Chapter 1022: I Was Played…

"Teacher!""You must be the Teacher!"Xiuyuan Ke mumbled for a while, finally managing to speak, "A hundred generations for my Eight Venerable... I personally witnessed those words come from your mouth, Teacher. You must be the Teacher, without a doubt!"

A short while ago, Xiuyuan Ke had still believed the person in front of him was his Senior Brother in disguise. But after seeing the Holy Emperor's Golden Edict, the anomalies across the Five Regions, and those world-shattering pronouncements, even he, foolish as he was, finally understood. This level of power was beyond anything his Senior Brother could achieve.

Xiuyuan Ke vaguely remembered that back in Moon-Visiting Immortal City, his Senior Brother had mentioned that this operation might lead to an encounter with the Teacher, which was why he had decisively joined. However, he had never imagined that the encounter would come so swiftly.

He had only just arrived at Lone Sound Cliff when he witnessed the live scene of the Teacher declaring his return to the Five Regions. For a "fanatical worshiper of the Eighth Sword Immortal," this was like Lord Ye, who loved dragons, encountering a real dragon, or a devout believer witnessing a miracle. It was simply... dreamlike!

Eight Venerable, standing nearby, was still in a state of confusion. *Teacher?* When did I take on an unfamiliar disciple? This guy couldn't be Xu Xiaoshou in disguise again, could he?

"It's me..." Seeing the Teacher's bewilderment, Xiuyuan Ke pointed to himself and spoke emphatically, "I am Xiuyuan Ke, the swordsman from Moon-Visiting Immortal City! My Senior Brother taught me all nine sword arts. He also told me that only after meeting you, Teacher, and gaining your approval, would I qualify to learn Sword Intent."

This... Cen Qiaofu and Water Ghost's expressions immediately turned odd. So, after all that, this truly was one of their own? Since he was Xiao Kongdong's junior brother, it was clear this minor matter should be handled by Eight Venerable. Both of them immediately lost the desire to intervene.

Eight Venerable finally realized that Xiuyuan Ke was just one of the thousands upon thousands across the continent who claimed to be his students. As for Sword Intent... "Oh, dear!" Eight Venerable clearly hadn't expected Xiao Kongdong to kick the ball back to him. Where would he find the extra time to teach Sword Intent to an unrelated swordsman right now? Even an important talent like Xu Xiaoshou, who received the 'Sword Contemplation Scripture,' was entrusted to Xiao Kongdong to handle, demonstrating how pressed for time Eight Venerable was with his own schedule.

There were countless Xiuyuan Kes. If Eight Venerable were to spend time guiding every one of his worshipers, there would probably be no "Mr. Sǐ Rén" in this world, but rather a "Mr. Eight." Most importantly, the Sky City was about to fall; this was no time to discuss such minor matters.

"Please wait a moment," Eight Venerable said gently to Xiuyuan Ke."Good, good! I can wait! I can wait anytime!" Xiuyuan Ke was extremely excited; his idol had spoken to him. He felt an ecstatic joy, like flowers blooming on his head, and was overwhelmed with happiness.

"Let's reel in the net first," Eight Venerable said, turning to Water Ghost."Alright," Water Ghost nodded indifferently. Once Sky City fell, he knew it was time to collect the "big fish" trapped in the vast net he had laid beneath Lone Sound Cliff.

Without hesitation, the Water-element profound array under his feet spun. At that moment, the other three people at the Lone Sound Cliff ruins were drawn by the sight. Xiuyuan Ke watched, secretly startled. This was a "true Profound Array"! This person looked quite old; he wasn't Yu Lingdi, the Head of the Spirit Division of the Holy Divine Palace. So who could he be? The key was, if the Teacher wasn't his Senior Brother in disguise, then these people around him must also be true contemporary powerhouses, right? It was highly likely they were all among the Nine Seats of the Holy Slaves!

"Oh my goodness!" Xiuyuan Ke felt like he had come into contact with the world's highest echelon of people, those at the very peak. He glanced at Cen Qiaofu again, thinking that if he wasn't mistaken, he had just caused an incident...

"What on earth was I doing just now?!" At this thought, Xiuyuan Ke was so embarrassed he almost buried his face in the ground. Fortunately, Cen Qiaofu didn't mind such trivial matters. After learning that Xiuyuan Ke was one of them, and seeing the young swordsman's furtive glances, he merely smiled away the past, signaling that there was no need for resentment. "What a good person!" Xiuyuan Ke was so moved he almost shed tears. Sure enough, everyone around the Teacher was an exceptionally good person!

As thoughts spun, in a flash of lightning, Water Ghost had completed his hand seals, and a strong spiritual energy aura pulsed from him. Xiuyuan Ke and Cen Qiaofu showed no unusual reaction. Eight Venerable, however, was swept by the aura, his steps faltered, and he nearly stumbled.

Before Cen Qiaofu could move, Xiuyuan Ke quickly steadied Eight Venerable."Thank you," Eight Venerable said. After Eight Venerable thanked him, Xiuyuan Ke's other senses faded; his eyes glowed with fervor as he stared at the hands that had steadied the Teacher, his heart having already made a decision... For the next few decades, he would never wash his hands again!

"Boom—" As the Water-element profound array expanded to its limit, the sea of clouds around Lone Sound Cliff trembled, and the sound of waves crashing against the shore suddenly roared. Then, propelled by the currents, the vast deep sea beneath the cliff continuously shrank, transforming into a floating sphere dozens of yards in size. Guided by the God-Controlling Sea Halberd, it slowly rose above the sea of clouds in the cliff.

"Deep Sea World!" Cen Qiaofu's gaze was solemn. This was Water Ghost's domain, the "Deep Sea World," merged with the God-Controlling Sea Halberd. From outside this world, he could see blurry, miniaturized figures. Upon closer inspection, all the familiar individuals were inside.

Inside were the Jiang Clan's Half-Saint, Yellow Springs, and the Five Declines of Heavenly Beings, still engaged in battle. There were also Rao Yaoyao, Xu Xiaoshou, and the Jiang Clan's Half-Saint's external manifestation, still confronting each other before the Void Door. Additionally, various bewildered infiltrators were scattered within the water spheres; those who had survived until now were mostly Grand-Void realm experts, with only a few from the Dao-Severing realm. These were essentially well-known figures from the Five Regions who had risked their lives for opportunities and Xu Xiaoshou's bounty.

Xiuyuan Ke was also trembling in awe. With just this single move, he understood how vast and powerful the Teacher's and this Water-element profound master's collaborative scheme truly was! One had summoned Sky City; the other had imprisoned Grand-Void realm experts from all five regions, and even Half-Saints, within the Deep Sea World. Together, these two were an utterly world-destroying combination!

Putting himself in their shoes, Xiuyuan Ke believed that no matter how much he cultivated, he would never conceive such an absurd idea as overthrowing the entire world order. With his abilities, he probably couldn't achieve it even if he thought of it. But the Teacher and this golden beast-masked man, not only had such ideas at cultivation realms below Half-Saint, but they also implemented them, and crucially, succeeded!

"As expected of the Teacher..." Xiuyuan Ke secretly glanced at Eight Venerable's chiseled facial features, his eyes now sparkling. This time, he could be considered a witness to history, couldn't he? When history recorded the events of Lone Sound Cliff, four people would be mentioned: Eight Venerable, the golden beast-masked man, Senior Cen Qiaofu, and himself, Xiuyuan Ke.

"The Teacher, the Holy Slave grandees, and I are going to wreak havoc on Lone Sound Cliff. The Teacher and the grandees will handle the havoc, and I'll handle the 'ga-ga'..." As he mused, Water Ghost had clearly condensed the power of the Deep Sea World to its absolute limit.

He unhesitatingly poured all the boundless energy he had plundered from this place into the Void Door. And then..."Void Door, open!"With his hands forming a seal, the Deep Sea World hummed and trembled, and an immense power erupted, immediately giving rise to anomalies within.

In the Deep Sea, before the Void Door, Rao Yaoyao was still confronting King Yan and Yellow Springs, listening to Half-Saint Jiang Buyi's evasive arguments, but her mind was no longer focused on the current situation. At this moment, her thoughts were utterly chaotic. It was supposed to be that the situation at Lone Sound Cliff was single-handedly orchestrated by King Yan and Water Ghost, and the grand scheme here was also solely brought about by this person.

But why... was the name "Eight Venerable" inscribed on that astonishing Holy Emperor's Golden Edict that just appeared?

Eight Venerable... Didn't this guy just recently go into the deep sea to accuse and report Half-Saint Jiang Buyi and King Yan's machinations? How did he, in the blink of an eye, emerge from the deep sea and summon Sky City?

Rao Yaoyao considered her intellect, if not unparalleled in the world, then certainly among the most outstanding in the spirit refining realm. Yet her own conjectures and deductions were repeatedly challenged and overturned by the current situation... Her composure was beginning to crack!

"Why?""These people who clearly have nothing to do with each other..." Rao Yaoyao's eyes were bloodshot, filled only with shock, suspicion, and bewilderment. Her current state was strikingly similar to Lan Ling, the red-clad squad leader in White Cave, whose mental state Xu Xiaoshou had completely shattered.

"What exactly is happening here? Is Water Ghost King Yan's or the Holy Slaves'? Are King Yan and the Jiang Clan's Half-Saint cooperating, scheming for the Tear Clan's Pupils and the Holy Emperor's position... or have the Holy Slaves also intervened, using the names of both factions to achieve their own greater scheme?"

As Rao Yaoyao kept pondering, she unconsciously cupped her hands over her forehead. She couldn't reach any effective conclusion!

"Yellow Springs is Yellow Springs, Water Ghost is Water Ghost, Eight Venerable is Eight Venerable, and the Jiang Clan's Half-Saint is just the Jiang Clan's Half-Saint... But why, when these people are brought together and stirred, can they produce so many strange identities and absurd combinations? There must be another dark hand at play, driving the development of the situation... Who could it be?!"

Rao Yaoyao's head felt like it was about to explode. She was clearly within the game, supposedly controlling the situation from a god's-eye view, a pure strategist. Yet, unknowingly, everything happening both here and outside, in its twists and turns, had turned her into a mere pawn to be manipulated.

"I'm right here, I've seen everything, yet I know nothing. I... I'm like a useless piece of trash!" Rao Yaoyao's mind was bewildered, her composure shattered. Her thoughts, which she had believed capable of containing all chaos, also spiraled out of control, like a tangled ball of yarn, completely messed up. A single Holy Emperor's Golden Edict had caused her entire worldview to collapse.

"I've been played..." Just then, the Void Door behind her hummed and trembled, and immense power surged forth.

The Void Door, surprisingly, opened without being pushed!"Sword Immortal Rao...""Sword Immortal Rao...""Rao Yaoyao!!!"Teng Shanhai called out three times, finally pulling Rao Yaoyao back from her chaotic thoughts.

He was somewhat bewildered. Before the Holy Emperor's Golden Edict appeared, Rao Yaoyao had seemed to have everything under control. The news of Half-Saint Jiang Buyi's plot for the Holy Emperor's position should have been cause for great joy for the informant. How then... did Rao Yaoyao suddenly seem to lose all her composure, like someone about to suffer qi deviation?

"Sword Immortal Rao, the Void Door has opened by itself. What should we do?" Teng Shanhai asked anxiously."How wonderful..." Rao Yaoyao glanced at the trembling, self-opening Void Door, then, out of the corner of her eye, spotted Teng Shanhai, Night Owl, and the other Grand-Void realm experts trapped in the water spheres, and she sighed with emotion.

Wouldn't it be great to be a general? Only needing to charge forward, only needing to care about immediate matters. No need to control the grand scheme, and certainly no need to ponder over things like the "killer of anomalies," King Yan and Water Ghost, Half-Saints plotting for the Holy Emperor's position, why the Void Door is here and where it leads, who the mastermind guiding everything is... and so on, all these chaotic and disorderly matters!

If one's capabilities aren't enough, why must one try to show off and be the commander? The situation here is fundamentally beyond the grasp of ordinary people; it requires truly extraordinary individuals... You ask me what to do? Who should I ask?

I can't even figure out why this Void Door is here. I've tested it multiple times and still don't know if the path behind this Void Door leads to Sky City or some other forbidden land. What can I possibly answer you?

Rao Yaoyao's lips trembled, and she was utterly unable to speak."Sword Immortal Rao?" Teng Shanhai saw Rao Yaoyao's listless gaze and didn't know what else to say.

He couldn't empathize with that despair, as his mind wasn't as sharp as Rao Yaoyao's. But he could vaguely sense that Rao Yaoyao had too much on her mind, and now, none of the interconnected problems had been resolved; instead, it seemed everything was on the verge of... complete collapse?

"Buzz—" The Void Door continued to tremble. This time, it wasn't just a crack that opened, but showed signs of both doors swinging wide. Dazzling light swirled, and a suction force emerged.

"Ah!""No!""What in the world is this? Why is it sucking me in?"Screams were endless. Many Grand-Void realm experts, trapped in water spheres and unable to resist, were sucked into the Void Door. The rest used their own abilities to resist the suction.

"What did you just say this was?" Half-Saint Jiang Buyi's manifestation resisted the Void Door's suction, looking at Teng Shanhai with some disbelief.Teng Shanhai glanced at Rao Yaoyao, saw her lack of desire to speak, and replied, "The Void Door. Isn't this what you came for?"

"Came for this? This Saint came for the Void Door, my ass!" Jiang Buyi panicked. Outsiders didn't know, but he knew very well. The Void Door connected to Sky City, also known as Void Island. Void Island superficially contained the foundation for sainthood, but in reality, it was a place of exile for Half-Saints and Holy Emperors.

"This thing, this Saint couldn't avoid it fast enough; why would he desire it? To plot for some Half-Saint opportunity? This Saint is already a Saint!"

"I've been played..." At that moment, after much deliberation, Jiang Buyi could only conclude that he had been jointly manipulated by Night Cat Water Ghost and King Yan Yellow Springs. These two had forced him into the fray, quickly captured Situ Yongren, then publicly smeared him before Rao Yaoyao, and without waiting for him to explain everything to the Rao Clan's Enforcers, they opened the Void Door...

If this wasn't a blatant setup, what was it?"Those two damned bastards!"

Jiang Buyi wanted to resist. He was truly wronged! His crime wasn't that severe, yet he had become a complete scapegoat! How could he not resist? But the Forbidden Law Barrier restricted his abilities, and like Rao Yaoyao and the others, he was irresistibly drawn in.

"Rao Yaoyao, you are from the Holy Emperor Clan, possessing the Holy Emperor's will! You can resist the Void Door's suction!" Just before being exiled, Jiang Buyi couldn't help but shout loudly.

Resist? Rao Yaoyao listlessly lifted her eyelids and glanced at Jiang Buyi. Why should she resist?

She couldn't confirm anything else right now, but the one thing she could be certain of was that Jiang Buyi was plotting for the Holy Emperor's position, which made him an enemy of the Rao Clan! Since she couldn't untangle the complex schemes, she would return to the basics... If Jiang Buyi was an enemy, then she should not cooperate with whatever he desired most. Wasn't that a simple principle?

"You're... dreaming!" Just before being sucked into the Void Door, Rao Yaoyao's lips curled into a sneer, and she spoke, enunciating each word, with loud derision.

I'm tired! Let it all be destroyed! I give up! Let's all go into the Void Door together, no matter what's behind it... My surname is Rao; I can't die. You all do as you please.