Chapter 1282: The Unfathomable Oppressive Feeling

"You! You!"

Tianji Jingling Qi Hao was so angry her little face turned red.

She "you-ed" for a long time but couldn't get a word out, feeling completely tongue-tied and unable to defend herself. Her perception range was vast, allowing her to easily hear the discussions from all over the island.

She was stunned!

How could someone say nothing and just use an expression that looked deeply hurt to convey so much?

Was this what they meant by "human hearts are treacherous"?

Even the old Daoist wasn't as good at playing the victim as Xu Xiaoshou!

"Little Qi, stand down. You're no match for him, don't bring shame on yourself."

Dao Qiong Cang smiled as he pulled the Tianji Jingling back, speaking bluntly.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Qi Hao looked like she was about to vomit blood. She glared fiercely at the old Daoist with a mix of cuteness and menace:

"I'm not convinced!"

She broke free from the old Daoist's large hand, reached into the back of her head, and pulled out a jade slip bigger than her own head.

Everyone's attention was drawn to it, with a hint of curiosity.

This thing, about the size of a human head... was it some kind of Tianji puppet?

It didn't look like it had any combat power. What could it do?

On the other side was Xu Xiaoshou, a master of eloquent speech. If all you had was a mouth, it might be better not to say anything at all.

Better to hold it in and feel uncomfortable than to speak and get countered until you spit blood, right?

Tianji Jingling Qi Hao flapped her wings nonchalantly, glanced over the large jade slip in her hand, and then looked up:

"Xu Xiaoshou, let me ask you!"

"Massive data shows that you've never encountered Shen Yi, and you don't understand the true path of physical cultivation at all."

"So, how did you land that punch that sent Yan Lao flying?"

Qi Hao put away the jade slip, as if she had seized the enemy's vital point. She put one hand on her hip, pointed at him with the other, puffed out her cheeks, and demanded huffily:

"Confess honestly, spill it now!"

The people on Xuankong Island were amused.

Truth be told, no matter what this Tianji Jingling said, her appearance alone made it impossible for her to look threatening.

She had no intimidating presence at all!

If even the people on the island didn't feel any pressure, how could Xu Xiaoshou?

At first, on the dragon's head, Xu Xiaoshou found it all quite entertaining. This little cutie was really something. But when his attention turned to the content of her question, he could no longer maintain his playful demeanor.

She was talking about... the passive punch?

Xu Xiaoshou was startled.

Indeed, everything special about him could be explained with the word "talent," even his most exaggerated sword techniques.

Such talent might seem powerful, but under the spotlight of the previous Ten Venerables, it was insignificant, so revealing it didn't matter.

But the passive punch was different.

Physical techniques relied heavily on foundations; what realm you were in determined the punch you could throw.

The passive punch broke that limitation.

Without any special exertion techniques, it enhanced an ordinary punch to achieve explosive output.

This should have been an obvious flaw.

Yet, on Xu Xiaoshou, hidden under multiple layers of aura, it wasn't a problem anymore.

It seemed that as long as it was Xu Xiaoshou, accomplishing something so unfounded was effortless. However...

Dao Qiong Cang had seen through it!

At their first meeting, this Tianji Jingling by Dao Qiong Cang's side had pierced through the surface and struck at the essence of the passive system.

That was too sharp!

Xu Xiaoshou felt a chill run down his back.

But he maintained the same demeanor as the others on Xuankong Island, looking at her like a little pet, completely unconcerned with her question, and laughed:

"Little one, who are you?"

"I'm Qi Hao!" Tianji Jingling puffed out her chest, hands on her hips, full of pride.

"Then who am I?"

"You're Xu Xiaoshou!" Tianji Jingling pointed her short little finger at him, her eyes lighting up, as if proud of answering two questions correctly.

"So, what am I to you?" Xu Xiaoshou asked again.

"Uh..."

Tianji Jingling's big eyes went blank, swirling with confusion. She clutched her head in thought but couldn't come up with an answer after a long while.

"Heh." Xu Xiaoshou chuckled. "If you're nobody to me, what obligation do I have to answer your questions?"

Suddenly, his eyes changed, flashing with ferocity as he roared:

"Believe it or not, with my Heart Sword Technique, I can strike you down from afar, and even your old Daoist won't be able to save you!"

"Ah!"

Tianji Jingling jumped in fright, her two pairs of wings flapping wildly, her little feet kicking at the air like a bull's hooves before she dashed to Dao Qiong Cang's shoulder and hid behind it.

After a good while, she dared to peek her head out and mutter, "Xu Xiaoshou, how dare you?" Sure enough, this little thing had no combat power, and her intelligence was low too.

She had mentioned data and materials...

Perhaps this thing was just like an external brain for Dao Qiong Cang, helping him handle trivial matters.

From that, he had spotted the oddity of the "passive punch"?

Xu Xiaoshou realized this in his heart but remained vigilant.

After all, this was Dao Qiong Cang's Tianji creation.

Who knows, it might suddenly transform into "Liberation State: Qi Hao" and turn from a cute little Tianji Jingling into a fierce Vajra that could beat down the Void Attendants.

"Alright."

Dao Qiong Cang pressed Little Qi down, not letting her pop up again, and looked at Xu Xiaoshou:

"I've been keeping an eye on you, Xu Xiaoshou."

"Over this period, your name has been mentioned so often it's worn out my ears." As Dao Qiong Cang spoke, the entire Xuankong Island fell silent.

He was someone with immense ability and status.

Naturally, his words carried great weight.

Even Xu Xiaoshou was on high alert, guarding against any possible move from this unfathomable Dao Qiong Cang.

But Dao Qiong Cang clearly had no intention of attacking a junior.

He smiled faintly, twiddled his fingers, and recounted Xu Xiaoshou's history as if it were his own:

"From Tiansang Spirit Palace, a mediocre spirit refiner who didn't even make it past the outer court grand competition in three years..."

"To winning the outer court's 'Stormwind Domination' and catching the eye of Sheng Nu Wuxiu, getting noticed by Ba Zun An."

"To entering the inner court, dominating all around, joining Tianxuan Gate, and getting... A Jie."

"To entering Tiansang City, using Jin Zhao's alchemy to blow up the Dan Tower, storming the city lord's mansion, framing the ghost beasts, and slaying Zhang Taiying right under Hong Yi Shouye's nose."

"To entering Bai Ku, obtaining Jin Zhao Laozu's inheritance of the Yan Python, entering Ling Rong Ze, taking the Shen Yu Qing Shi's seat under Han Tian Zhi's Three Days Frozen Calamity, and claiming the four swords sealed in Jin Zhao Prison Sea from Li Jian Grassland."

"To becoming Xu Shao in Dongtian Wang City, playing tricks on Rao Yaoyao in the Huangquan of Yunlun Mountains, and now on Xuankong Island, rivaling a semi-saint as Sheng Nu..."

"In less than a year, you've undergone a complete transformation, even faster than Ba Zun An's 'Three Breaths Innate, Three Years Sword Immortal'."

Dao Qiong Cang finished reciting Xu Xiaoshou's entire growth story in one breath and then paused.

By this point, the people on Xuankong Island were all shocked.

Xu Xiaoshou's experiences were too twists and turns, full of bizarre events!

Though there weren't many incidents, his growth speed was even more terrifying than the Eighth Sword Immortal.

They hadn't noticed it before...

But now that the Dao Hall Master mentioned it, everyone recalled—it was exactly like that!

This guy had grown to where he was in less than a year. How frightening!

Xu Xiaoshou's back was soaked in cold sweat, as if a ghost were gripping his neck and breathing down it.

He stared intently at Dao Qiong Cang, not understanding what he was getting at.

Dao Qiong Cang held the Tianji Sinan, turning the star scoop on it with one hand.

Amid the clicking of mechanisms, he lifted his head and looked at Xu Xiaoshou again:

"I'm very curious—what did you encounter in that month-long death seclusion at Tiansang Spirit Palace's outer court?"

"Or rather, what did you go through?"

Thump! Xu Xiaoshou's heart contracted sharply.

Death seclusion?

I did die, didn't I!

Then I crossed over, messed up a pointer, and started to rise quickly. But could I say any of that?

Xu Xiaoshou stared fixedly at Dao Qiong Cang. With his temperament, he was on the verge of losing his composure.

His lips parted, and countless answers flashed through his mind.

Back when he was at Tiansang Spirit Palace, to avoid people noticing his rapid growth, he had prepared countless reasons for his "talent."

He never thought that his so-called "talent" would be insignificant under the powerful auras of people like Ba Zun An.

And now that it was brought up, it was the only time it was noticed...

By Dao Qiong Cang!

The unfathomable Dao Qiong Cang!

Xu Xiaoshou instinctively wanted to explain.

But Dao Qiong Cang, like an old fox, smirked, put down the Sinan, and reached out to stop him:

"Hold steady, no need to panic, and no need to explain."

"I'm just curious, but I don't expect an answer."

Hold steady?

He's even telling me to hold steady?

Xu Xiaoshou had never felt such pressure before.

This was more tense than facing attacks from Number Two, Yan Wuse, and Rao Yaoyao combined!

Sweat was about to bead on Xu Xiaoshou's forehead, but he forcibly evaporated it, not letting a single clue slip.

Dao Qiong Cang tilted his head slightly, smiling gently as he looked at Xu Xiaoshou.

It was as if he deliberately waited for a while, not speaking when everyone thought he would, piling on the psychological pressure.

Suddenly, he spoke:

"Everyone has secrets."

"Ba Zun An has secrets, and I have secrets."

"Just as I don't want my secrets known, when I was weak, I prepared many 'reasons' for mine, I wonder if you did the same."

"Received fright, passive points +1."

"So I don't expect to hear any answers from others. Whatever I want to know, I'll see with my own eyes."

Dao Qiong Cang paused, his gaze fixed intently on Xu Xiaoshou, with no killing intent, yet it felt like he could see right into his soul.

He suddenly laughed lightly: "You can actually breathe, you know."

Xu Xiaoshou took a sharp breath, gasping for air as if he'd been holding it for a thousand years. Then he shockingly realized that he hadn't actually forgotten to breathe just now!

Dao Qiong Cang laughed: "Looks like I guessed right. Your secret is indeed a big one."

This damn bastard!

Xu Xiaoshou's anger flared up in an instant.

He was always the one tricking others, but today, in just one encounter and a few exchanges, Dao Qiong Cang had played him more than twice.

Calm down...

Deep breaths...

He is Dao Qiong Cang, the unfathomable one!

It's completely normal for him to do this; otherwise, he wouldn't have risen to the Ten Venerables or become the Dao Hall Master.

If I lose control over this, wouldn't I be no better than those idiots like Rao Cutie or Situ Useless in my eyes?

"Saying all this, what do you want?"

Xu Xiaoshou quickly calmed his emotions.

He was incredibly glad he had maintained the form of the Double-Winged Black Demon Berserk Giant, gripping the dragon's horn like this.

This way, any subtle expressions or small movements of his were invisible to outsiders. If he turned back to human form...

Whether the spirit refiners on the island knew mind-reading or not, that moment of lost control just now would have given away a lot.

Dao Qiong Cang was slightly surprised by how quickly the young giant had regained his composure, but he soon understood.

This was Xu Xiaoshou, after all!

He had never underestimated this opponent.

Or rather, in his heart, Xu Xiaoshou's weight was no less than Ba Zun An's.

People often judged strength based on current achievements and realms, but they were limited by those very achievements and realms.

Dao Qiong Cang was different.

His vision was long-term.

From Xu Xiaoshou's growth speed, which was even more exaggerated than "Three Breaths Innate, Three Years Sword Immortal," this person was meant to be stronger than Ba Zun An!

His current weakness meant nothing; he'd already survived his weakest period under someone's protection.

So, for a true genius, any sudden, volcanic eruption-like progress was possible.

If he didn't treat this as a formidable enemy, would he want to become another Yan Wuse?

Dao Qiong Cang smiled warmly and said softly: "Xu Xiaoshou, do you have any interest in joining the Sheng Shen Hall?"

For a moment, the entire island was in an uproar.

In the midst of battle, openly poaching—and poaching from the enemy?

"What's going on with the Dao Hall Master? Yan Lao just fell, killed by the water ghost..."

"This is insane! The Dao Hall Master is throwing an olive branch to Xu Xiaoshou? I'd definitely take it if I were him!"

"Switching from dark to light? Impossible! If he agrees, going to Sheng Shen Hall would mean facing trial first. Hold strong, Lord Xu!"

"Lord Xu? Who are you..."

"Oh, I'm Li Fugui."

"Li Fugui? Where have I heard that name before..."

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes flickered for a moment.

He counted carefully; people like Dao Qiong Cang who had thrown him an olive branch included Shouye, Yu Zhiwen, Yan Wang Huangquan, and Ba Zun An.

Half of them were at the pinnacle of the world.

Xu Xiaoshou laughed: "Dao Qiong Cang, you have good taste, but..."

"Don't rush with the 'but,' I haven't finished." Dao Qiong Cang interrupted. "As long as you agree to join Sheng Shen Hall, all past matters will be overlooked, whether it's Number Two or Yan Lao."

Another wave of commotion swept over Xuankong Island.

Xu Xiaoshou parted his lips, a look of surprise in his eyes.

Just as he was about to speak, Dao Qiong Cang waved his hand again:

"No need to worry about the credibility of my words. I, Dao Qiong Cang, keep my promises. If I want to protect you, no one can touch you."

This was too bold!

Even Xu Xiaoshou was shocked by Dao Qiong Cang's audacity.

To say something like that, how much pressure would he have to bear? Especially at this stage when he absolutely couldn't switch sides.

"I..."

"Hold on."

Dao Qiong Cang interrupted Xu Xiaoshou once more, speaking clearly:

"No need to answer right away. My invitation has an unlimited validity period."

"Whenever you want to join Sheng Shen Hall, I'll welcome you."

"This includes, but isn't limited to, after you attack Sheng Mountain and rescue your master; or when you're surrounded by the saints of Sheng Mountain and on the brink of death..."

Dao Qiong Cang pointed his finger at the black giant on the Demon Emperor Black Dragon, implying something:

"You took my Xuanxu Box, right?"

"The 520th Tianji array inside, which has no function or meaning and even you couldn't figure out why it exists, is my contact method. Draw it out, and I can save you."

"Remember, you're part of the 'Zero Plan.' Even if you've forgotten everything now, or think you're just making it up..."

"But Sheng Shen Hall will always be your home."