Chapter 564: Schemes within Schemes, Worlds within Worlds

Chapter 565: The Irritable Storyteller

"Shengnu, Shuoshuren!"

Almost the instant the red skirt fluttered down, Shouye's gaze locked onto the newcomer.

He was certain that this Shuoshuren who had appeared was not the same external incarnation he had faced before.

Because if it were an external incarnation, the other party couldn't possibly control all the Hongyi present in the blink of an eye.

At nearly the same time, all the Hongyi in their hearts uttered the name of this red-skirted man.

And they had a clear understanding of this person's strength.

"Zhan Dao peak, having fully passed the Jiusi Leijie."

"Just half a step from Taixu."

In other words, this was a man with one foot already in the pinnacle of the world!

A sharp cry rang out.

The first to break free from the restraints was not the Hongyi crowd, but the Shengzhan Black Angel holding the four swords.

Shuoshuren could control the entire scene.

But the four swords were clearly beyond his reach.

In just an instant, the Shengzhan Black Angel shook off the bindings and charged forward with the black sword, slashing straight at Heiming!

Heiming's face darkened completely.

He had experienced Shuoshuren's methods before.

But every time this guy showed up, it was always so unexpectedly.

When there was no time to react, trying to break free from the restraints was already a tough challenge.

This freak... was he out of his mind?

Coming here to make things worse?

"I've been waiting for you for a long time."

Just as Heiming was struggling to dodge the strike from the four swords, Lanling curved her red lips into a slight smile and spoke softly.

"Fengtian Dazhen, extract!"

With her light command, the forces that the many Hongyi had gathered within themselves to break through the Gujie Kongjian were instantly drained dry by the Fengtian Dazhen.

Before anyone could react, Lanling's restrained fingers trembled slightly.

"Release."

Dozens of beams of light descended from the sky, instantly enveloping all the Hongyi.

Shuoshuren blinked, and the Lanling in his hand vanished.

He looked up again.

All the Hongyi had appeared above him.

Shouye, Xin, the panicky Heiming, and the remaining dozen bewildered Hongyi all lowered their heads, their sights fixed on the Shuoshuren below.

The scene seemed to quiet down.

Even the Hongyi hadn't expected that the power they were using to break through the realm could also be turned into a weapon against Shuoshuren.

"Lanling, what is this?"

Xin sidestepped quickly and moved to Lanling's side.

Earlier, the situation was urgent, and Lanling's message had only given a rough outline.

They knew only that things had changed and they needed to break out of this world first.

They never imagined that Shuoshuren had come out!

Had this guy been hiding here all along?

"Yin Yang Shengsi, Gujie Kongjian?"

Shouye glanced sideways, already figuring it out.

"Mm."

Lanling nodded, but before she could say more,

"Damn it!"

From the side came a furious curse as Heiming watched the Shengzhan Black Angel lunging at him like a persistent pest, making him lose his temper completely.

"Don't act alone."

Just as he was about to charge in for a decisive fight, Lanling stopped him.

"Fengtian Dazhen, transfer."

With a wave of her hand,

The sword-wielding Shengzhan Black Angel, along with the still-restrained four Minotaur figures, was instantly teleported several li away.

"The priority is Shuoshuren."

Lanling's gaze never left the red-skirted man for a moment.

From the moment he appeared, the center of the battlefield had shifted.

Even though their main targets were the Hongyi and the ghost beasts,

Seeing that Heiming seemed ready to act again, Lanling quickly added, "Go off alone, and you'll die."

Heiming stomped a foot, cracking the space, and forcibly halted his steps.

That damn woman...

Though he was annoyed with Lanling's orders, now that the "Shengnu" man had appeared, Heiming felt he couldn't afford to act recklessly anymore.

The fear of being dominated by Shuoshuren's illusions in the Eight Palaces surged back.

If he really left the Hongyi group, that step might lead straight to his death!

Clap clap clap.

A crisp sound echoed from below.

Shuoshuren couldn't help but lightly tap his right fingers against his palms, his face full of admiration.

"Impressive, tsk tsk, impressive."

"Not bad for the Hongyi..."

His second-in-command was right; he had truly underestimated these people.

"Who would've thought that in someone else's space, you could still use a great array to alter the heavenly dao?" Shuoshuren shook his head as he spoke.

"You're too kind."

Lanling narrowed her eyes and replied, "It's just the work of a mere Lingzhen Grandmaster, with some preparation. It doesn't compare to the legendary Shengnu's seven lieutenants."

"Um..."

Shuoshuren tilted his head and drew out the sound, then snapped his fingers.

"You're right."

"Mere, indeed... You have a good sense of your own limits."

Xin's anger was instantly provoked by this red-skirted man.

Not only was he effeminate,

But his way of speaking was utterly infuriating!

"You freak, can you stop with that orchid finger? I... mmph."

As he spoke, he suddenly felt as if his mouth had been sealed, unable to say another word.

He turned his head.

Clearly, the one who had silenced him was Lanling's great array power.

His eyes rolled frantically.

"Mmph mmph mmph mmph?"

Why did you seal me?

Lanling ignored the big guy because the atmosphere between heaven and earth had grown colder due to Xin's words.

Others might not know, but she understood all too well.

The word "freak" was like a reverse scale for the "Shengnu" seven lieutenants—it was untouchable!

Sure enough...

"What did you just say?"

Shuoshuren's mouth twitched, his brows furrowing with suppressed rage, making his eyes one large and one small. "Fre-freaks?"

He reached out and grabbed forward.

Whoosh!

Before anyone could react, the void twisted.

When they refocused,

Xin was already in Shuoshuren's grasp.

"No!"

Lanling shouted.

Too late.

With a hiss,

Two fingers pierced through, blood splattering.

Xin's throat was directly impaled. When Shuoshuren withdrew his hands, his two fingers held a bloody piece of cartilage.

Pfft!

Xin spat out a mouthful of blood, his throat gushing with it.

He tried to resist.

But even mustering all his spiritual energy, he couldn't make the delicate hands around his neck budge an inch.

Veins bulged as he strained.

Yet all his energy was completely sealed.

Even the surrounding heavenly dao was severed by Shuoshuren.

Though his Hongyi companions were right above, not far away,

At that moment, Xin felt utterly isolated!

All he could do was worsen his injuries, making the blood from his throat spurt faster.

To Shuoshuren, it was meaningless!

"This guy..."

Xin's heart clenched tightly.

The pain meant nothing to him.

But with just this move, he realized

The gap in their strength was on completely different levels.

Total domination!

If Shuoshuren wanted to,

Not a single one of the Hongyi side could stop him.

This was an existence on the level of Wuyue Jianxian!

"The Adam's apple..."

Shuoshuren toyed with the small bone in his hand, tapping it against his own with the back of his hand.

He didn't have one.

With a grin, he shoved the small bone back into Xin's throat and whispered, "Remember, no next time."

Pfft!

Xin was forced to spit out another mouthful of blood from the second blow.

He felt his "Jin Xuan Spirit Body" was like a joke in front of this red-skirted man.

The other didn't even need to use spiritual energy.

He simply sealed everything with the heavenly dao.

Any casual strike could be fatal.

Only then did the Hongyi above have their restraints lifted again.

"Xin!"

Shouye's face darkened instantly.

In front of all the Hongyi, Xin was taken down just like that.

This was more than a matter of face—it was outright provocation, impossible to tolerate!

"Night Color, Devour Heaven!"

In the instant his furious killing intent erupted, the sky was immediately swallowed by darkness.

"Oh, it's you?"

As this familiar power emerged, Shuoshuren turned his gaze toward it.

Shouye held nothing back, going straight for his trump card.

Not only did he alter the heavenly rules with darkness in the first moment, but his body also began to radiate vast righteous energy.

"You little old man..."

Shuoshuren clenched his palm, and Xin's throat deformed under the grip.

Cough cough... Pfft.

Another mouthful of blood.

A hint of killing intent flashed in Shuoshuren's eyes.

The anger from having his external incarnation inexplicably scattered not long ago surged up.

He hadn't planned to erupt now, but seeing Shouye attack, he couldn't hold back.

He raised his hand.

"Wait!"

Lanling shouted just in time.

She flashed to Shouye's side and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Relax, let me handle this."

Shouye turned his head, his eyes fierce and silent.

"Trust me."

Lanling nodded seriously.

Only then did Shouye suppress his impulse and retract his righteous energy.

But the darkness in the sky continued to invade, reclaiming control of the battlefield.

When their strength was already inferior, if they lost the home advantage, the Hongyi would have no way to fight back—they'd be at his mercy.

"You little girl..."

Shuoshuren put on a smile again. "You're quite confident."

"Shuoshuren, you don't want to kill, right?"

Lanling turned her head to look at him.

"Oh?"

Shuoshuren raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to goad me? Do you have a grudge against him?"

He glanced back at Xin and tightened his grip.

Crack crack...

The sound of bones breaking echoed from all over Xin's body.

In an instant, Xin was drenched in blood.

Under the infusion of Shuoshuren's spiritual energy, his body couldn't withstand it—his internal organs were shattered, and nearly all his bones were pulverized.

"You!"

Shouye's eyes narrowed, ready to strike.

Lanling held him back and gritted her teeth as she looked at Shuoshuren. "Give him back to me. Whatever you want, name it."

"This..."

Heiming turned his head in disbelief.

"Everyone, shut up and let me handle this!"

Lanling snapped.

Only then did Shouye step back, handing over the initiative to her.

"Oh, how imposing!"

Shuoshuren said mockingly, "But impressive as you are, what makes you think you can demand someone from me?"

He tightened his grip again, and the barely conscious Xin went limp.

This time, even his spiritual clarity shattered, and he fainted on the spot.

Hiss.

Everyone was stunned.

The Hongyi at the back didn't dare move an inch.

They knew "Shengnu" Shuoshuren was strong.

But their previous understanding of his strength was just conceptual.

Now, seeing it firsthand...

He was utterly unstoppable!

Even Xin in Shuoshuren's hands was like a helpless infant.

"Is that it?"

Shuoshuren looked at the completely unconscious big guy and wrinkled his nose. "Not much fun at all."

Lanling raised her hand to calm the furious crowd behind her and said slowly, "I know you won't kill—at least, you don't want to kill the Hongyi."

"You know that doing so would bring you no benefits."

Shuoshuren narrowed his eyes. "Are you threatening me again?"

He moved to tighten his grip.

Lanling stepped forward hastily. "Wait!"

"Hmm?"

"It's not a threat. Your real opponents aren't the Hongyi. If you kill here, once you go out, not just you, but your entire Shengnu will be in danger."

She paused and added, "And this isn't a threat—I'm just stating a fact."

Shuoshuren loosened his hold and weighed the big guy in his hand.

He's pretty heavy!

"Though you keep saying it's not a threat, it sounds like one."

"Anyway, these words in my ears..."

Shuoshuren closed his eyes and thought for a moment. "They don't sit well."

"But facts are facts, aren't they?" Lanling retorted.

"Yes."

Shuoshuren admitted it with a laugh. "You're smart—at least, among this group, you're the sharpest one."

He placed Xin in the void in front of him, pulled out a handkerchief from his ring to wipe the blood, and said, "I really don't want to kill, but these guys just keep pushing it, so I have to teach them a lesson. You get that, right?"

"I do."

Lanling nodded and extended her hand. "Then hand him over first?" She gestured toward the floating Xin.

Thud!

Shuoshuren kicked him flying with one foot.

"Remember."

"He's yours because I don't like killing, not because your threat worked."

"Got it?"

Shouye caught Xin and quickly fed him a pill.

He clenched his fists tightly but said nothing.

Even Heiming, who usually clashed with Lanling, felt a surge of anger upon hearing Shuoshuren's words, despite not caring about Xin's beating earlier.

This was just too dismissive.

But could they fight back?

Glancing at the others,

No one here was a match for this red-skirted man.

Even if they all teamed up, they might not survive one hand from him.

How could they fight?

Shuoshuren finished wiping the blood, tossed the handkerchief away, and scanned the crowd. "Just behave, and I won't kill anyone."

"As long as you don't chatter, everything's fine."

"I came here not for you, but for..."

A cry pierced the air.

The previously teleported Shengzhan Black Angel had returned, sword in hand, slashing at the nearest target—Shuoshuren.

"Ah!"