Chapter 451: Sang Lao's Second Letter

The sun rose from the nine heavens, the morning light heralding a new dawn.

In Tian Sang Ling Gong.

In the Yi Shi Da Dian.

Unlike the quiet and peaceful morning light, the people seated in the grand hall all wore grave expressions, waiting solemnly.

"Xu Xiaoshou hasn't come back yet?"

Ye Xiaotian turned to Qiao Qianzhi, who was seated to the side, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, his small feet swinging unconsciously in the air.

"Not yet," Qiao Qianzhi shook his head.

"But Sang Lao said he should make it back just before the battle."

"I heard that guy even went to the City Lord's mansion for a banquet."

"And he got eighteen Bai Ku spots out of it."

Ye Xiaotian's expression froze for a moment.

The words he was about to say suddenly got stuck in his throat, as if he were choking.

"Eighteen?"

The ten young men and women below echoed in shock.

Rao Yinyin glanced around with her beautiful eyes, her expression tinged with surprise.

How long had it been? That guy who had accidentally stumbled into her spiritual site and peeked at her bathing had grown to this extent already.

"Eighteen spots?"

A wild-looking, burly man stood up, smirking as he said, "So, this Xu Xiaoshou must be one of the two team leaders in the dean's mind, right?"

"I've been away for so long, and I had no idea the inner court produced such a figure."

No one would think that someone attending the City Lord's banquet was of low caliber.

On the contrary, with Bai Ku about to open, those who went at that time were surely all top talents.

For Xu Xiaoshou to stand out so much among the younger generation, his strength must be extraordinary.

The grand hall fell silent for a while.

No one seemed to want to continue the man's words.

Undeterred, he kept smiling and said, "What about Zhang Xin Xiong? I thought he would be one of the two team leaders this time. Why isn't he here?"

As he scanned the room with his eyes, still no one spoke.

Among the inner court's thirty-three elites, each was a prodigy with impressive strength.

Yet under his gaze, they all lowered their heads one by one.

The only one who didn't bow his head was Zhou Tian Can!

Zhou Tian Can truly hadn't expected that he would be selected for the Bai Ku entry this time.

Tian Sang Ling Gong seemed to have divided the ten spots into two teams.

One team was led by the veteran thirty-three elites under Rao Yinyin.

The other team's leader was unknown, but the team members were unusually given to the newcomers who had just entered the inner court.

These newcomers were relative, meaning the newly promoted thirty-three elites.

Zhou Tian Can couldn't figure out how he had become one of the ten here without even earning the title of inner court thirty-three elite—he was baffled himself.

"Zhang Xin Xiong is dead."

Facing the gazes upon him, Zhou Tian Can scratched his head. "Xu Xiaoshou killed him."

"Oh?"

The man finally raised an eyebrow.

Xu Xiaoshou again?

"It's only been less than two years, and the inner court has produced someone like this?" he asked doubtfully.

"Tan Ji, sit down."

Rao Yinyin knocked on the table, signaling him to mind the rules, then continued, "He's not from the inner court. Xu Xiaoshou is still an outer court disciple right now."

Tan Ji: "..."

What the heck?

An outer court disciple?

For the first time, Tan Ji felt a strong interest in someone he'd never met.

"Has the Ling Gong gone mad? Keeping a talent like that in the outer court—they should promote him on the spot!"

"He's already killed Zhang Xin Xiong and gotten eighteen Bai Ku spots. Doesn't that prove his strength?"

As Tan Ji spoke, he directed his gaze straight at Ye Xiaotian.

His lips twitched, and he suddenly turned to Qiao Qianzhi. "I bet it's those old fogeys stirring things up again, right?"

"They messed with me back in the day, and now they're at it again?"

"You all are something else—can't you have a mind of your own and stop being puppets?"

Ye Xiaotian's face darkened.

Qiao Qianzhi rubbed his forehead in frustration.

The other veteran thirty-three elites in the grand hall grew more uneasy the more they heard.

As expected of Tan Ji.

This guy was as bold as ever after two years away!

Daring to confront the dean directly?

Zhou Tian Can's eyes widened immediately.

"Who is this guy?"

"Doesn't he fear for his life?"

In his time in the inner court, Zhou Tian Can hadn't seen anyone this fearless.

Thump thump!

"Tan Ji, sit down!"

Qiao Qianzhi slammed the table hard. "Why so much nonsense? Allowing you to attend this meeting is already a favor—can't you just keep quiet?"

Tan Ji smoothed back the hair on his forehead, his thick eyebrows and bold eyes making him look even more rugged.

He chuckled and said, "You've allowed me to attend the meeting, but not speak my mind?"

"Sit down."

Ye Xiaotian spoke coldly.

"Oh."

Tan Ji sat down immediately.

"Pfft!"

Rao Yinyin burst out laughing beside him.

"Wasn't he all tough just now?"

"Why not say it to the dean's face?"

"Been out for two years, and your edges have dulled? Gotten tame?"

Tan Ji's face stiffened.

"You wench, shut your mouth!"

"Heh, little brother."

Rao Yinyin didn't mind, just shook her head and sighed with a smile.

Seeing the scene finally calm down, Ye Xiaotian spoke up: "What about Su Qianqian? Isn't she coming?"

"Yes."

This time, before Qiao Qianzhi could answer, Rao Yinyin jumped in: "The dean knows about the Su family's situation."

"That girl Qianqian has to go back and lead her team, so she probably won't make it this time."

"But once we enter Bai Ku, we can definitely support each other."

Ye Xiaotian nodded slightly.

He had guessed as much.

But if neither Su Qianqian nor Xu Xiaoshou could come, did that mean they had to let Tan Ji lead the team?

This...

Thinking of the bloody storm Tan Ji had stirred up in the inner court two years ago, Ye Xiaotian felt resistant deep down.

But now, it seemed there was no other choice.

"Sang Lao said Xu Xiaoshou should return before the battle," Qiao Qianzhi whispered, knowing what he was thinking.

"There's no time left."

Ye Xiaotian shook his head firmly, his tone serious: "The situation with Bai Ku has turned out to be more severe than expected."

"I don't know what Hong Yi is up to. It's supposed to be just a trial ground, but this time, it's essentially being opened directly to the outside world."

"So, everyone needs to prepare mentally in advance."

"This expedition will have no rules once you're inside, and no one will secretly protect you."

"So, no matter what your family or faction is like, once you enter Bai Ku, you'll face life and death head-on."

"Now, if anyone wants to back out, raise your hand."

Tan Ji's eyes lit up immediately.

No rules?

That was the best rule of all!

"The dean must be joking!"

"We're cultivators—how could we be so timid? If we can't even face death, how can we talk about advancing further?"

"Shut up," Ye Xiaotian said.

"Oh."

Zhou Tian Can nearly burst out laughing on the side.

But he held it in.

Clearly, this Tan Ji had been dealt with by the dean before.

Zhou Tian Can was curious about what had happened, but anyone who could provoke the dean must have astonishing strength.

And this guy's personality seemed straightforward, possibly even an extreme battle maniac.

Zhou Tian Can wasn't stupid—he knew laughing out loud now might get him in trouble.

"What's so funny!"

Even though he was holding back, Tan Ji's gaze shot over first.

Zhou Tian Can felt a solid pressure bearing down on him.

His body swayed in the chair, and without any defense, he nearly fell over on the spot.

"Hah!"

Tan Ji snorted coldly: "You laugh but don't dare to, and your strength is so weak. Trash like you deserves to enter Bai Ku?"

"You!"

Zhou Tian Can's eyes turned red instantly, and he stood up.

With his single arm swinging, he reached for the golden overlord blade on his back.

"Oh ho, you're not bad—you actually dare to draw your blade?"

Tan Ji wasn't afraid at all. Just as the situation seemed about to erupt, he suddenly turned his head.

"Dean, he's trying to kill me."

Zhou Tian Can: "..."

Damn it!

What did I do?

Wasn't he the one who started it?

Zhou Tian Can suddenly felt tongue-tied, sensing a shadow of Xu Xiaoshou in Tan Ji.

"This guy... No, I need to get Xu Xiaoshou to deal with him!"

"Quiet!"

Ye Xiaotian was annoyed.

"If you two keep talking nonsense, get out!"

"Oh."

"Oh."

Below, two obedient figures appeared.

Ye Xiaotian waved his hand, and a light screen materialized in the void.

Everyone looked up.

The image showed a vast, desolate expanse.

In the endless sky, countless black void cracks flickered, as if that space might collapse completely any second.

"You've all seen it—this is the current state of the Eight Palaces."

"With Bai Ku about to open, based on my understanding of spatial laws, the inter-dimensional rifts will burst open within a day."

"So, we can't wait any longer."

Ye Xiaotian slammed the table with a stern tone: "Rao Yinyin will lead one team, Tan Ji the other. Depart immediately!"

Qiao Qianzhi's face showed shock.

Really letting Tan Ji lead?

That would be sending these lambs to the slaughter!

"No—"

Before he could finish, Ye Xiaotian turned his head: "Elder Qiao, go get Elder Xiao to handle the escort. Leave now."

"I..."

"Alright."

Qiao Qianzhi felt helpless.

He was kind-hearted and cared deeply about these young ones' lives.

But the Bai Ku trial was never meant to be easy.

So be it—life and death were fated.

Maybe with Tan Ji leading, they could experience the cruelty early. That might not be so bad.

A smile finally broke out on Tan Ji's face, unable to be suppressed.

Leading a team!

This was his long-held dream.

He had planned to assassinate Zhang Xin Xiong, but unexpectedly, someone had done it for him this time.

Xu Xiaoshou, what a good guy!

"Tan Ji!"

As everyone was about to stand, Ye Xiaotian spoke again.

"Huh?"

Tan Ji turned back.

"If Xu Xiaoshou returns during your leadership, you'll step down to deputy. Follow all his orders!"

Tan Ji: ???

"Are you kidding?"

"A veteran inner court thirty-three elite like me, taking orders from an outer court disciple?"

Ye Xiaotian smirked coldly: "Obey, or withdraw."

"Oh."

Tan Ji deflated instantly.

Damn it.

Xu Xiaoshou, was it?

You just wait!

Looks like I need to kill someone to celebrate my return!

"Move out!"

"Yes!"

In the thatched hut.

Squeak.

Qiao Qianzhi pushed the door open and, as expected, found Ye Xiaotian already seated inside.

"Sang Laotou hasn't come back yet?"

He sat down directly and poured himself a cup of wine.

"No."

Ye Xiaotian frowned, his gaze seeming to pierce through the void.

"One Bai Ku, and everyone's on the move."

"This time, it's probably not that simple."

Qiao Qianzhi rolled his eyes: "Then why did you send those kids in? Isn't that just sending them to their deaths?"

Ye Xiaotian met his gaze.

"Sang Laotou is right—opportunities always come with risks. Without a do-or-die attitude, how can you reap the greatest rewards?"

"True."

Qiao Qianzhi downed his cup in one go: "If they die, so be it. The survivors will be the elites. We've been too complacent these years."

Ye Xiaotian said nothing, and the room fell silent.

Qiao Qianzhi poured him a cup and, after a long pause, asked, "I heard Gou Wuyue has shown up too?"

"Mm."

"What's his goal? The Four Swords?"

"Not necessarily."

Ye Xiaotian's brows furrowed again—this was his main concern.

"If it's the Four Swords, that's fine, but if that guy makes a move, how could Bai Yi stay idle?"

Qiao Qianzhi chuckled: "That's great! Those Sheng Nu people should have been thrown into Tian Yu long ago."

"This could be a rare joint operation between Hong Yi and Bai Yi—who knows how many years it's been?"

"We could wipe them out in one go!"

"I hear people from Xu Yue Hui Gong have also mobilized!"

"What about Sang Laotou?" Ye Xiaotian suddenly looked at him, interrupting.

Qiao Qianzhi paused, slightly dazed.

"He..."

"His leaving at this time was suspicious from the start."

Ye Xiaotian sighed: "He acts all carefree on the surface, but deep down, he can't let go. Hah!"

Qiao Qianzhi pursed his lips and chugged straight from the wine pot.

"Gou Wuyue..."

"Can he win?" he asked.

Ye Xiaotian laughed.

"Win or not, he has to fight. Do you really think someone with his temperament could hold back?"

"He didn't challenge the Sheng Shen Hall back then, which was already a miracle."

Qiao Qianzhi nodded at that.

"True... Back then..."

"Sigh, the Eighth Jian Xian died so unjustly."

As he spoke, he patted Ye Xiaotian's shoulder and stood up.

"Lots to do!"

"Yeah, lots to do."

Ye Xiaotian clenched his fist.

He hadn't had a proper, all-out fight in who knows how many years.

"Oh, right."

Qiao Qianzhi, about to leave, suddenly stopped and turned back, pulling a letter from his pocket.

"This is from Sang Laotou for Xu Xiaoshou. Hold onto it for now."

"I'm going to work on unsealing A Jie—I won't have time for a while."

Ye Xiaotian took the envelope.

"Got it."

He hesitated for a moment, then tore it open.

Qiao Qianzhi: ???

"Isn't that a bit much?"

"Don't you want to see?" Ye Xiaotian retorted.

"Since it's torn..."

The two leaned in together and unfolded the letter.

The content was simple.

"Bai Ku has no rules."

Six words.

Two grim faces.

Qiao Qianzhi was furious: "Has Sang Laotou lost his mind? Bai Ku has no rules? Does he want Xu Xiaoshou to blow the place up?"

"Maybe that's exactly what he has in mind..."

Ye Xiaotian hesitated, but Bai Ku could really be destroyed?

A shiver ran through him.

He recalled thinking the same when they entered Tian Xuan Gate.

Back then, Xu Xiaoshou was only at the Houtian level.

On the surface, who could have imagined he could snatch several town-sealing treasures?

And even dig out A Jie.

"But Bai Ku is an entire inter-dimensional space!"

Qiao Qianzhi fell silent.

After a long while, he sighed softly: "Don't forget, where did Sang Laotou get his Jin Zhao Origin Seed from?"

Ye Xiaotian's pupils shrank.

He remembered—besides the original destructive power, Xu Xiaoshou was Sang Laotou's direct disciple!

His mastery of Jin Zhao alchemy techniques was inherited directly.

"Change it!"

Ye Xiaotian clenched his fist, suddenly feeling tense.

"Should I copy it, or you?"

Qiao Qianzhi's heart raced too. "I'll do it. Your handwriting is terrible."

Ye Xiaotian: "..."

He threw down the brush.

"You do it then!"

Qiao Qianzhi picked up the brush and dipped it in ink, then paused.

"What should I write?"

"Well?"

"Let me think."

The room fell quiet.

After a while, the two exchanged glances.

"Really?"

"For one Xu Xiaoshou, changing the words?" Ye Xiaotian hesitated, feeling it was beneath him.

"I feel the same..."

Qiao Qianzhi's face was awkward too.

Who would have thought the two big shots of Tian Sang Ling Gong would get so worked up over something a mere outer court disciple might do?

"But... how about 'be careful'?"

Qiao Qianzhi swallowed.

It felt awkward to say.

"That doesn't sound like Sang Laotou's style—it might raise suspicions."

Qiao Qianzhi's face darkened: "Have you gone mad, or have I? Do you think Xu Xiaoshou would suspect we changed it?"

"True."

Ye Xiaotian thought for a moment: "Then... 'take it easy'?"

"Take it easy?"

"Yeah."

Qiao Qianzhi hesitated, then wrote on the new paper: "Take it easy."

"That's ugly," Ye Xiaotian sighed in disdain.

"It's not my handwriting that's ugly."

Qiao Qianzhi rolled his eyes: "Sang Laotou's writing is like that—handwriting reflects the person. You know that."

"True."

Ye Xiaotian stepped back and looked it over.

"Handwriting reflects the person."

In Tian Sang City.

At Duo Ling Inn.

Smack!

The blurry Ling Yuan that rose in Mu Zixi's hand shattered again. She sighed in frustration, kicking the bedding with her small feet.

"Damn Xu Xiaoshou, what's he been up to for three days with no sign of him?"

"He won't even come teach me."

"Hmph!"

After a moment of silence, once her anger subsided, she started pondering.

"Something's off. How could Xu Xiaoshou be this quiet for three days?"

"Did he change?"

"Or did he sneak off to play without me?"

Her eyes darted around, and she jumped up, about to check the next room.

Suddenly, she stopped.

"What if I use the one that just awakened?"

Her face flushed.

Mu Zixi tugged at her double ponytails, biting her lip, and nodded.

"Shen Mo Tong, activate!"

She closed her eyes, then opened them.

Instantly, black and white mist rose from her eyes.

What were once human eyes turned into strange pupils, with yin-yang fish swirling inside, eerie beyond words.

The room's walls and barriers were pierced effortlessly.

Mu Zixi easily saw into the next room...

Empty!

"See, I knew it."

The little girl stomped in frustration, closed her eyes, and deactivated Shen Mo Tong.

She slumped weakly, forcing herself to perk up before heading out to find Xu Xiaoshou.

"Where could he be?"

Just as she reached the door, knocks sounded outside.

"Who?"

She opened it.

"Xu Xiaoshou?"

That pale, exhausted face made Mu Zixi jump back in fright.

Xu Xiaoshou was startled too.

"Am I a ghost? That scary?"

Mu Zixi's eyes widened: "Weren't you not in your room?"

Xu Xiaoshou: ???

"How did you know?"

"Uh..."

The little girl's eyes shifted: "Nothing. Why are you looking for me?"

Xu Xiaoshou gave her a strange look.

Ever since swallowing the "World Origin Point," this girl had changed more and more—actually, gotten smaller and smaller.

It was too obvious!

Reverse aging?

"Absorb that life energy carefully. If you keep going, you'll turn into a baby."

Xu Xiaoshou reminded her.

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed.

"Shang Ling Realm?"

Mu Zixi had broken through to Shang Ling Realm?

Oh my god, who was the one cheating here?

This girl was leveling up faster than him?

Mu Zixi blinked in surprise.

She checked her qi sea.

"Hey, I really have!" she said, delighted. "How did I break through to Shang Ling Realm? I didn't even feel it."

Xu Xiaoshou: "..."

Weird!

This was too weird!

Even after devouring the "World Origin Point," she shouldn't have bypassed heavenly insights like this.

How could she advance without any bottlenecks? Just like that, to Shang Ling Realm?

This was unnatural.

"Are you even human?" Xu Xiaoshou asked bluntly.

"Cursed, passive value +1."

Mu Zixi was immediately unhappy.

What kind of question was that?

"Are you saying I'm not?"

"Xu Xiaoshou, what do you mean?" She put her hands on her hips, fuming.

"Say you are, and I'll verify."

Xu Xiaoshou pressed her head down.

"Ah!"

Mu Zixi punched and kicked, but Xu Xiaoshou anticipated it and bent back.

She couldn't hit him.

"Say it."

"No!"

"I'm not asking you to say you're not—if you are, just admit it!"

"Why should I answer such a stupid question? Am I dumb?"

"Deceived, passive value +1."

Xu Xiaoshou paused, then burst out laughing.

"You're not human," he teased.

Mu Zixi was furious.

"I am!"

"Cursed, passive value +1, +1, +1, +1..."