Chapter 595: The Masked Person's Wine

I want to go home!

Xu Xiaoshou choked back silent sobs in his heart.

He yearned so desperately for freedom.

But reality was brutally stark.

No one could truly live the life they wanted.

In this stage where he wasn't strong enough yet, passivity was forever the hallmark of the Xu family!

"What a twisted fate!"

Xu Xiaoshou let out a self-mocking laugh, refusing to give up. He lifted his gaze and said,

"You promised you wouldn't force me to make a choice."

The storyteller, listening from the side, couldn't help but chuckle. As he opened his mouth to speak,

The masked person reached out to stop him and calmly replied, "I never break my word, but Wen Ming, you need to think this through. Do you really still want to run?"

"Hah?"

The storyteller grew anxious in an instant.

This was a young talent he had gone to great lengths to pursue but never caught.

Did his brother mean to let him go?

"No way."

"He's mine!"

The storyteller fiercely defended his claim.

The masked person turned and glared at him.

The latter quickly retracted his outstretched neck and fell silent.

Damn it...

He couldn't even hold out for three sentences, could he?

Wen Ming is mine, ahhhh!!!

Xu Xiaoshou ignored the fool and only looked at the masked person, stating firmly, "That's right, I don't want to go with you."

"Do you have a way out?" the masked person countered.

"Yes."

"Where?"

Xu Xiaoshou turned around, looking behind him.

"The world is vast—what place can't be home?"

"Is that really what you think?" the masked person pressed on.

"What else?"

Xu Xiaoshou shook his head. "If I really go with you, that would be truly sinking into the quagmire. Though I don't know exactly what you Sheng Nu are up to, but..."

He hesitated and couldn't continue.

The Sheng Nu's goals were clear and grand.

Even if Xu Xiaoshou didn't know the details, he could sense it from his repeated encounters with the masked person.

If he joined them, without a doubt, he would eventually face the entire Sheng Shen Dian Tang.

How could that be possible?

Xu Xiaoshou had decided from the first time the masked person invited him.

Better to join the dark organization than directly choose the Sheng Shen Dian Tang, the foremost power on the continent.

At least there, he could still count as being on the side of light!

Disappointment flashed in the masked person's eyes.

It was as if he had seen through Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts.

"Turn around."

As Xu Xiaoshou looked up, the masked person pointed behind him and said, "Look over there."

"What?"

Xu Xiaoshou hesitated before turning his head again.

At the end of the gully behind him was the horizon of Bai Ku.

Beyond that was the soon-to-shatter space world of Bai Ku.

"What do you see?" the masked person asked.

"A path and hope," Xu Xiaoshou answered.

"Hah!"

The masked person couldn't help but smile. "Is that really so?"

"Yes."

Xu Xiaoshou nodded emphatically.

"Is Bai Ku big?" the masked person asked again.

"Very big."

Xu Xiaoshou hesitated for a moment. "But also very small."

After all, a place as vast as Bai Ku still managed to block him at every turn—it was quite the feat!

"Yes, Bai Ku isn't that big."

The masked person let out a breath and continued, "So, what did you encounter in Bai Ku?"

This time, Xu Xiaoshou couldn't answer. He vaguely sensed the masked person was trying to talk him into submission.

"Opportunities, hope, and the future."

Xu Xiaoshou gave a vague response, adding, "If not for you..."

"You're wrong!"

The masked person interrupted him on the spot.

He slightly straightened his shoulders, not even puffing out his chest, but to Xu Xiaoshou, it seemed as if the man had grown several feet taller, his presence reaching its peak with that subtle movement.

"If I'm not mistaken, you encountered a Ming Jian in Bai Ku," the masked person asserted.

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned.

Could he really detect that?

"The ultimate fire attribute, Jin Zhao power... That could only be Yanmang, number three on the Ming Jian Bang. Am I right?" The masked person smiled confidently.

Xu Xiaoshou felt his throat go dry.

His Ming Jian had already been claimed and placed in his Yuan Fu.

How could the masked person still sense it?

"You..."

"You don't need to speak—I can say it all."

The masked person interrupted Xu Xiaoshou again. "You encountered a Ming Jian, but this sword wasn't your opportunity—it was given to you by someone else."

"If I'm correct, now that you've taken this sword, you must be regretting it." The masked person smiled knowingly.

Xu Xiaoshou: "..."

"Bai Ku is so big, yet that's the opportunity you call it."

The masked person said bluntly, "It came from someone else's handout... Sorry, I misspoke—it was a gift!"

"I don't regret it," Xu Xiaoshou stubbornly replied.

"You're just being stubborn," the masked person said with a bright smile, then added, "The last time I saw you, the Jin Zhao power inside you wasn't this strong..."

"Jin Zhao original seed?"

Sensing the aura within Wen Ming, the masked person turned to the storyteller and asked, "You must have felt this thing's existence when you entered Bai Ku, right? You were probably going to go after it?"

"Uh..."

The storyteller broke out in a cold sweat.

He had never mentioned this to his brother...

But could he deduce that too?

"It's normal."

"For the second one."

The masked person's eyes twinkled with amusement as he looked back at Xu Xiaoshou. "You took the Jin Zhao original seed and caught the storyteller's eye. Am I right?"

Xu Xiaoshou was starting to panic.

This masked figure, as the leader of Sheng Nu, had an incredible mind.

It was as if he was always observing the world from a god's perspective.

"Bai Ku is so big, but after wandering around twice, you got a Ming Jian and the Jin Zhao original seed."

"Then you were pulled into two whirlpools."

"Do you regret it?"

Without waiting for Xu Xiaoshou's response, the masked person answered for him: "You regret it."

"If you could trade those two things for freedom, it might be acceptable..."

"You've thought about it, haven't you?"

"In your most helpless moments."

Xu Xiaoshou remained silent.

Cen Qiaofu stood to the side with his arms crossed, observing.

From the young man's hesitant expression, he could tell what he was really thinking.

He probably regretted it more than just a little—perhaps to the point of no return!

But...

Cen Qiaofu stole a glance at the leader, feeling a bit surprised.

The last time the leader had spoken this much at once was with that child in the ruins of the ruined family.

Then came Lei Shuangxing.

Was this Wen Ming worth it?

The masked person looked at the silent Xu Xiaoshou, his voice growing heavier:

"Bai Ku is so big, but when you turn around, you see the hope you mentioned—gained, but also lost!"

"Isn't it absurd?"

Xu Xiaoshou's heart trembled.

He already knew what the masked person was trying to do.

Opportunities, hope, and the future...

This guy actually wanted to completely undermine everything he believed in?

"My future is something I can control myself!" Xu Xiaoshou's voice carried anger.

"Is that really so?"

The masked person looked entirely unconvinced. "Going back to the question I asked you earlier..."

"Turn around."

He suddenly spoke with a commanding tone.

Xu Xiaoshou was determined not to turn.

How could he let the other get his way?

"Qiao Fu."

The masked person turned to Cen Qiaofu, who was watching the scene with amusement.

The latter rubbed his forehead in annoyance.

"Come on, do it yourself!"

His fingers, hooked at his waist, trembled slightly.

Xu Xiaoshou was shocked to find that the scenery in front of him had completely changed.

What was now before his eyes was the view he would see only after turning around—except the three Sheng Nu members remained in their original spots.

"Forced to turn?"

Xu Xiaoshou was baffled.

In the next second, he suddenly realized, and a storm of waves surged in his heart.

It wasn't turning around.

It was the world that had turned?

With a horrified expression, he looked at Cen Qiaofu. At that moment, Xu Xiaoshou felt utterly powerless.

Zhan Dao...

So this was Zhan Dao?

Twisting the world—how was that possible?!

"You see it now."

The masked person spread his hands.

"...In this small Bai Ku, even if you don't want to turn around, there are still people who can make you see what you don't want to see."

"And reality is exactly like that."

"What you dare not face is just the fear of the unknown deep in your soul."

"But does that help?"

"When you're standing here, you're already at the center of the storm."

"No matter how determined or stubborn you are..."

"In the end, it's just self-deception."

A hint of mockery appeared in the masked person's eyes, as if not just aimed at Xu Xiaoshou, but also at himself.

"The gears of fate mesh and push forward step by step. Do you think covering your eyes will let you stay out of it?"

"Wrong!"

"Doing that will only get you crushed in numbness by the gears."

"Open your eyes and face reality!"

The masked person's tone held a touch of helplessness: "You've already stood here..."

He pointed to the ground.

"By my side."

Xu Xiaoshou felt his heart shake.

If this were a speech, he would give the masked person eighty-two points.

Even if he didn't want to admit it, at that moment, Xu Xiaoshou truly felt enlightened.

The other spoke vaguely.

But how could Xu Xiaoshou not understand?

"Once you're in it, it's hard to stay out."

No matter the excuses—like Sang Lao's coercion, Hong Yi's pursuit, Jiao Tangtang's selection, or the Wolf Saint's choice...

Those were all facts!

Even if there were prior conditions, the facts were already set, regardless of the conditions.

Even if it was passive.

At that moment, he had indeed stepped into the sights of many people.

"Staying aloof?"

For the first time, Xu Xiaoshou realized how ridiculous his choice was!

In a place full of big shots, he actually wanted to stay aloof?

Just because he wanted to stay aloof, he had step by step, from Sang Lao's scheme, entered Hong Yi's view, then into the Saint's game, and later targeted by the Ghost Beast...

Looking back on it.

These established facts weren't they already warning him that his choice was wrong?

"Self-deception..."

Honestly, Xu Xiaoshou didn't want to face that term.

But the masked person's words had stripped away the bloody reality.

Choosing to stay aloof.

In just this short time, he had encountered so much.

Could he hold out if he persisted?

Now, all sides had taken an interest in him.

But did he really have the potential to make their patience last until he grew strong?

Unlikely...

If any link broke.

They might resort to force.

The veil between fantasy and reality was so thin it couldn't withstand even a gentle poke.

"Shou Ye..."

Xu Xiaoshou thought of Shou Ye.

From initial indulgence, to understanding his ideas and tolerating them, to the current incomplete break...

How long had that taken?

If he persisted, would it lead to a real rupture?

Could he withstand a true Zhan Dao expert's furious attack then?

Would Shou Ye still let him act recklessly like a child?

"And the Ghost Beast, and Sheng Nu..."

Xu Xiaoshou took a deep breath.

He was starting to see clearly.

He had been too naive.

Bai Ku was big, but also small.

The Sheng Shen Continent was big, but also small.

For now, as a decent pawn, he could play a role in the future, so the players would indulge his little temper.

But once his strength reached a certain threshold.

Could they tolerate such willfulness?

"Because it's almost out of control, they have to act and nip it in the bud?"

"If they can't have it, destroy it?"

Xu Xiaoshou understood these people's mindset all too well.

And it was very possible that the masked person in front of him thought the same way.

So, in this harsh reality...

"Compromise?"

Xu Xiaoshou wavered a bit.

The masked person's words had pulled away the hand covering his eyes.

Once he saw the direction clearly, Xu Xiaoshou realized how difficult the path ahead was.

Compromise was indeed a good choice!

Picking a side...

At least after picking a side, this uphill struggle wouldn't happen anymore, right?

With a big tree at your back, you can enjoy the shade.

With support behind you, even if you run out of cards, they'll hand you dozens more piles.

That was completely different from struggling alone.

No worries about what's behind—just crush everything in front.

Then...

Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts froze there.

Then what?

What was the point of doing this?

—To become a real pawn?

A chill suddenly seeped from his soul, making Xu Xiaoshou shiver all over.

He remembered the conviction he had firmly held when he stood up in the ancient archives space.

"For freedom!"

But if he chose to compromise, was it still for freedom?

"You're wrong."

The masked person had been silent until he saw the drastic change in Xu Xiaoshou's expression, then spoke to disrupt him: "I know what you're worrying about."

"But humans aren't solitary creatures."

"A path walked alone, no matter how straight, is always incomplete."

"At this moment, I'm by your side."

"To you, I'm the sky, an umbrella, an irresistible force."

"But to me, you have no real value right now—just an optional pawn."

"Harsh, isn't it?"

The masked person smiled and continued, "But from another angle..."

"A tool!"

"Before you grow, I can be your tool. Just use it well—why overthink?"

"The reason humanity progresses is by constantly using tools."

"Stone tools, firearms, spiritual tools..."

"The body, will, spiritual energy..."

"Which step of growth or evolution wasn't achieved by using so-called 'tools'?"

"Everything can be a tool, and people are part of everything. They're not nobler than plants or stones, so why can't they be used?"

"And why..."

The masked person's words turned sharp, piercing straight to the soul: "When you picked up the Ming Jian without a second thought and used a person as a sword, did you start hesitating?"

Xu Xiaoshou felt his mind buzz as if pierced by sword intent, the pain making him hunch over and clutch his head.

The storyteller was surprised.

"Take it easy, take it easy..."

He looked at young Wen Ming with full concern.

The other was just a kid—don't be so rough!

But the masked person didn't mind. He reached out, spreading his four fingers.

"Hah?"

Cen Qiaofu stared at the hand in front of him, confused. What did that mean?

"My gourd," the masked person said with an eye roll.

"Oh, oh."

Cen Qiaofu finally reacted, grumbling, "Seriously, can't you carry your own things?"

As he spoke, he pulled out a small, pitch-black gourd and slapped it into the masked person's hand.

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't speak.

The masked person's sword intent was too strong.

Just a few words made him feel like his soul was splitting.

But...

Compromise?

Xu Xiaoshou truly couldn't do it!

What he insisted on—himself, freedom—if even his beliefs collapsed, how could he keep going?

The masked person had his reasons.

But they didn't apply to Xu Xiaoshou!

He couldn't relate!

"Sigh."

A soft sigh echoed in the void.

The masked person reached up and pulled his mask up to his nose.

Xu Xiaoshou's expression changed dramatically.

From his "perception," the large scar on the other's neck was exactly like the one on the carved man he had seen in Ling Zang Ge!

Just like the ragged uncle he encountered that day with the red dog—it was the same mark!

This...

Was it the same person?

Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts were in chaos.

The masked person's jawline was sharp, but his beard was unkempt, with dried blood scabs, making him look utterly disheveled.

He wiped his mouth, smearing away the earlier blood, then flicked open the gourd's stopper.

A strong scent of liquor suddenly filled the air.

It was intense.

Pungent.

Xu Xiaoshou was jolted awake by the sudden smell.

"Young people always get stuck in their ways!"

The masked person lifted the gourd to his lips, about to tilt his head back, but then thought of something.

"I've said enough, but let me add one more thing."

He lowered his hand and looked up at the sky.

"What color is Bai Ku?"

The other two couldn't help but look up.

Xu Xiaoshou, slightly recovering from the soul's pain, also raised his head.

"Crimson..."

The three murmured simultaneously.

Bai Ku's world had no sun or moon, but the sky was always crimson.

"Yes, crimson."

The masked person sighed: "So, this world was never black and white to begin with, so where's the absolute?"

"Right and wrong, good and evil, light and darkness, earth and sky..."

"These are just labels people give to things. What absolute are we talking about?"

"So, are compromise and freedom really opposites?"

Xu Xiaoshou's mind exploded like thunder, his thoughts shattered.

These words were familiar.

They were exactly what he had said to Shou Ye earlier.

But when they came from the masked person, they carried a whole new meaning.

"Hah!"

The masked person shook his head with a light laugh.

"If Bai Ku breaks, there's the Sheng Shen Continent. If the Sheng Shen Continent breaks, is that really the end of the world?"

"Not necessarily!"

He pondered for a moment, as if speaking to himself:

"You define the world subjectively, yet use that subjectively defined world to oppose yourself. Isn't that ridiculous?"

"It is ridiculous!"

"Compromise and freedom aren't mutually restrictive terms."

"It's just a choice in your subjective consciousness."

"Just a 'choice'!"

"At most, a 'dilemma'!"

"How you see it comes from yourself..."

"I've said all I need to."

Seeing the endless confusion in Wen Ming's eyes, the masked person fell silent.

He wiped his mouth again, scraping off the dry skin on his lips, and tilted back the gourd.

The space shattered, winds howled, making his black robe flutter.

"Freedom—who doesn't long for it?"

His Adam's apple bobbed.

"Gulp, gulp..."