Chapter 1100: I Very Much Look Forward to Your 'Ghost Sword Technique'

"Xiao Kongdong!"

A piercing, soul-shaking roar echoed through the night.

Gui Po had abandoned her physical body and inflicted severe damage upon herself, using a burst of "Hun Dun" to escape the trap of Huan Jian Shu. She was just about to break free from this illusory world when a sudden obstacle descended from the sky, blocking her path.

Just one step away!

Only one step!

Yet, this man with the narrow eyes had reacted in mere moments and appeared right in front of her.

In her mind, Gui Po had already torn this narrow-eyed monster to shreds.

She had given up her physical form and used "Can Shen Hun Dun"!

This was an advanced evasion technique that drained the body's power to temporarily amplify the soul's strength, used for repelling enemies or fleeing.

After using it, regardless of success or failure, her original body would be unusable.

Apart from seizing a new body or creating another one herself, Gui Po would be left as nothing but a soul for a long time.

But Xiao Kongdong still wouldn't let up!

"Is there something special you want to tell me, shouting so loudly?"

Under the moonlight, Xiao Kongdong's narrowed eyes had two faint, dark swords in his pupils.

This was a simple application of "Yu Hun Gui Shu," allowing him to clearly see Gui Po's soul form and anticipate her every move.

Without mastering special spiritual skills or the ancient sword cultivation "Yu Hun Gui Shu," it was nearly impossible to bridge the gap between yin and yang and see a person's soul with ordinary eyes.

This was the "mysterious" ability that some spiritual refiners craved most after honing their mental and soul paths.

Because without specific training in this area, even ordinary people—or perhaps even Tai Xu—would be helpless against soul attacks; they couldn't even see them!

But clearly, Xiao Kongdong was an exception.

"Give me a chance..." Gui Po's twisted face showed intense struggle, and in the end, her tone weakened as she pleaded desperately.

"I've already given you chances. If you had the ability to escape my Huan Jian Shu, I probably wouldn't have pursued you further. As the old saying goes, don't chase a cornered foe." Xiao Kongdong sighed with a hint of regret.

What he said was true.

First, he didn't think much of Xie Lao and Gui Po, assuming someone was behind them, but it turned out there wasn't—if there had been, they would have shown up by now.

Second, he had acted to protect Xu Xiaoshou. If it were an enemy ploy to lure him away, his teacher would hold him accountable afterward. But in reality, these two assassins had no "plan," just sheer recklessness.

"There's no grudge between us, and I've never intended to harm you. Spare me today, and I swear to repay you in the future." Gui Po spoke miserably, gazing at the night sky and the moon, her heart filled with despair.

"Could you even harm me?" Xiao Kongdong asked calmly.

Gui Po's soul trembled heavily, and she closed her eyes in defeat.

Who knew how much time she had wasted frantically fleeing with "Xie Lao" in the illusory world, going in circles.

She had thought that with "Xie Lao" using "Gui Men Gui Shu" and summoning the "Chong Yin Zhi Yan," they could break free and escape like dragons returning to the sea.

But unexpectedly, a terrifying aura erupted from the nearby street, and Gui Po realized something was wrong.

Upon testing, she confirmed that "Xie Lao"'s abilities were fake, illusions, and that the "Xie Lao" himself was Xiao Kongdong in disguise!

She had been deceived!

And without a doubt, the disturbance on the nearby street meant Xie Lao had met his end—he was likely already dead. A dignified Tai Xu...

They had even survived the horrors of "Xue Jie."

Yet, on Xu Kong Dao, the two of them were about to fall to another Tai Xu.

If they had died in battle, so be it, but Gui Po could foresee that even with all her means, she probably couldn't harm a single hair on Xiao Kongdong.

After all, she had played all her cards and still couldn't escape the most basic Huan Jian Shu.

Was the gap between people really this vast?

We are both Tai Xu, after all!

The more she thought about it, the angrier and more panicked she became. Her emotions nearing collapse, Gui Po's soul erupted with overwhelming soul power, transforming her into a massive, monstrous form as she roared fiercely:

"Xiao Kongdong, if you won't spare me today, I'll fight to the death and tear a piece off you, even if it means shattering like jade rather than living as tile!"

The soul's furious cry echoed through the heavens, and Xiao Kongdong felt a stabbing pain in his head, like needles piercing him.

However, as the two faint swords in his pupils slightly enlarged, a soul barrier formed by sword intent easily blocked the damage.

He smiled, scanning the nearly deranged Gui Po soul, and said calmly:

"Do you really think you're jade?"

"Ah—"

Gui Po's soul turned crimson in an instant, the soul power swirling around her becoming violent, as if she had used some forbidden technique. Like a trapped beast, she charged desperately at Xiao Kongdong.

"Die!"

Xiao Kongdong didn't flinch, not even drawing his sword.

Only when her soul power was about to reach him, and her horrifying, ugly face filled his vision, nearly touching his, did he slowly raise a finger.

"Alright, I'll give you one last chance."

The rampant crimson soul power filling the sky was instantly suppressed, and Gui Po's forward momentum halted as if paused in the night.

The madness and desperation in her eyes vanished, replaced by reason and an intense desire for survival.

"Thank you, thank you, Senior Brother..."

"As long as you spare me, I'll do anything—be your servant, anything..."

"Even if I can't do it myself, with my connections and resources from San Zhu Xiang, I can definitely help you. Me being alive is absolutely beneficial to you, all gains and no losses..."

"Shh." Xiao Kongdong furrowed his brow, bringing his finger to his lips and shushing her.

Gui Po immediately realized she was babbling and backed off, looking up at this senior brother from Can Yue Xian Cheng with fear and respect, waiting for his instructions.

"You're thanking me too soon." Xiao Kongdong massaged his ears and said calmly, "I said I'd give you a chance, not that I'd let you go free."

Gui Po's expression changed, her eyes turning bloodshot again, but she quickly regained her composure and asked tremblingly, "What do you mean?"

"Your opponent isn't me—it's him. If you survive against him, then you're free to go, as far as you can. I keep my word." Xiao Kongdong said, gesturing toward the side.

Gui Po's soul quivered as she painfully turned her head to look.

Under the night sky, two figures approached on the moonlight—one old, one young.

The old one fanned himself with a paper fan, exuding an air of immortality; the young one had a ferocious look, worth a fortune in rewards.

"Xu Xiaoshou..."

Gui Po's gaze, almost devouring, swept past Xu Xiaoshou, not thinking he was her opponent, so it had to be the old man.

"Who are you?" She silently took a meaningless deep breath with her soul, trying to ask in a calm tone.

"I am Mei Siren." Mei Siren shook his paper fan, sensing the question was directed at him, and as always, he respectfully introduced himself.

Mei Siren... The name sounded vaguely familiar yet strangely distant to Gui Po. She pondered it for a while before suddenly looking up, her soul shaking violently.

"The Seven Sword Immortals, Mei Siren?"

At that moment, Gui Po's shrill scream nearly pierced the heavens, and cracks even appeared in her soul.

...Cracked?

Xu Xiaoshou stared in shock, witnessing for the first time how just a name could frighten someone to the point of soul fracture.

He instinctively plugged his ears with two fingers, and then, with a thought, he saw that Gui Po's scream had added "0.01" to the charge value for "Huan Mie Yi Zhi."

If I make her scream at that volume ten thousand times, I could get "100" charge for "Huan Mie Yi Zhi"... A ridiculous idea crossed Xu Xiaoshou's mind.

"Indeed." Mei Siren nodded calmly.

"You're toying with me!" Gui Po turned her red eyes toward Xiao Kongdong and roared angrily. She couldn't even beat the senior brother from Can Yue Xian Cheng—how could she fight the Seven Sword Immortals' Mei Siren?

He was a true ancient monster!

The only one who could match him was perhaps Yu Cha, another of the Seven Sword Immortals.

And Yu Cha's power was on par with someone who could instantly kill the former lord of Sheng Shen Dian Tang...

"I'm going mad!"

Gui Po clutched her head, murmuring in despair, on the verge of breaking down.

How dare I...

Xu Xiaoshou has Xiao Kongdong and Mei Siren by his side. How could I have dared to attack him? It's like rushing to my own death!

This can't be...

How could Xu Xiaoshou have protectors like Xiao Kongdong and Mei Siren? He's just a member of the Holy Servant, isn't he? Why are these two sword path giants guarding him?

Mei Siren suddenly chuckled.

He had a bit of a playful side, but he hadn't expected this soul to be so easily rattled. A few words and her dao heart was nearly shattered. He said, "I'm not your opponent. The one you need to fight is him."

With that, he folded his paper fan and pointed at Xu Xiaoshou beside him.

Gui Po felt like she had been thrown from heaven to hell and back to heaven again. Her emotions twisted as she incredulously turned to the only young man present.

"You?"

Just that one word from Xu Xiaoshou carried shock, doubt, and contempt.

Am I really that worthless? I've at least taken down a few Tai Xu lives myself... Xu Xiaoshou cleared his throat and said seriously, "Don't you recognize me? I am Xu Xiaoshou!"

That absurd "I am" instantly shattered the tense atmosphere, making it comical and a bit playful.

Xiao Kongdong's eyelid twitched at the sound, and Mei Siren's paper fan, pointed at Xu Xiaoshou, paused for a second before he knocked it down in annoyance, but it was easily dodged by the prepared "I am."

Gui Po almost laughed at the absurdity, instinctively wanting to ask more.

But she restrained herself, turning to Xiao Kongdong and Mei Siren with a serious question: "You're saying that if I beat him, I can live? And you'll keep your word?!"

She ended with an exclamation, showing just how much she valued her life.

"A promise is worth nine tripods." Xiao Kongdong nodded.

"A pledge is worth a thousand gold." Mei Siren glanced at Xiao Kongdong and echoed.

"One must strike while the iron is hot, then wane, and wane again!" Xu Xiaoshou stepped forward boldly, pointing at the soul in front of him with a cold laugh. "You look down on me? Believe it or not, once your spirit wanes, I can kill you with just a glance?"

Heh... Gui Po responded with a mental scoff, not even glancing at Xu Xiaoshou as she stared at Mei Siren and asked, "How do we fight?"

She could vaguely sense that these big shots were using her as a whetstone for the junior, but she didn't care!

Life is precious.

Even if she was the whetstone, as long as she could survive today and Xu Xiaoshou got some practice, Xie Lao would be furious if he were still alive.

After all, if his "Chong Yin Zhi Yan" had possessed someone without interference, there's a ninety percent chance they would be dead by now.

"How you fight is up to you. Go all out, with the intent to kill, and as long as you win, no one will stop you today." Mei Siren smiled.

If I dared to kill, there's no way I'd survive... Gui Po was already thrilled internally. She knew her limits and thought to herself that today, Xu Xiaoshou wouldn't die. She just had to win—and win just barely, without seriously injuring or killing him.

One must know their place!

"How should I fight?" Xu Xiaoshou also turned to Mei Siren.

He hadn't lied earlier—with Gui Po in her current unstable and shaken state, his Xin Jian Shu "Mu Xia Shen Fo" could indeed finish her with one glance, sending her into qi deviation.

At full strength, Gui Po might resist with some special method, but now that she was terrified—soul and all—she had no defense.

But Xu Xiaoshou understood that what Mei Siren wanted him to use wasn't "Xin Jian Shu"; it had to be "Gui Jian Shu"!

Yet "Gui Jian Shu"...

Xu Xiaoshou's knowledge of this sword technique was limited to its name. More precisely, besides the vast internal knowledge from "Jian Shu Jing Tong," he couldn't output it externally for now.

It was just like before he learned "Xin Jian Shu"—he lacked the conduit.

"Since your aptitude for 'Xin Jian Shu' is so high, I'll teach you as we go, learning and fighting at the same time. But remember, this time, you can only use 'Gui Jian Shu.'"

Mei Siren's answer was as expected. He then looked at Gui Po.

"To repeat: go all out, but if Xu Xiaoshou uses any ability besides 'Gui Jian Shu' in this fight, you win, and you can leave anytime."

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned.

Teacher, are you overconfident in me? Where's this coming from? I don't even have that kind of faith in myself!

Gui Po was also baffled.

After shaking her head a couple of times, she processed what the old sword immortal meant and said incredulously, "So, you're saying that in this fight with me, he's going to restrict himself?" She pointed at Xu Xiaoshou.

Mei Siren shook his paper fan, as if writing "Are you stupid?" in the air with a question mark.

He didn't repeat himself but smiled and said, "He's already given you an advantage by letting you fight without a body, so it's only fair he imposes some limits, right?"

Gui Po had never appreciated the ancient sword cultivators' sense of fairness more. She absolutely loved the phrase "fair exchange."

"You—a beginner?" Gui Po finally looked at Xu Xiaoshou, referring to "Gui Jian Shu."

From Mei Siren's words, it was clear Xu Xiaoshou was a novice who had never touched "Gui Jian Shu" before!

"Um..."

Xu Xiaoshou just nodded once, and Gui Po felt like she had been struck by incredible luck, her heart blooming with joy, almost jumping for excitement.

I have a chance—definitely a chance!

Today, I will survive for sure!

Heaven won't let me die!

Not to mention giving me a fight, even if you gave me a year or ten years, how could Xu Xiaoshou, just starting with the ancient sword path's "Gui Jian Shu," reach the first realm?

Gui Po had a basic understanding of the ancient sword path.

Only with Zhan Dao cultivation and the first realm of one of the nine great sword techniques could you possibly harm a Tai Xu.

Xu Xiaoshou was merely at Zong Shi level... No, now he couldn't use any external power, only "Gui Jian Shu." Even if he reached the first realm, could he kill me?

—What a joke!

"I'm looking forward to your 'Gui Jian Shu'!" Gui Po couldn't suppress the smile at the corners of her mouth, a faint mockery in her eyes.

"Being scorned, passive value: 1."

The info bar flashed, and Xu Xiaoshou's eyelid twitched.

He had to admit, that look from her was irritating. The pressure Mei Siren deliberately gave him was palpable.

He believed that if he didn't kill Gui Po today, his teachers would really let her go—that was their character.

But since the Zhong Yu Five had gathered tonight, he wouldn't let this tumor escape.

Gui Po was an assassin, a Tai Xu. If he didn't kill her now, she might take his life when he least expected it.

Better to eliminate the threat!

"I'm looking forward to it too..."

Xu Xiaoshou lowered his eyelids slightly, stepped forward, puffed out his chest, and under the pressure, a touch of arrogance arose. He gained strong confidence in the "Gui Jian Shu" he was about to learn.

"It's just the beginning, but soon, it'll be the peak."