Chapter 1073: Don't Look Back

A truce?

Ye Xiaotian, watching from behind, was somewhat bewildered. Did the Half-Saint Jiang Buyi choose to back down? Was this the pressure brought by "Eight-Vein An"?

"Unbelievable…" He had already prepared himself for a desperate fight. The planned "Laugh for Ten Breaths" and "Risking his life to save someone" were on the verge of becoming reality. Mei Jiren's appearance was, at best, an unexpected bonus.

He never expected the tide of battle to turn so dramatically. The immense pressure exerted by Xiao Kongdong didn't provoke Jiang Buyi into forcefully attacking; instead, it prompted his retreat. This was, of course, the best possible outcome!

What defines a perfect plan? The most perfect plan is one where all prior preparations prove unnecessary; everyone just shows up, makes an appearance, and then casually goes their separate ways.

However… Ye Xiaotian wondered if such a perfect ending truly existed in the world. If he were Jiang Buyi, after failing to claim Xu Xiaoshou and having a Half-Saint avatar destroyed by the opponent's people, how could he simply back down because of a few words from someone? At the very least, he should have uttered some threats or taken someone with him, right? Currently, Mei Jiren couldn't be taken, nor could Xiao Kongdong, who had transformed into "Eight-Vein An." If his suspicions were true, the only two possible people to be taken were... himself, or Xu Xiaoshou!

"Be careful," Ye Xiaotian warned from behind, not relaxing his vigilance in the slightest. He understood the principle of falling short at the last step: the closer one gets to the end, the more likely one is to relax, and at such a moment, the more prone accidents are to occur.

On top of the Demonic God's Great Spear, Xiao Kongdong, like Ye Xiaotian, remained fully on guard. Jiang Buyi's concession was both reasonable and unexpected. What he feared most was that this fellow might take something with him when leaving. If a Half-Saint wished to leave, everyone here combined might not be able to stop him. However, this fellow's final test might reveal that he wasn't the true "Eight-Vein An"! Yet, despite these thoughts, Xiao Kongdong couldn't possibly detain anyone. He could only follow Jiang Buyi's words, calmly stating, "Then I thank Half-Saint Jiang for gracing us with his presence... Rest assured, I will remember this favor. If I ever pass by the Northern Territory's Puxuan Jiang Clan in the future, I will seek out Half-Saint Jiang for tea and conversation. It's a long road ahead; today's adversary may be tomorrow's friend. Perhaps in the future, we will have opportunities to cooperate." Xiao Kongdong smiled, "Isn't that right?"

Jiang Buyi didn't show the slightest hint of a pleasant expression. How could he not tell that the person opposite him was threatening him? If you dare touch anyone from my Saint Servant organization today, I will make trouble for your Northern Territory Jiang Clan tomorrow. You can leave, and if you do so quietly, we'll have no further trouble. But if you try to forcefully act against others, using your Half-Saint power before you go... you might escape, but your clan will remain!

Jiang Buyi's eyes narrowed slightly; he had indeed harbored that intention moments ago. Or rather, it wasn't just then; after realizing he couldn't get a result from fighting Mei Jiren, he wanted to snatch the vanished Xu Xiaoshou and leave. But at that critical moment, Eight-Vein An appeared. This fellow's ability to seize opportunities was too strong; he completely grasped Jiang Buyi's psychological state, knowing precisely when to strike and when to persuade. But... no! There can be no 'buts'! Hadn't he heard Eight-Vein An's threats? If he were to forcefully take Xu Xiaoshou today, he would have to retreat to the main branch of the Northern Territory's Puxuan Jiang Clan, living in constant fear while waiting for a great crisis that might arrive at some unknown date. It's not being stolen from that's concerning, but being perpetually coveted by a thief!

Jiang Buyi remained silent for a long time. Under the highly vigilant gazes of the three people present, he finally let out a sigh. "Eight-Vein An, this Saint said he would give you face, and he will indeed give you face. The road ahead is hard to say... but this Saint does not wish to have too many entanglements with you. Let's keep our distance; it's better for everyone."

After speaking, Jiang Buyi paused, no longer wanting to dwell on the topic. He shifted his gaze to the person behind Eight-Vein An, the one who entered with a spatial profound truth array diagram. If he hadn't seen wrong earlier, what that white-haired Dao child had revealed underfoot was the ultimate desire of all spiritual cultivators on the continent! "Spatial Profound Truths?" Jiang Buyi chuckled, "This Saint doesn't seem to have seen you before. When did such a figure emerge on the continent? Are you also from the Saint Servant organization? What is your name?"

Seeing everyone's gaze follow him, Ye Xiaotian felt like cursing. Why? With so many people here, why focus on an insignificant person like him? Ye Xiaotian took a deep breath, cupped his hands, and calmly stated, "My humble name is Zhou Can."

"Zhou Can?" Xiao Kongdong was stunned, and Mei Jiren was also stunned. Why did his words sound so remarkably like Xu Xiaoshou? Jiang Buyi was also startled for a moment, then burst into laughter: "So your surname is Zhou? I thought your surname was Ye, and your name was Ye Xiaotian."

Ye Xiaotian's scalp tingled. So, you know me? Then why ask for my name? Are you sick?!

Jiang Buyi said no more, only took one deep last look at Ye Xiaotian (as Zhou Can), then withdrew his gaze. Spatial Profound Truths... His combat strength wasn't yet apparent today. But if this person doesn't die, he will certainly have a place at the pinnacle of the continent in the future. He was much stronger than "Yellow Springs" with his spatiotemporal attribute, or "Empty Regret," who only appeared once in the mortal world, participated in the Ten Venerable Seats, and then vanished without a trace. At least, Ye Xiaotian (as Zhou Can) specialized in the spatial path and was a living, breathing person capable of lying, not a shadowy rat-like figure like the latter two!

"They say, you don't truly know someone until you've fought them..." His gaze shifted again, and Jiang Buyi looked at Mei Jiren, sighing with emotion: "In today's battle, this Saint truly witnessed what it means to 'remain silent but then astound everyone.' I never imagined that among the Seven Sword Immortals, there would be someone with your cultivation level hidden away. This Saint always thought that besides those with the potential to become Saints, the rest were merely like Gou Wuyue and Rao Yaoyao, not even comparable to the Eighth Sword Immortal. But you!" Jiang Buyi's gaze was fixed on Mei Jiren, openly expressing his admiration, "This Saint is profoundly impressed."

"Undeserved praise." Mei Jiren remained unfazed, showing no sign of pleasure. He even had the mental energy to speculate whether Jiang Buyi's excessive chatter was a ploy to conceal a hidden move. That fellow opposite him, though his true age was unknown, was very likely... younger than himself! No matter how high one's strength, even reaching Half-Saint, could a junior's praise make an elder overjoyed? The reverse would be closer to the truth! Mei Jiren nearly blurted out, "You're not bad either; at least you've allowed this old man to verify that the legend of Eight-Vein An is true, and that Half-Saints are not invincible." But he thought better of it and didn't say it. Otherwise, a second Half-Saint battle would surely erupt due to a verbal dispute!

Seeing that the three individuals before him had no intention of continuing the conversation, and instead maintained a high level of vigilance, Jiang Buyi felt he was wasting his time. Just trying to make friends, why be so tense?

"This Saint actually has one last thing to say..." Jiang Buyi smiled. Xiao Kongdong also smiled, not bothering to hide his impatience. He dug his pinky finger into his ear, flicked it, and scoffed, "I'm getting a bit tired of listening." "It's not for you, but for Xu Xiaoshou."

As soon as these words fell, the three individuals in the field simultaneously narrowed their eyes, their auras shifting, like tigers gathering strength, ready to leap from the mountains. "No need to be so tense..." Jiang Buyi waved his hands repeatedly, indicating he had no ill intent. "It's just a few words of praise. I said I'd give you face, and I will!"

Xiao Kongdong remained silent, and Ye Xiaotian made no sound. Mei Jiren folded his fan, tossed it into his ring, then casually and carelessly pulled out the stone sword from his back. At such a critical moment, using no-sword techniques was far slower than having a weapon in hand, as it eliminated one step in attacking.

Jiang Buyi took in all three of their reactions, shook his head with a laugh, no longer paying much attention to them, but instead turned his gaze towards the void in mid-air. "Xu Xiaoshou, this Saint knows you are still here. Don't worry, someone is protecting you, and this Saint will not act against you today... Hmm, strictly speaking, this Saint wouldn't have acted against you anyway. Earlier, saying I would give you two choices was just a joke. In this world, things aren't always black and white; there's always a third path to choose. This Saint's earlier words were merely to see how you, with your intellect, would respond."

He paused, but no response came. Jiang Buyi knew the boy was also vigilant, probably more so than everyone present. He raised an eyebrow, spread his hands, and said again: "It's a bit of a shame that your Mr. Jiren entered too early. This Saint didn't get a satisfactory answer because you chose one half of the options this Saint presented, which is somewhat unlike the rumors. This Saint's impression of you is that you are someone who can even toy with Rao Yaoyao, and she is one of the Seven Sword Immortals... Oh, right, Mei Jiren is also one of the Seven Sword Immortals. Perhaps your Mr. Jiren's entrance was also part of your plan? This Saint understands... This, then, is your third path?"

Jiang Buyi's eyes suddenly widened, as if startled by his own conjecture, and he surprisingly glanced at Mei Jiren.

"Heh." Mei Jiren smiled faintly. Such a crude attempt at sowing discord? Then this old man overestimated you just now... He slipped the stone sword back onto his back, thought about it, and then drew it out again.

Jiang Buyi still waited for Xu Xiaoshou's reply, but none came. Nor could he, under everyone's watchful eyes, regenerate a Saint Domain, then shrink it to pinpoint Xu Xiaoshou's location, and then pull him out... just for a friendly chat. That would be too foolish! Those two Half-Saints would definitely attack! So, shrugging his shoulders, Jiang Buyi sighed helplessly.

"It seems this Saint is disliked by everyone, and this is a first. Alright, I'll go. If even this Saint is so unwelcome..." He shook his head, like an old man out of touch, no longer favored by the young, and began to clear the battlefield, choosing to leave.

The Divine Spear of Sorrow, the Soul-Reaping Saint Tower, the Immortal-Demonic Fragment, and the other nine great soul artifacts that he had used earlier but not fully unleashed... Under the vigilant gazes of Mei Jiren, Xiao Kongdong, and Ye Xiaotian, Jiang Buyi slowly gathered all his belongings, then smiled at them. "Farewell, everyone. Should we meet again by chance, I hope we are neither friends nor foes, and each of us is well."

With that said, winds and clouds converged, and the world settled. Jiang Buyi's figure 'whooshed' into golden light, dissipating and drifting away with the wind.

One breath... Two breaths... Three breaths... They waited a full ten breaths before the three individuals finally seemed to lower their ultimate guard, collectively letting out a sigh of relief.

"He's gone." Ye Xiaotian's spatial perception was incredibly sharp, knowing that Jiang Buyi was no longer present in this part of the world.

"Phew." Xiao Kongdong said nothing, only letting out a long, heavy exhale that dispelled all his inner anxieties.

"Mm." Mei Jiren nodded lightly, confirming Zhou Can's statement, re-sheathed the stone sword on his back, and walked over to stand beside the two by the Demonic God's Great Spear.

A great battle had finally concluded. It must be said, even though only one person actually fought, and the other two merely held the line and handled the aftermath, all three felt utterly exhausted after the battle.

"Wait!" Just as Mei Jiren was about to speak, Ye Xiaotian suddenly cried out in surprise, pointing forward. The two beside him instantly felt their hair stand on end and looked in the same direction. "What is that?" Ye Xiaotian's pupils contracted. Jiang Buyi, the Half-Saint, could no longer be detected in the surrounding world, but at this moment, Ye Xiaotian detected faint residual Saint power. A black-and-red scroll had fallen where Jiang Buyi had previously stood!

"His soul artifact?" Xiao Kongdong was stunned. He almost didn't realize the scroll had Saint power fluctuations until Ye Xiaotian pointed it out. His foot unconsciously took a step forward... Ye Xiaotian also moved, slowly flying towards it, intending to pick up the scroll and examine it...

"Stop!" The two's abnormal actions instantly sent shivers down Mei Jiren's spine, and he roared sharply. The two in front seemed to be jolted awake, both startled. Why did they want to pick up that thing? It was clearly left by Jiang Buyi; the first reaction should have been to distance themselves or destroy it from afar! Greed? None of them thought their strange behavior was due to greed, because all three knew they weren't such people. Even if it might have been a defensive soul artifact left by Jiang Buyi... they could yield a Saint Emperor's position to each other, so how could they be greedy?

"No! It's not a soul artifact!" Xiao Kongdong stared, then suddenly remembered something. "Among the soul artifacts he used against Mr. Jiren, there was no scroll-shaped item. I'm absolutely sure I remember the process correctly; I even intend to review it later..." He hadn't finished speaking.

"Buzz—" The black-and-red scroll, lying quietly on the ground, suddenly trembled, then erupted with astonishing Saint power fluctuations! Visible Saint power ripples instantly covered almost the entire Miracle Forest, and the three individuals directly in their path were undoubtedly the most affected.

"Mind..." Xiao Kongdong didn't even have time to finish his sentence. His eyelids drooped, and the Divine Buddha behind him straightened its back, settling his mind with a rumble, making him immune to the Saint power's influence.

"Delay..." Ye Xiaotian did the same, unhesitatingly using his life-saving method. He swallowed a mouthful of Saint Blood, not daring to linger or feel regret, and a spatial profound truth array diagram instantly bloomed beneath his feet. In an instant, the distance between the three and the black-and-red scroll became like a vast expanse. Though physically not far, it felt infinitely distant. And the Saint Blood, which had no side effects and could empower Half-Saints, instantly boosted Ye Xiaotian's combat power to its peak. The scroll's Saint power actually failed to shatter the folded space he had summoned! The vast expanse of space seemed as boundless as tens of thousands of void islands, instantly intercepting the Saint power and giving the three a profound sense of security.

"How truly luxurious..." Xiao Kongdong was utterly envious. His Divine Buddha seemed like a joke compared to these individuals with resources and backing; it could only protect himself. Ye Xiaotian, a mere King, could actually protect three people at once! Hardly had these thoughts flashed through his mind when the two of them involuntarily looked back at the black-and-red scroll.

The scroll left by Jiang Buyi certainly held malicious intent. Now, after the surge of Saint power, it slowly floated up and began to unfurl in mid-air.

"Boom!" In an instant, even across the vast expanse of space, Xiao Kongdong and Ye Xiaotian felt their minds tremble, as if struck by a heavy hammer at the soul level. The next second, the black-and-red scroll seemed to unfurl within their very souls, expanding to its maximum size and obscuring the entire landscape of their consciousness space!

Mei Jiren's heart trembled slightly. He finally recalled what that thing was in his mind. He violently closed his eyes. Simultaneously, a 'Sword Image' monster formed in his mind, striking a fierce blow at his own will. With that single sword stroke, the black-and-red scroll shattered in his mind... Only after doing this did Mei Jiren have enough energy to act, turning the heads of the two in front of him away and roaring furiously.

"Don't look back! This is a 'Half-Saint Profound Decree'; you cannot look at it! You won't be able to withstand it!"