Chapter 606: The False Xu Xiaoshou, The Real Xu Xiaoshou

"Wang Zuo, Han Tai Xu?"

Zhao Xidong's mouth fell open in shock, as if he had witnessed the true possibility of an ant shaking a tree.

This guy was a monster!

"Once you reach Wang Zuo Dao Jing, you can comprehend the Ao Yi perfectly, but after Zhan Dao, you can't anymore?" Zhao Xidong asked after calming his thoughts a bit.

Xiao Qixiu nodded in response.

"Then why rush to Zhan Dao?" Zhao Xidong was baffled. "Wouldn't it be the most perfect outcome to comprehend it to perfection in Wang Zuo Dao Jing before Zhan Dao..."

He suddenly trailed off.

Oh, right!

If it were that simple, why would Xiao, his boss, emphasize that only one place in the world cultivates talents in this area?

"Ling Bu..." Zhao Xidong murmured absentmindedly.

Xiao Qixiu knew the young man had finally figured something out, so he smiled and said, "Ao Yi isn't that easy to master."

"The Dao you comprehend in Wang Zuo Dao Jing becomes the foundation for your future path upward."

"The more perfect this foundation, the more infinite possibilities your future holds, even allowing you to quickly break through Zhan Dao, enter Tai Xu, and become a Ban Sheng."

"But similarly, the more perfect the foundation, the harder it is to shatter."

"Anyone can try to comprehend, it's just a matter of whether they're willing to spend the time."

"Yet, too many people attempt to reach that perfect state, only to fail to grasp the Ao Yi. Instead, they comprehend too deeply, beyond their own talents, and end up unable to sever their Dao foundation."

"In that case, you'll be stuck in Wang Zuo Dao Jing forever, never achieving Zhan Dao."

So that's how it is!

Zhao Xidong finally understood what true Wang Zuo Dao Jing and Zhan Dao really meant.

He had a vague idea before, but this explanation made it crystal clear.

"Then..."

Hesitating, Zhao Xidong eventually turned to look at the dean.

Years ago, when he was still an inner court disciple, the dean was already at Wang Zuo.

Years later, after he had graduated and returned from adventures outside, the dean was still at Wang Zuo.

But the Wang Zuo of back then was completely different from the one now!

Every time they met again after a long absence, Zhao Xidong could sense the dean's strength had advanced greatly, though he always thought it might be an illusion.

After all, they were both at Wang Zuo.

"It's not an illusion."

Xiao Qixiu chuckled, voicing his inner thoughts. "Your Dean Ye is walking the path of Ao Yi... With the space attribute, his Zhan Dao will be even harder than Yu Ling Di's—much, much harder!"

"Hiss."

Zhao Xidong sucked in a sharp breath, finally understanding why Gou Wuyue had extended an olive branch to the dean earlier.

But at the same time, he admired Ye Xiaotian even more for confidently rejecting it on the spot.

Risking the chance of never severing his Dao foundation and turning down help from Sheng Shen Dian Tang...

The dean was truly remarkable!

"Is Ao Yi really that difficult?" Zhao Xidong pondered for a long time before asking again.

"Very difficult."

"How difficult?"

"You see."

Xiao Qixiu pointed to the rain pouring from the sky. "In the entire Sheng Shen Dian Tang Ling Bu, only one person has comprehended Ao Yi. What do you think?"

"Uh."

Zhao Xidong was taken aback.

Even a massive organization like Sheng Shen Dian Tang couldn't produce more than one...

"Does that mean no one else in the world can comprehend Ao Yi except Sheng Shen Dian Tang?" Zhao Xidong was stunned.

"No!"

Ye Xiaotian suddenly spoke up from the side.

Qiao Qianzhi and Xiao Qixiu both laughed.

"What do you mean?"

Zhao Xidong looked at the three of them, completely puzzled.

"Clang."

Xiao Qixiu drew his sword. "What is this?"

"My life root?" Zhao Xidong hesitated before saying.

"Thud!"

"Ow, damn it!"

"It's a sword!" Xiao Qixiu said irritably.

"Oh, oh, a sword. So what?" Zhao Xidong clutched his head, his eyes tearing up from the pain.

Xiao Qixiu took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Ancient Jian Shu, known as the most difficult Dao in the world to master, encompasses everything: the nine great Jian Shu, eighteen schools, three thousand Jian Dao... and so on."

"Some even call it 'the hardest in the world, bar none'!"

"Then?" Zhao Xidong widened his eyes.

"But even so, there's still one person in this era who has comprehended the Jian Dao Ao Yi!"

"Who?"

"You know him." Xiao Qixiu smiled without giving a direct answer.

I know him... Zhao Xidong frowned, his mind racing through a jumble of thoughts, but he couldn't recall anyone.

Suddenly, a figure flashed in his mind—a legendary man he had never seen, shrouded in mystery and rumor, yet vividly imagined by the world.

He exclaimed, "The..."

"He's here!"

Ye Xiaotian interrupted their conversation abruptly.

High above in the nine heavens, the black hole tore wider and wider until it completely collapsed with a thunderous roar, unleashing a torrent of destructive energy.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

The gray-black currents surged like a flood bursting a dam or a tsunami breaching a levee.

Everyone present could hardly imagine what had happened inside Bai Ku to cause such a spectacle.

But now, under the white-clothed one's preparations, the gray-black energy pouring from the Bai Ku world was instantly absorbed by one of the white-robed figures using a spirit gourd.

"Shh, shh..."

Not a single bit of the energy from the black hole escaped; it was all swallowed up.

Zhao Xidong watched, his throat dry. "Did Bai Ku explode? Such terrifying energy... Who did this?"

"Not necessarily an explosion."

Qiao Qianzhi said from the side, "If it exploded, the spirit array here probably couldn't hold up. That's the worst-case scenario, but also the best one..."

"It could mean that inside, there were still red-clothed ones, or Yu Ling Di's protective power, safeguarding the nearly exploding Bai Ku world and minimizing the damage—at least half of it!"

"As for who caused it..."

Qiao Qianzhi suddenly shivered.

A grinning face popped into his mind—and worst of all, it had a human face!

No, no, he's just a mere Xian Tian... Qiao Qianzhi thought to himself, shuddering.

Up front, Ye Xiaotian's body trembled slightly.

Even Xiao Qixiu's mouth twitched a little.

Zhao Xidong looked on in astonishment.

Unbidden, a figure appeared in his mind, but he quickly dismissed it.

"By the way, that guy Xu Xiaoshou should have gotten out ages ago. Is he imprisoned there right now?" he wondered, his gaze drifting toward the space Ye Xiaotian hadn't claimed earlier.

"Ye Xiaotian, it's time to go."

Xiao Qixiu glanced at the turmoil in the surroundings and urged, "If we wait any longer, when the Sheng Nu people come out, it'll be hard for us to escape."

"No."

Ye Xiaotian slowly shook his head. "As long as even one person is still missing, and as long as he's a disciple of Tian Sang Ling Gong, I have the responsibility and obligation to bring him home."

He paused, then added, "Besides, more than one is missing."

"Maybe he's dead." Xiao Qixiu said flatly.

"You jinx!" Qiao Qianzhi turned and scolded him. "That kid is tough and lucky—I watched him grow up. He's not that easy to kill."

Zhao Xidong was completely confused and about to ask something when, high above in the nine heavens, a faint color appeared amid the darkness.

Everyone immediately became alert and looked up.

"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh..."

Several figures descended from the sky, their clothes ragged, like refugees, covered in bloodstains with no inch of unharmed flesh.

"Senior Gou Wuyue."

As soon as they landed, they bowed to Gou Wuyue.

The vigilant white-clothed ones finally relaxed.

Thankfully, they were their own people...

Gou Wuyue's eyes swept over the newcomers.

He recalled the last intelligence report, which mentioned over a dozen red-clothed ones still active.

But now, only six had made it out.

The casualties were devastating!

Spotting one figure that looked as if it had been gutted, Gou Wuyue recognized a few familiar traces on the mangled face.

"Shou Ye?" he asked in surprise.

"Yes! I've disgraced you, Senior Gou Wuyue." Shou Ye straightened up, his face grim.

Even at the end, he hadn't managed to swallow that wave of energy on his own.

Just a little leak had caused the already unstable Bai Ku world to shake.

In the chain reaction that followed, even with Lan Ling controlling the array from Li Jian Grassland, they couldn't hold it back.

Bai Ku had truly exploded!

But it only exploded less than half, and the rain from the sky had repaired most of the space, leaving behind a seed of a dimensional realm.

Given time, Bai Ku might rise again.

Thus, one of the Seven Broken Bans, Jin Zhao Prison Sea, probably wouldn't vanish entirely; it could shift and be reborn.

— A stroke of luck in the midst of misfortune!

"You did well."

Gou Wuyue smiled faintly and patted Shou Ye's shoulder, then turned to the others. "All of you, go rest. I'll handle the rest."

"Buzz—"

The famous sword trembled.

The warm sound, as if soothing the soul, made Guang Tou Xin feel a surge of emotion, his eyes welling up.

"Yes!"

The red-clothed ones chorused and vanished in a flash.

"Shou Ye."

Gou Wuyue called out to him at the last moment.

"Senior Gou Wuyue, what are your orders?"

Shou Ye's heart was stirred.

Seeing Gou Wuyue again, he remembered those days of battling everywhere.

Among the current white-clothed brothers, few familiar faces remained, but the thrill of surrounding Sheng Nu was a feeling worlds apart from fighting ghosts.

If possible, he wished he could stay and fight alongside Senior Gou Wuyue!

Gou Wuyue placed a hand on Shou Ye's shoulder.

The bloody wound on his stomach began to heal rapidly.

Once Shou Ye had regained a bit of energy, Gou Wuyue said, "I already know everything that happened in Bai Ku."

"The rain?" Shou Ye asked.

"Yes, Yu Ling Di's ability."

Gou Wuyue glanced at the void black hole, clearly not wanting to dwell on it, and got straight to the point: "Who is Wen Ming?"

"Wen Ming?"

Shou Ye was startled.

He hadn't expected Senior Gou Wuyue's first question to be this.

But if he already knew about Bai Ku's situation, then...

Wen Ming, Xu Xiaoshou, the ice sculpture, Lu Ke, the famous sword, the master and disciple...

Shou Ye suddenly understood.

He said somberly, "Wen Ming is Xu Xiaoshou, the disciple of Sheng Nu's second-in-command. Well, that's the theory, though it still needs verification, but it's probably spot on..."

"I was too late to notice."

Shou Ye changed tack, full of self-reproach. "If I had seen that kid's special traits earlier and forcefully brought him back to the red-clothed, maybe Xiao Ke wouldn't have..."

"That's not what I'm asking."

Gou Wuyue shook his head. "What happened to Lu Ke was his own choice."

"Since I dared to place him in the red-clothed team, I was prepared for him to die at any time."

"How can one truly grow without facing life and death?"

"What I want to know is..."

Gou Wuyue paused. "Wen Ming, or the Xu Xiaoshou you mentioned—who is he exactly?"

Shou Ye was momentarily at a loss for how to answer.

Gou Wuyue began counting on his fingers.

"A Zong Shi body, giant transformation, Zong Shi Jian Yi, a famous sword, four swords, Jin Zhao power, Three Days Frozen Calamity... But his cultivation doesn't seem high?"

Shou Ye froze.

Only when Xu Xiaoshou's abilities were listed out did he realize what Senior Gou Wuyue was really asking.

Swallowing hard, Shou Ye replied, "Yes, at most Xian Tian level."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive!"

"Really?"

"Absolutely certain!"

Shou Ye had grasped the gravity of the situation.

Xu Xiaoshou had caught Senior Gou Wuyue's eye!

He became utterly serious, his tone formal: "What you've seen isn't even all of it. From my interactions, he's not only got all that you mentioned, but he's also a Ling Zhen master, a Dan master... well... how to put it..."

"Hmm?" Gou Wuyue tilted his head, curious.

"A Dan master!"

"His levels are all very high and surprisingly impressive!" Shou Ye wiped away sweat and said earnestly, "This kind of person is definitely a talent!"

Gou Wuyue lowered his head silently.

After a long while, he looked up and smiled. "But he's joined Sheng Nu."

"Boom!"

The black hole above exploded, as if something else was about to erupt.

Shou Ye's mind buzzed.

He instinctively wanted to say "impossible."

But Senior Gou Wuyue didn't seem like the type to joke...

"Impossible!"

Shou Ye said it anyway.

Then, regardless of Gou Wuyue's expression, he pressed on: "Xu Xiaoshou is a bit cowardly, a bit of a pushover, but he's got an innate pride and would never bow to anyone. Absolutely not!"

"Oh, and I forgot to mention..."

Shou Ye suddenly closed his eyes, smacked his lips, and then opened them wide.

"Xu Xiaoshou's greatest skill isn't his powerful abilities—it's his gift for talking nonsense."

"This guy..."

"I don't know what footage Yu Ling Di sent you, but the more sincere and earnest he sounds, the less credible it is!"

"Out of ten things he says, maybe nine and a half are true, and that's being generous."

"The other half? Best to ignore it."

Shou Ye fired off his words rapidly.

"..." Gou Wuyue was momentarily stunned.

"Senior."

Shou Ye clenched his fist. "Xu Xiaoshou isn't with Sheng Nu!"

"Are you saying this because you see him as a potential successor?" Gou Wuyue's lips curved, his brow raised.

Shou Ye panicked and quickly replied, "Maybe that's part of it, but not all."

"You know I wouldn't let personal bias cloud my judgment..."

"Then what is it?" Gou Wuyue countered. He knew his former subordinate well and trusted his firsthand assessment the most.

Shou Ye thought for a moment and said, "His current demeanor—aside from that mouth and those bizarre spirit skills—his ambitions and pride are almost exactly like mine when I first joined the white-clothed. Absolutely certain!"

The scene fell silent for a moment.

Gou Wuyue couldn't help but laugh.

"I understand. Go on, stay on standby."

"Yes..."

Shou Ye responded absentmindedly, then suddenly realized what "stay on standby" meant.

"Yes!"

He shouted firmly and vanished.

"Boom—"

The void rumbled again.

Half the pattering rain was sucked into the black hole, half fell to the earth.

"Hee-hee."

A low laugh suddenly echoed from the black hole, turning into silvery bell-like giggles.

"Giggle, giggle, so many people, big brother. I'm so scared~"