Chapter 486: Snipe and Clam Contend, Little Receiver's Scheme

"Zhang Laotou, Zhang Mei Fu?"

Xu Xiaoshou stared at the newcomers in shock.

These two were clearly the two Wang Zuo experts he had encountered during the night raid on Zhang Fu.

He remembered them vividly.

At that time, pretending to be a hidden big shot protecting Xu Xiaoshou, he had used Jian Nian to directly intimidate these two, along with Zhang Taiying, preventing them from pursuing, which allowed him to escape.

Now, how could he not recognize them?

But the question was, how had these two entered Bai Ku?

And what were they after?

"Theoretically, the holder of Linglong Shi can only be someone below Wang Zuo level."

"If they wanted to come in, they must have suppressed their cultivation."

"But these two Wang Zuo experts are both from Zhang Fu in Tian Sang Jun, and Hong Yi would surely recognize their aura?"

Xu Xiaoshou quickly dismissed that conclusion.

"So, these two must be..."

"Smugglers?"

His heart tightened.

These two enemies of his had smuggled into Bai Ku—what else could they be after? He could guess it even with his toes.

He had killed Zhang Taiying.

And completely destroyed Zhang Fu.

Even though those who knew about it were mostly his own people,

Who could guarantee that Zhang Fu's elders hadn't asked the city lord's mansion, and the people there hadn't spilled the beans?

"That means, these two are most likely here for me!"

Xu Xiaoshou was instantly certain.

If things were thought of in the worst-case scenario, it wasn't just likely—it was a definite fact.

"But how did they find me?"

Coincidence?

Xu Xiaoshou wasn't naive enough to think that.

Bai Ku was vast; after entering, he had fled all the way without seeing many people.

The only time crowds gathered was when the famous sword appeared, drawing a wave of people.

Now, these two suddenly showing up beside him must mean they had used some special tracking method.

"What could it be..."

Carrying the thumping-hearted Yu Zhiwen, Xu Xiaoshou was completely lost in thought.

His hand absentmindedly stroked her thigh, like how a normal person might tap or draw circles on a table while thinking.

Yu Zhiwen tensed up like she'd been electrocuted.

She lowered her head, her eyes fixed deadly on Xu Xiaoshou's hand.

Then she looked at his face...

Unintentional?

No, it must be deliberate!

"Cursed, passive value: 1."

"Xu, Xiao, Shou!"

"Called, passive value: 1."

The gritted-teeth voice interrupted Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts.

He looked up and saw that the girl above him had gone from shy anger to outright fury.

"Shh!"

Though he didn't understand why she was angry, Xu Xiaoshou didn't dare speak loudly.

"They're coming, keep it down."

He pointed toward the white skeleton and said, "These two aren't like that unperceptive big fool. Is your Tianji Shu stable?"

Yu Zhiwen was startled.

She looked over and finally noticed the two Wang Zuo experts from being totally focused on Xu Xiaoshou.

"Not stable."

"Huh?"

Xu Xiaoshou panicked instantly, his body even trembling a bit.

A sly glint flashed in Yu Zhiwen's eyes, and a faint smile tugged at her lips.

You have your day too?

"Scared you!"

"Intimidated, passive value: 1."

Xu Xiaoshou: "..."

"Good one, you dared to trick me?"

Smack!

He swung his hand back and slapped her on the rear, the sound crisp and sharp.

"Hmm?"

Yu Zhiwen's beautiful eyes widened in disbelief.

After a long moment of stunned silence, her face flushed completely, her red lips parting.

Naturally, the next second would bring a thunderous "Called."

"Mmph!"

Xu Xiaoshou quickly set her down and clamped his hand over her mouth.

"Don't shout, you'll get us discovered."

Yu Zhiwen glared at him furiously, as if trying to kill him with her eyes.

When that failed, she opened her mouth and bit down hard on his hand.

"Mmph..."

In the next second, her expression turned to one of pain, her starry eyes curving like crescent moons.

Her teeth hurt...

"Cursed, passive value: 1."

"Look, look, they're fighting—it's really exciting!"

Xu Xiaoshou turned her head away, forcing her gaze to fix on the battlefield.

"Mmph..."

"Cursed, passive value: 1."

"Remembered, passive value: 1."

"Run!"

Watching the flames ignite in the eyes of the towering giant that stepped right up to his face, Zhang Zhongmou shouted decisively.

With a boom, two figures shot out amid the exploding dirt, scattering to the sides.

Zhang Duoyu clutched her ample chest in terror and bolted without looking back.

At this point, they had to split up and run.

If they were chased together and both caught by Hong Yi, that would be truly laughable.

"Damn it."

Zhang Zhongmou saw the bone giant completely abandon Zhang Duoyu and charge straight at him, his heart burning with anger.

If he could go all out, if Xu Xiaoshou weren't absent,

How could he let this other-dimensional creature run wild today?

But even with rage surging,

In Bai Ku, in this place, there were no ifs.

"Tian You Dan Ying."

With a soft shout, Zhang Zhongmou pressed his palms together.

In the next second, the shadows on the ground began to retract.

As he ran, the shadows gradually merged into his body.

Tap!

When the last wisp of gray shadow entered him, it was as if some shackle on Zhang Zhongmou's body had shattered.

As Ling Yuan fluctuated, his entire form started to fade, eventually blending into the world, leaving only a vague outline.

The watching Xu Xiaoshou was surprised.

"What kind of Ling Ji is this?"

His "perception" almost couldn't see the person at all.

If he hadn't been staring and there was still the sound of wind around the old man, he might have lost track entirely.

Yet, in the next second, something even more shocking happened.

The shadowy Zhang Zhongmou suddenly stopped, turned, and leaped up at the charging white skeleton, meeting its foot with his head.

"Has he gone mad?"

Xu Xiaoshou marveled at the bold move.

Whoosh!

But the expected impact didn't come.

Instead, the bone giant's massive foot passed through Zhang Zhongmou's body like stepping through air, slamming into the ground.

Rumble—

The explosion echoed, and Xu Xiaoshou was stunned.

What... what kind of Ling Ji was this?

Invisibility? Intangibility?

"Good one!"

Just from this move, Xu Xiaoshou saw the depth of an experienced Lian Ling Shi.

Such a mysterious Ling Ji was nothing like the ones he'd encountered from younger generations.

If he faced this himself, he'd probably be completely baffled!

"It can even penetrate a Wang Zuo body and ignore physical attacks?"

Xu Xiaoshou deduced.

He immediately gave up the idea of secretly intervening to take down Zhang Zhongmou.

Wang Zuo!

This was a real Wang Zuo!

And one who was fully prepared, not falling into any prior setup!

Such a figure, even if given a chance, he might be able to kill.

But the opponent surely had no lack of trump cards.

"Roar!"

In the field, the bone giant, seeing its punch miss, paused for a moment, then roared loudly the next instant.

It spun around, locked onto the ant, and charged faster, refusing to let it escape its sight.

From the moment it stepped out of its territory and failed to kill even one human, now that it had found a target again, how could it let go easily?

With a bang, it smashed both fists into the ground, propelling itself like a spring into the sky.

Xu Xiaoshou recognized this familiar opening move and knew what was coming.

Sure enough, the white skeleton opened its massive mouth wide, its skull swelling.

In the next second, the white flames poured down like a waterfall again.

"Hah, worthless."

Zhang Zhongmou sneered.

His "Tian You Dan Ying" was a top-tier Wang Zuo Ling Ji snatched from the Dong Yu giant Ming Ming Zong.

Not only could it ignore physical attacks, but it could also negate this kind of Ling Yuan damage!

In the world, only the most extreme outputs, like the Dao-pointing of ancient Jian Xiu or the Tian Jie of famous swords, could break such defense.

"Could this fire burn me?"

He didn't even look back and continued sprinting along his path.

As long as he withstood the white skeleton's flame waterfall,

With his strength, in just a few breaths, he could escape the giant's Qi locking and vanish into the horizon.

"Charge!"

The flames washed over, vaporizing the ground into nothing.

The terrifying heat, like molten lava but not fluid, swept over Zhang Zhongmou in an instant.

Xu Xiaoshou watched with excitement, but before he could rejoice too much,

Whoosh!

In the next second, a graceful figure shot out from the white flames.

After a few breaths of maneuvering, it vanished from sight.

"As expected."

Zhang Zhongmou sneered.

The white flames were decent, but aside from barely making him feel the burn, physical attacks had no effect on him at all.

"Ling Yi."

Suddenly, dazzling purple wings unfolded from his back, and Zhang Zhongmou soared into the sky, his speed multiplying.

Flap, flap.

But just then, a faint flapping sound came from behind.

The speed boost from Ling Yi was interrupted, and Zhang Zhongmou turned back in horror.

He saw that the white flames, which hadn't harmed him but left intense heat, ignited his Ling Yuan the moment the wings opened.

"This fire can use residual heat to burn a Wang Zuo's Ling Yuan?"

Zhang Zhongmou was horrified.

He acted quickly, cutting off his Ling Yuan supply.

But even with such decisive action, a few strands of strange scorching aura slipped into his Qi Sea during those breaths.

Flap, flap!

The faint sounds amplified within his body.

Zhang Zhongmou was terrified to find that his Qi Sea had been ignited!

"Ultimate fire?"

This shocked him completely.

Qi Sea was the foundation of a Lian Ling Shi.

How could this flame penetrate to the root of the Dao body and ignite it at the source?

This wasn't burning life—it was burning something more precious than life: his cultivation!

"Get out!"

Zhang Zhongmou's eyes turned red.

He tried to use the Heavenly Dao to expel the strange flames.

But as soon as the Heavenly Dao force touched the white flames, it too was ignited!

"This..."

"Nothing is unburnable?"

"The Heavenly Dao is directly shut out?"

Zhang Zhongmou was utterly alarmed.

In that moment, a vague figure flashed in his mind.

It was from the early days of Tian Sang Ling Gong, where the founding dean was said to have such incinerating power.

With flames like this, he burned several surrounding Ling Gong to ruins.

Even veteran figures who appeared were scorched of their Ling Yuan, establishing Tian Sang Ling Gong's fearsome reputation.

But even without fighting that Sang Lao, Zhang Zhongmou knew.

That guy's flames were formless and intangible, completely invisible and untouchable.

How could this white skeleton's white flames have such terrifying ability?

Most crucially, that was a capability said to belong only to Sheng Gong elites—how could it appear in a mere Bai Ku small world?

And be used by an other-dimensional creature?

"Trouble!"

While fleeing madly and trying to expel the scorching force,

Zhang Zhongmou despairingly realized that, as a fellow Wang Zuo, he was utterly helpless against this.

The Heavenly Dao couldn't repel it.

The only option was to draw it out remotely, gather it into a mass,

Then, once fully condensed and compressed, spit this damned thing out as a fireball.

But this only method would take at least a short while to execute!

"Run!"

"Get out first and think of something else!"

Enduring the horrific pain from his body, Zhang Zhongmou's form flickered between real and illusory as he pushed his speed.

But with this thing inside him, he didn't dare use any Ling Ji.

Just maintaining "Tian You Dan Ying" was already a struggle—how could he risk more Ling Yuan?

Without Ling Yuan, without Ling Ji,

How could he speed up?

Bang!

The terrifying power of a Wang Zuo body was on full display.

In a few leaps, the white skeleton landed directly in front of Zhang Zhongmou.

Huff, huff!

It bent down, breathing heavily, its eyes full of mocking spirit, as if—as it was—mocking the ant before it!

"Damn it."

Zhang Zhongmou stopped as the giant foot blocked his path.

The rising panic in his heart was unstoppable.

"How can there be such an existence in Bai Ku?"

"Using white flames to suppress a Lian Ling Shi's Ling Yuan, then fighting one-on-one with a Wang Zuo body?"

"This isn't just an other-dimensional creature."

"Even humans don't have such shrewd calculations and abilities!"

Thud, thud, thud!

The bone giant suddenly stepped back a few paces.

Then, it started stomping back and forth over the ant in front of it, left foot, right foot.

It didn't look like an attack.

It was dancing!

The distant Xu Xiaoshou was shocked.

This white skeleton was way too cheeky—it was dancing in front of Zhang Laotou?

"What the hell is going on?"

Yu Zhiwen was equally captivated by the fight.

Her starry eyes saw the eye-burning scene, completely overturning her worldview.

"So cheap!"

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but exclaim, "This thing must not have killed anyone after coming out, and it was toyed with by me for so long, so now that it's caught one it can kill, it's tormenting him to death."

Yu Zhiwen shot him a stern glance, "And you didn't learn that from you?"

"How is this related to me!"

Xu Xiaoshou retorted: "It takes more than a day to freeze three feet of ice; this thing has spirit and consciousness—maybe it's just naturally that cheap!"

Yu Zhiwen rolled her eyes.

"One and the same!"

"Sarcastic, passive value: 1."

Xu Xiaoshou: "..."

He decided not to argue with women.

Using "perception" to carefully observe the white skeleton's skull, he detected the familiar Chen Zhao aura, even if just a trace.

"Chen Zhao lineage, no doubt."

The white flames this skeleton used, even if not as strong as Sang Lao's, definitely came from the same source.

That meant, even without "Chen Zhao Tian Fen,"

As long as the body could withstand it and endure the forging of Chen Zhao fire seeds or even Chen Zhao great fire seeds,

One could cultivate a bit of Chen Zhao power.

And Chen Zhao...

Xu Xiaoshou clearly remembered Sang Lao's introduction when giving him the technique:

Chen Zhao fire was the most domineering flame under heaven.

Nothing is unburnable!

"So, when that guy met me, because of our shared origin, I had a slight restraint on it."

"But against an ordinary Wang Zuo, especially a Lian Ling Shi,"

"Chen Zhao is in an absolutely dominant state!"

Xu Xiaoshou's mind raced.

This white flame was too strong!

Back at the rear mountain, Sang Lao had forged the masked man, who had no significant Ling Yuan cultivation, so it wasn't fully used.

Thus, Xu Xiaoshou's understanding of white flames was limited to "Long Rong Jie" this Ling Ji.

But tracing back further,

When the masked man cut off Ye Xiaotian's arm and seized him,

Wasn't it Sang Lao's single glance that ignited the minuscule Ling Yuan in the masked man, scorching his body?

"That fire could even burn a Sheng Nu head seat; how could a mere Zhang Fu Wang Zuo withstand it?"

Xu Xiaoshou clenched his fist, recalling Sang Lao's words when he left Ling Gong:

"Kill when you should, cut when you must, remove the roots, show no mercy!"

Yes.

This Zhang Fu old man dared to come today; he had to die here, or endless trouble would follow.

And!

That Chen Zhao great fire seed...

Yu Zhiwen sneaked a glance at Xu Xiaoshou, startled by the greed overflowing in his eyes.

"What's going on?"

"Aren't we hiding here waiting to escape? What scheme is Xu Xiaoshou planning now?"

"Suspicious, passive value: 1."

"No time left!"

Watching the white skeleton dance in front of him without striking,

Zhang Zhongmou was furious.

This was an insult!

He gave up on using the Heavenly Dao to draw out the scorching aura in front of this giant.

As time passed, his combat power would inevitably drop.

By then, what could he use to fight this undefeatable existence that had offense, defense, speed, and gui yi Ling Yuan output—the white skeleton?

"Every second counts; explode full cultivation and strike, then deal with the rest!"

Hesitation leads to defeat.

Zhang Zhongmou wasn't one to hesitate.

In an instant, he decided.

Boom!

Ling Yuan exploded fully.

This surge of Wang Zuo momentum pressed down, forcing the still-dancing white skeleton to bow its waist.

Even with its nearly hundred-meter height, it had to bow in that moment!

"Roar!"

After straightening up, the white skeleton was angry too.

It was also a king!

So it could allow itself to bow and toy with ants, but it absolutely wouldn't tolerate anyone having a stronger presence before it!

Rumble!

In the blink of an eye, it turned its fists into heavenly hammers, whistling down.

However, with "Tian You Dan Ying" fully active, even as infinite pain wracked his body and muscles twitched, it didn't affect Zhang Zhongmou's judgment.

Whoosh—he pierced through the heavy fists and pulled away a great distance.

A Lian Ling Shi would never engage in close combat with a flesh Wang Zuo.

A ring flashed.

Zhang Zhongmou pulled out a bundle of deep blue thick whip.

Jue Ming Bian, a third-grade Ling Bian.

Peak Wang Zuo spiritual tool!

A single lash could make even Zhan Dao instantly lose their mind and destabilize Ling Yuan.

If it bound someone, it would seal all six senses and cut off the Heavenly Dao.

Wang Zuo comprehends the Dao and uses the Dao.

But if the Dao couldn't be seen, how could attacks be made?

Though against this white skeleton, Jue Ming Bian's power wouldn't fully play out,

Just sealing the Heavenly Dao should make this giant unable to even spit sparks.

"Ha!"

With a flick of his hand, Jue Ming Bian extended instantly, turning into a terrifying entity like dark thunder, and as the bone giant stomped forward, it whipped upward viciously.

Boom!

The whip struck, shattering bits of white bone fragments in the void.

The watching Xu Xiaoshou could clearly see that at the moment of impact, the white flames on the bone giant vanished, and even the flames in its eyes flickered out like dying stars.

With a massive boom, it landed on one foot, its body swaying violently, shaking its head several times before the skull flames reignited.

As for Zhang Zhongmou,

The old man wasn't unscathed.

A Wang Zuo body's foot, especially in giant form, was no joke.

Even though the whip dazed the giant, Zhang Zhongmou was kicked flying, the force transmitting through Jue Ming Bian nearly shattering his body.

Even the whip in his hand was thrown and had to be caught again.

"Mutual injury!"

"No one-sided beatdown or continuous combos."

Xu Xiaoshou thought this was the perfect outcome.

The two before him were evenly matched.

If the fight continued like this, the only result would be him cleaning up the mess!

"Go for it, big guy!"

"Go for it, Zhang Laotou!"

"Both of you, just die."

Yu Zhiwen shivered inexplicably.

"Feared, passive value: 1."

"Yu Zhiwen."

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly turned back.

Yu Zhiwen's eyes dodged in fright, afraid he'd notice she hadn't been watching the battle at all.

"Wh-what?"

"Do you have any large-scale Tianji array that can cover the snipe and clam without being detected?" Xu Xiaoshou asked.

"Snipe and clam?"

Yu Zhiwen was stunned; this metaphor perfectly revealed Xu Xiaoshou's intentions.

"I do, but making sure they don't detect it is tough."

She hesitated, then decided to reveal a bit of her strength.

Always hiding it wasn't good.

It was rare for Xu Xiaoshou to need her help...

"How tough?"

Xu Xiaoshou raised an eyebrow.

Tough, not impossible, meant there was a chance.

"Setting up the array isn't hard; the hard part is it takes time."

"You have plenty of time."

Xu Xiaoshou looked at the playful white skeleton and knew this battle wouldn't end quickly.

"Then I'll try..."

Yu Zhiwen said, suddenly her face turning red.

The blush came out of nowhere, instantly coloring her delicate face.

Then it spread to her ears, her neck...

"What's wrong?"

Xu Xiaoshou heard the "thump thump" again and thought, this girl couldn't be...

Sick, right?

"I-I mean..."

"The space here is too small; I might not be able to cast it properly..."

Yu Zhiwen's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

"What do you mean?"

Xu Xiaoshou looked at her face so close, even her long, trembling eyelashes clear, and realized something.

"You need me to hold you? Why didn't you say so earlier?"

He chuckled softly.

Then, he bent down, wrapped his arm around her, felt the astonishing elasticity of her thigh, and gently lifted, placing her on his shoulder.

Yu Zhiwen's face was so red it could drip blood.

"Resisted, passive value: 1."

"Enough space now? Can you cast it?"

"Enough... space..."

"Affirmed, passive value: 1."