Chapter 828: Xu Shao, oh Xu Shao, without you, what can I do?

He immediately declared four counts against him. Then, clenching his fist, the Wangzuo domain unfolded with a boom, directly enveloping Wu Lao within it.

“Injustice!”

Caught off guard by the Wangzuo domain, Wu Lao's heart was filled with terror.

He was in a sealed state, and unsealing it would take time, leaving him like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered, utterly unable to fight back.

In a flash of inspiration, he dropped to his knees: “Trial Officer, you've got it wrong! I'm truly a trial participant. I only possess Xiantian cultivation. I haven't violated any rules…”

A black blade descended from the sky like a bolt of black lightning tearing through the heavens, suddenly striking Wu Lao's neck as he knelt there.

“Damn it!”

At that critical moment, Wu Lao's eyes bulged with rage.

With no alternative, he forcibly broke his seal at the cost of depleting his foundational essence. With a boom, a Wangzuo aura erupted from his body.

The void trembled violently.

Simultaneously, high above in the nine heavens, among tens of thousands of spirit mirrors, one turned blood red, instantly drawing attention.

Rao Yaoyao turned her head, staring at the screen, a smirk curling at her lips.

“It's here.”

Swoosh.

Within the domain, blood sprayed out, and a head thudded to the ground, rolling away.

Then, the power of Dao annihilation enveloped Wu Lao's bisected corpse, completely severing his life force and any chance of resurrection.

Right up until his death, Wu Lao hadn't managed to land a single effective counterattack.

“Zhan Dao…”

He murmured silently, his rolling head with eyes bulging in endless regret.

All because of one slip of the tongue.

With a single slash, he was gone.

The black-clad figure waved his hand, collecting the head and corpse. He then cleaned up the scene, shaking his head with a smile.

“Why bother?”

“With your cultivation sealed, forcibly entering the Tianji World, even if you only encountered a Wangzuo-level trial officer, as long as they didn't waste words, they could have cut down someone at your Xiantian level with one strike—let alone me?”

“A lamb waiting to be slaughtered—how ridiculous!”

After sighing, the black-clad trial officer retracted the domain.

Qiu Sheng was stunned.

He had only stepped back for a moment, never expecting a battle to erupt so suddenly.

The black-clad trial officer's domain had directly enveloped Wu Lao, indicating a fight at the Wangzuo level or above, where he couldn't intervene at all.

In just a few breaths,

When the domain lifted, Wu Lao was nowhere to be seen.

The ground bore a faint, treated bloodstain, barely noticeable.

If you didn't look closely, you'd think it was just red earth.

Yet, the black-clad trial officer, radiating killing intent, stood not far away, and the spot where that red earth was had clearly been where Wu Lao, the guest elder of the Zhongyu Taixu Qiu family, had stood!

“I…” Qiu Sheng stammered, utterly shocked. “I… where's Wu Lao?”

“Are you asking about that smuggler from earlier?” The black-clad figure smiled, lifting his gaze to Qiu Sheng, his eyes flooding with killing intent, making Qiu Sheng collapse to the ground with a thud.

“H-he's not a smuggler…”

“Hmm, alright, if you say he's not, then he's not.” Realizing he'd frightened the young man, the black-clad figure blinked hard to suppress his killing intent and said with a grin, “You continue with your trial. Your Wu Lao has some business and needs to accompany me. You don't need to wait for him.”

With that, he turned and took a step, then another, vanishing into the Dao principles in a flash.

Qiu Sheng's heart was in turmoil.

Dead!

Wu Lao was dead!

All because of that single word “old man” he had used earlier, Wu Lao was slain just like that.

He was at the peak of Wangzuo, just one step from Zhan Dao!

This time, coming to Dongtian Wangcheng, if there had been enough time, Wu Lao might have broken through to Zhan Dao before the arrival of Sky City.

But now, it was all gone!

The black-clad trial officer had appeared out of nowhere, extinguishing Wu Lao's ambitions.

And this stern, no-nonsense trial officer, who had flipped his hand and killed Wu Lao without a word of explanation, filled the young Qiu Sheng with immense fear.

“I can stay alive only because I'm a real trial participant with genuine Xiantian cultivation…”

Qiu Sheng's legs began to tremble, and suddenly, his face twisted in fury: “Yunjing World! This damned Yunjing World isn't for testing trial participants at all—it's the Shengshen Hall's inescapable net!”

Several dozen li away, in a patch of underbrush,

Xu Xiaoshou, Liu Changqing, and Xin Gugu were squatting.

After the distant events unfolded, the three exchanged glances.

“Damn it, there are even trial officers?” Xin Gugu was terrified. From that overwhelming killing intent, he could tell it was from the Hong Yi.

And what trial officer? This was his natural enemy!

“They just cut him down without a word?” Xu Xiaoshou's mouth twitched slightly.

The three had been hurrying along when they saw Qiu Sheng slaying beasts, so they stopped to observe from afar.

Because in his “perception,” the aura from Wu Lao that Xu Xiaoshou sensed was a bit odd.

It seemed normal, yet not quite.

Xu Xiaoshou had asked Liu Changqing, but Liu Changqing said he couldn't see through it either—it could be a sealing technique or a special cultivation method, which was normal.

Since even Liu Changqing couldn't discern it, Xu Xiaoshou didn't want to approach and greet them.

But unexpectedly, after a few words of conversation, their slip-up in self-address exposed everything, and in a few breaths, the black-clad enforcer appeared and killed the man on the spot.

How terrifying!

“You still dare to call yourself ‘old man’?” Xu Xiaoshou recovered and smiled at Liu Changqing.

At this moment, Liu Changqing's face was dark with a mix of fear and relief. “Thankfully… uh, thankfully I used the Tianji technique from the start to alter our speech and behavior. I never let my guard down, just in case you two said something wrong.”

“Thankfully, thankfully…”

Liu Changqing patted his chest, gasping for air: “This time, I saved my own life.”

Xin Gugu was still taking deep breaths, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he lamented: “This is some serious stuff. The Yunjing World forces everyone to seal their cultivation to Xiantian level. Once a smuggler is exposed and can't unseal in time, even Hong Yi at Wangzuo or about to reach Zhan Dao get turned into easy targets for chopping down Xiantian cultivators. This… this is like catching turtles in a jar?”

Xin Gugu's face paled: “My sister Tang said the Hong Yi are all sharp as tacks, and she wasn't kidding.”

Xu Xiaoshou had witnessed the whole thing and was equally shaken by the Hong Yi's methods.

This was brilliantly cunning!

Using the Void Island as bait and the Yunjing World to trap people—how many would fall into this net?

The key was, Wu Lao hadn't even done anything excessive; he just misspoke… no, half a sentence.

Yet, just because of that self-reference, he was gone.

“Someone's definitely watching!”

Xu Xiaoshou was certain that the Yunjing World could transmit the trial participants' scenes outward, with people monitoring around the clock.

If a smuggler showed any flaw, the Hong Yi would strike right at your side.

If it was a misunderstanding with a real trial participant, that might be okay.

But if not…

“What a clever feint—building the plank road while secretly crossing at Chencang!”

“This move by the Hong Yi in the atmosphere is even beyond what I expected. It's downright devious!”

Xu Xiaoshou sighed sincerely.

He'd already been extremely cautious, yet he never thought a single slip in wording could drag him into irreversible doom.

If they hadn't witnessed the trial officer's appearance this time,

Perhaps in a few days, if he or Liu Changqing let their guard down, the three of them would be wiped out!

Even the Tian Shang First Tower's holy slave base might be exposed, and people like Mu Zixi, Mo Mo, and Xiao Wanfeng could get inexplicably dragged in and killed.

Wait!

Thinking of his junior sister and the others, Xu Xiaoshou suddenly felt a pang of worry.

What if nothing went wrong here, but his junior sister made a mistake and exposed herself?

“Shocked, passive points, +1.”

He was startled!

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly realized that this random teleportation might be part of the Hong Yi's higher-ups' scheme.

Scattering everyone, so in any group, there'd always be a few who aren't sharp enough. If one slips up, it drags the whole network down, uprooting everything?

“How ruthless!”

Xu Xiaoshou realized the danger and felt immensely grateful that he'd carved his name as an advertisement.

“I have to get points fast and let them see it, so they can come join me. Otherwise, the longer we wait, the more risks—any slip at a node could get everyone in Tian Shang First Tower killed!”

Xu Xiaoshou sprang to his feet and explained the situation to the others. Xin Gugu and Liu Changqing's faces turned grave.

The three didn't dare linger and dashed forward, pushing to their Xiantian limits.

Yun pearls!

Yun beasts!

It was just the beginning, and the points leaderboard only had about a hundred names.

As long as he earned 100 points first, he believed those with trial jade pendants who occasionally checked the leaderboard would see Xu Xiaoshou's name.

But after a few days, once people got numb to points,

Given Mu Zixi's personality, she might spend the whole day farming points without glancing at the leaderboard, even aiming for first place.

“Find Yun pearls!”

Xu Xiaoshou set a small goal, deciding not to chase those elusive Yun beasts.

The three raced ahead at a turtle's pace, hearts burning with urgency, yet they could only show Xiantian flight speed.

No choice—someone was watching!

In the west,

In a barren wasteland, Xiao Wanfeng stood alone, holding a tea tray and gazing at the sky, tears welling up but not falling.

“Heavens, how am I the only one left!”

After the random teleportation, Xiao Wanfeng realized that as the champion of the Tianluo War, without a guardian to hold his hand and enter, he was on his own.

Realizing this, he despaired.

Originally, following Young Master Xu to Wangcheng for the trial, he was just a tag-along, only needing to serve tea and pour water.

Now, if he had to trial alone…

In his hidden sword state, what trial could he manage?

Forget trials—he couldn't even beat a spirit beast if he encountered one!

Xiao Wanfeng figured his encounters with people or beasts would have only two outcomes:

Either he outran them,

Or he got eaten.

This made him anxious.

So he stood there for half a day, not knowing where to go.

He wanted to move but feared running into people or beasts; he didn't want to move but knew staying put meant waiting to die.

“Young Master Xu, oh Young Master Xu, what am I to do without you…” Xiao Wanfeng grumbled bitterly, his face twisted in distress.

Just then, a spiritual light flashed nearby, clearly signaling a treasure's emergence.

“Go over?”

The young man hesitated again, his face serious as he poured himself a cup of tea, downed it, then dumped out the leaves, picking them out one by one and tossing them on the ground.

“Go.”

“Not go.”

“Go.”

“Not go.”

“Go!”

“Damn it, why is it ‘go’ again? I'm definitely not going!”

The last leaf said “go,” but Xiao Wanfeng's feet felt like they were filled with lead—he couldn't move, and he didn't dare go.

By his feet, the ground was already piled with tea leaves, and he was starting to feel the urge to relieve himself.

His landing spot was clearly a good one, with spiritual lights flashing frequently.

From afar, Xiao Wanfeng could hear the clash of weapons and the screams of agony.

This meant people were fighting over these treasures.

Xiao Wanfeng had checked the “points leaderboard”; every time a treasure appeared, a new name quickly appeared on the board.

He understood.

The spiritual light meant a Yun pearl had surfaced.

Anyone with the fate could rush over and grab it.

From the start until now, Xiao Wanfeng had seen no less than seven or eight flashes.

Fate was there,

But for him, these Yun pearls were fated but not destined.

What was the point of going over? To give them his life?

“Maybe dying is an option…”

Standing there, Xiao Wanfeng suddenly had an epiphany.

He thought that instead of spending ten days in fear and uncertainty, he might as well use up his three “plunder” chances on the trial jade pendant early and get expelled passively.

As for crushing the trial jade pendant…

Who doesn't have some hopes and dreams?

What if he turned a corner and ran into Young Master Xu?

He, Xiao Wanfeng, could die standing up, but not in shameful suicide!

“Go, let's check it out. I want to see what a Yun pearl looks like. Whether I get it or not is one thing, but I've come to the pig farm—might as well see a pig before getting scared back by the squeals!”

Mustering his courage, Xiao Wanfeng took a firm step forward… and relieved himself!

After finishing, he felt refreshed, poured himself some tea to wash his hands, gripped his wooden sword, and strode toward where the Yun pearl had emerged.

In the jumbled rocks,

A spiritual light glowed brilliantly, enveloping a head-sized crystal pearl.

The crystal pearl was milky white, with swirling clouds inside, radiating a strong Dao rhythm and abundant spiritual energy.

Several figures rushed in from all directions, their eyes burning with desire.

“Get out of the way, this Yun pearl is mine!”

“Ha! I saw it first. Once the spiritual light fades, it's mine. Who dares fight me for it? Huh?!”

“Yun pearl? What a treasure! I got one earlier, and it's not just full of pure spiritual essence—it helps with comprehending Dao principles. This isn't a Yun pearl; it's a secret treasure!”

“Mine, mine, all mine…”

Seven figures arrived in an instant, stopping beside the spiritual light of the Yun pearl.

“Damn this spiritual light—it's definitely the higher-ups' doing. A Yun pearl emerging with light is bad enough, but making it last so long is just to lure more people to fight over it.”

“Heh, so that's the trial for you. If you're capable, go up and smash the light, and the Yun pearl's yours.”

“I wouldn't trust you. Even a Zongshi couldn't smash this light.”

The wait was tedious.

Fortunately, no one else showed up.

The group eyed each other warily.

Suddenly, one of them spoke: “I recognize you all. We're all from this area. There have been many Yun pearls here, and most on the points leaderboard are from our group.”

“What are you getting at?” Another turned to face him.

“Team up!”

The one who spoke first smiled: “It's not just us seven here, but there are more Yun pearls. If we team up, no one else can stop us, and then we can split all the Yun pearls evenly.”

Everyone was clever and quickly caught on.

“Good suggestion.”

“I agree!”

“I think it's feasible. We're all experts, and one-on-one fights are a loss. It's easy for others to reap the benefits. I saw one Yun pearl fight turn into a three-way loss, and someone else snatched it.”

As soon as he said that, everyone agreed even more.

The speaker turned his head and laughed: “And that reaper—was that you?”

“Ha! Of course. Treasures go to the fated, so why wouldn't I take it?”

Now, they were all on board.

“With us seven teamed up, no one in this area can beat us.”

“Great. Next, if any fool shows up, we'll just crush their trial jade pendant!”

“No, we have to plunder them three times first before crushing it.” Someone laughed maliciously.

“Ha ha ha…” The seven burst into laughter together.

Just then, from around the bend, a determined figure strode out—Xiao Wanfeng!