Chapter 1008: You Come Push the Door

Deep Sea.

It was a rare opportunity for Tan Shen to break free from its 007 work schedule and go out for some fun, but it never imagined that its first appearance would be underwater.

"Meow."

Out of curiosity, it lifted its gaze and asked, Where is this?

"Underwater."

Xu Xiaoshou chuckled in response, offering no further explanation.

How could a little white cat like Tan Shen understand anything about the deep sea or Gu Yin Cliff? Any more words would be wasted.

Without paying Tan Shen any mind, Xu Xiaoshou immediately used the Mimicry ability to shield himself and the little white cat from the deep sea's water pressure. Then, with a quick transformation, he took on the form of Yan Wang Huang Quan.

"Meow?"

Tan Shen watched excitedly, eager for another disguise game. Who would they target this time?

The last time it had come out, it saw its owner beat up some unknown person and then take on that person's appearance. The rest must have been quite entertaining.

Unfortunately, in the end, it had nothing to do with Tan Shen, and it was locked back into the Yuan Fu.

Tan Shen really wanted to tell its owner that it had grown quite powerful now and didn't need to be tossed into the Yuan Fu every time danger arose.

Just refining pills was a waste of its talents.

Tan Shen also dreamed of becoming a cat skilled in both combat and alchemy, following in its owner's footsteps of being good at everything. That seemed incredibly impressive.

"This time..."

Meeting the little white cat's expectant gaze, Xu Xiaoshou stroked its fur and glanced warily toward the distant deep sea. "This time, we're going big. Let's see if we can drag a Bansheng into the water and put an end to this threat once and for all."

"Meow."

Sounds great!

Tan Shen had never fought a Bansheng before, so it had no idea what level that was, but it immediately raised a tiny paw in agreement. Besides eating, it loved fighting the most.

Back in the Xu Yue Hui Palace, no one had let it join any fights, all afraid it might get even a scratch.

When it was with Jiao Tangtang and Xin Gugu, it never faced any storms along the way—just say the word when hungry.

But even so, Tan Shen was a carnivore at heart.

After living this long, aside from vibrant spiritual plants, treasures, and pills, it had never tasted a single bit of blood food. What a waste of its cat life!

Thinking of blood food, Tan Shen licked its paw and excitedly waved a claw at Xu Xiaoshou to signal.

"Meow meow."

That big dragon in the Yuan Fu—if you could let me have a piece, I'd become super powerful. Then I could help you take down that Bansheng easily.

Xu Xiaoshou paused, thinking, The Tun Jin Long?

"You're still eyeing that dragon?"

"Meow meow."

Tan Shen meowed in response, complaining pitifully, Yeah, yeah, but the lady owner won't let me eat it. Otherwise, I'd be even more powerful by now.

"It's right that she won't let you eat it!" Xu Xiaoshou said irritably.

He still remembered Jiao Tangtang's warning: Tan Shen must never touch blood food, or it might undergo uncontrollable changes.

This was similar to A Jie.

Back when he first got A Jie, that little guy who only cried "Mama," Xu Xiaoshou had noticed that besides its normal strength, it became terrifying around blood.

Thinking of A Jie made him think of the Dean.

He wondered where the Dean was in the deep sea right now. A Jie was probably still with him and hadn't made it back to the Ling Palace yet.

The deep sea had forbidden barriers, so the Dean must be severely restricted.

But he had spatial mysteries, and A Jie's power didn't belong to the refining spirit schools, so maybe they wouldn't be affected...

Would there be a turnaround?

It couldn't be that the Dean had been drained dry too, could it?

Shaking his head, Xu Xiaoshou pushed those thoughts aside. The Water Ghost would know better who was friend and who was foe.

So, the priority was still dealing with the Bansheng.

"Forget about the Tun Jin Long for now. I'll find something else for you later. First, we need to find someone."

Xu Xiaoshou decided he couldn't let any unknown dangers spiral out of control. Tan Shen could only have blood food once his own cultivation reached the Wangzuo level.

Otherwise, he might not be able to handle the little white cat's changes.

After all, Tan Shen was a ghost beast at its core!

"Let's go find Da Zui... I mean, Xiao Kongdong. I wonder if he's still at the Xukong Gate?"

Hugging the little white cat tightly, Xu Xiaoshou felt a bit more at ease.

Luring a Bansheng into the water was risky, even if he was just a secondary factor and only needed to transform into Yan Wang Huang Quan.

But with Xiao Kongdong around, it would feel safer.

Before that...

"Buzz!"

Xu Xiaoshou unleashed "Shijian Chihuan" in the deep sea, leaving traces of the time attribute behind. Then, like fleeing from a plague, he shot downward at light speed.

Without stopping, he headed straight for the bottom of the deep sea, toward the Xukong Gate.

"Thump thump!"

"Thump thump!"

With the Sheng Di Long Lin on him, Xu Xiaoshou's strongest intention was to "avoid risks."

But the closer he got to the deep sea bottom, the louder the dragon scale's heartbeat became, filling him with dread.

"There's danger below?"

As he approached, he hesitated and stopped, afraid to dive deeper.

"The time isn't right yet—Jiang family's Bansheng shouldn't be making a move on me.

"And in the deep sea, the biggest threat to me would be Rao Yao Yao's group...

"So, does that mean Xiao Kongdong is gone? Has Rao Yao Yao found the Xukong Gate? Is she already there?"

Xu Xiaoshou's heart raced with anxiety.

This was his first time acting on a mission with the backing of the great elder of the Sheng Nu, and he realized how miraculous it was that he'd survived his past recklessness.

But on second thought...

He was too important—surely the Water Ghost had backup plans for luring the Bansheng.

Besides, the Xukong Gate was the last safeguard the Water Ghost mentioned if the Bansheng proved too strong. What was there to fear?

"Let's check it out."

Unable to resist his curiosity, Xu Xiaoshou felt his own final safeguard was still in place, so he decided to see what the danger below was like.

If things looked okay, he might even stir up the deep sea waters and mix them with his mission for more chaos.

"Invisibility!"

His body vanished in the deep sea.

In no time, Xu Xiaoshou returned to the Xukong Gate's location.

This time, as expected, he didn't see Xiao Kongdong at the gate.

Instead, after all this time and based on the descent speed, there were now several familiar figures here.

"The Xukong Gate!"

Rao Yao Yao carried the Xuan Cang Shen Jian on her back, looking somewhat weakened, clearly having just arrived.

She stared at the ancient gate at the deep sea bottom for a while before finally recognizing it, her expression shocked. "This connects to the true... Sky City!"

Nearby, Ye Xiao and Teng Shan Hai were surrounded by currents of destiny power, with the water flows parted around them thanks to Rao Yao Yao's help, shielding them from the pressure.

But both had clearly suffered from the water spheres draining their spiritual energy, and they weren't in great shape.

"The Xukong Gate..."

Even though Teng Shan Hai wasn't as sharp-minded as Rao Yao Yao, his long life and high status meant he knew a few things.

"It's said that opening the Xukong Gate requires massive energy and an 'offering ceremony.'

"Unexpectedly, this entire deep sea, the forbidden barriers here, those who failed their tribulations and contributed their thunder tribulations by being cut down, even the water spheres that drain spiritual energy...

"Are all these just to serve opening the Xukong Gate?

"Is this the so-called 'offering ceremony'?"

As he spoke, Teng Shan Hai felt his mind go blank.

The scale of this was enormous!

Dragging so many Taixu, Zhan Dao, and Wangzuo realm experts into this deep sea just to open the Xukong Gate?

And crucially, how had the mastermind behind this predicted that everyone would gather at Gu Yin Cliff?

At the mention, everyone's thoughts turned to that figure wearing half a golden beast mask, wielding the Yu Hai Shen Ji, able to control the waves at Yun Lun and stand against Ai Cangsheng, the master of water mysteries.

"A coincidence?" Teng Shan Hai said, stunned and unable to make sense of it.

"It can't be a coincidence!"

From behind, Mu Lin, carrying the limp Bai Yi, suddenly spoke up.

He had run into Rao Yao Yao, who was searching everywhere, and given up on self-rescue to join her.

As for Bai Yi...

That was whom he had found.

A Zhan Dao like Bai Yi, loaded with treasures, had barely withstood the increasingly terrifying drain of the water spheres. Now, with the protection of the Xuan Cang Shen Jian's destiny power and pills from the Jin Zhao lineage, Bai Yi was mostly out of danger.

Everyone turned to look at the master and disciple from Sheng Palace, including the lucky one, Tian Ling Popo—she was the only one not qualified but had been saved by Rao Yao Yao and brought to the Xukong Gate.

As for why...

Besides her own desperate pleas, Tian Ling Popo knew the real reason all too well.

In this deep sea, a Zhan Dao was insignificant, just fodder for the offering ceremony. Saving others was pointless.

And among them, each person had such high status that asking them to be cannon fodder or charge ahead was unrealistic.

So...

She was alive for now.

But if real danger came and someone was needed to lead the way...

Undoubtedly, there was only one candidate here!

Mu Lin saw the others looking and said nothing, just turning his gaze to the Bai Yi he was carrying.

Bai Yi swallowed the pill in his mouth, feeling some strength return, and immediately spoke up for his master.

"The Xukong Gate couldn't have been set up on a whim, especially with an offering ceremony required. So, all the preparations here must have been made in advance.

"And the reason everyone gathered here instead of elsewhere isn't a coincidence—it's the 'Sheng Di Guidance.'

"It started from the Void Island fissures spewing treasures and Yin Qi, and the layouts at Gu Yin Cliff probably began then.

"Rao Jianxian, why did you come here? Why did the person you were chasing come here? Including why this Tian Ling... lady pursued the Void Island fissures, and why my master and I arrived...

"It was all arranged.

"All these 'arrangements' lead to the Xukong Gate, which ties into the recent storm center of the East Domain—the Sky City.

"Without a doubt, this can only be the work of the Sheng Nu."

Bai Yi spoke calmly and concisely, his words hitting the mark and sending chills through everyone.

"Received fright, passive value, 1."

Even Xu Xiaoshou, listening invisibly, was stunned.

The five great authorities of Sheng Palace...

How was this Hua Luo Shifu's brain so sharp? Just from seeing the Xukong Gate, he could deduce all that?

Xu Xiaoshou thought to himself, Don't say any more—you'll make things worse!

But with the situation unclear, he could only stay invisible and quietly watch how it unfolded.

"The Sheng Nu?

"So, that water mysteries master is with the Sheng Nu?"

Teng Shan Hai, still deep in thought, couldn't unravel Bai Yi's words from any angle, but he recalled what he'd heard underwater and said,

"Yet, when I was in the water sphere earlier, I saw a dragon being chased from a distance, and the pursuer was the one the dragon called the Yan Wang Water Ghost?"

Bai Yi raised an eyebrow—he hadn't heard about that.

Teng Shan Hai immediately looked at Rao Yao Yao.

Rao Yao Yao's pale, weakened face from saving so many people also showed confusion—she hadn't heard it either.

"This old one has heard of it..."

Tian Ling Popo weakly raised her hand and said, "It was a Tun Jin Long. It almost came toward this old one, but thankfully the direction shifted, and I stayed far away from the danger."

Teng Shan Hai nodded.

That was what he had done too.

Under the deep sea's forbidden barriers, who would want to face danger?

Back then, seeing and hearing from afar that Yan Wang Water Ghost was chasing a dragon—someone who could move freely in the barriers and had clashed with Ai Cangsheng at Yun Lun Mountains without losing ground...

Who would dare approach?

Teng Shan Hai had run as fast as he could, which was why he was still alive.

But Rao Yao Yao was baffled by this information. "So, the setup here isn't the Sheng Nu's doing, but Yan Wang plotting something? And they're even eyeing the Sky City?"

Thinking of the Yan Wang Huang Quan she had encountered at Gu Yin Cliff, Rao Yao Yao suddenly felt her guess might be right. Otherwise, why would Huang Quan go alone to Gu Yin Cliff?

He must have been trying to lure her and the Sheng Shen Hall forces to the center of the layout!

Oh yes, yes... In his invisible state, Xu Xiaoshou held the cat and nodded repeatedly, not expecting his earlier frame-up to be so effective.

But the next second, Bai Yi spoke up.

"Could it be a frame-up?" Bai Yi questioned.

Xu Xiaoshou: ???

Don't say anything more!

"It probably isn't," the usually silent Ye Xiao interjected. "Xiao Ren, the three-stick incense gold medal hunter, has no grudges with Yan Wang, so he wouldn't go that far."

Xu Xiaoshou: Whew...

These three schemers might just outsmart themselves.

"Then I don't know," Bai Yi shrugged, glancing at his master and seeing he had no intention to speak, so he said heavily, "I can only piece together this much, since I'm new here and don't know the roots of everything..."

Having repaid Rao Yao Yao's favor with that information, he shifted topics and stared at her. "Rao Jianxian, there's one more thing that might need your help.

"My disciple probably fell into the water too. She's only at Wangzuo level, with some pills to sustain her, but she might not last much longer.

"Since there's nothing else here, why not do another favor and bring my disciple here as well?"

Rao Yao Yao was still absorbed in the bigger picture and never expected Bai Yi to switch to personal matters so abruptly. Her face darkened.

Did you think saving you and your master didn't waste enough of the Xuan Cang Shen Jian's destiny power?

With the situation unresolved, wasting time searching for someone who might not even be found?

What nerve your disciple has!

Rao Yao Yao had no intention of acknowledging Bai Yi and turned toward the Xukong Gate, her mind flashing back to Dao Qiong Cang's instructions before falling: "Enter the bottom of Gu Yin Cliff, retrieve the 'Yu Hai Shen Ji', uncover the identity of its wielder, and seize the 'opportunity'!"

Yan Wang Water Ghost had surfaced.

And the opportunity...

This must be what Dao Qiong Cang meant by "opportunity," right?

Without hesitation, Rao Yao Yao said firmly,

"Since this gate leads to Void Island and the offering ceremony can't be stopped, but the fruits of Sky City haven't fallen into their hands yet...

"No risk, no reward?"

Tian Ling Popo's face turned green at those words, her lips trembling involuntarily.

Sure enough, the next second, Rao Yao Yao turned to her and said,

"You push the gate."

Chapter 990: You Come Push the Gate (Free Reading)