Chapter 700: Conning and Abducting, Taking the Opportunity to Steal

If it were an outsider, they might only catch a hint of emptiness on Jiang Qi's face after a few subtle deceptions.

After all, this was a cunning individual, and even if their emotions surged, they wouldn't show it through body language.

But Xu Xiaoshou was different.

He just glanced at the information panel and saw the wildly popping notifications of "under suspicion" and "under speculation," and he immediately understood.

Yes, his earlier actions had been deliberate.

Xu Xiaoshou wasn't really Ba Zun An; how could he not know that Jiang Xian's target wasn't Lei Shuangxing, but Mu Zi Xi?

So, all his actions had not only responded to Jiang Xian's words in a straightforward manner on the surface, but also subtly struck at Jiang Qi from a psychological angle, making her doubt her own thoughts.

In that case, was there any need to keep bombarding relentlessly?

No need!

After all, excess could lead to the opposite effect.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't even glance at Jiang Qi; he had always been targeting her, never paying Jiang Xian any mind.

But the targeting between experts always happened in the most unobtrusive ways.

Sometimes, that kind of strike had the greatest impact.

"You said the woman—what does she look like?" Xu Xiaoshou asked as usual, as if the earlier covert exchanges had never happened.

Jiang Xian hadn't noticed anything yet; his sole focus was on diverting the Eighth Sword Immortal's attention from himself, so he responded immediately.

"It can't really be called a woman; it should be a little girl with twin ponytails, wearing green clothes, from Tian Shang Di Yi Lou."

He paused, eager to stir up more trouble, and added:

"And beside the Xu Shao of Tian Shang Di Yi Lou, there was a Gui Shou Ji Ti!"

If there was anything in the world that could instantly grab a major figure's attention, it was undoubtedly a Gui Shou.

Jiang Xian wasn't stupid; it was just that his recovery from mental strain was a bit slow.

By now, he could gauge a hint of the Eighth Sword Immortal's thoughts from their several conversations.

What the other side wanted was probably just information, not lives.

In such a situation, being overly anxious would only make his performance more unstable.

So, after delivering that provocative remark, Jiang Xian quickly looked up.

Sure enough, he could now see a flicker of fluctuation in the Eighth Sword Immortal's murky eyes for the first time.

"Gui Shou? Interesting..." Xu Xiaoshou murmured to himself.

Jiang Xian grew puzzled.

Based on Jiang Qi's deduction, wasn't Tian Shang Di Yi Lou secretly controlled by Sheng Nu?

But looking at the other's reaction...

"Had we gotten it wrong?"

Jiang Xian glanced back and saw Jiang Qi with her head lowered, deep in thought.

He had no idea what had just transpired covertly, so all he could do was look back without any conclusions and wait for the Eighth Sword Immortal to continue.

How could Xu Xiaoshou be so easily distracted by this kid?

He just went along with the conversation, thought for a moment, and then extended his hand, saying:

"What about the 'Tian Zhi Zhi Yan' you mentioned?"

Jiang Xian was startled.

Jiang Qi in the back also looked up suddenly.

The two of them never expected the Eighth Sword Immortal to zero in on the key point so precisely.

After all that circling, it turned out the other side hadn't strayed at all!

Jiang Xian hesitated for a moment before reluctantly saying:

"To be honest, 'Tian Zhi Zhi Yan' is a supreme treasure of the Jiang clan; I absolutely can't hand it over..."

Xu Xiaoshou didn't move his outstretched hand, but his gaze shifted directly to Jiang Xian's eyes.

His expression remained as calm as ever, without adding a single word.

Jiang Xian fell silent.

Even if they were dense, the two from the Jiang clan could fully read the Eighth Sword Immortal's eyes: "Either 'Tian Zhi Zhi Yan' or 'San Yan Tong Mu'—you choose."

Jiang Xian wanted to cry.

He had never felt so wronged in his life.

Why was this supreme leader from a bygone era constantly making things difficult for a junior like him?

But no matter how wronged he felt, Jiang Xian had to grit his teeth and say:

"'Tian Zhi Zhi Yan' is too mysterious; even I can't control it. It's currently with my guard Jiang Lan, and he's not in the manor right now—he's out on a mission..."

"Hmph!" Xu Xiaoshou let out a soft scoff.

Jiang Xian panicked: "Senior, I'm telling the absolute truth! 'Tian Zhi Zhi Yan' really isn't with me. Even if you kill me, you won't get it... uh."

He stopped midway.

Of course, if he were killed, the Eighth Sword Immortal might not get "Tian Zhi Zhi Yan," but he could still obtain "San Yan Tong Mu."

"I—I'll call him over right now..."

Jiang Xian said dejectedly, taking out his communication pearl.

Xu Xiaoshou said nothing, just silently waited for him to finish the call and put the pearl away.

"So, tell me about the Gui Shou situation?"

Once everything was done, Xu Xiaoshou retracted his hand and continued fiddling with the teacup on the table, curious about whether Jiang Xian had spotted Xin Gu Gu or Mo Mo.

Did "San Yan Tong Mu" have such capabilities?

"It was my friend who figured it out, not 'San Yan Tong Mu.'"

Jiang Xian knew what the other was thinking and was determined not to take the blame himself, so he explained:

"Rong Da Hao, a disciple of the Tai Xu World Family and the current heir of the Fu Men clan, has been trying to curry favor with me lately. But he doesn't have any special abilities; he can see the Gui Shou because he happened to witness that Gui Shou Ji Ti transforming, so he recognized the true identity of the woman from Tian Shang Di Yi Lou."

Jiang Xian thought to himself, sorry about that.

But in the saying "better a friend dies than I," if the Eighth Sword Immortal's attention could really be drawn to Rong Da Hao, Jiang Xian would light incense for him and ensure the Rong family a century of prosperity!

It was Mo Mo... Xu Xiaoshou, listening to Jiang Xian's words, had already figured it out.

So, she had been recognized by an acquaintance.

Back when they set out from Bai Ku, after traveling for half a month, Xu Xiaoshou had specifically instructed everyone to disguise themselves.

But since the people around him didn't have "Bian Hua," they could still be spotted by sharp-eyed individuals sometimes.

Moreover...

A Gui Shou Ji Ti wandering the continent had a very important identifying feature!

Xu Xiaoshou guessed that if Rong Da Hao had truly recognized Mo Mo, it was either because he saw through the disguise or noticed Mo Mo's restraint artifact—the small copper furnace.

It was impossible to guard against everything!

Sighing inwardly, Xu Xiaoshou kept his face calm as he shook his head: "You're quick to betray your friends."

"I..." Jiang Xian was at a loss for words and forced out an explanation: "I've only known him for a few days; he's not really a friend."

Xu Xiaoshou didn't care whether they were friends or not.

In his view, the Eighth Sword Immortal was indeed someone who could be drawn in by Gui Shou matters, so he fell silent for a moment.

On the surface, he was pondering.

In reality, Xu Xiaoshou was just pausing for effect; he had to put on a show and etch all these actions into Jiang Qi's mind.

After a few breaths, he ended the act, set down the teacup, stood up, glanced at Jiang Qi, and said:

"I don't care about your grudges with Tian Shang Di Yi Lou, or how you figured things out."

"But I care about the results."

Xu Xiaoshou stared at Jiang Qi: "You're right about one thing—I'm playing a game of chess. But if another force suddenly enters the board, even if they're not on the same path, as long as they interfere with my plans, I'll eliminate them without mercy."

Jiang Qi felt a chill in her heart.

The Eighth Sword Immortal's words were a warning.

She had indeed thought about sending a message back to her clan for support on the Dong Tian Wang Cheng mission.

But now, it seemed that while the idea was good, the waters of Dong Tian Wang Cheng were too murky.

One wrong move, and they might unwittingly step into a deadly trap, with no escape.

Jiang Qi was grateful that she belonged to the Bei Yu Pu Xuan Jiang Shi.

If she were an outsider, given the Eighth Sword Immortal's temperament, he probably wouldn't have bothered to give this hint.

And as for the semi-saint families...

Jiang Qi glanced at Jiang Xian; perhaps the only reason the two of them were still alive was this background.

"As for you..."

Xu Xiaoshou turned back to Jiang Xian, his tone neutral: "Before I finish my business, you'll stay right here obediently. I don't want to kill, but if I find out that 'San Yan Tong Mu' isn't from your clan but left by the Lei family..."

"The whole world won't have a place for you!"

Jiang Xian broke out in a cold sweat at those words, his hair standing on end.

"Senior, rest assured, I wouldn't dare fake something like that." He immediately swore earnestly.

Xu Xiaoshou shifted his gaze away without responding, just waved his hand and looked toward the door.

"Call him in."

"Jiang Lan!" Jiang Xian shouted right away.

The door was pushed open, revealing another figure.

The entire Jiang Shi manor had been cleared out at Xu Xiaoshou's earlier command.

Even the servants had been sent away, for fear that some fool might accidentally intrude and provoke the legendary Eighth Sword Immortal.

Now, in this vast manor, the only one daring to enter was Jiang Lan outside the door.

"'Tian Zhi Zhi Yan,'" Jiang Xian said without preamble.

Jiang Lan didn't hesitate either; he pulled out the "Tian Zhi Zhu" without a word.

He didn't even dare glance at the masked figure deepest in the room; as he handed the "Tian Zhi Zhu" to Jiang Xian, he only briefly swept his eyes over Jiang Qi.

Jiang Qi shook her head slightly, her red lips pressed together in silence.

"Jiang Xian, should I withdraw?"

"Yes."

The door clicked shut again, and Jiang Lan was gone as if he had never been there, leaving the room in silence once more.

"Senior."

Jiang Xian presented the "Tian Zhi Zhu" with both hands.

Even though he felt reluctant, and this was a supreme treasure of the Jiang clan, at this moment, exchanging it for their lives was a stroke of luck in misfortune.

Perhaps some forces that had specifically investigated Sheng Nu also knew there was someone named Lei Shuangxing among them.

They probably wouldn't dare connect this "Lei" with that "Lei."

But...

These people not only didn't realize that this "Lei" was indeed that "Lei," but also that the leader of Sheng Nu was truly the Eighth Sword Immortal.

And they would never, in their wildest dreams, imagine that the legendary Eighth Sword Immortal had such intimate ties with the fallen Lei family.

Exchanging one "Tian Zhi Zhu" for such crucial intelligence.

For the Jiang clan, this wasn't a loss.

That was also why Jiang Qi hadn't spoken up to stop Jiang Xian's actions.

Xu Xiaoshou beckoned, taking the "Tian Zhi Zhu."

It was a fist-sized crystal ball, with thick white mist swirling inside, enveloping a milky-white eyeball that remained completely still.

Without any politeness, he stashed it into his ring and didn't ask further.

After all, regarding "Tian Zhi Zhu," "Tian Zhi Zhi Yan," and the various Lei family pupils like the "Wei Zhi Zhi Yan" that Luo Lei Lei had once mentioned, he could probably get the answers he wanted with a simple question now.

But he was currently the Eighth Sword Immortal.

Some things could be unknown, but he couldn't appear foolishly ignorant in front of others.

That would be too undignified.

"Remember what I said today. Until I finish my investigation, stay put in this room."

As Xu Xiaoshou spoke, his figure began to blur.

His gaze slid over Jiang Qi and locked onto Jiang Xian's eyes, staring straight at them as his form faded bit by bit.

"And one more thing..."

It was as if he had just remembered something; even as his body dissipated in a way that even the Heavenly Dao couldn't detect, his lingering voice echoed endlessly:

"I've taken the Lei family survivors under my protection."

"You can spread the word—Ba Zun An said it."

With a thud, once the echo finally vanished from the room, Jiang Xian slumped heavily into his chair.

Only then did he realize his clothes were completely soaked with sweat, and even his hair was like it had just been washed and towel-dried—some strands still damp and stuck to his scalp, leaving him utterly disheveled.

"Gone?" Jiang Xian muttered blankly.

"Gone." Jiang Qi stood up, pushed her chair back into place, scanned the room, and quickly sent a message to Jiang Si, calling people back.

"Why did the Eighth Sword Immortal come after me?" Jiang Xian was still in shock, mumbling absentmindedly.

Jiang Qi replied: "Because the person we're targeting might not be Lei Shuangxing, but a Lei family survivor. Based on the Eighth Sword Immortal's tone, even the slightest possibility means he'll protect them."

"But..."

Jiang Xian was utterly baffled.

"From the Eighth Sword Immortal's behavior, he doesn't seem to be the one behind Tian Shang Di Yi Lou. If he's not the mastermind, he wouldn't know about the people around that Xu fellow."

"He claims he's here because of Lei Shuangxing, and Lei Shuangxing is blind, so how could a blind person sense my 'San Yan Tong Mu'?"

The speaker might not intend it, but the listener does.

Jiang Qi suddenly realized something from Jiang Xian's words. In this vast web of conversation, there seemed to be a flaw.

The Eighth Sword Immortal came for Lei Shuangxing but only took "Tian Zhi Zhi Yan."

Before his business was done, he confined the Jiang clan members, forbidding them from touching the other suspected "Lei family survivor" at Tian Shang Di Yi Lou.

Everything sounded like the Eighth Sword Immortal really wasn't the mastermind behind Tian Shang Di Yi Lou.

Yet, he was inadvertently protecting Tian Shang Di Yi Lou all along.

Perhaps even the Eighth Sword Immortal himself hadn't noticed this detail, but Jiang Qi had. After replaying all the exchanges in her mind, she felt a stir.

"On the surface, he didn't mention it, but his concern for Tian Shang Di Yi Lou is there."

"If he really wanted to investigate Tian Shang Di Yi Lou, with Sheng Nu's capabilities, it would be done in an instant. Why make us wait?"

"And does the leader of Sheng Nu need to pay such close attention to a trivial organization like that?"