Chapter 782: Eight Venerables Secretly Want to Cultivate the Holy Emperor

The First Floor of the Heavens.

When Xu Xiaoshou led his people back to their own base at Tian Shang Di Yi Lou and safely released everyone from the Yuanfu, he could finally let out a complete sigh of relief.

This meant that the risks of the trade fair had come to a temporary end.

Over at the Yunlun Mountains.

Ba Zun An, with his single-handed efforts, had drawn the full hatred of all the Red Robes and White Robes.

But the exact outcome was unknown to outsiders.

At the level of the Eighth Sword Immortal, what he set out to do and the results of his actions were clearly beyond Xu Xiaoshou's ability to speculate.

Setting those thoughts aside.

The fact that Xu Xiaoshou dared to bring his people back to Tian Shang Di Yi Lou meant he believed he had successfully separated the identities of Sheng Nu Xu Xiaoshou and Ban Sheng successor Xu Detie during the Wang City night battle.

Though he had acted out of necessity, with many events unfolding in between and some details not handled perfectly.

The Sheng Shen Hall wasn't full of fools, and they would likely notice some oddities upon careful reflection afterward.

But in the end, those were minor details, nothing serious.

They would deal with soldiers when they came and floods with earthworks.

As long as the overall direction didn't go wrong.

Even if the Sheng Shen Hall found some small flaws, they wouldn't be able to directly convict anyone.

There were plenty of problematic forces in Wang City, and Tian Shang Di Yi Lou was just one more with suspicious timing and motives.

This was a critical period for the Wang City trials, and Ba Zun An had stirred things up in the Yunlun Mountains by summoning Xukong Island.

At this point, the Sheng Shen Hall was probably overwhelmed and scrambling.

If they were to launch an investigation...

In terms of timing, it was very likely to happen after the Wang City trials.

In terms of priority, Tian Shang Di Yi Lou might not even be at the top of the list for scrutiny—the real ones to panic were the established forces in Wang City.

As one of the parties involved in the Wang City night battle.

Xu Xiaoshou was indeed quite anxious afterward, but he also understood the logic.

"This world never operates based on individuals alone."

Stepping back to look at the bigger picture.

There were far too many major forces in Wang City to share the hatred of the Sheng Shen Hall.

Viewed this way, Tian Shang Di Yi Lou, as an ordinary little organization, probably wouldn't be the first to suffer.

So.

If the enemy doesn't move, I won't move.

Just proceed steadily and take the next steps carefully.

With a creak,

The door to the cultivation room was pushed open.

After sending away the exhausted Xiao Wanfeng, Xu Xiaoshou stepped into the room alone and immediately spotted the elderly man sitting there.

"You're here?"

Cen Qiaofu waved at the young man, poured him a cup of tea, and gestured for him to sit.

As soon as Xu Xiaoshou sat down, he took the initiative to ask, "If I'm not mistaken, protecting me at the trade fair wasn't your main task, was it?"

In the streets, after Mei Si Ren caught the Night Watcher's sword with two fingers and Cen Qiaofu appeared, he hadn't left. Instead, he had followed them all the way back to Tian Shang Di Yi Lou for protection.

Though it was called "protection,"

Xu Xiaoshou knew that with Mr. Mei Si Ren around, he couldn't possibly be in danger.

So, Cen Qiaofu's decision to come along must involve other instructions from the Sheng Nu leader.

And since Ba Zun An had set off right after communicating with him, this instruction was likely decided long before.

Xu Xiaoshou was genuinely curious.

What was that masked man ultimately after, step by step arranging him into this position?

"You're really quite clever..."

Cen Qiaofu didn't hold back his praise. "Much better than that bald-headed master of yours."

Xu Xiaoshou: "..."

"Let's get to the point!" He rolled his eyes and didn't respond.

Cen Qiaofu set down his teacup and smiled. "The leader sent me to ask if you're curious about why he had you come to Wang City to stir up trouble and what it's all for in the end."

"Not curious." Xu Xiaoshou shook his head. "Isn't it just the Wang City trials and Xukong Island?"

"It is indeed those two."

Cen Qiaofu smiled warmly and continued, "But what does he ultimately want from the Wang City trials and Xukong Island?"

At this, Xu Xiaoshou was slightly stunned.

He was a bit curious about that.

But his original intention in going to East Tian Wang City wasn't really to fully commit to helping the Sheng Nu.

"I'm not curious about that, and you don't need to tell me. Causing trouble is just causing trouble—I don't want to go any further."

Xu Xiaoshou waved his hand dismissively, looking resistant. "Your... um, our leader said he'd give me full autonomy, as long as the final goal aligns with the Sheng Nu's. So, if you're trying to trick me, there's no need."

Cen Qiaofu was momentarily at a loss for words.

But he was used to Xu Xiaoshou's way of thinking and didn't mind.

"Really don't want to know?"

"Don't."

"Are you sure?"

"Uh..."

Xu Xiaoshou looked at the old man's face, full of that signature knowing smile, and suddenly felt a chill down his spine—it didn't seem right.

Of course!

What this old man meant was basically, "If you don't know, you'll just be blindly led along."

And rather than choosing not to know and still being unable to resist,

It was better to understand the root causes so he could avoid some detours.

As for refusing to learn in order to reject Ba Zun An's control... Xu Xiaoshou didn't think he had that capability yet.

He had experienced Sang Lao's schemes more than once.

If he truly didn't learn anything this time, he might just stumble right into the pit Ba Zun An had dug for him.

So, after a moment of thought, Xu Xiaoshou changed his tune: "Well, if you really want to say it, I'm not completely unwilling to listen."

Cen Qiaofu rolled his eyes and chuckled dismissively at this tsundere little hedgehog...

He straightened his thoughts, tapping his fingers as he said, "Have you heard of the Sheng Gong trials and the Si Xiang Mi Jing?"

"Hmm?" Xu Xiaoshou raised an eyebrow.

"If you place in the top three of the Wang City trials, you can enter the Si Xiang Mi Jing, and you must go." Cen Qiaofu was straightforward.

Xu Xiaoshou laughed at that.

He knew this was the path Ba Zun An had planned for him after the battle at the Eight Palaces.

That had been his plan too.

But as they say, plans don't survive contact with reality.

Xu Xiaoshou spread his hands, looking helpless as he said,

"You weren't there for last night's battle, so you probably don't know—I've already broken through to Zongshi."

"It's not that I didn't want to suppress my cultivation; it's just that fighting Tai Xu as a Xian Tian was really tough. In the end, I was forced to break through forcibly."

"Now that I'm at Zongshi, it's a bit easier to fight."

"I suspect this was also Rao Yao Yao's strategy—she doesn't want a genius like me to enter the Wang City trials and ultimately the Sheng Gong trials."

Xu Xiaoshou said it all casually.

But Cen Qiaofu was left speechless, his scalp tingling.

After the Wang City battle last night, the name of Sheng Nu Xu Xiaoshou was known to almost everyone, so how could he not have paid attention?

This kid was just too good at playing it cool!

Fighting Tai Xu as a Xian Tian...

Wasn't that just relying on Sheng Xue and Sheng Xiang?

In a different place or against different opponents, without Wang City's backup, you could pull back, fight one-on-one, and with Dao Severing plus Sheng Xue, you'd crush them to death. Got it?

But Cen Qiaofu only grumbled about this internally.

He knew Xu Xiaoshou was aware of it too.

So, after a pause, Cen Qiaofu refocused, his words homing in on Xu Xiaoshou's casual guess at the end.

"You're actually right—Rao Yao Yao did it on purpose to keep you out of the Wang City trials and the Sheng Gong trials, so she used the Hongchen Sword to force you to break through to Zongshi."

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes widened immediately.

"What did you say?"

"Shocked, Passive Points, 1."

This time, Xu Xiaoshou was truly shocked.

He had thought it was just a coincidence...

Cen Qiaofu leaned back with a smile, speaking slowly: "Did you think your extraordinary talent let you break through the Hongchen Sword's illusions—Rao Yao Yao's Dao that can sever thrones and paths—purely through sheer willpower?"

Xu Xiaoshou was dumbfounded. "Wasn't that how it was?"

At this point, he wasn't being polite.

For others, humility might be a virtue.

But Xu Xiaoshou truly believed his breakthrough of the Hongchen predicament came from his past life's experiences, which allowed him to succeed.

If you swapped in any other Xian Tian cultivator, no one could escape Rao Yao Yao's Hongchen Sword.

Not even the young Ba Zun An!

Xu Xiaoshou was absolutely certain of this, so there was no need for modesty. And right now, the Cen Qiaofu in front of him didn't deserve his modesty...

"You're wrong."

Cen Qiaofu shook his head slowly, speaking seriously:

"The Hongchen enlightenment is fundamentally the best way for Hongchen Sword practitioners to aid themselves and their juniors in cultivation."

"And I have to say, even though what you said is quite annoying,"

"The title of Sheng Nu Xu Xiaoshou as a prodigy of heaven has already spread throughout the entire Sheng Shen Hall, even to their domain headquarters, before last night's battle!"

Hearing this, a faint smile crept onto Xu Xiaoshou's lips.

In that moment, he felt a secret thrill, like being wanted with an outrageously high bounty.

Cen Qiaofu twitched at the corner of his mouth watching this.

"Please, continue."

Xu Xiaoshou quickly composed his smile.

He knew the old woodcutter had more important words coming, probably after the next "but."

And indeed.

Cen Qiaofu wasn't here to flatter him. His expression turned stern as he spoke:

"While being famous across the land might bring a smug satisfaction, it also means the Sheng Shen Hall's higher-ups have noticed you, especially when you're still so weak."

Xu Xiaoshou's face stiffened as he finally grasped the true intent behind the old man's words.

Cen Qiaofu sneered: "A Xian Tian who can toy with Red Robe thrones and Dao Severing experts, and from a 'dark' organization like the Sheng Nu—no wonder they'd think putting someone like that into the Wang City trials or the Sheng Gong trials' Si Xiang Mi Jing could cause massive chaos!"

Xu Xiaoshou sensed something was off.

The old woodcutter had mentioned "Si Xiang Mi Jing" far too many times.

It seemed to echo the mandatory step of "Sheng Gong trials" in Ba Zun An's planned path for him...

Xu Xiaoshou recalled Ba Zun An saying those words when he was still at Xian Tian, not even at its peak.

But theoretically, if the Sheng Shen Hall could see his potential, Ba Zun An should see it even more clearly.

There was no reason for him to assume Xu Xiaoshou would remain at Xian Tian for so long without breaking through.

At that thought, Xu Xiaoshou's mind hit a snag.

He thought it through carefully.

It seemed the Eighth Sword Immortal had only told him to participate in the Wang City trials and Sheng Gong trials, but never explicitly told him to suppress his cultivation.

Suppressing cultivation...

That was just a necessary step for mainland geniuses to enter the Sheng Gong.

But for Ba Zun An, whether Xu Xiaoshou suppressed it or not didn't seem to matter?

"Looks like you've figured something out." Cen Qiaofu picked up his teacup, giving the young man time to think.

Xu Xiaoshou frowned: "If what you said is true, and Rao Yao Yao really forced me to break through to Zongshi..."

Cen Qiaofu, with the teacup at his lips, interrupted immediately: "There's no need for me to lie, and I can affirm it directly—your breakthrough to Zongshi was deliberately orchestrated by Rao Yao Yao!"

"Because to enter the Wang City trials or Sheng Gong trials, you must be below Zongshi. Any excess cultivation will be detected instantly."

"So, if the Xian Tian Sheng Nu Xu Xiaoshou who can rival Dao Severing breaks through to Zongshi and still insists on joining the Wang City trials..."

"It's like marching into enemy lines with a banner, courting death!"

Xu Xiaoshou's face turned pale with shock.

He had thought that breaking through to Zongshi just meant skipping the Wang City trials.

After all, he had that little sister from the Jin Zhao lineage who seemed to be looking for relatives. As long as he verified she was truly one of his own and not here to deceive him,

Xu Xiaoshou had even considered jumping straight past the Sheng Gong trials and heading to the famous Sheng Gong Da E Lake to watch the fat geese play.

But from what the old woodcutter said...

Not only did the Sheng Shen Hall think he'd participate after breaking through, but Ba Zun An did too.

At this point, shouldn't he, Xu Xiaoshou, think the same?

Xu Xiaoshou fell into deep thought and finally said, "I get it roughly. The result isn't the goal—what you want is the process?"

Cen Qiaofu corrected him: "Not 'you'—it's 'we'."

Xu Xiaoshou pondered, then asked, "What will happen in the Wang City trials, or rather, the Sheng Gong trials?"

Cen Qiaofu smiled and pointed at the ceiling: "See for yourself!"

Xu Xiaoshou looked up at the dark ceiling.

He realized Cen Qiaofu wasn't referring to the ceiling itself.

With a moment of perception, the world outside Tian Shang Di Yi Lou became clearer.

Above...

Xu Xiaoshou gazed into the void at the majestic Sky City, now moving more slowly, and fell silent for a moment.

If they could summon Xukong Island before the Wang City trials,

Then the Sheng Gong trials—surely another big move by the heavyweights?

"Why should I participate in the Sheng Gong trials?"

Xu Xiaoshou was genuinely curious now. "It doesn't seem necessary, right? You mentioned the 'Si Xiang Mi Jing' as the trial site for this Sheng Gong trial—what's the secret behind it?"

Cen Qiaofu didn't answer directly but countered, "Why do you want to enter the Sheng Gong?"

"I..."

Xu Xiaoshou was momentarily speechless.

He thought of Sang Lao's words.

At first, it was Sang Lao who gave him that aspiration, planting the idea of entering the Sheng Gong to see the "Da E Lake" that had one more character than "E Lake."

Later, Sang Lao left, and Ba Zun An took over that expectation, giving him a path to enter the Sheng Gong—a place that cultivates saints—and use it as a springboard to climb Gui Zhe Sheng Mountain and save Sang Lao.

But was the Sheng Gong the only place to cultivate saints?

Cen Qiaofu smiled and voiced the question in Xu Xiaoshou's heart: "Do you think the leader couldn't cultivate you into a Ban Sheng if he wanted to?"

At that, Xu Xiaoshou was truly stumped.

If the subject weren't Ba Zun An, not just Xu Xiaoshou, but anyone else hearing this might laugh at Cen Qiaofu for asking something so audacious.

But since it was Ba Zun An... it seemed perfectly fine?

Cen Qiaofu pressed on: "Then, do you think a Ban Sheng is enough? Is that all the leader wants to cultivate?"

Xu Xiaoshou froze again.

Was a Ban Sheng enough?

Gui Zhe Sheng Mountain probably had more than one Ban Sheng.

If he were to climb it, and Ba Zun An were to as well, each seeking their own justice,

How could just one Ban Sheng suffice?

Cen Qiaofu didn't wait for an answer, but he already knew it all as he asked finally: "So, what level do you think the leader wants to cultivate you to? Is it... Sheng Di?"

With a buzz, Xu Xiaoshou's mind went blank.

Sheng Di...

Honestly, before this, Xu Xiaoshou had never even considered it.

He had barely given the two characters "Sheng Di" a serious thought, let alone counted the times!