Chapter 157: Senior Brother, Save Me

Xu Xiaoshou arrived at the location after riding the wind and waves, which took him half a day.

In such a short time, the uninterrupted "Huxi Zhifa" had already stabilized his initial entry into the Xiantian realm, and he was steadily improving further.

This was likely the difference between active and passive cultivation. Once he entered an environment with such high spiritual energy concentration, Xu Xiaoshou could gradually increase his cultivation simply by standing still.

The "Senluo Milin" was vast, but finding the two individuals was straightforward.

From the sky, looking down, there was a vast expanse of deep green, but a large bald patch in the middle stood out conspicuously.

Xu Xiaoshou stopped on the canopy of a nearby tree. On one side was Mo Mo, full of surprise, and on the other was Mu Zixi, who wanted to open the box but didn't dare to move.

"Xu Xiaoshou, save me! She's trying to rob me!"

Mu Zixi had found her savior—this was her shixiong, one of her own!

Xu Xiaoshou looked up and down at the delicate girl inside the gray fog crystal. Was it an illusion? She seemed even smaller?

His gaze quickly focused on the golden seal in Mu Zixi's hand. Without a doubt, this was what the two were fighting over.

The life energy inside was overwhelmingly abundant, almost like an immortal elixir—just a glance made him feel light-headed, as if he were getting younger.

Shifting his gaze, with his hand cupping his ear, Xu Xiaoshou shouted:

"What did you call me?"

Mu Zixi paused for a moment, then shamelessly called out sweetly:

"Shixiong, save me!"

Xu Xiaoshou nodded in satisfaction:

"Good, just for that, you're not dying today."

Not dying?

Mu Zixi was a bit stunned. I wasn't going to die anyway—it was Mo Mo who wanted to rob me. At worst, we could trade, so why would I die?

The next second, Xu Xiaoshou's voice came again:

"Can you throw out what's in your hand? Let your shixiong take a look first."

Mu Zixi had a face full of black lines.

Even if she was slow, she had realized that this so-called shixiong probably had the same idea as Mo Mo and wanted to take her "Shengming Lingyin."

"Received curse, passive value, 1."

"You save me first, then I'll show you!"

Ah, as expected, a straightforward mind is quite efficient... Xu Xiaoshou thought to himself. If his clever plan was seen through, there was nothing he could do!

He turned his attention to the other side.

Mo Mo had also floated up to the canopy and looked at this unexpected guest who seemed about to break the stalemate, saying calmly:

"Xu Xiaoshou, this has nothing to do with you. Don't get involved."

She had no idea that Xu Xiaoshou was also a disciple of Sang Lao and thought their shixiong and shimei titles were just carryovers from their outer academy days.

Mu Zixi almost burst out laughing at that. Would Xu Xiaoshou stand by and watch?

Of course not!

But to her dismay, she saw her Xu Shixiong step back after Mo Mo's words and then stand aside with his arms crossed.

"Alright, you two go ahead and fight. I'll just watch from the side." Xu Xiaoshou figured that since he couldn't get what he wanted, he might as well play the fisherman and wait patiently.

Mu Zixi: ???

"Received curse, passive value, 1."

She was so angry that her twin tails flew up, almost charging out of the gray fog crystal to fight Xu Xiaoshou, but the last bit of reason held back her impulse.

"Xu Xiaoshou, have you lost your mind!"

"Hurry up and break this gray fog crystal with your sword energy."

For now, the only way to shatter this crystal was with a high-output attack from a distance.

Close combat against sealing power was not advisable.

Xu Xiaoshou chuckled:

"Why should I help you?"

Well, why indeed... Mu Zixi was momentarily stunned, then exploded in fury.

You're my shixiong—how can you just watch your little shimei get bullied?!

How despicable!

"Received curse, passive value, 1, 1, 1, 1..."

In despair, Mu Zixi looked back at the gray fog crystal, hesitating.

Although she had tried it earlier, with the "Shengming Lingyin" protecting her, she might be able to force her way out of this "Chenfeng Zhimen," but what if she couldn't?

She couldn't afford to gamble.

One wrong move could mean petrification and death!

On the other hand, since all three of them wanted the spirit seal, whoever made the first move would likely be the first to fall.

It might be better to let these two fight it out and play the mantis stalking the cicada herself...

Her eyes darted cunningly, and Mu Zixi looked at Mo Mo and said:

"Mo Shijie, help me break the seal, and I'll give you the spirit seal!"

Xu Xiaoshou frowned, wondering what this girl was up to.

Mo Mo slowly shook her head:

"Throw the thing to me first, then I'll break the seal."

"Hehe, that works too." Mu Zixi flashed a devilish smile and actually tossed the spirit seal out. "Remember, you have to keep your word!"

The "Shengming Lingyin" passed through the gray fog light gate and was instantly fully petrified, but the next second, cracking sounds emerged, the stone split open, and dense life energy burst forth.

It traced an elegant arc through the air, landing not toward Mo Mo or Xu Xiaoshou, but right in the middle between them.

Xu Xiaoshou realized immediately.

"This little one is clever—she wants to switch places with me and become the one waiting in the wings?"

If he and Mo Mo started fighting, she would take his current position.

But...

Xu Xiaoshou's expression turned odd. Are you sure you can handle a big fish like me?

Xu and Mo moved at almost the same time, but to Mo Mo's surprise, Xu Xiaoshou's speed was many times faster than in their last battle.

"This..."

She quickly changed her target, gathering a thick sealing power in her palm and striking at Xu Xiaoshou's back. If he insisted on grabbing the seal, he'd have to take the hit.

"Xu Xiaoshou, don't meddle!"

"Hehe, treasures always go to the most fated one."

Xu Xiaoshou had seen the attack coming from behind but didn't care much. He grabbed the seal first.

As expected, this thing didn't have a very pure spirit yet.

But learning from past mistakes, Xu Xiaoshou wasn't foolish enough to put the seal into his ring again—if it escaped once more, he'd be crying without tears.

He curled up his body, and as Mo Mo approached, a large bathtub suddenly enveloped him.

"Clang—"

A resonant sound echoed through the Senluo Milin, like an ancient bell tolling. Xu Xiaoshou's mind shook violently, nearly ascending on the spot.

But he forced himself to strike back through the bathtub wall.

Strange noises intertwined, and from Mu Zixi's perspective, it looked like Mo Mo's palm had hit the bathtub, sending her flying straight away.

Mu Zixi's eyes widened in shock. This...

Isn't this the big bathtub from Lingcang Ge... wait, no, the dan ding?

No, it's a smaller version of the dan ding!

"So, this dan ding can be used for fighting? And it's this powerful?"

She felt immense regret. If she'd known, she would have snatched one while refining potions in Lingcang Ge a few days ago!

Without further thought, the situation unfolded as expected—after Mo Mo missed, she clearly lost perfect control of the gray fog crystal.

Mu Zixi scattered seeds from her hand and cradled them. The next second, the seeds burst and transformed into a massive ancient tree that required several people to encircle.

Mu Zixi gripped this thick, pillar-like object and swung it hard. With a boom, the gray fog space shattered.

She leaped out instantly, feeling the connection to the world around her restore.

"I'm out again!" The little girl was back to being joyful.

"Xu Xiaoshou, quickly give me the 'Shengming Lingyin'! I'll help you hold off Mo Shijie!"

Xu Xiaoshou had just retrieved the dan ding when he saw this earth-shattering strike and thought to himself that she truly lived up to her reputation as a violent girl.

As he soared into the air, a white light shot from his body, and he replied:

"Alright, your shixiong was just testing your strength earlier. Now it's up to you."

Mo Mo watched the white light fly toward Mu Zixi and immediately steadied herself to chase after it.

"Leave it to me!" Mu Zixi shouted happily, grabbing the white light. She didn't know why Xu Xiaoshou had given her the item and then turned to run.

No time to think!

Mo Mo was closing in!

She clutched the object and tried to dash away, but suddenly realized something was wrong. Looking down...

It was a spirit crystal!

Mu Zixi: ???

She stared in shock at Xu Xiaoshou, who was flying farther away, and stood there petrified.

"Received curse, passive value, 1, 1, 1, 1..."

"Received fixation, passive value, 1, 1, 1, 1..."

Mo Mo halted her palm mid-air, also spotting the spirit crystal in Mu Zixi's hand, and wavered in the air.

Turning her head slowly, she looked toward the distant, leaping youth, her face full of existential doubt.

"Received curse, passive value, 1."