Chapter 1470: The Forbidden Object Dragon Blood and Flesh, A Superfluous Addition with One More Person

Darkness, fragmentation, weightlessness, drifting...

Xu Xiaoshou struggled to describe his current sensations—it felt like he was awake, yet still deep in slumber.

The world he "saw" was a bizarre spectacle, filled with all sorts of shapes: cubes, circles, polygons, and irregular forms, all glowing faintly but meaning nothing.

Amid this chaos, various forces scattered around him—Sheng Li, Zu Yuan Zhi Li, Che Shen Nian—intertwining and clashing with one another.

Under the pressure of external forces and the weakness after battle, his sense of self had partially faded.

Even though he could feel his consciousness slowly merging back into his body and aligning with his soul, the process was agonizingly slow, as if it had already dragged on for a thousand years!

"Yes, I'm in recovery..."

"I just fought Sheng Di, and this time I drained myself completely. From now on, I absolutely... can't do that again..."

As his thoughts flickered in and out, Xu Xiaoshou began to gradually pick up fragments of information from the outside world.

Yu Jing Cheng, Chang De Zhen, Qing Yuan Shan...

They were all shattered!

The connection between his true self and his avatar was no longer smooth, as if blocked by some force.

But the source of this force wasn't an enemy—it came from within himself.

"I'm still too weak..."

It was like a small boat lost at sea, with the wind blowing from the left but the boat veering right.

As it spun aimlessly, even its direction was lost.

Fortunately, the sea was relatively calm, and the loneliness would eventually end—Xu Xiaoshou knew he could return.

He was searching for that "lighthouse"!

Either someone from outside would use external force to jolt him back abruptly, or...

"Flutter, flutter."

In the midst of the fragmented drifting, Xu Xiaoshou seemed to hear a faint sound.

It was all too familiar!

The sound of Jin Zhao Bai Yan.

He struggled to lift what might have been his eyelids and "looked" in that direction...

Vaguely, there appeared to be a blurry long street.

Under the night sky, a little girl seemed to run toward him, her face unclear, holding a skewer of candied haws in her hand.

"Flutter—"

A spark ignited in an instant, spreading like wildfire.

Jin Zhao Bai Yan surged forth in a flash, repelling everything else and overwhelming his entire field of vision.

Warmth enveloped his whole body.

"Ah!"

"Clang!!!"

Dao Qiong Cang stared at the broken sword in his hand, his mind going blank for a moment.

What was happening?

Even in a dormant state, Xu Xiaoshou's body was strong enough to shatter a third-grade spirit sword, and perhaps even more...

He lifted his palm.

It felt numb and burning hot.

There was no blood, only an eternal jade-white sheen.

If this had been an ordinary person's hand, that strike would have likely shattered it completely.

In just an instant, Dao Qiong Cang analyzed that he had suffered not only recoil damage but also sword wounds and burns...

"What kind of constitution is this?"

Tan Shen stood nearby, staring blankly at everything unfolding, overcome by an indescribable discomfort.

It clearly wanted to protect its master.

But when this human stabbed at its master, it had chosen to stand by and do nothing.

After standing by, it felt endless regret, yet even in regret, it didn't want to fight back—it just wanted to keep watching...

It was as if I were deeply interested in this world but acted utterly indifferent toward it—utterly contradictory!

After murmuring to himself, Dao Qiong Cang pulled himself out of the Dan Ding, his face showing suspicion.

"Something's off..."

This was pure intuition!

Strange, abnormal, deceptive...

A semi-saint's sudden premonition was inexplicable and couldn't be ignored.

Dao Qiong Cang first cast a "Great Purification Technique" on himself.

He remembered that his true self was afflicted with the Tian Ren Wu Shui curse, yet it left no trace.

After casting it, he found himself completely clean and pure, his saintly body free of any negative influences.

"Great Scrutiny Technique!"

He cast another celestial technique on himself, using an external mind to examine his state.

Still, nothing abnormal.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

As Dao Qiong Cang performed finger divination, crimson light burst from his fingertips!

He suddenly realized that he had indeed been affected.

At that moment, the barrier between his ears and mind shattered, and he heard a voice that had been warning him for who knows how long:

"Alert! Alert! Alert!..."

"Abnormality! Abnormality! Abnormality!..."

His external second mind had been sending alert signals all along, which he had received but inexplicably ignored.

It was as if the signals had entered a "concave" stack in his powerful, multi-threaded brain, supposed to be quickly retrieved, analyzed, and parsed.

Instead, they were buried under layers of trivial information.

What he had been processing were just superficial, irrelevant junk details!

The important signals were sunk at the bottom, so Dao Qiong Cang naturally missed the "abnormality" warnings.

This guiding force, specifically designed to counter the power that could deal with Sheng Di's guidance, was overwhelmingly strong!

In all the world, only one person could achieve this...

Qi Shu Great Emperor!

In other words, Xue Shi Zhu!

"Has the Tian Ren Wu Shui curse taken effect?"

"Has it influenced my true self in a roundabout way, and now me as well?"

Under this subjective influence, Dao Qiong Cang scanned his surroundings again and saw far too many flaws...

Why was Tan Shen unmoved when I stabbed its master?

Why was my first instinct to attack Xu Xiaoshou rather than wait and observe?

It wasn't just Xu Xiaoshou who was severely wounded by Bei Huai—there was also Lei Jia Yu Gu Lei Xi Er, whom Xu Xiaoshou had taken away at the time... Where was she now?

"And!"

With a sweep of his saintly thoughts, Dao Qiong Cang saw that outside the Crystal Palace, there wasn't a single priceless treasure.

Of course, there were still sacred medicines, inscribed stele artifacts, and traces left by past inhabitants.

But he remembered that Xu Xiaoshou had a semi-saint essence, from Rao Yao Yao, which he hadn't seen in Xing Jie—such an important item must be in his small world, right?

He also recalled that Xu Xiaoshou had bought the root of a Bodhi ancient tree at the Ling Que trade fair; given how this small world evolved, it could have a real chance to grow, yet it wasn't here!

There were so many other things...

Dao Qiong Cang knew Xu Xiaoshou inside out, even researching which pill formulas he mastered and what pills he could refine.

These details should have crossed his mind the moment he entered Xing Jie, but they hadn't.

Was it all Xue Shi Zhu's influence?!

"It's all been taken..."

Dao Qiong Cang crushed the hilt of the broken sword in his hand with a bang, his face showing a touch of self-mockery.

He mocked himself for being so foolish as to miss all this.

He mocked himself for underestimating Tian Ren Wu Shui, having encountered similar guidance before without taking timely measures...

Wait!

Was this also guidance?

Dao Qiong Cang's pupils narrowed slightly, wanting to warn his true self but forgetting—he was just a semi-saint avatar.

He took a deep breath and turned his gaze back to Xu Xiaoshou, soaking in the medicinal liquid; priorities first!

Thinking it through...

If even the semi-saint essence was gone, how could what was left be Xu Xiaoshou's true body?

"That's right, he demonstrated a method of rapid avatar splitting on Void Island."

"I've even studied it deeply and concluded it's 'rapid splitting,' not 'simultaneously possessing multiple avatars.'"

"I thought with him unconscious, this technique couldn't be used again, but... no!"

At this thought, Dao Qiong Cang chuckled self-deprecatingly again.

How could I be naive enough not to guard against this, even as a precaution? That's not like me at all.

It could only mean...

Tian Ren Wu Shui was truly damnable!

"You're the Tan Shen from Xu Yue Hui Gong?"

In a flash of thoughts, Dao Qiong Cang showed no outward sign, instead hesitating as he looked at the little white cat beside him.

He clearly remembered that if Xu Xiaoshou still had the ability to split avatars, then the consciousness of this avatar could awaken at any time.

This was something he had to guard against!

"Meow..."

Tan Shen's eyes rolled, and it nodded, then shook its head.

It used to be, but now its master said it was the lucky cat of Tian Shang First Tower, so it wasn't anymore.

Dao Qiong Cang ignored Xu Xiaoshou in the Dan Ding, squatted down, and cheerfully looked at Tan Shen, saying:

"Do you know why Number Two on Void Island entered a liberated state the moment it saw Tian Ren Wu Shui?"

"Meow?" Tan Shen didn't understand this.

Dao Qiong Cang raised his hand as if to pet it, but stopped midway, sighing lightly:

"Because the Devouring Body is the foremost of the five supreme constitutions, and you, as a beast of calamity, are a variable so great you could destroy Gui Zhe Sheng Mountain, or even Sheng Shen Continent."

"In other words, I wasn't joking with Zu Shu Long Xing— you really have to die!"

Before Tan Shen could react, this human with a genial smile on his face flicked his fingertip, activating the Tian Ji Si Nan.

"Whoosh!"

Stellar light swept through—Great Annihilation Technique!

A semi-saint's power delivered a devastating blow to this infant beast of calamity, which wasn't even at the Tai Xu level!

"Rawr."

However, Tan Shen opened its mouth and swallowed it whole.

The Great Annihilation Technique's power vanished like a stone in the sea, without a ripple.

"Meow?"

Tan Shen let out a satisfied burp, looking at the human with lingering appetite.

Dao Qiong Cang broke out in a cold sweat, not daring to stop his "Great Scrutiny Technique," constantly checking himself to avoid Xue Shi Zhu's guiding influence.

Using energy attacks on a Devouring Body—what's the difference from throwing a meat bun to a dog?

I'm utterly foolish!

"Great Purification Technique!"

Dao Qiong Cang determined that this ghost beast must have some memory loss.

Perhaps Zu Shu Long Xing had tampered with it, making it not resist or dislike him.

That's why it didn't react when I stabbed Xu Xiaoshou.

The Great Purification Technique could use stellar energy as a carrier to purify any abnormalities on Tan Shen through healing.

Once it remembered everything, it would resist.

Resistance itself didn't mean much, but if Xu Xiaoshou's scheme fell apart, the variables would multiply, and he'd fail at the last step.

"Rawr."

Tan Shen opened its mouth again, swallowing the Great Purification Technique's stellar light before it could hit.

The little cat grew even more excited—this person was pretty good...

"Great Protection Technique!"

Dao Qiong Cang frowned, sensing something off, and cast another celestial technique.

This technique had once saved a remnant soul of Xu Xiaoshou after his avatar self-destructed on Qing Yuan Shan.

Its healing power was beyond question.

"Rawr."

Tan Shen swallowed it again, its little paws scratching the air in delight.

"You're not right!"

Dao Qiong Cang retreated in shock.

This Devouring Ghost Beast was definitely beyond its infant state.

It was just pretending to be a cute pet while actually having grown up!

Otherwise, three ultra-powerful saintly forces would have bloated its stomach, making it hard to digest.

Glancing back...

Xing Jie was enveloped in misty life spiritual energy.

Such a rare haven in the outside world was the perfect place to rapidly mature any creature.

"Huff..."

Whether he'd forgotten something or just thought of it, Dao Qiong Cang squatted down again, his emotions calming as he looked at the pet with a cheerful expression:

"Little one, you've always used your devouring power to swallow things—have you ever truly experienced what 'eating' feels like?"

"Meow?" Tan Shen scratched its belly fur with one paw.

"We humans have many delicious things to satisfy our tastes, like steamed fish, braised pork, soy sauce pig trotters, salty fried chicken..."

Dao Qiong Cang listed them one by one, even leisurely using celestial techniques to outline the dishes' real shapes.

He could even simulate their enticing aromas, fanning the scent directly toward Tan Shen's nose.

"Gulp..."

Tan Shen swallowed hard, intrigued but uncomprehending.

"But if you swallow these with your devouring power, you won't taste anything."

"You won't experience sweet or salty, bitter or spicy—your world will only have 'full' and 'hungry.'"

"All things that enter your belly, no matter how rare, will taste the same as my Great Annihilation Technique."

"How can you live in this world like that?"

"You're a sacred beast of Xu Yue Hui Gong, yet you've never tasted real food—isn't that a waste of your life?"

Dao Qiong Cang appealed to its emotions, guiding it gently. "Don't you think I'm right?"

"Meow..." Tan Shen hesitated, unsure if it was right or wrong.

Dao Qiong Cang sighed, as if pitying it.

He pulled out a palm-sized strip of thick meat from his spatial ring—golden, fatty, brimming with spiritual energy.

Streaks of blood threaded through it, making it incredibly fresh and tender.

"Little one, have you ever eaten dragon meat?"

"Swoosh!"

The golden strip scattered into the void.

Zu Shu Long Xing's spirit body, rooted in the fragmented space-time streams and anchored at Qing Yuan Shan town's coordinates, suddenly remembered everything upon leaving Xing Jie.

Xu Xiaoshou's ploy of shedding his shell like a cicada, its own betrayal and abandonment...

Everything came flooding back!

In just one day, Zu Shu Long Xing had lost two bets.

Before this, it had confidently sworn to guard Xing Jie to the death...

If not for the thick skin it had developed since the chaotic era, Zu Shu Long Xing might have considered self-destruction right then.

The space-time storms raged on, unable to harm Zu Shu Long Xing's spirit body in the slightest, yet they tore its dignity and pride to shreds!

"Xu Xiaoshou..."

Zu Shu Long Xing's spirit trembled as it released Xu Xiaoshou's body.

It knew that at this moment, Xu Xiaoshou's body was the true self, and his consciousness was the awakened avatar.

Sure enough, as it moved, the rosy-faced Xu Xiaoshou flipped over and opened his eyes.

"Mission accomplished!"

The cicada-shedding ploy was mostly successful the moment he opened his eyes.

What remained was just waiting for the true self to return.

With the true self already out of Xing Jie and the consciousness switchable back from within at any time...

It could be said that, vast as the world was, Dao Qiong Cang could no longer find him under Zu Shu Long Xing's protection!

The second true body couldn't help but laugh.

He laughed at that pompous Daoist for his lack of foresight; after today, the dragon would return to the sea, and with this lesson, it would never be controlled again.

He laughed at Zu Shu Long Xing for its foolishness, daring to bet against him— from the start, it was doomed to fail.

Just as he was about to mock it...

The second true body turned and saw his own body protected by one of Zu Shu Long Xing's branches.

Nearby, wrapped in another golden branch, was a beautiful silver-haired woman with her eyes tightly shut.

The second true body's mind buzzed.

"She... who...?"

"Lei Xi Er, your junior sister!"

Zu Shu Long Xing chuckled awkwardly.

It wanted to gloss over the awkwardness quickly and didn't want to hear Xu Xiaoshou's mockery, so it boasted:

"This woman is still unconscious—weren't you afraid she'd die at that Daoist's hands?"

"Rest easy, I've brought her out!"

Pausing, Zu Shu Long Xing also produced the Bodhi tree root, the semi-saint essence, and other treasures:

"Xu Xiaoshou, all the treasures of Xing Jie are here— you don't need to worry."

It was like a bolt from the blue.

The second true body froze upon hearing this.

He felt as if he'd been hammered on the back of the head, or perhaps he'd forgotten something after rebirth.

He asked in a trembling voice: "The me from before... that me! Was there a plan for you... to bring these out?"

"No!"

Zu Shu Long Xing lifted its head, a red glow flickering in its eyes, proudly awaiting praise.

The second true body's mentality shattered, and he roared hysterically:

"No?"

"I didn't tell you to bring them, so why the hell did you bring them?"

"Why did you act on your own? Why add extra steps? You idiot!!!"

(The end of this chapter)