Chapter 1146: Chess, from White Cave down to Void Island

The interior of Zhenhuang Hall was completely different from the scenery outside.

If the labyrinth outside was a ruined battlefield, then this place was a well-preserved ancient palace.

At first glance, there were hardly any signs of major damage.

It was opulently decorated, spotlessly clean, without even a trace of the dust that could be kicked up with one step in the outer hall, as if someone regularly cleaned it. The floor even had water stains.

Splash!

Gu Qing'er's face was swollen like a pig's head as he stepped into a small puddle.

There was no dust here, but the environment was quite humid, with water splattering from puddles underfoot everywhere.

"Big brother, come quick, there's water here!"

Gu Qing'er was extremely excited. In front of his senior brother, he was still just a kid at heart. He covered his swollen half-face and waved at Gu Qingyi.

"You remember when we were kids, peeing in the Jianchi and then Master stripped us and spanked us... Uh, I'll shut up."

"Don't be mad! I just cut your robe a little. I can sew it back later—I'm great at needlework."

"It's not like I haven't cut it before..."

Gu Qing'er's voice grew quieter and quieter, and he quickly darted behind Chen Shu to hide, avoiding his senior brother's piercing gaze.

Glancing aside, Chen Shu was frowning deeply, his face full of seriousness.

"Chen Shu, what are you thinking about?"

Gu Qing'er wanted to throw an arm around Chen Shu's shoulder to show their closeness and stop his big brother from messing with him, but he didn't dare.

Chen Shu's sword body was too sharp; touching it would draw blood instantly.

Xu Xiaoshou stared intently at the small puddle on the ground, puzzled as to why there was water in Zhenhuang Hall. Was it just the environment?

He had a deep-seated wariness toward "water"—he couldn't remember the exact term, something like PTSD anyway—which made him overly suspicious, immediately linking it to Yu Lingdi.

Yu Lingdi was still alive, that much was certain.

At the beginning of the Wangcheng Trial, shortly after entering the Yunlun Mountains, Xu Xiaoshou had seen Yu Lingdi resurrected, and it seemed his cultivation had even advanced.

The water system aoyi of the Dao-cutting realm was terrifying, even more fearsome than Taixu.

Yet afterward, whether at Guyin Cliff or elsewhere, despite Yao Yao leading many department heads in pursuit, Yu Lingdi had vanished without a trace.

If he was hiding in Zhenhuang Hall...

Xu Xiaoshou was willing to believe it, even up to ninety percent certainty.

He was a peculiar pessimist, always considering the worst-case scenarios first, so that whatever happened next would be a bonus.

"Block interference, block interference..."

"Especially interference at the same level, like Shengdi level..."

In his Yuanfu, the portrait clone clutched the Shengdi Dragon Scale, while Xu Xiaoshou repeatedly cycled the thought in his mind.

Back at Baiku, he had encountered Yu Lingdi at the Wangzuo Daojing level, who could interfere with his will and make him forget even checking his information panel.

He used to think all Wangzuo Daojing experts had that ability.

Now, he realized Yu Lingdi must have possessed a Shengdi-level treasure that guided wills, possibly on par with the Shengdi Dragon Scale.

Was it something he stumbled upon by chance, or because of his deceased father...

Either way, in this unknown environment, the sight of water put Xu Xiaoshou on high alert.

Feeling it wasn't safe enough, he discreetly summoned the Shengdi Dragon Scale to his chest for protection.

"It's nothing," Xu Xiaoshou replied casually. "I was just wondering why such a vast Zhenhuang Hall has so much water. The labyrinth of Zuiyi Hall isn't this humid."

With that, he paced around, observing, and accidentally stepped on something.

He didn't crouch down.

He didn't pick it up.

A tree seed!

His junior sister had been here!

Based on the tree seeds he'd occasionally found outside, the information here was the same old: "Zhenhuang Hall, Jiang Buyi."

But where was she?

Xu Xiaoshou scanned with his "perception" but couldn't detect his junior sister's aura, let alone Jiang Buyi's.

He was extremely cautious, feeling as if the hall was being watched at all times. Even without a prompt from his information panel, he didn't dare reveal any connection to the tree seed.

If anyone noticed, it would be leverage against him.

The saying goes, "The speaker means no harm, but the listener may take it to heart." Xu Xiaoshou's puzzled remarks about the water drew mockery from Gu Qing'er but made Gu Qingyi furrow his brow.

"Chen Shu."

"Hmm?"

"I also think the water is off. There shouldn't be water in Zhenhuang Hall, but I saw it last time I was here. I didn't think much of it then, but now that you mentioned it, I feel..."

Xu Xiaoshou's eyelid twitched.

You think it's off too?

If you think it's off, then maybe it's not just my imagination—the water really is wrong.

"I've seen Yu Lingdi!" Gu Qingyi said, dropping a bombshell.

"Yu Lingdi?" Xu Xiaoshou lowered his eyes in thought and quickly recalled the name, which was well-known in the Zhongyu but less so in the Nanyu for spirit refiners.

"You're talking about the Lingbu head of Shengshen Hall, Yu Lingdi? The one hailed as the top of the younger generation, the only one on the continent to master aoyi power, specifically the water system aoyi?" Xu Xiaoshou asked in surprise.

Before Gu Qingyi could respond, the pig-headed Gu Qing'er heard this and forced a stiff smile, hissing in pain as he said,

"Chen Shu, oh Chen Shu, you're really out of the loop. 'The only one' is way too absolute!"

"Yu Lingdi might be strong, but his aoyi power isn't unique. You haven't seen my senior brother... Uh!"

Gu Qing'er swallowed his words under Gu Qingyi's glare.

But he wasn't convinced, puffing up his swollen face with a disgruntled tone,

"The top of the younger generation? No way! My senior brother and I haven't even made a move yet—what makes him the top?"

"Yu Lingdi's aoyi might be rare among the younger generation, but it's not the only one, let alone the only on the continent."

"Look across the five domains, including the older experts... Him? Just this!"

Gu Qing'er extended his left hand, curling his middle three fingers, pressing his thumb against his pink finger, then slowly raising his pink finger with a flicker of sword intent at its tip.

"Just this much!"

Xu Xiaoshou was amused by the pig-headed expression trying so hard to look disdainful.

This guy had his face swollen like that, yet he wouldn't stop talking.

Still, he had revealed a lot of information...

Xu Xiaoshou glanced suspiciously at Gu Qingyi.

Was it because, in Gu Qing'er's eyes, his senior brother was invincible?

Or did Gu Qingyi's strength far exceed expectations, not even counting as part of the younger generation?

Gu Qing'er was already impressive—young and mastering "Absolute Imperial Rule," with a master who was one of the Seven Sword Immortals, Wen Ting—so his perspective should be among the highest in the world.

Yet toward his senior brother, Gu Qing'er showed not just verbal disdain but genuine admiration from the heart—respect, awe, and more.

"Gu Qingyi, what were you going to say?"

Xu Xiaoshou ignored Gu Qing'er and turned to Gu Qingyi.

Compared to Gu Qing'er's boasts mixed with possible truths, he was more interested in the Yu Lingdi that Gu Qingyi had actually seen.

When? Where? What happened?

Xu Xiaoshou was very curious.

But as Chen Shu, it wasn't appropriate to ask directly, so he probed indirectly.

Gu Qingyi didn't overthink it. Hearing the question, a hint of recollection appeared in his eyes as he slowly said,

"When I was searching for my junior brother earlier, I saw Yu Lingdi on a plaza outside Zuiyi Hall. He was hung on a totem pole, probably for a long time, enduring torture."

"When I saw him, he only had a sliver of consciousness left."

"I tried to save him, but with my abilities, I couldn't break the seal binding him."

"Later, I sensed my junior brother's aura, so I left."

Xu Xiaoshou was shocked.

Yu Lingdi had been hung on Void Island for so long?

No wonder there had been so many events in the Yunlun Mountains without a sighting—he had arrived at Void Island early.

So the question was... with Yu Lingdi's abilities, who could hang him up and torture him?

He mastered water system aoyi; even if he couldn't win, he could escape in a flash. Did he run into a Bansheng?

That didn't make sense either.

If it was a Bansheng opposed to Shengshen Hall, they wouldn't just torture him—they'd kill him outright, as seen from how Jiang Buyi handled Teng Shanhai.

Jiang Buyi was ruthless to the root and wasn't even an enemy of Shengshen Hall.

If it was a Bansheng aligned with Shengshen Hall, they wouldn't fight Yu Lingdi.

Yu Lingdi wasn't like Teng Shanhai; he had brains and wouldn't get himself killed.

With his status as Lingbu head, half of the Bansheng on the continent would give him face, right?

"Who hung him up?" the pig-headed Gu Qing'er suddenly asked, full of curiosity.

Xu Xiaoshou was tempted to hug that pig head and kiss it—you asked exactly what I wanted to know. Keep going, ask more.

Gu Qingyi shook his head.

"I don't know, but clearly, hanging him there served some purpose."

"I didn't think much about it at the time because I was distracted, but now, recalling it, every time an anomaly appeared on Yu Lingdi or the totem pole, there were echoes from afar on Void Island."

"Now, there are obviously more people on Void Island."

"It's possible that Yu Lingdi, because of his water system aoyi, was captured and turned into a spiritual energy supplier, connecting to another..."

Gu Qingyi narrowed his eyes, choosing his words carefully.

"Deep sea?" Xu Xiaoshou interjected.

Gu Qingyi pointed at him, his eyes lighting up, as if to say you voiced what I was thinking.

The two shared an unspoken understanding, both associating the "water" under the deep sea with the "water system aoyi" on Void Island.

Using these two related sources to provide spiritual energy, and the Void Gate as a medium, they could open a teleportation channel.

In that case, the group that fell into the deep sea from Guyin Cliff might have been teleported to Void Island in an instant.

But...

"Who's the powerhouse that could capture Yu Lingdi and turn him into a spiritual energy station?" Xu Xiaoshou wondered.

He had done something similar once.

Unexpectedly, the first floor of Tianren might still have someone surnamed Jiang serving as the spiritual energy supply for the protective array.

Whoever caught Yu Lingdi wasn't ordinary.

This tied back to the Shengnu's motives for summoning Void Island—it benefited them.

So Xu Xiaoshou immediately thought it was probably done by their own people.

Only two candidates came to mind.

Either Shuigui, who also had water system aoyi and was at Taixu level, stronger than Yu Lingdi... Hiss! Why were these two both water system aoyi? Was there a connection?

Or Bazun An, whose name said it all.

Only now, through Gu Qingyi's casual chat, did Xu Xiaoshou suddenly understand the Shengnu high command—er, Bazun An's scheme!

Starting from Dongtian Wangcheng, the night battle there, when he sought help from Bazun An and Void Island first appeared—even if he hadn't sought help, Void Island would have descended anyway!

Then the Yunlun Mountains trial followed, with continuous anomalies in the sky.

First, the Nine Heavens cast treasures, drawing the attention of experts from the five domains and stirring the seal-seeking hearts of countless Dao-cutters and Taixu experts, luring hordes to claim a piece of the Void Island pie.

Next came the Zhan Yi event... though that wasn't planned, it was incidental.

In the end, Lei Shuangxing's arrival meant even that was incorporated into Bazun An's plans—he even exploited it!

Thus, "Shengnu Xu Xiaoshou" was listed on the black gold bounty via Three Incense, turning him into a hot target, drawing assassins from the five domains.

Everyone's focus shifted from the unattainable Void Island to a practical goal—how to enter Void Island? How to turn the impossible into reality?

Bazun An only made one small move.

"Shengnu Xu Xiaoshou" vaguely followed the "guiding force"—the Shengli treasure—to Guyin Cliff.

Thus, the gazes of Shengshen Hall, the assassins, and countless others all fell on Guyin Cliff.

And on that Guyin Cliff, there was likely already someone named Shuigui, who quietly set down his large jar, fully spreading his fishing net!

Those coveting the seal Dao foundation eagerly swam into the sea—the Dao-cutters and Taixu experts from the five domains' major forces—all became spiritual energy suppliers for opening the Void Gate, drawn through the deep sea water sphere!

The Three Incense assassins and Shengshen Hall's red-and-white forces, led by Yao Yao, also followed "Shengnu Xu Xiaoshou" to Guyin Cliff for various reasons.

They became the second wave of spiritual energy supply, like moths to a flame, amplifying the light of the candle Bazun An casually lit, spreading its influence further and further.

At the same time, did Bazun An enter Void Island?

If Shuigui was on a mission outside, only he had the time to enter.

Or perhaps Bazun An sent someone who captured Yu Lingdi, linking this water system aoyi genius to the external net laid by Shuigui, who also mastered water system aoyi.

These two "water experts" successfully opened the spatial channel, and Void Island made its spectacular appearance.

Everyone, from the depths of the sea to the heights of Void Island, was teleported?

Dao Qiong Cang's Bansheng intent manifested, and Ai Cang Sheng's arrow shot from Zhongyu.

They must have seen through Bazun An's scheme at that moment, but the momentum was too great—they couldn't stop it.

Xu Xiaoshou thought of this and broke out in a cold sweat.

This was too insidious!

How long had this been planned?

Did Bazun An's casual pawn—tossing him into Dongtian Wangcheng—trigger this butterfly effect?

Was it really controllable?

—It seemed it was!

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly connected it to the only unsolved mystery left in Baiku.

There, he obtained the Yan Python and met a disheveled Shengren, now suspected to be the Void Island inner island's Shengdi Jin Zhao ancestor.

So, Baiku could connect to Void Island.

And right after getting the Yan Python in Baiku, he received the disheveled Shengren's white light bead, containing a complete Baiku map.

At the map's end was that strange, other-dimensional rift that emitted a "om" sound at fixed intervals, which he still couldn't figure out.

After obtaining the Four Swords in Li Jian Grassland, he followed them to that mysterious, unknown other-dimensional rift.

But upon arrival, instead of the rift, he encountered Bazun An and others, joining Shengnu there.

Why was Bazun An there?

He hadn't thought much of it before.

Now, it seemed he wasn't there for the Four Swords—that was something more important!

What could be more important?

Was it possible that Bazun An entered Void Island through that other-dimensional rift, or an intermediate zone, and connected with the disheveled Shengren Jin Zhao ancestor, who had left his intent there via the Yan Python? Did they discuss the Dongtian Wangcheng Void Island descent there, coordinating inside and out?

"Damn!"

Xu Xiaoshou realized this, and his whole body went cold.

Could it all connect like that?

It seemed to fit perfectly.

So when was this chess game set?

From when he entered Tiansang Spirit Palace and was noticed by Sang Lao?

Or even earlier, when the Yan Python was hidden in Baiku?

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly felt that his own scheme of pitting the minor Bansheng Jiang Buyi was child's play compared to Bazun An's—this was the real master move!

His mind raced, putting himself in Bazun An's shoes as the player, pondering what would happen next.

Bazun An had schemed for so long, from Baiku to Guyin Cliff, just to send everyone to Void Island—what was his goal?

As the Zun of the black and white veins, he wanted to wage war against Shengshen Hall, but Shengnu alone wasn't enough—he needed to borrow the inner island's ghost beast forces, so he planned to free them...

Wait! Ghost beasts? Han Ye?

Han Ye came from the inner island.

This guy must be tied to Bazun An's plan.

If he met Han Ye again, even at the risk of losing a second true body, he had to confirm his stance.

Only by knowing Han Ye's purpose could he avoid being a clueless pawn, playing the fool after the fact.

Oh, and!

Dao Qiong Cang was called "unfathomable by gods or ghosts." If he saw through Bazun An's strategy...

No, he must have seen it, so he would act to stop it.

If I were Dao Qiong Cang, how would I stop it?

—Yao Yao, achieve seal?

Damn!

Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts surged, so was there a connection here?

Not just that! If I were Dao Qiong Cang, Yao Yao was too dim-witted to be the only piece on Void Island to counter Bazun An's scheme.

So, I'd send more people.

At least a Bansheng to start!

If not a Shengdi, then multiple Bansheng to Void Island to successfully counter Bazun An.

One to fight Bazun An, one to fight Shuigui.

After Yao Yao achieved seal, she could be used as a vanguard, a bold move against the remaining Shengnu below Bansheng level.

Jiang Buyi was here too.

In a pinch, he could be temporarily recruited.

Though I don't know how, if I were Dao Qiong Cang, I'd definitely use him as a piece!

So, at minimum, I'd send two more Bansheng...

That was just the baseline!

For safety, sending two more, openly and covertly, dual approaches, wasn't out of the question!

Xu Xiaoshou was drenched in cold sweat. He suddenly realized another benefit of constantly switching identities.

At least, if these people really existed and came, they wouldn't immediately recognize him and casually eliminate "Xu Xiaoshou," that troublesome little pawn.

"Chen Shu?"

"Chen Shu??"

"Chen Shu!!!"

Gu Qing'er suddenly roared, snapping Xu Xiaoshou out of it.

"You okay?"

Gu Qing'er looked at his savior's pale, bloodless face with confusion.

We were just talking about Yu Lingdi being hung up—why are you scared like this?

It's not like it was you!

"It's fine, just thought of something minor."

Xu Xiaoshou waved it off, trying to suppress his shock.

He held onto a sliver of hope—maybe all this was just his wild speculation?

Ha, if Bazun An's schemes were this brilliant, how did he end up trapped in the Void Island inner island back then?

"Let's head deeper."

Xu Xiaoshou had no desire to linger or care about Yu Lingdi anymore. He just wanted to quickly resolve the death countdown in his mind.

He had a premonition...

The storm was coming, and night was falling!

If that death countdown was still looming, even hiding would be pointless waiting for death, so he had to get rid of this nuisance first.

Seeing Chen Shu suddenly lose interest in talking, Gu Qingyi didn't press and followed him into the hall.

The main hall of Zhenhuang Hall was vast.

As soon as Xu Xiaoshou entered, he saw the giant statue Gu Qingyi had mentioned.

It matched the image of the Void General—about ten feet tall, imposing, and one of the few things in the hall dusted with cobwebs and traces of time.

It wore black, tattered armor and held a black halberd, not resembling Fei, You, or Hong... Hmm, like the hidden tenth seat of Shengnu, I get it!

"Void General Zui."

Xu Xiaoshou stared at the statue and spoke. Up to this point, he hadn't sensed any living aura from it.

As soon hand finished, the giant statue's eyelids lifted, light appearing in its eyes as a faint Shengli aura spread.

"Sinner... why... visit... Zhenhuang Hall..."

It spoke very slowly!

Xu Xiaoshou waited a long time before the statue finished.

But he was used to it—after all, there was a similar presence in his spiritual space.

After a moment's thought, he led with the only leverage he had to navigate the unknown storm ahead.

"Hello, I want to exchange for a 'Miǎn Sǐ Lìng'. How much does it cost?"