Chapter 1325: If Heaven Does Not Give Birth to Me, the World Enjoys Peace; If Heaven Gives Birth to Me, There Will Be No Peace in Chang'an for Long

A simple black token.

On the back, it was engraved with a naked woman hugging her knees and bowing her head, her limbs bound in shackles—it was a highly artistic emblem of the Sheng Nu.

On the front, amidst swirling flame patterns, was engraved a single character: "Sang."

"Sang Lao's token?"

Xu Xiaoshou held the token, turning it over in his hands as he looked up in confusion. "What does it mean?"

"Your master, long ago, parted ways with me due to differing ideals, so you could say he's half-left the Sheng Nu."

"This is the token he returned to me before leaving, but I didn't agree to his departure—his heart hadn't truly left either."

Curiosity immediately filled Xu Xiaoshou's eyes.

He knew a bit about the reasons behind it all; otherwise, Sang Lao wouldn't have returned to Tian Sang Ling Gong.

But he only had a surface understanding, not the full details, so he asked, "So, what exactly was the disagreement about?"

"He thought I was too extreme, too hasty in my pursuits."

A pause.

"Overturning the current mainland order and toppling the rule of the Wu Da Sheng Di Shi Jia—this must be done step by step, not rushed."

"We should wait another few decades, until everything is fully prepared—the secret alliances are strong, and the Gui Shou forces won't backfire."

"Then, when we emerge, victory will be assured."

Xu Xiaoshou nodded at the words.

Sang Lao's concerns weren't unfounded.

Ba Zun An was indeed reckless; the Sheng Nu currently had only one Sheng Nu, and they hadn't even formed an alliance with Xu Yue Hui Gong yet, but they had already declared war on the Sheng Shen Dian Tang.

One hand alone can't clap!

This was outright confrontation!

Perhaps Ba Zun An saw it as normal, but that was only from his personal perspective.

Those around him must all feel immense pressure.

And if the Gui Shou on the inner island were released at this time and proved uncontrollable, or even if just one betrayed them...

It would be fatal!

Irreversible doom!

Xu Xiaoshou could imagine how much damage even a single misstep in any link of the previous or future actions could bring to the Sheng Nu.

In the Void Island battle, the Sheng Shen Dian Tang suffered a complete defeat, with several Ban Sheng falling, but did that shake their foundations?

No!

For the Sheng Shen Dian Tang, it wasn't even a serious wound—they had plenty of chances to recover.

However, if the Sheng Nu suffered such a defeat?

Xu Xiaoshou thought about it and felt a chill run through him.

The Sheng Nu's true high-level members barely had any Ban Sheng; they relied entirely on the inner island's Gui Shou to hold things together. They couldn't afford even one loss.

And if they lost, with the Gui Shou's nature, they would scatter like birds and beasts, returning to the wild to seek their own safety.

It was essentially a loose alliance gathered temporarily under Ba Zun An's name, with many only submitting out of force.

The organization seemed powerful, but it all depended on Ba Zun An alone.

If he so much as swayed, everyone and every Gui Shou would watch to see if he was about to fall; if he coughed, they'd wonder if it was time to end the fight and leave.

But he was Ba Zun An—he was too strong!

"What about you?"

Xu Xiaoshou wasn't taking an absolute side or position; he asked from an outsider's view, "What are your thoughts on Sang Lao's concerns?"

Ba Zun An let out a scoff, his lips curling. "Short-sighted."

Xu Xiaoshou sucked in a sharp breath and glanced at the others around him, each wearing a variety of expressions. He thought to himself, Can't you give Sang Lao some face? He's still here!

"I think his considerations might not be entirely off base..." Xu Xiaoshou chose his words carefully, thinking, Does that mean I'm short-sighted too?

"Ordinary people think that way, without exception."

Ba Zun An said flatly, "He's not wrong, of course. The mistake is that he underestimated his opponents."

Xu Xiaoshou looked around at the others again and saw the suppressed irritation in their eyes.

Goodness!

He was basically calling everyone here trash to their faces!

"Care to share your insights?" Xu Xiaoshou said with a touch of sarcasm.

"Not particularly profound, but take you as an example—once you leave Void Island, do you think you'll have time to grow?"

Ba Zun An glanced over at him.

"Uh..." The topic suddenly shifted to himself, and Xu Xiaoshou was stunned for a moment. He quickly realized the trouble was huge.

He had killed Rao Yao Yao.

On Void Island, the rules kept things in check.

But once back on the Sheng Shen mainland, forget about establishing the Tian Shang First Tower and causing a stir—whether he could even get a single day to catch his breath was questionable.

Would the Sheng Di Rao clan let him off?

Absolutely not!

Would the Sheng Shen Dian Tang's Ten-Person Council, having lost three members, set aside their grudge?

Absolutely not!

Ba Zun An gazed into the distance, his vision far-reaching, and said leisurely,

"Once you leave Void Island, you'll be the number one wanted criminal in the world, with endless troubles coming one after another."

"You're easier to target than me, and you're just at Wangzuo Daojing. Your achievements on Void Island were mostly due to external forces—spread the word, and it'll be empty talk. Plus, it's still a long way until you become a true Ban Sheng."

"Even if you have a sudden enlightenment and shorten the timeline to a few years, how long would that take... ten days? Half a month?"

Everyone was still immersed in his words, feeling worried, when they suddenly paused.

Was this what Ba Zun An considered a "sudden enlightenment"?

From Wangzuo Daojing to Ban Sheng in half a month... skipping the Dao Severing, the Nine Deaths Thunder Tribulation, and the Tai Xu Realm entirely?

Even without bottlenecks, just based on Xu Xiaoshou's rock-solid Dao foundation, rushing to the Sheng Realm in half a month would probably require constantly consuming Sheng medicines—and even that might not suffice!

"And that's assuming you can have a sudden enlightenment. If not, the time would be even longer."

"Following your way of thinking, ten years is short, though I believe you could do better."

Ba Zun An smiled slightly and withdrew his gaze. "So, do you think they'll give you that time to grow and develop?"

Xu Xiaoshou fell silent for a moment.

Even if he went all out with his passive values, he might not catch up.

Luckily, he had mastery of sword techniques, making him half a Ban Sheng, but now his Dao foundation was damaged...

Thinking about it, his head started to ache.

This was going to be troublesome!

"Don't harbor any illusions—the Sheng Shen Dian Tang will send people after you next, at least starting with a Ban Sheng."

"Because you've caught Dao Qiong Cang's eye; others might underestimate you, but he won't."

"Just right, using you as an external pressure, Dao Qiong Cang will either leave Gui Zhe Sheng Shan or consolidate it."

Ba Zun An warned, then shifted the topic:

"So, let's circle back to the Sheng Nu."

"Those in power truly see the common people as grass, but once you step on their toes, these sheep in saint's clothing will strike like thunder."

"The Sheng Nu has always stayed hidden, so it won't draw much attention, but once it emerges and harms the fundamental interests of the Wu Da Sheng Di Shi Jia and the Sheng Shen Dian Tang..."

"Even if it's just a tendency or a budding sign, do you think they'll give the Sheng Nu time and opportunity?"

Ba Zun An's question left everyone in the room speechless.

Exactly!

When Xu Xiaoshou killed several saints from the Sheng Shen Dian Tang, they nearly lost control and even mobilized a Sheng Di.

The Sheng Nu was aiming to uproot their foundations—how could they wait decades in peace?

What "full preparation"? Only in war could one truly understand peace!

Xu Xiaoshou saw the silence around him and realized just how powerful Ba Zun An's persuasion was.

He wasn't affected himself and could still extract his own thoughts from this rhetoric:

"But haven't you considered that everything you have now exists because of you alone—the Sheng Nu, the Gui Shou, and whatever other hidden cards you have..."

"I know what you're getting at." Ba Zun An smiled faintly. "That's exactly what Wu Xiu, and all ordinary people, would worry about."

"Good, then I have a question that others might not dare ask." Xu Xiaoshou was straightforward. "What if you fall?"

All eyes immediately turned to him.

Even the Shui Gui couldn't help but look at Ba Zun An, this frail-looking, as-if-a-cough-would-end-him middle-aged man.

Ba Zun An slowly shook his head. "I won't fall."

"You're very confident." Xu Xiaoshou laughed.

"If I'm not confident, no one in this world dares to speak of confidence."

"Then haven't you thought that if you didn't rise up with the Sheng Nu, the world under the Sheng Shen Dian Tang's rule might actually be relatively stable?"

The crowd, especially the older ones, looked at Xu Xiaoshou in surprise.

This thought had occurred to some, but it was pointless; overthinking it only led to self-doubt.

After the Void Island battle, Xu Xiaoshou had clearly grown and was now considering this layer...

Mei Ji Ren fanned himself, his movements unconsciously speeding up.

Everyone's gaze shifted back to Ba Zun An, waiting for his answer. Xu Xiaoshou might seem casual, but his questions often had depth.

Ba Zun An still smiled.

His turbid eyes swept over everyone's faces, lingering on Shui Gui, Mei Ji Ren, and others for a long time, before he said softly:

"If I hadn't risen with the Sheng Nu, Mei Ji Ren wouldn't have become a saint by now—of course, he doesn't care about that."

"If I hadn't risen with the Sheng Nu, Yu Mo wouldn't have become the Shui Gui, and Ling Bu Shou Zi's great name would have spread across the world—of course, he doesn't care about that."

"If I hadn't risen with the Sheng Nu, Cen Qiao Fu would have become a master in the South Domain, Ning Hong Hong would have wandered the mundane world, and Sang Qi Ye would have hidden in Ling Gong—of course, they don't care about that."

"If I hadn't risen with the Sheng Nu, Gou Wu Yue would still be in Sheng Shen, also stuck in a corner, Cao Yi Han would dream away his life in drunkenness, Wen Ting would polish his sword in seclusion, and Yue Bei Hua Rao's Dao would remain high in the clouds—of course, they don't care about that."

Ba Zun An's gaze returned to Xu Xiaoshou, his tone still calm but with added emotion:

"In a world without the Sheng Nu, ordinary people would still live in peace, because whether it exists or not, their end is the same: birth, aging, sickness, and death."

"But in a world without the Sheng Nu, geniuses would never rise; they might accept it, since that's how it's always been."

"Yet, with a lid overhead, flowers can only bloom sideways, can't they? Isn't that deformed?"

Ba Zun An laughed long and hard, then shook his head and continued:

"Others can endure it; I cannot. Others can avoid it; I have no way to avoid it."

"As a sword cultivator, one must breathe against the nine heavens... If I can't stand the darkness, I have to step forward; I care about this."

"Heaven doesn't birth me, and the world enjoys peace; but if heaven births me, there will be no more eternal capital."

Ba Zun An spoke calmly, but the others listened as if thunder had struck, all deeply moved.

If Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts were indeed profound, then Ba Zun An's ideals shook everyone.

He stood on a higher plane; he had always been clear-eyed!

Even Mei Ji Ren broke out in a cold sweat, realizing how much one could get used to submission.

Without the Sheng Nu, without the Sheng Shen Dian Tang, without the Wu Da Sheng Di Shi Jia...

In his era, would he have stopped at Tai Xu, waiting so long before becoming a saint on Void Island?

What had made his younger self indifferent to being a sword saint and lose the drive to advance boldly?

Mei Ji Ren almost couldn't find his original intent, but Ba Zun An provided the answer now:

It was the era!

A flawed era could only produce flawed flowers.

If not changed at the root, even a prosperous bloom would be mere greenhouse playthings, devoid of wild fragrance.

But humans are beasts too, inherently full of passion and wildness—how could they truly sever their own fangs and claws?

Shui Gui remained silently thoughtful.

He knew this was the answer he sought, the core of his own cultivation path.

And now, through this conversation with Xu Xiaoshou, Ba Zun An had voiced it.

"Is this the struggle of the great Dao?" Xu Xiaoshou's heart stirred as well, but he looked out at the scars on Void Island.

Severed corpses, shattered nations...

Resentful spirits and regrets wove into howling winds, while the weak and self-pity turned into bitter fruits...

When immortals fought, mortals suffered.

Void Island was like that; once back on the Sheng Shen mainland and the great Dao struggle resumed, how many storms would it stir?

Xu Xiaoshou tried not to think about things that didn't concern him; he only focused on himself and those around him.

But now, Ba Zun An's words had stirred up some confusion and uncertainty in him.

Ba Zun An looked at this young man, as if seeing his younger self, and smiled. "I've had the same confusion as you— or rather, anyone with humanity should have thought about it..."

"But Xu Xiaoshou, you're wrong."

Xu Xiaoshou looked up, puzzled.

"They aren't innocent!"

"People die for wealth, birds die for food; fate destined them to fall here. Even if they escaped this disaster, they wouldn't have a good end."

"Risk and opportunity coexist—that was their choice, unrelated to you. Self-pity won't make you clearer; it will only bind your heart and breed inner demons."

After a moment of stunned realization, Xu Xiaoshou felt as if enlightened.

Yes, along his path, who among those he'd killed didn't court their own death?

From Wen Chong, Feng Kong, Shao Yi, Zhang Xin Xiong, Zhang Tai Ying, and the entire Zhang clan...

From Hong Gou, Shuang Dai, Jin Zu, San Zhu Xiang and the other assassins, to Yi, Rao Yao Yao, and even those like Teng Shan Hai, Jiang Bu Yi, Yan Wu Se whom he'd influenced into dead ends...

Who didn't court their own death?

Everyone was fighting for their own interests; in victory or defeat, where was there room for pity?

"I understand."

Xu Xiaoshou looked at Ba Zun An and, in that moment, comprehended many things.

He flipped the token in his hand again and suddenly realized why Ba Zun An had said so much to him.

This guy clearly disliked trouble and looked down on everyone—including himself, no doubt...

"So, what does this mean?" Xu Xiaoshou held up the token.

"You've guessed it."

"But that's your master's token; I'm just entrusting it to you for safekeeping. Now, you should be able to protect it."

As Ba Zun An spoke, he pulled another token from his sleeve.

This token was black, with the Sheng Nu emblem on the back, but on the front was a different character: "Shou."

Shui Gui's expression shifted slightly.

Xiao Kong Dong raised an eyebrow.

Mei Ji Ren's paper fan froze, showing a hint of surprise.

Zhu Yi Ke stared at the token, his eyes already gleaming.

Ba Zun An handed the "Shou" token over with a smile and said,

"Before this, our relationship was simply one of coercion, and as far as the Sheng Nu is concerned, you were still in the trial phase."

"In the Void Island battle, I saw your growth and your ability to stand alone as a key player."

"The Tian Shang First Tower can operate independently, but it still needs the Sheng Nu's support in various ways."

"The position left vacant by Wu Xiu's departure needs to be filled urgently... And I think you're now capable of overriding all objections and silencing every voice."

"Received a shock, passive points: 1."

Xu Xiaoshou stared blankly at this familiar yet strange black token, looking at Ba Zun An in disbelief.

Ba Zun An maintained the motion of offering the token, cleared his throat, his face serious with a touch of playfulness, and said in a somewhat odd tone,

"Now, I, Ba Zun An, formally invite you!"

"Shou Ye, your seat is already cast; will you honor us by joining the Sheng Nu and gracing it with your presence?"