Chapter 754: Uncle Takes Action

The atmosphere suddenly plummeted into an awkward silence that was beyond remedy.

Jiang Shi, Yan Wang, Shuo Shuren...

The major throne holders and Zhan Dao figures had abruptly transitioned from a life-and-death struggle to mere spectators, like onlookers enjoying a show.

This was because the two Ba Zun An imposters before them were simply too convincing.

No one could have imagined that on this continent, there could be fakes who mimicked Ba Zun An so perfectly, even manifesting Jian Nian in a way that was indistinguishable.

That was Jian Nian, after all!

Jian Nian was the only technique among the second-generation Che Shen Nian that was hailed as rivaling "Fa Shen Xing Jie," achieving an unprecedented, revolutionary feat on another level that pushed boundaries and innovated like never before.

And yet...

These two imposters both possessed it?

Surely, they couldn't both be real!

Jiang Shi, Yan Wang, and Shuo Shuren all felt their worldviews being completely overturned in that moment.

Even Shuo Shuren, the seventh-in-command of Sheng Nu, found himself utterly confused, unable to tell which of the two before him was the true Ba Zun An.

Or perhaps both were fakes?

But which one had any connection to Ba Zun An?

Because without a connection, the other couldn't have learned Jian Nian.

Self-taught?

What nonsense!

If someone could self-teach Jian Nian, then the Eighth Jian Xian wouldn't hold such a revered status in the Jian Xiu path across the entire Sheng Shen Dalu.

The three outsider groups wisely chose not to intervene.

Instead, they stepped back, yielding the stage to these two Ba Zun An figures.

The current situation was unexpectedly peculiar, creating an absurd illusion:

"Zhan Dao truly couldn't interject in this ridiculous debate between the real and fake Ba Zun An!"

One of the confronting pair, the shabby uncle, stared at the Jian Nian in Xu Xiaoshou's hand, showing a hint of hesitation.

He had never encountered such a tricky opponent before.

But this person, while possessing Jian Nian, clearly wasn't the genuine article.

After a long silence, the uncle couldn't suppress his curiosity and held back his urge to attack, asking:

"Your Jian Nian—where did you learn it?"

Xu Xiaoshou replied with a smile:

"Jian Nian? Where else could I have learned it? I comprehended it myself, of course. You don't just run into someone on the street who teaches you something like that, do you?"

The shabby uncle was taken aback.

In an instant, he grasped the implied meaning in Xu Xiaoshou's words.

The next second, shock filled the uncle's eyes.

It was him...

It was that kid...

The guy he met in Tian Sang Cheng had grown to this level in such a short time?

The uncle was struck speechless by that single remark, his heart shaken, and he fell silent.

Xu Xiaoshou looked at him and countered:

"What about you? Where did your Jian Nian come from?"

This was the question he truly wanted answered.

Up until now, he still couldn't figure out the shabby uncle's identity.

The uncle pondered for a long while before responding:

"I'm different from you. People think Jian Nian is something I created, but the truth is, I just ran into someone on the street one day, and he taught it to me."

Everyone was stunned.

This explanation completely overturned everyone's understanding of Jian Nian's origins.

He was Ba Zun An, right?

Was it really okay for him to say that?

Even Xu Xiaoshou was quite surprised.

Was this guy joking?

Was he just messing around?

Xu Xiaoshou sighed softly:

"How ridiculous! Not only do I run into a fake, but you dare to tarnish Ba Zun An's reputation."

The uncle was bewildered.

He hadn't expected that even now, the other still acted as if fully immersed in the role of Ba Zun An.

But since their secret signal matched, he knew Xu Xiaoshou's identity.

So, he didn't expose it or press further, just smiled and said:

"You claim to be Ba Zun An, so what are you doing here?"

Xu Xiaoshou flicked his sleeve and declared proudly:

"As Ba Zun An, my actions need no explanation to anyone."

The uncle was once again taken aback.

This guy was even more into the act than he was!

Before he could respond, Xu Xiaoshou turned the question back:

"What about you? What's your business here?"

The uncle didn't hide behind ambiguity like Xu Xiaoshou had. He glanced at Yan Wang and said:

"I have serious business."

Yan Wang and his companion had been watching from the sidelines, secretly recovering their strength.

But as the conversation between the real and fake Ba Zun An unfolded, one of them suddenly targeted the two of them.

Yan Wang and his companion felt a jolt in their hearts.

"Related to us?"

Yin Cao, feeling the scrutiny, spoke up first.

The shabby uncle nodded:

"Not to you, but to your boss."

Huang Quan...

Yin Cao and Bai Gui exchanged glances, their hearts growing even more uneasy.

This newcomer had come straight for their boss, Huang Quan, which clearly indicated his formidable power—and made his claim to be Ba Zun An even more believable.

But now, whether Ba Zun An was real or not didn't matter.

What was crucial was their own survival.

"Dare I ask, what is it about?"

Yin Cao asked.

"If I'm not mistaken... you're Yan Wang?" The uncle stared at Yin Cao's Hua Xian Mou and recognized him as a fake Shuo Shuren.

Yin Cao remained silent.

The uncle continued:

"No denial? That makes it easier. I won't kill you, I just have one question... Is the Shang Xuan Jian in your boss's hands?"

Shang Xuan Jian!

Everyone was shocked at the mention, including Xu Xiaoshou.

He wasn't the clueless novice he once was; he had heard of the Shang Xuan Jian.

It wasn't a famous sword per se.

But it was one of the nine supreme divine artifacts, on the same level as the Xie Zui Gong of Ai Cang Sheng.

Legend had it that its divine power could ignore any defense—though whether that was true remained unknown.

Such a treasure was in the hands of Yan Wang's boss?

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly recalled the scene where the gold-robed masked figure had appeared to save someone.

He had noticed back then that Huang Quan's back held two weapons crossed—a Tang Dao and a long sword, both extraordinarily divine.

"So, that sword is the Shang Xuan Jian?" Xu Xiaoshou speculated.

Everyone's attention turned to Yan Wang at these words.

Even Jiang Shi and his group now looked toward Yan Wang.

As soon as Jiang Chao Tian heard about the Shang Xuan Jian, and considering Yan Wang's Lei Jia Tong, he mentally elevated this organization's threat level to the highest.

But Yin Cao didn't answer directly, only saying:

"We don't know about Huang Quan's affairs."

The shabby uncle's tone remained calm:

"No denial? That simplifies things. Your Huang Quan—does he carry a sword? You must have seen it."

Yin Cao: ...

When had not answering directly become the same as not denying?

Now, Yin Cao was at a loss for words and couldn't change the subject.

"No," he flatly denied.

At that moment, Xu Xiaoshou interjected:

"You're lying."

Everyone's eyes turned again to this other Ba Zun An, who was making his presence felt.

They saw the Xu Xiaoshou version of Ba Zun An slowly pacing as he spoke deliberately:

"Huang Quan—I've clashed with him before. If I'm not mistaken, not only does he have the Shang Xuan Jian, but the Hun Qie is also in his possession."

Hun Qie, one of the nine supreme divine artifacts, on the same level as Shang Xuan Jian and Xie Zui Gong.

As soon as Xu Xiaoshou's words left his mouth, everyone was stunned.

The shabby uncle was no exception.

He already knew Xu Xiaoshou's identity.

This was just a junior.

Pretending was one thing, but how dare he throw out such unsubstantiated claims that could expose him if wrong?

Yin Cao and Bai Gui were even more dumbfounded.

They knew full well that both Shang Xuan Jian and Hun Qie were with Huang Quan!

But how could outsiders know?

In their minds, the one who mentioned Shang Xuan Jian was already the real Ba Zun An.

Yet now, this other Ba Zun An was asserting that Hun Qie was also with Huang Quan.

And he claimed to have fought Huang Quan?

He even called Huang Quan... a kid?

"Heavens!"

Yin Cao's heart filled with dread.

Which one was the real deal?

If both were fakes, how could they have such accurate information?

One came for the sword.

The other for the blade.

When had imposters of Ba Zun An reached this level of sophistication?

Huang Quan hadn't made a move in who knows how many years.

If these two weren't from that era, how could they know about Shang Xuan Jian and Hun Qie?

On the other side, Xu Xiaoshou had only been bluffing.

But seeing the shifting expressions on Yin Cao's face, he knew he was right.

So, Yan Wang's Huang Quan really possessed both Shang Xuan Jian and Hun Qie, the two supreme divine artifacts?

Even Xu Xiaoshou found this absurd...

What made Huang Quan worthy of that?

After all, Ai Cang Sheng only had one Xie Zui Gong!

And the power of that bow...

Xu Xiaoshou thought back to how that single arrow had shot Sheng Nu's second-in-command, Sang Lao, straight into the Sheng Shen Dian Tang prison, and suddenly it made sense.

That was why the true Sheng Nu leader, Ba Zun An, had told him to leave Yan Wang alone for now.

So, Yan Wang was on that level of abnormality?

"Hun Qie is there too?"

The shabby uncle in the distance was clearly surprised by this new information.

He stepped forward, fixing his gaze on Yin Cao, and got straight to the point:

"I don't like killing. Tell me where Huang Quan is, and I won't trouble you juniors."

Juniors...

In the shabby uncle's eyes, even Zhan Dao were mere juniors.

This made Jiang Chao Tian, Yin Cao, and Bai Gui all feel a profound sense of powerlessness.

Here was someone with Jian Nian.

If he wasn't Ba Zun An, he couldn't be far off!

Surely, a person with Jian Nian couldn't be so weak as to not even reach the innate level in a real fight?

With that judgment in mind, Yin Cao had no desire to fight the uncle, but he couldn't reveal Huang Quan's whereabouts.

So, for the moment, he was stuck, unable to respond.

"Not speaking?"

The uncle pressed forward step by step.

His momentum built, overwhelmingly suffocating.

But just then, Shuo Shuren suddenly spoke up:

"Both of you, hold on!"

At this point, Shuo Shuren couldn't tell which was Xu Xiaoshou and which was the imposter, or which was the real Ba Zun An.

But he didn't want to expose anyone, in case one of them was an ally.

So, as a Zhan Dao, he humbly interjected.

The Xu Xiaoshou version of Ba Zun An and the shabby uncle version both turned to look at Shuo Shuren.

Under those two pairs of piercing gazes, Shuo Shuren felt deeply uncomfortable.

They looked way too similar!

Ba Zun An, oh Ba Zun An, what on earth did you do out there to create these near-perfect copies?

Suppressing his urge to complain, Shuo Shuren announced a grim fact to everyone:

"Bai Yi is coming."

Outside the small world.

Shuo Shuren hadn't been able to see the shabby uncle's form earlier, but that was because the uncle was too strong.

However, when the aura stirred at the Ling Que trading event and several throne holders and Zhan Dao rushed over to investigate the Sheng Li fluctuations, Shuo Shuren caught wind of it immediately.

His words settled like a stone.

The crowd reacted in various ways.

Jiang Chao Tian knew reinforcements were coming and was overjoyed.

Yan Wang and his companion knew their end was near and were filled with despair.

Xu Xiaoshou, however, started cursing the real Ba Zun An for being ineffective.

After all this time, he still hadn't drawn away Bai Yi and Hong Yi from the trading event.

So...

What was happening at the scene?

Was it over?

Xu Xiaoshou grew anxious.

The only one unfazed was the shabby uncle, who stared straight at Shuo Shuren and asked calmly:

"How long until they arrive?"

Shuo Shuren thought to himself, You're really acting like Ba Zun An, treating others like your subordinates.

But since the other had displayed Jian Nian, he didn't seem like an outsider.

Even the Ba Zun An imposters were basically fans, so half-allies at least.

So, Shuo Shuren replied:

"The space traces are lingering; they can't be delayed much longer. About the time it takes to brew a cup of tea."

"Enough." The shabby uncle nodded, then glanced back at Yan Wang.

The pressure intensified, leaving Yan Wang and his companion in utter panic.

Anyone could tell that with his "Enough," the uncle meant he could finish off Yan Wang and his companion before Bai Yi arrived.

Yin Cao couldn't hold out any longer.

His Hua Xian Mou bloomed with cherry-pink light as he lunged forward.

"Illusion!"

A roar echoed.

Everyone felt the world flip upside down, spinning wildly.

Bai Gui, behind Yin Cao, understood instantly and quickly pulled a drop of golden Sheng Xue from his ring.

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned.

Hua Xian Mou's illusion was powerful, but his "Perception" still occasionally sent glimpses of reality.

And in those glimpses, he saw Bai Gui swallowing the Sheng Xue.

"Yan Wang has Sheng Xue too?"

Xu Xiaoshou was deeply shocked.

But thinking back to how Yan Wang's boss, Huang Quan, wielded both Shang Xuan Jian and Hun Qie, he quickly accepted it.

Still, even with that realization, Xu Xiaoshou couldn't intervene.

Because the images from "Perception" came too late; Hua Xian Mou's illusion affected him somewhat, though not strongly.

He couldn't stop Bai Gui from swallowing the Sheng Xue.

The power of Zhan Dao consuming Sheng Xue was unimaginable.

As Shuo Shuren sensed something was wrong and Jiang Chao Tian found the illusion absurd and forcibly resisted to break free, they all witnessed Bai Gui swallowing the blood.

Everyone knew it was too late.

The Sheng Xue had already gone down his throat!

"Ha! Ba Zun An?"

Yin Cao laughed wildly, and only then did everyone realize he hadn't actually lunged forward. Instead, under the illusion's deception, he and Bai Gui had been retreating in reality.

As he retreated, he taunted:

"You really think I couldn't tell you're a fake? So what if you have Jian Nian? In the end, you're just—"

A soft sound interrupted, and things changed abruptly.

Yin Cao's words halted, and his mocking smile froze on his face.

Then,

A crisp snap rang out.

Everyone's spinning world shattered.

Another scene emerged:

The shabby uncle moved without wind, one version of him sticking close to Bai Gui as he retreated, two fingers clamping the Sheng Xue, while another version stood before Yin Cao, four fingers piercing his throat and silencing his words.

Two uncles?

Everyone was startled, then quickly realized.

Illusion!

Was this also an illusion?

"Illusion?" Yin Cao was equally frightened.

How could there be an illusion that even his Hua Xian Mou couldn't see through?

But as soon as he spoke, he heard his own voice come out muffled.

Suddenly, pain surged across his face.

Unable to hold back, Yin Cao spat out blood.

Realizing his words were garbled and pain had appeared, Yin Cao's expression turned to horror.

"This isn't an illusion!"