Chapter 1160: The Transcendence of the Past's Ten Venerable Prodigies

"The time attribute is still disgusting..."

As Xu Xiaoshou pushed open the wooden door, he felt as if he were reliving that previous experience—the disconnect between his mind and body, a constant sense of misalignment.

In his hand, the Shi Zu Ying Zhang emitted a faint glow.

Soon, that disjointed feeling faded away.

Xu Xiaoshou regained control of his body.

As the saying goes, the first time is tough, but the second time is easier.

Entering the wooden pavilion again, the fear had lessened significantly. At least, Xu Xiaoshou no longer felt panicked or lost; he could maintain his calm and think clearly.

Unlike last time, when his only thought was to escape quickly.

Of course, this sense of "security" wasn't entirely because it was his second visit to Gu Jin Wang You Lou.

More than that—well, probably ninety-nine percent of it—was due to the familiar figure now sitting at the small wooden table in the center of the pavilion!

"You're here?"

Ba Zun An turned his gaze, pushed the wine pot toward the opposite side, and gestured with his hand.

"From your expression, this isn't your first time here, right?"

"How was it? I've forgotten what it felt like the first time I came to this secluded paradise. Tell me about it?"

Even though he had anticipated it, seeing Ba Zun An truly sitting in Gu Jin Wang You Lou still made Xu Xiaoshou feel like he was in a dream.

Every time they met, this guy evoked a sense of fear from others' experiences and his own overwhelming power.

The legendary aura didn't weaken with time or familiarity; instead, it grew stronger.

"It's just not very comfortable, that's for sure." Xu Xiaoshou hesitated as he spoke.

He glanced at Kong Yu Hen, the refined and gentle scholar sitting across from Ba Zun An, with his warm smile. Still, Xu Xiaoshou thought this must be a wolf in sheep's clothing... or rather, a king in disguise!

He stepped forward.

Two of the Shi Zun Zuo were waiting by the wooden table, as if they had been chatting and drinking for a while.

Xu Xiaoshou felt a bit honored.

Even so, he walked at a steady pace.

From his "perception," the furnishings in Gu Jin Wang You Lou were the same as last time.

To his left was a display table, its dust cleaned away, neatly arranged with various wooden carvings—combs, wooden clocks, wheels... all sorts of things. Of course, the most eye-catching were the small wooden carvings of the Shi Zun Zuo.

And right now, two of them were right in front of him. Comparing them, it was spot-on!

"How does that small wooden carving of Kong Yu Hen look so similar to the real Kong Yu Hen... Hmm? What did the Kong Yu Hen carving even look like?"

Xu Xiaoshou tried to use the image of the small carving to compare with the real Kong Yu Hen in front of him, stripping away his refined facade to imagine his ferocious side.

But as soon as his attention shifted, he couldn't remember Kong Yu Hen's face.

And moreover...

"This scholar's face—I clearly can't remember it, but in the Sin One Hall, I imitated him so easily!"

Xu Xiaoshou thought of something and once again manifested the face of "Chen Ru Ye," turning toward Ba Zun An.

"Do I look like anyone?"

Ba Zun An looked at him with a laugh, cup in hand.

He immediately understood Xu Xiaoshou's little scheme and said, "No need to imitate. That mess you made doesn't look like anyone at all."

"What? So I just randomly made up a face that I thought was his?"

In front of Ba Zun An, Xu Xiaoshou was much more unrestrained, not hiding that he had tried to imitate Kong Yu Hen to smear him a bit.

"You want to imitate me?" Kong Yu Hen smiled and cast his gaze over.

Whoosh—Xu Xiaoshou's hair stood on end, and he sheepishly shrank back, waving his hands. "No, not at all. Don't say that..."

"Am I that scary?" The scholar Kong Yu Hen touched his nose and turned to Ba Zun An.

Ba Zun An burst out laughing, then quickly composed himself and nodded.

"Yes."

"To them."

So you're not afraid at all... Xu Xiaoshou grumbled inwardly, glancing at the spiral staircase to the right.

Last time, Kong Yu Hen had come down from the second floor.

Who knows what's up there...

"You want to go up?"

Kong Yu Hen threw him another understanding glance, clearly reading his intentions, his expression warm and gentle.

"Uh."

This is what true evil looks like when it's disguised as good.

Xu Xiaoshou blinked, withdrew his gaze, and waved his hands again. "No, not at all. Don't say that..."

This time, Kong Yu Hen furrowed his brow.

"My friend..."

"Yes, I'm very anxious!"

Xu Xiaoshou had learned to interrupt. "You don't need to point it out on purpose. That would only make me more anxious and won't help at all."

Kong Yu Hen suddenly narrowed his eyes, his voice dropping low, like a ghost whispering:

"How do you know I wanted to ease your anxiety?"

"Scared, passive value, 1."

Xu Xiaoshou's face turned pale on the spot, frozen in place, unable to move a muscle.

He had "Immovable Wisdom King," "Disappear," and other skills ready to go.

As for "One Step to Heaven"... forget it; using a space-type skill in front of the ancestor of space would be like walking into a trap.

If needed, Xu Xiaoshou would switch to his Yuan Mansion and let his second true body use these awakened skills.

Whether they worked or not was unknown, but at least his main body wouldn't die!

"So, you only react when I talk like this..." Kong Yu Hen mused thoughtfully.

He suddenly sighed, his expression turning sorrowful, and looked at Ba Zun An. "My friend, he just can't relax at all. He's too anxious."

Ba Zun An laughed as he drained his cup and set it down. "At his age, how could he not be anxious?"

"But when I first came here, I seemed quite relaxed."

"I'm different. This isn't my first time in your Gu Jin Wang You Lou."

Xu Xiaoshou listened to their conversation and seemed to grasp something.

He quickly walked to the wooden table and sat down, looking at Kong Yu Hen.

"You two don't know each other?"

"First meeting."

Kong Yu Hen warmed the wine stove and smiled in response. "In the past, we truly didn't know each other."

Xu Xiaoshou turned to Ba Zun An.

"You two know each other!"

"Hmm." Ba Zun An nodded with a smile.

If people like Mu Zi Xi or Han Ye were here, their heads would probably be spinning by now.

It was essentially the same question, but the two gave completely opposite answers.

Xu Xiaoshou fell silent, pondering.

He recalled what Kong Yu Hen had said on his first visit—he had forgotten many things.

"You have amnesia?" Xu Xiaoshou asked.

Kong Yu Hen nodded, then shook his head.

"Maybe..."

"You're definitely amnesiac!" Xu Xiaoshou felt this was the truth and pressed on. "Why?"

Why... Kong Yu Hen lowered his eyes in silence.

After a long while, he looked up and said slowly, "Actually, this is the question I wanted to ask you when you first came here, but back then, you were only thinking about leaving."

Oh, that's awkward...

Xu Xiaoshou coughed dryly, not responding.

So, Kong Yu Hen really couldn't remember his past?

Gu Jin Wang You Lou, which even people like Si Ren Xian Sheng couldn't see or enter, I can...

In Kong Yu Hen's mind, I must be the one who can give him answers.

He thinks I'm strong!

But I just want to run...

Xu Xiaoshou understood and turned to Ba Zun An. "Maybe he can give you answers. He's the best at that."

"No!"

This time, Ba Zun An refused outright. "I can't."

Xu Xiaoshou glanced at Kong Yu Hen, noticing his hesitation, and asked on his behalf, "Why?"

Ba Zun An picked up his cup and poured wine into the one in front of Xu Xiaoshou, glancing at Kong Yu Hen as he said, "Because the previous you already asked me this question, and I still haven't found the answer."

Kong Yu Hen silently began to think.

Xu Xiaoshou held his wine cup, his fingers stiffening, unable to exert any force.

The previous you...

Ha, this is really damn interesting!

What are we even talking about? Now even I can't understand.

Ba Zun An seemed to sense Xu Xiaoshou's confusion and explained, as if recalling, "We're not meeting for the first time."

"The first time I saw you, I hadn't started learning the sword yet. I was still in the secular world... well, taking imperial exams."

"I was fighting with Wen Ting in a small alley, and on the way back to the inn, we somehow walked in here."

Ba Zun An pointed at the floor of Gu Jin Wang You Lou and said firmly, "You back then were in a state similar to now—knowing nothing and wanting to find your past."

"Wen Ting talked to you a lot; I just listened."

"In the end, he invited you to Zang Jian Zong to see a doctor, saying that maybe Lao Ye Zi Yu Tu could know something."

Xu Xiaoshou listened intently, holding his wine cup.

But before he could take a sip, he choked on his saliva.

"Cough, cough!"

"Sorry, let me interrupt."

Xu Xiaoshou awkwardly raised his hand. "Yu Tu Lao Ye Zi? What's his connection to Zang Jian Zong?"

Kong Yu Hen was listening too; this information was crucial to him.

He noticed that Ba Zun An, even when alone with him, had a slight guard up, despite appearing relaxed.

But after Xu Xiaoshou arrived, he was willing to share many stories he hadn't mentioned before.

Maybe he wasn't telling them to him.

But using that as an excuse to tell the young man.

"Yu Tu..." Ba Zun An's eyes were full of emotion. "He's Wen Ting's master's... um, great-uncle or something. I forget the exact relation. Anyway, he used to be the 'gravekeeper' of Zang Jian Zong for a term, but he wasn't famous back then."

The gravekeeper was like the hall master of Sheng Shen Dian Tang or the palace master of Xu Yue Hui Gong—basically, the top figure in Zang Jian Zong.

Xu Xiaoshou knew that title.

Because Qi Jian Xian Wen Ting was the current gravekeeper of Zang Jian Zong!

He knew it, but after truly understanding the connections between Yu Tu Lao Ye Zi, Wen Ting, and Ba Zun An, he realized that the ancient sword cultivators were all interconnected!

Everything was linked.

Well, that made sense... Ancient sword techniques had declined in this era, so those who could inherit and promote them must have some mentorship.

Even if they didn't seek fame like Si Ren Xian Sheng when teaching, over time, with one teaching another, and learning leading to enlightenment, you could trace connections between them.

Most importantly, Yu Tu Lao Ye Zi had been the gravekeeper of Zang Jian Zong! That was key.

No wonder he was close to Ba Zun An's side and left legends like the one on Gui Zhe Sheng Shan, where the seven swords beheaded the previous hall master of Sheng Shen Dian Tang.

"Go on."

Xu Xiaoshou felt like he was here to listen to stories.

Even breaking through seemed relaxed and unimportant.

The battle in Sin One Hall was probably still ongoing, but after figuring out Kong Yu Hen's purpose, Gu Jin Wang You Lou suddenly felt magical.

It made people set aside their anxieties and enjoy the peace.

A secluded paradise...

Ba Zun An's description was spot-on!

Ba Zun An looked at Kong Yu Hen and continued, "The second time I saw you was a few years later, at Shi Zun Zuo."

"You seemed to have found something and were eager to confirm it. You were no longer so detached from the world; you had human emotions, like anxiety."

"You entered the Shi Zun Zuo battle to challenge me."

"Because Wen Ting said that problems he couldn't solve, he would bring to me... Actually, Wen Ting was just afraid of dying and passed this trouble to me."

Ba Zun An chuckled, tapping the rim of his wine cup as he recalled, "That was probably when I was first surprised."

"By then, Wen Ting was already very strong, yet there was someone he couldn't beat... or rather, someone who could defeat him!"

"Even after fighting you, his mindset was affected, and he withdrew from the Shi Zun Zuo battle."

"That, he's probably still regretting now, because you didn't belong to that era, and he shouldn't have let it damage his Dao heart."

Kong Yu Hen hesitated to speak.

Xu Xiaoshou narrowed his eyes.

Didn't belong to that era...

What a loaded statement!

He didn't ask and quietly waited for Ba Zun An to continue.

"When you came to find me, I was fighting Cao Yi Han..." Ba Zun An paused and glanced at Xu Xiaoshou. "That's Kui Lei Han."

"You had become very aggressive, not giving face to anyone, just wanting to fight me."

"Cao... Kui Lei Han has a quick temper too; he struck at you first."

"The space mysteries probably first stunned the world back then. That's when I finally understood why Wen Ting lost."

Space mysteries?

Xu Xiaoshou tensed up.

Clearly, Kong Yu Hen's space mysteries were terrifying—at least different from what the dean had just comprehended—to defeat someone like Qi Jian Xian Wen Ting.

Kong Yu Hen finally spoke. "Space mysteries?"

Ba Zun An looked at him. "If things went as expected, you've forgotten this too?"

Kong Yu Hen furrowed his brow in thought.

Xu Xiaoshou felt he really was like a patient.

He opened his mouth, thinking of Yu Ling Di and Ye Xiao Tian's mystery arrays, and described, "It's like this: when you move your spiritual energy to attack, a array-like thing spins out under your feet. It's really cool."

Kong Yu Hen glanced at him, tried lifting his hand, and gathered that thing called spiritual energy.

"Buzz!"

Gu Jin Wang You Lou suddenly brightened.

A grand space mystery array spread across the floor, completely non-aggressive.

The light flowed, stunningly beautiful.

Xu Xiaoshou's mouth hung open, his eyes fixed on this exquisite mystery array.

Indeed...

This jade-faced scholar couldn't possibly be as harmless as he looked!

Ba Zun An was equally captivated, staring at the mystery array for a long time before saying, "Back then, you used this to fight Kui Lei Han. At first, you hadn't used your time abilities."

"When the battle was halfway and even you couldn't hold on, you used your time abilities."

"That power seemed to surprise even you, like an innate ability."

"You had it, but you weren't skilled with it."

Xu Xiaoshou was baffled.

He wasn't surprised that Kong Yu Hen had suddenly awakened the time attribute.

But...

What the hell?

Kong Yu Hen, using space mysteries, couldn't beat Kui Lei Han?

What kind of freak was that Cao guy?

Xu Xiaoshou parted his lips, and Ba Zun An smiled at him. "Cao Yi Han is the strongest talent in refining spirit I've ever seen, bar none."

"Maybe I should meet him..." Kong Yu Hen murmured softly.

"You've already met him." Ba Zun An laughed and pointed to the display table with the Shi Zun Zuo wooden carvings. "You've seen all these people; they've all been here, but you've forgotten."

"Then I should meet him in my current state, see what answers he can give me."

"Maybe." Ba Zun An didn't commit.

"What happened next?"

Compared to Kong Yu Hen's next moves, Xu Xiaoshou was more curious about the Shi Zun Zuo battle from the mouth of one of its members.

What Ba Zun An said wasn't legend; it was real, without exaggeration—just what had happened.

And from Ba Zun An's perspective, his words wouldn't mythologize anyone, because he was the greatest myth himself!

Kong Yu Hen listened attentively too.

Ba Zun An's stories let him learn about many people—these could be friends to visit one by one later.

"Later..."

"You, who revealed both space and time attributes, exceeded everyone's expectations."

"But not absolutely."

Ba Zun An glanced at Xu Xiaoshou with a smile, as if knowing his next words would be bombshell for the young man.

He continued, speaking to Kong Yu Hen, "You finally fought Kui Lei Han to a draw, which surprised you and him."

"But Kui Lei Han didn't want to fight you anymore."

"He said to defeat your space-time dual attributes, he couldn't do it yet; he needed a special power, at least something to counter the mysteries."

"So, he stopped and let Shen Yi Xian fight you."

Shen Yi?

Xu Xiaoshou turned his head, thinking, and remembered that name.

"'Ghost Gate Pass, where gods are called gods'—that one?"

"The legend where he killed his way to Ghost Gate Pass for a woman and snatched his wife's soul from the god of death?"

Xu Xiaoshou said it with a laugh.

Sometimes he felt the balladeers' stories were too unreliable.

To glorify certain figures, they made up ridiculous things.

Could someone in Shi Zun Zuo be that simple?

Wasn't that story basically downplaying "Daughter Fragrance" and projecting everything onto that "one who killed through the mortal world to war at Ghost Gate Pass"?

Well, that was the line after the first in the Shi Zun Zuo ballad...

Gou Wu Yue, Daughter Fragrance, killed through the mortal world to war at Ghost Gate Pass.

—Utterly unrealistic!

Ba Zun An looked at Xu Xiaoshou's skeptical expression and shook his head with a smile.

"You're wrong."

"Those aren't legends; they're all true."

"Even the legends you heard were probably toned down for 'authenticity' and 'wide circulation,' minimizing Shen Yi Xian's combat prowess."

Xu Xiaoshou: ???

Ba Zun An continued, "Xiang Yao Yao died back then, killed by you." He looked at Kong Yu Hen.

"Shen Yi Xian was with me at the time. Kui Lei Han wanted Shen Yi Xian to fight you first because he acknowledged his strength."

"But Xiang Yao Yao was scared and wouldn't let Shen Yi Xian make a move."

"In the Shi Zun Zuo battle, who wouldn't fear the only one mastering space mysteries and also having the time attribute?"

Ba Zun An stared at Kong Yu Hen's awkward expression and stepped out of the story, sighing. "It's hard to see you so composed now. I guess this gentle facade won't last long."

"Because the you back then, or rather that Kong Yu Hen, was also volatile."

"As soon as Xiang Yao Yao spoke, your space mysteries caught everyone off guard, and she was killed, her soul exiled."

Xu Xiaoshou's mouth dropped open.

Ah, this...

Ba Zun An's gaze turned to him. "She was indeed weak; you could probably beat her now."

"That Xiang Yao Yao was freshly broken through to Wang Zuo Dao Jing and was just there for a tour with Shen Yi Xian—she was a complete combat novice."

"But Shen Yi Xian wasn't."

"If Cao Yi Han is the strongest in refining spirit I've seen, then Shen Yi Xian is the pinnacle of physical techniques."

Ba Zun An looked back at Kong Yu Hen. "In the Shi Zun Zuo battle, excluding you who didn't belong to that era, no one had truly mastered the mysteries."

"But if physical technique mysteries could be shown as an array, Shen Yi Xian was probably the only one in the world who had mastered them."

"You killed his beloved, so of course he was furious."

"Space mysteries, time abilities... in front of an enraged brute, they didn't even make a splash."

Kong Yu Hen's face reddened. "What did I do?"

"You got absolutely hammered by him." Ba Zun An laughed at his own words.

"You fought Kui Lei Han to a draw, but you couldn't take even one hit from Shen Yi Xian. Your body was smashed on the spot, and your soul was pulled out and torn to pieces."

"Luckily, Shen Yi Xian didn't finish you off completely, and thanks to your space-time attributes, which are indeed bizarre!"

"In just a moment, after recovering, you could swap yourself from the river of time."

"You seemed to have found your answer and wanted to leave."

"But Kui Lei Han woke up."

Xu Xiaoshou's brow twitched, sensing the story was about to get even more absurd.

"I never praise anyone, but Kui Lei Han's talent is indeed the best in refining spirit of his time."

"He felt he needed something to fight someone like you with space-time attributes."

"So, he sat down to comprehend. In the time it took Shen Yi Xian to scatter you, he woke up and challenged you again."

"Did I accept?" Kong Yu Hen seemed to know his choice.

"Of course. You're not one to back down. That Cao Yi Han guy..."

Ba Zun An scoffed, "He could only draw with you moments ago, so how could a quick meditation let him win?"

"Then I got hammered again?" Kong Yu Hen seemed to foresee his... no, his past.

"Ha... uh, yeah."

Ba Zun An almost laughed out loud, glanced at Xu Xiaoshou, and his expression turned serious. "Cao Yi Han sat for less than the time of one incense stick. When he stood up, he unleashed an incredibly powerful ability."

"One move broke Kong Yu Hen's space mysteries and instant-killed him."

"Later, he named that ability 'Che Shen Nian' and called his own 'Fa Shen Xing Jie'."

"My 'Jian Nian' is derived from that."

Xu Xiaoshou sat holding his wine cup, his eyes blank, speechless for a long time.

The geniuses of this world...

How to put it? All freaking absurd!

Ba Zun An was one thing.

But the ones on his level were no normal either!

The original 'Che Shen Nian' 'Fa Shen Xing Jie' was born from such a short comprehension?

Less than one incense stick...

And later generations spent thousands or tens of thousands of times the effort, decades, just to study it, only to give up!

Xu Xiaoshou had heard that Sheng Shen Dian Tang had a "Nian Department" decades ago, focused on 'Che Shen Nian'.

In the end, research showed that only freaks could cultivate it; it couldn't be popularized.

So the entire department dissolved on the spot.

From seven departments to six.

"Ba Zun An Xian Sheng..."

"Hey, don't!"

Kong Yu Hen's politeness made Ba Zun An extremely uncomfortable; his face twisted.

Looking back, seeing the respectful toast, Ba Zun An raised his cup too.

"Anyway, thank you for telling me all this. Now I have a direction for who to find next."

Kong Yu Hen raised his cup, clinked it lightly, and drank it all.

Ba Zun An set down his cup and wiped his mouth with a smile. "I wasn't telling it all just for you to hear."

Xu Xiaoshou touched his wine cup, still lost in thought.

"How about it? Scared silly?" Ba Zun An smirked, his tone mocking.

"Not really, just... a mix of feelings, like a dream." Xu Xiaoshou couldn't describe it.

"I didn't say all this to discourage you."

"Then what?"

"You're about to break through to Wang Zuo Dao Jing, right?"

"Yes, I came mainly for that... uh, not mainly, secondarily, to ask you for protection... um, that might not be important? The key is, I wanted to ask if you or he have any breakthrough experiences for Wang Zuo Dao Jing..."

"Xu Xiaoshou!"

Ba Zun An's voice suddenly grew heavy, interrupting him.

His gaze became incredibly sharp, no longer murky, like a sword hidden for decades, suddenly unsheathed.

When Xu Xiaoshou met his eyes, he felt a mental stab, his perception blurring, as if struck by a sword.

He thought it was an illusion...

But the information bar jumped.

"Attacked, passive value, 1."

Attacked?

With just a look?

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned, instinctively turning his head to avoid the gaze.

But he stopped abruptly and stared straight back.

His cheek twitched, as if something liquid was flowing down.

Xu Xiaoshou waited a moment, licked it with his tongue—salty and metallic.

From his "perception," he saw blood flowing from his eyes, just from locking eyes with Ba Zun An!

"What do you want?"

Xu Xiaoshou stared for a while before hesitating.

He suddenly realized Ba Zun An was handsome, at least in Gu Jin Wang You Lou, he had cleaned up, no longer disheveled.

With his features chiseled and lines sharp, his face exuded pressure and aggression.

"You have something important to say to me?" Xu Xiaoshou wiped his face, feeling this eye contact was a bad start.

Ba Zun An finally couldn't hold it in; his mouth twitched, and he retracted his sharp gaze with a long sigh.

"Xu Xiaoshou, haven't you noticed? From some point, you've become so cautious."

His words hit like a thunderclap, thought-provoking.

Xu Xiaoshou's mind went blank, forgetting to act out.

"Maybe it was Dong Tian Wang Cheng, or Xu Kong Dao, or the enemies you've faced growing stronger."

"But none of that is a reason to lose your edge."

Ba Zun An narrowed his eyes and said gravely, "Think back to before Dong Tian Wang Cheng. I let you cause trouble and set you free because your abilities were exceptional, doing what others couldn't."

"But along the way, you've stopped taking yourself seriously, even starting to equate yourself with trash."

"Too Xu? Half Saint?"

Ba Zun An snorted, his eyes full of contempt, as if looking at waste.

"Most people you meet now have just cultivated a few decades or a century more than you. What have they achieved?"

"Are you going to follow their path, think like them, and let their worthless mindset influence your will?"

"Taking the dross and discarding the essence?"

Ba Zun An leaned forward, his eyes mocking as he sneered, "Think about what you accomplished on Xu Kong Dao? Almost nothing!"

"You couldn't kill anyone; you ran at the first sign of danger... When I was your age, I was arrogant, with no one beside or behind me, but I charged ahead anyway."

"You've become timid, Xu Xiaoshou."

Ba Zun An reined in his mockery, his demeanor calm, his speech slowing. "This isn't a good change."

"But it's not your fault. Ultimately, it's because your horizons are limited, so I'm telling you all this today."

After a pause, he said heavily, "Xu Xiaoshou, the people you need to surpass aren't Rao Yao Yao or Jiang Bu Yi, not even Mei Si Ren or Huang Quan types."

"It's Kui Lei Han, Shen Yi Xian—these people, even if you haven't met them."

"If you can't compare, then... me!"

Ba Zun An stood up.

He didn't release any overwhelming aura, but his words were shockingly bold.

"And..."

"Don't become me—transcend me!"

Xu Xiaoshou was shaken by this barrage.

He vaguely understood what the young Ba Zun An was like.

Even if it was hard to believe, comparing Rao Yao Yao and Jiang Bu Yi to Kui Lei Han, Shen Yi Xian, and Ba Zun An...

They really were trash!

Really were useless!

But... Xu Xiaoshou felt something was off.

Soon, he figured it out. Ba Zun An was switching concepts.

It wasn't that Rao Yao Yao and Jiang Bu Yi were weak.

It was that Kui Lei Han, Shen Yi Xian, and the others were too freakish!

They were the top few in the world, countable on one hand.

Ba Zun An only talked about their strengths, not weaknesses, so how could you compare like that?

"Xu Xiaoshou, do you know how to write the character for 'death'?"

Xu Xiaoshou's eyelid twitched.

What, are you going to kill me?

"I know..."

"You know shit!"

Ba Zun An scolded outright, "Since you know, forget it!"

"At your age, you don't need to know how to write 'death.' Young people just need to know how to be 'reckless'!"

"All around you are dogs; you alone are the king!"

"Smart people fear two kinds: one smarter than them, and the other, reckless fools."

"You're smart, but now you're no match for Dao Qiong Cang, and you can't surpass me to become a player."

"So, just be reckless! Be reckless and then bring your brain along after!"

"Your mind is for solving troubles after being reckless, not for hesitating and overthinking."

"If there are troubles even you can't solve, I'll handle them... Do you understand?"

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned.

This "reckless" talk was too bold!

But he seemed to get Ba Zun An's meaning.

Total chaos!

It's not chaotic enough now; ideally, blow up the entire Xu Kong Dao for a passing grade, and the inner island for full marks. If something goes wrong... Ba Zun An covers it!

"I get it."

Xu Xiaoshou pondered, and Ba Zun An hit the nail on the head—his problem was not being explosive enough.

That wasn't an issue.

He didn't know before, but with Ba Zun An's guarantee, causing chaos would be easy.

"Isn't that a bit extreme..." Kong Yu Hen listened and hesitated.

"No."

Ba Zun An, in this secluded paradise he called it, had no taboos; he called names as he pleased, unafraid of being perceived.

Sitting back down, he poured wine for everyone, laughing as he did. "Being timid isn't good. Youth means being wild, not turning back until you hit a wall."

"Wasn't Wen Ting defeated by you? After that, he learned to strive. Before, he was too protected by Zang Jian Zong; his experiences were even less than Gou Wu Yue's."

"Rao Yao Yao too. Wasn't she only able to seal as a saint on Xu Kong Dao after hitting walls? It was just Dao Qiong Cang's choice!"

As he spoke, Ba Zun An looked at Xu Xiaoshou. "If you can be as sharp as me, by the time you hit a wall, it might already be after becoming a saint emperor."

"Of course, I hope you transcend me and never hit a wall."

"Or put another way... when you charge forward, no one can be an obstacle!"

Xu Xiaoshou lowered his head in thought.

Ba Zun An's words made sense, but they only applied to a small group—the most extreme freaks.

When a sword is sharp enough, its breakthrough is fastest!

Because any hindrance becomes its honing stone, so no damage from hitting walls.

If you do hit one, it's much later.

Rao Yao Yao probably hit her wall on Xu Kong Dao, so she sealed as a saint while in seclusion.

The Wen Ting Ba Zun An mentioned was the same; he hit his wall in the Shi Zun Zuo battle, meaning he had no opponents before.

When did Kui Lei Han, Shen Yi Xian, and these guys stop their relentless advance?

He was only at Zong Shi, already overthinking...

If he could recklessly charge at Half Saints or Saint Emperors and only hit a wall later, or by then, the wall might be gone.

That breakthrough speed would be much faster than now.

"Thoroughly figured it out?" Ba Zun An saw the young man deep in thought and asked, raising his cup.

"I have a question." Xu Xiaoshou spoke up.

"Say it!"

"Did you fight Shen Yi Xian? During Shi Zun Zuo."

Kong Yu Hen perked up his ears too.

According to Ba Zun An, Shen Yi Xian one-shotted the previous him.

So, for Ba Zun An himself, the current Kong Yu Hen was very curious.

"Isn't that obvious?" Ba Zun An set down his cup, lips curling. "Otherwise, why would he follow me?"

"What about Kui Lei Han?" Xu Xiaoshou asked again.

"Cao Yi Han? He beat me for a day, I guess!"

Ba Zun An twisted his neck with a crack. "'Fa Shen Xing Jie' let him barely draw with me, but after I learned 'Jian Nian' from it, he couldn't beat me anymore."

Xu Xiaoshou was shocked.

As expected, the title of "Eighth Jian Xian" wasn't for show.

But...

"Gulp."

Xu Xiaoshou thought of something and swallowed hard.

"Spit it out!" Ba Zun An frowned.

"It's just that..."

Xu Xiaoshou was a bit afraid to ask.

But remembering Ba Zun An's words about forgetting "death," he gritted his teeth and went for it.

"You were charging ahead so relentlessly—how did you 'fall' for decades in between? Weren't you reckless? Weren't you amazing? Weren't you arrogant?"

Ba Zun An's face darkened instantly.

"Under angry gaze, passive value, 1."

Xu Xiaoshou said it with his eyes closed.

After a long while with no sword at his throat, he finally decided not to switch to his second true body and opened his eyes.

Ba Zun An hadn't struck; he just sighed heavily.

"So, when I first met you, I told you."

"The path of ancient sword cultivation has been walked to ruin..."

Xu Xiaoshou recalled that scene by the lake in Tian Sang Ling Gong's outer court, after he midnight-counter-killed Feng Kong and Shao Yi, meeting Ba Zun An.

He felt a bit nostalgic.

So, all that time had passed.

"Why?" Xu Xiaoshou asked.

"This is, after all, the era of refining spirit..."

Ba Zun An gave a vague answer, shaking his head without elaborating: "Your path now is good. Keep going. Before you exhaust yourself, don't give up on any of them."

"Refining spirit, sword dao, physical forging... and so on."

"Because no one can reference it, you need to charge forward even more, carve out a path to life, and achieve a great dao that belongs only to you."

"Maybe, it's the right one."

"But now, I can't give the answer."

"Wang Zuo Dao Jing, the so-called 'great dao contention' you're about to start, is exactly for that."

Xu Xiaoshou realized why Ba Zun An had told him Shi Zun Zuo stories as soon as he entered the pavilion, without asking anything.

If Kui Lei Han was the pinnacle of refining spirit, Shen Yi Xian of physical techniques, and Ba Zun An of sword dao...

What he wanted to cultivate was a fusion of these three, not abandoning any!

In that case, he really couldn't compare to Rao Yao Yao or Jiang Bu Yi.

Not even to Kui Lei Han, Shen Yi Xian, or Ba Zun An individually.

Only by combining the three could he start to compare.

And what Ba Zun An wanted was more than that.

His ambition was vast, his nature wild, evident from his words.

Ba Zun An never asked him to match those three.

But to...

Transcend them!

In Tian Sang Ling Gong's spirit repository, Xu Xiaoshou had once told Sang Lao, "My ambitions aren't in Tian Sang, but in the Five Domains."

That was his first time hearing of Ba Zun An, with Sang Lao using him as a negative example to scold his overreach!

Sang Lao was undoubtedly a genius.

Even for him, the requirement was to catch up to Ba Zun An first before anything else.

But Ba Zun An...

This was pure madness!

From the start, what he demanded and expected of him was this goal.

What he wanted him to achieve was surpassing Kui Lei Han, Shen Yi Xian, and himself—such an insurmountable feat!

"Huff..." Xu Xiaoshou let out a long breath.

"Pressure?" Ba Zun An raised an eyebrow.

How could there not be, you madman, do you think I'm you, or a god... Xu Xiaoshou chuckled and said calmly, "None."

"No pressure, then break through. Don't waste time; I'll protect you." Ba Zun An raised his cup and tapped the table. "Right here."

Kong Yu Hen nodded; he was happy to be a witness.

When he first met Xu Xiaoshou, he wasn't lying; he really just wanted to make friends.

"I need to prepare a bit..."

Xu Xiaoshou hesitated, but Ba Zun An's cup was raised, so he didn't refuse.

Come to think of it, from entering Gu Jin Wang You Lou until now, Ba Zun An had only poured him this cup of wine at the beginning, and he hadn't even touched it; he was just listening to stories and getting lectured.

Xu Xiaoshou clinked cups, tilted his head back, and downed the wine.

Ba Zun An did the same, slamming his cup down with a hearty "Good!"

Kong Yu Hen held his cup, silent for two breaths, then tossed it back and set it down with a thud.

Xu Xiaoshou swallowed the wine, feeling his throat burn. He tsked a few times. "Right, for my Wang Zuo Dao Jing, what do I need to prepare..."

His words cut off abruptly.

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly realized that the small cup of wine had turned into endless spiritual energy upon entering his abdomen, rushing into his sea of energy and tearing apart the thin bottleneck over his Zong Shi Xing Si realm!

"You!"

Xu Xiaoshou glared at Ba Zun An.

You bastard, I wasn't ready yet!!!

Ba Zun An laughed, slapping the table with delight.

He suddenly stood up and slapped Xu Xiaoshou hard, completely disrupting the rampaging spiritual energy in his body, and scolded, "Anything you can prepare perfectly for isn't worth it!"

"Besides, you're on a new path; I don't understand it. Who in the world does?"

"Just break through and see what kind of monster you become. I'm looking forward to it!"