Chapter 1402: A Bead Tricks Three Sides, The Extreme Giant Makes Its Debut

"Shou Ye?"

When the voice from the communication pearl addressed him with that subtle and meaningful title, Xu Xiaoshou completely lost his composure.

"Don't call me Shou Ye anymore; I can't bear it!"

This damn title was nothing but trouble.

Every time he was called that, it felt like he was being dragged into some deep pit.

They had agreed that the Sheng Di Qilin could be communicated with, and as long as they allied, taking over Gui Zhe Sheng Shan would be just around the corner.

But the moment they met, it stirred up Ten Zun Seats' Sheng Di Bei Huai, and now even Shen Yi was gone, leaving him all alone.

— He got nothing out of it and ended up with a mess on his hands!

Fortunately...

Fortunately, the communication pearl connected.

The fact that Ba Zun An could talk meant there was still room to salvage the situation, right?

"I met your old friend."

Xu Xiaoshou finished speaking and glanced up at the towering Qilin, lowering the communication pearl and shielding it with spiritual energy before raising his voice:

"Ba Zun An says it's been a long time and he misses you dearly."

"He also asked me to tell you to give him face and leave now—you still have a way out!"

Xu Xiaoshou delivered the message with a mix of conveyance and threat.

The Sheng Di Qilin hovered in the sky, motionless at the words.

Xu Xiaoshou checked the information panel; aside from "Under Influence," there were no signs of "Doubt" or "Speculation."

Damn Ba Zun An, he said higher ranks would give you more face.

Where's your face? It's worth nothing!

"Oh? Who is it?"

Ba Zun An's puzzled voice came from the communication pearl, and Xu Xiaoshou chuckled in response:

"Crying—haven't you heard the crying everywhere? Doesn't that remind you of someone?"

"I even told him that you wanted to say something to him, but he completely disregarded your face and said..."

"'Ba Zun An? Just a childish game—would an adult bother?' Listen to that! Is that even human talk? He even called you a 'child'!"

"Uh, I don't mean to stir up trouble; I have no idea about your past, whether you're friends or enemies. I'm just relaying the exact words, nothing more."

Xu Xiaoshou added this explanation to clear his name.

Of course, he wouldn't leak his own transmissions.

With the power of Tian Zu and Long Zu as a barrier, Bei Huai probably couldn't hear his conversation with Ba Zun An.

Though he didn't know what Bei Huai was waiting for...

But after adding some exaggeration and fanning the flames, Xu Xiaoshou didn't care what Ba Zun An said next. He put down the communication pearl and clearly "relayed":

"Uh, it's a bit hard to say, but in war between nations, they don't kill the messenger, so it's not too much for me to add this, right?"

Seeing the Sheng Di Qilin still unmoved, Xu Xiaoshou continued:

"Ba Zun An says, 'Without becoming a saint, you're forever a slave, but even as a Sheng Di, you're still nothing—a single thought can make or break it.'"

"Let me explain, Bei Huai Qianbei—Ba Zun An probably isn't calling you some foul and disgusting dog; that's just his arrogant nature. I've put up with him for a long time."

"He also says Sheng Di isn't the end; sealing as a saint is just trapping yourself in prison. Either don't seal at all, or seal as a god. He wants you to think it over and reconsider his previous suggestion..."

He paused, then carefully added: "You know, the suggestion to give him face and leave right now."

The Sheng Di Qilin's deep blue eyes remained calm, completely unfazed.

Soon, Ba Zun An's follow-up voice came from the communication pearl—he couldn't hear Xu Xiaoshou's fabrications; after all, he was just a worthless acquired being:

"...Even if it's him, you don't need to worry. His true body can't come here personally."

"For that, I've found you the strongest ally. When you're trapped in prison, he'll appear in time."

Ba Zun An found someone for me?

The strongest ally?

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes lit up—this had to be at least Sheng Di level. Did I know them?

Was it a Sheng Di from the inner Xukong Dao, or one of the other Ten Zun Seats?

Xiang Yi had slipped up once, but she also said that only the Nine Zun Seats could take on the Ten Zun Seats.

With that confidence, Xu Xiaoshou grew even bolder, holding the communication pearl and relaying:

"This Bei guy is really not human. I just asked him to give you face, and he not only mocked you and me but also said that after today, he'll come for you himself."

"He even said, 'The Ten Zun Seats are the peak,' 'The downhill path is smooth,' 'Not just Xukong Dao, I'll visit the other four great families, including the Yue family'... Ugh, I can't listen to this anymore!"

Putting down the communication pearl, Xu Xiaoshou turned back to the Sheng Di Qilin, his thoughts perfectly clear.

He hesitated for a long time, his expression complex, before starting to speak: "This line, I'm a bit afraid to say..."

"Say!"

The Sheng Di Qilin actually spoke.

With that one word, Xu Xiaoshou immediately realized that Bei Huai hadn't broken through his Tian Zu and Long Zu barrier.

Or perhaps, he just didn't bother to eavesdrop.

His waiting now might be out of respect for Ba Zun An, or maybe...

Xu Xiaoshou thought of Rao Kewei, who also liked to wait on Gu Yin Cliff.

Perhaps, in Bei Huai's eyes, he was just an afterthought; the real prize was Shen Yi.

But if they could catch Shen Yi and also lure out Ba Zun An, that would be the icing on the cake.

No...

Ba Zun An was probably Dao Qiong Cang's target, right?

Thinking about Bei Huai's appearance here and Dao Qiong Cang pulling strings behind the scenes, this "waiting" might be part of Dao Qiong Cang's plan against Ba Zun An. Xu Xiaoshou suddenly knew how to play it:

"Ba Zun An says, 'That Bei guy is both the player and the pawn; in that flashy old Daoist's hands, even a Sheng Di jumping around can't escape his palm.'"

"Suspected, Passive Value +1."

It really stirred up some reaction?

Xu Xiaoshou pursed his lips and said tremblingly: "The last line, I really don't dare to say..."

"Say!"

The Sheng Di Qilin thundered again, the sound booming.

Xu Xiaoshou hemmed and hawed for a while, his mind flashing back to Xiao Kongdong's pretentious acts on Xukong Dao, posing as his teacher.

He realized his impressions of the young Ba Zun An all came from that big mouth Xiao; how ridiculous.

Quickly, Xu Xiaoshou flicked his sleeve, straightened up, as if donning Ba Zun An's persona, and declared with overwhelming momentum:

"If one day I achieve my soaring ambitions, I'll dare to mock Bei Huai as no true man!"

The Sheng Di Qilin trembled in the air.

That line really hit Bei Huai hard.

Whether it was the intent, the tone, or that unique Ba Zun An flavor... it was too bold!

Bei Huai was waiting here because when Dao Qiong Cang asked for his help earlier, he had said:

"When the time comes, if Xu Xiaoshou is in trouble, he'll surely seek Ba Zun An. If you're free, lend me a hand and hold that person— as long as he shows up."

That person, of course, meant Ba Zun An.

Bei Huai thought Xu Xiaoshou's communication pearl could actually summon Ba Zun An.

He never expected this kid could only relay messages and couldn't even bring half a person.

But the way Ba Zun An spoke in those words was outrageously arrogant!

Back in the Ten Zun Seats, that was one thing.

They were all at the same level; Ba Zun An was indeed untamed and uncontrollable.

But decades later, most of the Ten Zun Seats were still stuck, some even regressing.

He, Bei Huai, had already become a Sheng Di, just half a step from the great Dao.

If Ba Zun An dared to act cocky in front of him now... ha, that guy was just hiding and ranting in front of a Sheng Di's manifested intent.

Did he really dare show up in person?

"I remember it."

The Sheng Di Qilin's deep blue eyes were filled with coldness as he spoke.

"Did he say anything else?" Ba Zun An's voice from the communication pearl showed no emotion.

Xu Xiaoshou took a deep breath, lowered his voice, and said:

"He said, 'This emperor remembers it!'"

He paused, took another breath, and delivered with genuine sarcasm:

"He also said, 'You saintly slaves scurry like flies and dogs; Ba Zun An hides like a rat. If one day I achieve my soaring ambitions, I'll dare to mock the saintly slave as no true man!'"

Click.

Unable to summon Ba Zun An, Xu Xiaoshou angrily cut off the communication pearl.

Hiding like a rat!

That's you!

Guess which parts are true and which are lies, you who tricked me!

Today you dare trick me; tomorrow my Huai Bao will storm the saintly slaves' gates and fight you directly, you damn old bastard...

Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts surged, but he quickly suppressed his emotions, widened his innocent eyes, put down the communication pearl, and looked at the Sheng Di Qilin.

"Say."

"It's not easy to say..."

"Say!"

As soon as the Sheng Di Qilin finished, Xu Xiaoshou pursed his lips to the side, his face scrunching up like a chrysanthemum, vividly "imitating":

"Yo yo yo, still 'I remember it'—does he think he's that flashy old Daoist? Am I supposed to be afraid of him holding a grudge?"

"Uh, that's Ba Zun An's exact words."

Xu Xiaoshou immediately switched back to a gentlemanly demeanor, feeling the boiling fluctuations in Bei Huai's soul, and said nervously:

"I'm just relaying, okay? In war between nations, they don't kill the messenger!"

Damn it, you just chased my Shen Yi, so I have to stir up trouble between you, the boiling one, and that dead old Daoist?

Today you're all chummy with the Bei Dao families, thick as thieves.

Tomorrow, let's see if you, Bei Huai, still dare trust that flashy old Daoist without a second thought and come after me!

Once the Bei Sheng Di clan is on guard, with that old Daoist's clever and suspicious nature, he'll probably be paranoid to death?

Back and forth like that...

Heh, once the rift in their hearts appears, it can never be fixed!

Bei Huai was truly disgusted by Xu Xiaoshou's tone.

Though they were on opposite sides, he dared to assert that Ba Zun An wasn't that kind of person.

That line might be eighty percent true, but the tone was definitely Xu Xiaoshou's embellishment.

This guy was mocking him in every way possible!

"Finished?"

Bei Huai's soul fluctuations quickly stabilized.

"Finished." Xu Xiaoshou put down the communication pearl and sighed.

He was now praying that Ba Zun An's powerful ally would show up soon; otherwise, he'd be relentlessly pursued.

Isolation from the world couldn't last forever; he needed to surface and breathe eventually... Sigh!

"Do it yourself, or I'll do it."

The Sheng Di Qilin's gaze fell on the Shen Yi on Xu Xiaoshou's chest.

This ghost beast probably didn't dare hide in his small world anymore, or he'd lose even more.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't answer but made one last attempt:

"Ba Zun An told me to wait for him for a quarter of an hour."

"Bei Huai Qianbei, I have a brilliant plan!"

"This time, let me and Shen Yi go. After a quarter of an hour, I'll package that old eight and whoever he's bringing to save me and deliver them to you. How about that?"

Betraying the saintly slaves couldn't be said outright.

Xu Xiaoshou had even thought of his backup plan, speaking with exceptional clarity:

"But then I'd have nowhere to go. I don't know if your Sheng Di Bei clan... um, takes people in?"

"I'm quite interested in your research; we're actually cut from the same cloth."

Xu Xiaoshou casually tossed a communication pearl over.

He looked like he was the one in control, holding the Sheng Di Qilin's life in his hands:

"No need to reply right away."

"When you have an answer, contact me through this communication pearl."

This flashy move was straight from the old Daoist's playbook.

Xu Xiaoshou was a pro at getting under people's skin; once he learned it, he used it, leaving the doubt to others.

The communication pearl arced beautifully through the air, aimed precisely at the Sheng Di Qilin's mouth, trying to force its way in through the teeth so he could delude himself into thinking it was accepted.

But without any movement from the Sheng Di Qilin, as the pearl approached, it seemed to gain weight rapidly and plummeted to the ground.

Smack.

It hit the ground and shattered, clean and simple.

Gong Yang Shan suddenly fell silent.

The atmosphere solidified into a hint of awkwardness that Xu Xiaoshou refused to acknowledge—as long as he wasn't embarrassed, the embarrassment was on the communication pearl.

A quarter of an hour?

Bei Huai had no idea if this was just nonsense or if Xu Xiaoshou had extended the time.

What he cared about was whether Ba Zun An would really come in a quarter of an hour.

But that was Dao Qiong Cang's business and had nothing to do with him.

Bei Huai had no desire to face Ba Zun An or capture him; he wasn't a ghost beast, after all.

If not for Xu Xiaoshou's antics and the earlier events, he wouldn't even have to deal with Shen Yi, let alone possess the Sheng Di Qilin.

So how could he help Dao Qiong Cang now—that old Daoist had even schemed against him...

Boom!

The surging Sheng Di Five Elements power shattered the brief silence, causing space to fragment once more.

Since Xu Xiaoshou wouldn't hand over Shen Yi, Bei Huai had to take it himself.

He didn't even need to use the exile space; the Sheng Di Qilin's claw reached out, and the Four Symbols Seal binding him loosened slightly.

Azure Dragon Wood, White Tiger Metal, Vermilion Bird Fire, Black Tortoise Water, Qilin Earth—they merged and generated, turning into a dazzling Five Elements radiance under one claw, forcefully suppressing everything.

Dao principles shattered, and space twisted.

Even a Ban Sheng hit by this would have nowhere to hide, let alone a mere Wang Zuo like Xu Xiaoshou?

"Locked, Passive Value +1."

"Under Influence, Passive Value +1."

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes sharpened, surging with divine light—it was the activation of Shen Min Moment, forcefully boosting his reaction speed.

The Qilin's claw was a massive threat!

The expected "Under Sneak Attack" didn't appear.

This meant that in Shen Min Moment, Xu Xiaoshou could fully keep up with the Sheng Di Qilin's strike.

"Why bother..."

"Why force my hand?"

With a sigh, Xu Xiaoshou held nothing back; his body expanded dramatically, no longer human.

Facing a Ten Zun Seats Sheng Di alone was still immense pressure.

"Wild Giant!"

In an instant, golden light pierced the sky.

Like in a shattered world, the Wild Giant made a powerful entrance.

Facing the Qilin's claw, the Wild Giant advanced instead of retreating, punching straight into the Five Elements radiance.

As they clashed, even Shen Min Moment seemed to falter; the Wild Giant's spiritual energy was depleting.

But then, behind the massive giant, a huge blood-red Taotie beast head suddenly emerged.

"Devour Feast!"

In one bite!

Regardless of whether he could convert the Sheng Di power, Xu Xiaoshou desperately swallowed; he was putting his life on the line.

The Qilin's claw, stripped of its intangible radiance, lost its edge.

All energy-based attacks were consumed by Devour Feast and absorbed into the Wild Giant's body.

Bang!

The Sheng Di Five Elements power was gone.

But the Qilin's claw still brutally struck the Wild Giant's fist.

Undoubtedly, a mere passive skill couldn't withstand a Sheng Di's might, even if the Five Elements power was depleted and the Qilin was weakened.

The Wild Giant's body swelled, covered in dense wounds, with energy leaking wildly like a punctured balloon.

Just as his right arm was about to shatter into dust, space and Dao principles fluttered like scorched leaves.

"Sleeveless · Red Scorched Hand!"

The high-tier power of Che Shen Nian barely saved the Wild Giant's arm, and the fist wind blasted forward.

The scorching heat pierced into the Sheng Di Qilin's front claw, rampaging through its muscles, bones, and veins, making the Qilin's deep blue eyes tighten.

But...

It was still too weak!

Way too weak!

After all, it was a Che Shen Nian unleashed by a Wang Zuo, even with Ban Sheng physical enhancement.

The Sheng Di Qilin's state might be poor, but as an ancient sacred beast, it could temporarily stabilize against that attack without using Azure Dragon Wood to recover.

Pfft!

The Wild Giant spat, as if coughing up blood.

But the intense heat vaporized the blood before it could spill out.

He couldn't hold it!

The Sheng Di power inside was too overwhelming!

Relying on just "conversion" couldn't digest such Sheng Di Five Elements power in an instant.

As Xu Xiaoshou felt the explosive pain throughout his body, the dragon pearl at his chest stirred, intercepting and storing the unconvertible power before releasing it back.

This was exactly Xu Xiaoshou's plan!

Your power will be my achievement!

The Wild Giant's eyes flashed with ferocity; at that moment, the dragon pearl's stored power overflowed again.

Thus, Xu Xiaoshou had the leeway, under Shen Min Moment, to activate the second awakening.

He immediately roared to the heavens, his voice like thunder, his momentum soaring to the ninth clouds:

"Ultimate Giant!"

Boom—

A hint of shock appeared in the Sheng Di Qilin's deep blue eyes.

Whether Bei Huai or the Qilin itself, they were seeing something beyond their size for the first time, even more exaggerated than the Xukong Servants.

The golden, equally massive Wild Giant suddenly vanished.

In front of the Sheng Di Qilin's claw, it turned into a massive, steaming bone...

Bei Huai, who studied human bodies and ghost beasts, could tell it was a kneecap.

Human...

No, a giant's?

The Sheng Di Qilin looked up and realized it wasn't an illusion.

Xu Xiaoshou's Wild Giant had evolved a second time!

And this time, just standing there, the Sheng Di Qilin only reached up to its knee!

"Xukong Clan bloodline? No..."

"Ancient Martial Six Paths? Not..."

"Tian Zu?"

Bei Huai had received Tian Zu's will recognition and studied Tian Zu and its inheritance.

He found that it didn't quite match the power Xu Xiaoshou was displaying.

This was a completely new form of power!

In that instant, even Bei Huai fell into a brief mental daze.

"What exactly is Xu Xiaoshou?"

Huff...

The Ultimate Giant exhaled.

That scorching breath swept across the high sky, covering half of Qilin Jie, melting the soft clouds.

The heavens brought down a strange scorching rain.

The rain fell halfway and evaporated.

It turned to vapor and rose again.

Clouds gathered, turned to rain, evaporated again, cycling endlessly.

Qilin Jie fell into a bizarre loop.

This strangeness and phenomenon naturally shocked all the refining masters in Qilin Jie.

But when they looked, they couldn't clearly see what had appeared at Gong Yang Shan.

They could only glimpse a tall, blurry shadow through the distorted space, as if a giant was bending down.

"What is that?"

"A giant?"

This thing was beyond just "giant"!

With one punch, could it shatter half of Qilin Jie?

A few who had experienced the Gong Yang Shan chaos but escaped under Bei Huai's Sheng Di power vaguely sensed the phenomenon's source.

That place had no rats left, only two people!

They had seen the last of Shang Xin Sheng Di; he had possessed the Sheng Di Qilin. This super giant couldn't be him.

Shen Yi was gone, and neither Human Path nor Hungry Ghost Path matched this form, so it wasn't him.

Thus, the only impossible conclusion was that it had to be...

"That one from the saintly slaves... Shou Ye?!"

(End of chapter)