Chapter 1304: Eight Venerables Proficient

"Even the Ghost Seal of Shui Gui couldn't endure it."

"The Demon Emperor Hei Long was eradicated by the rules."

"My Holy Emperor power is even more fundamentally exhausted..."

High above the void, Xu Xiaoshou, who had been sent flying by Long Bao, watched as Holy Emperor Wang Zhe pointed a finger, causing his side's forces to crumble like a collapsing mountain.

To outsiders, he appeared stunned and frightened, but in reality, he was still analyzing the power of that finger through combat assessment, comparing its might.

From this, he could roughly infer Holy Emperor Wang Zhe's overall strength.

From start to finish, Xu Xiaoshou had never given up, nor had he lost control and shouted wildly like others.

Just like his audacious idea when Holy Emperor Wang Zhe first arrived—was there a way to bury him on Void Island as well?

Indeed, plotting to kill Rao Yao Yao was reckless, but when he resolved to act single-mindedly, Xu Xiaoshou could already foresee the worst possible consequences.

He proceeded nonetheless.

Ignoring Shui Gui's dissuasion.

Because he still had his wits about him, he could calculate, and he clearly understood the hidden trump cards he possessed.

The Heavenly Finger of the Azure Emperor seemed unshakeable to outsiders, but Xu Xiaoshou didn't dwell on it.

He was someone who had seen great storms.

The Demon Emperor Hei Long had once served as his mount, so Xu Xiaoshou neither underestimated nor overly revered a Holy Emperor.

The power of this finger was indeed formidable, but it was roughly equivalent to the Demon Emperor Hei Long's Dragon Tail Smash—something no ordinary person could endure.

Bai Lian couldn't withstand it because, compared to an existence like Shui Gui, he was far too ordinary.

However, Shui Gui's "Wind and Thunder Sea" used the power of half-saint principles to erode away about thirty percent of the Heavenly Finger of the Azure Emperor's force.

The Demon Emperor Hei Long's dragon pearl power, in its final moments, held on for over ten breaths, grinding away most of the remaining might.

By this point, the Heavenly Finger of the Azure Emperor was left with only the Holy Emperor's pressure; its original strength was reduced to no more than ten or twenty percent.

As Xu Xiaoshou steadied himself in mid-air, beneath his feigned panic, he had already grasped Holy Emperor Wang Zhe's approximate combat power.

"It's just a Holy Emperor's thought manifestation, similar to Long Bao, only with a different method of casting."

"At most, because his true body isn't on the inner island, he can contend with the Void Island spirit's will, so he can do a bit more than Long Bao."

"But since it's not the Holy Emperor's true body arriving here, the power he can exert is still quite limited..."

Xu Xiaoshou was so certain that Holy Emperor Wang Zhe's power here was limited because of another piece of evidence.

His "Annihilation Finger" hadn't been erased by Holy Emperor Wang Zhe; it was merely restrained by a storm and isolated in front of Rao Yao Yao.

Why?

If he had the capacity, would he leave such an explosive source on Void Island?

The answer was impossible!

"The Annihilation Finger is a power that can harm a Holy Emperor through both physical and soul damage."

"Holy Emperor Wang Zhe didn't eliminate it but restrained it, which means this thought manifestation of his that cast the finger had no room to hold back—if he focused on one thing, he'd neglect the other!"

"That's all there is to Holy Emperor Wang Zhe's bucket of water! As long as I'm careful, I can take him down, right here on Void Island!"

"Moreover, he's made the same mistake as Rao Yao Yao...looking down from on high!"

Those who look down from on high are bound to be careless and underestimate their enemies.

And those who underestimate will stumble and fall.

When his spiritual sense swept over and saw the unmoving Ba Zun An, Xu Xiaoshou knew his recklessness was still under control in the grand scheme.

Ba Zun An wasn't in a hurry at all!

This proved his earlier speculation was off.

Could it be that this old Ba had been aiming to eliminate the Holy Emperor's power from the very beginning?

If so, starting from that point, what might he have prepared...

Relying on himself alone, it was absolutely impossible to confront a Holy Emperor.

Ba Zun An trusted him, but he wouldn't be that foolish—a Holy Emperor could only be opposed by another Holy Emperor.

So, the answer was obvious.

"The Demon Emperor Hei Long was one card..."

"But Ba Zun An is the lord of both black and white veins; would he only have that one card?"

"I still have other things on me!"

In a flash of lightning-fast thoughts, Xu Xiaoshou saw the Heavenly Finger of the Azure Emperor breaking through all defenses and pointing once more toward his head.

His face still showed panic, as if he were powerless to turn the tide.

In the distance, Master Ji Ren flew in with a sword through the air, about to strike.

From within, the Holy Emperor guidance left by the white pearl emitted a soft "An" sound, urging him to return to the Absolute Exhaustion Fire Domain.

At the same time, the communication talisman in his embrace trembled, transmitting a voice:

"Cough...cough cough!"

A cough?

The communication talisman could transmit sound?

It didn't matter!

All of it was information he could take or leave—under the Heavenly Finger of the Azure Emperor, he could follow it or not!

Xu Xiaoshou never placed all his hopes on others. As the crisis loomed, he shed all expressions of panic, his face twisting into a fierce snarl as he roared:

"Rao Wang Zhe, how dare you underestimate me!"

This direct address of the Holy Emperor's name was utterly shocking.

"How does he dare? That's Holy Emperor Wang Zhe..."

"How dare he not? It's just a dying cry; Xu Xiaoshou's mouth is the toughest part of him."

"Ah, pitiful people have their hateful sides; Xu Xiaoshou truly... wait, what's he pulling out?"

Everyone saw Xu Xiaoshou reach into his space, but whatever was in his hand remained unseen.

Time froze in that instant!

This scene felt familiar; Xu Xiaoshou had used it before, from...

"The Shadow Staff of the Ancestor Master?"

A voice of surprise echoed from the horizon.

But that was all; the Holy Emperor's pressure descended again, shattering the time rule, and everyone on Void Island snapped back to reality.

—The Shadow Staff of the Ancestor Master wasn't enough to control the murderously intent Holy Emperor Wang Zhe.

The Heavenly Finger of the Azure Emperor struck down again!

Yet Xu Xiaoshou refused to submit. With a flip of his palm, the Mimic Device was revealed.

"Thud!"

This move drew laughter.

Had he run out of tricks, resorting to one of the Ten Anomalous Weapons?

It might work against a half-saint, but against a Holy Emperor...it was laughable!

However, Xu Xiaoshou wasn't joking this time.

He was dead serious; as he gripped the Mimic Device, his body began to change.

"This is..."

The crowd was astonished, for half of Xu Xiaoshou's body suddenly shifted from its original color to that of Dao Qiong Cang.

Exactly—not an illusion, but Dao Qiong Cang himself!

"Dao Qiong Cang?"

"Impossible! How could Xu Xiaoshou have Dao Qiong Cang's blood...uh, from the earlier battle?"

At this point, everyone showed sudden realization.

But far from the battlefield, hidden in a deep pit, Dao Qiong Cang himself was shocked.

As a saint-level celestial master, his habit was to leave nothing of himself for enemies.

Including blood, hair, or even the edges of used clothing.

Dao Qiong Cang could use such things for curses, aura locking, or celestial calculations, and he knew Xu Xiaoshou had the Mimic Device...

Under those circumstances, how could he not guard against it?

So, in the previous battle, Xu Xiaoshou had drawn his blood, but all detached blood had been specially treated, severing any connection to Dao Qiong Cang's body.

Moreover, blood like that, once detached and without saintly protection, would evaporate instantly in the Dragon Fusion Realm.

Dao Qiong Cang carefully recalled everything.

He was one hundred percent certain Xu Xiaoshou hadn't obtained any of his blood during the fight that could be used with the Mimic Device.

So, the question arose...

"How can he still use the Mimic Device to become me?"

"Is it fake?"

What shattered all doubts was the columns of light that shifted and moved across Void Island as Xu Xiaoshou's body transformed into Dao Qiong Cang's.

The eight great saint lights and three hundred sixty-five spirit lights.

In addition, there was another—the saint light that Dao Qiong Cang had previously drawn from the saint tribulation, temporarily condensed in the Absolute Exhaustion Fire Domain.

They all activated!

"Four Directions Array..."

"I get it! Zero Plan?"

"Has Dao Qiong Cang made a move? He couldn't bear to see Xu Xiaoshou die?"

"My heavens, this is too thrilling!"

The spectators were utterly baffled.

But at that moment, Li Fugui, who was always the most vocal and quick to sling mud at the Saint God Hall, was silent.

He didn't understand it, only felt deeply shocked...

As one of their own, Li Fugui naturally knew something like the "Zero Plan" shouldn't exist.

Yet, looking at the scene before him, besides Dao Qiong Cang helping out, the only explanation was that Xu Xiaoshou had successfully used the Mimic Device to activate the Four Directions Array...

But celestial arts weren't attributes; they were special abilities. Could that even be mimicked?

And master the Four Directions Array in an instant?

It was completely absurd!

"Buzz."

The three hundred seventy-four light columns of the Four Directions Array halted in a special formation. Just before the Heavenly Finger of the Azure Emperor struck Xu Xiaoshou, the great array activated.

The light of the Heavenly Ancestor descended, completely enveloping Xu Xiaoshou.

"Eradication?"

Everyone still harbored doubts.

But it wasn't eradication—it was protection!

"Boom!"

With a massive explosion, the Holy Emperor's finger from the Heavenly Ladder, after layers of weakening, couldn't break through the Heavenly Ancestor light's defense, just as Xu Xiaoshou had calculated.

"Boom boom boom boom..."

The force at the fingertip clashed with the Heavenly Ancestor light, sending waves of energy rolling and shattering space piece by piece.

Despite the howling winds making Xu Xiaoshou's clothes flap wildly, under the protection of the Heavenly Ancestor power, he remained unharmed.

"Heh."

Xu Xiaoshou even managed a laugh, his lips curling into a growing arc.

He watched as the Heavenly Finger of the Azure Emperor's power was ground away by the Heavenly Ancestor light, and finally, he couldn't hold back, bursting into laughter:

"Ha ha ha ha..."

"Rao Wang Zhe, is that all? Is that all you've got?"

The entire island fell silent.

All eyes turned toward the vanished Heavenly Ladder and the shadowy figure stepping down from above.

Xu Xiaoshou was arrogant.

But no one expected him to be arrogant in front of a Holy Emperor.

Could Holy Emperor Wang Zhe tolerate such laughter?

Yet, no one waited for Holy Emperor Wang Zhe to lose control; his temperament and composure were already perfected, unmoved by the words of ants.

From the heavens, a calm, emotionless voice drifted down:

"Dao Qiong Cang?"

The voice of a Holy Emperor!

Undoubtedly, Holy Emperor Wang Zhe was questioning Dao Qiong Cang!

Hidden outside the battle, a certain hall master could no longer stay hidden and flew out, shouting loudly:

"It's not my doing."

He offered no further explanation.

Though some on Void Island still didn't believe it, Holy Emperor Wang Zhe seemed to have accepted it.

Xu Xiaoshou tried his utmost to discern the true form of that shadowy figure but couldn't.

Suddenly, he felt Holy Emperor Wang Zhe's gaze upon him.

There was no substantial action, no special power—it was as if it were just an omnipresent glance...

Xu Xiaoshou laughed even harder, full of delight, and boldly explained:

"Surprised, aren't you?"

"From the moment you struck with that finger, I started calculating."

"You're just a Holy Emperor thought manifestation. I only needed to activate my second true body, use Dao Qiong Cang's saint blood on the Mimic Device to briefly gain information and control of the Four Directions Array, and leverage the array dao disk and unity with heaven and man to break your finger."

With that, the invisibility lifted.

The second true body, which had been sensing the vast information from the saint blood dripped into the Mimic Device while standing on the array dao disk, suddenly appeared.

He sat cross-legged in the air, eyes originally closed, but opened them upon sensing the anomaly, seemingly puzzled as to why his original self had chosen to reveal him.

"You've got issues?"

Just now, the second true body's consciousness had been switched away; the original self's consciousness returned, lifted the invisibility, and switched back.

Purely for...showing off?

Without a doubt, the second true body's words jolted Xu Xiaoshou awake, leaving him bewildered.

Something was off!

Why had he said so much?

By now, the refiners on the island were all stunned and alarmed.

"Xu Xiaoshou is volunteering this information?"

"Is everything about the Four Directions Array really under his control? Did he truly mimic Dao Qiong Cang?"

"Can we believe this?"

In the void, with half his body as Dao Qiong Cang and the other half as himself, Xu Xiaoshou sensed something amiss. His spiritual sense probed the information panel but saw no "guided" notification, making his pupils contract in shock.

He'd been hit!

This was absolutely the "guidance power" belonging to a Holy Emperor, but even more intangible!

Previously in Bai Ku, Xu Xiaoshou had fallen for something similar, influenced by Emperor Yu Ling's treasure.

In the Yun Lun Mountains, he'd followed the Holy Emperor's guidance through a thrown treasure all the way to the "feng shui treasure land" of Gu Yin Cliff.

But those were indirect influences via Holy Emperor treasures.

Now, with the Holy Emperor right there, personally using guidance power to focus on him, could "spiritual awakening" resist it?

Or perhaps, influences through treasures might still count as mental attacks or control.

But Holy Emperor Wang Zhe's single glance merely amplified Xu Xiaoshou's inner desire to communicate.

He'd wanted to say it anyway...

He'd wanted to boast...

Under Holy Emperor Wang Zhe's "curiosity," he couldn't hold back and spilled it all—that's all it was!

It was an amplification of desire; his guidance power had reached the realm of no move being as effective as a move...Xu Xiaoshou frantically warned himself in his heart to stay vigilant.

But how could he guard against it?

Dao Qiong Cang opened his mouth to speak.

Before he could, a question floated down from the heavens: "How did you obtain Dao Qiong Cang's blood?"

Everyone who heard it felt an unusual curiosity, as if the heavenly rules had been twisted, making it inevitable for a mortal to answer in this situation.

Xu Xiaoshou scoffed: "This is all thanks to his precious disciple Si Tu Yong Ren..."

"Cough cough! Enough..."

From the communication talisman, a weak voice emerged: "Take out your dragon scale, Xu Xiaoshou."

Xu Xiaoshou snapped back to his senses, his expression shifting uneasily.

Could the Holy Emperor's dragon scale block this guidance power?

Earlier, when the Demon Emperor Hei Long appeared and showed no distinction between friend and foe, fearing it might detect the dragon scale's aura and kill him first, Xu Xiaoshou had kept it in his primal abode.

The second true body was in the primal abode, so he could use the dragon scale there for schemes, amplifying intentions and thoughts for survival.

But now, with the second true body brought out, the dragon scale was in the primal abode, effectively isolated and useless.

Only upon hearing the voice did Xu Xiaoshou hurriedly pull out the Holy Emperor dragon scale and stuff it into his embrace, finally feeling secure.

By now, because of his words, Void Island was in an uproar.

"The Zero Plan really exists; Si Tu Yong Ren gave Xu Xiaoshou Dao Qiong Cang's blood..."

"My heavens, what a scandal!"

Amid the countless discussions, Holy Emperor Wang Zhe's shadowy figure didn't move, but Dao Qiong Cang felt a gaze upon him.

He tensed up, knowing he had to provide an explanation—yet he had none.

"Si Tu Yong Ren, explain yourself."

A flicker of celestial light passed, and a figure emerged, hesitant, tense, and urgent.

Si Tu Yong Ren appeared and immediately stammered: "Master, Holy Emperor Wang Zhe, please hear me out..."

"No need to force him; I seized his saint blood by force in the deep sea." Xu Xiaoshou boldly interrupted.

All eyes turned to him.

"Under scrutiny, passive value: 862."

"Under suspicion, passive value: 663."

Si Tu Yong Ren's face paled, wishing he could tear Xu Xiaoshou's mouth apart, but he didn't dare.

He quickly turned: "Holy Emperor Wang..."

Xu Xiaoshou's momentum continued, glancing over to cut off Si Tu Yong Ren and speaking again:

"And no need to doubt why I only stole the treasure and not killed him; Si Tu Yong Ren is actually quite strong. In the deep sea, he escaped my pursuit."

"Under suspicion, passive value: 556."

Just shut up!

Si Tu Yong Ren was completely panicked; who would believe that?

He was terrified that Holy Emperor Wang Zhe might, based on this, suspect him with a single glance and kill him on the spot.

But while the crowd was shocked by Xu Xiaoshou's words, the main players in the battle didn't care about an ant like Si Tu Yong Ren.

Because it was the communication talisman!

Rao Yao Yao's expression changed, Dao Qiong Cang's gaze sharpened, and even Holy Emperor Wang Zhe's figure seemed to solidify slightly.

The three simultaneously fixed their eyes on Xu Xiaoshou's chest, where the weak voice had come from, and spoke in unison:

"Ba Zun An?"