Chapter 1341: Crane Pavilion Mountain's Five Old Freaks, Half a Lifetime of Sinful Affection and Entangled Love

"Mr. Xu...?"

"What?"

"Mr. Shou again?"

"Ba-Zun-An's trump card is me, again?!"

Xu Xiaoshou nearly spat out blood, his face turning purple as he stood rooted to the spot. He then gripped his fan, turned, and walked away.

"You all play. I won't be participating."

"Oh, don't go!" Aunt Xiang quickly stood up. "Don't you want your 'peerless genius' title anymore?"

"As long as I don't get involved in this mess, what's the point of having so many people? The current lineup of the First Floor in Heaven is already sufficient."

"What about your master? Have you made thorough preparations to charge Saint Mountain?"

*Click.*

Xu Xiaoshou, gripping the doorknob, stopped.

The door felt as heavy as ten thousand pounds; even his "strength," comparable to that of a holy body, couldn't push it open at that moment.

It had to be said, Aunt Xiang's words struck a chord with Xu Xiaoshou.

His past declaration, "Once I ascend the throne, I shall dare to raise my sword against Saint Mountain," now seemed like a joke!

Relying solely on one's own power was far from enough.

The Holy Divine Temple was too vast; even Ba-Zun-An needed external support before daring to sound the attack horn.

Even if he now went all-out with all his passive skills, igniting his full potential and pushing to his limits, at most he could contend with two or three Half-Saints—and not Half-Saints of the Ten Venerates' caliber, but rather those like Jiang Buyi.

What about the rest?

If the five Great Saint Emperor Families truly mobilized, there would be at least five Saint Emperors openly.

And the Ten-Person Council could easily assemble ten Half-Saints far superior to Jiang Buyi.

Behind them stood Half-Saint families who had consistently supported the Holy Divine Temple, and even if their quality was merely Jiang Buyi's level, their numbers would be sufficient.

On their side, there were the White Vein's three ancestors, the Demon Emperor Black Dragon, plus Feng Yujin – barely making five Saint Emperor-level combatants.

These five crippled Saint Emperors, each in their own poor state, even if rounded up to 'competent,' could only hold their own against the enemy's Saint Emperors.

The remaining "Jiang Buyis" of the Holy Divine Temple would then be handled by top-tier fighters like Mei Siran and Yu Mo; a ridiculous estimate would be one fighting ten.

Ba-Zun-An was also calculated as a Saint Emperor, but he couldn't easily enter the fray; he had to keep an eye on the variables on the opposing side, right?

Otherwise, wouldn't he become a Dao Qiongcang, who had fallen into a trap and was at the mercy of others on Void Island?

Was all this enough?

No, it wasn't enough, far from it!

No matter how he calculated, Xu Xiaoshou couldn't gather enough super-level combat power to launch a full-scale assault on Saint Mountain.

The Osmanthus Saint Mountain, suspended outside Jade City and floating in the sky, seemed both so small and so immensely vast.

Just looking at it, little by little, one would be crushed.

But perhaps if this "Qilin" could be secured, the delicately balanced scales would tip slightly in their favor, as if a significant weight had been added to their side...

Xu Xiaoshou turned around and said seriously, "Let's discuss the details. A castle in the air is too prone to collapse."

Aunt Xiang's worry turned into a smile; she instantly understood how much weight Wuxiu held in this young man's heart:

"It's best that you're willing to talk, but don't feel too much pressure."

"Ba-Zun-An and Shuigui praise you profusely. They say that on Void Island, you completed at least half of the tasks originally assigned to Shuigui."

"And when you accomplished these, the Four Divine Pillars hadn't even opened; you relied entirely on your own abilities."

Aunt Xiang patted her ample chest, solemnly assuring him:

"Perhaps to you, Ba-Zun-An saying he trusts you and calling you 'Mr. Shou' sounds like teasing or a joke."

"But I've known him for so long, and I've never heard him praise anyone like that, not even in jest... oh, except for Shen Yi."

She paused, then shook her head, correcting herself: "No, I should say he never jokes, even when it sounds like it."

"Received flattery, Passive Point +1."

Xu Xiaoshou was almost beaming, about to ask, "Really?" but seeing the message panel, he felt a splash of cold water and quickly sobered up.

"Stop with the flattery," he said, returning to the table, sitting down, and pouring himself a drink. "When exactly is the operation?"

"Any day now, I'm ready anytime." Aunt Xiang was clearly well-prepared. "What about you?"

"I can't. I still need to get ready."

Xu Xiaoshou had just finished receiving the Heavenly Ancestor's inheritance and was rushed to Yougui Pavilion as if being herded.

This meant he hadn't yet fully processed the numerous spoils he acquired after the Void Island battle.

The holy medicine from the Miracle Forest, dragon apricots, dragon blood, various treasures, individuals, insights, and even the largest chunk, passive points...

None of it had been used yet!

He urgently needed a small, enclosed space.

Before he entered, he was Xu Xiaoshou; after he emerged, he could become Xu Xiaoshou the Beast, his combat strength more than doubled according to ancient records.

"Then Auntie will give you time to prepare thoroughly. By the way, do you need any 'stress relief' items?" Aunt Xiang asked.

"Stress relief items?"

"For example, Ah Yao."

"...Absolutely not necessary!"

"Oh, so it's not that kind of preparation." Aunt Xiang mused, smiling as she gazed at the slightly embarrassed Young Master Sick.

"I won't tease you anymore. Auntie has already invited the people from the First Floor in Heaven for you; you don't need to worry about it."

"They will arrive in the city successively in the coming days. We'll meet secretly then, and you can tell me who you need."

"You're in great danger recently, so be careful, even if your disguise is good."

Xu Xiaoshou was surprised. 'My people can be invited in advance? You've prepared quite a lot!'

"Thank you."

"No need to be polite. You're 'Mr. Shou' now, the second-in-command of the Saint Servant. Your status is even above mine, an outsider to the Saint Servant. It's Auntie's duty to handle these trifles for you; it's all for your convenience."

"Uh..."

"Alright, that settles it. You don't need to worry about the operation; I'll plan it. That flamboyant old Daoist has been very busy lately, so perhaps the worst outcomes we anticipated won't happen at all. Just let Auntie know when you're ready."

"Okay."

*This feels great!*

The feeling of having someone handle the trivial yet important matters is truly wonderful. Finally, he didn't have to manage everything by himself.

But speaking of which, when would his Li Fugui arrive? Aunt Xiang couldn't possibly poach him...

The First Floor in Heaven also needed a hard-working individual like that...

"This room is for you. Don't worry, it's absolutely safe." Aunt Xiang was efficient; having settled matters, she rose to leave:

"Let me repeat, tell Auntie if you need anything at all. Don't be shy."

"And mind you, anything means *anything*, including Ah Yao."

"Received suggestion, Passive Point +1."

'Why is Ah Yao mentioned every three sentences...?' Xu Xiaoshou's head was spinning. Just as he was about to wave her off, he remembered something:

"Oh, wait, don't go yet. Can you tell me about Old Man Sang? What was that thing you mentioned, 'Burning Zither'?"

Xu Xiaoshou's impression of Old Sang remained from before the Eight Palaces incident, centered on seemingly insignificant yet, upon reflection, highly contradictory matters:

The former Vice Dean of Tiansang Spirit Palace, who resigned his deanship for crippling Spirit Palace students, yet also able to force back Ba-Zun-An's masked night raid for the sake of Spirit Palace students.

After learning he was the Saint Servant's second-in-command, his strength felt incredibly mismatched; he could barely reach the Tai Xu level—Shen Yi, who ranked after him, was one of the Ten Venerates, and Cen Qiaofu was a legendary Tai Xu who achieved his breakthrough overnight!

Yet, to say Old Sang was weak, he had improved the second generation of Thorough Divine Sense, created Wuxiu's Red Scorching Hand, was one of the Four Sons of the Holy Palace, possessed astonishing talent, and had an ambiguous relationship with the Ash-Glow lineage.

Later, it was revealed that Old Sang's strength fluctuated because his Dao foundation was damaged in a battle with Gou Wuyue. But if he couldn't even defeat Gou Wuyue, how did he become the Saint Servant's second-in-command?

Old Sang was too contradictory.

But asking him wouldn't yield answers, and now he was unreachable; asking Ba-Zun-An was useless as Ba-Zun-An was too lazy to respond.

Xu Xiaoshou felt that the only person who could give him answers was Aunt Xiang, who belonged to the same era and was half a Saint Servant herself.

"You mean Burning Zither?" Aunt Xiang looked back.

"Yes, is that the name of his power in the Central Region?" Xu Xiaoshou racked his brain trying to figure out why Old Sang would come up with "Burning Zither," yet at the same time, it felt perfectly natural.

After all, burning a zither was inherently a rude act, which indeed suited him well.

"You don't know any of it?"

"Barely anything."

"Well, Ba-Zun-An really is lazy..." Aunt Xiang paced back, then sat down. "Then Auntie will tell you all about it."

Xu Xiaoshou put on an expression of eager attentiveness.

"In your Eastern Region, the Saint Servant Wuxiu might be renowned."

"But in the Central Region, about sixteen or seventeen years ago, it wasn't 'Wuxiu' that was famous, but the 'Five Desecrators of Affection.'"

"Five Desecrators of Affection..." Xu Xiaoshou chewed on the phrase, feeling perhaps he had over-interpreted "Burning Zither." Maybe Old Sang intended the crude literal meaning.

"The Central Region has three mountains: Osmanthus, Four Tombs, and Crane Pavilion Mountain."

"You should know the first two. As for the last one, although its reputation is not what it once was, sixteen or seventeen years ago, it was also listed as one of the three mountains."

"Why?" Xu Xiaoshou played the role of a good listener.

"Crane Pavilion Mountain was originally the third highest mountain in the Central Region, a place of spiritual beauty. Various factions and sects all wanted to contend for it, but after much fighting, it remained unclaimed, becoming a renowned unowned mountain."

"There were many rogue cultivators on the mountain, each incredibly powerful, some even at the Tai Xu level. Disliking joining sects, they often gathered at the summit to discuss Dao and spar, each advancing their cultivation."

"One day, decades ago—I've forgotten the exact date—in any case, the Five Desecrators ascended the mountain and beat everyone up."

"Uh." Xu Xiaoshou felt that such a perplexing incident was indeed something Old Sang would do.

"The Five Desecrators were extremely powerful, yet each had peculiar temperaments."

"They couldn't stand the mountain folk's pretentious elegance, drinking wine and composing poetry, or how cultivators would merely 'touch' during spars, acting like cowards. So, they struck to kill."

"The mountain inhabitants were either crippled or dead, eventually scattering like birds and beasts... Oh, it's worth noting that at that time, your master and Ba-Zun-An already had conflicting ideologies."

Xu Xiaoshou was thoughtful.

'She's talking about the mountain people, but she's criticizing Ba-Zun-An, right?'

The reputation of the 'Five Desecrators of Affection' quickly spread. No one knew the true names of these five individuals; they were only referred to by their aliases:

"One was called 'Burning Zither and Cooking Crane,' another 'Washing Feet in Clear Springs,' and the other three were 'Building Towers on Backs of Mountains,' 'Sipping Tea While Facing Flowers,' and 'Shouting Under Pines.'"

'Indeed quite unsightly, and quite crude. Just like you, Old Man Sang...' Xu Xiaoshou almost wanted to laugh. "What happened next?"

"Crane Pavilion Mountain belonged to everyone; how could it simply be occupied by the Five Desecrators?"

"Whether for fame, for battle, or for the mountain itself, large groups of masters, including heirs from sects, families, and Tai Xu forces, gathered repeatedly afterwards and began to attack the mountain."

Aunt Xiang shook her head with a sigh, clicking her tongue in amazement:

"Not a single person could defeat the Five Desecrators, not at all!"

"That group of Dao Breakers and Tai Xu cultivators, once noble, became base and shameless. They used everything from rotating battles, group fights, to attrition warfare, yet they were still beaten badly and fled in disarray."

"The Five Desecrators' reputation soared. This time, they were audacious enough to challenge all heroes under heaven: whoever dared to ascend the mountain and could defeat them, they would even join that victor's sect or force!"

"However, after several years, no one succeeded. The Five Desecrators of Affection became truly famous throughout the five regions, and Crane Pavilion Mountain gained its true masters... At its peak, Crane Pavilion's name was no less renowned than the other two mountains."

"Some said the Five Desecrators were only a Half-Saint status away from becoming Half-Saints, and when the opportunity arose, they could ascend at any time. At that point, it would become a rogue cultivator's sanctuary no less significant than Osmanthus Saint Mountain or Four Tombs Mountain!"

"Even the Holy Divine Temple was alarmed and wanted to recruit them, but they were beaten back by the Five Desecrators."

'They could do that?'

Xu Xiaoshou was startled. 'How dared they?'

Aunt Xiang read his mind and smiled. "The Five Desecrators of Affection only 'desecrate affection,' they don't cause trouble. The Holy Divine Temple wouldn't expend great effort to suppress them, and Crane Pavilion Mountain was originally an unowned mountain anyway."

'Oh, so that's it...' Xu Xiaoshou felt there should be a "but" coming. "Let's get to the turning point!"

Aunt Xiang rolled her eyes but said nothing more. She took the wine glass Xu Xiaoshou offered and continued:

"That year, Old Gou was still in his prime, full of vigor."

"He became one of the Seven Sword Immortals, joined the Holy Divine Temple, and as an outsider, seized the position of White-Clad Dao Master, eliminating almost all dark forces in the Central Region."

"He was very arrogant, at one point comparable to Ba-Zun-An. But if he wasn't arrogant then, who would be?"

Old Gou...

'So, that's Aunt Xiang's nickname for Gou Wuyue? Indeed, everyone's the same.'

Xu Xiaoshou nodded silently, continuing to listen. He vaguely remembered that Old Sang's Dao foundation was damaged in a battle with Gou Wuyue.

"The White-Clad were responsible for eradicating the continent's dark forces... At that time, there were no Saint Servants, or rather, the Saint Servants were completely hidden beneath the surface, unknown to anyone."

"Old Gou set his sights on another organization. No one knew its name or what specific actions it was undertaking."

"However, even though the gray areas and dark realms of the Central Region had clearly been completely purged, major and minor events thereafter always seemed to be manipulated by an invisible hand, ultimately leading to situations highly unfavorable to the Holy Divine Temple."

"If the Holy Divine Temple was the master of light on the continent, then this invisible hand, which had taken root in the Central Region at some unknown point, gathered all the gray wings, and grew by feeding on the Holy Divine Temple's blood, was the master of darkness."

"Old Gou targeted this hand, this force. After numerous attempts and efforts, he struggled greatly before he finally learned its name."

"The people of the dark world called it 'Wuxiu'!"

'Here it comes...' Xu Xiaoshou hadn't expected Old Man Sang to have such a past, having once unified the Central Region's dark world?

"To capture Wuxiu, Old Gou put everything else aside, dedicating himself entirely to this task."

"He arrested people, interrogated, and tracked, but time and again he came up empty, wasting personnel, finances, and resources. He was punished by the Holy Divine Temple, and the image of the White-Clad Dao Master began to plummet."

"But he became a complete dog of the Holy Divine Temple, or rather, he went utterly mad because of this unseen opponent, still tracking, refusing to give up."

'A sword cultivator, understandable...' Xu Xiaoshou could imagine the feelings of an ancient sword cultivator repeatedly failing against an invisible opponent. Gou Wuyue would absolutely not be resigned, nor would he ever let it go.

"Wuxiu repeatedly toyed with Old Gou, but as long as this thorn remained, Wuxiu was constantly hampered, hitting dead ends again and again, with operational risks and costs escalating repeatedly."

"In the long run, it was only a matter of time before Wuxiu was found out. Realizing this, Wuxiu seized an opportunity to expose a weakness."

"These two, bound by ill fate, finally met!"

Xu Xiaoshou was stirred but didn't interject. Aunt Xiang continued to narrate slowly:

"A great battle was on the verge of breaking out, but it yielded no conclusive result."

"Wuxiu's ambush couldn't trap the spirited Sword Immortal. Old Gou had a breakthrough during the battle; had he not lacked the Half-Saint status, he could have been canonized on the spot."

"He crippled one person! Let me highlight this for you!"

Aunt Xiang paused, then said:

"Wuxiu knew all too well how to deal with ancient sword cultivators. He started from the Dao heart, from Old Gou's 'Sword of Unrestrained Desire,' which was just half a step away. He fought while retreating, temporarily avoiding the sharp edge."

"But with just a few words, he argued that the Holy Divine Temple was the greatest shackles holding back freedom, and also the root of Old Gou's inability to break through."

"Wuxiu couldn't kill Old Gou, and Old Gou couldn't keep Wuxiu. When the battle ended, the two became each other's inner demons."

Aunt Xiang sighed wistfully, clasping her hands and her eyes full of longing: "Both of them are geniuses, equally matched, truly a perfect pair!"

'Uh, aren't your priorities a little off...' Xu Xiaoshou pressed:

"What happened next?"