Chapter 572: Does the senior have a disciple?

Minotaur?

Are you still thinking about my adorable little Minotaur people?

One big serpent wasn't enough for you, you old ghost, was it?

The Storyteller was so furious he nearly jumped up in rage.

But under Er Lao's overwhelming presence, even though he felt deeply unwilling, he didn't dare show it.

"Heh, hehehe..."

"Er Lao, what... what do you mean?" The Storyteller chuckled awkwardly, his hand unconsciously covering his chest.

"What do you think?"

Xu Xiaoshou felt his body stop absorbing the Fierce Demon Qi, and he immediately felt much better.

Even the nonstop "under attack" messages seemed to slow down.

"Fission, blood rebirth, immortality..."

Xu Xiaoshou counted on his fingers as he spoke, a perverse smile gradually spreading across his face, his eyes burning with intensity. "You know, if I use this for medicine, I could refine a furnace of supreme great pills!"

"Impossible!"

The Storyteller was outraged, shouting loudly: "You've already taken one serpent, and they haven't even held you accountable, but now you want..."

"Greedy!"

"You're utterly greedy!"

From afar, the onlookers in Hong Yi were terrified by the sight of the Storyteller flailing his arms wildly, pinching his orchid fingers, and stomping his feet.

"This dead pervert..."

Xin felt his eyes had been tainted.

This might require the waters of the Wangchuan River to wash away what he'd just seen.

Shou Ye's mouth twitched uncontrollably too.

He had fought the Storyteller before and knew that when this guy acted up, it was enough to make anyone's scalp tingle.

But the scene now was simply unbearable to watch!

"Damn it..."

Xu Xiaoshou broke out in goosebumps all over, nearly drawing his sword to slash forward.

But he suppressed his discomfort, his eyes narrowing as he stared silently at the man in the red skirt.

"Uh..."

The Storyteller suddenly realized he had gone too far.

The last time he let loose in front of this old ghost, he almost had all his hair burned off.

This time...

"No."

The Storyteller curled his fingers, turned his head away, and pouted. "The Minotaurs are not for you. Give up. This is a gift I'm giving to my brother."

"A gift? You already have one." Xu Xiaoshou remained unmoved.

"This is the second one!"

The Storyteller said angrily: "Can't I give a second gift?"

"Fine."

Xu Xiaoshou nodded lightly, pondered for a moment, and said: "But what about me? You called me out in such a hurry—aren't you going to show some courtesy and give me a gift too?"

His gaze sharpened.

The Storyteller suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

This old ghost was settling scores?

What's wrong with you? You were just called out early—nothing was lost.

One serpent as compensation wasn't enough?

And now you want my Minotaurs?

Xu Xiaoshou seemed to read his thoughts and said calmly: "Gifts come in pairs. Hand it over, or I'll delay my experiments and refine you directly. Do you believe I would?"

"I—don't—believe!"

The Storyteller roared in his mind.

But on the surface, he forced a stiff smile and pulled out a palm-sized spatial slip from his sleeve.

"Here, here..."

Xu Xiaoshou said nothing, narrowing his eyes with a smile, his dark circles forming a cluster. "Do you want me to come over and take it?"

The Storyteller's face turned green in an instant.

You damn old fool!

Weren't you the one who said not to move?

I did exactly as you said, and now you're talking about seniority? Are you sick?

"Oh, right, he is sick."

The Storyteller suddenly realized.

If Er Lao weren't sick, how could he have reached a point where even his brother had to speak kindly to him all these years?

Without hesitation, the Storyteller extended both hands, and a spatial vortex appeared before him.

Then, another vortex appeared in front of Xu Xiaoshou.

The spatial slip emerged from the vortex.

Clearly, the Storyteller was being extremely cautious, not daring to approach himself.

Xu Xiaoshou shook his head with a laugh, pinched it with two fingers, and picked up the slip.

Inside the tiny spatial slip, there were countless blood droplets, like red duckweed scattered in every corner.

"Are they dead..."

His perception probed it, and there was no sign of life inside.

Xu Xiaoshou's heart sank.

If Xin Gugu was dead, what was the point of him coming out?

What difference was there between failing to save a friend and watching them die without doing anything?

"Not dead yet."

The Storyteller saw Er Lao's darkening expression and thought the old ghost was upset because the ghost beast material was dead, so he quickly explained.

Xu Xiaoshou looked up.

The Storyteller immediately added: "This is also my ancient space repository. Others might not detect it, but with the power of 'Yin Yang Sheng Si' enhancing it, I can maintain a trace of his divine soul and intelligence."

"Whether he wakes up depends on fate... but for refining pills, it should work."

"Not dead, hehe, really not dead."

Xu Xiaoshou stared at the Storyteller for a long time before flipping his hand and sending the spatial slip into his Yuan Mansion.

If possible, he really wanted to ask the Storyteller to undo the spatial slip's power.

That way, once Xin Gugu entered the Yuan Mansion, he could bathe in the life spirit energy of the Life Spirit Seal and definitely survive.

But that would be too risky!

Aside from whether Sang Lao could recognize the Storyteller's power and undo it, just his own appearance...

If he had to rely on others for help, it would undermine his image.

To maintain his status and... his aura, Xu Xiaoshou had to pretend he understood everything.

Even though, at that moment, he couldn't even defeat one-tenth of the Storyteller.

"Very good."

Not knowing what else to say or how to exit gracefully, Xu Xiaoshou glanced around and nodded slightly, uttering these bland words.

"You've all given me enough time and face. My business is done here."

"As for the rest..."

He looked at Hong Yi, then at the Storyteller, and smiled: "Your matters, you solve yourselves. I have tasks to attend to. Goodbye."

He stepped forward, about to silently recite the "Disappear Spell."

But then, a voice called from behind:

"Senior, please wait."

The words fell, and the whole place went silent.

Everyone turned to look at the person at the entrance.

Even the Storyteller felt a bit depressed.

You from Hong Yi, why are you calling out?

Do you know who this is? A Sheng Nu!

Can you afford to provoke him?

It's easy to invite a god but hard to send one away. He was finally about to leave, so why keep him?

Can you beat him?

Or keep him to snatch more gifts?

"This woman is crazy... I should have dug out those eyes first!" The Storyteller grumbled internally. "She's infuriating!"

The Hong Yi group was equally shocked, turning back to focus on Yu Zhiwen.

Yu Zhiwen suddenly felt immense pressure.

If she could, she wouldn't want to face the scrutiny of over a dozen Wangzuo-level experts and several Dao-slashers at once.

But now, she had no choice but to speak.

Xu Xiaoshou had also noticed Yu Zhiwen.

The girl had been frowning from the start, as if her exquisite Star Pupils had seen something.

Now that she spoke, Xu Xiaoshou felt a shiver in his heart.

But ignore her?

Honestly, if he ignored her, Xu Xiaoshou had no idea how to exit after using the "Disappear Spell."

His sudden intrusion had broken the battlefield's stalemate.

At this point, without a good reason, no one would dare shatter the Storyteller's ancient space repository.

Not even Hong Yi.

Earlier, he stopped Hong Yi because Xin Gugu's situation wasn't settled yet.

But now that he wanted them to act, they truly didn't dare!

As Sheng Nu Er Lao, and having received double gifts, Xu Xiaoshou had even less reason to undermine his own people.

So, to get out of the ancient space repository...

Unless the Storyteller's brain was squeezed by a spatial rift and he blew it up himself, this was the only opportunity.

An chance where Yu Zhiwen's extra words accidentally angered Sheng Nu Er Lao, leading him to lash out, forcing Hong Yi to act and break the ancient space repository!

After all, Sang Lao suddenly losing his temper was the most normal thing in the world.

"Little girl..."

Xu Xiaoshou stopped with a smile, turning his head for a glance.

With a boom, the space around Hong Yi collapsed instantly.

Yu Zhiwen, hidden in the Fengtian Great Array's barrier, groaned under the indiscriminate attack, blood spilling from her mouth.

Xu Xiaoshou: "..."

So weak?

Oh, right.

He forgot that, aside from himself, Yu Zhiwen was probably the only other "Xiantian-level" expert here.

"Zhiwen!"

Lan Ling rushed to Yu Zhiwen's side, supporting her with one hand and transferring gentle spiritual energy.

She kept her head down, not even sparing a glare at the bullying Sheng Nu Er Lao, just using her eyes to signal and understand why Yu Zhiwen had kept the old man.

"It's nothing, he held back."

Yu Zhiwen felt that familiar oppressive force, like the scene when the Dao Pattern Origin Stone emerged and Xu Xiaoshou suppressed everything.

Recalling that earlier familiar intense heat...

She sighed inwardly.

And vaguely understood something.

"May I ask, Senior, do you have a disciple named Xu Xiaoshou?"

Yu Zhiwen voiced her doubt.

Her gaze stayed fixed on the four swords.

As soon as she spoke, before Xu Xiaoshou could react, Shou Ye and the Storyteller both trembled.

"Xu Xiaoshou?"

The Storyteller raised an eyebrow.

This name—wasn't it the female disciple he saw earlier?

Why does it feel vaguely familiar?

After a moment's thought, the Storyteller's pupils shrank.

He had heard this name!

During the final moments of his external avatar's battle with Shou Ye, when that young man escaped from the ancient space repository with the sealed ghost beast...

He was Er Lao's disciple?

Now, the Storyteller's gaze toward the straw-hatted old man became playful.

You old ghost!

Having such a handsome disciple and not telling me?

I can't beat you, so I have to let you mess with me...

Fine, you old ghost, just wait!

"Xu Xiaoshou..."

"Heehee."

He suddenly covered his red lips, as if thinking of something funny, and chuckled secretly.

"Xu Xiaoshou?"

"It can't be, right..."

"Which Xu Xiaoshou?"

"That Xu Xiaoshou?!"

Internal transmissions within Hong Yi suddenly grew chaotic.

Lan Ling incredulously turned back to Shou Ye, as if seeking confirmation.

"How would I know..."

Shou Ye was equally baffled.

Xu Xiaoshou is Sheng Nu Er Lao's disciple?

Even though he had sensed a power similar to Xu Xiaoshou's earlier, Shou Ye had never considered this angle.

According to Hong Yi's confidential intel, wasn't Xu Xiaoshou suspected to be the secret disciple of Sang Lao, the vice dean of Tiansang Spirit Palace?

Wait!

Sang Lao?

Shou Ye suddenly jolted, breaking out in cold sweat.

Sang Lao is also the vice president of the Alchemy Masters Association.

Sang Lao was once the founding dean of Tiansang Spirit Palace, who burned half of Yun Peak.

Sang Lao... is Sheng Nu Er Lao?

His heart clenched tightly, and Shou Ye was horrified.

Even though he had never dealt with this so-called vice dean of Tiansang Spirit Palace, he had heard plenty of legends about him.

Now...

With just the appearance of Xu Xiaoshou, everything connected?

"I get it!"

"I finally get it!"

At that moment, Shou Ye somewhat understood why a small place like Tiansang County and Tiansang Spirit Palace could nurture a genius like Xu Xiaoshou.

If Sheng Nu was secretly guiding him, it was no surprise—let alone his current achievements, even if Xu Xiaoshou's strength doubled, it would be possible!

And why Xu Xiaoshou always rejected his recruitment attempts.

It seemed everything made sense now.

"Hong Yi, Sheng Nu..."

"Who wouldn't reject that?" Shou Ye smiled bitterly.

Lan Ling realized it too.

Exchanging a look with Shou Ye, they both understood each other's thoughts.

When Shou Ye had put Xu Xiaoshou on Hong Yi's blacklist earlier, Lan Ling hadn't understood why.

But now, all those events buried in memory, which seemed unrelated, were linked together.

No one could stay calm.

Even Xin, who was usually slow-witted, caught on.

"Zhiwen, is what you said true?"

Yu Zhiwen didn't speak, her beautiful Star Pupils fixed straight on the straw-hatted old man in the distance.

True?

Truthfully, even Yu Zhiwen herself didn't believe it.

But if it was Xu Xiaoshou...

Anything was possible!

And at that moment, in her heart, she had a bigger suspicion.

The Embers of Illumination Origin, Frozen Calamity power, sword intent from the Eighth Sword Immortal's creation, plus that vast presence...

Even for master and disciple, could they be so similar?

Though this straw-hatted old man hadn't shown any sword intent from start to finish, as if everything was the four swords struggling...

But if he was Xu Xiaoshou...

It all made sense.

"No! Impossible!"

Yu Zhiwen was startled by her own guess.

If the person in front was really Xu Xiaoshou, it would be too shocking.

Scolding the Storyteller, shaking Hong Yi with a glance, taking the ghost beast with a flip of his hand...

Xu Xiaoshou wouldn't dare do that even with ten times the courage!

Though they hadn't known each other long, Yu Zhiwen knew Xu Xiaoshou's caution was probably greater than everyone present combined!

"Disciple?"

The "Sheng Nu Er Lao" in the void tugged at his terrifying mouth, smiling mysteriously.

His face also turned sinister and strange.

"I do have a disciple, but it's not the Xu Xiaoshou you mentioned, little girl."

"His name is..."

Xu Xiaoshou subconsciously wanted to use Zhou Tianci as a scapegoat, but then thought better of it.

The people in Hong Yi might not know Zhou Tianci, but Yu Zhiwen had met him.

Zhang Xin Xiong? No.

Zhang Taiying was linked to the ghost beast, so Hong Yi must have investigated the Zhang family.

Going further back, who else could he use?

Zhang Xin Xiong... oh, right, that guy seems to be some cousin?

Xu Xiaoshou thought of this and finally recalled a name from his early enemies at Tiansang Spirit Palace's outer court—one that no one here would possibly know.

"Hmm..."

Xu Xiaoshou clasped his hands behind his back and lifted his chin. "His name is Wen Ming."