost exploded with anger. Trembling, he held his cane, admonishing himself over and over again to pick up her first.

"Hold on, hold on!" he thought. "This isn't the time to do it!"

"You're Xu Xiaoshou, right? You won't live long because of that striking palm you wielded today!"

One of his hands was holding the jade stone, and the other was trembling so hard that the purple cane dropped.

It was at this moment that he seemed to have forgotten the purple cane that he regarded as a precious treasure, letting it fall to the ground. He reached out his hand in an attempt to touch Luo Leilei.

However, just as he was about to touch the girl's delicate body, Xu Xiaoshou withdrew his hand.

"Lei Shuangxing, you don't want to shake hands with me, nor do you want to give me the hostage; but you intend to take Luo Leilei away. You have a perfect plan. Why don't you call yourself Lei Perfect Plan?" Xu Xiaoshou mocked.

Lei Shuangxing murmured, but couldn't make a sound. He threw the person in his hand to Xu Xiaoshou and snatched Luo Leilei back.

Xu Xiaoshou had no intentions of stopping him. He was a man of his word. Since he'd promised to exchange hostages, going back on his word was impossible.

Mesmerized, his eyes fell on the purple cane that had fallen on the ground.

"I have to admit, your cane is quite chic."

Lei Shuangxing was startled, and for half a second, the air seemed to freeze. The next second, a loud roar rang through the air:

"Xu Xiaoshou, die!"

Charge! Charge!

Two heavenly sword energies appeared almost simultaneously from the bodies of two approaching opponents. It turned out that the two of them had both employed the controlling technique of "Everyone is a Sword"!

Lei Shuangxing was stunned. He wondered how this lad knew he would strike and what technique he would use to strike to where he employed a similar technique.

But how did he know this technique? It was the chief's signature technique.

Instantly, Lei Shuangxing recalled the suppressed Sword Sand Gravel from earlier.

D*mn!

He'd been deceived by this guy's abominable face. He should've figured out that he was a sword cultivator, one with an outstanding sword will!

Suspected, Passive Points 1.

There was a teasing look on Xu Xiaoshou's face. He'd already signaled Ye Xiaotian. He believed that even if he could only control the situation for half a second, the Master Dean should have enough time…

What?

How come nothing happened?

"Sensing" the confused expression on Ye Xiaotian's face, Xu Xiaoshou knew things hadn't proceeded as he'd anticipated. It turned out that the Master Dean hadn't understood his secret code at all.

How come there wasn't a tacit understanding between them?

He was in a panic. He wouldn't be able to match this swordsman relying on just his sword will.

As expected, Lei Shuangxing had forcefully dismantled the control within half a breath. He held Luo Leilei with one of his hands and lifted the jade stone with the other.

It was at this critical moment that Xu Xiaoshou broke himself free by means of his Master Level physique. With a quiver in Xu Xiaoshou's chest, an iron ball swept forward at a high speed and hit Lei Shuangxing's face before he could crush the jade stone, making him bleed.

"Dean!"

There was no response after his startled cry. It was then that Xu Xiaoshou realized that something was wrong and that the dean had definitely been held back by something.

With his Sense, he saw that one of Ye Xiaotian's eyes had turned black and the other white, and that he was completely shrouded in a black and white fog that was completely controlling his mind.

"Illusion? Pupil magic?"

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned. What kind of spiritual technique could control someone at Throne Level.

There was no one else here!

His heart skipped a beat. He turned toward Lei Shuangxing again, an incredulous expression on his face.

A blind man and pupil magic.

No way. This guy must be more than a swordsman.

"Sh*t! F*ck me!"

This miscalculation because of misinformation could cost him his life. Without a second thought, Xu Xiaoshou wanted to fly away from this place.

Buzz!

At the critical moment, the purple cane on the ground trembled slightly, emitting a spiritual sword sound.

With clicking sounds, the surface of this cane cracked inch by inch, revealing a very thin…

Sword?

The cane sword was silver in color, with a slender conical shape. Its carved dragon pattern could sting one's heart at first sight.

It seemed like it could suck one's soul into its endless illusionary vortex.

Xu Xiaoshou felt petrified. He had the same feeling he'd had when he saw Su Qianqian's "Epitaph of City Snow!"

"A famous sword?

"D*mn it!"

Thousands of divine beasts were galloping in his mind. It was at this moment that Xu Xiaoshou felt like he wanted to curse. Just what kind of people did the "Holy Vassal" have?

It seemed that the blind man was a swordsman without cultivation who just wanted to save someone and stall for time as long as possible.

In fact, this swordsman could even control someone at Throne Level!

What was more frightening was that this guy had a famous sword, one of the twenty-one on the whole continent!

This guy had been underestimated by everyone!

He wasn't just anyone. He must have a significant position in the "Holy Vassal"!

"Don't worry. It's over."

Not far away, Lei Shuangxing was stroking Luo Leilei's pale cheeks and murmuring in a low voice.

He didn't lift his head. He didn't even want to face the young man opposite him, not even a slight spiritual thought.

Blindness didn't affect killing others!

Lei Shuangxing waved his hand and drew a silvery residual shadow with the purple sword cane, disappearing from the heavens and earth.

"Goodbye!"

Chapter 196: Death?

Swoosh!

The sword light swept over at a high speed, so high that even his Sense could only catch a flash of a silver line.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't even have time to feel shocked before feeling a pain in his chest.

The sword in the cane had broken through his Master Level physique reinforced by several passive techniques.

Clang!

There was a clash of flesh and sword, but the sound of blades rang out when they met. Hearing this, the group was baffled.

What kind of a body was this?

Lei Shuangxing's face was full of disbelief. He hadn't expected there to be something his "divine cane" couldn't penetrate.

As Xu Xiaoshou had guessed, the cane was one of the twenty-one famous swords on the continent!

The Cane Sword, the God Whipping Cane!

"So he has a Master Level physique?" Lei Shuangxing found the thought of this mischievous lad having the legendary Master Level physique a little absurd.

But apart from this explanation, what else could explain him being able to withstand a thrust from the famous sword?

Even if this thrust wasn't the true blow of the "God Whipping Cane"!

On the other hand, Xu Xiaoshou was surprised at the speed of the thin sword. It was completely beyond his expectations. Even with his Master Level Agility, he'd failed to react in time.

"Famous sword."

He believed that this sword wasn't simple at all. After all, this was the first time he'd met such a sword. Even his Recoil couldn't knock it off.

The "God Whipping Cane" was extremely thin. Even though he had a Master Level physique to protect himself, a large part of the sword had still pierced through him. Xu Xiaoshou didn't feel anything, but he heard a gurgling behind him.

"It hurts."

Cursed, Passive Points 1.

Xu Xiaoshou: "…"

Mu Zixi!

All this time, he'd hardly felt the existence of this little girl. After she'd transformed into a wooden snake and wrapped herself around his back, he'd no longer felt the weight of her body. Judging by the way she'd woken up, he wondered if she'd been stabbed.

He lowered his head and found that he could only see the hilt of the sword. He was afraid that she hadn't just been just stabbed, but pierced through!

Mu Zixi, whose eyes were tightly closed, looked like she were in pain. But she, with the "Life Spiritual Seal" in her mouth, wouldn't die, even though she'd been pierced through.

Instead, she'd woken up from a coma because of the stabbing pain. As if she were freeing herself from some sort of nightmare, she suddenly opened her eyes.

"Whew."

Mu Zixi blinked her eyes after exhaling some warm air, her eyes completely dull.

Sweeping with her spiritual thoughts, she came to learn the situation, but she also felt more puzzled.

"Xu Xiaoshou, what happened?"

Xu Xiaoshou: "You were stabbed."

Mu Zixi: ???

"Don't you believe me? Look down!"

She was on his back. To lower her head, she had to climb over Xu Xiaoshou's shoulder. Yet, as soon as she moved a little, she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen.

The pain caused her mouth to open wide.

"Xu Xiaoshou! Don't you know how to pull it out?"

"Well, I wanted to."

Xu Xiaoshouhu found that this thing wasn't as simple as imagined. His Master Level physique being able to partially block the sword was pretty good. But if he wanted to pull out this sword…

He'd have to kill the blind man!

As he was pondering this, he found that Mu Zixi, who was on his back, had suddenly fallen silent. Checking with his Sense, Xu Xiaoshou found that the girl's attention was drawn by Ye Xiaotian.

To be more precise, she was probably shocked by his black and white pupils.

"Don't look! Hold me tight and be careful!"

Xu Xiaoshou grabbed the cane sword and tried his hardest to prevent it from going deeper. However, Lei Shuangxing was obviously quite powerful. He curled his finger, and the God Whipping Cane thrust deeper.

"I think I can dismantle it," Muzi Shi suddenly said, her focus obviously still on Ye Xiaotian's black and white pupils.

Xu Xiaoshou was startled. Was she making a joke?

The Dean, who was at Throne Level, couldn't even dismantle it. How could she do it?

Lei Shuangxing was also stunned by this statement. After a long pause, he sneered, "Haha, you two imbeciles…"

Before he could finish this remark, Mu Zixi opened her beautiful eyes wide, and the black and white fog in Ye Xiaotian's eyes actually started to fade.

However, bloody tears came out from Mu Zixi's eyes a second later. Seeing this scene, Xu Xiaoshou was astonished.

"Don't force it!"

Mu Zixi closed her eyes from the pain. She felt that sharp pain in her brain again, but the difference this time was that she clearly knew the source of the pain.

The pupils!

Lei Shuangxing was shocked. How could this little girl dismantle the unique "Divine Magic Pupils" invented by the Tear Sect?

"Who are you?"

He suddenly trembled all over, and he wondered if this girl was also from the Divine Hall, and a beneficiary of that incident.

No, that was unlikely!

Then that left only one other possibility.

It was just then that Ye Xiaotian's body suddenly quivered, interrupting Lei Shuangxing's thoughts.

It was obvious that this white-haired Daoist boy had been struggling hard. What he'd needed was an external intervention, and Mu Zixi had just offered that.

The moment he opened his eyes, the color of the heavens and earth seemed to change. The power of Throne Level pressed the entire sky down, and the ground started to crack.

There was an angry look in Ye Xiaotian's eyes. When he extended his hand, the space of several miles around was sealed!

"Since you're here, stay!"

Realizing that the situation had gotten out of control, Lei Shuangxing reached out his hand to call back the God Whipping Cane.

He never expected that his final defeat would come from this little girl. This was something no one could have predicted.

Without the hindrance of hostages, who could resist the Master Dean?

He would be like a wild beast out of its cage!

"Dean!" Xu Xiaoshou was overjoyed. Ye Xiaotian could take over now that he was awake.

"Can I get out of here now?" he thought.

Crack!

The discordant sound of a stone echoed in the empty space.

Without turning his head around, Xu Xiaoshou knew from his Sense that the jade stone of sword energy had shattered. As Lei Shuangxing wielded his fist, the formidable and magnificent sword energy arrived a second time.

The energy had almost touched his forehead at a terrifying speed by the time Xu Xiaoshou found it!

"Be careful!" Ye Xiaotian shouted, flexing his ten fingers.

The power of space displayed the advantage of not needing to care about distance. He transferred Xu Xiaoshou, along with Mu Zixi on his back, to the rear of the sword energy!

Boom!

A black gap was created in the empty space, and the terrifying black hole sucked Xu Xiaoshou inside.

Ye Xiaotian waved his hand, and the space instantly repaired itself.

"My goodness!"

Xu Xiaoshou's clothes were drenched in a cold sweat, and it wasn't until then that he realized that his earlier action had been the same as courting death.

That wasn't a blow he could've blocked at his current level. He couldn't even react in time!

Ye Xiaoshoutian felt relieved, yet he didn't dare to transfer the sword energy. He couldn't afford to gamble.

If Xu Xiaoshou died on the spot because of the broken space, he would have to face a stormy Elder Sang!

Not to mention that Mu Zixi was on Xu Xiaoshou's back.

Two of his disciples.

While everyone let out a sigh of relief, a corner of Lei Shuangxing's mouth lifted upward.

"As I said, this sword energy can lock onto the target."

Almost at the same time, as if he were trying to prove his words, the white sword energy that could tear the sky apart came back and shot toward Xu Xiaoshou.

Xu Xiaoshou instinctually recoiled and pushed Mu Zixi away from his back.

Horrified, the little girl shot out the vine from her hand in an attempt to hook Xu Xiaoshou again.

Unfortunately, it was too late.

Ye Xiaotian didn't expect him to do so either. He'd forgtten what Lei Shuangxing had said earlier during their confrontation. Who would've cared about such a comment in all of this?

He reached out his hand in an attempt to transfer the tall and thin figure again, but at the same time…

It was too late!

The white sword energy was rapidly expanding in Xu Xiaoshou's pupils. Like his own sword energy, its speed couldn't be resisted.

The only thing he could do was reach out his hand slightly, like a mantis trying to block a boulder.

Boom!

The sword energy arrived with a whistling sound. It was deadly silent!

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Chapter 197: Extravagant Fight

Time seemed to freeze for half a second.

As the powerful sword energy approached him, Xu Xiaoshou, at the crucial moment between life and death, couldn't afford to panic, and made his heart as calm as the water in an ancient well.

He seemed to unconsciously reach out his hand. In fact, the move was a natural reaction he'd gained after many battles.

In the blink of an eye, he employed all the major passive techniques and added some "ordinary wills." As such, when the sword energy arrived, he parried slightly.

The Whitecloud II: Sword-draw style!

Yes, this was the pure sword-will move that had parried Zhou Tiansen's "Deity Mountain-Lifting Technique."

He'd beaten a strong opponent at that time, employing a slight force to overcome a stronger force. They were different approaches, but it was similarly effective now.

The terrifying sword energy he'd learned from the masked man seemed impossible to resist, but, in fact, it stemmed from the same source as Xu Xiaoshou's. It was the direct feedback from the pure sword-will combat.

Yet, Xu Xiaoshou's sword will wasn't strong enough, nor was Lei Shuangxing's.

However, with his strong foundation of "Sword Mastery," his skill foundation was truly profound. He could detect the origin of almost any sword move in the world.

He struck down his two hands to block the key point of the terrifying sword energy, then let go of it.

He didn't let the sword energy change its path. However, his body stayed out of the path of death.

Even if it was only half of his body!

Boom!

As the sword energy straightly passed by, a small part of the Assembly Hall was destroyed.

Xu Xiaoshou survived, but the flesh and blood of his hands exploded, leaving only a cracked bone.

It was merely a momentary contact on his fingertips, but his arms were almost broken off.

The power of sword energy was truly terrifying!

Moreover, the residual sword will didn't disperse. Like maggots attached to bones, the sword will invaded Xu Xiaozhu's body and couldn't be dispersed, and pain like tens of thousands of ants biting occurred in the blink of an eye.

"Eternal Vitality" was working like crazy to gradually restore his flesh and blood.

Attacked, Passive Points 1.

Attacked, Passive Points 1.

Lei Shuangxing was dumbfounded when he saw the lad resist the sword energy that the man at Throne Level couldn't.

What kind of a weirdo was this lad?!

"Sword thought?"

He seemed to smell a familiar odor. This technique had been invented by the Chief, so how did the lad know it?

"No, it's not the sword thought, but a similar one…" Lei Shuangxing confirmed it again and again, and finally came to a judgment.

"Is it a coincidence?…"

Ye Xiaotian was also stunned. He didn't expect Xu Xiaoshou to resist this blow by himself. At the moment, he was full of self-reproach.

This blow was obviously something he should've faced, yet he'd let a disciple at the early Origin Court Level do it. It was so inexcusable.

With a wave of his hand, he transferred Xu Xiaoshou and Mu Zixi to his side.

"Sorry, I was careless. You guys take a rest!"

Xu Xiaoshou shook his head. He thought he was a very cautious person, but he'd failed to take everything into account, including the information he'd obtained long ago, in real combat.

He couldn't blame anyone for this blow. It wasn't his fault Ye Xiaotian couldn't react quickly.

Nevertheless, he could only say it was lucky he'd survived.

Mu Zixi felt her heart ache for Xu Xiaoshou. Xu Xiaoshou's first reaction was to withstand the blow all by himself at the moment of crisis. Though she couldn't help in any way, she was truly touched by him taking care of her.

She hastened to take the "Life Spiritual Seal" from inside her mouth, and handed it over.

"Quick, hold it in your mouth!"

"Do you have any misunderstandings about the usage of this thing?"

Three black lines descended from Xu Xiaoshou's forehead. At the moment, "Eternal Vitality" had almost restored all of his flesh and blood.

He took the spiritual seal, then frowned, finding it rather slippery in his hand.

"Come here."

"Why?" Mu Zixi approached him, not understanding.

Xu Xiaoshou wiped the spiritual seal off on her small skirt and said, "Your saliva should of course go back to you."

Mu Zixi: "…"

Cursed, Passive Points 1.

Looking at Ye Xiaotian and the other two, Lei Shuangxing got a bad feeling inside.

He'd acted a bit impulsively!

The sword energy jade stone had originally been prepared for Ye Xiaotian. It was something that could harm or kill anyone who touched it. He didn't expect Xu Xiaoshou to appear and successfully divert his hatred.

Moreover, the sword energy hadn't killed him, and he was merely someone at the early Origin Court Level!

Judging by his recovery, it seemed that he was gradually getting better.

"Is a Master Level physique truly so strong? Or is the Chief's sword energy not as terrifying as imagined?"

For the first time, Lei Shuangxing had some doubts about the invincible Chief.

He waved the last jade stone in his hand, warning Ye Xiaotian he shouldn't make a move.

It had nothing to do with cultivation level. Xu Xiaoshou was able to survive the blow because he'd sensed the sword will and had a Master Level physique. Furthermore, he'd parried the sword energy like he was being assisted by the divine being at an opportune moment.

However, whether Ye Xiaotian would be able to survive the blow was uncertain!

Yet, Ye Xiaotian was enraged. He was like an outsider when he'd been controlled. In the end, he'd had to let a child suffer all this.

Seeing the injuries Xu Xiaoshou had suffered, he could no longer restrain himself, and ripped the empty space with both of his hands.

"Fragmentation!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

In shock, Xu Xiaoshou saw the space before him distort, wrinkle, and be torn into fragments like a tablecloth by Ye Xiaotian's ripping hands, creating countless black spatial cracks.

Among the cracks in the empty space, countless sub-fragments formed, each of which was as sharp as a blade. They all shot at Lei Shuangxing.

"This…" Xu Xiaoshou was dumbfounded. Was this the true battle power of Throne Level?

Mu Zixi felt the same. Her jaw dropped, and she had a hard time swallowing her spit.

She glanced at Ye Xiaotian, and found for the first time that this white-haired Daoist boy was actually not as cute as he seemed.

Lei Shuangxing held Luo Leilei in his arms, and ignored all this. He calmly pulled out an array plate and crushed it.

Dang!

A transparent light shield enveloped the two of them, blocking the sharp sub-fragments that could even cut through space!

"The Array Plate?" Ye Xiaotian's eyebrows furrowed in disbelief. "Saint Servant also has a Grand Master?"

Grand Master?

Xu Xiaoshou recalled Elder Qiao. "That array plate can only be made by a Grand Master?"

"Yes." Ye Xiaotian nodded. "Including the sword energy jade stone. Without a Grand Master of spiritual array involved, the masked man couldn't have made it on his own."

"Tsk, tsk."

For the first time, Xu Xiaoshou had the idea to rob someone. This blind man was so rich!

If he could get his hands on this item, he would dare to face someone at Throne Level.

Ye Xiaotian looked at the shield's gradually dimming light and suddenly clenched his hands in an attempt to transfer the two people within it out.

Yet, at the same time, Lei Shuangxing crushed a purple jade just in time to confine the space inside the light shield!

"Spatial transfer doesn't work for me."

Xu Xiaoshou's eyelids twitched wildly. It'd happened again.

It was the purple jade this time. What was next?

Lei Shuangxing picked up the God Whipping Cane and raised his head, seemingly looking at the completely darkened sky. Then, he pulled out a golden bead filled with a rich spatial aura.

Xu Xiaoshou: "…"

"The teleporting bead?" Ye Xiaotian's pupils shrank when he saw the object.

"It's almost time."

The blind young man held up the God Whipping Cane and pointed it at Xu Xiaoshou, then in Mu Zixi and Ye Xiaotian's direction.

"See you again if fate allows!"

Snap!

The bead was crushed, and the figure instantly disappeared.

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Chapter 198: Holy Vassal's Motive

"Want to run?"

Ye Xiaotian gave a cold laugh. Even though the gold-colored teleportation pearl was a priceless treasure, for them to use it in front of a person with space attributes…

They would have to pay a price, even if they managed to escape!

He instantly teleported to where the two people had vanished, not even scanning the area with his Sense. He balled his hands into tight fists and slammed them downward.

"Heaven Travels!"

An explosion was heard as the council hall was reduced to ashes. Not only that, everything in a several-hundred-meter radius was decimated, and a massive black hole appeared out of thin air.

Xu Xiaoshou quickly pulled on Mu Zixi and flew away. In shock, he looked at the dean, whose white hair was still swaying in the wind as he stood in the middle of the black hole.

It wasn't over!

Ye Xiaotian reached his hands into the nameless land and continued to pull, and Xu Xiaoshou saw two bloody figures being forcefully pulled back!

"Oh, f*!"

His jaw nearly dropped in shock. He could forcefully pull back people who'd teleported away?

Was he not going to leave them with any chances of survival?!

A space-attribute innate elemental power sure liveed up to its reputation…

He was just thinking this when the flickering figures in the black hole once again took out a bead, which they shattered, and teleported away.

"Darn it, these guys… still have beads!"

Seeing this scene, Xu Xiaoshou was stunned, and the fiery passion in his eyes nearly singed his brain.

He'd thought he'd turned into a rich man after snatching over the four treasures of the Tianxuan Gate, but, seeing a truly rich man before him, he was dumbfounded.

"Are they Doraemon? They're not fighting. They're burning money!

"You should've told me earlier you were going to use these things. I'll steal Luo Leilei for you. Can't you just give me the items?" Xu Xiaoshou thought inwardly.

They had many treasures but were using them like this. It was such a waste!

The tempest finally stopped after Lei Shuangxing teleported away.

Ye Xiaotian appeared before Xu Xiaoshou with a look of pity. "What a pity," he sighed. "I nearly got him."

"They seemed to be injured?" Xu Xiaoshou didn't know if the bloody figures he'd seen were real or not.

Ye Xiaotian nodded. "That's right. The teleportation was disrupted by an external force. Just the currents of space in the place would be enough to give them a bit of trouble."

"That's a pity. Those two gold-colored teleportation pearls…" Xu Xiaoshou raised an eyebrow. "They're expensive?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Even if I were to cooperate with a spirit array master, I wouldn't be able to obtain a pearl within a year."

Xu Xiaoshou gasped. Even a space-element Sovereign Stage fighter had to spend two years to obtain one, and with the help of a spirit array master at that.

The value of the gold teleportation pearl was unimaginable!

They'd spent an exorbitant amount of money in this world!

Ye Xiaotian seemed to know what Xu Xiaoshou was thinking. "It wasn't just those two pearls," he said. "All of the treasures that guy used before this are also priceless."

He knitted his brows tightly and paused for a moment before saying, "It's hard to imagine the Holy Vassal would spend this much to save Luo Leilei."

"Perhaps she might be the illegitimate daughter of the masked man!" Xu Xiaoshou guessed.

Ye Xiaotian didn't know what to say at that moment.

"According to the Holy Vassal's activities over the years, they've always completed their missions with a small number of people and the lowest price possible. They put in such a large sum of money this time. It's not their style."

He suddenly looked straight at Xu Xiaoshou and changed the topic. "Your Black Scabbard. You have to take good care of it."

Xu Xiaoshou froze for a moment. He didn't know why the dean specifically emphasized his scabbard.

However, that was a good thing, because it meant that he'd passed his trials as a spy and could probably hide the rest of his treasures from the dean.

He quickly acknowledged the dean's words.

The scene quickly became silent. The shattered space was slowly recovering under the instructions of the Great Path. However, they might have to rebuild the council hall.

They probably had to rebuild the forest on this land.

The only special thing was that the old japonicum had remained unmoved under the protection of the gold light and looked as good as it had before.

Ye Xiaotian didn't know that the young man in front of him was harboring indecent thoughts. He gave him an instruction before lasping into deep thought again, muttering unknowingly, "The Holy Vassal…

"Perhaps it isn't a massive and convoluted organization like the Holy Divine Palace deduced, but an elite organization with few members?"

Xu Xiaoshou was also deep in thought. He recalled the three members of the Holy Vassal he'd met. All seemed to be elites at various states of cultivation.

Even Luo Leilei had managed to become the strongest person in the Inner Yard in her generation. She was even miles ahead of second place.

He was also deeply interested in the Holy Vassal. However, he hadn't been able to obtain any information from Elder Sang previously. Would he be able to ask about the Holy Vassal now that Ye Xiaotian had mentioned it?

"Just what kind of entity is the Holy Vassal?"

On the so-called spectrum of good and evil, even though the organization was involved in many strange things, they didn't seem like terrorists.

Even though the masked man had suppressed everyone with his appearance the other day, he didn't kill a single person.

Today, Lei Shuangxing had come to save Luo Leilei. Even though he'd taken some people hostage, he didn't kill a single one of them.

Was it because that wasn't their motive?

Even so, Xu Xiaoshou had rarely seen the members of the Holy Vassal have any disdain for the weak. It was as if they…

Didn't think lightly of human life?

As for why the masked man and Luo Leilei had invited him to join them even though he was weak…

In that sense, it seemed as though even the Tiansang Spirit palace was more… overbearing than the Holy Vassal?

"That seems like it…" he thought.

Xu Xiaoshou was shocked by his ideas. Who was the evil organization here?

He shook his head inwardly to dispell these thoughts. Perhaps what he was seeing was merely the tip of the iceberg.

Ye Xiaotian freed himself from his spiral of thoughts when he heard Xu Xiaoshou's question. He smiled and said, "The Holy Vassal? They're merely an extremist organization. I've thought too much about the matter. We shouldn't concern ourselves with these matters."

"Extremist?" Xu Xiaoshou repeated. "But they don't seem interested in killing anyone. Where's the extremism in that?'

Ye Xiaotian froze. The question had stumped him.

"I'm not too sure of that myself. If we were to dig deeper into this, I'm afraid that only the Holy Divine Palace knows what the Holy Vassal has done over the years."

"Their aims seem to be different from those of a typical evil organization."

Ye Xiaotian laughed and continued, "Since everyone on the continent thinks of them this way, do you really think they can be considered an organization of justice?"

"Who knows…" Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but mutter. He wasn't one to take sides, even though he was in the spirit palace's camp.

At the very least, what he'd seen told him that the members of the Holy Vassal didn't seem to be as evil as he'd imagined.

"What's their motive?" Xu Xiaoshou asked.

"I'm not sure. I've only heard some rumors. It seems to be…" Ye Xiaotian suddenly froze, and he hesitated for a moment, as if he were deliberating whether or not to finish what he'd been about to say.

"Be what?" Xu Xiaoshou's curiosity was piqued.

Ye Xiaotian ultimately decided to be honest. "Demon beasts!" he said. "The Holy Vassal's motive probably has something to do with demon beasts."

Xu Xiaoshou inwardly shivered with fear.

Demon beasts?

Things like the grey mist figure?

Why was the Holy Vassal looking for those things? To eliminate them?

… Wasn't that a righteous thing to do?

Ye Xiaotian was a little shocked when he saw Xu Xiaoshou's reaction. "You know about demon beasts?"

How could a person at this stage of cultivation know about demon beasts?

Xu Xiaoshou calmly nodded. "No, I don't know."

Ye Xiaotian was speechless.

Doubted, Passive Points 1.

"Perhaps you've heard of the name. But remember, curiosity kills the cat. There are things that you cannot come into contact with now. Concentrate on your cultivation.

"You have massive potential. Don't let yourself down."

Ye Xiaotian looked at the arms of the young man before him. They'd already completely healed. "Master physique?"

"Yes." Xu Xiaoshou nodded. However, he was a little distracted.

He felt that this world was full of coincidences. Many of the things he'd encountered were inextricably connected for some reason.

Demon beasts?

Was it Mo Mo?

Chapter 199: An Old Man

Ye Xiaotian seemed a little taken aback. Did he truly have a Master Physique now?

He recalled the last time he'd seen the young man. The latter's cultivation and physique had appeared underwhelming. He hadn't expected such a transformation after a single trip to the Tianxuan Gate.

It seemed that Elder Sang had a really good eye for picking disciples!

Some people might seem a little eccentric, but sometimes you need someone to think out of the box to win a fight. That didn't sound bad, did it?

He remembered their encounter with Lei Shuangxing. If it'd been someone else instead of Xu Xiaoshou and his odd antics standing against the man, he would have found it a feat to find a way out of that predicament.

"Alright, hurry back and hide yourself. The Spirit Palace is in the middle of an emergency now. Don't go running around unless you have to," Ye Xiaotian said as he collected his thoughts and threw a glance at the young man and young woman.

Lei Shuangxing had been dealt with. Even if they were to take him seriously as a threat, he was still only a Master Level threat.

The man who'd appeared at their gates, and the masked man, who was lurking in the dark and whose whereabouts remained unknown, were their biggest threats.

Buzz…

As if to prove Ye Xiaotian's words right, the Spirit Palace's array flared suddenly, as it was as if the world had suddenly cracked.

A streak of panic coursed through Xu Xiaoshou. He nodded hurriedly and watched as Ye Xiaotian left with the unconscious men and women.

He must be heading off to help Elder Qiao and the others at the gate!

"Who could it be? Why haven't they managed to take him down after deploying so many Sovereign Stage cultivators?" Xu Xiaoshou felt slightly alarmed. The Holy Vassal seemed overwhelmingly powerful…

"Where are we going?" Mu Zixi looked at Xu Xiaoshou with mild bewilderment. She wanted to return to her residence but had a feeling that it wasn't safe there either.

"Has your fever gone down?" Instead of replying to her question, Xu Xiaoshou stuck his hand to her forehead, surprised to find that her fever had gone. What…

"This must be some kind of joke. That was some strange fever you got."

Mu Zixi somewhat coyly pushed his hand away. "What fever?"

"You don't know?"

There was a look of confusion on the young woman's face.

Xu Xiaoshou was momentarily speechless. The young woman appeared clueless.

He remembered Mu Zixi's glare as she'd helped Ye Xiaotian out of his tough spot. Without that glare, they might not have been able to turn the tables on their opponent.

"Do you have some kind of backstory?" Xu Xiaoshou asked.

"What backstory?" Mu Zixi blinked her wide eyes in confusion.

Xu Xiaoshou looked away and sighed. He gave up. He couldn't tell if the young woman was feigning ignorance or was actually clueless.

"Forget it. If we have the chance, let's grab a drink one day."

Mu Zixi was speechless.

"I'm underage!"

Xu Xiaoshou gave her a once-over. "Yeah, I can tell."

Mu Zixi was once again rendered speechless.

Cursed, Passive Points 1.

"Let's go. We should head for the Spiritual Library Division and check if the old geezer is there." Xu Xiaoshou stared at the sky. The frequency at which the Spirit Palace's array was flaring up was increasing at an alarming rate, and he couldn't help but feel worried.

"I hope nothing terrible happens!"

The Tiansang Spirit Palace sat on the top of the tallest mountain in the mountain range, a spot most rich with spiritual energy. Its gates faced east, allowing for an easy flow of natural energies in and out of the Spirit Palace that further nourished and filled its air with spirit energy.

A heavenly mist surrounded the mountain that was populated with cranes. To the commoner, it was a place where deities resided.

To the ordinary person, a spiritual cultivator was a deity who had gained enlightenment on the Great Path.

Such a group of deities was currently sprawled on the ground before the gates of the Tiansang Spirit Palace, moaning in pain.

They were the law enforcers of the Spirit Palace!

Wails of pain filled the air as an old man with a slight hunch slowly walked toward the gates.

With a pole over his shoulder and a small axe hanging from his waist, he looked like an ordinary old man who frequented the woods.

The only thing missing from the picture was two bundles of firewood, each tied to either end of the pole.

Everyone lying on the ground shrank away from the old man in terror as he walked past them, and the look they gave the kind-looking old man was one usually reserved for one's greatest nightmare.

A kind smile lit up the old man's face as he briskly walked down the uneven, meandering mountain path. One law enforcer attempted to climb to his feet, but with a casual swing of his pole, the old man shoved the law enforcer back onto the ground, then laughed brightly.

"You kids have done quite well for yourselves achieving such a level of cultivation at your age! You have a bright future ahead of you!

"I knew nothing when I was your age.

"I was climbing up and down mountains all day, chopping wood with my little axe, toiling all day long just to make a living. Come to think of it…"

A look of nostalgia colored the look on his face as he paused. "I miss those days when I wasn't killing and beating other people up!"

A law enforcer whose face was swollen from his bruises tried to hurriedly creep past the old man, but he was too slow. With a swing of the pole, he was sent flying into the air.

Thud!

The impact of the man landing heavily on the ground sent dust flying and yellowing the air.

Everyone's heart skipped a beat, and they couldn't help but glance around and stare at their fellow law enforcers, who were either suffering from swelling bruises on their faces or other parts of their bodies…

…all of which had been inflicted by that cursed pole!

The old man stopped in his tracks. He'd reached the top of the mountain. Before him stood five men.

They were Xiao Qixiu, Qiao Qianzhi, Jiang Bianyan, and two white-haired founding elders of the Spirit Palace.

That made five Sovereign Stage cultivators!

"Haha, what a pity! A pity indeed…"

The old man laughed unexpectedly as he stared at the five intimidating cultivators before him. He casually placed the tip of his pole on the ground, and the light touch sent the Spirit Palace's array rippling.

"What's the pity for?"

A solemn look darkened Qiao Qianzhi's face. The power that the old man displayed was terrifying.

It finally struck him why Xiao Qixiu had called for reinforcements. The five of them might not be a match for this old man!

"For the two of them…"

The old man pointed at the two white-haired founding elders. "Look at those two young fellows with their white hair at such a young age! Isn't that a pity? What can be more pitiful than that?"

Everyone was stunned when they heard those words. Young fellows?

He'd called them young fellows. These were old men who'd lived more than a hundred years.

This old man…

Was he doing it on purpose? Could it be that his age gave him the right to call them young fellows?

The founding elders immediately blew up. This was the first time they'd come across someone so audacious. Did he believe that he could do whatever he wanted simply because he'd managed to preserve his dark hair despite his age?

"Don't attack!"

Xiao Qixiu stopped the founding elders before they could lash out, then tilted his head toward Jiang Bianyan. "Hallmaster Jiang, do you know this man?"

Jiang Bianyan had been studying the old man for some time but couldn't tell who he was or where he hailed from.

As a hallmaster of the Holy Divine Palace, he'd accumulated a wealth of experience and many connections. While he might not be able to claim that he knew every Sovereign Stage cultivator on the continent, he was confident that he knew more than half of their numbers.

Yet, he hadn't the slightest clue who the man before him was.

"I don't know him. I know almost every Sovereign Stage cultivator who's reached the Sovereign Stage within the past century. But this man…"

"Haha… the past century?" The old man interrupted Jiang Bianyan with sudden laughter. "I've been a hermit for more than a century. Do you know any Sovereign Stage cultivator who was alive more than a hundred years ago?"

He swung his pole over his shoulder and eyed Jiang Bianyan with a look of anticipation. He seemed to show a keen interest in whether his juniors still knew who he was.

The five cultivators reeled back in shock.

"More than a hundred years?"

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Chapter 200: Come and Have a Game of Chess With Me!

They stared at one another, their eyes full of shock.

Spiritual cultivators weren't true deities. Of those who'd gained enlightenment on the path and advanced to the Sovereign Stage, thus extending their lifespans, few had been able to live past two hundred years old.

The highest level of cultivation that a Sovereign Stage cultivator might achieve during such a finite lifespan was known as their "path level."

All five of them were at the Sovereign Stage in their path level. What they competed against the others on was the depth of their enlightenment, the strength of their enlightened path, and the level of adeptness they achieved upon the path.

The two founding elders had stumbled upon ordinary paths of enlightenment that had allowed no opportunity to develop further mastery or expertise. That might very well be the height of their achievement in cultivation. In fact, they might reach the end of their lifespan soon and pass on.

But levels beyond the path level afforded a drastically different future.

Sovereign Stage cultivators who gained a deep understanding of the path, successfully cleaved it, and advanced to the Cutting Path Level would not only gain a drastic boost to their cultivation, but would extend their lifespans by almost tenfold.

The old man before them had called the two founding elders young fellows. Could he be a Sovereign Stage cultivator who'd attained the Cutting Path Level?

Jiang Bianyan eyed the old man's pole before casting a glance at the small axe hanging from the old man's waist. He swallowed hard.

"Is the venerable senior's last name by any chance Cen?" he asked tentatively after appearing to have arrived at some conclusion.

He instinctively addressed the old man respectfully, even though the latter was clearly an enemy. Jiang Bianyan's deference revealed the shock that he was probably reeling from.

The old man's eyes instantly lit up. "I can't believe it! You know who I am?"

The other four cultivators appeared bewildered. They turned their eyes to Jiang Bianyan and gave him looks of confusion.

"Who is he?"

Jiang Bianyan took a deep breath, as if he were trying to calm the waves of shock and disbelief swelling inside him.

"Cen Qiaofu!"

The old man nodded approvingly without denying it in the slightest.

The other four cultivators froze momentarily before a look of sheer incredulity filled their eyes.

Qiao Qianzhi instinctively glanced at the axe hanging from the old man's waist and already knew the answer to his question. "Is he the legendary Woodsman Qiao Fu, Cen Qiaofu?" he asked.

He was unsurprised to see Jiang Bianyan nod. Waves of shock swelled inside him.

There were numerous powerful spiritual cultivators in the world, but few who'd transcended to become legends remembered by everyone else.

Woodsman Qiao Fu was one of them.

According to the legends, Woodsman Qiao Fu was an ordinary man who'd spent his life traveling between his home and the woods to make a living. His daily work had consisted of chopping wood and ferrying buckets of water. For more than a hundred years, he'd lived such a life.

Then, the old man stumbled upon enlightenment at an age when he should've passed on. Within a single night, he cleaved the path and entered the Sovereign Stage. From that day, he went on to make a name for himself with his axe and pole and caused an uproar that reverberated across the world.

The spiritual cultivator would explain that the culmination of experience that he'd gathered during his entire lifetime had led him to his eventual enlightenment. And, with a little cultivation, he'd then reached the peak of his cultivation.

True geniuses were few and far between. The Eighth Sword Deity was one of them. As for this old man, his entry to the path was undoubtedly unique.

Helplessness colored the eyes of the four cultivators when they realized who the old man was.

They couldn't possibly fight this man!

He was a legend hundreds of years ago.

That made him a dinosaur that predated all of them. Even if they were to have twice their numbers now, they wouldn't be able to take down this dinosaur.

"Senior Cen, didn't you retreat to the mountains as a hermit? Why have you appeared before the gates of the Spirit Palace?" asked Jiang Bianyan.

Cen Qiaofu burst into laughter. "I did. But I was no match against conniving youngsters and their unscrupulous means. They used trickery and deception and lured me into joining their venture."

"Are you saying… that the masked man got you out of retirement?"

"That's right."

Jiang Bianyan fell silent. It'd suddenly dawned on him that this was why Ye Xiaotian had looked so sullen when he'd brought only two young cultivators with him.

When he'd received the letter requesting aid, he'd thought he would be showing the greatest respect to the Spirit Palace by turning up personally to help them.

But he hadn't expected the Spirit Palace to be faced with such powerful foes.

His arrogance had not only resulted in him overestimating his own abilities, but it had caused him humiliation as well!

He could've had ten of him here and still wouldn't have felt confident of his chances against this old man!

An obstinate streak in Jiang Bianyan compelled him to ask the old man, "Has the venerable senior really joined the Holy Vassal?"

"Young fellow, you may cease your questions. Return to the Holy Divine Palace alive and let them have this news as soon as possible. I might be paying your headquarters a visit sometime soon."

The genial expression on Cen Qiaofu's face belied the terrifying words he'd just uttered.

The looks on the five cultivators' faces instantly darkened. This was terrible news!

The Holy Vassal had drastically expanded its influence right under their nose, and they'd even managed to get someone as powerful as Cen Qiaofu out of retirement to fight for their cause!

Thud!

The old man stopped joking around with them and smacked the tip of his pole against the ground again. The Spirit Palace's array rippled and flared violently.

"Honestly, I don't really kill these days. Why don't we play a game instead?"

"What game?"

The five cultivators eyed the old man with trepidation. They could feel all the hairs stand on end and their bodies tense up. Hypervigilance had them noticing every blade stirring in the slightest breeze.

If Cen Qiaofu decided to fight, he could maim half their numbers in a single blow.

The old man smiled and shrugged when he caught the look on their faces. "Don't get so uptight!

"I harbor no ill will toward anyone. But I have my mission, which means that all five of you and any other Sovereign Stage cultivator who turns up…

"…will be stuck with me."

The rest of them froze momentarily. Was he simply a diversion?

Qiao Qianzhi and Xiao Qixiu exchanged looks. This was terrible. If the old man was simply the diversion, who was the main force of the attack?

The answer was as clear as day.

It was the masked man!

"Everybody, come on, take a seat."

Cen Qiaofu pulled out a mahogany chessboard and two boxes of chess pieces and started to reminisce.

"I made these in my younger days. You could gain enlightenment just by playing a single round of chess. We don't have anything better to do anyway. Why don't we have a friendly chat over a game of chess?"

He propped his walking stick up and began thinking. "Hmm… we're missing something."

His eyes lit up shortly. "Do you have nuts?"

Everyone fell silent.

Was he seriously suggesting that they nibble on nuts while playing a game of chess? The Spirit Palace was in the midst of a crisis. No one could afford the luxury of playing a game of chess with the old man!

The two hot-tempered founding elders couldn't take it any longer. They would rather be killed in battle than suffer insult. Their enemy had appeared at their gates and openly provoked them. Who could take that lying down?

The founding elders exchanged a look with each other, then unleashed their spiritual source. The next instant, they appeared on either side of Cen Qiaofu.

The battle with the masked man had led the founding elders to a realization—their strength was limited. Yet, they didn't care if they burned like moths that had thrown themselves into the flames. They would do anything to win any shred of hope for the future of the Spirit Palace!

As long as they could injure Cen Qiaofu, Xiao Qixiu would definitely be able to swoop in with his Sovereign Stage swordsmanship, overpower the more powerful foe, and kill the latter…

Thud! Thud!

Cen Qiaofu whipped out his pole, sent one of the founding elders into the air and another straight into the ground, then sighed.

"Such hot-blooded young men…"

The sight sent the eyelids of the law enforcers twitching violently.

Did he just take the founding elders down with a single attack?

How the h*ll were they supposed to fight this man? Was he a monster?

The founding elders and the Cen Qiaofu might not share the same sub-level, but they were all Sovereign Stage cultivators. Shouldn't he have given them the chance to unleash their spiritual source in respect to their dignity?

But he'd struck them dumb with that pole.

Thud!

Cen Qiaofu slammed his pole into the ground and once again sent the Spirit Palace's array quavering violently.

His hits were getting increasingly more powerful. The next one might just shatter the array.

Qiao Qianzhi's face darkened. Repairing such an array was no easy feat.

"Senior, didn't you promise not to attack the Spirit Palace? The array…"

Cen Qiaofu shrugged and said casually, "It's just a warning. Don't worry. I won't break that array of yours.

"But I have to let the rest know that there's a fight going on here somehow and that it's getting more intense. Otherwise, no one will come to your aid, am I right?"

What?

The cultivators were stupefied.

Was that why he'd kept up with his occasional attacks on the array?

Qiao Qianzhi grimaced inwardly and prayed fervently that no more reinforcements would arrive. Otherwise, all of them would be trapped in a fight with this old man.

Whoosh.

At that precise moment, a small figure suddenly appeared. Power emanated from the slight form as his snowy white hair drifted in the wind.

"Who dares trespass upon our grounds!"

Ye Xiaotian was feeling extremely displeased. He couldn't believe that he'd failed to take down a mere Master Stage swordsman. Unless the intruder who'd appeared at the Spirit Palace's gates was the masked man, he swore he was going to teach him a good lesson!

No one seemed happy to see him, though. The light in their eyes had dimmed with sorrow.

Ye Xiaotian was perplexed. Had their morale been beaten out of them?

He surveyed the area and found no traces of any huge fight that had taken place…

"What's going on?"

"Another Sovereign Stage cultivator?" Cen Qiaofu was elated. He stuck his pole into the ground, grabbed his chessboard, and squatted down.

"Come and have a game of chess with me!"

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Read I Am Loaded with Passive Skills Chapter 201 - Excuse Me... Do You Know the Way to the Inner Yard? online for free - AllNovelFull

Chapter 201: Excuse Me… Do You Know the Way to the Inner Yard?

Somewhere at the back of the mountain, in the Inner Yard.

Su Qianqian and Rao Yinyin sat on a huge, comfortable bed in a charming room decorated in pink and red.

"Sister Rao, do you have any idea why the dean told the Inner Yard disciples to go into hiding?"

"Something strange is going on with the Spirit Palace's array. It appears we're under attack again."

Su Qianqian held her huge white sword in her arms and stared at the ceiling with a dazed look in her eyes.

Her spiritual sense extended out and beyond the roof. She could see the array's occasional shimmer and waver. It was clear that a powerful force was attacking it viciously, and she even suspected there might be more than one assailant.

The array had protected the Tiansang Spirit Palace for many years. It had rarely displayed such violent fluctuations of energy.

The masked man had been the one who violently ripped the array apart the last time.

"There's always someone trying to infiltrate the Spirit Palace and attack it. They have always been stopped outside our gates."

"The Holy Vassal could not breach the Inner Yard during their last attempt too."

Rao Yinyin's eyes shone with indulgence as she patted Su Qianqian's head.

Her eyes slid over Su Qianqian's blade discreetly. She sighed inwardly.

The famed sword…

Who cared if it were a famed sword!

It was nothing but a curse that brought its master bad luck. If she could, she would abandon the cursed blade in the wilderness. Let those madmen kill themselves over it.

Perhaps the young woman before her could finally enjoy a good night's rest.

Rao Yinyin's heart twinged as she combed her fingers through Su Qianqian's hair. Su Qianqian appeared to relish the touch. She lay down on the bed and released her hold on the sword temporarily.

"Wouldn't it be wonderful if you weren't the master of this sword…"

Rao Yinyin couldn't help but murmur to herself when she saw how relaxed the young woman was.

The responsibility of carrying a famed sword wasn't something someone as young as Su Qianqian could bear. One had to pay the price for such power.

The young child had lost the chance to experience the typical joys of childhood from the moment she took the sword.

"No."

Su Qianqian shook her head and replied solemnly. "I'm going to do my duty as a custodian of this sword. Someday, I'll make the Su family rise again."

"If that day truly comes…"

"Yes,… he'll… probably be thrilled…"

Rao Yinyin cupped Su Qianqian's cheeks with her palms. She could sense the young girl's sorrow.

Her father had died in battle for this sword. Was it really worth it?

"Alright, let's not worry about the future. We should have a good rest tonight. When we wake up tomorrow morning, your master would have fixed everything."

Rao Yinyin decided they were going to stop talking about this upsetting subject and smiled.

She slipped her hands under the young girl's armpits and tickled her. Su Qianqian burst out into giggles and begged for Rao Yinyin to stop.

It didn't take long before the two young women were tussling around on the bed.

BOOM!

A fearsome, jarring sound emerged from the back of the mountain and startled the two young women.

No outsiders ever entered these residences from the back of the mountain. The most recent arrival and addition to the group of residents was none other than Xu Xiaoshou. Was he back?

"Brother Little Beast, is that you?" Su Qianqian called out tentatively.

Rao Yinyin frowned. Regardless of how urgent Xu Xiaoshou needed to return here, they would still have expected him to enter the residence through the main gate.

But from the back of the mountain? He wouldn't have the gall to do that!

Yet, the sound had come from the hot springs at the back of the mountain and it was the deepest and most remote part of the residence. Why would anyone be out there?

"Who is it?"

The air was still and heavy with tension. The sound of their heartbeats appeared almost deafening.

Su Qianqian was a little nervous. Was it another assassin?

She grabbed the Epitaph of City Snow. It seemed to give her strength. Something cold flashed across her eyes as calm came over her.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

A series of polite knocks came from the door. Moments passed in silence before the door creaked open.

"My apologies. I think I'm lost again. Excuse me… do you know the way to the Inner Yard?"

The man spoke in a raspy voice that sounded like his throat had not known water for a decade. It was as grating as the buzzing of a chainsaw and sent panic spiking through one's blood.

The stranger was dressed in a long black robe. His face was concealed and his hands gloved. It was as if mere contact with a slight breeze would turn him to dust.

The only parts of him exposed were his deep, murky eyes. They appeared like the clouded eyes of the dead, and the very white of his eyes was yellow.

"The masked man?"

The hearts of the two young women sank when they saw the man.

So, the Holy Vassal was attempting to infiltrate the Spirit Palace again.

The masked man had sneaked into the Inner Yard to hunt down Su Qianqian while a fierce battle was going on outside.

Rao Yinyin instinctively stepped forward and shielded Su Qianqian and her sword. She was alarmed, and her voice was trembling. "Who are you? Why have you barged into my room?"

The masked man did not spare her a single glance. Instead, his eyes looked right past her and fell on the huge white sword. They were bright with joy and surprise.

"Step aside."

Rao Yinyin stood stubbornly before Su Qianqian. With a wave of her hand, a pink mist appeared in the room.

"An illusion?"

A strange look appeared in the masked man's eyes. He finally stared Rao Yinyin straight in the eye. "You will not fool me with such a minor illusion. I'll say it again. Step aside."

Rao Yinyin did not utter a word. Her eyes were cold as her hands moved in a flurry and went through a series of seals.

Before she could unleash her attack, the sword in Su Qianqian's hands shook violently. Then suddenly a torrent of cold energy surged forth. It struck Rao Yinjin and blood streams from her lips as the force blasted her toward the masked man.

Without batting his eyelid, the masked man smacked her away and sent her crashing straight into a wall.

BOOM!

The wall collapsed and fell apart.

Panic seized Su Qianqian, and she could only stare at the sword in her hands in shock and bewilderment. The blade had been like family to her, and she couldn't understand why it had suddenly spiraled out of control.

"I didn't do it…"

"Run!"

Rao Yinyin hollered with everything that she had. She already knew that Su Qianqian hadn't unleashed that attack.

It was the masked man's fault for being too powerful. They were worlds apart. No matter how strong the bond between Su Qianqian and Epitaph of City Snow, he could easily wrestle control of the sword from Su Qianqian with a single glance.

"Is that Epitaph of City Snow?"

Something changed in the murky depths of the masked man's eyes. They glinted with fondness as he stared at the sword in Su Qianqian's hands.

"Can I… have a look at it?" He stepped forward and reached for the sword.

Su Qianqian stared at the gloved hands, and a strange sensation of trepidation seized her.

His hands did not resemble the hands of an ordinary person. Instead, the masked man's hands…

… were exceedingly flat, like they had no thumbs!

"No."

Su Qianqian took one step back as she clutched onto her sword tightly and stared at the man before him. He might be the most powerful enemy who had descended upon the Spirit Palace tonight.

She couldn't run. What would happen to Rao Yinyin if she ran?

"Don't worry. I harbor no ill will. I just want to look…"

Su Qianqian couldn't take the screams ringing in her ears any longer. She held the sword before her. Winds suddenly whipped up and wailed as the surrounding temperature plummeted.

The masked man's eyes gleamed again. The desire in them now intensified.

"A famed sword indeed. I…"

"Don't come any closer!" Su Qianqian hollered. The fear and rage churning inside her exploded simultaneously as she swung her huge white blade down.

"Heavy Tomb!"

The black shadow of a tomb descended from the heavens, falling upon and melding with Su Qianqian's enormous sword so suddenly that the air rumbled from the rush of its descent.

Then the blade stopped abruptly about ten feet away from the masked man.

A terrifying force flung Su Qianqian back. The young woman smashed through brick and mortar as she flew out the roof before finally landing in a field of flowers behind the house.

The web of her thumb had split open and blood gushed out. But she kept her grip on the sword.

The masked man looked heavenward, appearing to be caught in a bitter memory. After a long time, he turned his eyes towards Su Qianqian, who had fallen to the ground, and shook his head.

"Don't be a fool. You're only going to get yourself hurt…"

"No sword in this world dares to attack me. Not even a famed sword would dare to do so!"

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Chapter 202: All Swords to the Master

"No sword in this world dares to attack me. Not even a famed sword would dare to do so!"

Rao Yinyin laid frozen amidst the collapsed ruins when she heard those conceited words. She tried to struggle to her feet. But after such an attack from the masked man, she was no match for the sword energy still lingering in her body.

"Who is he? Judging from how powerful his sword energy is, he is probably more powerful than Elder Xiao," she muttered to herself.

She did not know that Xiao Qixiu could not even handle the first strike from the masked man.

Xiao Qixiu did not want anyone to spread the news that the masked man defeated him with a single blow.

Rao Yinyin watched as the masked man walked out of the house and into the field of flowers. She struggled desperately to get to her feet. However, she ended up spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Partially buried under brick and mortar, she stubbornly struggled, but she was losing consciousness. Finally, her hands fell limply to her side and she descended into darkness.

"Sister Su…" she called out weakly.

"Run!"

"Child, this sword has brought you much pain, has it not?"

The masked man kneeled before Su Qianqian. He tried to sound gentle when he spoke.

"Children your age should demand the attention and love of your parents. A child like you should not be running around with such a tremendous responsibility. The attempted assassinations must have put you through an endless journey of restless nights and tasteless meals."

Come, let me take your pain away. I will bear it in your stead."

The masked man placed his hand over Epitaph of City Snow. Su Qianqian clenched her jaw and clutched the sword tightly with a stubborn look on her face.

But a single flick of a finger against her wrist swiftly released the sword from the young woman.

"Epitaph of City Snow…" murmured the masked man as he brushed his fingers against the massive snow-white blade.

When Xu Xiaoshou once touched it, the telepathic artifact had flung itself into its master's arms with an endearing arrogance. Yet, when held by the masked man, it dared not move a single inch.

CLINK!

The masked man flicked his finger against the blade. The clear ringing of the sword reverberated across the Inner Yard.

Every disciple hiding in their residence felt their hair stand on ends. An unbearable sensation akin to the pain of a sharp blade slicing through their souls surged through their bodies.

"A famed sword indeed. Finally, the real deal and not a fake one!"

The masked man whispered in a tone of approval before he dipped his head and continued, "I will be honest with you. I went to Tiansang Prefecture and paid a visit to the Su family."

Su Qianqian's eyes opened wide as soon as she heard him. Instinctively sensing danger in his words, a shudder coursed through her body.

"What did you do to my grandfather?" she asked as she whipped her head up, revealing eyes burning with uncontrollable rage.

"Did your family not speak to you about this?"

The masked man asked curiously. He studied the furious look in her eyes before placing his palm on her head with a smile.

"Your grandfather may be dead."

WHOOSH!

A wintry wind swept across the night sky. The field of flowers swayed with the wind, but everything else seemed to be at a complete standstill.

Su Qianqian's eyes flashed as her fingers sank into the earth.

The sword energy rampantly raging inside her flared up, and she shot to her feet.

BOOM!

The explosion of Sword Will pushed the masked man back and sent him staggering.

The seeds of the Crimson Dream Flower flooded the Heavens and burst into dust in the air. An abundance of sword energies gushed out of Su Qianqian's body as her black hair tussled around like a powerful gust of wind was blowing.

"So, you are at the final-stage Innate Level Sword Will."

The masked man finally saw what he had wanted to see, and he seemed a little disappointed.

"It is not enough. It is simply not enough."

If that is all you are capable of, you can never harm me. You cannot hurt me at all."

"I can kill you right now!" shouted Su Qianqian. She was so furious that she had slipped into a state of madness. The masked man's verbal assault made her lose all her sense of reasoning.

With a flick of her hand, she beckoned Epitaph of City Snow. The sword instantly vibrated and tried to free itself from the masked man's hold.

But a swift glance from the masked man immediately quietened down the sword.

"Kill him!" Su Qianqian ordered.

Her sword did not return to her. Yet Su Qianqian showed no hint of fear. Sword energy gathered above her head, weaving itself into an enormous white sword that slashed at the masked man.

"Your sword energy has materialized…"

His faint smile, hidden beneath a layer of black cloth, went unnoticed as he stuck two fingers out and countered the powerful attack effortlessly.

BOOM!

The ease with which the masked man had defended against the blow belied the force of the collision. Its powerful impact was unmistakable. The thunderous explosion shattered the array which protected the residence and destroyed the field of red flowers, leaving nothing but emptiness in its wake.

Under the bright spill of moonlight, the masked man blocked the enormous blade woven from sword energy with one hand. He gazed downward at the much smaller Su Qianqian and stared straight into her reddened eyes.

A soft laugh shattered the silence, its echo lingering in the quiet night.

"Your grandfather was not the only one. Those uncles and aunts of yours who dared attack me. Many of them probably did not survive."

Naturally, it is a Swordsman's honor to die by my hand."

The masked man said that as if it were the unquestionable truth. His casual tone merely drove Su Qianqian into greater fury.

She could live with the many attempted assassinations taken on her life. She would not shed a tear if anyone of them succeeded in the end.

To keep her family away from danger, she had left the Su family a few years ago. She hid at the Tiansang Spirit Palace in what had seemed like a safe place.

She had not even dared to take one step out of the Tiansang Spirit Palace's gates. She had lost her freedom, and yet all that she had done had been futile.

"I am the one with the famed sword, not them. Why did you hurt my family?" Su Qianqian wailed as tears filled her eyes.

The masked man looked at her quietly before he slowly answered, "What a naive girl you are!"

You better learn that the world does not revolve around you or your wishes. Just because you think something should unfold in a certain way does not mean that destiny will make it so."

I was not the only one paying visits to the Su family every day. The visitors visiting your family were not any fewer than the ones visiting you at the Spirit Palace. Frankly, your family might have received more visitors than you did."

After all, it was a much easier place to get into."

Su Qianqian did not understand it at all. She yelled hoarsely, "But I am the one who has the famed sword!"

The masked man curled his hand inward slightly, then flicked it. The enormous sword woven from her sword energy instantly disintegrated. He placed his palm on Su Qianqian's head again.

"Child, you must know this. Many in this world still love you and whose love goes unnoticed."

Even I got deceived by quite a few fake famed swords. I even got a few from the Su family and a few from various places scattered across the Tiansang Prefecture."

Gripped by emotions, Su Qianqian could not stop the rage from shaking her slender body, and she finally collapsed limply onto the ground.

"It is not true. It cannot be true. No one told me anything."

Despite the tough facade that she had always put up, she was just a young girl who was barely sixteen. She was not even of age.

Many loved ones had sheltered her under their wings. With hardly any knowledge of the harsh realities of the world, the young girl understood little.

The masked man shook his head. His expression remained calm.

He had merely laid out what had been plain facts. Perhaps for the young woman before him, the truth was too cruel. It might be harsh to bear, but it was the reality of their world after one stripped off all pretense and lies.

"Sometimes, there is no need for words of love."

"No. It is not true!" Su Qianqian clambered backward as she trembled violently. She could not accept it… Then her muttering stopped.

"You are lying! That's right. You are trying to trick me!"

Her eyes widened as she stared unblinkingly at the man before her.

He was the enemy. She should not trust his words.

Hate swelled inside her and flooded her mind. The sword energies that had been coursing through her body had caused unbearable pain. Suddenly, the sword energies stayed still and then surged out of her body as if summoned.

Simultaneously, sword energies erupted from the seeds of Crimson Dream Flowers, which were adrift in the air. Meanwhile, white sword energies formed illusory swords in the sky and pointed their blade tips at the masked man.

Ten thousand blades waited in unison for the command to strike!

Su Qianqian had no blade in her hand. But it did not stop the piercing cry of a sword from reverberating across the entire Tiansang Spirit Palace and resounding through the mountain.

CLANG!

Regardless of where they were in the Spirit Palace, the sword of every Swordsman suddenly heeded their master's beckon in unison.

"All Swords to the Master?"

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Chapter 203: A Fight to the Death

Ye Xiaotian crashed onto the ground at the gates of the Spirit Palace and spat out a mouthful of blood.

He could not believe what was happening. He admitted that the masked man was a powerful foe, but who was this Elder? Where did he come from, and why did he possess so much power?

The pole which he held could shatter the very Heavens. Could the Gods be playing a joke on them?

Cen Qiaofu squatted on the tree stump and continued his game of chess with Xiao Qixiu. From time to time, he would smack the snowy-haired child on the ground with his pole and bark out a laugh. "Punk, you have tried twice and failed. Are you still going to try again?"

Xiao Qixiu's eyebrows twitched in fury as he watched the scene before him. He was not the one who wanted to have the game of chess with the Elder. But the latter had pressured him into playing the game!

If he had done nothing, those three white-haired men lying on the ground would never get back up again.

"And you, the young man at the back, are you done thinking? Unleash whatever attack you have got up your sleeve. My tea is getting cold."

Cen Qiaofu threw a look at the man behind him before picking up his cup and taking a sip of tea. He was talking to Qiao Qianzhi, who was standing the farthest away from him. Qiao Qianzhi had watched quietly from the sideline.

He had made tea for himself as well.

Qiao Qianzhi stiffened in surprise. He could not believe that Cen Qiaofu had caught him in the act when he had done so discreetly.

It was not his fault. To set up and activate a massive array required some time. As a Spirit Array Master, he would be faster than most others when setting up such a powerful array. However, there was no way he could activate one instantly!

"Hee, hee…"

He scratched his head sheepishly and said, "You caught me, Senior."

Qiao Qianzhi's weak attempt to answer what he was doing made Cen Qiaofu spit out the tea from his mouth. It spat on Xiao Qixiu's face.

Cen Qiaofu apologetically handed a piece of cloth to Xiao Qixiu and said aloud, "I will be honest with you. I have dabbled with arrays during my time as a hermit. I think of myself as something of a Spirit Array Master too!"

Crack!

Everyone looked stunned when they heard him.

Ye Xiaotian, sprawled on the ground, seemed mortified. It appeared as if his soul had fled his body.

They had pinned their hopes on this last resort. Had it failed before they had even attempted it?

Everyone fell silent. The stillness in the air was stifling.

Cen Qiaofu shrugged nonchalantly and said, "It was just something I did to pass the time. I refine pills too, but they are not as good as the pills one of the younger ones in my family makes. I do not go around telling people about it for fear of embarrassing myself."

"But I am passable at arrays."

He eyed Qiao Qianzhi, then asked firmly, "Is it the Eight Pillars of Imprisonment?"

He might have phrased his words as a question, but the look of certainty on his face made it clear he knew what Qiao Qianzhi was doing.

Thud!

Qiao Qianzhi's array wheel slipped from his hands and fell to the ground. The look on his face was that of utter shock.

The Elder had not been joking. He was a Spirit Array Master!

Cen Qiaofu placed another chess piece on the board and remarked, "Not bad at all. I did not think that you had studied Dao Qiongcang's Divine Secret. You are going to go far!"

Qiao Qianzhi's face turned pale. Cen Qiaofu even knew what the Divine Secret was. He was, without a doubt, a Spirit Array Master.

Their enemy had deployed many types of skills, and the threat they posed had them utterly cornered. Was there anyone who could free them from such a predicament?

The Holy Vassal had trapped five Sovereign Stage cultivators from the Tiansang Spirit Palace by deploying a single Elder!

"How about you?"

Cen Qiaofu eyed Jiang Bianyan, who was standing in one corner. He asked bluntly, "What do you plan to do?"

Jiang Bianyan grimaced before answering. "You cannot be serious, Senior," he muttered softly.

At that moment, he truly hated himself for coming alone. If Cen Qiaofu intended to kill them, he might not walk out of the situation to return to the Holy Divine Palace alive!

They could not let the Holy Vassal run free anymore.

He had to notify the headquarters that Cen Qiaofu had joined the Holy Vassal as soon as possible. They had allowed the Holy Vassal too much latitude, and their indulgence had resulted in danger in their backyard.

Xiao Qixiu continued playing chess with composure. At that point, the bold swordsman was the only one who possessed the unwavering patience and determination necessary to play a game of chess with Cen Qiaofu.

Since their last fight with the masked man, he had expected more formidable foes from the Holy Vassal.

It was what he had expected, so he was not shocked.

CLANG!

It was then that the clear, piercing cry of a sword filled the Heavens. The blade on Xiao Qixiu's back flew out of its sheath as if summoned.

"All Swords to the Master?"

It surprised Cen Qiaofu as well, as the Master Stage Sword Will was not something a person could easily attain. Such an achievement was no mean feat. He could not believe that he had stumbled across the person on the very day he had paid a visit to the Spirit Palace.

Shock registered in Xiao Qixiu's eyes.

They had only a few Swordsmen with Innate Stage Sword Will in the Spirit Palace and had even fewer who had advanced to the Master Stage.

Even Su Qianqian needed some time before she could advance to the Master Stage.

"Hold on a minute!"

Xiao Qixiu shot up to his feet and accidentally flipped the chessboard over.

"Su Qianqian!"

He grabbed onto the tree stump and straightened his back. His eyes widened as he roared, "The masked man went to find the famed sword!"

Cen Qiaofu stared at the broken shards of chess pieces scattered on the ground in a stupor. Had the man just resorted to feigned shock because he did not want to lose the match?

"Was it not obvious?"

Cen Qiaofu looked up and stared at the man before him. He could not understand why Xiao Qixiu was in such a fit.

Xiao Qixiu appeared to be in a panic. He whirled around and flew away, leaving Cen Qiaofu in a rage.

"Have you forgotten what I said? Even if you do not enjoy nibbling on nuts, can you not just sit down and drink your tea?"

He smacked the tree stump. The black and white chess fragments scattered on the ground flew into the air. With a flick of his finger, he shot some pieces through the air like streaks of light.

But Xiao Qixiu did not look back as he flew away. Instead, he shoved his sword behind his back and used it as a shield. Blood spilled from his mouth as the sound of something metallic rang out behind him. He continued flying into the distance.

Cen Qiaofu frowned. He smacked the tree stump again and flicked his finger once more.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

More chess pieces shot toward Xiao Qixiu. The vast distance separating Cen Qiaofu and Xiao Qixiu did not prevent those chess shards from piercing the latter's weakening body.

"You are not giving up, are you?"

"Why?"

It surprised Cen Qiaofu as he had infused the chess pieces with the power of the Great Path. Being hit by one of those pieces was not a pleasant experience at all. The foundation of Xiao Qixiu's cultivation might get damaged if he did not remove them in time.

Cen Qiaofu had his mission. He could not let the man leave. He rested his pole over his shoulder and instantly caught up with Xiao Qixiu. He swung his rod at the latter.

Xiao Qixiu showed no interest in fighting him and left his back exposed.

Something flickered in Cen Qiaofu's eyes. But it did not stop him from swinging his pole down mercilessly.

BOOM!

The Heavens shattered into countless glittering shards amidst a thundering explosion. With one hand thrust into the sky, Ye Xiaotian sprang to counterattack the strike.

He had been the one who had taken the blow for Xiao Qixiu!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Suddenly, eight pillars descended from the sky and imprisoned Cen Qiaofu within the confines of the Eight Pillars of Imprisonment.

The two founding Elders reappeared, and their eyes were ablaze with bold defiance. They declared, "We have lived long enough. We will take these odds!"

Somewhere in the distance, Jiang Bianyan sighed. He did not expect cultivators from the Spirit Palace to throw themselves into a fight with no warning. He would not get out of a battle this time.

"Let us fight!"

Upon Ye Xiaotian's command, dark lightning flooded the prison behind the eight pillars, sending violent ripples searing through the air inside.

The force behind the attack resulted from a Spirit Array Master's gradual accumulation of power. No matter how highly Cen Qiaofu thought of his abilities, he would not risk taking it head-on. He then realized the space that he was at had shackled him inside when he tried to flee.

They had gotten one step ahead of him!

BOOM!

A roaring explosion filled the Heavens and nearly blew up half the mountain.

The proximity of the Spirit Palace's array meant it did not escape unscathed. It shattered and revealed slivers of the night sky under its protective barrier.

Every disciple in the Inner Yard clamped their ears shut almost at the same time. Those disciples with lower levels of cultivation suffered from a loud buzzing in their ears after the explosion.

Fortunately, the array had shielded most of them from harm. The number of casualties remained low.

Jiang Bianyan stared at Qiao Qianzhi in a stupor. He could not believe that the latter had been the one who had set the explosion off. Could he have survived such an attack if he got trapped within the array?

Everyone waited with anticipation as the dust settled and the smoke in the air dissipated.

Had they succeeded?

Cough! Cough!

Their blood ran cold when they heard the hacking cough.

Cen Qiaofu's eyebrows raised. His face was blood-stained, but his clothes remained unchanged. His clean set of clothes concealed the extent of his injury.

But the blood dripping from his fingertips showed he had taken quite a hit.

"Truly, I cannot wait to see how far you young ones will go."

His pole got destroyed in the explosion. The Elder unhooked the ax from his belt. His eyes showed approval when they fell on Qiao Qianzhi.

"Not bad at all!" he said.

He loosened the joints of his wrists and shifted dislocated joints back into place. Then, with a firm voice, he said, "I suppose it is time for me to be serious!"

Qiao Qianzhi's lips twitched. He could feel a mild chill running down his back.

He threw a glance over his shoulder, then tightened his fists.

"It is up to you now, Xiao. I have bought you some time. As for who you are going against next, be careful."

Was it going to be the masked man?

Qiao Qianzhi swallowed hard as he felt a lump in his throat. Both foes were formidable opponents. How could they defeat them?

But the determination in his eyes never wavered. The will to fight set the light in his eyes ablaze once again.

"If my disciple's life is at stake, I will fight to the death if I have to!"

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Chapter 204: The Second Time the Sword is Drawn

"A Master Swordsman?"

As he was on his way to the Spiritual Library Division, Xu Xiaoshou suddenly turned around and looked toward the Inner Yard at the back of the mountain.

He sheathed his impetuous sword, Hiding Pain, into the Black Scabbard and kept it at the ready close to his person.

With consent from the dean, he was allowed to wear the Black Scabbard out in the open instead of hiding it.

"Xu Xiaoshou, has someone just achieved the level of a Master for the Sword Will?"

Mu Zixi asked out of curiosity. The power of a Master Stage Sword Will still frightened her even now, for her experience encountering Lei Shuangxing taught her to fear it.

The blind young man had survived even after being confronted by someone at the Sovereign Stage and escaped in one piece.

She was not sure where Ye Xiaotian's Heaven Travels had sent Lei Shuangxing. But she knew that if the blind man could survive such an ordeal, he would return as someone formidable.

Xu Xiaoshou nodded in response to her question. The Sword Will he had just detected was inferior compared to Lei Shuangxing's level of prowess. But while the formation was still crude in form, likely from someone at the Master Stage level, it was far superior to what he could conjure.

"A Master Swordsman. I bet only a few in the Spirit Palace can reach such a level."

"If it came from the back of the mountain, then could it be Su Qianqian who executed it?" whispered Xu Xiaoshou.

He shuddered at the thought.

Wasn't it be such a coincidence that Su Qianqian made it to the level of a Master Swordsman just when the Holy Vassal attacked them?

It did not seem possible!

Something must have happened at the back of the mountain!

Xu Xiaoshou could not stop analyzing the situation. If he were with the Holy Vassal, would he organize such a massive operation merely to rescue Luo Leilei?

He decided he might do it, for it made sense to kill two birds with one stone.

His eyes suddenly looked focused, and it was a sign that he had figured things out.

"Epitaph of City Snow," he whispered.

He recalled the reason for the last visit by the masked man, who appeared determined to get his hands on the famed sword. He was convinced that the masked man would try to steal the sword again, for he had now shown up.

"Sister Mu, get to the library and look for the old fart. If you can find him, tell him to get to the back of the mountain."

If you do not see him around, then stay where you are," Xu Xiaoshou instructed the girl.

"You are heading over to the Inner Yard?" Mu Zixi asked, immediately becoming anxious. "What can you do if you get there? Can you beat them?" she continued.

: Ridiculed, Passive Points 1.

Her blunt remarks surprised Xu Xiaoshou. He was at a loss for a reply.

He wondered why this little sister of his had to be so forthright. Could she not be a bit more diplomatic?

While he knew he would not stand a chance against those people, he still had to go there all the same. After all, it was his new home.

Besides, Su Qianqian was there. He could not help feeling a little concerned about the young girl.

He did a quick check on the Information Bar.

: Passive Points: 15944.

He had already collected thousands of passive points. These came from all the surprised looks he received from the crowd when he emerged from the Tianxuan Gate. However, most of the points had come from the Sword Aura Jade.

That item alone contributed up to 10000 points.

However, given his current situation, the points did not seem to be enough.

He then took a brief look at the skill module.

: Passive Fist (charge point: 3.14%).

It was a spiritual technique granted by the System after it devoured two of his Innate Elemental Powers. Xu Xiaoshou was unfamiliar with its power and still gauging it, but he believed its force would be formidable.

When he last checked it, it was only at 2.11 percent. He had accumulated it by withstanding the 280 thousand blasts of sword aura at the Black Cliff.

He never imagined that one Sword Aura Jade alone could add over one percent to the charge.

"I could probably use this as a last resort in a battle with someone of my level. Who knows, it could even serve as a finishing move if I go against someone from the Holy Vassal?"

He took some time to weigh his options. After he had allayed all doubts, he decided on his course of action.

Often, one needed careful preparation before heading into battle. After all, one had to be strong at crucial times.

Such a mindset was necessary to protect one's family, friends, and anything else one needed to defend!

"Go to Elder Sang. This is now your mission. Hurry!"

Mu Zixi opened her mouth but could think of nothing to say, for she couldn't think of anything she could do to help at such a time.

She got out of the dean's illusion through sheer luck, and the truth was she didn't know how she did it. All she knew was she wouldn't always want to leave it to fate from hereon.

But at such a dire time, she could only nod and leave in exasperation.

If she could find Master Sang, Xu Xiaoshou would have a chance to make it back alive. It was the only thought in her mind as she moved as swiftly as she could.

Xu Xiaoshou felt relieved when he saw her take off. He hurriedly made his way to the back of the mountain. He started talking to himself as he rushed to the Inner Yard.

"I cannot be the only one who suspects the masked man seeking the Epitaph of City Snow. I am sure Elder Sang, Elder Xiao, and the others might already be there to protect Su Qianqian in secret," he muttered.

Yeah, I am sure they are there.

What if they are not…?

I best remain unseen and just observe from afar. Yes, this how I should go about it. I cannot act impulsively on this one, he thought.

I know she calls me Brother Xiaoshou. But it is not like we share some profound connection, so I do not need to risk my life for her."

Right! This is how I will deal with it. And if the tide goes against us, well, I guess someone will have to retrieve her body then."

It was a dark and cold night in the mountains.

The Master Stage Sword Will permeated the place. Tens of thousands of swords conjured out of sword qi were hovering in the air. They were everywhere, and their presence was ominous.

As soon as he broke the Sword Will formation, the masked man flicked his finger at Su Qianqian's forehead, and blood spurted out.

Thump!

The girl's strength left her as she slumped to the ground limply, passing out immediately.

The masked man stood there for quite a while, lowering his head and sighing.

"Vengeance is truly the greatest motivation to drive a person to make breakthroughs," he said to the unconscious girl.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust.

Everything suspended by the Sword Will fell back to the ground where they belonged, kicking up clouds of dust into the air.

Even someone with Master Stage Sword Will could not avoid getting knocked down instantly when faced with the masked man.

"Time is upon us and I must go now. I will take the sword with me, and when you become powerful enough, you are welcome to take it back."

The masked man looked at the little girl in white lying sprawled on the ground. Then he picked up the sword and slung it over his back before he bounded into the air.

Before he could get far, he suddenly covered his nose and mouth and started coughing violently.

Cough! Cough! Cough!

Dark clouds covered the moon as the masked man changed into a new mask in the dark. He crumpled the bloodied mask and discarded it to the ground below.

"Now, there is just one last thing…"

A glint of interest flashed in his eyes as he looked up at the moon shining through the clouds again.

"Wen Ming, where are you?"

SHING!

It was the sound of a sword being unsheathed.

The masked man turned around and saw a bloodied figure standing not far away. He looked quite familiar.

Only when the person pointed his sword at him was he reminded of who this person was.

"You have recovered, then?" the masked man asked, and the corners of his lips twitched.

Xiao Qixiu appeared to be shaking for he had not expected the masked man to strike again.

The move he had just executed was identical to the one used back then, but strangely, his state of mind seemed different this time.

However, Xiao Qixiu had little choice. He was drawing his sword, not for himself, but Su Qianqian.

"It looks like you now know who I am. So why do you still dare to point your sword at me?" asked the masked man as he chuckled.

"Put down the sword!" Xiao Qixiu shouted angrily.

"Heh, you have quite a temper."

The masked man turned to look at Su Qianqian, who was lying on the ground, and said, "I left her alive, but I am not leaving the sword behind."

The Epitaph of City Snow rang on his back. Despite being tied with an ordinary rope, it dared not to do anything rash.

Xiao Qixiu levitated Su Qianqian toward him with his spiritual source, and she floated toward him. He quickly checked her pulse and felt relieved that she was not severely hurt.

It was a good thing that she was safe.

But Xiao Qixiu could not allow the famed sword to be taken away just like that!

"Put the sword down!" he repeated.

The masked man looked as if he intended to toy with him. He took a step forward, and it filled Xiao Qixiu with trepidation, but he stood steadfast and did not back away.

"You are interesting."

"Among all my enemies, you are the only one who dares to point your sword twice at me."

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Chapter 205: A Battle of Robbing Paths

Xiao Qixiu had an expression of despair on his face.

He knew the other man was not bragging at all. Since he knew who the man was, he could attest to the man's abilities better than anyone else.

Only those who truly knew the masked man would realize he was not acting pompous. He was merely stating the truth.

"Your sword is shaking."

The masked man pointed out casually. He looked at Xiao Qixiu, who was still in shock, and he continued.

"I see a swordsman who can't even hold his sword properly in front of his enemy. How could such a swordsman even think of protecting anyone else then?"

It should be something you must remember, especially when you stand in front of the man you fear facing the most."

Xiao Qixiu looked at Su Qianqian, who was still in his arms, and the look in his eyes hardened.

The masked man was right. Regardless of who the enemy may be, or how powerful they were, he should never allow his sword to shake.

"But…"

The masked man continued with words as sharp as blades, striking to the very core of Xiao Qixiu's mind. "The sword is the foremost among all weapons. And judging from how you are already shaking, you're already afraid before you engage in combat. How do you suppose you can fight me then?"

Those who fear treading the path cannot cut down the said path."

Those words struck Xiao Qixiu like lightning and made his mind go blank immediately.

"Cutting down the path…" Xiao Qixiu mumbled. He was oblivious to the fact that he was already looking like a loser.

"The fight of the Great Path is one where a false step could bring about one's doom."

One who holds a sword yet trembles will not go far. I would advise you to give up instead, and you may even live a good life."

The masked man continued bombarding Xiao Qixiu with words, causing the latter to look more flustered and discouraged.

Xiao Qixiu felt like a star that had lost its luster. One that dared not flicker for fear of getting overshadowed by the moonlight.

Pfftt!

Xiao Qixiu's aura now appeared to become even weaker. The masked man snickered mockingly and said, "It looks like your path does not seem like much after all, given that someone could rob you of it with just a few choice words."

The masked man's words awakened Xiao Qixiu instantly, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.

Was someone taking his path away from him?

Was the masked man robbing him of his path?

The fight among those at Sovereign levels had always been a fight at the level of the Great Path. If one's path was overwhelmed by the other party's, the said person would be doomed and could never recover from it.

It would be like a person losing his way in life if he lost faith in his principles.

Both Xiao Qixiu and the masked man were swordsmen. But Xiao Qixiu allowed the masked man to ridicule him so much that he lost his self-belief. If it were to continue this way, it would crush his Great Path, and Xiao Qixiu would either end up dead or grievously injured in the fight.

The realization of what just happened created doubts in his mind, and Xiao Qixiu became somewhat anxious. Both men were on opposing sides, and that meant trying to overcome his opponent's path. Indeed, it was expected and understandable.

So why did the masked man have to keep berating him if he was about to succeed?

It did not feel like the masked man was trying to rob him of his path, but more like someone who was trying to win the psychological battle.

Xiao Qixiu wore a puzzled expression as he pondered.

If someone else were to be in the masked man's shoes, it would have been impossible for them to shake Xiao Qixiu's beliefs with such ease. Frankly, in encounters at the Sovereign level, it would be safe to say that very few could successfully rob their opponents of their paths.

The masked man before him was different in the sense that if he were to walk his path to the very end, then…

Xiao Qixiu would be utterly defeated.

"So what?"

Xiao Qixiu gripped his sword firmly, and his eyes gleamed like a bright moon.

Without the pressure from the masked man, he probably would not have reached such a conclusion. His mind was now clear, and all the gnawing doubts in his head were no more.

Ultimately, the goal of cultivators of their kind was to slay those whom they perceive as gods.

It included the masked man standing before him—someone he perceived to be a god.

"Put the sword down!"

It was the third time he uttered those words, and he seemed to have gone through a massive transformation. He looked prepared to cast his sword to the clouds and tear the night apart.

"Heh!"

The masked man chuckled coldly. He ignored Xiao Qixiu altogether, turned around, and was about to leave. "Take her with you and begone. I am in no mood to kill anyone tonight," he said.

His actions stunned Xiao Qixiu, who did not expect such a turn of events.

He was about to make his move, but common sense told him to do otherwise. After all, the man before him was…

However, as he recalled during the enlightenment to his path, he was reminded to move forward regardless of the odds.

Tap!

He had just made his first step when he realized that the girl in his arms grabbed the collar of his shirt. He looked down and saw Su Qianqian pursing her lips and shaking her head.

To the girl in his arms, the choice was the famed sword or his life.

It was a tough choice.

But she already knew her answer.

However, Xiao Qixiu was still deliberating.

His life or the Great Path, he contemplated.

He remained silent and halted his advance.

The night was chilly. The wind blew throughout the mountains, sweeping flowers back and forth, and the cries of the condors screeched through the night.

The shadow of the masked man grew increasingly long and faint. He stayed alert as he withdrew, waiting for the man behind him to make his move, yet he did not move.

Well, have it his way then, he thought.

The masked man then shook his head and sighed. His silhouette disappeared as he turned around a corner.

"There is too much holding you back. You are not fit to become a swordsman. You might as well give up."

There was a rumble. Xiao Qixiu's Great Path, manifested only moments ago, was about to crumble after hearing what the man had said. Then it gradually disintegrated.

He was still gripping his sword tightly, and his eyes filled with doubt. His confidence was broken, and it would be a challenge to get it back up again.

Su Qianqian was thoroughly shocked. It did not occur to her that one step would cause Xiao Qixiu to plunge into such internal turmoil that made him hover between life and death.

"Master…" she called out to him.

Xiao Qixiu wore an expression of pain as he gritted his teeth, and a trace of blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.

"I'm fine… Cough!"

Blood spurted out from his mouth and splattered on Su Qianqian's terrified face. Her master was not feeling fine at all, and his life was hanging on a thread.

Xiao Qixiu dropped to his knees with a thud, and the aura emanating from him was weak, similar to that of a dying man.

He cast Su Qianqian aside immediately. The girl was in tears, struggling to get up to attend to him.

"Stay over there!"

Xiao Qixiu stabbed his sword into the ground, his eyes filled with frustration and regret.

Wrong!

He was wrong!

He finally saw how someone could go about killing people by causing them to have mental breakdowns.

The masked man had first used the foundation of the Great Path to influence Xiao Qixiu by giving him a goal of "slaying the gods" with no regard for anything else. But the masked man knew Xiao Qixiu would never raise a finger against him.

The masked man then turned and walked. If Xiao Qixiu could not catch up and draw his sword, it was tantamount to Xiao Qixiu denying the righteousness of his path.

Xiao Qixiu just got fooled.

"Cough!"

He was breaking down, and the deathly aura around him became more apparent.

When someone lost their path, it would be unbelievably difficult for them to keep themselves together.

Worse still, the one he had just faced was someone formidable—the masked man. He was doomed the very moment they met.

"Master!"

Su Qianqian shouted at the top of her lungs. She had initially wanted to keep her master alive by giving up her sword and had never expected that she could not save her master.

Xiao Qixiu looked at his beloved disciple and chuckled bitterly and finally came to realize something on the brink of death.

To be honest about it, what had happened to him was not the masked man's fault.

If only he had kept pace and drawn his sword firmly, he thought.

Perhaps he might have successfully cut down his path.

He then cast his gaze at the path where the masked man's silhouette disappeared. He clenched his fists. The opportunity was right before his eyes, yet he had miscalculated.

"Stay where you are, I am…"

Xiao Qixiu closed his eyes in pain. It was the end for him.

BOOM!

Suddenly, an explosion reverberated at the far end of the path before them and it sounded like someone had been pummeled to the ground.

The master and disciple, both in tears, were stunned as they cast their gaze in the direction.

An enormous crater appeared yonder, and when the smoke and dust cleared, they could see the masked man clutching his chest with a black sword sticking out of it. The scene baffled them.

Drip!

Drip!

The drops of blood sounded crystal clear as they hit the ground in the silence of the night.

Xiao Qixiu's eyeballs almost popped out of their sockets. What he saw so shocked him that the disintegration of his Great Path slowed to a halt.

Someone had stabbed the masked man in his chest!

"What the hell!"

Chapter 206: A Lunatic Out Jogging at Night with a Sword in the Spirit Palace

Let us go back in time…

Xu Xiaoshou headed straight for the mountains without stopping after he parted with Mu Zixi.

Possessing the Agility Skill of the Master Stage meant that he could traverse the entire length of the Inner Yard within mere seconds, and could travel at hair-raising speed to his new home in no time at all.

He then put his long-range surveillance plan to work.

As he had upgraded his Sense Skill, he could easily see everything the three were up to in the mountains. He not only saw what they did but could hear everything said, to the extent of even hearing their noses snorting. He assessed their tones and observed their body language.

Xiao Qixiu made his appearance almost at the same time as Xu Xiaoshou did. The masked man had stabbed Xiao Qixiu effortlessly when they last clashed. Thus, he speculated that the masked man would dispose of the Elder Xiao just as quickly.

However, what happened next was not something that Xu Xiaoshou had expected.

The masked man chatted away for quite a while before he made Xiao Qixiu spit out blood. Xu Xiaoshou deemed the taunting to be just too unbelievably long.

He vaguely recalled the time he met the masked man at the Goose Lake. The masked man did not seem like a talkative person.

Of course, Xu Xiaoshou knew it may probably have had something to do with him talking too much then. He had seen how the masked man took on so many opponents on his own back then. Judging from his personality, Xu Xiaoshou could tell that the masked man was someone who did not like to talk much.

"The guy could kill the Elder with a single blow. Why would he bother wasting so much time talking then?"

It was the first question that came to his mind.

Xu Xiaoshou had been eavesdropping on the entire conversation. But despite that, there was no notification appearing on the Information Bar showing it—no one had detected him. That was the second question running through in his mind.

How could it be possible?

He understood how the masked man could mess around with Xiao Qixiu's psychological state. But despite the distance between him and those three, he wondered why someone as powerful as the masked man could not immediately detect him while he was snooping on them.

Did he not see me?

Impossible!

But as puzzled as he was, he could only assess that the masked man simply failed to detect his presence.

Xu Xiaoshou doubted his assessment at first. But as he heard how their conversation unfolded, and when in the end the masked man walked away from Elder Xiao, he felt something did not seem right…

Somehow, the entire exchange felt like a trick to Xu Xiaoshou, for he was familiar with such modus operandi.

Then his eyes glinted when he realized the ruse.

The masked man was putting on a bluff!

It was just like how Xu Xiaoshou had bluffed his way and intimidated both Feng Kong and Shao Yi back then.

Xiao Qixiu did not notice any of it because he was caught in the middle of it, but Xu Xiaoshou could distinctly see everything from the outside.

Why would the masked man go about giving such lengthy speeches? Why would he walk instead of fly when he left?

The guy was hiding something!

Xu Xiaoshou recalled when he first met the masked man and how he had unexpectedly hurt him. When he had thought about it later, all of it had seemed almost impossible.

But yet it was what happened. Not only had Xu Xiaoshou been able to hurt the masked man, but the masked man also seemed to have coughed out blood as well.

He had previously ignored those details. But presently, when he compared what happened then with what was taking place, it led him to a conclusion.

The masked man had sustained some injury. While he was still very formidable, he would plunge into a weakened state if he were to make an attack. If he were to bear it out and entered his combat state, it would put him at risk.

He could do it, but he would probably have to pay a very steep price for risking it.

It was why the masked man had to chatter away when facing off against Xiao Qixiu instead of just going straight in for the kill.

It must have been the reason he chose to walk—he probably could not even fly.

Xu Xiaoshou got even more flustered when he came to that conclusion.

If he had misinterpreted the facts and if he were to make a wrong move, it would undoubtedly mean he was going to be killed.

Then he later saw the masked man walking at a steady pace in his direction.

The masked man did not walk toward Xu Xiaoshou intentionally. It was nothing more than a coincidence.

And how did he know this? Because there was no prompt from the Information Bar at all.

If the masked man were to walk up to Xu Xiaoshou because he saw Xu Xiaoshou, there would have been a "Watched" prompt appearing on the bar.

Xu Xiaoshou was done holding back.

The guy stole Su Qianqian's sword and messed up Elder Xiao badly. And here he was, walking up to Xu Xiaoshou like he owned the place. Who the hell could bear something like that?

The important thing was that it seemed highly possible that the masked man was in a severely weakened state.

"This is an opportunity like no other!" Xu Xiaoshou muttered.

Xu Xiaoshou felt the urge to take action immediately.

He drew the Hiding Pain and wanted to charge at the masked man. Then he thought it might not be the best way to do it.

After all, it was the masked man he was dealing with there. If the masked man were to get angry enough to ignore his injuries and retaliate, Xu Xiaoshou might just get snuffed out before he knew what was happening!

Xu Xiaoshou wondered how he should go about it.

He turned around and looked at the long path in the woods behind him, then pondered.

The masked man had just convinced Xiao Qixiu to drop his sword and was walking around the corner before he immediately noticed that something did not look right.

There was another masked man right in front of him, and he was charging out of the woods. That in itself was bad enough, but there was more…

Not only was the man charging at him wearing a mask, but he had also covered his eyes.

What looked even more frightening was how the man was holding a black sword high, running as he practiced his techniques while muttering some words.

"White Cloud Sword Techniques, Dark Cloud Sword Techniques…"

What the hell?

What was wrong with the fellow?

Why would there be someone like that in the Spirit Palace?

The masked man looked utterly baffled.

His powers had deteriorated so much that he had even lost his spiritual sense, which naturally meant that he could not detect the lunatic in advance.

He had just finished taking on Su Qianqian's Sword Will, and his injuries got worse. It was a painstaking effort to talk to Xiao Qixiu until he fell to his knees. It meant that he had nothing left to take on the lunatic in front of him.

So, he stepped aside and made way for the lunatic to pass. It was the first time in his life that he gave way to another person.

His reasoning was simple. The passerby was but a madman, and it was not worth it.

"Huh? Someone is around here?" muttered the lunatic.

The lunatic unexpectedly halted and quickly made way for the masked man in an exceedingly polite manner.

Suddenly, they came face to face with each other.

No one said a word for that fleeting moment…

The masked man was flustered and did his best to avoid the path of the lunatic's attack.

Both of them gradually closed in on each other, and the lunatic muttered something again.

"It is not right that guy should move out of the way for me. I cannot hurt him."

The lunatic then shifted to the side with his sword after muttering those words, then suddenly swung his sword in a flamboyant arc at the masked man.

The masked man almost spat blood right there and then. He wanted to move, yet the distance between the two of them was too close for him to move out of the way.

Instantly, the lunatic stabbed his black sword mercilessly into the masked man's chest. The force of the strike was akin to a charging bull, almost crushing every bone in his body.

BOOM!

The masked man dropped to the ground and clutched at the sword sticking in his chest, never expecting to fall into the hands of a running lunatic in the dead of night.

Xu Xiaoshou continued to pretend to act like a lunatic, then tilted his head as if he could not understand why he ran into someone.

He then squatted down before the masked man, who was lying on the ground.

"Sorry, I did not mean to do it."

Xu Xiaoshou wrapped his face as tightly as he could. He wanted to prevent the masked man from identifying him. He even changed the tone of his voice, hoping that it would make it difficult to establish his identity.

"Cough!"

The masked man spat blood right away, panting hard as he stared at the sword stuck in his chest.

Did the lunatic say he did not mean to do it? How could he stick a sword into someone and then said that?

The masked man then took out a piece of communication jade.

Xu Xiaoshou was fast enough to detect it and took the jade away. He said, "Dude, I honestly did not mean to do this. Do not call anyone, okay? I am scared."

The masked man was speechless.

His body went into violent spasms from his wound, and blood was gushing out.

: Cursed, Passive Points 1.

Xu Xiaoshou could see blood continuing to ooze out of the masked man. He could finally confirm that the masked man was indeed in a very weakened state. Xu Xiaoshou then continued to chatter away.

"We are both night joggers. I am sure we can come to an understanding."

Pfftt!

"Oops, my bad. I forgot my sword is still stuck in your body. Let me get it out first."

"You…" muttered the masked man.

"Just stop moving!"

Xu Xiaoshou leaned down to pull the sword. He deliberately moved it quite a few times as he pretended to remove it. It almost killed the masked man on the spot.

But before Xu Xiaoshou could pull out the black sword, the masked man endured the pain and unexpectedly picked himself up off the ground. He tore off half of the mask that Xu Xiaoshou used to cover his face.

Both of them looked surprised, and the scene looked like someone had just pressed the pause button in the middle of a play, freezing the frame.

Xu Xiaoshou, stunned, forgot to keep babbling away like a lunatic, and the masked man was too shocked to release the tension of his body.

Drip!

Drip!

Trickle!

The black sword was still dripping blood, and a puddle of blood formed on the ground. The pupils of the masked man dilated quickly.

: Doubted, Passive Points 1.

: Begrudged, Passive Points 1.

Gulp!

Xu Xiaoshou swallowed hard and felt his lips drying up. His face was as white as a sheet.

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Chapter 207: Weakened and Bullied

"Wen Ming?"

The masked man was astonished.

He asked himself if the familiar face before him belonged to the kid he encountered the other day and from whom he had asked for directions. He wondered why the kid would appear on the mountainside.

On top of everything, the kid even stabbed him.

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly felt himself trembling. Despite all his calculations, he never thought the man on the ground would be able to do such a thing.

Without warning, he reached out to tear off the mask from the masked man's face.

It was only fair that he returned the favor.

Whack!

However, the masked man's movements were no longer slow. He swiftly grabbed hold of Xu Xiaoshou's hand and dug his fingers into its flesh.

Xu Xiaoshou pulled his hand back from the pain but, to his horror, discovered that he could not pull it away.

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned.

Shouldn't he be in a weakened state?

How was it possible that he was instantly immobilized when the masked man grabbed him? It felt just like how it was in their previous encounter.

But how could it be? I now have the Master Physique, man! I have upgraded!

"Well, um… I think this is all a misunderstanding," Xu Xiaoshou said.

"Shut up!"

The masked man shouted, pushing Xu Xiaoshou down and forcing him to sit. The force he applied soon caused Xu Xiaoshou to drop to the ground.

Xu Xiaoshou's face had turned red from the pain, and it took him quite a while before he could even utter a word. "I'm not fond of this pose."

The masked man stared at him in exasperation.

Cough! Hmm!

The masked man was choking, and he almost coughed out blood.

Xu Xiaoshou immediately seized the opportunity and delivered a knee strike to the masked man.

POW!

The tremendous power of Master Physique and Recoil delivered a terrifying amount of force. Somehow, it enabled Xu Xiaoshou to throw the masked man, unable to maintain his fighting mettle, high into the air.

Xu Xiaoshou probably realized that if the masked man were to strike him, he could certainly not handle the blow.

However, he had to do something, regardless of the risk.

The masked man behaved like a sick man when Xu Xiaoshou attacked him. He was unable to parry or deflect any of the attacks and could only endure the inflictions.

To put it simply, the masked man seemed like someone who had lost his sense of judgment, for he had spent all his points in attack but had set none into defense.

Xu Xiaoshou noticed that the masked man's Spiritual Source reserve seemed to be lower than his.

He did not know if he was imagining it, but the masked man looked even weaker than when they had first encountered previously.

Back then, the masked man could still somehow maintain his level of power at the Innate Stage. Presently, it felt like his powers had dropped right down to the Acquired Stage.

Xu Xiaoshou wondered deep down if the members of the Holy Vassal became more vicious in their combat prowess when they had lower levels of powers.

As they were now quite a distance apart, Xu Xiaoshou took the chance to get up to leave. He noticed that the masked man seemed to struggle to even steady himself after getting kicked into the air.

He was shocked to find how wobbly the masked man looked in the sky. He looked unbalanced, just like how he had been when he first rode on his sword in flight.

"Wait, he cannot fly?"

Are you telling me that his power has dropped to that of Acquired Stage?" Xu Xiaoshou muttered.

He immediately shot a compressed fire seed at the masked man.

BOOM!

The masked man went flying even further after the explosion.

"He is weak," said Xu Xiaoshou with raised eyebrows.

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes widened in disbelief. He found it rather unbelievable that the man in front of him was the same man who once overpowered a host of formidable opponents from the Spirit Palace.

: Cursed, Passive Points 1.

He saw the Information Bar suddenly refreshed at that moment, causing his eyes to glint.

The attack worked?

Well, why else would the masked man curse at him if it did not, eh?

Xu Xiaoshou then shot another five fire seeds at the masked man with a flick of his hand without a second thought.

"Wen Ming! You…"

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The deafening explosions drowned out the furious rantings of the masked man. Mushroom clouds took form in the dark sky, and Xiao Qixiu, who watched from afar, was utterly shocked.

"Is that Xu Xiaoshou?"

"Did he cut down his path successfully when he was in the Tianxuan Gate? Why is he so damn powerful right now?"

He recalled how Xu Xiaoshou had such a hard time with his battles during the Wind and Cloud Contest. Xiao Qixiu wondered why the kid's fighting prowess had spiked so much after not seeing him for only a few days.

Hell, he shouldn't be so powerful even if he was on drugs!

Su Qianqian was in shock as well, feeling as if the world around her had come crashing down on her.

The invincible masked man was now being beaten continuously with no way of defending himself.

She had not seen her Brother Xiaoshou for just a few days, so how did he become so powerful?

"Is this real?" The girl extended her hand and looked at her Master. She hesitated for a bit before deciding to slap herself on the cheek.

She flinched as she felt a sharp sting.

"It is real!" she cried out.

The more Xiao Qixiu thought about what was happening, the more peculiar he found it.

He studied the man Xu Xiaoshou had been blasting in the night sky to the point he was bleeding copiously. He then realized it was not Xu Xiaoshou who had become unbelievably strong but that the masked man had become weak.

He connected the dots in his mind and the truth was now plain to see. He immediately realized what was happening there and then.

"The guy had been bluffing all the while."

Xiao Qixiu's face turned red from fuming anger. He could not believe that he ended up fooled when Xu Xiaoshou saw through it at once.

He was about to get up, but the decay of the Great Path was something very challenging to put a stop to.

He felt despair.

If he had lost in actual combat, he would have gladly died with no regrets, but to end up dead in this way was a cruel joke.

"I am beyond saving, huh?"

He looked blankly into the far distance.

Tap!

Xiao Qixiu and Su Qianqian heard a light tap. It was the sound of a footstep.

The sound came from not far away. But just right beside him.

Xiao Qixiu trembled. Before he could turn to look at the figure beside him, a thin, wrinkled hand appeared before him, holding a bottle of pills.

"Vice Dean!" Su Qianqian shrieked in surprise as she looked at the bottle with tears in her eyes.

My Master Xiao can be saved!

Elder Sang had pulled his hat low, but his eyes remained focused on the prey far away, like the eyes of a hawk. His expression was dark and sullen.

"Sorry for being late. I got caught up in something."

The smoke from explosions on the battlefield clouded Xu Xiaoshou's vision.

But it did not affect him. His Sense allowed him to see the masked man, twisted and drenched in blood from the bombardment, so much so he looked like he was falling apart.

The masked man may have powerful attack skills, but without Master Physique, it was still difficult for him to take on such furious attacks.

It surprised Xu Xiaoshou when he saw the Sword Will around the masked man gathering force and pulling his body together like a broken toy being glued back in one piece.

"What kind of move is this?"

"Some special spiritual technique?"

He then recalled the Sword Will Possession mentioned in the 10 Sections of the Finger Sword, wondering if that was how it worked.

He looked closely and found the familiar power emanating from the masked man's body.

"Ordinary power of thought?"

"No, it cannot be. It is anything but ordinary."

The move appeared to be of a level far higher than the psychokinesis that he came to understand and learn. At the very least, it was something that could hurt his mind and soul, even just observing it with his Sense.

"High-level power of thought then?"

Xu Xiaoshou thought no further, for it seemed like he could end the masked man with one last hit. He then pulled out his bathtub and rushed at the masked man.

"Stop!"

Xu Xiaoshou heard a rather tired voice in his mind, and it immediately doused all the fire he had for the fight.

Elder Sang?

Xu Xiaoshou calmed down right away as he gazed at the masked man falling from the sky. He felt a chill on the soles of his feet.

Holy sh*t!

He questioned himself—what the hell has gotten into me?

Instead of pulling back after gaining the upper hand, all he thought about was delivering the killing blow. Had he assumed that he could do whatever he wanted after gaining the Master Physique?

Would it be detrimental if the masked man really got angry?

"Wen Ming!"

"You have forced my hand!"

A white blast of sword aura rumbled, rising like the morning sun, shrouding over the moon, and lighting up the entire mountain.

A snowy-white massive sword shot into the air, trembling slightly, and tore the night sky apart.

: Summoned, Passive Points 1.

Xu Xiaoshou's face paled and he regretted he had been so bold.

He turned around and ran like hell, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"I am sorry. I did not mean to do that!"

"Help!"

Chapter 208: Dawn with a Slash of the Sword

The move caused the aura from the snowy-white massive sword to emit a brilliant light that eclipsed the moon as the blade flashed in the night sky.

"Is the sun out?"

As the sword aura radiated brightly, the disciples of the Inner Yard could see the starry night light up like broad daylight. Even those at the Outer Yard could not help but turn their attention to what was happening.

"Um, is this happening because of the ongoing fight in the Inner Yard? Damn, this is something else… Our brothers in there sure are a terrifying bunch!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, I never thought I would ever see such a display. I wonder when I would be able to attain such a level."

"You? Huh… Have you even gathered your energy reserve yet? I would say that you had better go to bed now so that you can save your strength for daydreaming tomorrow."

"Huh…?"

"Shut your mouth!"

The newcomers were excitedly discussing what had just happened as they watched the skyline from their compound and the fence. A group of law enforcers clad in black guarded them.

Then they suddenly heard a loud rumble.

The snowy-white sword had ripped a spatial fissure in the sky. It made them feel like they were getting sucked into the crack in the sky, and everyone swallowed hard in disbelief and fear.

"Law Enforcer Wang, what is this?"

"Is it coming from our brothers battling it out in there?"

The man they called Law Enforcer Wang stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky. His eyes carried a look of anxiety.

"Yes, it is. You people should get back to bed now."

"This is not much of a problem."

[Outside the Spirit Palace]

Several figures at the Sovereign Stage were ganging up on a shriveled old man in the sky who was armed with only a small ax.

Blood was being spilled everywhere, and the scene was incredibly harrowing.

The two Elders were the first to cave in, falling from the sky with deep cuts all over their bodies. They dropped to the ground with loud thuds and passed out the moment they hit the ground.

They were immediately incapacitated.

Ye Xiaotian and Jiang Bianyan then joined forces, yet could barely keep the terrifying assaults from Cen Qiaofu at bay. The ax could cut up their Great Path with just a swing, making it difficult for anyone to withstand his attacks for long.

"Dean Ye, it is not because I am weak. But honestly, I am nearly at the end of my limit."

Jiang Bianyan held his hand to his chest. If he had to go any further, the effort would surely overwhelm his heart.

"I made it very clear in the letter requesting help that the invader could be from the highest levels of the Holy Vassal."

Ye Xiaotian did not bother turning his head around as he dashed up into the sky again.

If he had known they would not take his words seriously, then he would not have only asked for help from the Holy Divine Palace but reached out to many others.

Ye Xiaotian kept his thoughts to himself and did not voice them out.

He was aghast that the Holy Divine Palace would take the matter so lightly. It was something he had never expected, and he also wondered if Elder Sang had been right all along.

It was evident that the Holy Divine Palace paid little heed to the schemes of the Holy Vassal.

Jiang Bianyan wore a woeful grimace on his face. He never expected the situation to be so terrifying.

If he had not seen with his own eyes just how powerful an assault the Holy Vassal could mount, he would have thought that they were merely a band of misfits to be preyed on easily.

"It is said that a single spark could end up burning a field. Is this what is happening now?"

He then caught Ye Xiaotian, who had just suffered another cut and was sent flying back. Jiang Bianyan looked at the man's blood-stained silver hair and was mulling over what to say.

"How about…" Jiang Bianyan blurted.

Ye Xiaotian shot him a glance before disappearing from his sight again.

This place was his Spirit Palace.

"How about" was simply not an option for him.

BOOM!

Suddenly, a burst of brilliant white light flashed, and everyone froze immediately. The fighters at the Spirit Palace saw the Epitaph of City Snow shimmering in the sky and felt dazed by what they saw.

"That sword belongs to Qianqian."

The wheels Qiao Qianzhi was manipulated in his hands seemed to have lost all bearing to carry out an offense. He lowered them right away.

Fury appeared in the eyes of Ye Xiaotian. His teeth squeaked from grinding them hard against each other.

"We still failed then?"

He felt bitter and disappointed. According to their plan, Elder Sang should have been protecting Su Qianqian. Did it mean that even he could not stop the masked man?

Cen Qiaofu was utterly shocked by the ominous appearance of the Sword Will. From what he knew, it was a sign that the masked man was going all out.

"Is the kid out of his mind? Does he not know just how bad his injuries are? It is suicidal!"

"Just how is it possible for anyone from the Spirit Palace to invoke such fury in him?"

Doubt cast over Cen Qiaofu, and seeing no other choice, he fled from the fight and flew off toward the eye of the storm.

Ye Xiaotian kept his wits as he applied pressure against the bloody gash on his chest and moaned in pain.

"Let us catch up with Cen Qiaofu."

[Near the mountains at the rear]

Xu Xiaoshou headed straight to where Elder Sang stood.

It was lucky that Elder Sang had told him to stop his attacks on the masked man in the nick of time.

If he were to charge at the masked man without taking caution, he surmised he would end up getting chopped in half by the frightening attack.

Xu Xiaoshou had now come to his senses, but the masked man was only just getting riled up.

It was the first time anyone had beaten him up so badly. He had to admit that the kid had seen through his weakness.

The kid's ability to do it proved he was smart and had skills.

The kid caught him at his weakest and launched attack after attack, almost bringing him to his knees.

The kid was younger than him, and it did not seem like he had grown all that much since they last met. He was still puzzled by how the kid could do so much damage.

But none of it mattered anymore.

The masked man shouted furiously, and the Epitaph of City Snow shook the sky, exposing the true might of the famed sword.

White sword aura coalesced and lit up the night sky, and an icy chill fell upon the place. Then the ice-cold Sword Will sent a blast of a brilliant bluish beam of the sword that lit up the night sky again.

SWOOSH!

The sword aura blasted out, and it gave Xu Xiaoshou a shock.

There was no way he could run away from it.

He initially thought that keeping a distance from the masked man meant that he could easily get to Elder Sang. After all, he was at the Master Stage of Agility.

But he had indeed miscalculated.

It was then that he had learned he should not gauge the powers of others by using his capabilities as a measure.

After all, there was no way for bugs to comprehend the strength of giants!

Xu Xiaoshou still could not escape the masked man's attack range although he was already halfway to reaching Elder Sang. The azure beam of the sword was soon upon him, and he had no choice but to bound toward it and meet it head-on.

"Whatever…"

"Time to burn the brightest at my very last!"

He bent over and lifted his elbow. The energy of his Passive Fist was about to be ignited.

Right there!

Using his Sense, Xu Xiaoshou could see Elder Sang, who was in the mountain, lifting his hat slightly. The brightness from the beam glinted off Elder Sang's eyes hidden from sight under the hat.

"You are asking for it."

The Elder was furious. He would allow no one to touch the people he had taken a liking to, and Xu Xiaoshou was his disciple.

BOOM!

A deafening roar thundered through the night as Elder Sang's punch clashed with the beam of the sword. The air around Xu Xiaoshou, up to hundreds of meters high in the sky, shattered.

Spatial cracks spread out in the sky, looking like a voracious ancient beast opening its mouth and baring its fangs and claws, as it trying to swallow everything within its reach.

Xu Xiaoshou went flying.

To his shock, he saw the spot where Elder Sang's fist met the beam of the sword. He realized that if it had not been for the Elder pushing him away, even his Passive Fist would not be enough to withstand the furious slash from the masked man.

"So, this is what true powerful strikes are like!"

Xu Xiaoshou clenched his fist as he recognized the variance in their opposing powers. Had it had struck him, there would be nothing of him left.

Despite having access to the Passive System and supported by many passive skills, it became apparent that his level of training was far from enough for him to take on such goliaths.

He got a reality check on the spot.

Regardless of how powerful passive skills were, they could only do well when pitted against spiritual techniques of comparable levels.

Acquired Stage passive skills had no way of beating spiritual techniques of Innate Stage. He had already proven it during the match with Mo Mo at the Outer Yard.

What could he rely on to face the masked man, then?

His passion?

He thought he could do whatever he pleased when he saw the masked man react upon recognizing something in him.

But he was not pulling punches now…

Xu Xiaoshou was alarmed and broke out in a cold sweat.

Suddenly, the cockiness that had gotten to his head after he powered his way through the Tianxuan Gate vanished with that one slash of the sword.

The grey mist figure had already taught him a very severe lesson, yet he continued acting recklessly all the same.

"I should not have attacked him."

"If even Elder Sang could not beat him, then I'm in trouble."

BOOM!

Xu Xiaoshou hit into something, causing him to deviate off his course and veer to the side.

He thought he was being thrown aside by Elder Sang. One could tell just how powerful the Elder was, simply from the fact that even the black hole could not pull him in.

But when Xu Xiaoshou turned around, he saw a wrinkled Elder covered in blood all over his face, holding an ax.

"A flight accident?"

Cen Qiaofu stared at the young man in shock and utter disbelief.

He had not shed a single drop of blood, even after fighting consecutive battles with several figures at Sovereign Stage. But the kid almost tore his head off when they collided.

He wondered how he could have been blasted away by a mere kid.

He also questioned why he ended up with sword gashes all over his face after just touching the kid.

He also wondered when the kid had made his move and why he could not detect it despite his level of training.

Cen Qiaofu eventually could not contain his curiosity and asked.

"Are you a hedgehog or something?"

Report chapter

Chapter 209: You Idiot are Talking Big Again!

: Doubted, Passive Points 1.

: Doubted, Passive Points 1.

"Huh?"

The spiritual source Cen Qiaofu had unconsciously emanated rattled Xu Xiaoshou. He wore a pained expression on his face as he felt his body go numb all over.

He was just an old man and was the victim of a collision, yet even after Xu Xiaoshou crashed into him, he could still make a sarcastic jibe.

Xu Xiaoshou then noticed several individuals, all at Sovereign Stage, arriving right behind Cen Qiaofu just when he was about to respond to his sarcasm. All of them hovered in midair with a very intimidating bearing.

But they were quite a disturbing sight to behold, for they had blood and deep gashes all over their bodies.

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help twitching his brow at the sight of them.

"What the hell?"

He then saw the blood-stained ax in Cen Qiaofu's hand and immediately knew what had happened.

Xu Xiaoshou felt lucky that he had chosen not to argue with this old man wielding an ax. He deduced that he must have come from the Holy Vassal as well.

Did the old man cut them all up on his own?

Xu Xiaoshou's face went pale, and his aura dropped so low that it likely touched the ground. Then, he just nodded and answered the old man, Cen Qiaofu.

"Yeah, I am a hedgehog."

Cen Qiaofu was speechless.

He was at a loss for words with the answer that he got.

Cen Qiaofu ignored Xu Xiaoshou, seeing him as no more than an insect at the Origin Court Stage, and turned his attention to the two who were fighting an intense battle.

Elder Sang fixed his eyes on the masked man from afar as he trapped the terrifying sword aura with his hands. Its power would have sent shivers down anybody else's spine.

Crackle! Crackle!

The blast of the Sword Aura crackled with energy as it was about to rip the night sky apart. But it suddenly dissipated without a trace. There was not even a whiff of the sword energy lingering in the air afterward.

The Infernal Heavenly Flames technique was capable of incinerating anything in its path.

And the image of Elder Sang destroying the sword aura with his bare hands shocked Cen Qiaofu to the core.

"Who are you?" asked Cen Qiaofu.

Evidently, the old man who now stood before him was in a different league from the other younger ones he encountered.

Cen Qiaofu vaguely recalled that he had seen such a technique somewhere before, but he could not place it.

Damn! It was perhaps because this guy, although old, was still not from his era, Cen Qiaofu thought.

"Cen Qiaofu?" said Elder Sang.

Cen Qiaofu did not recognize Elder Sang. But judging from the sudden change in his expression, it appeared the old man knew Cen Qiaofu.

"Why are you here too?" asked Elder Sang.

Cen Qiaofu was shocked when he heard the tone of Elder Sang's voice. For it was a tone used when a person was familiar with the other.

Hmm, so, it appears many Juniors know me.

He unconsciously straightened his slouched back a little, and he wore a faint look of pride on his face without realizing it. "You know me?" he asked.

Elder Sang said nothing as he turned to face the masked man again. He pulled his hat down slightly, and darkness shrouded over his face.

"I have previously advised all of you to stay out of the Spirit Palace."

The masked man's expression immediately changed and he called out, "Qiaofu!"

Cen Qiaofu looked at the masked man, puzzled at what was taking place.

Judging from the way the old man with the hat spoke, Cen Qiaofu sensed the old man intended to make sure he never got to leave.

"Hehe, hehe, you sure like to brag."

Crackle! Crackle!

Cen Qiaofu sensed that the temperature of the air around him spiking right after he spoke. The ground suddenly dried up and the sky appeared like a mirage as the heat rose and the sun roasted everything around him.

Fzzzzz!

A ring of white flames burst from the ground, making an enormous circle that encircled the three of them within.

The ground rumbled and without warning, a great column of white flames over hundreds of meters high engulfed all three of them.

Temperatures soared incredibly and the sky now looked hazy, as if it had been turned into a clear crystal and flowing down to earth.

"The Dragon Melting Realm?"

The masked man was shocked by what he saw, and shouted, "Are you out of your mind?"

Everyone else stranded outside the wall of flames was awed and in a stupor. They discovered that the white flames of the Dragon Melting Realm could even burn down Spiritual Sense, preventing those on the outside from knowing what was happening within.

Somehow, Xu Xiaoshou was able to use his Sense to penetrate the flames. but it was scorching hot, and he felt as if his entire body was about to catch fire.

: Attacked, Passive Points 1.

: Attacked, Passive Points 1.

"What?"

His Information Bar kept refreshing with those lines repeatedly, making him feel somewhat anxious.

He badly wanted to shut his Sense off, but the passive skill did not give him such an option.

"So, the old geezer is seriously so powerful, huh?"

Xu Xiaoshou then realized he had never seen Elder Sang in a duel before. Even when the masked man invaded Goose Lake in the past, Elder Sang had taken care of everything in a blink of an eye.

It was Xu Xiaoshou's first time seeing Elder Sang going all out like that.

Like a breeze blowing, Qiao Qianzhi flew to Xu Xiaoshou's side.

"Xiaoshou? Why are you here?"

Ye Xiaotian was shocked to find the kid there as well.

Why was the kid everywhere?

Had the merits of previously fighting Lei Shuangxing gotten to his head, and he took it upon himself to teach the masked man a lesson as well?

It sure is bold for someone who was merely at the Innate Stage.

"Did I not tell you to hide somewhere?" Ye Xiaotian asked, rather annoyed.

"Yeah, I came to hide!" answered Xu Xiaoshou with a nod.

"Why the hell are you here, then? Looking to get a beating?"

Ye Xiaotian assessed Xu Xiaoshou's condition, expecting to find injuries on the young man. But to his shock, he realized that, except for his messy clothes, the young man was unscathed.

"Hiding means getting home, right? This place is where I live now. Where else could I go?" Xu Xiaoshou answered innocently.

Ye Xiaotian glared at the kid in exasperation.

He chose not to answer the cheeky lad.

Soon, Xiao Qixiu recovered after taking Elder Sang's pills. He finally staved off the decay of his Great Path and headed toward Xu Xiaoshou.

"Good work back there," Xiao Qixiu said to the kid.

Ye Xiaotian slapped Xiao Qixiu's shoulder as a gesture of appreciation. The way he saw it, it was because of Xiao Qixiu that Xu Xiaoshou stayed alive.

However, Xiao Qixiu shook his head. He had a perplexed look as he looked at Xu Xiaoshou. He hesitated a little before he sighed and spoke.

"It was not me this time. If it had not been for the kid, I am afraid I would already be dead right now."

When they heard what Xiao Qixiu said, everyone looked astonished. Even Jiang Bianyan, who arrived late, looked surprised as well.

How could someone at a mere Innate Stage do battle with the masked man?

Xu Xiaoshou felt a little embarrassed. When he saw the look of disbelief on everyone around him, he grinned with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and pointed at the white flaming realm.

"You see that? The sword wound on the masked guy? It was my doing."

For a brief moment, it seemed time stood still. Everyone froze.

Qiao Qianzhi slapped Xu Xiaoshou on the head. If they were not facing such dire circumstances, he would have probably laughed out loud.

"You idiot. Bragging again, huh?" Qiao Qianzhi snarled.

: Doubted, Passive Points 3.

However, as soon as his hand touched Xu Xiaoshou's head, it was forcibly repelled. Qiao Qianzhi looked at his hand in shock.

He then looked at Xu Xiaoshou, who was still grinning, and felt that the kid now appeared to be very different from before.

Xiao Qixiu then took a deep breath, and said, "True, it really was his doing."

: Doubted, Passive Points 3.

Xu Xiaoshou frowned and shook his head after viewing the Information Bar.

Well, so much for that. Even when the truth was right before them, they still refused to believe it.

Seeing their expression turn from suspicion to shock, he could not help but mumble, "It was just one strike. It is not such a big deal."

No one said anything.

Xiao Qixiu glared at him.

: Cursed, Passive Points 1.

"Are they going to fight it out, then?"

Xu Xiaoshou said as he cast his eyes on the white flaming realm, paying no further attention to the Sovereign Stage individuals around him. They then stared at the flames as well.

The blazing flames were blinding to the eyes. The Infernal Heavenly Flames were formless and colorless, and it was something Xu Xiaoshou had only witnessed for a second time.

Yeah, the first time was when he was picking up the Infernal Heavens.

"Returning to its origins then?"

Xu Xiaoshou was mulling over it when Qiao Qianzhi whacked him on the head again.

It took Xu Xiaoshou by surprise.

The hit was not painful, but it shocked him, as it would anyone unwary.

"What now?" asked Xu Xiaoshou, wondering what he did wrong.

Qiao Qianzhi wiped away the tears at the corner of his eyes, hissing as he added, "You are bragging again! I cannot see anything here, and yet you make it sound like you can see everything through it!"

Report chapter

Chapter 210: Elder Sang Making his Move

"Huh?"

Xu Xiaoshou raised his eyebrows and asked, "You mean all of you can't see anything?"

: Doubted, Passive Points 4.

Ye Xiaotian did not say a word, and instead, he swiped his palm in front of him and a screen appeared. Everything that was happening inside the white flaming area was revealed on the screen.

"What kind of spiritual technique is this?" Xu Xiaoshou asked, and his eyes lit up.

"Heaven's Vision."

"You can see everything with this?"

"What? Yes, of course."

Ye Xiaotian felt something amiss after he replied and questioned, "Wait, why do you ask?"

"Hehe, hehe. No, it is not what you think it is," Xu Xiaoshou replied cheekily.

"Huh?" Ye Xiaotian frowned.

: Doubted, Passive Points 4.

Xu Xiaoshou discreetly gauged the dean's height and gave him a dubious look.

Everyone's attention naturally shifted to the screen when it lit up, and Xu Xiaoshou stopped talking, turning his attention to the magical spiritual technique called Heaven's Vision.

If Ye Xiaotian was not asked to project visions from other dimensions, then then the task was an effortless one for him.

He did not need the screen as his eyes alone were enough to see through the white flaming realm.

The three trapped inside the Dragon Melting Realm floated in midair. Without someone like the mischievous Xu Xiaoshou around, the atmosphere was a lot more intense.

The extreme temperatures were causing all three of them to sweat profusely. Cen Qiaofu, unused to such conditions, was isolated with just a light puff and shrouded by a cloud of smoke.

"Is this all that you have?" Cen Qiaofu mocked Elder Sang.

Cen Qiaofu tapped his ax derisively. If that was all there was that Elder Sang could muster, then the man with the hat was not worth his time.

Elder Sang grinned but had a grim expression on his face.

"Cen Qiaofu, remember this moment, for it would be the highlight of your life."

Elder Sang merely pulled up his hat without doing anything else. Suddenly, white streams of flames emerged from the Dragon Melting Realm and surged toward Cen Qiaofu.

The extreme temperature of the Infernal Heavenly Flames was not a thing anyone would dare to touch.

Cen Qiaofu took evasive action and the streams of flames instantly collided, resulting in a massive explosion.

Shockwaves spread over the place with a rumble, and the explosion would have rocked the entire sky. But it had been contained within the Dragon Melting Realm, which spoke volumes of the skill of the person who executed the move.

Cen Qiaofu went flying from the force of the shock waves. However, he steadied himself in the nick of time and avoided colliding with the walls of white flames.

The temperature of the walls was such that even a look at them would have scorched one's soul.

Xu Xiaoshou jumped when he saw what had happened from the outside.

"Wah! It is terrifying!"

The others were clueless. But as Xu Xiaoshou was a fellow practitioner of such a power, he was aware of what was going on.

The streams of white flames were like magic spells, comprising countless compressed fire seeds within them.

The destructive potential of such a collision would have probably razed half of the Inner Yard if Elder Sang had not kept it within the confines of the Dragon Melting Realm.

"Elder Sang…"

Jiang Bianyan whispered as he watched the projection on Heaven's Vision. He recalled when he last met Elder Sang. He had been confident of being able to challenge Elder Sang as an equal.

But after a dozen years later, Elder Sang had since left him way behind in terms of power and skills.

Jiang Bianyan was not the only one in shock. Those from the Spirit Palace present were just as shocked.

Elder Sang rarely exhibited his skills. So, the impression of his capabilities remained as what they remembered from over a dozen years ago.

When they witnessed what had just happened on the projection, they could not help but be in awe of Elder Sang.

"His ability is something else."

Xiao Qixiu then added, "He is probably right. We have been too sheltered in the Spirit Palace."

They were all silent again. Xu Xiaoshou peeked at his seniors, and while saw envy on their faces, none of their faces showed any sign of regret.

"It is just a matter of different choices and paths," said Xu Xiaoshou.

All four seniors looked shocked, never expecting Xu Xiaoshou to be the one making such remarks, but they kept silent.

[Back inside the Dragon Melting Realm]

The explosion held significance to Xu Xiaoshou. But against the two opponents inside the white flaming wall, it looked like the move was inadequate.

The masked man held the Epitaph of City Snow in front of his eyes and managed to cut down the oncoming shock waves.

Cen Qiaofu was even more relaxed. As long as none of the shock waves hit him directly, they did him little harm.

Cen Qiaofu slashed at the sky, and a black gash instantly ripped through the Dragon Melting Realm.

However, like streams of water flowing down a waterfall, the opening on the walls quickly sealed up.

"Huh? That's quite impressive!"

Cen Qiaofu looked surprised. The power of both the Great Path and spiritual source in his ax was tremendous, but it still could not blow up the walls.

It seemed like the power of the wall of flames had immediately burned his attack.

No. It did not burn the attack. It swallowed it up.

The Dragon Melting Realm consumed Cen Qiaofu's power. It had transformed his power into fuel to maintain the high temperature of the place.

"Good move!"

"Well, it would seem like I won't be going anywhere," Cen Qiaofu said.

Elder Sang smirked and replied, "You can try."

Cen Qiaofu charged right away with his ax in hand.

"I do not need to. If you are down, then the damn Dragon Melting Realm will just get snuffed out, I'm sure."

Cen Qiaofu advanced toward Elder Sang at great speed, but Elder Sang was unfazed.

He lifted his hand and shouted.

"Furnace!"

The Dragon Melting Realm instantly became a furnace, and boundless white flames leaped from under the ground, quickly filling up the area within.

The imagery on Heaven's Vision suddenly flickered and seemed unable to withstand such high temperatures.

Ye Xiaotian stabilized the skill right away. But there was only noise and they could see nothing else.

But Xu Xiaoshou could see everything using the power of his Sense skill.

The fierce counterattack not only trapped Cen Qiaofu, who was charging at Elder Sang, but even the masked man could not evade the leaping flames.

Both of them burned badly by the fierce roaring flames that seemed inextinguishable.

"What the hell is this?" Cen Qiaofu cried.

He looked flustered and hurriedly used his spiritual source to repel the flames, but his Spiritual Source was incinerated. He then repelled the white flames with his Great Path, but his foundations were singed.

The overpowering flames suddenly jogged his memory.

"Infernal Heavenly Flames? You are the disciple of Demi-Saint Infernal?"

Elder Sang did not reply. He clutched his hand, and the terrifying flames scorched their souls right away.

Cen Qiaofu's face twisted, and the color of his head turned somewhat bleached.

"Burning down both life and path?"

Cen Qiaofu's eyes widened, and he became quite flustered.

His body looked shriveled, yet he was still strong. But the flames burned him so severely that his skin became unbelievably creased, making him look even older than he already was.

"Qiaofu!" the masked man called out.

"The decision is in our hands and we do not need to fight any longer. We should leave!"

The masked man looked to be in excruciating pain as well. It was not the time to get a taste of the Infernal Heavenly Flames. His foundation was already damaged, and he was unable to fight Elder Sang for long.

It was why he chose not to fight Elder Sang.

So powerful was Elder Sang that if the masked man fought him, he would end up crippled, even if he succeeded in killing Elder Sang. Worse still, the damage inflicted on the masked man would be irreversible.

The loss would be immense if he fought with Elder Sang.

He pulled the Epitaph of City Snow from his back. But he found his towering Sword Will confined by the ceiling of the Dragon Melting Realm.

The masked man was in a dilemma. The flames could burn anything and everything and were indeed terrifying.

He then telepathically passed on a message to Cen Qiaofu. "Let's give our all to cleave our way out. Let's go!"

Cen Qiaofu nodded in response.

He had already discovered just how powerful Elder Sang was and had no intention of dallying around any further.

As Cen Qiaofu lifted his ax, Elder Sang snickered as he spoke.

"You cannot win, so you are trying to run, eh?"

Elder Sang moved his hands apart. The Dragon Melting Realm suddenly parted and took the form of two massive fireballs. The fireballs blazed like scorching suns and appeared capable of vaporizing everything in their path.

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes almost popped out of his sockets and found the move uncannily familiar.

At that moment, he saw something even more familiar.

Elder Sang clenched his hands, and the two white scorching fireballs compressed and reduced to human-sized spheres.

The energies raging within those spheres radiated out.

The mist seeping from the leak seemed to devour anything it touched.

It wasn't hard to imagine what would happen to those trapped inside those spheres.

Xu Xiaoshou looked shocked.

Elder Sang was using a tactic Xu Xiaoshou had long played out in his mind.

"Pill Compression Art?"

---

Read I Am Loaded with Passive Skills Chapter 211 - Could You Get Them to Stay Put? online for free - AllNovelFull

Chapter 211: Could You Get Them to Stay Put?

It was indeed the Pill Compression Art that Elder Sang had passed down to Xu Xiaoshou.

From the looks of things, it would seem that Elder Sang was cooking his two opponents in the Dragon Melting Realm like he would when preparing a concoction of his medicines.

There were gasps heard from around Xu Xiaoshou. It was apparent that the Sovereign Stage masters were shocked Elder Sang would employ such a method.

Xu Xiaoshou had a closer look at the compressed scorching white fireballs and noticed the temperatures had spiked several times.

Xu Xiaoshou wondered if the masked man and Cen Qiaofu could still survive within them.

One fireball shook violently as soon as the thought occurred to Xu Xiaoshou, and a strange icy cold aura immediately emanated from it.

Everyone seemed shocked that an icy cold aura could still emit under such a high temperature in the fireball.

The Epitaph of City Snow!

As expected, a beam of icy sword aura burst from the fireball, cracking and then splitting it in half.

However, since the fireball was not of a solid substance, it immediately recovered to its original sphere form despite being sliced open.

The other fireball was shaking as well. It was Cen Qiaofu, struggling to get out in a frenzy. Even though the pliability of the sphere lessened over time, things still looked dire for Cen Qiaofu.

"Gosh, how disgusting is this?"

Xu Xiaoshou felt he could relate to the despair experienced by those two at the moment. If he were to be the one trapped in there, he would not know how to break free from the fireball as well.

Other than Lesser Fireball, perhaps there were still many more techniques out there waiting to be developed, Xu Xiaoshou thought to himself.

He already had intentions of taking a good serious look at Cooking Expert before that night. After seeing what Elder Sang had done, his desire to do so only intensified.

So long as the technique could be put to good use, it would seem that in a battle, Cooking Expert could be just as formidable as Sword Technique Expertise.

The fireballs crackled, lighting up the night sky. Everyone around saw a chance for victory.

The extreme temperature remained high and the fireballs would do massive damage to the two trapped inside them, even if they could hold for longer.

Elder Sang focused his gaze on his Dragon Melting Realm. In truth, he had not been so confident in trapping those two so easily.

It did not take long for the two trapped inside the fireballs to stop struggling altogether. The pliant, morphing Dragon Melting Realm finally settled.

The onlookers were on edge and their hairs stood on ends. They were well aware it was but a brief period of tranquillity. It was the calm before the storm.

The two who were trapped were about to give it all they had and break out.

Elder Sang could sense it was going to happen.

He chuckled as soon as the fireballs stopped moving. He blasted his spiritual source and threw out two punches.

"Explode!" Elder Sang commanded.

BOOM! BOOM!

Two massive explosions shook the night sky immediately lighting it up with brilliant white light.

The extreme temperature went out of control and swept across the ground, causing a vast swath of flora to wither in an instant.

The collateral damage from the explosions not only affected the Inner Yard but the Outer Yard as well.

The trees withered while the lakes and rivers boiled and steamed. The geese on the Goose Lake immediately took to the air before falling back into the boiling lake.

Everyone looked up at the sky at the same time. It was a restless night and even those who had just joined the Spirit Palace, and was unaware of what was going on, realized something was amiss that night.

"Enforcer Wang, are our brothers fighting inside?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure you are telling the truth? Could you bring about an explosion of such magnitude?"

Enforcer Wang remained silent.

"Say something!"

"Shut up and get to bed."

[The mountains at the back of the Inner Yard]

Cough! Cough!

The sound of coughing filled the air following the explosion, and the swirling dust made everyone squint their eyes to see clearly.

"Did they survive such an attack?"

Xu Xiaoshou asked, looking quite stunned. He wondered if the masked man was like a cockroach.

He looked closer and found the man still had the familiar aura of Sword Will around him.

It was a similar situation to attacked both Elder Sang and Xu Xiaoshou had launched in the past. Their attacks could cripple their enemies but they could not do much more after reaching a limit.

It seemed to be impossible to blow the masked man to pieces.

"How could it be?" Xu Xiaoshou asked, looking somewhat baffled.

After all, the masked man's attacks could not even compare with those of Elder Sang.

"Just what kind of weird spiritual technique is the masked man trying to pull?"

Xu Xiaoshou noticed the lingering Sword Will aura of the masked man and wracked his brains, trying to think things through.

If Sword Will Possession could indeed bring about such effects, Xu Xiaoshou decided he had to try it out for himself someday.

Elder Sang seemed to have expected the masked man to survive the attack. He then looked at the side where Cen Qiaofu was.

A wobbling figure hovered in midair. Cen Qiaofu was stooping and his hair was all silver. He looked so aged and withered that he seemed to have used up all of his life force.

The hand with which he held the ax seemed to tremble. The flames continued to dance around his body, and there was no extinguishing them.

"Y-You are really something, kid."

Xu Xiaoshou almost burst out laughing, wondering if the aged man had suffered such an agonizing beating that his temper had left him.

Xu Xiaoshou saw how furious Cen Qiaofu looked. And yet, Cen Qiaofu did not attempt any further moves, despite wanting to do so badly. It was indeed a sight to behold.

The others were looking just as vindicated. Cen Qiaofu had been a nightmare to them, and his ax had left deep gashes all over them.

They had not expected that the aged man would suffer such a terrible defeat when he fought with Elder Sang.

"Qiaofu, we need to leave."

Flames continued to consume the masked man and he had no intention of lingering around. He then turned to Elder Sang and spoke.

"Are you done venting? Can we go now?"

"You may."

Elder Sang then tipped his hat and nodded. "You may go, but the sword stays behind."

"Times are such that I have to take the sword. Leaving it behind would only make your Spirit Palace suffer. Do you want to go through this every single night?" the masked man asked.

Elder Sang remained silent.

The masked man was speaking the truth, and it was exactly what concerned Elder Sang the most.

There was chatter all over the continent that the Spirit Palace's current level of powers could not provide adequate protection for the famed sword. And that the blade may bring about their demise one day.

There was a brief silence as Elder Sang pondered upon those words. Xu Xiaoshou tilted his head and looked at Elder Qiao.

"Are they familiar with each other?" Xu Xiaoshou asked.

The way they spoke to each other was less like enemies and more like an exchange between people who knew each other well.

He recalled the battle that night. Despite making his appearance, Elder Sang did not make any attempt to fight the masked man.

What does this mean…?

"Is that way these two get along?"

Xu Xiaoshou got a knock on his head instantly. Qiao Qianzhi then casually glanced over at Jiang Bianyan, looking a little hesitant.

Jiang Bianyan finally took the threat seriously. The way he saw it, the Holy Vassal had indeed become an organization that they had to eliminate. But was Elder Sang acquainted with those people?

"They indeed know each other."

Xiao Qixiu, who was at their side, chimed in.

Having a junior around when he explain matters meant that he and the others did not need to explain things again at the Holy Divine Palace.

"From what I can see, those two have known each other for a very long time, much like how you put it earlier…"

Xiao Qixiu turned to look at Xu Xiaoshou and continued, "They did not see eye to eye, so they went their separate ways."

"So, we are going to let him go just like that?" Xu Xiaoshou asked.

Xiao Qixiu looked stunned, wondering if the kid had deliberately said it.

Could he not tell that there were outsiders there? Why did he keep asking such loaded questions?

"Do you think we could do it any other way?"

Suddenly, Ye Xiaotian chimed in and said, "Anyone could tell that Cen Qiaofu did not unleash his actual power. It was the masked man who was adamant about leaving, obviously not wanting to fight any further."

"If they were to fight it out, I am afraid that they would attract a lot of attention." Ye Xiaotian glanced at Jiang Bianyan with a wry look.

Jiang Bianyan felt his skin crawl. The fellow had to rub it in.

Sure, Jiang Bianyan did not bring enough people there to assist the Spirit Palace. But did Ye Xiaotian have to hold a grudge like that?

However, he knew what Ye Xiaotian meant at the same time.

The battle between those at Sovereign Stage had already caused quite a commotion. If Elder Sang were to continue fighting his two opponents, the ones in white robes from the Holy Divine Palace would probably show up before long.

By then, it would be difficult for those of the Holy Vassal to escape.

It was apparent that those two from the Holy Vassal were not idiots, and they chose not to wait for such a thing to happen.

Jiang Bianyan wore a bitter grin. If he had taken the letter from the Spirit Palace more seriously back then, things would have probably turned out very different this night.

"It is indeed a pity."

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Chapter 212: Wen Ming, Are You Coming with Me?

[In a sea of withered red magical poppy, amidst the rubble of the ruined residence]

Su Qianqian had a look of misery on her face as she cradled Rao Yinyin, whose aura had finally stabilized.

She looked at the sword wielded by the masked man hovering in the sky, and her eyes filled with longing.

The choice her family had made to take possession of the famed sword had ruined them.

To protect her family, Su Qianqian took the sword and left home. Because the sword was in her possession, many people whom she cherished died, one after another.

Things had gotten so bad that even her master was almost killed. If it had not been for Elder Sang showing up in the nick of time, perhaps even her Brother Xiaoshou might have met with that fate.

Su Qianqian clenched her fist tightly, and as much as she wanted to just let go, she could not do so.

It was still difficult to give the sword up.

She heard what the masked man had said. She already had such views even before that, for her grandfather had once told her that the wielders of such swords should expect to face death.

"Grandpa," Su Qianqian whispered sadly.

Her mind drifted as she thought of her father and her family. She recalled what the masked man said to her when he took the sword away.

"Was I wrong?" Su Qianqian asked herself.

Her eyelashes fluttered. Beads of tears dropped onto Rao Yinyin's supple face and slowly rolled down to the corner of her lips.

Rao Yinyin opened her eyes, and she touched Su Qianqian's face with her hand.

She gently scratched away the dried blood on the little girl's forehead. While her voice was weak, her words were resolute.

"Sacrifice is a path chosen by those who protect. It is because such people have love in their hearts. Those who survive would always face unhappiness. But it is because of such sacrifices that you are deemed worthy," Rao Yinyin said.

Su Qianqian shook her head slightly.

"There is no need to be sad," Rao Yinyin said.

Su Qianqian could not contain her sorrow any longer and wept as she said, "But I do not want the sword. I want my family to be around!"

Rao Yinyin cradled Su Qianqian's face and looked at the girl with gentle eyes. The young girl, who had been putting up a tough facade, finally let her guard down.

Rao Yinyin looked at her sympathetically and said, "There are times we have no choice."

"I hate that sword! I hate those people who are after the sword."

Su Qianqian broke down and cried, burying her face in Rao Yinyin's chest.

Rao Yinyin had a look of empathy on her face as she gently squeezed the young girl's shoulders.

She opened her hands and saw dried blood on them. It was from the ruins.

She visualized a vague silhouette from the dried blood on her hands as it glinted in the dim moonlight.

The silhouette looked like a girl dressed in red and bound in shackles, with her knees pulled into her chest and crying.

Rao Yinyin sighed without making a sound. Her Spiritual source wiped the blood off and the red on her hands disappeared before long.

She stroked the little girl's head and spoke in a gentle tone. "Cry to your heart's content. Vent out all your pain and frustration."

"There are times when you are not the one in the wrong, but the world itself is."

Voom!

The Epitaph of City Snow shook in the masked man's hand. At that moment, every swordsman present could sense its sorrow.

A drop of blood trickled from the sword, ran along its snow-white blade, and fell off its tip.

The sword trembled violently and shook itself free from the masked man's control, trying to chase after the drop of blood.

SWOOP!

But the masked man quickly reached his hand out and seized the snowy-white sword back.

He ran his fingers along the blade and after quite some time, the quivering sword finally settled down again.

The light in Xiao Qixiu's eyes dimmed.

In the end, he still could not protect what his disciple treasured the most. For now, it was the sword. But what of the future?

"Am I too powerless to protect her?"

Qiao Qianzhi rested his hand on Xiao Qixiu's shoulder. The silence at that moment was the greatest of consolation for him.

Xu Xiaoshou took notice and realized what was happening. He used his Sense to locate Su Qianqian and he could not help but sigh in sorrow.

Sometimes, people had to force themselves to do what they need to do.

"Seems like you do not need an answer. The owner of the sword has already made her choice." There was a glint of laughter seen in the eyes of the masked man.

Hehe, hehe. Cen Qiaofu chuckled.

Elder Sang's mouth twitched. The longer he looked at the two of them, the angrier he got. He clenched his fists tightly.

BOOM! BOOM!

The white flames were still burning on the two of them, and it promptly blew up. Mists of blood instantly sprayed from the two.

"Cough! Cough!"

The masked man was injured right away, but he summoned the Sword Will again and it immediately repaired the damage.

"Pfftt!" Cen Qiaofu spat blood. He glared at Elder Sang with angry eyes. "You…"

"Qiaofu!"

The masked man immediately interrupted Cen Qiaofu. He was afraid that the two aged men might fight it out again. If they were to keep fighting, both he and Cen Qiaofu would probably not have the chance to leave anymore.

"Both of you! Get lost!" Elder Sang growled.

It was the second attack by the Holy Vassal, and Elder Sang wondered if these people thought that they owned the Spirit Palace.

Turning up and leaving as and when they pleased. What was the meaning of this?

But judging from the outcome, it seemed to be the case.

Elder Sang then glowered at Ye Xiaotian.

Ye Xiaotian had told Elder Sang that he would ask for help, yet all the support they received was nothing but trash!

Ye Xiaotian wore an innocent look on his face, not expecting that the Holy Divine Palace would have treated his request with so little regard. He then glared at Jiang Bianyan.

His glowering look said it all. What a bunch of retards!

Jiang Bianyan was speechless.

"Let's go."

Cen Qiaofu, who looked withered and did not seem to care about his lifespan. He swung his ax at the sky and ripped the massive array.

An enormous gash appeared at the array, and Qiao Qianzhi winced at the sight of the cut.

"Hold on," the masked man said.

"There is one more thing to take care of."

"Huh?" Cen Qiaofu turned around.

The masked man turned his eyes and looked at the only young man present on site.

"Wen Ming, are you coming with me?"

Everyone looked stunned, and it took a while before Xu Xiaoshou realized what was happening.

What the f*ck? Xu Xiaoshou wondered why the masked man dragged him into it at the end.

Xu Xiaoshou backed away immediately, finding comfort when he saw the four Sovereign Stage seniors standing before him.

"Wen Ming? Who is Wen Ming?" Xu Xiaoshou asked, darting his eyes around.

The masked man looked at a loss for words.

"You are bringing the hedgehog with you?" asked Cen Qiaofu, looking shocked.

Jiang Bianyan turned around with a startled expression, surprised that the Holy Vassal had their eyes on the kid. He wondered what was so special about him.

Was it because he dared to stand around watching the fight?

Elder Sang's face became stony. He knew who the masked man sought, yet Elder Sang was surprisingly quiet. He did not seem to have any intention of interfering.

Xu Xiaoshou was feeling flustered. When the masked guy had come for him the last time, Elder Sang had been very concerned.

Why was he not doing anything now?

Xu Xiaoshou thought that perhaps Elder Sang did not care about him anymore.

Huh, men!

The masked man's eyes were still fixed on Xu Xiaoshou, and he continued to speak as if there was no one else around. "Kid… if you are willing, I could take you away from here right now."

"Nope, I am not going anywhere," answered Xu Xiaoshou, rejecting the offer outright.

"Take a little longer to consider," coaxed the masked man.

"I refuse!" Xu Xiaoshou shot back.

What was there to consider, eh? Regardless of how glorious an evil terrorist organization was, they would always end up being annihilated in the end.

Xu Xiaoshou's mind was clear. Only those with no choice would consider such an option. Besides, he had no intention of making himself a public enemy.

: Cursed, Passive Points 1.

Jiang Bianyan looked shocked and thought that the kid had guts. He dared to speak so bluntly even after witnessing what the masked man was capable of.

After hearing their exchange, Cen Qiaofu looked surprised.

"Damn, kid. Among all the young ones I have met, you are undeniably a hedgehog with the most courage. You have earned my admiration."

Xu Xiaoshou said nothing.

Everyone who knew him was familiar with how he behaved. Even the masked man had gotten used to the way Xu Xiaoshou spoke.

"Why are you not coming with me?"

The masked man ran his fingers over the massive sword in his hand and pressured Xu Xiaoshou further.

Xu Xiaoshou pretended as if he felt nothing and replied indifferently, "I am having a good time here in the Spirit Palace. So, why would I want to leave with you? It is a question you should think about instead."

The answer left the masked man speechless.

He looked stunned. The kid was sharp-tongued.

Despite having gotten used to the way the kid spoke, there were still times where he could not respond with a comeback.

"It would be a waste of your talents if you stayed here. Come with me. I will reveal to you all the ways of the sword that you could only dream about."

"All the ways of the sword?"

Xu Xiaoshou raised his eyebrows, thinking that the masked man was bragging.

But the cheeky lad had other ideas in mind.

"Sorry. But my way of the sword is not something that needs teaching from others," he retorted.

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Chapter 213: Yapping Away

There was a sudden lull after Xu Xiaoshou cheeky retort.

Everyone could sense the confidence he exuded just from the tone he used. The kid seemed cocksure about the path he intended to take in the future.

"Am I hearing things here?"

Xiao Qixiu was rather baffled. He glanced at the masked man and then at Xu Xiaoshou. He wondered whether he would speak in such a manner to his Elders if he were decades younger.

No, there was no way he would utter such words!

The corners of Elder Sang's lips twitched. The others might not believe it, but he believed every word the kid said.

It was why Elder Sang had initially taken a liking to Xu Xiaoshou. Despite presenting an eccentric, happy-go-lucky personality, the kid had immense fortitude and confidence deep down.

Truth be told, the measure of his confidence was only a tad lower than his own.

Everyone was shocked, so much so that even Jiang Bianyan saw the young man in a different light.

Using such pompous words when addressing a prominent member of the Holy Vassal, who happened to be armed with a famed sword, was not for the faint-hearted. This was no average person.

"You know the man who stands before you, right?" asked Cen Qiaofu.

Unlike everyone from the Spirit Palace, those pompous words utterly irked Cen Qiaofu.

"Oh? Who may he be?"

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes glinted. It was a question that had bothered him for some time.

He would honestly be grateful if the aged man were to give him an answer.

"He is…"

The masked man put out his hand in front of Cen Qiaofu, stopping him from saying any more.

He had no intention of making his identity public as there was an outsider present at the scene.

The masked man now liked the kid even more because of the confidence which the kid exuded.

The kid was quite something indeed.

"I think you might have met Lei Shuangxing. Come with me, and you will get to know more of such geniuses," said the masked man as he continued persuading Xu Xiaoshou.

"The blind guy?" asked Xu Xiaoshou. He paused for a while and continued, "He is still alive?"

Despite being a Master Swordsman, there was no certainty that Lei Shuangxing could escape from the spatial turbulence after the attack by Ye Xiaotian.

The masked man seemed shocked, but before he could say any more the young man on the ground continued to speak.

"If he is still alive, please tell him he needs more training and to focus on his state of mind."

"The guy gets riled up too easily and is too impulsive."

Ye Xiaotian smirked and almost chuckled. He could already predict the expression on the faces of the two from the Holy Vassal after they heard what Xu Xiaoshou said.

As expected, Cen Qiaofu wobbled in the air as soon as he heard that.

The blind kid was probably the steadiest and firmest of the young ones he had ever met. Other than the blind kid addressing him as a Senior, they hardly ever interacted.

Impulsive?

Was the boy kidding?

The masked man also looked baffled and did not know what else to say.

Could it be that Xu Xiaoshou and Lei Shuangxing not only met, but they have fought as well?

"Impulsive? Huh!"

The masked man then mumbled something under his breath and found nothing else he could say to sway the kid who seemed to have set his mind in stone.

"I am giving you one last chance."

The masked man took a deep breath and said in a solemn tone, "Come with me, and I will guarantee that you become a Master Swordsman within a year."

Gasp!

Everyone was shocked to hear him make that pledge.

Master Swordsman!

Within a year!

It was more than just an incentive!

Everyone knew Sword Will training depended on one's capacity to understand, and one's fate.

They wondered just how powerful the masked man had gotten to make such an audacious promise.

Xiao Qixiu looked stunned as well.

Even he dared not make such promises. Even if he were to repeat all of his training, he would still not be confident enough to make such guarantees.

"A year, eh?"

Everyone saw Xu Xiaoshou lowering his head, and he appeared to look rather intrigued.

Was he intrigued?

Xu Xiaoshou did not need to crack his head to know that he definitely did not need a year to earn 50000 passive points.

He probably would not even need a month to do so.

"A year is kinda long."

Xu Xiaoshou could not help mumbling aloud. When he saw everyone giving him dirty looks after he said that, he explained right away. "I am just telling the truth here. Do not go about twisting what I say."

The masked man remained confused.

Did he say twisting?

What was there to twist with what he had said?

: Doubted, Passive Points 7.

At that moment, not only had the two from Holy Vassal feel that the kid had gone too far, even those from the Spirit Palace had thought the same.

There were limits to how far one could toy with another person!

Haha, haha, haha, haha!

Qiao Qianzhi could not stop himself from laughing out loud. He caught Xu Xiaoshou's head in a headlock and said, "Xiaoshou, know your limits, man. You are going too far."

Was he going too far?

Xu Xiaoshou looked at the masked man, whose eyes looked like they were about to zap him with fire. He quickly hid behind Elder Qiao. He stuck his head out and asked, "How about a month, then?"

Huh?

Was that smoke coming out of the guy's ears?

"Mm, Half a year, then."

"If you can promise me I'll become a Master Swordsman in half a year, then I might… consider it," Xu Xiaoshou replied hesitantly.

Infuriated, Cen Qiaofu's face lost all its color. He turned as white as a sheet.

"You b*st*rd, what do you take us for?"

In great anger, he immediately raised his ax to make a move.

Crackle! Crackle!

Before he could hew down at Xu Xiaoshou, formless flames danced on the surface of his body again. It was enough to scare him, and he shirked away as he tried his best to avoid the blaze.

"You want more?"

Elder Sang sneered at Cen Qiaofu from where he was standing. If they wanted to keep fighting, he could still oblige them.

However, the entire Tiansang Spirit Palace would be reduced to ruins. But they could rebuild another one and recruit more disciples.

He did not mind it.

The masked man was also fuming at his words. He thought the kid was infuriating enough with the way he kept asking for more. But such arrogance was another thing altogether.

"You remind me of how I was, many years ago. I like you."

"Thank you."

Xu Xiaoshou darted his head out again to answer. He paused and then said, "But you are only the second person to say that to me."

"Huh?"

The masked man was intrigued. "The second person?"

Xu Xiaoshou tilted his head and looked at Elder Sang, who coincidentally was merely taking in all that was happening, like a spectator.

The place fell silent again.

And it seemed like you could cut the air with a knife.

Elder Sang blushed and lowered his hat.

This kid!

Could he not tell friend from foe with his verbal attack?

Haha, haha… Mmmf!

Qiao Qianzhi bit down on his laughter in time to avoid adding to their troubles.

Getting on the wrong side of Old Man Sang would be far more terrifying than offending the masked man. Elder Sang was at the Spirit Palace all year round and could make his life difficult. The thought alone terrified Qiao Qianzhi.

Then everyone turned to look at the distant sky.

Jiang Bianyan felt pleased and said, "They are here."

The two from Holy Vassal had dread written all over their faces. They knew they could not afford to stay around any longer. The ones with white robes from the Holy Divine Palace were already on their way.

"We must leave."

Cen Qiaofu rushed the masked man. If they were to stay around any longer, the chances of being able to escape would diminish.

The masked man was still not giving up. "Wen Ming!"

"You have already said it was my last chance just now. What are you doing now?" Xu Xiaoshou replied.

The masked man was silent.

: Cursed, Passive Points 1.

He finally gave up, not understanding why he had been so insistent on taking the kid with him. The kid was quite a piece of work!

All his efforts were for naught.

The masked man sighed, and the two of them from the Holy Vassal were about to leave. Then out of the blue, Xu Xiaoshou said, "Perhaps I could leave with the two of you?"

All eyes immediately glared at Xu Xiaoshou. He shuddered from their stares. But he could sense the weird phenomenon coming from afar.

If formidable people were coming their way, then why not have these two intruders remain here?

Xu Xiaoshou puzzled the masked man.

"You are changing your mind?" the masked man asked.

Xu Xiaoshou spoke in a thoughtful tone when he saw the dubious look in the masked man's eyes. He said, "But I have conditions."

"What conditions?"

The masked man smirked. Despite all his jabbering, the kid eventually could not resist the offer.

"Hand me the sword in your hand first, then I will leave with you," Xu Xiaoshou replied.

It surprised everyone. And Elder Sang was rather amused by it.

"Damn you, brat! Are you not asking for too much?"

Cen Qiaofu growled, rather startled at his audacity. The kid was so full of himself and acted so arrogantly. He was not even worth a strand of hair on the sword!

Hold on.

What was he thinking? The sword did not have hairs.

The masked man chuckled and said, "Sure. Leave with me, and I will hand the sword over to you."

Cen Qiaofu looked shocked and said, "You are out of your mind!"

"Hand me the sword first. Then, I will leave with you," replied Xu Xiaoshou, looking unfazed.

Huh!

"So, you are playing me for a fool after all, eh?"

The masked man shuddered, finally realizing that the young man before him had no interest in following him. The kid was merely toying with him.

He gripped the snowy-white sword tight;y in his hand and went for the kid.

"Hold it!"

Cen Qiaofu pulled the masked man's hand. If they continued to linger around, the two of them would end up at risk. What, all because a junior held them back?

"Let go!"

"We need to leave!"

"Let me go!"

"We leave first!"

"I know!" The look on the masked man's face was turning sullen, and his voice was shaky. "I'll have you know the flames on you are burning me!"

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Chapter 214: After the Battle in the Dark of Night

The array flickered, and the two from the Holy Vassal disappeared into the sky.

"Why did you guys not keep them around?"

Xu Xiaoshou asked with a puzzled tone. Then he noticed the four seniors standing before him, all caked in blood.

They have fought long and hard. So, why did the seniors not do their best in those last moments to hold back the masked man and Cen Qiaofu? Why just let them go instead?

Were reinforcements not already coming our way?

Had they kept them for a little longer, maybe those two would have been defeated.

"Xiaoshou."

Qiao Qianzhi slapped his shoulder and elaborated, "If those two at Sovereign Stage wanted to leave, there was no guarantee that we could hold them back. We might fail even if we doubled up the number of fighters on our side. So, how can we do it with just a few of us here?"

"Besides, those two are anything but ordinary."

Xu Xiaoshou looked stunned.

He wondered if those at Sovereign Stage were so powerful.

Having killed those at a higher level than he was, Xu Xiaoshou could not grasp the concept well. However, he thought about it from another angle.

Not everyone was like him. With that thought, he could let it slide right away.

"Are they not arriving soon?" Xu Xiaoshou asked as he looked into the far distance.

"You can sense them?"

Qiao Qianzhi appeared startled as he continued, "There was indeed a chance of keeping them around until those from the Holy Divine Palace got here."

"But the two from Holy Vassal were going easy on us."

Ye Xiaotian finished what Qiao Qianzhi was saying with no thought of maintaining their dignity. All of them sighed. Then Ye Xiaotian continued, "If Cen Qiaofu had gone all out, the few of us would already be lying outside the Spirit Palace right now."

All of them had angry looks on their faces as soon as Ye Xiaotian said it.

Apparently, in taking on those at Cutting Path Level of Sovereign Stage, they were still not powerful enough.

Xu Xiaoshou looked stunned, wondering if the withered, aged man with the ax was indeed so powerful.

"He had a golden opportunity then. Why did Cen Qiaofu not just get rid of you all then?"

Xu Xiaoshou quickly realized he said the wrong thing as soon as the words flew out of his mouth. As expected, Qiao Qianzhi immediately slapped him.

"You brat! You like the idea of us dead so much, is it?"

"How else are we going to figure out what is going on in the minds of those people? Maybe it was just…" Xu Xiaoshou replied in defense.

At that moment, Elder Sang flew down like a gentle breeze blowing, with one hand holding onto his hat.

Everyone turned to look at him. The old man's eyes looked like they had large, dark circles around them. He stared at Jiang Bianyan, causing the latter to feel his skin crawl. Elder Sang then spoke.

"You are from the Holy Divine Palace?"

Jiang Bianyan began to feel anxious.

He wondered what was with these folks from the Spirit Palace. Granted, he did not bring enough people with him, but did they need to hold such a grudge?

And why were they all being so damn blunt? Did they not know how to be subtle?

His eyes darted around. Before he could speak, Elder Sang said with a grim grin.

"Good work."

Jiang Bianyan was so surprised he did not know what to say.

He gave a slight nod in response. But in his mind, he thought it might be better if Elder Sang did not smile as he looked terrifying.

"Alright, we will call it a day and get someone to fix up the place later," Elder Sang said aloud to everyone present.

He was in no mood to say much to Jiang Bianyan. Elder Sang was no longer in charge of matters related to public relations, which meant that he did not need to go all out to be nice to their guest.

He would let Ye Xiaotian deal with such headaches, as he figured Ye Xiaotian had little else to do otherwise.

The fight was over, and there was no reason for them to keep hanging around. Ye Xiaotian sent Jiang Bianyan off, and everyone else dispersed.

The place was in ruins after their battle, but given that it was still the middle of the night, there was no need to rush to fix anything up then.

They expected that when the sun came up, the disciples of the Outer Yard would gleefully take up their tools as they came inside the Inner Yard to have a firsthand view of the place.

It was what the Outer Yard disciples all looked forward to, after all.

Yeah, they looked forward to their assignments.

Elder Sang and Xu Xiaoshou were the only ones left there.

"Why did you not leave with them?" Elder Sang asked.

Xu Xiaoshou looked at the massive array of the Spirit Palace in the sky, which was patching itself up. He felt slightly confused.

"They took a liking to you. It means that you are indeed something after all," Elder Sang added. He was not beneath giving compliments when warranted.

"Could I really leave?"

Xu Xiaoshou looked at Elder Sang. He did not believe that the old geezer would have just kept watching and do nothing. The silence from Elder Sang earlier might have been a test.

Had he left with the masked man, he wondered if Elder Sang would have stopped him.

Elder Sang chuckled and said, "It is not like I have got you on a leash. How would you know whether you could leave if you do not try it out?"

"Leash, eh?"

Xu Xiaoshou mulled over the word. He really could not figure out Elder Sang's temperament.

There was little doubt that Elder Sang had been nice to him. However, regardless of what Elder Sang did, it always seemed that there was a plan behind his actions.

Was he imagining things?

Xu Xiaoshou could not deny that Elder Sang treated him well since he had come to his rescue many a time.

Elder Sang looked like he did not care about the Spirit Palace. And yet, his mind was constantly on the Palace. He was not about to allow outsiders to do as they pleased.

Xu Xiaoshou wondered what truly mattered deep down for someone like Elder Sang.

Xu Xiaoshou kept silent for quite some time. Then he said, "I knew what would happen. So, why bother trying at all?"

"It all depends on whether the outcome is something others bring about or something you carve out for yourself," said Elder Sang.

"Is it not all the same?" Xu Xiaoshou asked curiously.

Elder Sang pulled his hat down and straightened out whatever hair was left on his head. He chuckled and answered, "Still worth a shot, don't you think?"

"Is there not a saying that goes 'you only live once,' or something to that effect?"

"How would you learn just how real fate is if you do not struggle a little, eh?"

Xu Xiaoshou was silent.

He knew that nothing good would come from Elder Sang's mouth. Despite all he had said before, he essentially had a pessimistic outlook on life.

Was the ending set in stone, though?

Xu Xiaoshou stopped thinking about it any further and changed the subject. "The guy had come here twice now."

"Yes, twice." Elder Sang's face looked troubled.

Xu Xiaoshou mulled over the expression he saw on the old man's face and said, "Don't you think that it is rather embarrassing? Letting someone else trample over your turf repeatedly and washing your dignity down the drain."

Suddenly, the troubled look on Elder Sang's face changed into a glum one.

He slapped Xu Xiaoshou right away, but the latter chuckled away.

Xu Xiaoshou knew it would happen and extended an arm to block the slap.

BOOM!

The ground blew up. A crater appeared and dust kicked up everywhere.

Elder Sang held his hat down and looked at Xu Xiaoshou, who had sunk into the ground. There was a smirk on the aged man's face.

"Master Physique, eh?" Elder Sang said sarcastically.

Pfftt! Ptui!" Xu Xiaoshou spat the dirt out of his mouth and was thoroughly shocked.

The old geezer is more than just Master Physique, then?

He had initially thought that he could somehow take on the withered, aged man after making a breakthrough into Master Physique.

Instead, he was instantly pummeled into the ground.

Why was there still such a vast difference?

"What kind of physique do you have now?" Xu Xiaoshou could not help asking. Still trapped in the dirt, his face was all smudged.

"Take a guess," replied Elder Sang.

Xu Xiaoshou deliberated over the question.

"Sovereign Physique?" he replied.

Elder Sang chuckled.

Xu Xiaoshou looked a little dumbfounded.

He knew for a long while that the old geezer was bluffing when he told him that Master Physique was the highest stage in the continent.

He wondered how Elder Sang had broken through such a limit and made further breakthroughs.

What kind of monster was he?

Did Elder Sang have some types of cheats too?

Xu Xiaoshou took a deep breath and suppressed the raging shock contained within him. Elder Sang's achievement certainly startled him.

Everyone focused on Elder Sang's Infernal Heavens skill and believing there was no way to get near him without getting burned to a crisp.

However, none of them knew the white flames might not be the most powerful of his powers.

The Infernal Heavens was a technique that was all about breaking limits. Its ultimate purpose was to enable a spiritual cultivator to make breakthroughs beyond the limits of their physical bodies.

The Infernal Heavenly Flames were but an accessory to his skill.

Huff!

Xu Xiaoshou could not help heaving out a deep breath at the thought.

"All of them are hiding their skills so damn well…" he muttered.

Report chapter

Chapter 215: Quick, Get Elder Qiao!

Ahhh… sunshine!

The young man had a good stretch as he sat up in his narrow wooden bed. He picked up a bronze mirror to check his looks even as the morning sunbeams filtered through the room.

The young man had a glow that emanated radiantly with spiritual energy.

"Such a handsome face!"

Xu Xiaoshou pushed the window open and looked at the rising sun. He then realized that he had probably slept for two nights.

Xu Xiaoshou had gone through a harrowing journey of testing situations beginning with the battles in the Tianxuan Gate, right up to when the Holy Vassal attacked the Spirit Palace. The experience left him mentally drained and there was no way just sleeping for half a night would have helped him recuperate and get back in top shape.

He stared at the gaping hole in the ceiling with sunlight streaming through and heaved a heavy sigh.

"Hm, good thing it did not rain last night. Otherwise, I would have had to sleep in the library," Xu Xiaoshou murmured.

Everything at the back of the mountain was in shambles. Xu Xiaoshou's new home was already in ruins—he had not even had time to get acquainted with it. And it was for this reason that he remained in the Outer Yard.

He was sleeping in a guestroom.

It was a room with no roof or windows.

Elder Sang had said little that night. He left as soon as he learned what Xu Xiaoshou went through in the Tianxuan Gate.

Judging from the prickly reaction of the Elder, it appeared that he was looking to find fault with the Holy Vassal.

Xu Xiaoshou wondered if anything would come of it.

Su Qianqian and Rao Yinyin were both in critical condition. When Xu Xiaoshou paid them a visit, Su Qianqian was still unconscious.

Rao Yinyin was hardly any better, and she was in a dazed, semi-conscious state.

He left them a jar of honey and left soon after.

With Rao Yinyin around, he reckoned Su Qianqian would be somewhat comforted. So he headed off and decided he would be back later.

It was a pity that Xu Xiaoshou could not dupe the masked man into handing him the famed sword.

Yes, the sword was still in the possession of the masked man.

He walked out of the guestroom and found the compound laid waste from the devastation of the Holy Vassal. He frowned at the sight of countless craters that marked the ground.

He had an immediate urge to fix the damages, for it was still his property after all. There would be occasions in the future where he might need to stay in the Outer Yard.

It was a thought he harbored as he pushed the door open and considered going to the Spiritual Affairs Division to see to it.

A place of his own, in both the Inner Yard and the Outer Yard.

Not bad… not bad at all.

People streamed in and out of the Spiritual Affairs Division all the time. The process of getting anything done there was exceedingly complex. Around a hundred people could enter the building at once, and outside, there was constantly an endless stream of people waiting.

And, given that the Spirit Palace had just recruited a group of new trainees recently, people were excited as many were there to either give or accept assignments.

Whatever the reason, the place was filled with people.

"Look! It is Xu Xiaoshou, our Big Brother Xu!"

"Where? Where?"

"Huh? Why does he only have one head?"

"Yeah, and where are his wings?"

"Wings? Did he not have golden horns and dragon scales? Does he need wings to fly?"

"Huh?"

As soon as Xu Xiaoshou made his appearance, the place was abuzz with chatter.

: Doubted, Passive Points 146.

: Impressed, Passive Points 66.

: Envied, Passive Points 48.

Xu Xiaoshou was at a loss for words.

There was a flood of confusing information pouring into his Information Bar. Listening to the others gossiping about him, Xu Xiaoshou wore a sullen expression as he stepped inside the Spiritual Affairs Division building.

Well, it looked like I'm already famous, huh?

But why are the rumors making me out to be like I'm some other-worldly creature?

He mulled over that.

What's all this talk about me having three heads and six arms, golden horns, and dragon scales?

What sort of nonsense is that? They know I'm still human, right?

The only solace he got from all the uproar was that he had racked up his passive points, and his numbers skyrocketed as expected.

The trip he made to the Spiritual Affairs Division building had already racked him several thousands of points.

: Passive Points: 19899.

Just as he expected, not leaving with the masked man had been the correct choice, after all.

And evidently, the Spirit Palace was the best place for him to develop himself.

[At counter number one]

"Huh? Isn't Elder Qiao around?"

Xu Xiaoshou was rather startled the Elder wasn't there. He saw the girl in front of him appearing quite nervous.

Elder Qiao hardly ever left the place without good reason. After all, there was hardly anywhere else for him to go, and it was not like he could go out on a whim.

"The guy sure is taking his sweet time, given all that has happened in the Spirit Palace… He really is carefree."

The girl who wore a green dress blushed, stealing glances at the young man before her as her heart raced madly.

It seemed like Brother Xu did not quite have the poisonous tongue, as everyone claimed he had.

Honestly, he had a pleasant voice, and he sure looked handsome. Even the troubled look on his face was enough to make anyone's heart flutter.

He was like the Prince Charming in her dreams, whose face she could not see clearly.

"Umm…"

"Hm?"

Xu Xiaoshou looked at the girl. It was not the first time he saw someone fidgeting in such a fashion. He had encountered a stream of them on his way in.

What was wrong with them, anyway?

"What's up?"

The girl was all flustered. Her hands trembled as she fished out a small book from her chest and said, "Could you?"

Oh, she wanted an autograph, eh?

Xu Xiaoshou smiled then. Well, there was no reason she'd have to be so scared about asking for an autograph. Did he look like he ate people?

He took her book and flipped it open, and asked, "Where do you want me to sign?"

The girl immediately looked stunned. She got surprised that he was so amicable. She gleefully took out a brush.

"Anywhere would do!" the girl gushed excitedly.

Xu Xiaoshou waved the brush away dismissively. He brought his own with him.

He took out the brush that he got from his first fan in the ring. But when he saw how disappointed the girl looked, he instantly flashed an awkward grin.

"Man, why is this brush suddenly not working? Well, I'll have to use yours, then."

The girl flashed a beaming smile after he took her brush.

He signed quickly and nodded with satisfaction. It looked like he was gaining experience at it as his strokes were increasingly more elaborate.

That should do!

However, he quickly sensed that something was amiss.

: Envied, Passive Points 44.

: Envied, Passive Points 86.

: Envied, Passive Points 177.

He turned around to find a gaggle of girls flocking behind him, glaring with bloodshot eyes. And that was not all.

There were also guys among them!

Huh?

What was going on? Should they not be jealous of her? Why was it all on him?

"Xu Xiaoshou signed his name? Does he not treasure his words like gold and is a man of few words? I heard he could blow someone at Innate level to death as soon as he speaks!"

"Man, I had thought he was not that nice. G*dd*amn it, I should have asked him for an autograph when he was on his way."

"Huh? G*dd*amn it!"

"No, no, no. You heard wrong!"

"Huh?"

"Oh my gosh, I am so envious! I want an autograph, too!"

"Me too! Me too!"

"Get lost. You are a guy. Don't even bother!"

"Yeah, I am a guy. So what? What's wrong if a guy wants an autograph too? Do not go about discriminating against me! I will, I will… hey, hey!"

"What the hell?"

The crowd was in a frenzy as they rushed toward him.

Xu Xiaoshou was shocked and finally learned about the trials of being a superstar.

He thought of pushing all those hysterical people back with Recoil. But these were his fans, and in any case, his passive points were skyrocketing like crazy.

It meant that using his Recoil would be a disservice not only to his fans but to himself.

It was not like Xu Xiaoshou could use his powers as he pleased in the Outer Yard. If he caused any injury, he would be sent to the Tribunal of Spiritual Law Division even though he had technically been admitted into the Inner Yard.

It would be the end of him.

With that thought in mind, he saw no other option. He then gathered his spiritual source, causing his clothes to flutter, and shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Silence!"

Everyone stopped speaking.

The place fell into a brief silence.

"Wow, he is so overpowering!"

"Xu Xiaoshou, I love you. I have been cheering for you since you participated in the group matches. Please give me an autograph!"

"Get lost! Xu Xiaoshou is mine!"

"You get lost!"

Gasp!

The crowd quickly overwhelmed the young man, and with the people rushing toward him, Xu Xiaoshou got lost amid the sea of bodies.

"Holy sh*t, whose hand is that? Do not touch me!"

"Damn it, do not box me up, or I will be forced to use my powers!" yelled Xu Xiaoshou.

No one paid any heed.

The entire building was rumbling, and it felt like it was about to collapse at any moment.

The disciples serving behind the 108 counters were all dazed, looking at the sea of people with a befuddled expression.

"Quick, get Elder Qiao!"

A terrified head bobbed amid the sea of people, looking ashen and shouting as loud as he could.

"Help me… Oof!"

Chapter 216: What Do You Think of This?

"Xu Xiaoshou?"

When Zhao Xidong arrived at the Spiritual Affairs Division, he was in complete shock.

The crowd was getting hysterical, and it was because of Xu Xiaoshou. How did he suddenly possess such charisma?

Nobody had even asked for Zhao Xidong's autograph when he became the Head of the Inner Yard Thirty-three!

A sea of people kept flooding into the Spiritual Affairs Division. And soon, it became overcrowded, and people piling one on top of the other.

Of course, nobody had realized that the person at the center of all the attention had sneaked away a long time ago.

Xu Xiaoshou grabbed Zhao Xidong along with him and hid in a shady, discreet corner, away from prying eyes.

"Had I not possessed all these passive skills…"

He shuddered and looked worried.

"What is wrong with you? Why are you covered in blood?" Zhao Xidong asked. He looked at Xu Xiaoshou anxiously as he checked his body.

"There were no fights, and this is not my blood," answered Xu Xiaoshou, shrugging his shoulders.

He did not want to hurt anyone, but it was one of his passive skills. He could not control it.

Undoubtedly, there were people with naughty hands who wanted to touch him. So naturally, they bled when they got pricked by his human-hedgehog form.

"If it is not yours, then it is theirs?" asked Zhao Xidong, his eyes showing signs of anger. "So you struck them?"

"No, no… Anyway, it is a long story. Why don't we just drop it?"

Xu Xiaoshou placed his hand on Zhao Xidong's shoulder and asked, "Have you recovered fully? I saved your life the other day."

Zhao Xidong was speechless.

Damn it!

There was no way he could not find any way to win an argument with this kid!

: Cursed, passive point 1.

"What's up. Do you have anything for me?" Xu Xiaoshou asked.

Zhao Xidong certainly did not come to the Spiritual Affairs Division for the commotion.

Even a commotion of such a scale would never reason enough for a prominent person of the Spiritual Law Division to come to the Spiritual Affairs Division. So, he would have come for some other urgent purpose.

"Yup, the Dean is looking for you," Zhao Xidong replied and nodded.

"The Dean?"

Xu Xiaoshou looked a little puzzled. The only time he got to speak with Ye Xiaotian was because he had miffed Lei Shuangxing so badly one time.

If there was nothing important, why would Ye Xiaotian look for him?

"Tell me. Is the Dean asking to see me for a good reason or a bad one?"

"Follow me. Do not ask too many questions."

Zhao Xidong did not even look back as he walked off.

There were only two things he feared. The first was physically seeing Xu Xiaoshou, and the second was chatting with Xu Xiaoshou.

If the dean had not given him a direct order, Zhao Xidong would never have volunteered for such an errand.

Xu Xiaoshou gathered his thoughts and decided not to follow Zhao Xidong. Quietly, he sneaked away.

His intuition warned him that if whatever it was could not be shared, then it couldn't be good.

He touched the iron ball in his arm as Jie had learned how to communicate with him through Spiritual Sense.

Although every line spoken by the puppet child was still "Mama," his spiritual presence had reduced significantly. There was no way anyone would discover his existence.

"What things had the Dean found out?" Xu Xiaoshou wondered aloud.

Xu Xiaoshou bit his lips and realized that even he could not recall every single thing he had done.

It did not seem right. Had Xu Xiaoshou done so much wrong that warranted the Dean to ask for him?

After walking for a few steps, Zhao Xidong realized that Xu Xiaoshou was no longer right behind him. He seemed to be sneaking off!

"Grr!"

Zhao Xidong shook with anger and couldn't help thinking what an incorrigible fellow he was!

It was an order from the Dean, yet it seemed Xu Xiaoshou thought he could defy it or get away with making up a random excuse.

If things screwed up because of this, he would be punished together with Xu Xiaoshou as well!

"Xu Xiaoshou! Where do you think you are going?" He turned around and his voice was colder than ice.

"Spiritual Library Division," Xu Xiaoshou said and pointed in that direction. "Elder Sang had told me…"

Zhao Xidong could feel a headache coming along, which even affected his teeth.

What? Elder Sang told him!

There he goes… Elder Sang told him again!

Did Xu Xiaoshou think he was Elder Sang's disciple? Was he Mu Zixi? Could he find a better excuse?

Zhao Xidong smothered his urge to beat Xu Xiaoshou up. Besides, he was a law enforcer, and committing a crime while aware of its consequences would only mean facing a greater punishment.

"Is your excuse more important than obeying the Dean?"

"It is not an excuse. Really."

Xu Xiaoshou felt wronged, as Elder Sang had distinctly told Xu Xiaoshou to look for him after their conversation that night. Elder Sang even told him to rest well first, then to proceed to the Spiritual Library Division and look for him.

Xu Xiaoshou could not defy Elder Sang's order, too!

"Fine, it is not an excuse. So is the Dean's order more important, or the Vice-Dean's?" Zhao Xidong laughed mirthlessly.

Xu Xiaoshou was hesitant, but instead of answering the question, he asked Zhai Xidong, "What do you think?"

Zhao Xidong was about to respond when Xu Xiaoshou continued, "If each of them gave you an order, which would you choose to follow?"

Zhao Xidong was speechless.

Xu Xiaoshou had caught him off guard.

This kid has so many f*cking problems, yet he also has so many killer questions!

: Cursed, passive points, 1.

"Xu Xiaoshou, Xu Xiaoshou…"

Executive Zhao, aloof and taciturn by nature, chanted his name like someone had cast spells on him. It made Xu Xiaoshou shudder.

Xu Xiaoshou frowned when he was asked to choose earlier. Especially when he knew Zhao Xidong had already made up his mind.

And true enough, he saw Zhao Xidong leap into the air. He grabbed Xu Xiaoshou by his neck and lifted him off the ground.

Zhao Xidong caught him off guard, and Xu Xiaoshou had no time to react to the sudden move.

"What the hell! What are you doing? You are enforcing the law through violent action!"

"Hehe, we employ unusual methods when dealing with unusual people."

"Why are you attacking me? Which part of me is unusual? Let go of me right now! Or, believe me, I'll retaliate passively!"

"Haha, why do you not try it then?"

Zhao Xidong laughed mirthlessly. He thought Xu Xiaoshou was naïve to think nobody could teach him a lesson once he had attained the Innate Stage.

He was a Grand Mas…

BANG!

A tremendous force hit his chest, and it made Zhao Xidong's mind go blank. Xu Xiaoshou made a sudden move that sent him propelling into the sky.

"Huh?"

It blew Zhao Xidong right out of the shady corner and he was immediately seen by the massive crowd in broad daylight.

Getting blasted into the sky was a rare occurrence in the Outer Yard, especially right after the Inner Yard's wildly popular Senior Brother's Martial Conference.

"Wow, look! There's a flying man!"

"Wow, can that man fly? But why is his chest bleeding?"

"There's a cost to flying. I heard that the Spiritual Library Division possesses a blood sacrificial spell that allows anyone who is Rank 3 of Spiritual Cultivation to fly after studying it."

"Really?"

"I do not know. It is hearsay!"

Zhao Xidong almost vomited blood. That damn kid!

It's clear they were not meant to be friends!

"Xu Xiaoshou, how dare you defy the Dean's order!" Zhao Xidong yelled, reacting with surprise to the attack.

The fury in his voice shocked everyone there.

"Xu Xiaoshou?"

"Is he not in the building?"

Everyone looked over to the sea of people inside the Spiritual Law Division. The crowd inside had heard Zhao Xidong yelling as well. They stopped talking and looked in the direction of Zhao Xidong.

Cries were coming from the bottom of the heap of people cramped into the building.

"Please, get off me! I am bleeding. Who cut my fingers?"

"I have a fractured bone. Which of you used a spell to attack me? It was not so bad earlier, but now it is festering!"

"Help, I cannot breathe!"

"Please do not touch me. I am not Xu Xiaoshou… Ahhhh…"

"Eww!"

All heard the disgusting moan from the random buff guy, and there was a sudden deathly silence in the building…

Zhao Xidong heard the cries from the crowd, and it stirred a calling within this upright and prominent officer of the Spiritual Law Division to enforce the law. "Xu Xiaoshou, look at what you have done!" he bellowed.

Xu Xiaoshou gave him an innocent look. At that point, he felt lucky that he had escaped from the crowd, or he would probably be the one moaning.

"It is not my fault. Anyway, you were the one who used violence. I was trying to defend myself."

"Huh!"

Zhao Xidong tried to calm himself by heaving out a deep sigh. He descended from the air and his voice returned to a composed tone.

"Tie yourself up. We are going to the Spiritual Law Division."

"Why?"

"Why? Why do you not think so?"

Zhao Xidong pointed at the bloodstain on his chest with his shaky finger. He did not understand how a mere nudge with his back Xu Xiaoshou could injure him. It was as if he was cut open by a sword.

The kid! Was his astrological sign a hedgehog?

Xu Xiaoshou remained quiet for a moment, then said, "If I am not mistaken, you were the one who told me to try it."

"I…"

Zhao Xidong realized he had once again committed a lethal mistake. He had unconsciously chatted with Xu Xiaoshou!

: Cursed, passive points, 1.

"I am sorry, but it does not matter anymore. The Dean is truly looking for you!"

Zhao Xidong buried the hatchet. He put on a genuinely warm expression and stared at Xu Xiaoshou.

"What do you think? Can you come with me?"

: Missed, passive points, 1.

Chapter 217: The White Cave Quota

Xu Xiaoshou became more cautious as he looked at Zhao Xidong, who was now getting mad. Xu Xiaoshou widely chose to be more subservient.

"Not really. We do not have to do that."

"I will go with you, okay?"

Xu Xiaoshou temporarily put aside the matter of Elder Sang. Perhaps the Dean genuinely had something urgent for him, he thought.

Even if it was not the case, Xu Xiaoshou had the backing of Elder Sang. So, there should be no one in the Spirit Palace who would dare to harm him.

After seeing how powerful the aged man was that night, Xu Xiaoshou had a much clearer picture of who the actual leader behind the Spirit Palace was.

"Let's go!"

Zhao Xidong then went silent, as he had promised himself he would not speak unnecessarily this time.

At that moment, the crowd from the Spiritual Affairs Division had all come out, and they were all looking pretty upset that Xu Xiaoshou left just like that.

However, there was nothing they could do as it was a law enforcer of the Spiritual Law Division who led him away. He wasn't someone to mess around with.

"Such a waste that Xu Xiaoshou got away. Now we can't get his autograph anymore."

"Haha, haha, are you sure that you were going after him for his autograph? Be honest. Why is your hand injured?"

"I do not know. Someone cut me. Is it not the same with you?"

"What?"

"Why is your hand fractured? Do you not know the reason?"

Everyone got into a heated discussion and then remembered that Xu Xiaoshou seemed to have left one autograph behind.

Instantly, hundreds of pairs of eyes turned to the girl who had shown Xu Xiaoshou around.

The girl fell to the ground in horror and asked with a trembling voice, "What… What do you guys want?"

"Hehe, hehe!"

"What do we want? What do you think?"

Everyone advanced toward her and had her cornered. Some people sensed things were not going right, so they ran off to seek help.

Out of the blue, a cry broke out from the crowd.

"Please, I beg you. Sell me the autograph. I will pay any price!"

"No! You must sell it to me!"

"F*ck off, the autograph is mine!"

"Mine!"

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Amid the chaos, a loud rumble shook the attic.

"Elder Qiao is back!"

Eh?

Then everyone slowly backed off.

"Run!"

[At the Council Hall]

"Pffft! Cough! Cough!"

Qiao Qianzhi spat out the tea in his mouth. He stared in disbelief at Jiang Bianyan, who was sitting right opposite him. He then slammed the teacup onto the table.

"Is Hallmaster Jiang kidding me?"

The quota for entering the White Cave is not just sought after by Tiansang Spirit Palace, but also by every other dominant power of the Tiansang prefecture!"

On top of the prefecture's four great families and some idle forces, there are twelve other cities near the White Cave!"

After sharing with the other dominant powers, the quota given to the Spirit Palace every year is less than ten!"

Yet, here you are casually asking us for one-fifth of our quota?"

Ye Xiaotian quietly agreed with what Qiao Qianzhi had said and nodded. Elder Qiao was indeed the Chief Elder of the Spiritual Affairs Division. He was adept at handling such situations with his choice of words.

If Ye Xiaotian had to respond to Hallmaster Jiang himself, he could not have come up with such a sharp reply.

It brought back memories of his deal with Elder Sang a few days back. It did not take a few days before he ended up losing everything.

Indeed, the Holy Divine Palace was not as selfless as he had imagined. Even the most influential forces on the continent were pretty calculative, as they should be!

In this world, people come and go for only one thing—benefits.

Their forefathers were indeed right about this teaching!

Ye Xiaotian discreetly peeked at Jiang Bianyan, who had put on a poker face. Then he took a sip of the tea and laughed silently in his heart.

The Holy Divine Palace was indeed a greedy bunch. They only helped a little but dared to ask for so many things!

The White Cave had been experiencing anomalies since the Fourth Sword's rumor spread. This could be an excellent opportunity for the Spirit Palace.

If they could seize the opportunity, their ten quotas to enter the White Cave would be extremely valuable. So, how could they possibly give away any?

In addition, Tiansang Spirit Palace even had an added advantage.

Xu Xiaoshou had the Fourth Sword's sheath!

Jiang Bianyan glanced at the two youngsters beside him. If it was just Chen Xingchu, then it did not matter to him who got the quota in the end.

But as Yu Zhiwen was there too, he rued not giving her the opportunity to be there.

Even if he had contributed little during the battle in the Spirit Palace, he had to send the girl into the cave.

"Well, I have underestimated the Holy Vassal's capability. So, I have prepared something in advance. I believe that in terms of its value, it is definitely worth the two quotas."

Jiang Bianyan took out a ring as he spoke.

Ye Xiaotian shook his head several times.

The Spirit Palace was rich with resources. As the most influential palace in Tiansang Prefecture, it had no intention to expand further. Hence, it was fully self-sustainable. And besides, it was considered quite affluent.

"It is not a matter of a ring. It is because the quota is so limited."

Ye Xiaotian signaled for Jiang Bianyan to stay seated and continued to speak.

"We have already made preparations to go to the land of trial. The new Inner Yard Thirty-three shall form one group and the traditional people the other group. We have decided on the arrangements way ahead of time. There is no extra quota left at all."

There are many internal conflicts among the younger generation for the trip to the White Cave. As it is, the quota is already not enough."

If it was possible, even I would have liked to exchange our resources for more quotas to calm our restless kids!"

Ye Xiaotian chuckled as he spoke. He did not intend to accept the deal proposed by Jiang Bianyan.

Jiang Bianyan did not keep the ring but placed it on the table. He looked at everyone and spoke again.

"It looks like Hallmaster Ye is also aware of the anomaly being experienced by the White Cave. So, the danger level has increased by quite a fair bit. Can your new disciples manage it?"

Jiang Bianyan shook his head and continued to convince his audience. "I want to be frank. It is pointless for them to enter."

He was blatantly suggesting that the disciples of Tiansang Spirit Palace were weak.

Chen Xingchu looked very cocky.

Since the Holy Vassal saga, he had toured around the palace and checked out the people there. He felt that the disciples of the new Inner Yard Thirty-three were rather weak.

He had fought every single one whenever he had the chance. And for those he did not fight with, he analyzed them.

There were some talents, but their abilities could only cope with the Tiansang prefecture, and it was only a small place.

If exposed to the outside world, these talents would be instantly defeated!

Ye Xiaotian and Qiao Qianzhi looked at each other and smiled.

They were very clear on the Spirit Palace's position. Although they had talents, they were not so ignorant as to challenge the Holy Divine Palace, even if it was just their branch.

The Seniors from Spirit Palace did not bother with the Holy Divine Palace visitors looking down on them, since the two parties did not mingle with each other.

However, if any person left this small place, the person would have an unstoppable future. Even the people from the Holy Divine Palace would have to be vigilant.

Elder Sang was such a case, and so was Ye Xiaotian. In the future, there would also be more talents from other Spirit Palaces!

"It seems like Hallmaster Jiang is not giving up so easily?"

Ye Xiaotian looked down the hallway, expecting someone to arrive.

Jiang Bianyan smiled and nodded. How could he give up so easily?

Not only the quota, he even had his eyes set on the sheath!

"How about this? Let us have a bet," Ye Xiaotian said.

"What bet?"

Ye Xiaotian's spiritual senses had detected Zhao Xidong arriving. So, he turned to Jiang Bianyan and said, "Let us send one person each to a duel. We will settle the terms based on the outcome of the duel."

"Oh?"

Jiang Bianyan's smile blossomed even wider. A duel?

Had Chen Xingchu's performance over these past two days not been enough to teach the Dean of the Spiritual Palace a lesson?

Somewhat arrogantly, Chen Xingchu even asked, "You guys still have people who can fight me?"

When he spewed those arrogant words, everyone glared at him. The stares made him feel nervous for a moment.

"Sit!" Jiang Bianyan shouted.

He could joke with the Seniors with little thought, but who was Chen Xingchu? How could he be so rude?

"Oh."

The youngster touched the white jade on his waist and sat obediently.

"May I ask, Hallmaster Ye, who have you summoned?" Jiang Bianyan noticed the white-haired child on the first seat, who was looking into the sky.

Ye Xiaotian did not bother with Chen Xingchu's rude remarks and said, "You have seen this person."

"Oh?"

Jiang Bianyan tried to recall any outstanding person amongst the new Inner Yard Thirty-three. But he did not remember anyone. How could Hallmaster Ye look so confident?

"The old Inner Yard Thirty-three?"

Ye Xiaotian remained silent as he shook his head. He then looked out of the hall.

"He is here!"

Chapter 218: Shaking Hands

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The crisp sound of footsteps echoed from outside the Council Hall before a young man in a black robe strode in confidently.

The young man had a handsome face and a pair of dazzling eyes. His back was straight and upright, like a tall pine. He had the demeanor of a young and ferocious tiger.

Upon entering the hall, he immediately greeted Ye Xiaotian who on the first seat.

"Mr. Dean."

Jiang Bianyan squinted his eyes, as he could barely recognize who the young man was.

He tilted his head and tried to recall where he'd seen him. It took a while before he came to realize that this man was the one he had encountered at the opening of the Tianxuan Gate.

The guy who was holding the plates?

Reminded of that, Jiang Bianyan had an awkward expression on his face.

Although this man had lost his ability to fight after being struck by thunder, he was still a grandmaster after all!

How was there such a person amongst the Inner Yard Thirty-three?

How could Chen Xingchu be fighting with him?

Although Chen Xingchu was quite a talent, even he would not risk challenging someone who was of a higher rank than him. It was a battle between one at the Peak Innate Stage and a grandmaster—it would prove very challenging.

Chen Xingchu looked a bit troubled as well. He had been observing the Inner Yard Thirty-three, and there was no such person of this rank among them.

"Senior Ye, so he's the one I am fighting?"

"I am just at the Innate Stage rank. How could I go up against a grandmaster? This is so unfair!"

Chen Xingchu was extremely disappointed. This meant that Tiansang Spirit Palace did not actually want to have a duel with them and sent out an expert, albeit one who was not at the top of his game.

Why weren't they even trying to call up a good opponent for the duel?

And to call in a grandmaster—such a blatant trick. Who are they trying to fool?

Ye Xiaotian and Qiao Qianzhi were both taken aback by Chen Xingchu's outburst. Even Zhao Xidong was rather surprised by this young man.

What kind of idiot would go all out to seek a duel? Was he trying so hard to challenge himself?

When he was still in the Inner Yard Thirty-three, nobody had dared to be so arrogant!

Is this boy an inexperienced "virgin" who has not experienced the trials and tribulations of society?

The antics of Xu Xiaoshou already piqued Zhao Xidong. And he was now further provoked by Chen Xingchu's hostile words. He would tolerate no one showing such arrogance toward the spirit palace.

His eyes wandered to the young man before him, and he gave him the once-over, then said, "Huh, you want to duel with me?"

"First, go back and train for another ten years!"

Zhao Xidong's rebuke infuriated Chen Xingchu.

Where did this arrogant dude come from? Does he think he is invincible, just because he is a grandmaster? Is he letting his rank go over his head?

Just you wait, five years later…

No… three years!

I will…

Will…

Zhao Xidong waited for a while, but Chen Xichu still could not come up with a riposte. In the end, he laughed and said, "Why are you silent?"

Chen Xingchu could not say a word, but only clenched his teeth.

Is everyone in this spirit palace this toxic?

Ye Xiaotian, a blind man, and now a grandmaster pretending to be a newbie. Are they all here to mess with me?

"Zhao Xidong, that's enough!"

Ye Xiaotian, observing from the first seat, raised his hand and admonished Zhao Xidong. He then looked at Jiang Bianyan and suppressed his urge to smile as he spoke.

"Hallmaster Jiang had misunderstood. This man is merely the usher and not the actual fighter."

Jiang Bianyan was quite puzzled.

Cheng Xingchu was confused as well.

The two were left speechless. Then why did this grandmaster look so impetuous, as if he was going to fight? He looked like he was going to beat the house down!

Wasn't he only supposed to lead the fighter in?

Why was he so riled up? Did someone provoke him?

Zhao Xidong was exasperated and still seething as he made his way to Qiao Qianzhi's side to take his seat.

Jiang Bianyan shrugged and looked a little confused as he stared at Ye Xiaotian. "So, the actual person is…?"

Ye Xiaotian did not reply. Instead, he looked over at Zhao Xidong.

"What happened to you?"

Qiao Qianzhi also turned his head and realized there was blood on Zhao Dongxi. He kept his voice low and asked, "Where's Xiaoshou? Was there an accident?"

"He's fine."

Zhao Xidong took a deep breath and looked down the hallway and called out, "Come in now!"

Everyone looked in that direction and waited for a while before they saw a head sticking out from the side of the door.

Everyone was speechless.

Ye Xiaotian looked visibly annoyed. He couldn't help feeling that this boy was such a disgrace for the spirit palace. Why couldn't he conduct himself with more decorum?

With such a timid demeanor, how could he make it in life?

"Xu Xiaoshou, come in now!"

"Stared, passive points, 6."

"Taunted, passive points, 1."

"Cursed, passive points, 1."

"Remembered, passive points, 1."

Xu Xiaoshou had sensed that something was amiss the moment they summoned him and by eavesdropping outside the door he understood what the matter was about.

When he stuck his head out to observe what was going on, he captured the information he needed to form a better idea of the situation.

The taunt likely came from that young man clad in a fancy robe. He knew the curse was from Zhao Xidong, while the reminder came from…

"From who?"

Xu Xiaoshou looked over at the girl, who was sitting in a corner. She was still wearing a veil but looked much more haggard than when he first saw her.

She did not seem to be too well today. She barely uttered a single word and did not make her presence felt throughout the conversation.

But she was Xu Xiaoshou's center of attention!

His Sense was detecting something from those mesmerizing starry eyes, and the signals were too strong to ignore.

It had been a long time since Xu Xiaoshou felt something so strange about a person.

The last time he felt this way was during the finals of the Windcloud Competition as he was battling it out with Momo.

As a result, something significant happened afterward. It even brought out the grey mist figure and the demon beast, and it turned out to be very troublesome.

With that in mind, Xu Xiaoshou paid special attention to her.

"I surely felt nothing strange about that girl the other day. Why am I detecting these weird vibes today?"

"Could it be that… she didn't rest well?"

Xu Xiaoshou frowned. He made some quick deductions in his mind before walking into the council hall.

"Hello, Mr. Dean and Elder Qiao."

The two of them nodded with smiles, as it was rare for Xu Xiaoshou to be so polite. And it was indeed a rare sight!

While the seemingly civil young man had greeted the two heads of the spirit palace, he glaringly ignored Zhao Xidong at the end of the row and looked the other way.

"This is the hall master of the side hall of the Holy Divine Palace from Dongtianwang City, Jiang Bianyan. You can address him as senior Jiang," Qiao Qianzhi said, making the introduction.

"Greetings, senior Jiang!" Xu Xiaoshou was still very polite.

"Hmm."

Jiang Bianyan nodded and thought that this boy was pretty dense. He could have just greeted everyone all at once, but he had chosen the harder path.

Considering his act of eavesdropping by the door, he could not see how this lad could ever be a spiritual cultivator who aimed to achieve the great path.

Inwardly, he had already given Xu Xiaoshou a big red cross.

This boy will not make it!

Chen Xingchu leaned to one side of his seat and did not want to get up at all. As it turned out, he had just been waiting for this boy, merely a beginner Court rank.

Tiansang Spirit Palace was not just playing dumb; they were truly dumb!

Did they send someone of this lowly ranked person to compete with him?

Haha!

To his chagrin, Xu Xiaoshou walked right past him as if he was an invisible man, then greeted Yu Zhiwen, who was a little surprised.

"May I ask for your name?"

Chen Xingchu was shocked.

Did this boy just ignore me?

"Cursed, passive points, 1."

He laughed mirthlessly and realized that Xu Xiaoshou was probably well-prepared for the match. He probably knew that he was up for a tough fight.

It seemed to him the battle had already begun with this display of posturing.

Looking at Xu Xiaoshou's extended hand, he mocked him inwardly and expected that Zhiwen would never shake hands with such a lowly person.

You are eyeing someone you can never lay your hands on!

Zhao Xidong also observed keenly, but with not the best of intentions. For she had rejected his advances the other day, and as he thought Xu Xiaoshou look was worse than him, there was no way she would accept his handshake.

He wanted the satisfaction of seeing Xu Xiaoshou fail at least once. If for nothing else, it would at least quell the anger that had built up within him since fetching the lad earlier.

Creak…

The seat creaked slightly and echoed in the quiet hall when she pushed it back as she rose from her chair. But to Zhao Xidong's ears, it was deafening.

Yu Zhiwen was blushing from ear to ear, embarrassed by the sound she created by her hurried attempt to stand up. But she quickly recovered and bowed gracefully before shaking hands with Xu Xiaoshou.

It was a gentle handshake, but a meaningful one.

She spoke with her lotus-like voice, a little bashfully. "Yu Zhiwen."

"But Senior brother, you can just call me Zhiwen."

The eyes of the two who awaited Xu Xiaoshou's fall from grace popped, and it visibly infuriated Chen Xingchu.

How could this be possible?

He could not even shake hands with her. Why would she shake hands with this random boy? He even made her get up from her seat!

"Envied, passive points, 2."

Xu Xiaoshou smiled immediately.

"Yu Zhiwen, what a nice name!"

He was not stingy with his compliments and went on to introduce himself. "I am Xu Xiaoshou, 'Shou' for gongshou!"

The entire hall fell into a dead silence.

The starry-eyed girl was stunned.

"Huh?"

Chapter 219: What Else Can You Win Me Over?

Zhao Xidong stared at Xu Xiaoshou as the lad rubbed his hands together while walking to take his seat. Zhao Xidong felt puzzled.

It is impossible!

How could the boy get to touch her hand, and he could not even get to first base? Zhao Xidong had countless girlfriends over the years. Why could he not impress this girl?

What could it be?

Could it be that Xu Xiaoshou was more handsome than he was?

Xu Xiaoshou felt the warmth on his hand, but his mind was not as lewd as those two had pictured.

Unlike Momo's peculiar right hand, he felt nothing special when he touched Yu Zhiwen's hand. So, her strength did not lie in her hands.

Hmm?

He wondered if he could poke at her eyes at their first meeting. However, it sounded so wrong.

It was simply too inappropriate!

Xu Xiaoshou was in a bit of a dilemma.

"What?" Xu Xiaoshou turned to ask Zhao Xidong when he felt the latter's intense stare.

"Nothing."

Zhao Xidong tried to get a hold of himself. Although he had many questions, he did not wish to speak with the boy—not even a single word.

It was still okay that he did not get to shake the girl's hand. But if he started a conversation with Xu Xiaoshou, Zhao Xidong knew he would get so provoked that he'd feel sick.

Zhao Xidong could not help looking over to the opposite side of the room. He suddenly felt very relaxed and started leaning on the back of his seat comfortably.

The corner of his lips curled up. All he needed at that moment was a bag of chips to watch the unfolding drama in the room.

An interesting thing was brewing on the opposite side.

Chen Xingchu was infuriated, and fumes of anger seemed to rise from his head.

He was a straightforward person. So, he just could not contain his emotions.

And when he saw Xu Xiaoshou enjoying the handshake so much, he almost exploded on the spot.

Initially, Chen Xingchu did not have much regard for this beginner Court rank boy. However, things quickly changed.

He swore he would make sure that Xu Xiaoshou never walked out of the council hall alive!

Jiang Bianyan was slightly disappointed with Chen Xingchu's behavior. But it pleased him that Yu Zhiwen was respectful to Xu Xiaoshou.

At the very least, they intended to take away the Fourth Sword's scabbard later. So they should establish a good relationship with its present owner.

He was perplexed. Why was Chen Xingchu so piqued?

He had already lost his composure even before they began their duel.

But it did not matter, anyway. Fortunately, Xu Xiaoshou was only a beginner Court rank disciple.

Jiang Bianyan felt very confident about the bet. Still, he wanted to go the extra mile to secure the win.

"Hallmaster Ye, Xu Xiaoshou is barely a beginner at Innate Stage. Is it not too difficult for him and Chen Xingchu to…?" He did not complete the sentence, but he had conveyed his message.

"It is okay."

Ye Xiaotian was aware of Jiang Bianyan's shrewd tactics. Frankly, he was more afraid that they would not be willing to accept the challenge with Xu Xiaoshou because of his low Innate cultivation rank.

If that were the case, then it would not be ideal!

It was easy to invite them over, but difficult to send them away. Hence, Xu Xiaoshou was their last strategy!

Ye Xiaotian pointed at the young man who had just sat down and said, "You cannot simply judge Xu Xiaoshou's battle capability by his cultivation ranking. He is quite skilled."

"Oh?"

Jiang Bianyan raised his eyebrows and wondered if Xu Xiaoshou might have some hidden resources.

However, if his cultivation rank was not up to par, there was no way he could harm Chen Xingchu, two levels higher than him. There were two ranks above Innate—the Occupied Void and Upper Spirit. Xu Xiaoshou would not overcome those gaps easily!

Xu Xiaoshou was not the only one with resources. So it would not be so easy to deal with Chen Xingchu either!

"It still feels wrong. This duel could be too dangerous for the young man. It would be troublesome if he gets seriously hurt," Jiang Bianyan added softly.

"Eh, it's fine."

Ye Xiaotian raised his hand and sounded very confident in his reply.

"How about this? If Hallmaster Jiang is genuinely worried, why do we not let Xu Xiaoshou decide the format of the match?"

When Ye Xiaotian suggested it, Zhao Xidong got a surprise. He stared at the Dean in disbelief.

What on earth did the Dean say? Was he plotting for some commotion?

People might die!

Zhao Xidong wanted to get up immediately, but two fingers were pressing on his clothes.

He turned to look.

Qiao Qianzhi shook his head and signaled at him to stay calm.

"These old dudes…"

"Can we really do this? It is a person's life! Chen Xingchu is too naïve for Xu Xiaoshou!"

Zhao Xidong looked over to the other side and stared at Xu Xiaoshou, who looked a little lost. He felt bad.

"Has it already started?"

He leaned back in his seat, feeling powerless. Zhao Xidong had mixed feelings when he looked at the young man sitting opposite, still in high spirits.

Chen Xingchu, why do you still look so proud? Do you know you are as good as dead already? Zhao Xidong thought to himself and shook his head.

"It sounds quite reasonable."

Jiang Bianyan sounded like he was mumbling, but he was secretly over the moon.

As long as they take down Xu Xiaoshou, then the quota would be theirs. Ye Xiaotian would not have any excuse.

Then Jiang Bianyan intended to ask Yu Zhiwen to get close to Xu Xiaoshou and capitalize on her beauty.

"Cough! Cough!" What an opportunity to get that scabbard!

"What do you think, Xingchu?" Jiang Bianyan asked.

"I am fine either way."

There was no way Chen Xingchu would reject the offer. All he was waiting for was the conversation to end and get down to the business of whacking the other young man.

"You set the rules. Do not hold back at all!" the arrogant Chen Xingchu declared.

Xu Xiaoshou looked at the high-spirited Chen Xingchu and he felt somewhat confused.

"Why are you staring at me? Did I say that I am dueling with you?"

Chen Xingchu staggered when he heard that. Even his stance wobbled a bit.

"Huh?"

Xu Xiaoshou looked at Ye Xiaotian with a questioning face.

He was not playing hard to get at all. What made them think he would fight? The Dean had summoned to see him. It looked like he got roped into a fight that did not concern him. What the hell was going on?

It would waste his energy and could risk revealing his resources. On top of it, there were no rewards.

With such conditions, what makes everyone think he would want to fight?

Everyone looked at the Ye Xiaotian in the first seat. Zhao Xidong once again felt the power of Xu Xiaoshou.

Not only did the lad dare to talk back to him, he even dared to do it to Dean Ye!

This Xu Xiaoshou was very precocious!

Ye Xiaotian was equally shocked. He had thought of every scenario but had not foreseen that Xu Xiaoshou would not be willing to fight.

It was a glorious opportunity to fight for the Spirit Palace!

Hm, wait a minute. It is not something Xu Xiaoshou would usually do.

Ye Xiaotian felt a slight headache. It is okay if others had defied him, he could punish them in a hundred ways.

But the boy had the backing of Elder Sang.

As he thought of Elder Sang, Ye Xiaotian came up with a trick on the spot. He sent a message to Xu Xiaoshou through telepathy. "How about this? If you can take down Chen Xingchu, then everything you picked up in Tianxuan Gate would be yours."

"Really?" Xu Xiaoshou screamed, and his eyes lit up.

His outburst left Ye Xiaotian speechless.

Phew!

The Dean told himself that he had to tolerate it!

Xu Xiaoshou did not know how to communicate with telepathy.

Jiang Bianyan felt secretly disturbed. They were communicating strategies already!

He looked over to the other side and thought that there was nothing much to advise, so Jiang Bianyan just remained still.

"If you can win Chen Xingchu, on top of the Black Scabbard, I can give you more rewards," Ye Xiaotian said through telepathy.

The gains from Tianxuan Gate had already belonged to Xu Xiaoshou, as it was the agreement between him and Elder Sang.

After all, there were many witnesses to the wager. Qiao Qianzhi was there as well. If Ye Xiaotian were to exploit that, it was inappropriate. So, he had to promise to give Xu Xiaoshou other rewards.

It made Ye Xiaotian feel his deal was more secure.

Xu Xiaoshou was a lot more excited.

The gains from Tianxuan Gate were more than just the Black Scabbard!

Since Ye Xiaotian had openly promised, then the Ring of Seal, the Spirit Mark of Life, and Jie did not have to remain hidden!

The rest was unimportant. But if Xu Xiaoshou could let Jie out to take a breather, it would be very beneficial for its growth.

He could also use it as his last option at critical moments. He had less to worry about when facing opponents.

As Xu Xiaoshou contemplated on the rewards, his purpose in fighting Chen Xingchu was pure greed.

Chen Xingchu was not merely a person. Instead, he was a seal to open the door to a vast array of treasures!

Take Chen Xingchu down, and everything would belong to him.

Openly and righteously!

"Come, fight!"

Xu Xiaoshou got up and became unusually excited. "So, how do you want to fight?"

Zhao Xidong held his forehead in one hand.

Oh no, Xu Xiaoshou seems very excited. Hopefully, he does not overdo it.

He was not the judge, though he had the heart for it. In his present frame of mind, Zhao Xidong was very prepared for anything.

Chen Xingchu, still unaware of his fate, stood up with hands behind his back and looked disdainful.

"I have said before. You set the rules!"

"Fine!"

Xu Xiaoshou roared in reply. He was excited and had assumed his stance, but he suddenly sat back in the chair.

Everyone looked confused.

: Suspected, passive points, 6.

"Duel!" yelled Chen Xingchu, looking provoked.

"What are we competing for?" asked Xu Xiaoshou, shrugging nonchalantly.

"I am giving you a chance. If we do not compete for cultivation, how else can you beat me?"

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Chapter 220: After all, Chen Xingchu Had Finally Met Xu Xiaoshou, Getting Ignored and Outplayed

Chen Xingchu was stunned.

He had finally found somebody more arrogant than himself.

What on earth was he implying? That if they did not compete for cultivation, then Chen Xingchu would utterly lose in all other aspects…?

What kind of stupid joke was that!

What other aspect of him was Xu Xiaoshou implying as being inferior to him?

You are just a mere Innate rank. What gave you the right to speak so arrogantly?

And in the blink of an eye, Chen Xingchu found himself once again infuriated.

But it surprised him when he glanced at the two major figures of the spirit palace. They showed no reaction at all.

The one who was pouring tea seemed to be fixated on his drink, while the one who was resting with his eyes closed…

Their laid-back demeanor seemed a little too casual, and it was as if they had gotten used to such antics.

"Huh…?"

Chen Xingchu lost his composure right away.

And why did he feel this way?

Because he would get a thorough tongue-lashing from the hall master if he ever displayed such arrogance. Yet this nobody had blatantly done so, and the masters of the spirit palace acted as if they heard nothing!

Or could it be that they thought the "utter nonsense" this brat was spouting was true to a certain extent?

Besides, who does he think he is? Why is he staring at me as if I am some pitiful poor wretch…

Motherf*r!

Chen Xingchu was seething with indignation to the point his hair literally stood up like a fighting rooster. At that moment, he had a sudden urge to vent out his anger.

"Xu Xiaoshou! What, are you afraid to have the duel?"

Suppressing the anger in his heart with some effort, he used a disdainful tone to taunt Xu Xiaoshou. But the challenge came across as somewhat satirical.

Jiang Bianyan frowned when he saw the two masters of the spirit palace remaining pretty calm and simply observing the exchange nonchalantly.

How could they be so relaxed? Could it be that Xu Xiaoshou had some trick up his sleeve?

If that's the case, then we better be a little more careful. The last thing we need is for something unexpected to happen!

He glanced at Yu Zhiwen, who was sitting at the end discreetly and the latter had nodded after receiving the sign.

She lowered her head, and her long eyelashes trembled lightly, shading her mesmerizing starry eyes.

After half a breath, she activated her starry eyes again, and they seemed to glow dimly.

Within her eyes, there seemed to be millions of stars being guided by a divine force. Then they started dancing and swirling in a circle of light before blazing outward brilliantly.

Then, in the next second, the light in Yu Zhiwen's beautiful eyes faltered, and the radiant light was snuffed out without warning.

But it was not because she had detected some unknown horrifying presence. On the contrary, her eyes had come into direct contact with an even more terrifying existence.

Xu Xiaoshou was staring right at her up close, with his eyes wide open!

"Oh, f*ck…!"

Yu Zhiwen was so shocked that her whole body trembled and she staggered back unconsciously. And when she fell into her seat, the chair slid back slightly.

CREAK…

The piercing sound once again echoed in the silent council hall and attracted everyone's attention.

Yu Zhiwen instantly felt blushed and even her neck was flushed a vivid red now. She sat in her seat, feeling awkward and helpless.

When she got the attention of everyone's eyes, she felt so embarrassed that she wanted to cover up her eyes with her veil immediately.

How embarrassing!

She rued the fact that she caused such distraction at such a key moment. Being introverted by nature, she blanched and lost her composure.

"Are you feeling unwell?"

Xu Xiaoshou softened his intense stare. He showed some concern and asked, "Do you want some ginger tea?"

Everyone was taken aback.

So, direct?

"Suspected, passive points, 5."

"I'm good, thank you," she responded.

Yu Zhiwen tried to shrug it off, but she had replied with a high-pitched voice that ended flat and barely audible.

She placed her thin hands nervously between her thighs and was grabbing onto her skirt. And her entire body had stiffened.

Xu Xiaoshou almost laughed.

Indeed, there was something very unusual with this girl's eyes.

Although he did not know what function do they served, that pair of extraordinary starry eyes were probably something extraordinary.

Anyway, he had probably prevented her from properly activating her spirit skill.

As Xu Xiaoshou was assessing her, he did not notice another stiffened body before him. Standing next to the seated Yu Zhiwen, this graceful young man appeared to be petrified.

And Chen Xingchu certainly was, for he was completely shocked.

Here he was, once again being ignored!

His eyes twitched as he clenched his fists tightly.

"Xu, Xiao, Shou!" he bellowed.

"Called, passive points, 1."

Xu Xiaoshou raised his head and frowned.

"Hm? You're still here?"

Chen Xingchu was piqued.

"Cursed, passive points, 1."

"The match hasn't started. Where could I go?" Chen Xingchu snarled, almost breathing fire.

"Huh? You mean you still want to compete? I think you have lost."

"You f*cking…"

Chen Xingchu checked himself and stopped his ranting abruptly when he noticed a few pairs of scary eyes cast on him. And he cooled him down immediately.

"… It seems to me you have no courage to face me and just want to avoid the duel!"

Xu Xiaoshou looked cynically at his opponent and broke out in laughter. He stood up to his full height and asked, "You want to compete?"

"Humph!" Chen Xingchu turned his head.

"You're sure that you won't regret it?"

"Cut the crap, fight me!"

Xu Xiaoshou looked over at Ye Xiaotian and gave him a derisive look. It was as if to say he could not make sense of why the Dean had made him fight with a guy who had no heart or strength.

He thought it'd be better if he had been told to fight the girl beside Chen Xingchu. That way, he could figure out what her trump card was!

Ye Xiaotian nodded slightly, giving him the signal not to hold back.

Xu Xiaoshou understood.

"So, am I setting the rules?"

Looking at how Chen Xingchu behaved, Xu Xiaoshou thought he'd be the type to give it all he got in one go…

Chen Xingchu nodded.

"Mm."

He sighed, then walked up to Chen Xingchu and circled him twice as if to assess him. Then he stopped when he got to Yu Zhiwen's side.

"I am a gentleman and would like to settle matters peacefully. Why don't we sit down and have a debate about the path?"

Yu Zhiwen was alarmed.

Why is he coming so close to her to debate about the path?

She wanted to shift her position but was afraid that she might interrupt the proceedings again by dragging her chair. So she remained next to Xu Xiaoshou.

Chen Xingchu did not expect Xu Xiaoshou to propose such a thing, but thinking that Xu Xiaoshou's cultivation rank was extremely low, it suited him well. He responded with a mirthless laugh.

"Fine with me!"

Xu Xiaoshou immediately grabbed Chen Xingchu's chair over and sat down next to Yu Zhiwen. His move caused everyone's faces to twitch.

In a casual tone, Xu Xiaoshou asked, "It seems to me, you specialize in swordsmanship?"

The east was famous for swordsmanship and the more renowned an organization was, the more likely its disciples specialized in swordsmanship. The Holy Divine Palace was no different.

Chen Xingchu clenched his teeth, seeing that Xu Xiaoshou had conveniently taken that his seat. It immediately put him at a disadvantage!

He grabbed his sword and dragged a seat next to Zhao Xidong, then sat down gracefully.

"That's right!" Chen Xingchu replied.

CREAK…

Zhao Xidong shifted his seat away as quietly as he could…

Chen Xingchu was vexed.

"Cursed, passive points, 1."

Zhao Xidong's gesture made Xu Xiaoshou almost break out in laughter. He pointed at the item in Chen Xingchu's hand, and asked, "Is this a sword?"

The question puzzled Chen Xingchu. He looked down and became annoyed again.

Fool! What else could it be if not a sword? A knife?

"Are you blind?" Chen Xingchu scowled.

"No, I mean, what rank is your sword?" Xu Xiaoshou clarified.

Chen Xingchu looked down his nose with pride, and replied, "It's ranked five!"

DANG!

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly trembled. He even lost his sense of balance and swooned, falling into Yu Zhiwen's arms.

"Oh, sorry, sorry…"

Yu Zhiwen frowned, unclear of Xu Xiaoshou's intention.

Chen Xingchu glared with a look of disdain.

Huh, what a bumpkin!

A mere rank-five sword sent him into such a shock. Had Zhiwen unsheathed her sword, would he pass away on the spot?

"Mocked, passive points, 1."

Xu Xiaoshou ignored the information that flashed in his bar and continued to act shocked. "Rank five? Then is this sword psychic? Does it recognize its master specifically?"

"It's not psychic, but as for recognizing its master…"

Chen Xingchu said no more. He lifted his chin slightly and his finger snapped at the guard of the sword in one sleek motion.

All they heard was a crisp ring and the spirit sword shot up to the air and circling the hall once before it returned to the sheath.

DANG!

To be honest, it impressed Xu Xiaoshou. Even Hidden Pain could not achieve such a smooth manipulation.

"Mm, since you specialize in swordsmanship and possess such a powerful item…"

Xu Xiaoshou made his voice sound cautious and tinged with envy. Suddenly his eyes lit up, and he said, "I suggest we compete with our body strength!"

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