Chapter 195: The Brazen Campaign to Recruit People

Lei Shuangxing's face twitched.

Is this guy really not playing by the rules at all?

However, at that moment, he hadn't fully recovered from the other's flashy maneuver, and as a result, Xu Xiaoshou had slipped away, leaving Lei Shuangxing already feeling somewhat annoyed.

It was like an argument where, as soon as you faced off, the other side threw out an unexpected trick and then vanished, leaving you standing there stunned and alone.

In that situation, anyone would think that if they could just start over, they'd definitely handle the move.

And surprisingly, the opportunity actually came...

"Impossible!"

Lei Shuangxing declared firmly. This time, even at the risk of being attacked by Ye Xiaotian, he wouldn't let Xu Xiaoshou get away easily.

Xu Xiaoshou smiled.

"Sorry, I'm not asking for your opinion."

As soon as the words left his mouth, his figure vanished instantly, reappearing at the side of Zhou Tianci, who was floating in the void.

The sword energy of "Wanwu Jie Jian" was controlling this tall figure, but Xu Xiaoshou ignored it completely, swiftly pulling out a white ring and pressing it against Zhou Tianci.

Surrounded by white mist, the sword energy immediately subsided.

Xu Xiaoshou grabbed the person and bolted without any hesitation.

Lei Shuangxing was dumbfounded. As he snapped out of his daze, he tried to crush the tall figure directly, only to find his sword energy sealed in an instant.

What on earth was that thing... a ring?

What kind of ring could instantly dispel sword energy at the Zongshi level?

He was so angry his teeth ached, but on one hand, the kid was too fast and had caught him off guard again. On the other, when he focused his mind to switch targets and control Xu Xiaoshou's main body, the guy had already hidden behind Ye Xiaotian.

The person had been stolen right out from under his nose in broad daylight!

Lei Shuangxing felt an overwhelming surge of anger in his chest. He nearly crushed the jade stone while aiming at Ye Xiaotian's figure.

That white-haired Daoist child could dodge, but Xu Xiaoshou definitely couldn't!

"Stop!"

Luo Leilei shouted from above, her words hitting like a wake-up call and snapping Lei Shuangxing back to his senses.

That's right—not only did he have hostages, but Ye Xiaotian also controlled Luo Leilei...

Lei Shuangxing's face showed regret as he kept reminding himself to hold back and not act impulsively.

"So, you're still not making a move?" Ye Xiaotian asked, a faint smile on his face.

He was eager to see Lei Shuangxing lose his composure; in that state of confusion, the blind youth's reactions would surely slow down, possibly allowing him to break the stalemate.

But clearly, Lei Shuangxing had thought of that too and held back once more.

He's a mature one in terms of mindset... No wonder, after going through all that, his ability to stay calm is completely beyond his years.

"What now?" Xu Xiaoshou asked from behind Ye Xiaotian, though he was so tall that only his head was hidden.

Ye Xiaotian kept his eyes fixed ahead, his tone carrying a hint of approval: "Good job."

Even without turning around, his spiritual sense could see Xu Xiaoshou discreetly tucking away the white ring.

It seemed familiar, but he couldn't quite place it, so he let it go for now.

It didn't matter—what was important was that Xu Xiaoshou had actually succeeded in rescuing someone!

Sure enough, to deal with disgusting people, you need even more... uh, clever tactics!

Xu Xiaoshou handed Zhou Tianci over to Ye Xiaotian. After all, he was already carrying Mu Zixi, and adding this tall guy might affect his Zongshi-level agility.

In a standoff like this among experts, even the slightest mishap could be fatal.

After stealing one person and waiting a while with no further action from Lei Shuangxing, he finally poked his head out.

The blind youth's face was ashen, clearly furious.

"Good one, he can hold back even after that..."

Xu Xiaoshou murmured in admiration, then spoke up: "Hey, didn't you say 'impossible'? How come I've already made my move, and you're still not reacting?"

Lei Shuangxing nearly strained his blinded eyes trying to glare; he let out a muffled "hmm," actually choking on his words.

Even without sight, just from the voice, he could imagine how detestable the speaker's face must be.

"Received curse, passive value increased."

Forcing down a breath, Lei Shuangxing said calmly: "I still have four hostages..."

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes lit up: "Yeah, you do. So, can you give me another one?"

Damn it...

"You're Xu Xiaoshou, right? I'll remember you!"

"Received attention, passive value increased."

Xu Xiaoshou wasn't too sensitive to the word "attention" anymore. After all, if they lined up, the masked man, Sang Lao, and the gray mist figure were all way more terrifying.

"Thanks for your concern. I like your name too, Lei Shuangxing—it's so poetic. Why did you choose it?"

Xu Xiaoshou figured no parent would name their child like that, but his casual remark made the blind youth on the other side fall silent.

Does he have a story?

Xu Xiaoshou's heart stirred, but he didn't dwell on it and continued: "But compared to your name, I like your personality even more..."

Lei Shuangxing paused. "Personality?"

They'd only met twice and exchanged a few words—how could you figure out my personality already?

"Tsk tsk..." Xu Xiaoshou smacked his lips. "Yeah, a sharp tongue but a soft heart—saying 'impossible' on your lips but letting others act anyway. I love that kind of personality!"

Lei Shuangxing nearly spat out blood; his face turned from ashen to pale, his anger reaching new heights.

"Xu... Xiao... Shou!"

A low-pressure atmosphere instantly enveloped the entire council hall.

Luo Leilei, suspended in the void, was stunned by what she heard. She recalled doing something similar at Tianxuan Gate, a state where anger completely clouded the mind.

This was such an obvious provocation—how could Lei Shuangxing, usually so calm, fall for it?

This doesn't make sense...

She opened her mouth to say something but suddenly didn't know what to say. If it were her, she might have lost it long ago.

"Received call, passive value increased."

Xu Xiaoshou looked at the message and smiled; his overt scheme had succeeded—it was time for the next move.

"Hey!" he responded lightly, looking puzzled. "I'm right here, why shout so loud..."

Lei Shuangxing could barely hold onto his cane.

Just then, Xu Xiaoshou's chatter stopped abruptly. His face showed shock as he sharply turned his head, staring alertly toward the grove.

"Masked... man?"

Everyone's hearts skipped a beat. Ye Xiaotian's pupils contracted as he quickly looked over, thinking something was wrong.

"As expected of him—didn't even notice in advance!"

Lei Shuangxing and Luo Leilei were both startled. The masked man—wasn't that the leader?

Had his mission been completed?

Was he coming to assist?

In a mix of surprise and joy, the two turned almost simultaneously, but Luo Leilei twisted in vain—she was still restrained and couldn't move.

The ones who could turn were stunned, for there was nothing in sight.

Not even the masked man—just not a single bird.

"Tricked?"

That thought crossed both their minds. Then, Luo Leilei's call rang out.

"Over there!"

Unable to turn her head, she was the only one who saw Xu Xiaoshou pull off his rescue act again.

The same ring, the same grab—but this time, it was someone else...

Zhao Xidong!

Lei Shuangxing's whole body trembled; he felt his intelligence had been utterly insulted. It was such a crude trick, yet paired with that guy's vivid acting...

The voice—full of shock and a hint of tremble—how did he make it so realistic?

Xu Xiaoshou flashed away with the person, and this time, he couldn't hold back a laugh.

"You're so dumb—falling for that?"

Lei Shuangxing was furious, but there was nothing he could do.