Chapter 1192: My Image Shall Be the Sword God

"Prisoner number 800820, you have successfully drawn the attention of the Xukong Island spirit. Please follow the instructions below to accept the 'Tianzu Inheritance'!"

"Tianzu is the lord of the Xukong race."

"The Tianzu spirit is the former Xukong Island spirit." "Tianzu is one of the Ten Ancestors, also known as the Tian God."

"Tianzu controls the lifeblood of Xukong Island and has established the most perfect rules of the Great Dao."

"Tianzu is the supreme ruler of the Xukong race, a figure of faith and divinity."

A monotonous voice droned on slowly, like a pre-programmed routine from some unknown source, devoid of any human emotion, yet attempting to indoctrinate and overwhelm the listener's mind and will.

All of this was nothing but praise for the so-called "Tianzu's" achievements.

Xu Xiaoshou, forced into this "reading state," could only struggle futilely as he absorbed all the information.

This wasn't even true mind control.

It was more like his attention was forcibly concentrated on the information flooding his mind, leaving him unable to spare any focus for the battle raging in the real world.

It was somewhat similar to the guidance of the Sheng Emperor's will, but it was overt and wouldn't trigger "spiritual awakening."

Knowing that a fight was unfolding outside, this special form of "control" was so frustrating it made him want to vomit blood.

The external battle continued.

Han Ye was struck down, Zhu Yike was struck down, Feng Xiaose was struck down... and then everyone revived through their own means.

The situation was full of twists and turns, completely unpredictable. But none of it had anything to do with Xu Xiaoshou!

Only his second true body was still helping out.

Otherwise, this sudden "control," which was like a twist of fate, could have gotten him killed on the spot.

With no choice but to hand over full control of his actions to his second true body—whether willingly or not—Xu Xiaoshou still had to maintain the "reading state."

After introducing Tianzu's achievements, the voice in his mind shifted abruptly, becoming ethereal and distant.

This time, Xu Xiaoshou couldn't even use his second true body's thoughts to steal glimpses of the ongoing battle.

His mental will was unprecedentedly focused on that distant voice.

"I, in ancient times, battled the Demon God, suffered grievous wounds, and nearly perished. Thus, I transformed into a spirit, eternally guarding the Xukong race, and left this inheritance behind."

Just that single line.

This voice was laden with emotion, full of regret and lamentation, clearly not from the current mechanical Xukong Island spirit.

Unable to resist this "control," he had no option but to accept it and even try to interpret the information.

Perhaps from these details, he could find another way out for everyone present.

Based on the earlier introduction of Tianzu, Xu Xiaoshou could draw some limited but useful conclusions:

"The Xukong Island spirit is divided into two kinds: one is the former Xukong Island spirit, which is the true will of Tianzu, possessing thoughts, ideas, and the ability to communicate."

"But perhaps due to countless years of sedimentation or other reasons, the life energy within the former Xukong Island spirit has completely vanished, leaving only a 'will' that rigidly maintains the dead command to pass down the 'Tianzu Inheritance'."

"This must be the current Xukong Island spirit—the one that speaks slowly, only issues rigid commands and tasks, and counts down to death."

The former Xukong Island spirit's lament was just that one sentence, like a playback of the original recording, with nothing more.

What followed was the current Xukong Island spirit's slow supplement, once again transmitting the information into Xu Xiaoshou's mind through "control."

"To accept the 'Tianzu Inheritance,' the steps are as follows... First, obtain the Tianzu blessing."

"Second, save the Xukong race."

"Third, gain the approval of the former Xukong Island spirit's will, unseal the Tianzu blessing, and acquire the 'Tianzu Inheritance'."

The slow, mechanical narration made Xu Xiaoshou anxious beyond measure.

"Damn it, I'm about to die here—can you let me out for a bit? Then I can accept your inheritance afterward?"

The Xukong Island spirit gave no response.

"You're sick! You deserved to die! You should have died!"

Xu Xiaoshou started cursing, hoping to provoke the current Xukong Island spirit's disgust and thereby reject the "Tianzu Inheritance."

An inheritance was great and all, but you needed to be alive to enjoy it!

Er Hao was already dominating the scene, suppressing everyone. If this dragged on... what was the difference from accepting this crap inheritance on the road to the underworld?

Xu Xiaoshou utterly despised this current Xukong Island spirit.

If it had even a shred of intelligence, it should know that showing up at this inopportune time could get someone killed!

But no matter how much he cursed, the Xukong Island spirit remained silent.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't dare waste any more time and had to go along with it, politely asking in his mind:

"Hello, I've already obtained the Tianzu blessing. So, how should I save the 'Xukong race'?"

No response. "You idiot!"

Xu Xiaoshou was furious. There were no specific instructions at all, so once he'd read through this, it should let him go.

—He was still trapped in the "reading state"!

"The former Xukong Island spirit, which is the true Tianzu spirit, is already dead, right? So how can I gain its approval?" Xu Xiaoshou asked again.

After a long pause,

Just as Xu Xiaoshou was about to erupt in curses again, the current Xukong Island spirit unexpectedly replied.

"The Tianzu spirit eternally guards the Xukong race..."

Did it just answer?

Could he really communicate with this thing?

Did that mean the true Tianzu spirit had merged with Xukong Island, becoming one and the same?

And as long as he completed the three steps of the Tianzu Inheritance, it would naturally grant approval and bestow the inheritance?

"Let me go—I've got to save the Xukong race. I'm willing to do it because I've already saved one of your Xukong generals named Hong. You should be able to sense that."

Xu Xiaoshou vaguely understood why he was the chosen one. First, he'd obtained the Tianzu blessing.

Second, Ah Hong had been saved in a certain sense. With the three steps of the "Tianzu Inheritance," he'd already progressed more than halfway.

Maybe that was what stimulated the current Xukong Island spirit to issue instructions.

But after asking, he waited a long time, and the Xukong Island spirit didn't respond. Xu Xiaoshou wasn't getting agitated anymore.

He thought that in communicating with it, he needed to use specific words as a "key" to prompt a response.

Recalling his previous questions, Xu Xiaoshou tried to find the "key" and probed:

"The former Xukong Island spirit is already dead—how can I gain its approval?"

Then he added: "How should I gain the approval of the 'true Tianzu spirit'?"

After a while,

"The Tianzu spirit eternally guards the Xukong race... As long as you do so, you will gain approval."

The voice appeared! So there was more to it?

Xu Xiaoshou finally confirmed that the current Xukong Island spirit was nothing but a rigid will, with responses just as mechanical.

But through this, he had grasped the "key" to communicating with the Xukong Island spirit!

"I can accept the 'true Tianzu spirit's' Tianzu Inheritance, but right now, I need freedom. Please release the restraints and let me out." Xu Xiaoshou tested.

This time, it made Xu Xiaoshou blow up. He snapped: "You fool, can't you show a bit of smarts and let me out!"

Xu Xiaoshou calmed down again and analyzed. The key seemed correct.

But using the key to make a request to the current Xukong Island spirit apparently didn't get a response.

Maybe the Xukong Island spirit only reacted when it sensed something, pulling people into the "reading state" and force-feeding knowledge.

As for how to exit the "reading state," it probably didn't know itself. "What a stupid spirit!"

Xu Xiaoshou could only offer that evaluation.

Soon, he turned his attention to the newly appeared death countdown in his mind and had an idea: "I can accept the 'true Tianzu spirit's' inheritance, but with a death countdown on me, I only have ten days left. How can I save the Xukong race like that?"

Just as Xu Xiaoshou was about to explode again, there was a hum.

Like when the exemption order was placed on his forehead.

A ripple flashed in his mind, and that newly appeared death countdown... vanished!

"Holy shit!" Xu Xiaoshou was shocked. It could communicate!

But the content had to be within the Xukong Island spirit's authority and beneficial to the Xukong race to get a reaction or response.

Regardless, Xu Xiaoshou had found a way to act freely on Xukong Island.

However...

The simplest thing—escaping the "reading state"—got no reaction from the Xukong Island spirit at all.

Perhaps because it was too straightforward, the former Xukong Island spirit never anticipated this kind of mishap, so there was no preparation for it.

"Damn it, damn it!"

Xu Xiaoshou was extremely anxious; he racked his brains but couldn't think of any way to break the "reading state" on his own.

Maybe he had to wait for something else to happen—someone else causing trouble that forced the Xukong Island spirit to go deal with it, like issuing a death countdown.

But relying on external forces—who knew how long that would take?

In this isolated solitude, Xu Xiaoshou tried hundreds, even thousands of times, but nothing worked.

He still couldn't escape the "reading state"!

The prolonged battle outside continued; maybe once Er Hao finished off Ah Hong, the next target would be him.

Then, defenseless, he would be at their mercy...

In this moment of despair, Xu Xiaoshou suddenly sensed a strong wave of joy from his second true body outside.

This emotion, linked through their minds, even pierced through the "reading state," diluting his anxiety a bit.

Without overthinking, he soon heard a resounding sword cry echoing from afar.

Clang!

This sword cry was incredibly resonant! It carried an intense and ultimate sword intent, yet it was also filled with a civilizing power.

Any ancient sword cultivator hearing it would feel like a spring breeze, instantly entering a state of epiphany and beginning to comprehend the sword.

Xu Xiaoshou felt a strong urge to draw his sword welling up in his heart.

He wished he could pull out every sword on him and bow deeply toward the direction of the sword cry in reverence.

This was the sound of sanctification! And such a familiar sword intent... Had his second true body's goal been achieved?

He had found Si Ren mister, and Si Ren mister was undergoing sanctification?!

Amid this surge of high emotions, the "reading state" showed faint signs of cracking.

Xu Xiaoshou realized this was an opportunity!

"It's not just the Xukong Island spirit giving others a death countdown that's a chance."

"As long as there's benevolent external interference that affects my emotions, I can escape the 'reading state'?"

Xu Xiaoshou didn't want to miss this chance.

He immediately amplified his own desire, roaring in his mind, and used the momentum stirred by the sword cry to break through.

"Break for me!"

In his spiritual world,

His spirit, which had been forced into a quiet, sage-like state by the "reading state," suddenly stood up.

With that stand came apocalyptic visions: doomsday descending, skyscrapers rising, giants straightening up... all sorts of phenomena appeared.

"All before me are demons!"

The power of Heart Sword Technique wasn't limited to the outside; internally, it could instantly mobilize all spiritual energy.

Outside, everyone felt the disturbance at the same time.

Lei Xier was still dodging the Tianji puppets controlled by Si Tu Yongren, hesitating whether to launch a desperate counterattack.

She wasn't foolish; her Shenmo Pupils might be able to control the Si Tu Yongren inside the Tianji puppets.

But if she did that, Er Hao would drop Ah Hong and target her first.

She never forgot Xu Xiaoshou's words: "Stall for time!"

Maybe if she held on a little longer, he would wake up?

In her view, Xu Xiaoshou had no chance against Er Hao.

But for Xu Xiaoshou... every step he'd taken had been through situations that outsiders saw as certain death.

"Hold on!"

"If Xu Xiaoshou can return, he... or someone else might have a way!"

With that thought, suddenly, the sanctification sword cry came from afar.

Lei Xier's spirit sharpened, and the next second, she noticed the wooden ball in her hand trembling, with thick demonic energy surging out and astonishing sword intent spreading from it.

A hoarse, struggling, hysterical roar emerged from the wooden ball, exploding across the ruins of Zhenhuang Hall:

"My image is that of a Sword God—how could a mere Xukong Island spirit control me?"

"Get lost, you old fool!!!"

Seizing that ripple of momentum stirred by "Swallowing Mountains and Rivers" and guided by the sword cry, Xu Xiaoshou grasped this fleeting opportunity.

A spark turned into a raging fire in an instant!

At that moment, he unleashed his will to be free without holding back. In that moment, he cast aside all hierarchies—I am the divine, with no Tianzu before me!

Bang! The wooden ball exploded abruptly.

A curled figure inside stretched out, shooting into the air the next second, expanding in the sky above, its limbs spreading out to transform into a thousand-zhang giant!

Roar! The giant roar shook all directions.

Space shattered inch by inch, and dust rolled outward.

Everyone was stunned by the sudden appearance of this thousand-zhang giant. So massive, yet appearing without any warning—it was jaw-dropping!

Xu Xiaoshou finally opened his eyes, finally saw the world beyond the "reading state," and finally regained control of his own body.

Roar!!

In that instant, the joy in his heart was indescribable. A quick scan with his perception took in the entire scene.

Zhu Yike had white hair all over, his body withered and exhausted, his spiritual energy depleted, lying unconscious in the ruins of Zhenhuang Hall.

Lei Xier and Feng Xiaose were covered in blood, trapped under the Tianji seal, forced to fight the Tianji puppets and barely holding on...

Ah Hong, the Xukong general, was left with unyielding determination under Er Hao's oppression; his greatsword had been knocked away, and he was missing an arm and a leg, yet still "fighting" on...

His second true body, after a moment of daze in its invisible state, suddenly knelt in mid-air, tears streaming down.

"Bro, I've been waiting for you—waiting so bitterly!"

"Please, kill me! I can't stand being this weak anymore!"