Chapter 702: Yan Wang

"Has it moved?"

Xu Xiaoshou never imagined that the "Tianzhi Zhu," which he had tried every method to activate without success, would suddenly stir slightly at this moment.

He was absolutely certain of his own sensation.

So, Xu Xiaoshou got up and called out to the waiter who was about to leave. "Hey, you there, get me a jar of 'Xianren Zui' to take away."

The waiter turned around and saw over a dozen lingjing flying toward him. He quickly caught them and grinned.

"Sure thing, sir. Just a moment."

While the waiter was fetching the wine, Xu Xiaoshou gazed out the window at the passing crowd, but his "perception" was directed toward what the "Tianzhi Zhu" was focusing on.

He dared to take out the "Tianzhi Zhu" in broad daylight because he knew that even if the Jiang Shi had any means to sense it, they would avoid it at all costs.

Therefore, what the "Tianzhi Zhu" was detecting this time couldn't be Jiang Xian.

"Could it be my junior sister?" Xu Xiaoshou pondered.

However, after scanning the entire small tavern with his "perception," focusing repeatedly on the direction indicated by the "Tianzhi Zhu," he still couldn't find a single suspicious person.

Now he was curious.

The "Tianzhi Zhu" had only moved once and then stopped, indicating it had sensed a power similar to "Lei Jia Tong." But since it was just a single movement with no follow-up...

Xu Xiaoshou thought it over.

Could it be that the person who was sensed had used the power of "Lei Jia Tong" earlier, secretly glanced at him once, and then immediately shut it off?

Or perhaps used something like a "Zhi Xu Wu" to block the "Tianzhi Zhu"'s detection of similar pupil techniques?

Xu Xiaoshou quickly checked his information panel.

Sure enough, among the scattered bits of information like "under observation," "under neglect," and "under contempt" from random passersby, there was one odd entry.

"Under scrutiny, passive value: 1."

What made it odd was that it was just "1."

In Dong Tian Wang Cheng, a value of just "1" was extremely rare.

Such cases usually occurred in isolated spaces or private conversations.

Even in a street-side tavern with people coming and going, you'd at least get fragments like "12" or "7" for passive value increases.

So...

"Something's up!"

Xu Xiaoshou's face showed no change; he continued staring absentmindedly at the pretty girls on the street until the waiter ran over with the wine jar.

"Sir, your 'Xianren Zui'."

"Thanks."

Xu Xiaoshou took the wine, tossed another lingjing as a tip, and then left the tavern with the jar in hand, patting his full belly.

Many others were getting up at the same time.

But his information panel showed no fluctuations, so Xu Xiaoshou wasn't in a hurry. He wandered aimlessly, turning corners here and there on the streets.

He knew that if the hidden person was targeting the "Tianzhi Eye," they would definitely follow.

"Under tracking, passive value: 1."

It wasn't until half a quarter of an hour later that the information panel finally updated.

Xu Xiaoshou thought to himself, What great patience—this person managed to keep up even after all this time? How did they lock onto me?

He had already stashed the "Tianzhi Eye" in his Yuan Fu, so even if Jiang Xian showed up face-to-face, they wouldn't sense it.

That meant the other side must have memorized his changed appearance, aura, or used some other tracking method, only deciding to move now, which triggered the panel alert.

Yet, that method didn't set off any unusual warnings on the panel?

"Interesting..."

With Ar Jie in his possession, Xu Xiaoshou had nothing to fear.

He didn't see Mu Zixi, and he didn't think Jiang Xian could be here, so he guessed this might be the third owner of "Lei Jia Tong."

Buoyed by his skills, Xu Xiaoshou boldly chose a dark, deserted alley and turned into it.

In the dim corner,

Xu Xiaoshou set the wine jar down, covered his waist and hips with his sleeve, looked up at the white clouds, and whistled casually before steadying himself.

A soft rustling followed.

The corner gradually grew damp.

After relieving himself, Xu Xiaoshou used some wine to clean his hands, then chugged the rest with a gurgle.

As the wine hit his throat, he made an ugly face—he still wasn't used to drinking.

Just then,

"Under gaze, passive value: 1."

So, Xu Xiaoshou turned around, and in the shadowy alley, a new figure had appeared.

This person wore dark purple robes, a large hood, and a fearsome black Yan Wang mask. Their entire body was hidden under clothing, unseen by the light of day.

Notably, they had a string of large iron chains around their neck.

Each link was a lifelike, terrified little iron figure.

What's more, similar little iron figures hung from both sides of their belt, totaling over twenty.

Xu Xiaoshou sized them up, then looked away with a smirk, raising the wine jar. "You've followed me for so long—could it be you're after my 'Xianren Zui'?"

"You can detect me?"

The Yan Wang mask wearer's voice was hoarse and deep, like a bass cannon, with only a hint of surprise.

Male!

From that voice, Xu Xiaoshou could tell the gender, but nothing else.

This guy had hidden everything.

"Detecting you is perfectly normal, isn't it?"

Xu Xiaoshou shrugged. "In broad daylight, trailing innocent folks like this is indecent. If I weren't alert, I'd have fallen for your trap—lost my money, my virtue, and my chastity."

The masked person seemed stunned.

Those words almost threw them off track.

Is that what a normal person says when facing a tracker?

"You're not afraid?"

The masked person paused before asking.

"Afraid of what? It's just wine. Here, have some."

Xu Xiaoshou reluctantly took another sip before tossing the valuable "Xianren Zui" over.

The masked person didn't budge, not even lifting a hand to catch it.

The jar traced a graceful arc through the air and shattered on the ground with a crisp crack.

Surprisingly,

Though the jar hadn't been empty moments ago, when it broke, not a drop of wine spilled out. Instead, a dozen invisible fire seeds burst forth, shooting straight at the masked person's face.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

The rapid wind-breaking sounds came rushing in, and the masked person seemed to react a split second too late—the opponent had already struck.

But their combat instincts were top-notch.

The moment they sensed the unknown energy, they jerked back instantly.

So fast that they left an afterimage in place.

They didn't retreat fully,

But the fire seeds only pierced the afterimage, missing completely.

"What quick reflexes..."

Xu Xiaoshou was impressed.

He had compressed the fire seeds perfectly and even woven hidden dao patterns into the jar during his walk.

He'd expected the other side to be caught off guard.

And indeed, they hadn't reacted in time at first, but their instincts had saved them.

However, the seeds hadn't gone astray; the dozen compressed fire seeds were still under Xu Xiaoshou's control.

After an inertia-free sharp turn in midair, the spirit-thread-guided seeds flew back toward the masked person's position.

This time, Xu Xiaoshou didn't aim precisely; he detonated them on contact.

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom—

The violent explosions ripped through the nearby streets, sending massive shockwaves of air and debris surging into the sky—it was spectacular.

At the same time, Xu Xiaoshou let out a strange yell.

"Help! A fire ability user is trying to kill someone! There's an attack in Dong Tian Wang Cheng!"

"Is there no law in this city anymore?"

He shouted while darting away, trying to weave back into the crowded streets.

But as he rounded the alley entrance, the scene shifted—the bustling streets and crowds vanished, replaced by a vast, empty blackness and chaos.

Xu Xiaoshou stopped in his tracks.

"This is awkward..."

He grimaced, suddenly realizing that after dealing with that innate one and confronting the completely submissive "San Yan Tong Mu" owner, Jiang Xian, he had subconsciously become overconfident.

Sensing the surrounding heavenly dao fluctuations, a long-forgotten sense of crisis washed over him.

It felt familiar!

The last time, when he was trapped in the Red Dog Wang Zuo's domain, it was just like this.

He hadn't encountered a domain often, but he had teased those cautious, unable-to-go-all-out Dao Slayers in the Bai Ku too many times, making him forget.

In this world, the best way to deal with anyone below Wang Zuo was to slap a domain on them, no questions asked.

"I was careless!"

Xu Xiaoshou turned slowly and saw the alley was still the alley, the streets still the streets.

It was as if the massive explosion earlier had been just an illusion—the sound and destruction, all of it.

"Um..."

The masked person remained deep in the shadowy alley, not having moved an inch. Xu Xiaoshou stammered, "If I say that was just a little joke, would you..."

"Fire element, huh..."

The masked person ignored the clown in front of them, quietly sensing the intense fiery energy.

It was a fire ability they'd never seen before.

Incredibly domineering!

Incredibly powerful!

No wonder this joker dared to act so brazenly while facing them.

Perhaps against someone of the same age and realm, this flame would make them unbeatable.

But...

Against a Wang Zuo, and inside a domain,

The domain's master was the god of rules!

"Extinguish."

The masked person murmured.

Within the domain, as those words fell, the fire elements vanished instantly.

A chill ran down Xu Xiaoshou's spine.

Only when the opponent truly intended to act did the heart palpitations hit.

Xu Xiaoshou knew this was his blood essence warning him.

This masked person was a tough one!

"Who are you?" Xu Xiaoshou asked seriously.

"Yan Wang."

The other side actually responded.

"Yan Wang?" Xu Xiaoshou tilted his head in thought, then asked, "I recall there are ten halls of Yan Wang. Are you Qin Guang Wang, Zhuan Lun Wang, Ping Deng Wang, or Yan Luo Wang?"

"Yan Wang is just 'Yan Wang'."

Xu Xiaoshou fell silent.

He wasn't playing by the rules, wanting to see how the other would react.

But they played it straight, giving nothing away.

"Yan Wang—what's that supposed to be?" Xu Xiaoshou pressed.

The masked person didn't take the bait, simply repeating, "Just 'Yan Wang'."

"You're sick." Xu Xiaoshou suddenly snapped.

The other side went quiet.

Clearly, this childish banter wasn't worth continuing. The masked person said gravely, "Hand over the item, and I can let you go."

"The item?" Xu Xiaoshou feigned confusion. "What item?"

"You're playing dumb."

"I'm really not sure." Xu Xiaoshou shrugged.

"The Tianzhi Eye."

The masked person answered straightforwardly.

Xu Xiaoshou swore this was the most patient, unflappable, and good-tempered enemy he'd ever met.

They clearly saw through his antics but treated it like a show, going along with it.

—A smart enemy with endless patience!

Xu Xiaoshou judged in his mind. He narrowed his eyes, his expression turning serious, no more joking. "Do you know who I am, and you still dare to demand things from me?"

"I don't."

"My name is Jiang Lan!"

Xu Xiaoshou lifted his chin slightly, and in that moment, the aura of a semi-saint family swept over like a force swallowing mountains and rivers. "If you dare lay a hand on me, aren't you afraid you'll die without even knowing how?"

"You're not Jiang Lan."

The masked person shook their head again, adding, "Jiang Lan is wind attribute, Wang Zuo cultivation, a celestial mechanic, low-key, and not talkative."

Xu Xiaoshou's heart tightened.

From that alone, he realized they had thoroughly investigated Jiang Lan!

That meant this "Yan Wang" had been targeting Jiang Lan—or more precisely, the "Tianzhi Zhu" in Jiang Lan's possession.

Even knowing the semi-saint family background, the masked person "Yan Wang" had done their homework, planning to seize it by force.

But...

Perhaps due to coincidence or an accident,

In today's actions, they unexpectedly detected the power of the "Tianzhi Eye" had shifted from the Jiang Shi estate to some unknown small tavern.

So, Yan Wang made their move!

"Capable of ignoring a semi-saint background and being sensed by the 'Tianzhi Zhu'..."

Xu Xiaoshou pondered, feeling a tingle on his scalp.

This "Yan Wang"—could they be collecting "Lei Jia Tong"?

Goodness... Xu Xiaoshou marvelled inwardly and said, "You have sharp eyes, seeing through me not being Jiang Lan. So, aren't you curious how I got the 'Tianzhi Eye'?"

"Curious."

The masked person replied calmly.

It was exactly what they wondered—how had this joker, with a semi-saint family backing, obtained the "Tianzhi Eye" that even they wouldn't touch lightly from Jiang Lan?

Listening to that flat tone, Xu Xiaoshou got annoyed. He said seriously, "It was a gift from my senior!"

"Oh?" The masked person's voice held a touch of surprise. "Which senior?"

"Our sect leader." Xu Xiaoshou put on a defiant face.

"The sect leader, huh..."

The masked person murmured. In this world, few organizations used "sect leader" as a title. They suddenly thought of something and asked, "Who are you all, and who are you?"

"Hahaha—"

At that moment, Xu Xiaoshou threw his head back in wild laughter, full of recklessness and abandon. He suddenly stopped and declared heavily:

"The Holy Slaves, Zhou Tian Shen!"