A buzzing sound rang out.
The Cangqiong Huijuan scroll rolled up just in time, and Rao Yaoyao's afterimage vanished, leaving Xu Xiaoshou striking at nothing.
"Dao Qiong Cang!"
Xu Xiaoshou was completely furious.
Things were different now; the Water Ghost was no longer inside that flashy old Daoist's body.
Dao Qiong Cang's actions were clearly meant to draw his hatred and court death.
"I gave you a chance. I didn't go after you first, so why bring this trouble on yourself?"
In the Longrong Realm, it was all his domain!
Xu Xiaoshou glanced around, from Qingnuo to Shenmian Valley.
It was unfamiliar territory, surrounded by stone mountains where the stone giants were each awake but also crouched down, trembling in fear!
"All things have spirits, and all fear me. How dare you, Dao Qiong Cang, not fear me!"
Xu Xiaoshou reached back and pulled out the Imitator, gripping it as his body began to change.
His dull golden curls transformed, and wrinkles appeared on his left cheek, as if he were turning into the Refining Spirit Light, Yan Wuse!
But the transformation halted halfway—half of him became Yan Wuse, while the other half burned even brighter with white flames.
He used "Change" to control the Imitator's transformation.
Half Yan Wuse, half Xu Xiaoshou!
Half Refining Spirit Light, half Extreme Fire!
"Light."
He uttered the single word.
Xu Xiaoshou turned into a blaze of white flames, raising his sleeveless heavy fist and stepping through a sea of fire as he flashed toward Shenmian Valley.
White flames descended, and ice lotuses bloomed in splendor.
Killing intent peaked, and the war god's presence dominated.
Dao Qiong Cang had just freed Rao Yaoyao from her predicament when Xu Xiaoshou suddenly appeared before him.
The speed was so fast that even he almost couldn't react.
Refining Spirit Light?
Of course—according to the data collected by Xiao Qi, Xu Xiaoshou had taken the Imitator and Yan Wuse's blood.
Otherwise, relying on his Saint Emperor power and that "One Step to Heaven" technique, getting from Qingnuo to the distant Shenmian Valley would have required multiple teleports.
And those multiple jumps would have given him a chance to catch his breath.
But unexpectedly, that breath was cut short by the Refining Spirit Light!
Yan Wuse, you've caused so much trouble!
"Xu Xiaoshou, I—"
Dao Qiong Cang barely opened his mouth before Xu Xiaoshou's furious gaze and heavy fist interrupted him:
"Don't bother trying to talk me out of it. Even if you could persuade the whole world with your words, you couldn't persuade me, Xu Xiaoshou!"
It was too fast!
With no room to maneuver, Dao Qiong Cang couldn't say another word.
The Cangqiong Huijuan scroll flashed under his feet, and the Tianji Sinan activated at the same time.
"Slow!"
"You're too slow!"
In close combat with the Saint Emperor's "Agility," Xu Xiaoshou's reactions were incredibly quick.
He was like an emotionless battle puppet... no, the Tianji God Emissary deliberately left a tiny flaw.
Sure enough, Dao Qiong Cang seized that brief opening, his movements slowing slightly, thinking he had time.
"But how could you naively think you had a chance to fight back?"
Frenzied Giant!
With a booming golden light, that slight delay was utterly shattered by Xu Xiaoshou's gigantification.
Dao Qiong Cang's Cangqiong Huijuan scroll was half-unfurled, his entire body covered in goosebumps as he sensed the danger closing in.
But it was too late!
Xu Xiaoshou had calculated the distance perfectly—so that after transforming into the Frenzied Giant, his fist would land exactly halfway across Dao Qiong Cang's body!
As soon as he finished transforming, Dao Qiong Cang was already contorted, his body twisted from the impact.
"Take off!"
With a thunderous boom, the heavy fist swept through, flames licking the sky.
Dao Qiong Cang's Tianji Sinan was blasted away, and he was thrown into the air without any dignity, layers of defensive sacred artifacts exploding around him.
His body burst through space and emerged from a black hole.
Just like Yan Wuse before, he was hurled from Shenmian Valley straight back to Sin One Hall.
"Pfft!"
As a mouthful of blood sprayed across Sin One Hall and was instantly evaporated by the high heat beneath Longrong Realm, Dao Qiong Cang's body was covered in blood scabs. The journey had torn him with compressed fire lines, stripping away all his noble demeanor.
"Urgh..."
The entire scene fell silent.
On the ruins of Sin One Hall, the crowd watched as their Dao Hall Master flew in, spitting blood, their eyelids twitching uncontrollably.
Xu Xiaoshou had punched Yan Wuse away before, and now he had done the same to the Dao Hall Master?
This strike had caught everyone completely off guard.
If the Dao Hall Master hadn't had all those jade pendants, gold beads, necklaces, and rings...
With his frail body as a Tianji sorcerer, getting hit so carelessly might have left him as shattered as Yan Wuse back then, unable to recover.
"Heavens."
"Xu Xiao... Xu Saint Emperor has gone mad with killing!"
"He even dares to punch the Dao Hall Master. Is there anything in this world he wouldn't do?"
"Just that one punch shows his full potential. I can almost see the Ghost Gate at the Ten Thrones War, where gods claim their titles."
"We guarded against everything, but not the giant. Pfft... Urgh, Dao Hall Master, you were too careless!"
Under the Supreme Saint Tribulation, the Water Ghost had no heart for his own tribulation anymore—he was fully focused on the battle.
He was utterly stunned by Xu Xiaoshou's display!
Facing two opponents, he had released Rao Yaoyao while landing a devastating blow on Dao Qiong Cang!
This feint was clearly part of Xu Xiaoshou's plan all along?
Watching the golden light radiate, with Xu Xiaoshou's arms also charred, the Frenzied Giant roared in ecstasy, hunched over. At that moment, the Water Ghost suddenly felt that the Water Element Mysteries weren't so appealing anymore.
What was the point of striking that flashy old Daoist from a distance with spiritual techniques?
The Water Ghost wanted to get up close, pummel that all-knowing Dao Qiong Cang with his fists, and smash his face.
"Brat, you've disrupted my Dao heart..."
Taking a deep breath, the Water Ghost admitted to Xu Xiaoshou's monstrous combat power and chose to focus on his tribulation.
He knew the Saint Emperor power wouldn't last forever.
As long as Dao Qiong Cang and Rao Yaoyao survived one hit and kept delaying, Xu Xiaoshou would eventually be worn down.
Then, if no Half-Saint stepped up, the situation would tip entirely in Dao Qiong Cang's favor.
In the end, it would be up to him, the Water Ghost, to achieve sainthood and turn the tide.
"Refreshing!"
After punching that flashy old Daoist away, Xu Xiaoshou in Shenmian Valley pumped his fists triumphantly, feeling even better than when he had punched Yan Wuse.
This Saint Emperor strike was nearly as powerful as a passive punch.
Dao Qiong Cang had calculated everything, but he never expected Xu Xiaoshou's combat intelligence to be so high, tricking him at close range!
"Heh, when it comes to battle, you're no match for your own Tianji God Emissary, you old Daoist!"
"You underestimated me so much. Did you really think I had no reason?"
Xu Xiaoshou suppressed his excitement, feeling the Saint Emperor power in his energy sea surging but also starting to wane, nearly depleting.
"No time left..."
He knew his time was running out.
If he couldn't smash through all of Dao Qiong Cang's hidden cards and traps, and leave him here...
And at the same time, cut down Rao Yaoyao on Void Island...
Then, the tables would turn. The more glorious he was now, the more humiliated he would be later.
Even if he apologized or knelt, Rao Yaoyao and Dao Qiong Cang probably wouldn't forgive him.
"Huff!"
Xu Xiaoshou exhaled deeply, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
"Then let's fight!"
"Today, it's either you two kneel and sing 'Conquest,' or it's the day I, Xu Xiaoshou... uh, join the Saint God Hall!"
But after insulting and beating them both so badly, would Dao Qiong Cang really be magnanimous enough to let him join the Saint God Hall without repercussions?
Those useless thoughts quickly faded, and Xu Xiaoshou shook them off completely.
He threw his head back and roared, his body shrinking as he turned into a flash of fire, splitting into two directions at once.
Back then, Yan Wuse had toyed with Han Ye, Huang Quan, and Xu Xiaoshou all at once.
Now, Xu Xiaoshou was pursuing Dao Qiong Cang and Rao Yaoyao, splitting his path in two.
"The speed of light..."
The entire crowd was dazzled.
That half-Yan Wuse, half-Xu Xiaoshou figure, combined with the ultimate speed, left everyone utterly stunned.
Was this still Xu Xiaoshou?
This was clearly Yan Wuse in Xu Xiaoshou's skin, wielding the power of three emperors!
True "Emperor"-level strength!
Not just a title!
"Does he ever struggle to adapt?"
As the crowd pondered this, Xu Xiaoshou provided his answer:
He could endure it!
"Rao Yaoyao, I'm coming for you again, ha ha ha! You can't escape my grasp."
Amid the wild laughter, Xu Xiaoshou caught up to that blood-stained figure.
Rao Yaoyao didn't know how to describe her emotions anymore.
She had already lost two lives, relying entirely on Dao Qiong Cang to save her.
Now, with Xu Xiaoshou splitting himself to chase both, who would save her?
She had to save herself!
Rao Yaoyao gritted her teeth and, while the Xuan Cang Divine Sword's luck golden dragon protected her, she raised her sword to fight back.
Dao Qiong Cang had said to delay, but with Xu Xiaoshou chasing like this, who could escape or hold out?
"Wang—"
"What's that about? Rao Yaoyao! Take this punch!"
As soon as the sword moved, a massive black fist appeared in front of her face.
At this speed... Rao Yaoyao was shocked and raised her sword to block.
But with her mind in such turmoil, Xu Xiaoshou's sudden appearance caught her off guard.
In that moment, she couldn't even activate "All Under the Eyes."
"Boom!"
The fist finally hit something solid.
Xu Xiaoshou watched as the Xuan Cang Divine Sword dented violently, and Rao Yaoyao's single arm, blocking through the sword, was shattered and exploded.
As one of the five great Chaos divine artifacts, the divine sword Xuan Cang withstood the punch without breaking.
But the sword's bent blade, wrapped around the fist, slammed heavily into Rao Yaoyao's chest.
"Sizzle..."
The luck golden dragon burst apart.
In an instant, it dissipated over seventy percent of Xu Xiaoshou's punch force.
Even so, the remaining Saint Emperor power was too much for a sword cultivator with weak defenses to handle.
With a "pfft," Rao Yaoyao spat out blood and was thrown back, her beautiful face filled with horror.
All her defensive items were gone, except for the blood-stained crystal chain that suddenly flashed at her waist.
The chain exploded, turning into a ring of light that barely kept her body from falling apart.
But the massive force left Rao Yaoyao disoriented, her eyes rolling back.
All her ribs were broken!
Her spine was cracked!
When she regained her senses, Rao Yaoyao realized her condition was terrible.
As a sword cultivator, having her sword knocked away was the ultimate humiliation.
Yet, a whooshing sound filled her ears.
Xu Xiaoshou, with black hair flowing like flames, sidestepped close.
His charred hand grabbed Rao Yaoyao's neck, which she couldn't control, and with an expressionless face, he whispered in her ear:
"Don't say I didn't give you a chance, Rao Yaoyao. Hand over the Half-Saint status, and I'll spare your life."
Rao Yaoyao felt the Saint Emperor power wildly surging into her body, rampaging through her muscles and veins—just like when the Water Ghost had forced out her Half-Saint status.
"Mmph..."
With a muffled groan, a Half-Saint status nearly leaped from her head, but she forcibly held it back.
"Xu Xiaoshou, you won't get it!"
Even now, no other treasures emerged?
It seemed his so-called senior sister had no backup plans left.
Glancing at the chain around her waist, Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but look down at that slender waist.
But Rao Yaoyao was a Rao through and through!
She couldn't have only that one item. If nothing else was left except the chain, unless...
Considering Rao Yaoyao's personality, Xu Xiaoshou concluded:
She didn't lack treasures for protection; she just believed no one in the world could harm her, so she didn't bring them.
Just like with pills—she only took those given by Yu Lingdi.
For defense, she relied solely on her sword attacks.
For pills, she only used Yu Lingdi's.
"You were way too arrogant, weren't you?" Xu Xiaoshou laughed, tightening his grip to snap her neck.
The Half-Saint status?
—Once he killed her, it would be his anyway. This was just a test.
At the same time, the Tianji Dao principles flashed under Rao Yaoyao's feet, but this time, Xu Xiaoshou wasn't surprised and smiled silently.
"My dear Dao Bodhisattva, you're barely holding yourself together. How do you still have the mind to worry about others?"
"Turn into spring mud to protect the flowers?"
In a flash of fire, Xu Xiaoshou, who had been beside Rao Yaoyao a moment ago, instantly appeared next to Dao Qiong Cang.
Dao Qiong Cang was in bad shape.
Too many of his protective artifacts had been destroyed.
The backlash from that punch had nearly shattered his bones, even through all the defenses.
But when he came to his senses and saw Rao Yaoyao in danger, he had no choice but to act.
"The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao, the name that can be named is not the eternal name..."
After the mockery, those profound words suddenly echoed in his ears, and Dao Qiong Cang paused briefly, as if gaining some insight.
Xu Xiaoshou seized the moment, his face serious as he murmured continuously.
Then, he planted his feet in the air, twisted his waist, and swept his right leg in a whip-like arc, changing his style entirely.
"Ada!"
Dao Qiong Cang's fingertip exploded another ring.
Bursts of colorful light scattered, forming shields and rings that protected him.
But he was still stunned and sent spinning by the whip kick, his body blasted back into space, from Sin One Hall toward the Blood Realm.
"Don't get distracted, Dao Bodhisattva. I'm dead serious about this fight!"
After kicking Dao Qiong Cang away, Xu Xiaoshou flashed back to Rao Yaoyao in an instant, still gripping her neck, and squeezed hard.
"Crack!"
A drop of golden blood burst from Rao Yaoyao's head.
As soon as it appeared, Void Island began to tremble, even making Xu Xiaoshou's heart skip.
The power in that blood was beyond Half-Saint—it could rival the forces in his body right now.
"Saint Emperor blood?"
Not just the onlookers in Sin One Hall were shocked; Xu Xiaoshou was even more astonished.
Sure enough, she had a trump card!
The drop of blood shattered in an instant, turning into streams of light that protected Rao Yaoyao.
This Saint Emperor blood not only blocked the neck-snapping strike but also worked wonders beyond divine blessings, healing all her injuries.
Even her two broken arms were regenerating quickly!
"So extravagant..."
Xu Xiaoshou sighed in anger and followed up with another kick toward Rao Yaoyao.
His neck-snapping strike had been countered by the Saint Emperor blood, but the force had sent her flying, leaving her briefly unable to control her body.
The situation was still under his control!
"Let's see if your treasures or my remaining Saint Emperor power run out first!"
Punch after punch, kick after kick.
One moment, Xu Xiaoshou was pummeling Rao Yaoyao; the next, he was kicking Dao Qiong Cang.
One person, two beams of light.
Two directions, beating both opponents!
Xu Xiaoshou kept this up, rapidly wearing down Rao Yaoyao's Saint Emperor blood protection and blasting apart all of Dao Qiong Cang's treasures.
"My heavens!"
Someone below wore a complicated expression.
Xu Xiaoshou had descended like a god, taking on two enemies with complete domination.
This kind of prowess was terrifying.
"This is insane. Rao Sword Saint has been beaten so badly her sword flew away, and the Dao Hall Master can't even defend himself."
"How many treasures has Xu Xiao... Xu Saint Emperor destroyed? It's such a waste—any one of them would be perfect for me."
"Is this the foundation of the five great Saint Emperor families?"
"With that kind of wealth, how can Xu Xiaoshou turn the tide?"
"Yes, the Dao Hall Master's delay tactic is still working in its own way, and it's effective. Xu Xiaoshou can't kill either of them!"
"Master Xu..."
The battle stalemated.
Xu Xiaoshou fought with growing rage.
Even after grinding through Rao Yaoyao's Saint Emperor blood and shattering all of Dao Qiong Cang's treasures, his own Saint Emperor power was now depleting faster than it could replenish.
His momentum was weakening...
His strength was fading...
"I have no time left."
Realizing this, Xu Xiaoshou dared not delay any longer.
He gathered all the power in his energy sea into one finger and shook his body.
"Rip it open for me!"
With a tearing of flesh and blood, Xu Xiaoshou split into two, birthing a second true body right there.
"Get him!"
In his bloodthirsty fury, Xu Xiaoshou pointed fiercely at the now unprotected Rao Yaoyao and shouted.
The second true body, freshly formed, knew its purpose immediately.
He sighed lightly, without a word, and thrust a sword at his original self.
"All Under the Eyes!"
His mind exploded with a bang, and Xu Xiaoshou gave up resisting, briefly falling into a daze.
As his spiritual awakening triggered, he snapped back.
At the same time, the conditions for a certain special passive skill activated.
"Illusion Extinction Finger (Charge: 86.34%)."
Xu Xiaoshou's face twisted savagely as his fingertip gathered the final Saint Emperor strike, overlaid with a dark soul light.
Dual forces of body and soul!
"Rao Yaoyao, do you have any more Saint Emperor blood left? Can you block my absolute attack?!"
[55 seconds ago] Chapter 1364: Rumors First Break People's Hearts, Then Invite the Plague God to Descend on the City Gate
[6 minutes ago] Chapter 1363: The Emperor Saint Approaches the Four Symbols Realm, All is Ready Except for the East Wind
[8 minutes ago] Chapter 754: Discussing the Dao with Hongjun (Lower)
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