Chapter 740: Overall Planning, Little Chicken Appears

What was Xu Xiaoshou thinking?

For him, as long as he could confirm that the events here weren't due to betrayal by Ye Mao, then he would understand that the actions of Sheng Shen Dian Tang weren't targeted at him personally.

Strictly speaking, Xu Xiaoshou had made a move with three Xu Kong Ling at this trade fair, which put him under heavy suspicion. But as long as the primary target of Sheng Shen Dian Tang wasn't him—whether it was someone else or some other possibility among the attendees—he would still have room to maneuver.

The first suspect...

And the other suspects, who would only be confirmed after multiple verifications...

There were still many steps in between.

And in that gap of time, Xu Xiaoshou could stir up a major upheaval right here at the venue.

“Xiao Qing!”

Xu Xiaoshou turned to Liu Changqing. “Give me a domain to connect everyone to the sound transmission track, and make sure the transmission isn't intercepted.”

Liu Changqing was startled and took a moment to realize that Xu Shao was calling him. After all, he wasn't used to such a youthful nickname as “Xiao Qing,” but he had no choice but to comply—there was nothing else he could do.

The sound transmission channel was set up.

“Everyone.”

Once Xu Xiaoshou ensured that everyone in the box could hear him and that Liu Lu was excluded, he immediately spoke up: “The situation has gotten a bit special. In a moment, you might need to adapt on the fly and fight your way out.”

As soon as he said this, the others were all stunned.

After all, the scene was still peaceful, even though Liu Lu had mentioned that Sheng Shen Dian Tang might have set up a encirclement. But no one seemed to fully grasp just how serious the impending crisis was.

“How do we fight our way out?” Xin Gugu asked.

In his view, if the trade fair ended and Bai Yi or Hong Yi showed up, how could they break through the encirclement with just the strength of their group, which only had Liu Changqing at the Zhan Dao level?

“I said, first adapt on the fly, then fight your way out... Fighting is the backup plan; adapting is the priority,” Xu Xiaoshou explained.

Xiao Wanfeng was completely baffled on the side.

He knew that Tian Shang First Tower wasn't simple and that such a force probably couldn't withstand scrutiny. But Xu Shao's intense reaction made him suspect something. Yet, the people in the box all looked perfectly normal!

They weren't some ghost-beast hosts that required Hong Yi to deal with, nor were they representatives of evil organizations that needed Bai Yi to capture. So why were they so sensitive to Sheng Shen Dian Tang's encirclement?

Xu Xiaoshou didn't dwell on these minor details and directly shared his judgment with everyone:

“Listen up, there are a few things that will definitely happen once the trade fair ends, and you need to prepare yourselves mentally in advance.”

“First, the Jiang family isn't here, and I'm sure you've all noticed that. I wasn't entirely certain before, but Ye Mao's people said the Jiang family was held up by external affairs and couldn't make it.”

“Think about it—the Jiang family could be delayed by what kind of external affairs from such a major event that even Sheng Shen Dian Tang sends representatives to? It's definitely not as straightforward as it seems. So, I deduce that the target Yan Wang is after isn't you or me...”

Xu Xiaoshou looked at Mu Zixi and said seriously, “It's the Jiang family!”

Everyone was stunned by this.

“So?” Xin Gugu was the first to ask, voicing the question on everyone's mind.

Xu Xiaoshou replied with certainty, “So, as soon as the trade fair ends, there will absolutely be major chaos somewhere in Wang City.”

“When Yan Wang makes a move and the Ban Sheng successor resists, it will drag a lot of things into it. That way, Sheng Shen Dian Tang's main forces might still focus on the trade fair, but some will definitely be diverted—that's point one.”

Everyone suddenly understood, and while they did, they couldn't help but feel a bit impressed:

What kind of mind does Xu Shao have? We're all in the same box, so why can he plan for things outside the trade fair?

“Are you sure?” At that moment, Mo Mo suddenly spoke up.

“Not sure!”

Xu Xiaoshou shook his head frankly. Seeing the others' surprised and speechless expressions, he quickly added:

“This is just one possibility, after all. But even if Yan Wang doesn't go after the Jiang family, they'll target someone else—that's for certain.”

“They won't pass up this golden opportunity, and that's our chance... one of them!”

Everyone was getting tense from Xu Xiaoshou's words, so they didn't have time to nitpick the details.

“What's the second point?” Liu Changqing pressed.

He had lived a long life and seen a lot, so he knew that if Xu Shao's words turned out to be true, the opportunities involved were huge.

Xu Xiaoshou narrowed his eyes and continued reasoning:

“The second point is still that—the trade fair site is full of forces that can't withstand investigation. Once news of Sheng Shen Dian Tang's encirclement spreads, there will be chaos everywhere.”

“Those who resist first will be the forces with guilty consciences, as well as the dominant powers in Wang City... and the latter are the key.”

“After all, they don't know Sheng Shen Dian Tang's real motives and might think they're trying to use this chance to cut down the wings of these dominant powers or something like that.”

Liu Changqing's eyes lit up at this. “That makes sense. Those people won't just roll over—they're all bosses in their own territories and know that uniting makes them a force to reckon with. Sheng Shen Dian Tang isn't some absolute authority; they couldn't take them down quickly.”

“Something like that!” Xu Xiaoshou nodded slightly but didn't fully agree, continuing, “It all depends on Sheng Shen Dian Tang's resolve and the level of the people they've sent.”

“What I need you to do is adapt on the fly—whether it's stirring things up or fanning the flames.”

“But don't be the first to stick your neck out, because the first one to do so will be Sheng Shen Dian Tang's prime suspect...”

“What about you?” Mu Zixi interrupted abruptly.

She wasn't concerned with what Xu Xiaoshou was saying. Normally, her senior brother wouldn't explain this much. For people from Tian Shang First Tower, they just needed to follow orders blindly.

But today, he was laying it all out, as if he planned to stay out of it himself...

So, what was Xu Xiaoshou up to?

“You don't need to worry about me.”

Xu Xiaoshou smiled and patted his junior sister's head. “Remember the parade? 'I' will be with everyone then, and you can just adapt as needed.”

The parade?

Liu Changqing didn't know what that meant, but the others caught on.

Was he going to bring out Xu Xiaoji to play the fake Xu Shao again, while the real one slipped out to cause trouble?

“You...” Xin Gugu was anxious, but with Liu Changqing and Xiao Wanfeng there, he couldn't outright ask, “Are you going off on your own?”

“Don't worry—when the chaos starts, everyone just follow Mo Mo's commands.” Xu Xiaoshou showed full confidence in the Gray Mist Person.

After all, among them, if anyone truly wanted to break through, the Gray Mist Person's determination might outweigh everyone's combined.

Mo Mo fell silent for a moment.

With Xu Xiaoshou's hint, she could see through the situation even without the Gray Mist Person. But what exactly did this young man plan to do in such chaos?

Wasn't he thinking of escaping? What was more important—his life or stirring up trouble?

“You all just go with the flow.”

Xu Xiaoshou understood what Mo Mo was thinking but didn't explain. He added, “Third, I need you to find someone. If things go south, just follow her.”

“Hua Song? The Dong Ling Association President?” Xin Gugu quickly figured it out.

“Yes.”

Xu Xiaoshou nodded. “Make good use of them—that's an opportunity. The Dong Ling Association President is on the side of justice, so she's unlikely to get into trouble... Even if you can't find her, you can go to Shi Ti; it's the same.”

“But this is only the last resort if there's no other choice. If it doesn't reach that point, don't go looking.”

“Like I said, adapt on the fly.”

Liu Changqing: ...

Xiao Wanfeng: ...

Adapt on the fly!

Again, adapt on the fly!

Although Xu Shao had explained so much, to them, it was all just his own speculations. Who knew if things would actually go that way?

But when they glanced at the others, these two newcomers to Tian Shang First Tower were dumbfounded.

Mo Mo, Xin Gugu, Mu Zixi, and the rest all had expressions of complete agreement, as if Xu Shao's words were the exact direction the situation would take.

Was it really that spot-on? Liu Changqing even started doubting himself.

Had Xu Shao mastered some kind of brainwashing technique? These speculative possibilities, and people believed every word?

“One last command!”

Xu Xiaoshou straightened his expression. Seeing everyone waiting seriously and looking at him, he said:

“From now on, don't speak to me.”

“I need to enter the final state of Ban Sheng Jie Dao meditation and start calculating the secrets of heaven. Don't interrupt me, or you'll bear the consequences.”

“If there's anything, just consult Mo Mo.”

With that, Xu Xiaoshou closed his eyes.

Everyone was baffled.

What was “Ban Sheng Jie Dao” or this “meditation state”...?

Even Mu Zixi didn't react right away.

But after Xu Xiaoshou closed his eyes and said no more, everyone sharply sensed that his aura had changed!

Yes, it was as if his main self had vanished in an instant, leaving only a shell behind. It was completely different!

That instant switch even made Liu Changqing feel a bit disoriented, but he could clearly sense that the Xu Shao in front of them was like a different person... very strange!

Liu Changqing even felt this wasn't Xu Shao at all, but someone else.

After all, once Xu Shao closed his eyes, that air of confidence, strength, and fearlessness vanished, replaced by an aura of ignorance, confusion, and helplessness—the rhythm of Tian Ji Dao.

“Ban Sheng Jie Dao?”

Liu Changqing was puzzled.

Was this the special ability of a Ban Sheng successor?

“Dao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, three gives birth to all things...”

“No name is the beginning of heaven and earth; with a name, it is the mother of all things...”

“The profound and mysterious, the gateway to all wonders...”

When Xu Xiaoji was teleported out of the Yuan Fu, all that remained in his mind were these lines that Xu Shao had left him at the last moment.

His task was simple:

First, pretend to be Xu Da Mowang with his eyes closed in the Yuan Fu, and after a while, he could move freely—but he had to follow Mo Mo's arrangements.

Second, ignore anyone who spoke to him; just silently recite this so-called “Dao De Jing” a thousand times in his heart, and then he'd get a full day of free playtime, with no one following him!

Third, no matter what happened, don't react at all—no shouting, no panicking, no fleeing—just follow Mo Mo.

“Simple enough!”

Xu Xiaoji chuckled to himself and began using his spiritual sense to observe his surroundings.

It was a box.

In the box, Xu Xiaoji noticed everyone was looking at him.

But apart from Mo Mo, Xin Gugu, and Mu Zixi, who clearly recognized him, the others all had thoughtful, puzzled, yet reverent expressions...

And there were others secretly watching?

Xu Xiaoji easily sensed the spiritual array around them and the people spying through it.

But he was experienced at pretending to be Xu Shao, so he wouldn't slip up.

“Heh, not having to watch that fat cat in the Yuan Fu is a kind of joy. Let's enjoy this moment of restrained freedom first!” Xu Xiaoji thought to himself as he continued reciting his “Dao De Jing.”

He's been switched!

Mo Mo, watching this new Xu Shao, knew it was Xu Xiaoji for sure.

Where the real Xu Xiaoshou had gone, she had no idea at that moment—maybe to the Yuan Fu, or perhaps he'd used some vanishing technique to go elsewhere.

But none of that was her concern now. She just needed to handle what Xu Xiaoshou had arranged, manage the others, and make sure no one realized it was Xu Xiaoji.

“Dismiss the sound transmission.”

After saying this to Liu Changqing and seeing him deactivate it, Mo Mo stepped forward to Liu Lu. “Tell Yuan Haisheng that from now on, all matters with Xu Shao will go through me.”

Liu Lu was taken aback.

He knew that earlier, with the domain force interfering, these people had been discussing some strategy.

But now, right after, it was this previously unobtrusive person taking charge...

“Xu Shao?” Liu Lu looked toward Xu Shao, who was meditating with eyes closed, full of doubt.

“He's entered a state of sudden enlightenment—don't disturb him!” Mo Mo stopped Liu Lu from calling out.

Liu Lu was even more confused and glanced around, only to see everyone else acting as if they were following this woman's lead. He was utterly shocked.

This...

It had changed so suddenly?

They were on high alert just moments ago, and now Xu Shao was starting to meditate?

Xu Shao's heart was truly bold!

“Won't he be breaking through to Zong Shi?” Liu Lu suddenly thought of something.

“Don't ask about things you shouldn't!” Mo Mo responded coldly.

Liu Lu felt a chill in his heart.

He realized now that he was dealing with a cold young woman, not the easygoing Xu Shao.

“Yes, yes, I understand. I'll relay this to Yuan Si Dangjia right away.”

In the box, Mo Mo didn't respond.

With her immediate silence, the entire space fell completely quiet.

The atmosphere became strangely tense.

Without Xu Shao and Mu Xiao Gong's playful interactions, Liu Lu felt completely out of place.

But with Xu Shao meditating, there was nothing to be done.

Liu Lu had to endure the discomfort and continue attending to this woman who might not even need his service.

Meanwhile, at the trade fair site.

Just like in Box 209, the event was moving from its climax to its conclusion.

After the last trader stepped down from the stage, everyone in the audience breathed a sigh of relief, ready to head home and tally their assets.

But just then.

The door to Box 1 creaked open, and a man walked out.