Chapter 1243: Send You Four Words It's Rare to Be Confused

This can also be "Xue Shi Zhu"?

Xu Xiaoshou was startled and then realized many subtle details he had overlooked before.

For instance, how could Yan Wuse have disappeared so quickly? His entrance was so dramatic, and Er Hao had taken so long to be worn down before finally being defeated—yet Yan Wuse had fallen so fast. Another example: Xiao Kongdong was strong, with the ability to fight above his level, but wasn't Yan Wuse also a genius capable of the same? In that case, how could San Cai Jian control him for so long? When two geniuses face off, the difference in their realms is absolute. Aside from some divine stroke of luck in battle, it's nearly impossible to erase that gap. Even their direct rush toward Duo Yuan now seemed, upon reflection, to have an extra layer of special guidance.

"The root of calamity, the guidance of death..."

Xiao Kongdong murmured softly, still shaken.

He wondered: if he had really convinced Xu Xiaoshou to jump into Duo Yuan earlier, would that have been like sending him to the executioner's block? Jumping into that place, as Xu Xiaoshou had said, led only to death, with no other outcome. But before this, who could have guessed that Yan Wuse was hidden below Duo Yuan?

"It's not just the guidance of Xue Shi Zhu, is it?"

"Your state is also quite special... You're not your true self."

Xu Xiaoshou, having seen his share of storms, quickly calmed down. As he pondered strategies in his mind, he used the classic tactic of stalling for time with the angel of light before him. When in doubt, buy time. As long as it dragged on, the opponent would eventually reveal weaknesses, and he'd think of a way to counter.

"You're quite clever."

The angel of light paced slowly, showing no hurry to act. Xu Xiaoshou could tell this old man was the typical "pre-battle braggart" type—the kind who couldn't rest until he'd aired his grievances. He gave Xiao Kongdong a signal with his eyes, then listened attentively.

"As I said, my existence is indeed an accident." The angel of light pointed to himself, his face glowing brightly so his expression was unseen, but his tone carried a hint of pride: "This traces back to before, when I sent an angel of light on a mission... Oh, right—it was probably your little group's meddling, wasn't it?" He shifted gears. "The nine great cores, and the anomaly with Zhen Xu Bei."

Zhen Xu Bei?

Xu Xiaoshou immediately thought of that goose-calling stele and its possible connection. Seizing the opportunity, he said, "I know about Zhen Xu Bei, but what's the nine great cores?"

"Don't play dumb!"

The angel of light scoffed and waved it off: "You've dug up the Xue Shi Zhu from the blood realm, stolen the Long Xing from Miracle Forest, eyed the semi-saint status from Shen Mian Valley, and even targeted the secondary realm gate in Zui Yi Dian. Did you really think you could hide all that from me?"

Xu Xiaoshou was surprised to hear it. These things had indeed brushed against him in ways he hadn't fully grasped. He didn't rush to refute Yan Wuse's words—people's initial reactions are often the least effective solutions. Think three times before acting—that's the best way to handle a crisis. In that moment, he recalled the unclear intentions of Ba Zun An. Every time he was placed in a situation, he ended up inexplicably fulfilling Ba Zun An's goals. So, was this time about stealing, robbing, and dismantling the nine great cores of Void Island, even turning Zhen Xu Bei into something like that goose-calling stele? Was that Ba Zun An's plan? If so, could it help him achieve his greater purpose? That's why Ba Zun An had complained before that his disruptions weren't big enough and suggested blowing up all of Void Island?

Thinking this far, in what should have been a panic-inducing situation, Xu Xiaoshou felt an unexpected sense of relief. Because if he had to do all that, he'd face even more terrifying dangers—enemies surpassing Yan Wuse might appear. But if Ba Zun An still pushed him to do it, there was no way he'd just let go, unless his head had been caught in the door of Gu Jin Wang You Tower. He must be watching from somewhere! So... I have leverage!

He forced himself to think this way, though it was the only comfort he could muster. Remembering how Ba Zun An hadn't shown up even in that massive earlier scene, Xu Xiaoshou felt it was more likely he'd been abandoned. But now, he had to cling to this possibly fabricated sense of security to maintain his ground in the conversation.

Just as Xiao Kongdong was about to speak, Xu Xiaoshou stepped forward, shedding his earlier panic and adopting a relaxed demeanor as he casually asked: "So, what do you think I'm doing all this for?"

He just accepted it all? Without even a rebuttal or defense?

Xu Xiaoshou's sudden confidence left Xiao Kongdong baffled. Had he misread that look? Was it not about finding a chance to split and run, but that Xu Xiaoshou actually had the nerve to fight Yan Wuse's avatar? Where did he get that confidence? Was his teacher backing him up? Where? Where was his teacher?

Not just Xiao Kongdong—his own ally—was suspicious; even Yan Wuse was thrown off by Xu Xiaoshou's response. The angel of light tilted his head, as if loosening his joints, and subtly scanned the surroundings. But he saw no signs of reinforcements for these two trapped turtles. He'd watched the entire scene unfold and knew they were at a dead end.

"Bluffing!"

The angel of light chuckled, with a touch of admiration in his voice. "But you've got some nerve, kid—facing death and still trying to fool me?"

"Is it a bluff? Is it really?" Xu Xiaoshou showed no fear, tilting his head with a faint smile. "How can you be so sure that Xue Shi Zhu guided us here to die, rather than guiding you here to wait for your own end?"

The figure of the angel of light blurred for a moment. Xu Xiaoshou, like a startled bird, nearly activated his vanishing technique. But he reacted quickly—since Sheng Di Long Lin hadn't warned of danger and his info panel didn't show an attack, he just steadied his hand and smoothly adjusted the stray hairs on his forehead, moving with elegant poise.

Xiao Kongdong was even calmer than he was! This guy truly deserved his reputation for single-handedly carving out a place in Ba Zun Jie. From what Xu Xiaoshou's perception showed, Xiao Kongdong hadn't moved an inch, not even a tremble. Looking into his eyes, Xu Xiaoshou saw a resolve for mutual destruction. For now, he was leaving the full handling of this to Xu Xiaoshou... How could he trust me so much? I don't even have a scrap of a plan!

The angel of light raised his hands, running his fingertips over his head as if combing non-existent hair. After about a breath and a half, he smiled and said: "You've piqued my curiosity, so go on—what's your reason for all this?"

"Yan Wuse, even facing death, you're still stalling for time?" Xu Xiaoshou let out a light laugh, shaking his head in amusement: "If I were you, I'd head back to Zui Yi Dian right now and free your true self. Because while this avatar here has consciousness, its power falls short. Once it's destroyed, as you said, this accidental backup will vanish unexpectedly. Everything will return to the original state. But as I am now, I advise you against it!"

Outside the Zui Yi Dian ruins, a faint light hovered at the horizon, flickering back and forth but unable to advance further.

"What are you talking about? I don't understand." The angel of light snorted dismissively.

"You want to die with clarity?" Xu Xiaoshou saw the reaction and knew he'd hit the mark. Yan Wuse's speed was incredible, but Xu Xiaoshou's perception and agility, both at Sheng Di level, allowed him to detect the changes. He'd observed Yan Wuse before, so he could tell when the old man's figure flickered—it meant he'd gone elsewhere. That was how he managed to handle multiple fronts at once. But in this moment, that ability had become his fatal flaw.

From the slips like "accidental appearance" and "light avatar," Xu Xiaoshou had already guessed Yan Wuse's intentions. Applying a little pressure, the old man's only option for self-preservation would be to free his true self. By spelling it out directly, even if Yan Wuse wanted to act, he'd have to think twice—because he couldn't fathom Xu Xiaoshou's motives or how he knew so much. All the information so far had come from Yan Wuse's own words, past and present. If anything, blame the guy for talking too much!

Xu Xiaoshou was skilled at seizing opportunities and waging psychological warfare. He even turned his own time-buying tactic back on Yan Wuse, increasing the mental burden while steering the conversation toward his desired path.

"Then let me make your death clear." Without giving Yan Wuse time to respond, Xu Xiaoshou rolled up his sleeves and counted on his fingers: "Admittedly, Lian Ling Zhi Guang is powerful— even my Sheng Nu has to admit your combat strength is top-tier, something we'd rather not face if avoidable. So, have you ever wondered why San Cai Jian only restrained you, even knowing you could escape at any moment, without adding any other measures?"

"Yan Wuse, you must have overheard our conversation earlier, right?"

Xu Xiaoshou stared fixedly at the angel of light, delivering an ambiguous statement followed by another question to keep leading the train of thought. He exuded an air of complete confidence and control, leaving even Xiao Kongdong stunned. San Cai Jian was just San Cai Jian, wasn't it? Was there more to it?

"Receiving suspicion, passive value: 1."

The angel of light fell silent. He pondered for a while but couldn't figure out why San Cai Jian was only San Cai Jian, so he decided to drop it. He'd indeed listened to the earlier discussion between the two, but he had no idea what Xu Xiaoshou was getting at. Fake Ba Zun An is Xiao Kongdong... That means Can Yue Xian Cheng is involved! Yan Wuse had that nailed down and could use it to completely crush Can Yue Xian Cheng later. When Gou Wu Yue had reported suspicions about Xiao Kongdong, Yan Wuse's advice had been to strike decisively. But since Dao Xiao Zi wanted to play by the rules, he'd set it aside. Now, with solid evidence, Can Yue Xian Cheng couldn't turn the tables, and Xiao Kongdong couldn't escape justice.

But why was Xu Xiaoshou bringing this up? "Think carefully, Yan Wuse. Since I know you're here and still dared to discuss it openly in front of you, what does that imply?"

"Chances are, you can not only hear our conversation but also lurk in the shadows, controlling everything and monitoring Zui Yi Dian's developments, right?"

Xu Xiaoshou repeated his tactic, speaking like a mystic to circle the conversation. Though he was elsewhere, he seemed to understand the other side's situation better than Yan Wuse, creating an aura that made one doubt he had deeper knowledge. Seeing the other side speechless, Xu Xiaoshou chuckled and laid it all out:

"Rao Jian Sheng's foolishness is beyond measure—he's perfectly ruined a great situation. Huang Quan has escaped, and Mei Yi Ren has been openly released. All of this is spiraling out of your control... It's irreversible!"

"You're strong, Yan Wuse, but even you can't turn the tide single-handedly, because I still hold the final card."

"A card? Your trump card?" The angel of light found it amusing, sizing up Xu Xiaoshou, who was boldly speaking under Xiao Kongdong's identity, as if he were a joke.

"Yes, my trump card—the one that surpasses the punch that could knock you flying." Xu Xiaoshou's words made the angel of light's body twitch slightly. Xiao Kongdong, standing nearby, was utterly dumbfounded. He never imagined Xu Xiaoshou could twist things like this. Daring to discuss Can Yue Xian Cheng and himself here—wasn't it because Xu Xiaoshou didn't know Yan Wuse was present? He'd been so sure there was no one else! But now, in an instant, he had the other side flustered... Turns out, I was the only one in the dark—I was the fool. And Xu Xiaoshou knew all along; he even deliberately brought it up with me. Does that mean... he really has a card?

How big could it be? Big enough to instantly kill a semi-saint? "Receiving suspicion, passive value: 1."

Before he could think more, Xu Xiaoshou wiped his face and reverted to his own appearance. He looked so young, with a touch of youthful innocence still on his face, worlds apart from those old schemers. Yet, standing there with hands behind his back and chest out, his presence was like that of an invisible giant.

Xu Xiaoshou shook his head slightly, sighing: "Yan Wuse, treat me as a semi-saint. Xiao Qing was slain by me for underestimating me, Teng Shan Hai was played out of existence by me. Ye Xiao was killed by me using Yan Wang's blade, Jiang Bu Yi was driven to Sheng Lun by me, and even Er Hao lost consciousness because he wanted to fight me. And here I am, completely unharmed, still daring to spout off in front of you! What reason do you have to underestimate me? Don't underestimate the young—do you understand that?"

This casual recounting left both Xiao Kongdong and the angel of light in a daze. Upon closer thought, it seemed there really was Xu Xiaoshou's shadow in all of it—some suspicions, some guesses, but now, with him admitting it personally... Was all of this orchestrated by him behind the scenes?

The light hovering outside Zui Yi Dian ruins hesitated again. The angel of light had indeed been operating on two fronts; on the other side, he could see Yu Ling Di driving away Si Tu Yong Ren and heading toward San Xiang Ju Di to make a move. For no reason, he felt an urge to stop that side first and hear out Xu Xiaoshou.

"What exactly are you trying to say?" The angel of light's tone grew more urgent. Xu Xiaoshou nodded, staring at him: "What I'm saying is, once San Cai Jian is undone, you can't stay as a mere observer—you'll have to become the performer."

"It's fine to act according to your position, but remember, excess leads to deficiency, Yan Wuse."

Xu Xiaoshou's voice turned earnest, and he sighed: "Your surname is Yan, not Yue Bei Hua Rao. No matter how much you do for Sheng Shen Hall, you're not one of them—you're just a pawn. Dao Dian Zhu can use you comfortably, even boss you around, because he has greater backing. You're a semi-saint, even Lian Ling Zhi Guang, yet you're reduced to a pawn because you're all alone with no support."

"Think about Gou Wu Yue—you two are cut from the same cloth, just different ages, and his position has no replacement, so your treatments differ, but essentially, you're no different."

The angel of light laughed at this, retorting: "You want to turn me? How naive."

Xiao Kongdong remained expressionless, but his mind was in turmoil. With a great enemy at hand, first try to sway the enemy's leader... What was Xu Xiaoshou thinking? He not only dared to think it but to do it—this was insane!

"No, no, absolutely not turning you—just a word of advice." Xu Xiaoshou waved his hands, chuckling: "Ba Zun An isn't just targeting a simple Sheng Shen Hall, or why would he scheme so much? His real enemies are the Five Great Sheng Di Families! Think about it—the three ancestors of Bai Mai, Mo Di Hei Long, plus the many semi-saints in Void Island's inner island, and the other setups hidden in Sheng Shen Continent... Is all this to deal with just one semi-saint like you? Do you deserve that? No, you don't! And neither do I! Once it involves Sheng Di levels, even if you're Lian Ling Zhi Guang, how long can that light last?"

Pausing, Xu Xiaoshou patted his chest and said seriously: "My card isn't for you, so I don't want to face you because you're strong too. If you stay hidden, tucked away in San Cai Jian, guarding your little territory, nothing will happen next, and your life outside Void Island will stay comfortable. But if you come out, breaking free from San Cai Jian and risking everything for others—even your life—then I have nothing more to say."

Xu Xiaoshou shrugged, his lips curling up: "But remember, you're not anyone's puppet; your name doesn't have a 'Rao' in it. If you step forward and get knocked back, and can't retreat again, you'll fall into the abyss behind you, beyond redemption. In this world, some things... I'll give you four words: it's better to be confused."