Chapter 1140: This World Is Relative

"Done?"

No smoke remained, only heavy wounds.

That stunning beauty frozen in mid-air, the final exquisite image left by the Dark Department's chief herself, failed to stir any pity in Xu Xiaoshou's heart. Instead, it filled him with boundless joy.

"She’s dead!"

Xu Xiaoshou, ignoring his own pain, looked toward Tianren Wusui, as if confirming and yet also hoping, as he said.

Ye Xiao's corpse finally plummeted down, smashing heavily into the ground.

With her control lost, San Lü Men had already dissipated into spiritual energy.

The hungry ghosts, boiling soups, karmic fire soul blades, and all that had been summoned from the gate... everything vanished, leaving only a shattered battlefield to testify to what had occurred.

The lush green fields were long gone.

What remained in this space-time was nothing but endless desolation.

Tianren Wusui made no response, silently descending to Ye Xiao's corpse and examining it quietly.

It had to be admitted that Chen Ruye's auxiliary attack had allowed him to skip the complicated battle process and directly end this powerful opponent.

Logically, anyone below the Semi-Sage level, a spirit refiner hit with such a large dose of decay energy plus his final move "Zhou Sha," couldn't possibly survive.

But logically speaking again, could the Dark Department's chief, Ye Xiao, really die so easily?

Her Death God power had only been unleashed a little.

Her strength in this battle had shown through direct attacks, yet she was fundamentally an assassin skilled in stealth.

Though Chen Ruye's special attack had caught her off guard,

The Dark Department's chief truly dying from his single strike felt a bit hasty, even to Tianren Wusui.

"I don't know."

Tianren Wusui murmured, squatting down.

He extended two fingers to touch Ye Xiao's blood-stained cheek, turning her head straight and frowning as he examined her closely.

Xu Xiaoshou walked over.

But before he could speak, he saw this man in the orange mask suddenly clench his fist into a palm and slam it down, shattering Ye Xiao's head.

The explosion of flesh and blood startled Xu Xiaoshou.

"What are you doing?"

"Cutting the grass at the root, finishing off the kill. If she were trying to revive through this body, this strike is necessary." Tianren Wusui turned his gaze over.

In his eyes, Xu Xiaoshou saw an unparalleled calm.

This man was more like the embodiment of the Death God than Ye Xiao herself. His decay power, combined with his cold nature, made him a walking executioner in the spirit refining world.

See anyone, kill anyone!

"Will a Death Body die?" Xu Xiaoshou thought of what Han Ye from the Unforgiving Hall had said and immediately asked. He felt Ye Xiao's constitution was extraordinary, and she wielded the Death God power.

Things linked to "death" might mean that even if Ye Xiao died, she hadn't truly died.

"Death Body."

Tianren Wusui pondered for a moment, then gently shook his head. "If she were merely a Death Body, she should already be dead."

"Merely?" Xu Xiaoshou's brow twitched.

Tianren Wusui glanced at him. "I am one of the Five Absolute Bodies, the Decay Body, among the pinnacle of sacred bodies. The Death Body is impressive, but without a breakthrough, it can't withstand my decay power—let alone..."

He didn't need to finish; Xu Xiaoshou understood.

Such a massive dose of decay energy could overwhelm even a Semi-Sage.

Even if someone survived and escaped, invoking the Tianren Wusui calamity would bring endless misfortune, leading to death at some point.

From this perspective, Tianren Wusui's earlier judgment on Ye Xiao seemed reasonable.

Anyone who fought him, even if they won, would suffer greatly themselves.

If they couldn't dispel the decay energy's invasion, they'd end up losing everything in the end, dying inexplicably.

This constitution was truly...

Disgusting. Xu Xiaoshou thought of this and felt a wave of panic.

Tianren Wusui was as troublesome as Feng Yu Jin from the Gray Fog, perhaps only weaker in cultivation.

"From what you're saying, can the Death Body break through? How does it compare to your constitution then?" Xu Xiaoshou asked, watching Ye Xiao's corpse wither and decay under Tianren Wusui's gaze until it turned to nothingness.

Tianren Wusui stood up, seemingly unbothered to explain more to the young man before him:

"The Devouring Body, Sealing Body, and Decay Body are innate, the undisputed top three among the Five Absolute Bodies."

"As for the latter two, there have been competitions in the past, with many special constitutions ranked, and they were eventually finalized."

Xu Xiaoshou thought of the "Supreme Demonic Body" and felt his junior sister's constitution might qualify for the Five Absolute Bodies, but he didn't dare ask.

Tianren Wusui's next words were unexpected and didn't give the answer Xu Xiaoshou wanted.

"The latter two are constitutions that can be cultivated postnatally, though it's extremely difficult—harder than ascending to heaven."

"One is the Witch Poison Body; once it emerges, it crushes all others. Aside from the other four Absolute Bodies, no constitution can withstand its abilities."

"The last is the 'Immortal Body'—well, that's what I mean to say, the breakthrough Ye Xiao might have."

Xu Xiaoshou was startled.

"The Death Body can break through to the Immortal Body?" he asked.

"Yes."

"A true 'immortal'?"

"Immortal and indestructible! In terms of being disgusting and troublesome, it surpasses the other four. Otherwise, how could it be called an 'Absolute Body'?"

"Then, how do you break through?" Xu Xiaoshou suddenly felt a bit panicked.

Tianren Wusui was silent for a while, then looked up and said: "Break through in death."

Xu Xiaoshou's face turned pale at once.

He thought of Yu Ling Di, who had broken and risen again, and Rao Yao Yao, who had lost at Yun Lun and sealed herself in the Unforgiving Hall.

People from the Sacred Divine Palace seemed to have an uncanny resilience, like cockroaches. So, could Ye Xiao have the same possibility?

"Unlikely."

Tianren Wusui knew what Chen Ruye was thinking and scoffed, "If you knew you had a Death Body, would you hesitate for decades and never seek a breakthrough?"

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly understood.

Yes, that made sense!

Ye Xiao must have known her own constitution, and the allure of the Five Absolute Bodies was immense, especially something like the "immortal and indestructible" Immortal Body.

So, in the past, this Dark Department chief must have attempted it.

Even if the breakthrough involved experiencing death, she would have tried every means.

Since she hadn't broken through to the "Immortal Body" by now, that meant her previous attempts had failed. She was still just a "Death Body," in terms of strength, inferior to Tianren Wusui's innate and fully developed Absolute Body—the Decay Body!

"I feel like she's still alive."

Xu Xiaoshou looked up at the sky.

He was a suspicious person, especially after witnessing various cases of breaking and rising, and having deep insights from personally participating in the Kill the Exotic Bureau.

The Six Department chiefs, except for someone like Teng Shanhai, were hard to kill!

Even Teng Shanhai, that brute, needed Jiang Buyi to take him down. Xu Xiaoshou alone wouldn't dare guarantee he could beat Teng Shanhai.

Tianren Wusui laughed. "Are you looking down on me?"

"Uh." Xu Xiaoshou was taken aback. "Senior, what are you saying? Your battle has broadened my horizons. I've never seen such... powerful abilities."

"Ye Xiao is definitely dead!" Tianren Wusui said solemnly.

"If she's still alive, she can't leave this space-time of mine. The moment she does, she'll be marked by me."

"And as long as she can't leave this space-time, she'll forever endure my curse. Once the decay energy erodes all her vitality, she'll face the Tianren Wusui calamity and die a miserable death."

"It's just a matter of time."

Tianren Wusui found no trace of Ye Xiao surviving.

He could only conclude this in his heart—Ye Xiao was already a dead person.

He even dared to threaten Jiang Buyi; with his abilities, would he fear Ye Xiao?

But Xu Xiaoshou couldn't agree with this view at all. "Senior, if you're helping, see it through to the end. Since you've come this far, you must have other ways to find her and, well, curse her again?"

"Why waste the effort?" Tianren Wusui's eyes were extremely calm. "Who do you think you are, that I'd help you this much?"

As soon as he said this, Xu Xiaoshou suddenly felt the atmosphere around him turn odd.

He smelled a stench again.

This wasn't the odor from his body being cooked or from the battle's impact—it was a nauseating foulness from deep within.

He quickly checked himself over.

Sure enough, the post-battle damage couldn't hide the erosion of his vitality.

His various passive skills were running wildly, but because he was too close to Tianren Wusui for too long, the decay energy was invading him.

Like a curse, it was step by step dragging his already poor state into the abyss.

"Come to think of it, I still don't know why you're helping me, Senior?"

Xu Xiaoshou wasn't afraid of this bit of decay energy anymore.

After the initial panic, he realized it was inevitable when standing near Tianren Wusui.

But Tianren Wusui was clearly controlling it.

He hadn't perfectly contained his power, yet he was trying not to let Xu Xiaoshou suffer severe invasion.

For now, with his passive skills at work, this level of decay energy wouldn't kill in the short term. He's a good person, at least to me... Xu Xiaoshou realized.

"I've already told you, you're Chen Ruye, and we in Yan Wang have cooperated with your Xu Yue Gray Palace before."

"Is that all?"

Xu Xiaoshou didn't believe it.

During the battle, he hadn't had time to question it, but now, thinking back, the reasoning was full of flaws.

It sounded just like Tianren Wusui making up an excuse for himself to help Chen Ruye.

And he had followed that excuse, almost risking his life, unconditionally and without reason believing everything Chen Ruye said, like self-hypnosis.

Even facing the karmic fire soul blade, he had gone to seize an opportunity that wasn't even visible at the time.

How long had "Immovable Ming Wang" been drawn out?

Tianren Wusui wasn't Lei Xi'er; how could he know Chen Ruye had such an ability, or be so certain that Chen Ruye could injure Ye Xiao, and then stake his life on that chance?

This Chen Ruye was even just a false identity; essentially, he was Xu Xiaoshou!

In other words, Tianren Wusui had risked his life for a stranger, grabbing at an uncertain chance, and in the end, successfully cursed Ye Xiao with one strike.

What immense trust!

If it were someone else from Yan Wang acting with Tianren Wusui, Xu Xiaoshou could understand.

But he and this man were complete strangers, mere passersby, not even acquaintances with a nod.

Tianren Wusui shook his head but didn't answer. "I should go."

Xu Xiaoshou looked up at the sky, his "perception" scanning all directions, still finding no trace of Ye Xiao.

"Do you know my father?" he asked bluntly.

Using the non-existent father who had supposedly cooperated with Chen Ruye and visited Yan Wang to probe Tianren Wusui.

This question implied that Xu Xiaoshou felt his true identity might have been exposed.

Yet, he still couldn't figure out why, even if Tianren Wusui recognized him as Xu Xiaoshou, there was no connection between them!

How could someone go all out for a stranger like that?

Tianren Wusui turned back with a amused look, the rust nail on his forehead still in place, without a drop of blood. "You can think of it that way."

I can't think that way!

Xu Xiaoshou was baffled, believing that with Tianren Wusui's intelligence, he could hear the deeper meaning in his words.

But why give such a vague, frustrating answer?

This guy... Xu Xiaoshou racked his brains, wondering if he had ever met Tianren Wusui from Yan Wang before or accidentally saved his life.

But no!

His memory search showed that his first meeting with Tianren Wusui was in the Sin One Hall maze not long ago.

The old Xu Xiaoshou was extremely confident.

He could even vaguely grasp Ba Zun An's thoughts and cooperate seamlessly as a useful pawn.

Now, Xu Xiaoshou found he couldn't read this person at all.

Tianren Wusui was too mysterious.

In front of him... he had become Xu Xiaoshou, and Xu Xiaoshou had become the kind of person he always manipulated.

"Senior!"

Watching the figure ahead gradually walk away, Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but call out: "Actually, I'm not Chen Ruye from Xu Yue Gray Palace. He died by my hand; I took his place. You've got the wrong person."

Tianren Wusui paused.

Xu Xiaoshou's heart raced, but he pretended to be calm as he watched.

He saw the orange-masked man slowly turn around, his eyes still calm, without a ripple.

Why?

Was he just making excuses for himself?

Did he know everything?

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't tell and continued: "Actually, I'm... Chen Tan, the sixteenth-generation sole heir of Qing Jing Men Court! You must have heard Ye Xiao call out my real name before she died."

Even deciding to reveal his identity, Xu Xiaoshou didn't dare reveal it completely.

He was still afraid.

Tianren Wusui's abilities were too terrifying.

What if he had misjudged, and Tianren Wusui was really that simple-minded?

What if, upon seeing the real Xu Xiaoshou, he remembered the grudge between Yan Wang and the Sacred Slaves over the Pupil Snatching and decided to strike?

Tianren Wusui remained calm, not even saying a word, just quietly watching Chen Ruye... oh, Chen Tan. A hint of amusement appeared in his eyes.

Xu Xiaoshou felt a chill from being stared at; he couldn't guess what the other was thinking.

"Won't you say something?" Xu Xiaoshou asked.

"You're called Chen Tan?"

"Yes! I'm Chen Tan, not Chen Ruye... I have no connection to Xu Yue Gray Palace at all! Sorry, you've helped the wrong person!"

Tianren Wusui chuckled softly, extending his hand casually: "I don't care if you're called Chen Tan or Chen Ruye."

"You just need to know that today, a man named Tianren Wusui saved your life. That's enough."

"In the future, others can stop him, but you can't. If you do, it's repaying kindness with enmity."

"Of course, you could choose to be someone who repays kindness with enmity..."

Tianren Wusui seemed to think of something, smiling as he turned and walked away.

His figure faded step by step, and the surrounding space-time world gradually dissolved.

Only his faint words lingered, drifting like rain silk into the ears of the stunned young figure not far away.

"But remember, if you do evil to the extreme, you'll face retribution."

"Cause and effect, reincarnation, grudges, deception, lies—everything will be repaid."

"This world is all about balance."