Chapter 1072: Two of you, show some leniency, how about it?

"It's time to go in."

When it came to handling organizational matters and trivialities, Xiao Kongtong felt he couldn't compare to Ye Xiaotian. However, regarding a battle—knowing when it should erupt, when it should pause, and when was the best moment for a third party to intervene—Xiao Kongtong was certain that no one understood this better than him. Having played the role of a teacher for so many years, his control over battlefield timing was incredibly precise.

In the current situation, after Mr. Meijiren drew his sword, he was clearly under considerable strain. To wield his sword again would undoubtedly exceed the previous strike, consuming even more energy, so he clearly didn't want to continue. Jiang Buyi, on the other hand, was also in an awkward position. If they were to continue this standoff, the worst-case scenario would be a fight to the death between the two, until one fell. But at this moment, if a third party intervened, things would be different.

Without overthinking, or even considering a discussion, Xiao Kongtong spoke his piece and, ignoring Ye Xiaotian's opinion, leapt straight out. Hundreds of miles were traversed in the blink of an eye. The Great Demonic God Spear arrived first, conspicuously thrusting into the ground between Meijiren and Jiang Buyi with a resounding thud. Then, a somewhat disheveled figure lightly descended, calm and collected, planting one foot on the spear's tip.

"Gentlemen..."

Carrying a burlap sack, Xiao Kongtong spread one hand. He first glanced at Meijiren, then turned his gaze towards the thunder-fire tribulation clouds high above, chuckling: "You've had your fight, and all the emotions that needed venting have been released. You two are pivotal figures on the Saint God Continent. There's absolutely no need to fight to the death over victory or defeat in a mere speck like Void Island. Since you are both fighting for the people of my Saint Slave, then ultimately, it should end by the hands of a Saint Slave..."

He paused, then the corner of Xiao Kongtong's lips curved upward as he spoke in an unquestionable tone: "Today, as Ba Zun'an, I ask you both to grant me this slight favor. Let's put this matter aside for now and, if fate allows, we can battle another day. What do you say?"

On one side was Meijiren, the Seven-Sword Immortal, who had just cleaved a semi-saint avatar with his sword. On the other was Jiang Buyi, the semi-saint, overwhelmed with shame and rage, almost driven to madness. Yet, even in such a white-hot battle, Xiao Kongtong stepped forward without fear. He stood atop the Great Demonic God Spear, his aura as faint as a lone boat adrift in a vast ocean, yet the power of his words was as immense as a whale devouring the seas, fully matching the two combatants.

"Damn it all..." Ye Xiaotian watched, almost losing his mind. If he hadn't already known that the so-called "Ba Zun'an" who had just entered was actually just a junior, the senior disciple of Can Yue Immortal City, whose age wasn't even close to his own, let alone a fraction of Meijiren's or Jiang Buyi's... Ye Xiaotian would have believed that guy's nonsense by now! It was utterly insane! How many times must one impersonate someone to cultivate such courage, allowing Xiao Kongtong to navigate a semi-saint battle with the relaxed ease of a leisurely stroll?

"I'll risk it." Xiao Kongtong, a mere junior, had charged forward. What reason did Ye Xiaotian have to hide behind? Gritting his teeth, a Spatial Amulet Diagram swirled beneath his feet, and he instantly entered the fray, appearing silently behind Xiao Kongtong, looking exactly like Ba Zun'an's little sidekick.

"I..." To be honest, Ye Xiaotian felt a bit ashamed of such an utterly insignificant entrance. It was too undignified! He wanted to say something, just like Xiao Kongtong, to bolster his own presence with words. But then he thought of Meijiren's "sword elephant" monster, the thunder-fire tribulation clouds covering the entire Miracle Forest above, and his gaze inadvertently fell upon the enormous Great Demonic God Spear beneath Xiao Kongtong's feet...

"I have nothing..." Ye Xiaotian felt dejected. Aside from the already vanished Spatial Amulet Diagram beneath his feet, he realized he couldn't produce anything to bolster his presence. Ye Xiaotian hesitated to speak, then stopped himself. What if he couldn't interject? Not speaking... was the greatest presence! In this world, which Throne dared to follow into this battle without disguise? Besides me, Ye Xiaotian, no one dared!

With two of the greatest treasures from Slumbering Valley, one of the Nine Great Absolute Lands, now active, how could the Stone Giants remain idle? A semi-saint rank and the Great Demonic God Spear—these were all things they guarded. Having pursued them for so long, finally tracking them to this battleground of semi-saints, they were indeed afraid. Because these humans possessed the power to completely obliterate them.

But despite their fear, duty compelled them. The Stone Giants each stepped forward, shattering space with their strides, and entered the area, spreading out to encircle the few individuals within a hundred miles of the battlefield. Hundreds of Stone Giants, some reaching a thousand zhang tall, were truly sky-obscuring beings. This encirclement created a colossal open-air fortress on the periphery!

Inside the field, the Void Attendant, who had been timidly cowering against the air wall, no longer needed to desperately reduce its presence. At its height, amidst the towering Stone Giants behind, it was utterly lost in the crowd. If a semi-saint truly attacked, the sky would fall... The tall ones would take the brunt; it wouldn't be the first to die.

"Hoh ho!" The Void Attendant became excited, shuffling its feet and trying to lean back, eager to blend in with its long-unseen good brothers from Slumbering Valley whom it recognized. With so many giants shattering space and entering the fray, the expressions of those present changed. It must be said that "Ba Zun'an" alone might not have been enough to halt such a grand battle. But with the Great Demonic God Spear present and three to four hundred Stone Giants trailing behind him, looking determined to capture him at all costs, even Jiang Buyi, no matter how dull, knew that Ba Zun'an had definitely stirred up trouble after entering Void Island. —Just like himself, Ba Zun'an had acted somewhere, activating the absolute land's properties, and that place was even more exaggerated than Miracle Forest, sending so many giants to hunt him down.

"Ba Zun'an..." Jiang Buyi's true form was the thunder-fire tribulation cloud, so his facial expression was unclear, but there was a hint of apprehension when he uttered that name. The Seven-Sword Immortal, Meijiren, was already this powerful. Could the legend of the "Revered One of the Black and White Veins," once dismissed as a joke, possibly be true?

At this moment, the Stone Giants finally settled with thudding roars. Into the shattered space, in an inconspicuous spot, a tiny black Void Attendant also scurried in. Relatively speaking, this little fellow was quite different. As soon as it entered, unlike the other stone monsters who cowered in the back, it boldly ignored the tense atmosphere within the field. Then, with great loyalty, it ran to help its Void Attendant companion up. The two attendants then together scurried backward, harmoniously blending into the Stone Giant group, standing with hands on hips, and roaring, "Hoh ho!" —It was just like a dog that had been bullied for a long time and finally waited for its master.

Jiang Buyi wasn't very concerned. His focus was solely on three things: Meijiren, Ba Zun'an, and Xu Xiaoshou, who had disappeared from the area. These Stone Giants looked big, but just like the Void Attendant he had fought earlier—they were utterly useless! Jiang Buyi wasn't even willing to spare any extra energy, strength, or attention on the Stone Giants or the Void Attendants. Why should he, Jiang Buyi, clean up the mess that Ba Zun'an had made? He still had so many accusations hanging over his head, and not a single one had been cleared yet!

The semi-saint's face, formed by the thunder-fire tribulation clouds, fixed its gaze on the unwelcome guest who had suddenly appeared on the Great Demonic God Spear, showing no fluctuation from beginning to end.

"Ba Zun'an..." Jiang Buyi's voice was a cold, ethereal roar, "What do you mean by this?"

On the Great Demonic God Spear, Xiao Kongtong covered his mouth and nose, coughing weakly a few times, then lifted his head, smiling in response. "I naturally have no ulterior motive. I didn't come for Xu Xiaoshou, nor do I wish for you to deal with these major troubles behind me. It's simply that... I saw two pillars of the Saint God Continent fighting here and couldn't bear to see one of them fall, so I came to mediate."

As Xiao Kongtong spoke, he turned his gaze to Meijiren. He gave a slight nod of acknowledgment but didn't bow, only asking softly, "Mr. Meijiren, would you grant me this favor and halt this battle?"

Meijiren remained silent. He had noticed this person long ago. Halfway through the battle, these two guys were pushing through the spatial barrier, enduring the battle's aftershocks, stealthily making their way here. He believed Jiang Buyi was aware of them too. It was just that... Why was Ba Zun'an here? Hadn't he said that everything concerning Xu Xiaoshou on Void Island was left to him? Also... Unlike what he saw at Teraji's establishment, why was this kid Ba Zun'an dressed like this now? His aura was unchanged, his appearance was unchanged, but he was much shabbier, and he was carrying a burlap sack... Was it an illusion? He didn't recall seeing that sack before.

Meijiren unfurled his folding fan, suppressing his doubts, and without much concern, said, "This old man has long intended to cease hostilities. The one you should be asking is the semi-saint Jiang above."

"It's best if Mr. Meijiren is willing to grant this favor," Xiao Kongtong said, nodding to him with a smile, then turned his gaze upward, his demeanor suddenly turning cold. "Jiang Buyi, to be honest, I'm not very keen on letting you leave!"

At his words, Ye Xiaotian's entire body tensed, and even Meijiren's brow furrowed slightly. The thunder-fire tribulation clouds high above instantly froze, ceasing their shifts, as if their emotions were reined in, wary of an impending great terror. After his serious expression, Xiao Kongtong suddenly chuckled, "You touched my people; I really wanted to keep you here, but unfortunately, there's no way..."

He suppressed his smile, gazing up gravely, and raised his voice, "Jiang Buyi, I believe you've also seen the changes Miracle Forest has undergone due to this battle..." After such a major battle here, it could no longer be called a "forest"; "ruins" would be more accurate.

"I've disturbed Slumbering Valley, and my friend here," Xiao Kongtong gestured to Ye Xiaotian, "has disturbed Sin Hall." Ye Xiaotian's face immediately darkened. "Two of the Nine Great Absolute Lands have already awakened, plus Miracle Forest here..." Xiao Kongtong had no intention of joking, speaking gravely: "Jiang Buyi, you wouldn't want to know the dangers that will befall everyone on Void Island when the properties of the Nine Great Absolute Lands are activated and a third fully awakens and takes shape. Nor would you want to know why only native combatants below the semi-saint level, including Void Attendants and Stone Giants, appear on Void Island's Outer Isles... Where have those existences that reached the Saint level gone? And you definitely wouldn't want to know the true difference between the Outer Isles and Inner Isles. If you were caught by one of the three activated Absolute Lands and dragged into the Inner Isles, what complicated procedures would it take to..."

Xiao Kongtong drew out his last syllable. At this moment, Meijiren was silent, his expression having turned solemn. Ye Xiaotian, meanwhile, was utterly confused, no longer able to tell if the man before him was Xiao Kongtong truly embodying Ba Zun'an, or if Ba Zun'an was operating under a deeper, more layered impersonation that involved Xiao Kongtong. Because he couldn't possibly question Xiao Kongtong's words; they were spoken with such conviction!

High above, Jiang Buyi's curiosity was piqued. It must be said that while ordinary people might not care about the secrets of Void Island's Inner Isles, semi-saints were definitely full of interest.

"To what end?""To get out?" Jiang Buyi sneered, "Ba Zun'an, it's rumored you've entered Void Island's Inner Isles... This Saint is curious, how did you get out?"

"Get out?" Xiao Kongtong stood between the Great Demonic God Spear, seizing control of the situation with just a few words. He wasn't particularly smug; if he couldn't accomplish this, he would have long perished in previous conflicts. Hearing this, he simply smiled, extended his right hand, which had only four fingers, and then raised his index finger, shaking it gently.

"No, no, no, Jiang Buyi...""I think you've misunderstood my meaning. What I truly mean is, if you use your saint power again, and the Spirit of Void Island takes notice, dragging you into the Inner Isles, then even if you exhaust your entire life's strength, you will never know how to... survive in that place!" Xiao Kongtong's eyes narrowed, a chill emanating from his cloudy gaze. The faint aura of sword intent dispersed from his body, and a mocking smile played on his lips. "Get out? Ha!" With a cold snort, Xiao Kongtong scoffed, "With your meager semi-saint cultivation, you actually think you can get out of Void Island's Inner Isles? Pipe dream!"

As those last four unceremonious words landed, Ye Xiaotian, standing behind the Great Demonic God Spear, felt his heart nearly stop. His eyelids twitched wildly, and his inner voice screamed in frenzy. He's insane! This guy is crazy! Has he gone too far with the act? Does Xiao Kongtong really think he's his teacher? If Jiang Buyi loses control and strikes, then what... how will this end? The thunder-fire tribulation clouds high above seemed to be stunned as well, remaining motionless.

The undisguised mockery in Ba Zun'an's words below instantly ignited the semi-saint's rage, much like when he had been thoroughly cursed by Teng Shanhai and even spat upon. Jiang Buyi simply couldn't endure it! But... "He's Ba Zun'an, the one who could escape from Void Island's Inner Isles!" "And behind him, there's the Seven-Sword Immortal, Meijiren, who just cleaved this Saint's semi-saint avatar with a single sword..." No matter how furious he was, Jiang Buyi ultimately used reason to curb his impulse. The opponents were different, and his rage couldn't be unleashed carelessly. He was already struggling somewhat against Meijiren alone. If he added Ba Zun'an, whose combat strength was unknown but possibly even higher, how could he possibly withstand it?

"Want to fight?" Xiao Kongtong, however, seemed to ignore the thunder-fire tribulation clouds' final suppression, only noticing the momentary agitation, and raised an eyebrow, chuckling: "To be honest, Mr. Meijiren's sword earlier made my hands itch. That elder still has two more sword strikes to unleash... I, being untalented, only have one sword. Jiang Buyi, do you wish to receive it?"

No one knew if Jiang Buyi wanted to take the strike, but Ye Xiaotian felt he couldn't endure it anymore. Was this guy acting, or did watching the sword truly make his hands itch for a fight? Did he even know his own limitations, daring to speak to a semi-saint like that? Meijiren was also bewildered. Wasn't Ba Zun'an here to mediate? Why was he suddenly proposing a fight? This old man didn't want to fight... Meijiren was filled with bitterness, but since the words had reached this point, if he didn't step forward to support, it would seem as if he, Meijiren, wasn't showing respect. And so, Meijiren took a step forward, and his subsided killing intent once again materialized.

The thunder-fire tribulation clouds surged wildly, as if unable to contain their desire to strike. No one knew what choice the now re-enraged semi-saint Jiang Buyi would make at this moment.

"Ba Zun'an..." In just three breaths, the thunder-fire tribulation clouds ceased their tumultuous movement, and a deep voice drifted down: "What did you say just now?"

Xiao Kongtong was slightly taken aback. Hearing that low tone, did Jiang Buyi truly want to fight? He didn't want to fight! But he knew that defending a spear with a shield would only invite even more frantic attacks from the spear. So he first presented courtesy, then force, ultimately choosing to attack the shield with a spear, attempting to force Jiang Buyi back with the sharpest words. If the teacher himself were here, he would also speak and act this way, refusing to yield even half a step! The choice was up to the opponent—anyway, my name is Ba Zun'an, and I can take anything! But looking at the current situation, it seemed to have backfired?

Xiao Kongtong showed no hint of inner emotion; his fighting spirit, instead, grew even more defiant—"We swordsmen move forward without hesitation!"

"Jiang Buyi, do you dare to fight?" he coldly challenged. Everyone stood solemn, and a battle surpassing the previous one seemed about to begin. But just then, the face of Jiang Buyi, formed by the thunder-fire tribulation clouds, subtly shifted, and he said calmly, "This Saint isn't asking about that. I'm asking about your previous sentence."

"Previous sentence?" Xiao Kongtong was slightly taken aback. After a moment, he seemed to understand something, and his mouth twitched in surprise, saying, "Grant me this slight favor?" The ominous clouds covering the entire Miracle Forest suddenly receded, transforming into Jiang Buyi's true form. He stood proudly with his hands behind his back, looking down calmly, and stated: "That's the one. This Saint will grant you this favor."