Chapter 1042: Nineteen Fen Cheng The Greedy Killer Xu Xiaoshou

The Forest of Miracles.

The dense forest was eerily silent, not a bird chirp could be heard, creating an overwhelming sense of oppression.

"Rumble..."

Suddenly, a distant roar echoed through the air.

Xu Xiaoshou and Lei Xier crouched on an ancient tree, peering curiously in that direction.

"It's pretty far away, so it shouldn't affect us here."

As Xu Xiaoshou spoke, he couldn't shake the feeling that the explosions from that direction were even louder than those caused by the Void Attendant. What was going on?

Who could be this explosive genius?

"After all, we've been on Void Island for so long, it's normal for everyone to stir up some commotion at their landing spots."

Lei Xier said this while gazing at the sealed array in front of them, which resembled a barrier, and murmured, "Xu Xiaoshou, how much longer do we have to wait?"

Xu Xiaoshou turned back, his eyes also fixed on the barrier. He took a deep breath of the thick medicinal fragrance, feeling the fluctuations in his qi sea and the exhilarating tremor in his body, then shook his head. "I don't know, but we have to wait."

The actors aren't in position yet; we can't rush.

In truth, Xu Xiaoshou could have used the Imitator to transform into Shuang Dai, splitting his body to infiltrate the sealed barrier.

But from the soul-reading visions, as soon as anyone touched the spiritual herbs in the Shennong Medicine Garden, the Void Attendant would awaken.

The real Shuang Dai had only managed to pick one Sacred Relic Fruit before facing a frenzied pursuit, ultimately perishing at the hands of the Void Attendant through some task.

Xu Xiaoshou was certain that even if he went in and picked the fruits, he could grab at most a few more.

Once he alerted the Void Attendant, there was no way he'd get another chance to harvest spiritual herbs.

In that case, wouldn't the entire Shennong Medicine Garden, enough to drive the world mad, go to waste?

"How about we just give up?"

Lei Xier quickly suggested, thinking of the Void Attendant's towering three-hundred-zhang height, which made her feel suffocated and uneasy.

A Wangzuo and a Zongshi actually daring to claim the whole Shennong Medicine Garden?

If it weren't for Xu Xiaoshou sitting right here...

With anyone else, Lei Xier would have already left. This was utterly unrealistic!

"Giving up is impossible; we're already here..."

Xu Xiaoshou was speaking when his words suddenly halted. He whipped around to look to the side. "It's here!"

Someone's coming?

Lei Xier alertly scanned the area, her Shenmo Pupils swirling as she clearly spotted the approaching figure in the distance.

A bare-chested man with a robust aura and extraordinary cultivation—Taixu realm.

"Who is that?"

"I don't know..."

Xu Xiaoshou shook his head, yet he vaguely felt the face was familiar.

He racked his memory and recalled seeing this person on Ginyin Cliff, standing behind Rao Yaoyao and Teng Shanhai.

Along with him were over a dozen other Taixu experts.

"From the Shengshen Hall?"

It didn't matter who the newcomer was.

Xu Xiaoshou only needed to know that this person wasn't a friend, so he could go ahead and set the trap.

Everyone's here for the Fengsheng Daoji; I won't let you get tricked for nothing. As long as you have the ability, you can grab a piece of the Shennong Medicine Garden pie too.

But it all depends on your own skills.

If you can't handle my scheme and end up as cannon fodder right from the start, that's on you, not me.

"You hide yourself; I'll give you the Greed God, and I'll be right back."

With the Imitator in hand, Xu Xiaoshou transformed into Shuang Dai's appearance and leaped down from the tree.

The Dragon Descent Hand, Hong Dang, had been tracking this path for a while.

He was following the increasingly thick medicinal fragrance.

Originally, his landing point on Void Island was in the ancient city district, but like Xu Xiaoshou, he had heard the explosions from the outskirts and followed the sound.

Hong Dang had no idea what this ancient forest was.

But as he journeyed onward, the growing richness of the spiritual herb scent in his nose told him this was a treasure land!

Emerging from the narrow path, the massive footprints on the ground came to an end here.

Hong Dang looked up and saw the vast, boundless sealed barrier stretching as far as the eye could see.

"The medicinal fragrance is leaking from in there?"

Hong Dang realized something. Staying vigilant for any potential dangers around him, he stepped toward the barrier.

Snap.

At that moment, from behind a nearby ancient tree, there came a faint sound of a dry branch breaking.

"Who's there?!"

Hong Dang shouted sharply, his spiritual energy forming a golden shield around him first before he turned to stare intently at the source of the noise.

No response.

Hong Dang narrowed his eyes, clenched his right fist, and struck through the air.

Bang!

The ancient tree exploded into powder, but the area beyond remained empty.

"I'm over here."

At the same time, a hoarse voice sounded from behind him.

Hong Dang spun around instantly, with no intention of holding back. A golden dragon shadow coiled around him as he lashed out with a whip-like kick.

Bang!

Space shattered under the kick.

The black void formed for just a moment before space restored itself the next second.

—The rules of Void Island were far stronger than those of Shengshen Continent.

"Tsk tsk, so on guard, friend." From another ancient tree behind him, a mocking laugh rang out.

Hong Dang looked over and finally saw the real person.

A figure cloaked entirely in black robes, with even the face hidden behind a mask, refusing to show their true appearance.

"What shady character is skulking around?"

Hong Dang snapped coldly. At first glance, he couldn't discern the other's cultivation level, but this person was appearing and disappearing like a ghost on Void Island.

They were at least a Zhandao who could rival Taixu.

There was a ninety-nine percent chance they were a Taixu like him.

The unknown was always frightening, but now that the black-robed figure had revealed themselves, Hong Dang relaxed a bit, as the other's words seemed to hold no malice.

"I am Xiao Ren."

Xu Xiaoshou, transformed as Shuang Dai, jumped down from the ancient tree in his mysterious black robes, raising his hands high to show he meant no harm, appearing quite friendly.

"Xiao Ren?"

Hong Dang pondered briefly before scoffing, "The top assassin from Zhongyu's Three Incense Sticks, Xiao Ren? But he doesn't look as tall as you!"

You know quite a bit?

Xu Xiaoshou hadn't expected this person to recognize Xiao Ren.

But on second thought, there were only a few Taixu active on Shengshen Continent, and anyone who lived long enough would gather intelligence on peers. Even if Xiao Ren was a mysterious top assassin, it wasn't surprising.

"I've introduced myself, showing respect to you, yet I still don't know your name?"

Xu Xiaoshou smiled, maintaining a safe distance from the other before stopping.

"You're not Xiao Ren." Hong Dang shook his head, his voice firm.

"You have sharp eyes." Xu Xiaoshou sighed, as if he had no choice, and removed the mask from his face, revealing an ordinary countenance. "I am Shuang Dai, the top assassin from Zhongyu's Three Incense Sticks. Is that sincere enough now?"

He had never planned to reveal his identity from the start.

Because that would only make the other wary—an assassin wasn't exactly a trustworthy title.

But with "Xiao Ren" as a cover, revealing himself now would likely make this burly man sense his sincerity and lower his initial guard.

"You're Shuang Dai?"

Sure enough, Hong Dang was slightly stunned, and from his memory, he pulled up some basic info on Shuang Dai. After sizing him up, he said, "How can I trust you?"

"You don't have to trust me, but we're both here for the Fengsheng Daoji, so temporary cooperation is necessary—because you can't break this barrier." Xu Xiaoshou pointed to the sealed Shennong Medicine Garden barrier.

Hong Dang's face darkened as he glanced warily at the barrier, smirking. "So, you can?"

"You're still not trusting me enough; you won't even share your name. How can we cooperate?" Xu Xiaoshou sighed.

"Dragon Descent Hand, Hong Dang! No family ties, just a wandering lone wolf." Hong Dang hesitated before replying.

"Hong Dang... So it's you. I've heard of your great name!"

Xu Xiaoshou pretended he hadn't, but as a wandering lone wolf who reached Taixu, this man must be exceptional.

At least, from what he'd seen so far, every Taixu in this world was no simple foe.

Because achieving Taixu required surviving the nine-death lightning tribulation.

This barrier alone eliminated ninety-nine percent of the world's genius spirit refiners; those who passed were all top talents!

"Hong Dang, my brother, you came here following the sounds and chasing the medicinal fragrance, arriving for the first time, right?" Xu Xiaoshou chuckled.

"So what?" Hong Dang didn't deny it. Which Taixu who came to Sky City wasn't after the Fengsheng Daoji?

"Then it's easy. I'm here for the Shennong Medicine Garden too, so our cooperation can be set." Xu Xiaoshou "casually" revealed, stepping forward to close the physical and mental distance between them.

Shennong Medicine Garden?

Hong Dang was startled, and deep in his eyes, a spark of eagerness appeared.

"Shuang Dai... brother, do you know what's inside?"

"I know a thing or two."

"Could you tell me?"

"Since we're cooperating, I'll tell you everything."

Xu Xiaoshou got straight to the point, his expression nostalgic as he said:

"I arrived here before you and stayed hidden. I saw someone come by, but out of caution, I didn't show myself.

"That person was quite young, handsome, and skilled, especially in spirit arrays. With a few tricks, he broke a corner of the Shennong Medicine Garden barrier and went inside.

"I knew opportunities come with dangers, so I just watched from afar without approaching.

"But once the barrier was breached, the medicinal fragrance inside was incredibly dense—unlike anything in the world!

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes burned with excitement, fully immersed in the soul-reading visions, speaking with genuine emotion:

"In just a glimpse, I saw that the medicine garden had no less than tens of thousands of first-grade spiritual herbs, and even sacred medicines... countless!"

Hong Dang's heart raced.

Even if the description thrilled him, he couldn't help but retort, "Are you joking, brother? Tens of thousands of first-grade spiritual herbs, and countless sacred medicines? Do you think I'd believe that?"

Xu Xiaoshou didn't argue, his expression even more fervent. "To be precise, there are countless first-grade weeds, and the sacred medicines are the core of the Shennong Medicine Garden.

"Hong Dang, my brother, I didn't believe it at first either!

"But then I thought, this is Sky City! This is the source of the Fengsheng Daoji!

"For millions of years, no one has set foot here—what was once a weed might now drive countless people wild in the outside world!

"Hong Dang, my brother, look around us..."

Xu Xiaoshou pointed to the surrounding ancient forest:

"This is Qingfeng Wood, which wouldn't even count as a grade outside.

"But now, it's all over the mountains— the lowest are sixth-grade, with fifth-grade ones mixed in, and occasionally even fourth-grade ones at the Wangzuo level.

"Hong Dang, my brother, if time and the environment of Sky City can elevate and transform these ungraded spirit trees,

"Then those original first- or second-grade spiritual herbs in the Shennong Medicine Garden—after millions of years, how far could they have grown?"

Hong Dang's expression turned serious.

Upon closer inspection, he realized the energy in these familiar ancient trees was no less than that of Zongshi or Wangzuo level spiritual herbs.

He wasn't a pill refiner, so he didn't know if these evolved ungraded spirit woods could be used in medicine or what their value was.

But...

Shuang Dai was right.

If even Qingfeng Wood had grown to this extent from the scattered medicinal fragrance, could the true spiritual herbs in the so-called "Shennong Medicine Garden" still be ordinary?

"I still don't trust you."

Hong Dang thought it over and shook his head in refusal, unwilling to cooperate with an assassin.

The risks were too high.

This guy might turn on him with a knife, and Hong Dang could end up dead.

Xu Xiaoshou sighed lightly upon hearing this, a hint of sharp killing intent flashing in his eyes.

"My friend! If I didn't really need someone to share the heat, do you think I'd share this treasure with you?"

Sensing the killing intent, Hong Dang's hair stood on end as he warned, "What do you mean?"

"Hong Dang, my brother, you're being too cautious!"

Xu Xiaoshou sneered, "If it were a Zhandao who came, I'd kill them instantly; if it were a peak Taixu, I'd flee in secret; but it's you, Hong Dang, my brother!

"It's precisely because it's you that I can be sure that even if you back out later, I can fight you to the death, so I chose to cooperate.

"But your ambition is truly disappointing.

"The Fengsheng Daoji isn't something a hesitant person can claim!"

Hong Dang was furious at these words, but upon reflection, they made sense.

If Shuang Dai wasn't thinking of suppressing him, why bother cooperating and letting someone else take a share of the treasure?

"This barrier—you have a way to break it?" Hong Dang was tempted.

Just as Shuang Dai thought, the other believed he could handle him, and Hong Dang felt his own strength was on par with Shuang Dai's.

If this guy really betrayed him and tried to stab him in the back, Hong Dang was confident he could withstand the assault.

"I have a way!"

Xu Xiaoshou remained calm: "I saw how that guy broke the array earlier. I'm no slouch in spirit arrays myself. With my method, opening a passage in the Shennong Medicine Garden's sealed barrier won't be a problem."

"Then, how do we cooperate?" Hong Dang decided.

He'd thought it through—since he was here, if the Shennong Medicine Garden was as amazing as described, turning back now would leave him with regrets.

"I'll break the array; you draw the fire."

Xu Xiaoshou rubbed his fingers together, speaking casually as he demanded a lion's share: "Afterward, all the spiritual herbs in the Shennong Medicine Garden will be split ninety-ten between us."