Chapter 1316: Return My Semi-Saint Essence to Me

Dao Qiong Cang, how should we fight Qi Shu Da Di? I mean, if it's the same as this time, it can only escape with a part of its power.

Half-saint fighting a saint emperor... I can only say, no matter the method, it's very difficult.

There has to be a chance, right?

Rao... sigh, let's put it this way: Qi Shu Da Di is someone who has cultivated the guiding force to its absolute limit. The easiest target for it is someone like you, a spirit refiner.

Oh? How so?

Qi Shu Da Di's true form is one of the nine ancestral trees, the blood tree. Unlike the Cang Qiong Shen Shu, which disperses its power into fruits to form heavenly fire, it is unique.

I know that.

No, you only know the basics. Even your understanding of the blood tree likely stops at the abilities of its yin branches.

Isn't it just about unleashing potential?

Not at all. Qi Shu Da Di's greatest strength is guidance, not suppression. Just like Xu Xiao Shou right now—he seems to have gained enhancements similar to the blood tree's yin branches, with his attack, defense, and speed greatly increased, and even his rationality altered.

So it's not really like that?

Exactly, that's only the first level of its ability: hunger!

Hunger?

Yes, amplifying the 'hunger' within a person, which is a form of guidance.

Xu Xiao Shou's hunger... is it a desire for power, or hatred toward us? And then what? There are six more levels, and he's already this strong—can he get even more enhancements?

Qi Shu Da Di's guiding force is a one-way path. Once you start down it, if your will can't hold, you can't turn back.

So Xu Xiao Shou's power can still grow?

Yes, from 'hunger,' to 'obsession,' to 'killing'... next, you'll see Xu Xiao Shou undergoing layer upon layer of transformation under each level of Qi Shu Da Di's guiding force.

What comes after that?

Death!

Xu Xiao Shou's death, or...

That's the fourth level of guiding force. If he can't withstand it, he dies. If he can, it leads to widespread death, creating a scene like the blood realm—you've probably seen that before.

The blood realm...

Then comes complete mutation, which even Qi Shu Da Di can't control, leading to 'fall,' 'asexuality,' until he becomes the final 'nutrient.'

So that's the seven levels of the blood tree's guidance?

Yes. If you want to fight, you need to understand this to have even a sliver of hope... and my advice is, if you truly face it, don't even get caught in the first level of guiding force.

No way back?

You know that well enough.

What about Shen Yu Qing Shi? It's one of the three ancestral beings of the white lineage, and you never mentioned it before.

Back then, you weren't a half-saint yet. Once you touched upon saintly secrets, you'd quickly forget them.

Then tell me about Shen Yu Qing Shi.

I'm not too familiar with it myself. I only know it's as ancient as the nine ancestral trees and represents the peak of suppressive power.

It's like a prison...

Not just like one—it is! Shen Yu Qing Shi's true form is likely a fragment of a divine prison from an unknown world. Once it captures something, even a saint emperor can be suppressed.

If it's that powerful, why is it still on the inner island?

Heh, even half-saints must imprison themselves. The rules of Sheng Shen Continent don't accept Shen Yu Qing Shi. If it forces its way in, it would be rejected by the rules, and then the five great saint emperors could easily divide its power.

So that means...

Correct, on the inner island of Xukong Island, it's the only one that stays there willingly. But if given the chance, it wants to step out too.

Is Xu Xiao Shou its opportunity?

You can think of it that way. It's just a harmless attempt—if it fails, it's expected; if it succeeds, it's a pleasant surprise.

On the ruins of Zui Yi Dian, as Xu Xiao Shou's battle with Wang Ze Sheng Di began, Rao Yao Yao had this conversation with Dao Qiong Cang.

By the time she heard these hidden secrets of the saint emperors, she was utterly shocked.

Previously, as one of the ten-member council, she had even served as the red-clad enforcer sovereign. But without entering the saint realm, she couldn't access the true higher levels.

The ghost beasts she dealt with were mostly half-saints at most, and even those were usually left half-defeated by half-saints from Sheng Shan, with her only cleaning up afterward once it was safe.

This was one reason why Rao Yao Yao was so astonished when she first saw the ghost beasts on the inner island.

Most of those half-saint and above ghost beasts, she had never seen in person, only read about in records.

As for saint emperors...

In Tai Xu, not only had she not been involved, but even if someone had told her about them, she would have forgotten quickly.

Now that she understood, looking at Xu Xiao Shou again, Rao Yao Yao felt differently.

Such terrifying saint emperor powers were concentrated on him—fully four kinds!

Besides the elusive and troublesome Qi Shu Da Di and Shen Yu Qing Shi, there were the visibly powerful Jin Zhao Lao Zu and Mo Di Hei Long.

With this combination of forces, Wang Ze Sheng Di had only sent a mere thought avatar this time—could it really hold up?

As these thoughts flashed through her mind, the battlefield situation shifted dramatically.

Wang Ze Sheng Di was being beaten, controlled, stabbed by swords, and devoured...

The powers manifesting on Xu Xiao Shou were exactly as Dao Qiong Cang had described: from "hunger," to "obsession," to "killing."

In the final blow, assisted by Han Tian Zhi Wei, it was clearly Shen Yu Qing Shi's ability at play.

Wang Ze Sheng Di was swallowed!

Only then did Rao Yao Yao, as an idle bystander, feel a sense of urgency like fire on her heels.

She realized she was no longer in Tai Xu, nor in the situation where half-saints or saint emperors would always clean up major messes, leaving her to enjoy the results.

In the current situation, no one could clean up for her!

Even Dao Qiong Cang had stopped moving with the Tian Ji Si Nan, seemingly at a loss because Xu Xiao Shou had thwarted all his plans.

When Xu Xiao Shou's bloodshot, frenzied eyes, like those of a mad dog ready to bite, turned toward the ruins of Zui Yi Dian...

"Dao Qiong Cang!"

With those three words roared, Xu Xiao Shou's next target after sealing Wang Ze Sheng Di.

This made Rao Yao Yao realize that her mission had arrived.

To protect!

Rao Yao Yao, retreat. Don't worry about me.

Use all your strength to pry open a crack from Xukong Island and escape.

Remember what I told you: you're an ancient sword cultivator, not an emotional one. Don't limit yourself to one sword technique.

Dao Qiong Cang held the Tian Ji Si Nan, his expression unchanging as he sent a message to Rao Yao Yao.

Of course, he knew what Wang Ze Sheng Di's dying call meant:

Sacrifice the saint emperor and use heavenly mechanism arts to control that power, regaining control of Si Wu Zhen.

With Si Wu Zhen, not only could they possibly strip away the four saint emperor powers from Xu Xiao Shou, but they could at least break the seal and open one of the four symbols gates on Xukong Island, allowing the Sheng Shen Hall side to escape.

But Wang Ze Sheng Di was dreaming too big!

Right up until he was sealed by Shen Yu Qing Shi's power, he had still underestimated Xu Xiao Shou!

From the beginning, Dao Qiong Cang never thought this plan could work, so he only held the Tian Ji Si Nan without acting.

As an outsider, he could see that Xu Xiao Shou appeared to be driven mad by power, but in reality, his actions were methodical.

With his talent and temperament, he could withstand at least the fifth level of Qi Shu Da Di's seven guiding forces.

That meant he could achieve "hunger," "obsession," "killing," and "death," all while following his own ideas under the guidance, bringing about widespread death—the Sheng Shen Hall side.

As for the later guiding forces, Dao Qiong Cang didn't need to think about them; Xu Xiao Shou didn't have that much time.

The eight Zun An would pull the four saint emperor powers back from the four divine pillars before Xu Xiao Shou completely lost control, at least leaving him alive.

And that guy, according to records, could recover with just one breath.

In short, Dao Qiong Cang had long calculated that this situation couldn't be flipped and never intended to try.

Yet, he never expected that even with Wang Ze Sheng Di's appearance, it still couldn't change the outcome.

Though everything had unfolded as predicted, the result was disappointingly unsatisfactory!

If I leave, what about you? Rao Yao Yao gripped her sword, her eyes showing no intent to retreat—instead, they burned with fighting spirit.

I won't die! Dao Qiong Cang turned and glared at her.

He wasn't like Yan Wu Se; he wouldn't let himself perish on Xukong Island.

But Rao Yao Yao was different—she had just become a half-saint and hadn't even refined a half-saint avatar yet.

If she were killed on Xukong Island under the four saint emperor powers, she might not even enter reincarnation—total annihilation of body and soul.

Rao Yao Yao held her sword without speaking.

From the moment she asked Dao Qiong Cang those questions, she had already made her choice.

Dao Qiong Cang glanced at her and instantly read her thoughts, nearly infuriated, but he calmly listed a few names:

Eight Zun An, Hua Chang Deng, You Tu... Hua Wei Yang, Feng Wu Hen, Gu Lou Ying... and Xu Xiao Shou, who borrowed external power.

Think about it yourself.

Rao Yao Yao's expression wavered.

Indeed, compared to the true peaks of swordsmanship in her mind, how could this Xu Xiao Shou, relying on external forces, measure up?

But Dao Qiong Cang had just told her to protect him. Wasn't he using these "names" as an excuse to protect her indirectly, while he headed toward death?

If you had followed him earlier, wouldn't you have avoided this? Dao Qiong Cang seemed to read her mind, his words startling.

Only then did Rao Yao Yao take a deep breath, understanding Dao Qiong Cang's deeper meaning, and turned to leave.

Buzz!

Before she could move, a surge of powerful fluctuations rippled through the distant sky.

With Wang Ze Sheng Di swallowed, Feng You Song's power vanished, and that Xing Shen Ju Mie Finger, which had been in a superposition of "exploding/not exploding"...

It returned!

The surging power could no longer be ignored, as it was no longer in that altered state leading to the ancient wind path.

Crack, crack—

The remnants of saint emperor power were instantly shattered by the Xing Shen Ju Mie Finger's might, cracking the nine heavens and spreading an aura of dead silence across the field.

Rao Ke Ai, do you fear me?

The thing I left on you hasn't been retrieved yet. Do you want to escape?

A wild laugh echoed through the air as a sea of fire flashed, and Xu Xiao Shou maniacally stepped forward through the void.

He was utterly arrogant, descending directly above Dao Qiong Cang and Rao Yao Yao, showing no regard for them.

Without a word, he flung his hands out.

Boom, boom!

Countless order azure chains wrapped around his arms flew out—that was the power from Shen Yu Qing Shi.

It was a strike like the one that had swallowed Wang Ze Sheng Di's remaining thoughts.

Even though the four divine pillars' power was sustaining him, and Xu Xiao Shou was already exhausted, he wasn't an ordinary person.

Most people would have collapsed by now!

But Xu Xiao Shou, relying on his various passive skills and the side-effect-free saint blood, forcibly extended his action time beyond his limits.

A few more strikes...

It might be tight against Wang Ze Sheng Di, but against two half-saints, it was more than enough!

Left something?

What did you leave?

Rao Yao Yao kept a close eye on her state, afraid that, as Dao Qiong Cang had warned, any fluctuation in her mindset would draw her into Qi Shu Da Di's guiding force.

Yet, Xu Xiao Shou's words left her puzzled; she didn't remember him leaving anything on her.

There was no time to think!

The Shen Yu Qing Shi power hurtled toward her, and Rao Yao Yao prepared to stop and counterattack.

Go!

Dao Qiong Cang shouted, stepping forward. The Tian Ji Si Nan spun rapidly in his palm, its mechanisms clicking almost to the point of breaking.

Da Nuo Yi Shu!

Cang Qiong Drawing Scroll unfolded.

Xu Xiao Shou burst into laughter: "Dao Pu Sa, you're such a living bodhisattva—still worrying about others when you're in trouble yourself? Burn!"

With a glance, he unleashed the power of Jin Zhao Heart.

The newly unfurled Cang Qiong Drawing Scroll was instantly engulfed in white flames.

In mere moments, this imitation of the mystic array diagram was ignited from its heavenly path, insights, saint power, and will, erasing it from afar.

Under the four divine pillars, Xu Xiao Shou didn't even take Dao Qiong Cang seriously, let alone a mere Cang Qiong Drawing Scroll.

Dao... Rao Yao Yao looked worried, about to turn back and help.

But she saw Dao Qiong Cang sigh lightly under the order azure chains, put away the Tian Ji Si Nan, and raise his left hand to pat gently.

Thud!

The incoming azure chains, brimming with saint emperor power, were slapped away by his suddenly crystalline, jade-like left hand!

Xu Xiao Shou, know when to stop. Dao Qiong Cang's eyes flashed with anger as he spoke heavily.

What was that thing?

From the flashy old daoist's hand, it forcibly halted Xu Xiao Shou's recklessness and forward momentum for a moment.

He could clearly see that, in that instant, Dao Qiong Cang's left arm didn't seem like his own—it was more like a sword, a sacred artifact...

Or perhaps, a self-made war artifact surpassing the Tian Ji Shen Shi, but presented in the form of a commonplace "hand."

Is that so? He can create something like the Tian Ji Shen Shi No. 2, so why wouldn't he modify his own body?

If I were Dao Qiong Cang and could make such war machines, would I resist enhancing my own flesh?

Yes, I would.

But Dao Qiong Cang doesn't have passive skills; he wouldn't!

In that instant, Xu Xiao Shou realized many things and thought of even more.

He remembered that A Jie was found on Xukong Island because Dao Qiong Cang's certain researches had been halted even by the five great saint emperor worlds.

But for someone like this, outwardly mild but inwardly fanatical, would he really stop just because others said so?

Then, what kind of research would have no special manifestations and be undetectable even if someone was watching closely?

Me!

Xu Xiao Shou realized that Dao Qiong Cang must have thoroughly modified himself.

His frail appearance as a Tian Ji master was just a disguise.

His strategic, distant-combat style was probably to hide that he was actually a powerhouse.

Good one, Dao Qiong Cang! Xu Xiao Shou whistled and shook his head.

No wonder he always felt this flashy old daoist was a bit odd.

He was strong enough to give him a sense of impending danger, yet seemed as fragile as an ordinary half-saint.

It turned out only the tip of the iceberg was showing.

He hid it too deeply!

But was that enough—just a body that could fend off saint emperor power with one arm—to make someone back down?

Xu Xiao Shou hovered in mid-air, smirking ambiguously: "Dao Qiong Cang, I'm still young. Can you tell me what 'know when to stop' means?"

Dao Qiong Cang was about to speak when his face suddenly changed, and he quickly looked toward Rao Yao Yao. "Watch out!"

Da Nuo Yi Shu! As the array path swirled under Xu Xiao Shou's feet, his smile was already unrestrained, and with a roar, he unleashed a Tian Ji technique enhanced by saint emperor power on Rao Yao Yao.

The array path spread almost across the entire Xukong Island in that moment.

Rao Yao Yao, holding the Xuan Cang Shen Jian, had only run halfway when the scene before her eyes shifted, transporting her to a path of exploding death energy.

In that moment, she felt as if time had reversed.

Wang Ze Sheng Di hadn't appeared, she hadn't talked with Dao Qiong Cang, Xu Xiao Shou was still attacking her, forcing her into a corner with a finger, mercilessly saying:

Rao Yao Yao, give me back my half-saint status!