Chapter 1199: Shou Ye, Take Care

Upon being targeted by Er Hao’s palm, Feng Xiaose instinctively activated the second realm of Wan Jian Shu.

This undoubtedly shocked everyone present, even forcing the only two colossal figures, thousand-zhang giants, onto their knees before him. But no matter how one looked at it...

From Feng Xiaose’s reaction, Xu Xiaoshou could sense a hint of “seeing a bow’s shadow as a snake” or “overreacting.” "That thousand-zhang blood-red sword wing must be Da Hong Shen Zhi Nu, no doubt about it."

"Wan Jian Shu truly lives up to its reputation as a technique focused on momentum—it's so grand and spectacular. With this move, even Er Hao in combat mode is being suppressed..."

"But if Feng Xiaose could truly master the second realm of Wan Jian Shu and attack with ease, there’s no reason he would have been so hesitant before."

"So, his full combat power might reach the Saint level, but the second realm is unstable. In short, he’s like ‘a spent arrow at the end of its flight’!"

Under the influence of Da Hong Shen Zhi Nu, even though Xu Xiaoshou wasn’t trying to conceal himself, his presence was minimized. The world seemed to be filled only with those dazzling, crimson sword wings, a magnificent sight that captivated everyone’s attention. Xu Xiaoshou quietly analyzed Feng Xiaose’s condition.

He knew that the cultivation path of ancient sword cultivators was different from that of spirit refiners.

Something as profound as the second realm of a specific sword technique didn’t necessarily require reaching the Half-Saint level to comprehend.

Individuals with exceptional talent, even if they weren’t sword immortals, could break through to the second realm of a sword technique in a fleeting moment, boosting their combat power to at least the Tai Xu level.

But such individuals were rare.

Even if they existed, grasping the sword was one thing; executing the technique was another.

And if their other weaknesses didn’t keep pace, it could easily become a fatal flaw exploited by opponents. That’s why ancient sword cultivators were all considered madmen.

Perhaps someone could seize upon the weaknesses of those madmen to counterattack, but if an ancient sword cultivator could unleash the second realm of a sword technique at the innate or grandmaster stage, it would be total domination!

At the very least, they could dominate all the way up to the Tai Xu level before being suppressed by even more monstrous geniuses.

Yet, they had shone brightly...

For most ancient sword cultivators, that was enough—hear the Dao at dawn, and die content at dusk.

Besides, as others progressed and enemies grew stronger, geniuses like these ancient sword cultivators wouldn't remain stagnant either.

What Xu Xiaoshou was concerned about was whether Feng Xiaose was such a genius.

At such a young age, seemingly not much different from Xiao Kongdong, and already able to perfectly master the second realm of Wan Jian Shu? If so, this guy’s combat power might not be much weaker than that of Tianji Shen Shi!

If that were the case, his previous concealment was incredibly deep, so profound that even Xu Xiaoshou hadn't seen through it. But soon, Xu Xiaoshou spotted the flaw.

High in the sky, Feng Xiaose stood with ethereal grace, bearing a single crimson sword wing on his back, like a celestial sword immortal. His eyes were coldly piercing, radiating murderous intent, as if he could slaughter everyone present with a single hand. But upon closer inspection...

Behind the distorted space caused by Da Hong Shen Zhi Nu, Feng Xiaose's knees were trembling slightly.

Not only did he have the crimson sword wing formed by Da Hong Shen Zhi Nu on his back, but his skin was also cracking and bleeding from his own sharp sword intent.

Even so, by unleashing this second realm, Feng Xiaose achieved a brief supremacy—heaven and earth bowed to him alone!

"Got it."

Xu Xiaoshou confirmed that his speculation was correct.

At Feng Xiaose’s level, just bringing out Da Hong Shen Zhi Nu had exhausted all his efforts. This was different from Yi Ren Mister.

Xu Xiaoshou vaguely remembered that time on the long street in the Giant Kingdom, when they first encountered Void General Hong, Yi Ren Mister had nearly unleashed the second realm of Heart Sword Technique—Bore Wuming—out of worry for Xu Xiaoshou's safety, something he hadn't even used against Jiang Buyi.

Even though that strike hadn't fully formed back then,

Yi Ren Mister’s effortless demeanor was worlds apart from Feng Xiaose’s all-out desperation. Clearly, Feng Xiaose was terrified that another palm from Er Hao would kill him, and this time, there was no Zhu Yi Ke to give him a new head.

Because fear had seeped into his bones, when Er Hao’s palm targeted him again, Feng Xiaose had no choice but to play his trump card. "Even I can see through this..."

Xu Xiaoshou subtly extended his "perception" toward Er Hao, who was in combat mode and fully targeted by the momentum of Da Hong Shen Zhi Nu.

From his perspective, the thousand-zhang giant's form was blurred by the momentum force.

Unlike himself, who was only affected by the residual waves, Er Hao was fully resisting the suppressive momentum of Da Hong Shen Zhi Nu.

It looked like Er Hao was as weak as he was, instantly brought to his knees by Feng Xiaose’s Da Hong Shen Zhi Nu.

In reality, Er Hao hadn’t even thrown a technique yet—just extending his palm had panicked Feng Xiaose so much that he revealed everything, holding nothing back.

How formidable must Er Hao’s combat mode be overall? Having only experienced its speed, Xu Xiaoshou was extremely curious.

"This is all you've got."

Er Hao lifted his trembling head, his facial muscles twitching wildly downward, yet his voice was steady and affirmative, stating a fact rather than asking.

"Yes."

In the sky, Feng Xiaose’s Da Hong Shen Zhi Nu behind him didn't even flutter—or rather, couldn't. But as soon as he responded, his gaze sharpened.

With a boom, Er Hao’s knees buckled, nearly slamming into the ground.

Yet at that very moment, the Tianji Shen Shi’s eyes flashed red, and his entire body turned into gleaming silver. "Defense mode."

The low murmur reminded Xu Xiaoshou of this mode before.

But he never imagined that when Er Hao's body fully turned silver, he could barely withstand the suppressive force of Da Hong Shen Zhi Nu.

Er Hao straightened up!

"In combat mode, the defense mode can even ward off most of that intangible momentum force?" Xu Xiaoshou marveled while analyzing.

He was mentally noting and memorizing Er Hao’s various abilities, preparing for any potential battles ahead, while also learning from Da Hong Shen Zhi Nu.

His “Sword Mastery” at Throne Lv10, combined with “Unity of Heaven and Man,” couldn’t fully retain the second realm’s details. But standing on the sword path platform, his comprehension of swordsmanship had skyrocketed!

Just a glance at it was immensely beneficial, especially since Feng Xiaose’s Da Hong Shen Zhi Nu kept sustaining and outputting.

"Good teacher, move a bit!"

"Don't just stare—show off some attack moves from Da Hong Shen Zhi Nu, will you?"

Xu Xiaoshou’s knees trembled as he calculated the possible arrival time of Bei Da Tui, trying to find humor in the misery.

"Xu Yue Hui Gong’s Feng Xiaose, formerly a disciple of Feng Tingchen, suspected... well, no longer suspected, confirmed as a ghost beast host. I never expected that while your main path hasn’t fully developed, you’ve already reached the second realm of Wan Jian Shu in ancient sword cultivation."

The silver giant Er Hao trudged forward against the suppressive momentum of Da Hong Shen Zhi Nu, stepping on space as if on invisible stairs.

As he advanced, his body gradually shrank, perfectly embodying the idea that refinement comes from concentration. By the time he reached Feng Xiaose’s height, Er Hao had condensed to a normal human size.

Beneath the thousand-zhang crimson sword wings of Da Hong Shen Zhi Nu, Er Hao seemed insignificant, but his body had stopped trembling.

"Is this your limit? Can you still launch an effective attack with this second realm?"

"No."

Feng Xiaose’s body trembled almost imperceptibly in the distorted space, but his tone was calm, as if maintaining composure would hide it from Er Hao.

He admitted it bluntly, then added, "Tianji Shen Shi, I'm not here to make enemies with you. I just want a chance."

"A chance."

"Yes, this is your fight with Saint Slave Xu Xiaoshou. Xu Yue Hui Gong has no intention of getting involved, and I was only dragged into it... You can see I have no backup plans or intentions for Xu Xiaoshou."

Feng Xiaose didn't glance at Xu Xiaoshou.

He knew Xu Xiaoshou couldn’t withstand the suppressive gaze of his second realm right now.

He was just distancing himself from this battle, but he didn't want to antagonize Tian Shang Di Yi Lou, just as he didn't want to antagonize Sheng Shen Dian Tang.

Xu Xiaoshou was trying to pull him into the game to cover his own tracks. Feng Xiaose understood, but he didn’t want to get his hands dirty—that was all.

His current actions were just self-preservation.

This wouldn’t affect the alliance between Xu Yue Hui Gong’s main war faction and Tian Shang Di Yi Lou. Xu Xiaoshou was smart; he should understand that.

It was mutual utilization and evasion.

If you could evade, it was your own skill.

If not, you'd just become a pawn.

"You've been confirmed as a ghost beast host. That's reason enough for me to eliminate you without much responsibility."

"But you're still negotiating with me instead of acting, aren't you?" Feng Xiaose's speech quickened. "Tianji Shen Shi, don't forget who I am. If I die, it could be the spark that ignites a war."

"You're threatening..."

"No, no, no! This is absolutely not a threat!"

Feng Xiaose cut him off before he could finish. "I'm just stating a fact."

"Some secrets of Sheng Shen Dian Tang, some of Xu Yue Hui Gong—we all turn a blind eye. But if that 'balance' is broken, leading to all-out war, and the spark is just me..."

"Even as Tianji Shen Shi, a member of the Ten-Person Council on Sheng Shan, acting on your own for the life of one Tai Xu figure..."

"Wouldn't that be unwise?"

Feng Xiaose made a small, subtle gesture with his hands, his mouth twitching at the corners. After a pause, he continued, "Of course, I know Tianji Shen Shi is aware of all this and doesn't need my reminder."

"And the reason I'm talking so much, you can surely see."

"I'm sincerely begging for my own survival, truly wanting to stay away from your battlefield."

As he spoke, Feng Xiaose suppressed the urge to glance at Xu Xiaoshou again.

If his second realm failed to harm Er Hao but ended up hurting Xu Xiaoshou and breaking another balance here,

Then the alliance between Tian Shang Di Yi Lou and Xu Yue Hui Gong's main war faction could really shatter! Feng Xiaose was just a middleman; he only wanted to live.

His purpose for this trip was already achieved—he'd witnessed Xu Xiaoshou's abilities and knew that if Tian Shang Di Yi Lou survived this war, they could truly negotiate with Xu Yue Hui Gong's main war faction. So, he didn't want to stir up more trouble.

"Balance..."

Down below, Xu Xiaoshou, who was silently timing things, heard that sensitive word.

Even though Feng Xiaose and Er Hao were speaking in riddles, Xu Xiaoshou was no longer the ignorant fool he once was. That word "balance" suddenly connected some of his past memories.

He recalled Li Fugui saying that the existence of Xu Yue Hui Gong's conservative faction allowed for communication and was why the red-clad forces of Sheng Shen Dian Tang wouldn't launch a full offensive against Xu Yue Hui Gong.

The "balance" Feng Xiaose mentioned was probably that. If Er Hao really killed Feng Xiaose...

The main war faction seemed impulsive; if they acted on impulse and went to war with Sheng Shen Dian Tang, Bai Zhi Palace Master was from the conservative faction, but what if he couldn't hold them back?

In that case, both sides would clash, and could the conservative faction help Sheng Shen Dian Tang? Impossible!

They'd be seen as traitors. Internal conflicts were internal matters.

But with external interference, no matter the internal issues, Xu Yue Hui Gong would unite against Sheng Shen Dian Tang. Yet, this would conflict with the conservative faction's and Bai Zhi's ideals!

They couldn't resolve the ghost beast issue peacefully; both Sheng Shen Dian Tang and Xu Yue Hui Gong would pay a heavy price.

If that price was triggered just by the death of one Tai Xu like Feng Xiaose, and even possibly dragging in the Nan Yu Feng family...

Er Hao was Tianji Shen Shi and a member of the Ten-Person Council, sure.

But if things escalated that way, Feng Xiaose was right—Er Hao would be held accountable, and Dao Qiong Cang might even destroy and recreate him.

"Clever!"

Xu Xiaoshou's impression of Feng Xiaose was refreshed once more.

Xu Yue Hui Gong’s main war faction wasn’t full of hotheads; the representative sent to Void Island was no ordinary person. Bai Wei Palace Master used the main war faction’s "impulsiveness" to create this "balance" with the red-clad.

The main war faction, in turn, used this "balance" to maintain their "impulsiveness," which better served their faction's interests. Not thinking about it was fine, but once you did, it seemed like one was playing the good cop and the other the bad cop.

Who knew if Sheng Shen Dian Tang could see through it... Well, they probably could, but they might not care and just quietly watch Xu Yue Hui Gong’s two factions "perform," letting things drag on. Because under this "balance," everyone got what they wanted.

—The red-clad forces were freed up, not needing to watch Xu Yue Hui Gong constantly, but if Xu Yue Hui Gong made a move internally, the red-clad could strike easily!

"Tsk tsk, all masterminds."

Xu Xiaoshou's mind raced, and he started pondering other angles, sighing to himself.

If even he could figure this out, Er Hao with his supreme computational ability certainly could.

Or rather, Er Hao was probably leaving Feng Xiaose alive because he'd calculated this development from the start.

Feng Xiaose’s words hadn’t surprised Er Hao; they were all part of the plan.

Since it was unfolding as planned, this wasn’t a bad outcome. In fact, Er Hao was quite satisfied with it!

A ancient sword cultivator who mastered the second realm and was a ghost beast host—who would believe his Da Hong Shen Zhi Nu could only be unleashed but not pushed to its limits?

If Feng Xiaose counterattacked, Er Hao didn’t think he could suppress him easily; it would take effort. But then, wouldn’t Xu Xiaoshou’s real goal—dragging Feng Xiaose into the game—succeed?

After confirming Feng Xiaose’s sincerity and lack of backup for Xu Xiaoshou, Er Hao nodded and said calmly, "You can leave."

Xu Xiaoshou felt a weight in his heart, left with only a helpless sigh.

He suddenly missed his battles with Rao Yaoyao. She was so adorable, at least. From Dong Tian Wang City to Yun Lun Mountains, and even getting caught on Gu Yin Cliff,

He, Xu Xiaoshou, just needed a quick think, and even using a risky move like transforming into Huang Quan could turn the tables and trick her. Those fights were thrilling!

He didn't even need to fight; the adorable Rao Yaoyao was led around by him!

But now, with a mastermind like Er Hao holding the reins, his strategies kept failing. Alas!

Why was there Er Hao when there was Xu Xiaoshou... Uh, never mind.

Er Hao waved his hand, and a spatial portal appeared on the horizon. "Leave Zui Yi Dian, leave Void Island."

"If I see you on this island again, you'll die without question."

Feng Xiaose's sword intent surged wildly, his entire face cracking and bleeding.

He seized the opportunity like a pardoned criminal, wiping the blood from his face, not daring to dispel Da Hong Shen Zhi Nu as he cautiously stepped forward. With a whoosh,

The single crimson sword wing outlined by Da Hong Shen Zhi Nu gently fluttered, shattering space in an instant as Feng Xiaose appeared beside the portal.

He ignored the spatial passage on the verge of collapsing from the momentum force—that was for Er Hao to maintain.

He didn’t dare look back at Xu Xiaoshou, leaving only a small, blood-stained silhouette and the thousand-zhang crimson right wing on his back.

"Xu Xiaoshou, take care."