Chapter 1267: I Really Don't Want to Cheat

Rumble!

The great turmoil on Xukong Island escalated into a full-scale collapse of mountains and earth.

While Xu Xiaoshou kept spouting sarcasm, his hands never stopped moving.

Mo Di Heilong, the Demon Emperor, continued unleashing blasts of demonic energy without pause, pouring them into the spatial rift."This still hasn't successfully broken the seal?"Even Xu Xiaoshou was shocked.

It was hard to imagine that a single explosion could shatter the internal space of Zui Yi Dian with the Sheng · Wu Zhi Wen Zhong Zhi Shu technique.

Yet, when thrown into the spatial rift, it didn't even cause a ripple.

And now, the situation was...

He was popping pills nonstop, launching hundreds of attacks, plus the output from Mo Di Heilong at the Sheng Di level.

Despite this combined assault, they still couldn't destroy the crack opened by the glowing-hot Xuan Tie Jian!

It all got swallowed up!

Gazing at the massive earthquakes rippling across the outer islands of Xukong Island, Xu Xiaoshou had no idea how much energy this spatial rift would devour before it was sated.

But one thing he could confirm...

The Tianzu inheritance was probably gone for good!

The spirit refiners on the island grew increasingly panicked, while the ghost beasts in the mirror world became more eager.

As for the area above Duyuan, Rao Yao Yao—who had nearly unleashed her Ming Jian Tian Jie—was forcefully halted in her rhythm under Xu Xiaoshou's tense vigilance.

"Yan Wuse..."

Mo Di Heilong flashed by.

Perched on the dragon's head, Xu Xiaoshou spotted that Yan Wuse had returned, and in his hand, he held the Ci Mian Zhi Men of Yu Ling Di.

"Lao Ba, oh Lao Ba, I've done all I can."

"Long Bao has no energy left, and neither do I. Once this Ci Mian Zhi Men opens, no one can stop it." Xu Xiaoshou swallowed hard, feeling the situation spiraling out of control.

He had no confidence in blocking the Ci Mian Zhi Men in Yan Wuse's hands, let alone stopping Yan Wuse from preventing the inner island's seal from breaking.

In this dire situation, there was only one way out.

Ba Zun An could appear, or some other backup plan, or right now...

The inner island could break its seal!

Whoosh!

Another energy source seed flew past, and the glowing-hot Xuan Tie Jian trembled slightly as the spatial rift devoured the attack.

No feedback at all!

"Long Bao, you must have a way to contact Ba Zun An, right? You're the great lord of the Black Pulse!" Xu Xiaoshou's face was strained.

"The second part, I agree with, but the first? Sorry, I don't have a way..." Mo Di Heilong replied flatly. "Besides, I can't keep attacking for you anymore."

It leaped into the high sky and ceased its output.

As a Sheng Di, it couldn't interfere too much on the outer islands without destroying various forbidden zones of Xukong Island.

But for Xu Xiaoshou's sake, it had already pushed the entire outer island to the brink of explosion.

This was the limit!

If it acted again, this manifestation of Mo Di Heilong's intent would not only be exiled but also killed by the rules.

Even its main body, lurking in the inner island, would face punishment.

Mo Di Heilong had anticipated this outcome.

When it chose to fight for Xu Xiaoshou's freedom, it was heading straight for this end.

In its eyes, the chances of defying Sheng Shen Dian Tang and creating a miracle were almost zero. How many years had passed?

How many times had the inner island tried?

Each attempt ended in failure!

How could they succeed this time without even seeing Ba Zun An's face, just because of one Xu Xiaoshou?

Mo Di Heilong never expected to win.

It was just making a statement, earning some goodwill from Xu Xiaoshou first.

If this human boy died midway in his growth, or suddenly perished in this battle, Mo Di Heilong would lose nothing—maybe just a bit of face.

But if Xu Xiaoshou grew into another Ba Zun An, then Mo Di Heilong's stance today would become its greatest achievement in the future.

To die in battle!

No greater merit than this!

Xu Xiaoshou never realized that Long Bao had such calculated motives. Hearing this, he fell into deep thought.

"No way out?"

"If Mo Di Heilong can't act, then forget stopping Yan Wuse—not even if he tries to kill me can I fight back."

"So, is there any possibility that lets Mo Di Heilong act without limits?" Xu Xiaoshou first thought of himself.

He was the exception, but that was because he was in the midst of receiving the Tianzu inheritance, seen as a friend of the Xukong clan?

In any case, the countdown in his mind had stopped.

But for Mo Di Heilong to be recognized by the Tianzu will? It would have been recognized long ago, not waiting until now.

So, that path was blocked!

As for Xiao Kongdong...

The exemption orders and reprieve orders probably still had some left, but they were in his specially made space ring, which only recognized one owner!

Lei Xier had tried, but couldn't open it.

Unless they killed Xiao Kongdong and shattered his specially modified space ring—literally "killing to seize treasure."

Before everything in the ring scattered into spatial fragments, Xu Xiaoshou could use his space attributes to fish out a few reprieve or exemption orders.

If they were lucky, they might get some.

But killing was out of the question—just a thought.

Xu Xiaoshou had also tried having Lei Xier call Tan Shen to control the unconscious Xiao Kongdong and open the ring to take the orders.

Of course, it failed without a doubt.

The San Yan Tong's status was high, but Xiao Kongdong was immersed in the even more terrifying Second World, impossible to wake.

If that worked, who in the world would bother cultivating ancient sword techniques? Just find a Lei family member, kill them for an eye, and ascend in one step.

Gazing down at Yan Wuse on Duyuan, who had taken a pill, grasped the Ci Mian Zhi Men, and was devouring Dao principles to refine heavenly spiritual energy and restore himself...

Xu Xiaoshou knew time was running out.

At that moment, looking at Yan Wuse, Rao Yao Yao, and Yu Ling Di, he felt something stirring inside.

Yes, why could Mo Di Heilong, Si Ren Xian Sheng, and others—except for Xiao Kongdong—be restricted by Xukong Island's outer island rules and unable to act fully?

But people from Sheng Shen Dian Tang could?

"Xuan Xu Xia!"

Xu Xiaoshou recalled that in Zui Yi Dian, Si Ren Xian Sheng's three swords had shattered three special Tianji boxes.

He already knew they were Dao Dian Zhu's Tianji creations, capable of shielding heavenly rules and allowing unrestricted action on Xukong Island.

But back then, he had just broken through, his passive points exhausted.

He couldn't even understand those Tianji creations, let alone smash or use them.

Now, the situation was completely different!

"Perhaps they bear Dao Dian Zhu's mark, unusable by anyone outside Sheng Shen Dian Tang."

"But if my Tianji technique reaches Sheng level..."

"Could I crack it and turn the enemy's tool into my own?"

To contend directly with Dao Qiong Cang!

Xu Xiaoshou never dared think of that before, but now, he was eager to try.

Glancing below, in the distant deep ravine among the rubble, a headless Tianji Shen Shi was still lodged there.

He vaguely remembered that earlier, several from Sheng Shen Dian Tang had conducted a shady deal.

Si Tu Yong Ren had pulled out the Xuan Xu Xia and given some to Rao Yao Yao and Yu Ling Di, but kept one for himself.

Now, Si Tu Yong Ren was dead, his body incinerated.

Xuan Xu Xia couldn't be cut by Si Ren Xian Sheng's sword, so it wouldn't burn, and it didn't appear during the cremation...

That left only one possibility.

It was on the Tianji Shen Shi!

Xu Xiaoshou felt grateful to Si Tu Yong Ren.

He was a good man, saving him from targeting the indestructible Xiao Qiang Yu Ling Di, the unbeatable Rao Yao Yao, or Yan Wuse.

He eyed the uncontrolled Tianji Shen Shi, then glanced at Long Bao.

If he got the Xuan Xu Xia, Long Bao's Sheng Di intent manifestation could be fully unleashed. He couldn't imagine how Yan Wuse and Rao Yao Yao would meet their end!

But all this depended on his Tianji technique suddenly reaching Sheng level, rivaling or just slightly below Dao Qiong Cang.

He didn't need to learn Tianji creations, just know how to crack them.

Unluckily, Xu Xiaoshou did have such a skill.

"Damn it, I didn't want to do this."

"But it's all because you forced me."

Xu Xiaoshou directed his thoughts to the info panel below, looking at that long string of numbers, and sighed, "I really don't want to cheat..."

Passive points: 3,551,314.

From fighting Yu Ling Di in Zui Yi Dian, battling Jiang Buyi, facing Number Two, breaking through Zui Yi Dian, clashing with Xiao Kongdong, all the way to Duyuan...

This didn't earn much passive points.

The 3.55 million figure came mostly from showboating in Zui Yi Dian and riding Mo Di Heilong around ostentatiously.

But that was just a small part, maybe around a few dozen thousand.

The rest was all contributed by Yan Wuse, one of the Three Emperors and the Light of Spirit Refining.

Not because his attacks were overwhelmingly strong, but because of his "Guang Neng World."

In Guang Neng World, even twitching a finger gave passive points of "9999."

Even someone like Xu Xiaoshou, extremely afraid of pain and swearing never to farm passive points with his body, couldn't resist selling out his flesh for them.

He sneaked in a few hundred times.

Sadly, Guang Neng World didn't appear often, and each time it lasted briefly.

To stay alive, Xu Xiaoshou had to break it after a short while.

But it was enough!

A fourth-tier skill point cost 50,000 passive points, upgrading Fang Zhi Jing Tong from Wang Zuo Lv.1 to Sheng Di Lv.0 would only take 500,000.

"Long Bao."

"Hmm?"

"Remember, I'm only going this far because I love you."

"Ah? What are you going crazy about?"

Mo Di Heilong's dragon body shuddered, almost thinking Xu Xiaoshou was about to hit it with a "Sheng · Da Zhu Xin Shu."

It didn't swing that way!

But as soon as the words fell, Mo Di Heilong sensed a terrifying Dao rhythm emanating from Xu Xiaoshou.

One wave, then another, and another...

Even a sudden enlightenment breakthrough couldn't produce such a majestic Dao rhythm.

It had almost solidified, spreading in spatial waves from the high sky in all directions.

"What happened?"

Everyone gazing into the distant sky noticed the anomaly with Xu Xiaoshou on the dragon's head.

Truth be told, they could only see the dragon's body, not Xu Xiaoshou himself.

But that Dao rhythm was too frightening, like a saint beginning to preach. At a glance, people gained insights, feeling their minds clear, with many previously elusive Dao laws suddenly clicking.

Boom!

Soon, a thunderclap cracked the clear sky, and everyone awoke from their trance, each with their gains. That thunder-like sound was insignificant amid the collapsing heavens and earth on Xukong Island.

Yet, everyone realized that Xu Xiaoshou might have broken through again!

"No way?"

"In a situation like this, he can still have an epiphany and break through?"

"What kind of person is he? Does he even let others live? He's in the midst of battling a Ban Sheng!"

"Doesn't he feel any tension at all?"

"Look! Yan Lao is moving..."

Yan Wuse naturally sensed the sudden surge of Dao rhythm from Xu Xiaoshou's position in the sky.

Strangely, in that Dao rhythm, he felt fluctuations similar to Dao Qiong Cang's.

Had Xu Xiaoshou enlightened to Tianji technique?

Yan Wuse finished regulating his breath and scoffed, dismissing the absurd idea and feeling ashamed of his own foolishness.

"You all watch out—Xu Xiaoshou might be up to something again."

He cautioned uneasily before gripping the Ci Mian Zhi Men and flying toward the glowing-hot Xuan Tie Jian.

"Fang Zhi Jing Tong (Wang Zuo Lv.2)."

"Fang Zhi Jing Tong (Wang Zuo Lv.3)."

"Fang Zhi Jing Tong (Sheng Di)."

With a blink, Fang Zhi Jing Tong completed its upgrade.

Not his main combat skill or strongest ability, Xu Xiaoshou handled it effortlessly, upgrading it straight to Sheng Di Lv.0.

As expected, there was only a thunderclap, no real Sheng Jie.

After opening his eyes, they were bloodshot, veins bulging at his temples—this was the aftereffect of forced upgrading.

In a short time, a flood of knowledge surged into Xu Xiaoshou's mind.

Those complex Dao principle understandings, already obscure, now felt like his skull was being cracked open and stuffed, swelling painfully.

But Xu Xiaoshou endured it.

The situation was urgent; he didn't have time to digest slowly and could only upgrade first, then comprehend.

As for the pain...

Anything that wouldn't kill him instantly, Xu Xiaoshou could bear. If he couldn't, his various passive skills combined would save his potentially exploding brain.

Naturally, this gave Xu Xiaoshou a bolder way to upgrade.

Looking around, everything in the world had changed.

Under Sheng Di's gaze, every blade of grass, tree, flower, and stone on Xukong Island's outer island seemed to have its reason for existing.

Just like when he first unlocked "Fang Zhi Jing Tong," seeing everything in that illusion.

All things, whether living or dead, had their own "diagram."

The veins of grass, the rings of trees, the patterns of stones, the bones of humans...

These were innate Dao principle diagrams!

They corresponded one-to-one with parts of the heavenly Dao or Sheng Dao!

"So that's it, so that's it..."

Xu Xiaoshou pressed his fingers to his temple, his blood-red eyes wide open, murmuring like a madman.

He looked again at the beheaded Tianji Shen Shi.

This time, he didn't see a three-zhang-tall figure in hemp robes, but the intricate Tianji Dao principles inside.

Countless billions of nested Tianji spirit arrays outlined a humanoid Dao principle diagram, drawing on Sheng Dao power.

Precise, complex, dazzling!

That was why Tianji Shen Shi was called the "strongest Ban Sheng"!

The old Xu Xiaoshou couldn't understand or see through it—after all, Dao Qiong Cang's level was too high, his work too grand!

Now, even though he still found such billions of nested Tianji spirit arrays absurdly excessive, he couldn't replicate it, but he could glimpse some truth.

"Sit in it..."

"I can control it!"

Without any training in manipulating Tianji puppets, Xu Xiaoshou instantly had this bold idea.

And he felt it had a seventy percent chance of success!

At that moment, a flash of crimson crossed Xu Xiaoshou's eyes, his breathing grew heavier, and he completely forgot his original reason for recklessly upgrading "Fang Zhi Jing Tong."

Visions of "Liberated State · Tianji Shen Shou" flashed through his mind like a lantern...

Just thinking about it made Xu Xiaoshou feel like he was going insane!

Naturally, he understood why Si Tu Yong Ren, once inside the Tianji Shen Shi, became arrogant enough to think he could turn the tide in a Sheng Zhan.

"Long Bao, I'm stepping out for a bit."

Before Mo Di Heilong could react, Xu Xiaoshou vanished.

A while later, he reappeared, pale and twitching, as if drained.

He tapped his foot on Mo Di Heilong and leaped into the air.

Taking a deep breath, in front of everyone on Xukong Island, all the ghost beasts in the mirror world, and facing Yan Wuse, Rao Yao Yao, and Mo Di Heilong, he channeled Sheng force and roared:

"Everyone, stop what you're doing!"

"All eyes on me!"