Chapter 1547: Gaining Fame at the Site Transmission, Remotely Shouting to Forgive the Common People

Even though constrained by the rules of the Shen Zhi Yiji, the power of Kongjian Ouyi remains beyond doubt.

Xu Xiaoshou performed successive spatial jumps, using Zhou Tianshen's position as an anchor point.

After just a few leaps, he arrived at the rear of a vast crowd.

"So many people?"

Compared to his own somewhat desolate initial landing spot, the outskirts of this dark forest were packed with thousands of Wangzuo cultivators. Among them were not a few Peak Taixu experts, who would be renowned figures in the outside world. Yet here in the Shen Zhi Yiji, they seemed utterly ordinary amid the throng.

Undoubtedly, where there were crowds, opportunities abounded.

"Run! It's that Dark Birth Forest!"

A sudden cry rang out from afar, the speaker's words slurred in panic.

Xu Xiaoshou hadn't had time to ask more. As his "perception" swept across the surroundings, he casually patted the shoulder of a blue-robed middle-aged man who was desperately trying to push forward.

"Hello..."

"Get lost!" The irritable man didn't even turn around, swinging a palm backward. "Don't block me from seizing the chance at the Shen Zhi Mingxing!"

Bang, bang, bang...

Blood sprayed everywhere.

His protective Lingqi shattered one after another.

Then, his severed arm was flung into the gray, murky sky.

"Ah—"

A heart-wrenching scream followed. The middle-aged man's face was etched with terror. "You... you..."

He could hardly believe it. His strike, infused with Zhan Dao Lingyuan, hadn't budged his opponent at all. The other man hadn't even moved, yet his three protective Xu Baozhu—each capable of withstanding a Taixu-level fatal attack—had shattered. His Sanpin Lingqi arm guard was destroyed, and his hand had been shaken off!

"Who are you?"

The middle-aged man shouted in shock. What kind of physical body was this... body techniques? Did he cultivate ancient martial arts? Was he one of those legendary Ten Zun Zuo Shen Yi?

"In this world today, are there still those who don't recognize me?"

Xu Xiaoshou's lips curved into a mischievous smile, revealing a hint of roguish charm.

How long had this guy been out of the loop?

The more the middle-aged man stared, the more familiar that defiant face seemed. Before he could figure it out...

His head jolted.

The man's eyes rolled back white, his tongue lolled out, and he convulsed before collapsing to the ground.

"Souling Reading!"

Indeed, in the Shen Zhi Yiji, everyone was fighting desperately for their own opportunities. Why bother with pleasantries?

Xu Xiaoshou realized he'd been too constrained by the etiquette of ancient Jianxiu, foolishly thinking he could be polite to these desperadoes.

What was the point of asking questions? He could just look for himself.

In a brief moment, he had scanned the man's entire life.

A mediocre Zhan Dao Lianlingshi who had survived seven out of nine Jiu Si Lei Jie tribulations, but hadn't dared to continue. Instead, he'd come to the Shen Zhi Yiji in search of opportunities.

He had plenty of treasures, though he'd used up many inside the ruins, so now he was just trailing the main group to pick off others.

But he didn't know much...

All he knew was that someone ahead named Zhou Tianshen had a large bag containing six Shen Zhi Mingxing, though he hadn't even seen what the bag looked like.

He'd chased Zhou Tianshen for two days and, while tailing the pursuit legion, had killed thirteen Lianlingshi and claimed countless spoils, including a spatial ring from an injured Taixu.

"Not bad."

Xu Xiaoshou chuckled wryly, stepping over the man's chest and moving forward. The latter dissolved into starlight fragments, expelled from the Ranming Site.

"Dead..."

"Dead?"

Several people nearby, who had been frantically trying to push ahead, caught a glimpse and turned pale.

A Zhan Dao expert!

In a single exchange!

They hadn't even exchanged two words or a glance before he was stomped to death?

"What the hell is going on?"

The scene grew chaotic. Those behind wanted to surge forward, while those ahead seemed frightened and tried to retreat, creating a clash of forces.

The few green-faced witnesses to the Zhan Dao's death were now trapped, unable to flee. They stared blankly at the young man, whose gaze seemed almost kindly.

"Not my business!"

"I don't know anything either!"

"Little brother, you look a bit familiar... Hiss, wait, you're—! Uh?"

Xu Xiaoshou glanced over with a smile, his eyes settling on the last speaker—a white-haired old man with streaks of black.

The waters were shallow with too many tortoises. How dare someone of his age, only at Wangzuo Daojing, come chasing Shen Zhi Mingxing opportunities?

Oh, right, no one dies here, so it was easy pickings...

With a quick sweep of his gaze, he activated Souling Reading.

Not a single one escaped. The green-faced individuals crumpled to the ground, but sadly, none yielded any useful information.

"No wonder they were trailing the main group."

Xu Xiaoshou looked ahead, where the shoving and chaos were deafening.

"Quiet!"

His roar, infused with Shengli, echoed in all directions.

Those in the air, on the ground, even underground... everything fell silent in an instant outside the Dark Birth Forest.

But only for a moment, before someone shouted again:

"Back up!"

"Don't crowd! There's chaos up front—dammit! I don't want to go in!"

"Son of a bitch, who's yelling from the back? All of you get lost, or die!"

"Under scorn, passive value +1."

Xu Xiaoshou raised an eyebrow. His "perception" locked onto a distant figure in the void—a Taixu expert cloaked in a large robe.

Indeed, compared to the worm-like masses below, this one exuded the arrogance of long-held power, with an air of utter dominance in his brow.

He probably knew more...

Without hesitation, Xu Xiaoshou gripped his Cang Ku sword and drew it in a flash.

A silver-white sword light shot skyward from the crowded mass, instantly shredding dozens of people around him.

"Damn!"

"Who's attacking?"

"Get out of the way—don't crowd... Ah—"

Those who could run fled; those who could fly took to the air. The rest, too slow to react, were inevitably torn apart by the sword intent laced within the Jianqi.

Compared to the Erdai Che Shen Nian, those Sanpin or Sipin protective Lingqi were as fragile as paper.

The Jianqi cleaved through the crowd like a river dividing waves, amid curses and screams, slicing toward the gray sky and the robed Taixu.

"What the—"

The Taixu waved his hand.

His Youlanse Leiting Taixu force transformed into a massive hand, aiming to crush the incoming Jianqi.

But upon contact...

"Sizzle!"

The lightning shattered like brittle clay.

The robed Taixu's hand hadn't even fully extended before horror flooded his face. His right arm, along with half his torso that couldn't twist away in time, was pierced and sent flying by the Jianqi.

"Ah—"

Blood sprayed across the sky.

Now, no one needed to call for quiet. Everyone who witnessed that sword and the Taixu's arrogant downfall fell silent.

"Hiss!"

"Who?"

"Who drew that sword? An ancient Jianxiu?"

Those ahead couldn't see the situation behind.

From the perspective of those at the back, the young man who had suddenly drawn his sword had already vanished in a blur.

"Who dares ambush me?!"

After his scream of pain, the robed Taixu angrily turned, only to feel a chill at the back of his head.

"Behind you."

The voice entered his ear. He spun in terror, his left arm exploding with Youlan Leiting as he unleashed a heavy strike without thinking:

"Jin · Duan Ting Zhi Shou!"

The lightning... broke.

His remaining left arm struck the intruder's chest, but it twisted oddly, the forearm grazing past his own right eye, the upper arm slamming into his own chest, then snapping and flying off in the opposite direction...

"Ah—"

The armless robed Taixu let out a agonized roar.

As his mouth gaped wide, dark lightning energy compressed in his throat.

"Die!"

His eyes burned with hatred.

In the Shen Zhi Yiji, regardless of consequences, when he was this battered, he'd be picked clean by others. So, he had to take someone down with him in death.

In that instant, before the energy could fire, the armless Taixu recognized the young face—it looked familiar, especially those deep eyes...

"Buzz!"

Souling Reading.

Zhou Tianshen, Dark Birth Forest, six Shen Zhi Mingxing, the large bag, the ambush, giving birth...

In a flash, everything became clear.

Xu Xiaoshou lowered his eyelids, shifting his gaze away to end the Souling Reading. He didn't even lift a hand...

"No—"

After that momentary daze, the uncontrolled energy erupted in his throat. The armless Taixu's face twisted in frantic panic, but he couldn't utter another word...

"Boom!"

Dark lightning swept across the sky for miles.

Starlight shattered, and his soul left the ruins.

Amid that terrifying roar, everyone's eardrums bulged and eyes reddened as they witnessed a Taixu go from two arms to one, to none, to his fall—all in an instant.

And his opponent hadn't moved a muscle.

"Holy shit!"

Centered on Xu Xiaoshou, the once impenetrable crowd outside the forest suddenly cleared, creating a ten-zhang safety radius out of nowhere.

In the Shen Zhi Yiji, where Zhan Dao cultivators were as common as dogs and Taixu walked everywhere, dying like a toy playing itself to pieces was just too much!

"What kind of powerhouse is this?"

"Shen Yi? But I heard Shen Yi is a big bald guy."

"His physical body... Wait, no, he's an ancient Jianxiu. That sword just now was clearly..."

As the dust settled, the black-clothed, black-sword, black-haired figure hovered high, head slightly bowed, showing only a side profile—calm and serene.

"Sheng Nu Shou Ye?!"

Someone shouted it first from the crowd.

Then, like sealed memories being pried open, everyone winced, their pupils trembling in pain.

"The Holy Slave Shou Ye—he's here?"

"Holy crap! I knew it—only someone with ancient Jian techniques, such a holy body, and Lianling Shengli could do this. So it's..."

"Wait, is Xu Xiaoshou this strong? Wasn't he nearly killed in Tiankong Zhi Cheng, only surviving by luck after taking Rao Yaoyao's head?"

"Huh?"

"Er..."

"This? Brother, you... Uh, good."

"What? Just say it!"

"What's going on? You tell me what's going on! Brother, do you really not know that Shou Ye tore apart the Shengdi Qilin single-handedly in Zhongyuan Jie?"

"This guy's news is ancient history. Shou Ye has already stormed Yujing Cheng. Right now, he's clearly fighting the Xuanji Dianzhu outside Yujing Cheng..."

"The Xuanji Dianzhu? What's that?"

"Uh, we're saying Dao Dianzhu has defected from Shengshan. Now it's Dao Xuanji in charge..."

"Huh?"

"Dao Xuanji is nothing—a pushover who's died twice. Shou Ye is actually fighting Jianxian Beibei right now!"

"Huh?"

"If Shou Ye is fighting Northern Jianxian, then who's this here?"

"One person can create a thousand avatars. Do you get the depth of that?"

"Under admiration, passive value +1886."

"Under speculation, passive value +3445."

"Under awe, passive value +4849."

No more calls for quiet were needed!

As the scene reached its peak, all voices faded, and everyone shivered while gazing at the figure standing high in the air—the epitome of ferocity.

He was clearly younger than everyone present.

Younger than their sons, their grandsons.

Yet there he stood, and the world had a focal point. All eyes unconsciously followed him.

Except for those venturing into the forest...

"The baby kicked me—it's kicking! Hehe."

"A heaven-sent blessing. I've been trying for thirty-six years and finally..."

"Shou Ye, behave yourself."

Xu Xiaoshou glanced sideways at Zhou Tianshen, surrounded by over a hundred pregnant men and women, his belly prominent and face beaming with maternal bliss. Finally, Xu Xiaoshou couldn't hold back, his lips twitching uncontrollably.

What's wrong with you!

Go ahead and have your baby!

But why do you want to have mine? Who am I in your eyes?

He never imagined that upon meeting again, his old Lingong companion would look like this—publicly pregnant?

Why does this feel so familiar?

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly recalled his own multiple public births... Uh, well, pregnancy isn't that big a deal, right?

"Who knows what's going on in this forest?"

Seeing Zhou Tianshen still soothing his baby and seemingly fine, Xu Xiaoshou pointed to the forest behind and asked the crowd below.

From the Souling Reading of that Leiting attribute Taixu, he hadn't gained much insight into the forest's strange power.

The only thing confirmed was...

Cross that gray boundary line, and you'd get pregnant!

"What a disgusting power. How could something like this appear in the Shen Zhi Yiji? Was Zhan Shen Guan Ranming a decent person?"

Xu Xiaoshou had clearly overestimated this group.

After he asked, not a single person responded.

Some, realizing Shou Ye had arrived and their chances at the Shen Zhi Mingxing were gone, shook their heads and turned to leave.

Want to leave?

Xu Xiaoshou raised his hand.

Whoosh, whoosh...

White flames erupted in a circle, enclosing the thousands present.

"This?"

The crowd below panicked.

The flames were low; anyone could jump over them.

But this was Chen Zhao White Flame—Shou Ye's power. Who dared act rashly?

"What are you doing, Shou Ye?"

"Finishing us off? We haven't done anything!"

"You can take the Shen Zhi Mingxing—we don't want to enter that Birth Forest anymore. Just remove the white flames..."

"You're right—I want the Shen Zhi Mingxing, so anyone who crosses the line dies." Xu Xiaoshou cut them off coldly. Seeing everyone quiet down, he continued, "I'll give you ten breaths. Just one question."

"Nian—who is it?"

This abrupt question left everyone baffled.

"Nian?"

"What Nian? Che Shen Nian?"

"Uh, on the Zushen Bang, there's one called Nian. He's in this area too. Are you looking for him, Shou Ye?"

Xu Xiaoshou was indeed looking for him.

This Nian was clever, probably relying on his ability to hide the Shen Zhi Mingxing by staying close to Zhou Tianshen.

Most likely, he'd disguised himself as one of the pursuit legion members, trying to fish in troubled waters.

Unfortunately, the Zushen Bang only gave a rough location. Earlier, it couldn't even pinpoint Zhou Tianshen himself, so he'd had to follow the crowd's flow.

Now, with Nian hidden and formless, he was even harder to lock onto.

The only certainty was...

Xu Xiaoshou glanced at the Zushen Bang again, focusing on that name.

Light descended from the sky, scattering across several dozen li.

Nian was here!

His strategy was all about surprise attacks. Even Dao Qiong Cang might not defend against this, let alone a mere Nian.

"...Three."

As he counted down, the crowd grew anxious, but no one stepped forward.

Xu Xiaoshou smiled. "If no one claims the identity, I'll kill everyone here. I don't believe the Shen Zhi Mingxing will leave with you when you're gone."

At these words, everyone panicked.

Some tried to flee swiftly, attempting to escape through the flames, but as soon as one crossed the white flame boundary...

Bang!

Xu Xiaoshou pointed a finger from afar in ten segments.

Jian Nian exploded his head, and the man dissolved into starlight, exiting the site.

"This should be your scapegoat? I'm not bothering to investigate... Two." Xu Xiaoshou kept counting.

"I'm Nian!" Suddenly, a man in his late twenties stood up.

Xu Xiaoshou pointed his finger, and starlight shattered again.

"Can't even withstand one finger? How did you become the head of the dark department and protect the Shen Zhi Mingxing for so long? One!" As Xu Xiaoshou's voice fell, his eyes curved into a smile. "Alright, everyone, please die..."

"Shen Zhi Mingxing!"

From somewhere on the right, a cry erupted. "Whose Shen Zhi Mingxing dropped?"

Everyone turned to look.

That head-sized, seven-colored, multifaceted crystal lay quietly on the ground.

An ancestral god opportunity, right before their eyes!

The treasure they'd pursued for days was here!

No one rushed forward. No one dared to pick up that gem and hold it.

"Under scrutiny, passive value +5442."

Facing the gazes filled with resentment or curses, Xu Xiaoshou looked back. His "perception" traced back, but he couldn't detect who had dropped the Shen Zhi Mingxing.

He was surprised.

What kind of method could evade even him? This had to be the Shengdi's "Forgotten Power," right?

Xu Xiaoshou didn't believe it. He waved his hand, attempting to rewind space...

Kongjian Ouyi.

Seeing is believing.

But his movement halted abruptly, and the spatial mirror that had half-formed vanished.

"Forget it."

The other had cut ties like a lizard shedding its tail, just to survive. Why push it further?

Xu Xiaoshou smiled, stepping into the air to appear beside the Shen Zhi Mingxing. With a wave of Lingyuan in his hand:

"Go back, or have someone go back and tell Ai Cangsheng..."

"This is 'One'."

He grasped the crystal gem, the size of a head, lifting it to his chest for a close look, then smiled.

"One represents the beginning, symbolizing infinite possibilities."

"Tell Ai Cangsheng that if he leaves Shengshan now, I'll forgive his past sins... After all, who among us is without fault?"