Chapter 1090: Not Good, It's an Illusion Technique

"Good heavens…" Xiao Kongtong's face turned pale with fright.

He had never seen Mr. Siyi so enraged! Back in the Miracle Forest, even when Half-Saint Jiang targeted Xu Xiaoshou, Mr. Siyi had met the challenge with a calm demeanor and lighthearted words, utterly unlike his current terrifying state.

From another perspective, however, Xiao Kongtong could understand.

The moment Xu Xiaoshou first encountered the Heart Sword Art, he was able to outwardly manifest its intent and power. With such talent, if undisturbed, there was a slight chance he could instantly cultivate the "Divine Buddha of the Moment." If he succeeded, he could truly break all historical records for Heart Sword Art cultivation, even those set by his own teacher.

On a deeper level, Mr. Siyi and Old Man Youcha had been rivals, openly and covertly, for a lifetime. The latter found Teacher Bazun An, making him, in a sense, a half-successor. Mr. Siyi, on the other hand, had disciples everywhere but was consistently overshadowed, lacking a truly exceptional protege.

Xiao Kongtong could easily imagine the immense hopes Mr. Siyi placed on Xu Xiaoshou.

It could be said that… even if Xiao Kongtong was reluctant to admit it, if Xu Xiaoshou was properly nurtured, there was a slight chance he could even break the record of "Innate in Three Breaths, Sword Immortal in Three Years"!

His thoughts raced in a flash. Seeing Mei Siyi angrily grasp his stone sword, poised to fly out, Xiao Kongtong considered the broader implications. Bearing immense pressure, he spoke up to counsel:

"Please calm down, Mr. Siyi, calm down…"

"Xu Xiaoshou is at a critical juncture right now and cannot be disturbed in the slightest. He needs your help. You are aware of the dangers of Void Island; what if this is a diversion?"

That single sentence brought Mei Siyi back to his senses.

As the Senior Disciple of Three Moons Immortal City, who commanded an entire realm, Xiao Kongtong's strategic foresight was impeccable. It far exceeded what a free spirit like Mei Siyi could consider in a crucial moment.

As those incredibly grim eyes swept over him, Xiao Kongtong, having made his decision, spoke again:

"You stay here and watch. Even if a Half-Saint arrives, they won't necessarily ruin Xu Xiaoshou's path. Leave the external matters to me; as long as it's not a Half-Saint, I can resolve it."

"However, if we switch places, I might not be able to adequately protect Xu Xiaoshou."

Xiao Kongtong spoke firmly, without any intention of negotiating, directly presenting the optimal solution.

He believed Mr. Siyi understood his meaning. There were indeed Half-Saints on Void Island, and it was better to be safe than sorry!

What if those two figures in the distance had someone backing them?

Mei Siyi listened in silence, tightening his grip on the stone sword. His expression quickly returned to calm, and he nodded, saying, "You are absolutely right. I was a bit impulsive."

After a brief pause, his gaze swept over Xu Xiaoshou, who was enveloped in a ball of demonic energy, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

"Don't let a single one escape!"

"Leave it to me."

Xiao Kongtong nodded, his expression growing more solemn.

It was no laughing matter; protecting Xu Xiaoshou was also his responsibility. If anything happened to Xu Xiaoshou now, how would he explain it to his teacher later?

As for Xu Xiaoshou's inner demon…

Xiao Kongtong believed Mr. Siyi would have his own plan. After all, this wasn't an arrow from the Evil Sin Bow; it wasn't an intractable problem.

With a tap of his foot, his figure vanished from the spot.

As he left, only one question lingered in Xiao Kongtong's mind…

He still hadn't detected any distinct aura from the two distant figures, such as that of a Half-Saint.

If they weren't backed by a Half-Saint, how dared they attack Xu Xiaoshou from such a distance?

Had they not noticed that Xu Xiaoshou had two companions?

It was understandable if they didn't recognize Mr. Siyi; unless one was a distinguished ancient sword cultivator, they might not truly know his identity.

But at this moment, Xiao Kongtong hadn't transformed into Bazun An either!

He admittedly felt his own face lacked the immediate recognition of his teacher's, which could deter a Half-Saint with a mere glance.

But in the Eastern Region's Sword God Heaven, how could someone who had cultivated to the Void Realm not recognize the Senior Disciple of Three Moons Immortal City?

Therefore, it seemed those two must have had something to rely on!

In this operation, caution was paramount!

In the Giant's Nation, about ten miles and a dozen streets away…

The Ghost Crone took just one glance before quickly putting away her "Face Soul Banner," afraid that another look would draw attention from the opposite side.

"It truly is Xu Xiaoshou!"

"We've searched high and low for him, and Xu Xiaoshou is indeed on Void Island! When did he enter?"

This question was clearly no longer important. What did these two Three Incense assassins, who had traveled all the way from the Central Region to the Eastern Region, want? Xu Xiaoshou's head!

The reward from that "Black Gold Bounty" was something no assassin in the world could resist!

"Could it be a fake?" Amidst his surprise, Old Evil harbored a thread of worry, an assassin's instinct.

The Ghost Crone shook her head, chuckling, "I couldn't possibly be mistaken. You're far too timid. Didn't you gather extensive information about that boy? How can you still suspect it's a fake?"

The face transmitted by the Face Soul Banner was unmistakably Xu Xiaoshou.

Even his aura perfectly matched the intelligence on the Black Gold Bounty: a mere junior, far from possessing the aura of a Dao Severing or Void Realm cultivator.

Even without discerning his exact cultivation realm, the boy was undeniably genuine; his youthful bone age was proof enough.

On Void Island, aside from the anomaly that was Xu Xiaoshou, who else would dare to venture into this terrifying place, where even Void Realm cultivators could perish, with only a Grandmaster cultivation?

Old Evil clearly recognized these points, yet for some reason, he still felt something was amiss.

"We're all here for Xu Xiaoshou. You've also secretly investigated the Saint Servants, haven't you? Those two beside Xu Xiaoshou just now cannot be overlooked; after all, they don't resemble the Saint Servants' Nine Seats…" Old Evil reminded.

"Yes, there are only a handful of Saint Servant members active: the Storyteller, the Old Woodcutter, and even Haitang'er, who once appeared in the Eight Palaces—I've seen her portrait, and it's not them." The Ghost Crone gave a chilling smile.

"So it could be a trap!" Old Evil, who deeply cherished his life, spoke cautiously.

"Heh," the Ghost Crone chuckled, "Old man, have the Saint Servants scared you witless, or did your soul get left behind in that Blood Realm incident? A mere Xu Xiaoshou, who didn't even know we'd be passing through here, why would he set a trap?"

"Furthermore!" she paused, a sarcastic curl playing on her lips, "If one of the Saint Servants' Nine Seats were truly protecting Xu Xiaoshou, would you dare to make a move?"

"…" Old Evil was momentarily speechless, remaining silent.

"You dared not approach when the Saint Servants' Nine Seats were by his side, and now that they aren't, you still don't dare. How long do you intend to wait?"

The Ghost Crone ran her tongue over her dry, pale lips, then sneered:

"Are you waiting until Xu Xiaoshou walks alone down a dark alley before you dare to make a move?"

"Or perhaps, even then, you'll still claim that someone might be lurking in the shadows, protecting him, and thus you still shouldn't act rashly?"

"Old Evil, you were never this timid before! Remind yourself why you ended up in this wretched place!"

The Ghost Crone pointed sharply at her feet, delivering a stark rebuke.

Old Evil's face flushed with embarrassment. Every word the Ghost Crone uttered, explicitly and implicitly, mocked him for being terrified and spiritually broken by the Void Island Blood Realm incident, causing him to act timidly at every turn.

"Old woman, what I mean is, we can first refine the Blood Tree Shadow Branch. It wouldn't be too late to act then…" he added, trying to justify himself.

"By the time you're ready, it'll be too late!"

The Ghost Crone gestured, her hand almost striking Old Evil's face.

"Can the Blood Tree Shadow Branch make you a Saint? No! But Xu Xiaoshou's head can. That's a reward you can directly exchange at Three Incense."

"Don't forget what backs Three Incense! Our rewards are legitimate, and absorbing them all won't pose any danger!"

"And…"

The Ghost Crone paused, glancing left and right, and a greedy glint flashed in her eyes.

"The other three aren't here right now. If you and I act, and succeed, we'll get more than double what we would have before, without having to share the profits with them!"

*Thump-thump…* Old Evil's heart began to pound.

It had to be said, her final words were truly compelling.

The Blood Tree Shadow Branch indeed couldn't elevate one to sainthood. At best, it could vastly boost combat power, but breaking through current cultivation realms remained indefinitely distant; it was merely an external force.

Xu Xiaoshou's head, however, could be transformed into internal cultivation, opening a completely new path: the Half-Saint path!

"Don't get ahead of yourself!" Old Evil pondered for less than half a breath before agreeing to the Ghost Crone's plan, but he still offered a reminder: "Don't let greed cloud your judgment. They still have two companions, and they pose a risk."

"It's a danger, but also an opportunity," the Ghost Crone replied, deeply understanding that opportunity and risk are always intertwined. In a struggle for the Great Dao, how could there be only blessings and no misfortunes?

One's success often comes at the cost of countless others.

If they didn't seize this opportunity now, if they didn't climb to power over Xu Xiaoshou's corpse, they might have to wait decades more and still not find such a favorable chance!

"Do you recognize those two?" Old Evil asked again, to be cautious.

"No, but they are definitely not Half-Saints!" the Ghost Crone asserted. Even through the Face Soul Banner, which only showed blurry human faces, she could only clearly distinguish the Xu Xiaoshou she had been searching for, yet she instantly confirmed that the other two were not Half-Saints.

And as long as they weren't Half-Saints, even if they were two peak Void Realm cultivators…

The enemy is exposed, while we remain hidden!

And when those in the dark are assassins, what reason is there not to act?

In a fight between two Void Realm cultivators, if circumstances turn unfavorable, if one party wants to flee, can the other truly stop them?

"We won't directly engage those two. We'll strike like lightning, aiming straight for Xu Xiaoshou. If one blow doesn't succeed, we'll immediately retreat. How much trouble could that possibly cause?" The Ghost Crone's eyes gleamed as she looked at the old man before her.

"Alright!" Old Evil touched the Blood Tree Shadow Branch in his embrace, feeling reassured. He nodded heavily, then asked, "How will we divide the targets?"

The Ghost Crone easily saw through his cautious thoughts. She scoffed and said, "Since you're afraid, leave those two to me, and Xu Xiaoshou to you… But remember, their strength is still unknown, and I might not be able to hold them off for too long. You'll only have one chance to strike."

Recalling the three faces she had seen earlier with the "Face Soul Banner," one of which was in a state of closed-eye meditation, the Ghost Crone felt even more delighted, thinking to herself, "This is truly a heaven-sent opportunity."

"Xu Xiaoshou appears to be cultivating and won't be on guard at all. You, don't disappoint me!"

"Heheheh…" Old Evil cackled. With this division of tasks, how could he possibly fail?

"Just watch my performance, old woman. Didn't you want to see the 'Southern Domain's Bizarre Gate Evil Arts' I acquired? Today, I'll give you a real eye-opener!"

"That would be for the best." The Ghost Crone withdrew her gaze, then gestured, ready to move stealthily towards Xu Xiaoshou's location.

Just then…

"Who's there!"

A sharp shout, filled with boundless rage, echoed forth.

This was immediately followed by a terrifyingly oppressive roar.

"Who is seeking death!!!"

Even at such a distance, Old Evil and the Ghost Crone could distinctly sense the killing intent in those words.

However, after the two exchanged glances, a flicker of pleasant surprise appeared in their eyes.

"Anger?"

"Anger is good!"

Although they didn't know what was happening, based on the tone, it was highly probable that the other side had detected their hidden surveillance.

But it didn't matter!

Judging by the sound, the anger from the other side seemed genuine; something unexpected must have occurred.

A calm Void Realm cultivator was difficult to handle, but how much combat power would a Void Realm cultivator who had lost reason due to anger possess?

Wasn't this equivalent to willingly delivering their weakness into the hands of assassins?

"Act now!"

This was an opportunity not to be missed. The Ghost Crone and Old Evil, with perfect understanding, flickered and vanished from their positions.

One transformed into a spectral, stealthy form, the other into a wisp of grey mist and gentle breeze. At that moment, neither the naked eye nor spiritual perception could detect the movements of these two gold-ranked bounty assassins.

Soon.

One street, two streets, three streets…

Counting silently, after traversing sixteen vast streets belonging to the Giant's Nation, Old Evil and the Ghost Crone knew: the foundation for sainthood was right before them, sitting and cultivating!

"Whoosh!"

Around the corner they went.

They charged forward with lightning speed. Within their spiritual perception, the three individuals at that location hadn't even reacted yet.

The Ghost Crone held a Face Soul Banner in her left hand and a Ghost Bead in her right, intending to instantly ensnare both Void Realm protectors of Xu Xiaoshou.

She had even calculated that the older one might be stronger, so she would use the Face Soul Banner against him, which could likely trap him for half a breath.

The Ghost Bead was weaker, but given the middle-aged man's apparent age, he should also be weaker, capable of being held for approximately one breath.

With this delay, Old Evil could even unleash three full attacks!

How could their grand plan possibly fail?

Old Evil, on the other side, went straight for his target, completely ignoring Xu Xiaoshou's protectors. He clearly had immense faith in the Ghost Crone's abilities.

He transformed into a stream of sinister grey energy, intending to surge into Xu Xiaoshou's mind.

"Eye of Revered Yin: Evil Transformation!"

Simultaneously, as he charged, a massive, eerie pupil with intricate patterns suddenly appeared above the evil energy. Under its glow, all malevolent energies in heaven and earth seemed to awaken.

With such an attack, Xu Xiaoshou, currently deep in cultivation, would surely suffer qi deviation and die instantly.

"Die!"

Old Evil boldly passed right through Xu Xiaoshou's body.

At the same moment, the two powerful ghost artifacts in the Ghost Crone's hands also passed through the bodies of the elder and the middle-aged man.

The world suddenly fell silent.

"Passed through…?"

Behind the indistinct Xu Xiaoshou, and behind the ethereal yet seemingly real elder and middle-aged man, Old Evil and the Ghost Crone simultaneously froze in stunned silence.

Why did they simply "pass through"?

Both of their attacks were real. Why did they just pass through?

Why were those three still unresponsive at this point, acting like fools, letting both of their attacks simply pass through their bodies?

"Oh no, it's an illusion!"

In an instant, the Ghost Crone reacted.

"Old Evil, we've fallen into an illusion! Old Evil, they've already made their move! Quickly find the array core!"