Chapter 1548: Sang Lao's Cunning Scheme Departs, Storm Quietly Brews in the Forest

"Report—"

Construction on the Sheng Huan Dian had just begun, and already, things were spiraling into chaos.

Ai Cangsheng, surrounded by bare walls, realized he had made a grave mistake.

With the Dao family siblings gone, all matters in the Wu Yu that required a "Dian Zhu" to decide had piled up on his head.

One really shouldn't act on impulse.

Even if Dao Xuanji was foolish, she was a Tian Ji Shu Shi, and her mind was perfectly suited for handling these affairs.

Her existence had value.

At this moment, Ai Cangsheng desperately wanted to drag out Dao Xuanji's last incarnation. There should be one left, right?

But like her brother, after suffering such a miserable fate, she hadn't shown her face again, as if she were truly dead.

"Speak."

After his thoughts wandered for a moment, Ai Cangsheng snapped back and looked at Xi, then added, "Dao Qiong Cang still hasn't been found?" This was the first order he had issued since taking office.

"...No."

"What about Dao Xuanji?"

"We haven't found her either."

Ai Cangsheng fell silent. What an elusive pair of siblings. He simply waved his hand. "Speak."

Xi paused, his expression turning serious as he cupped his hands and said:

"Reporting to Lord Cangsheng, news from the ruins!"

"Xu Xiaoshou has obtained the first Shen Zhi Ming Xing, belonging to the Dark Department Chief Seat Nian, who hasn't been exposed... probably."

"He's quick," Ai Cangsheng murmured quietly to himself.

Unlike the previous two Dian Zhus, he had personally experienced the Ran Ming Yi Zhi, so he understood the situation there more concretely from his own encounters than from intelligence reports.

The Zu Shen Bang had only a few people on it before he left, and Xu Xiaoshou would have to search to gather eighteen Shen Zhi Ming Xings—it would take time and effort.

Given his temperament, snatching them was the fastest and most suitable way.

But in reality, besides the Shen Zhi Ming Xings from Sheng Nu's Wu Xiu and the woodcutter, the one from Nian was the only one he could get.

Xi's report was as expected.

That added up to just four.

Zhou Tian Can was his friend, but those six... Ai Cangsheng offered no comment.

Even if he were still in the Shen Zhi Yi Ji, he wouldn't touch those six Shen Zhi Ming Xings—they were like hot potatoes.

Besides, Yue Gong Li was no fool!

"Anything else?"

Seeing that Xi wasn't leaving, Ai Cangsheng frowned.

"There is..."

"Speak."

Xi hesitated for a moment but had no choice but to say, "Xu Xiaoshou sent a message through someone to you. The original words are 'One, indicating the beginning, representing infinite possibilities'..."

The first Shen Zhi Ming Xing?

Was he trying to tell me that one leads to two, and soon he'll gather eighteen to claim the Zu Shen Ming Ge?

Ai Cangsheng shook his head silently and asked the key point: "Who delivered the message?"

Did Xu Xiaoshou still have people on Sheng Shan?

He was willing to expose an agent just to pass on this cryptic, ambiguous Qiong Cang-style message?

"He..." Xi knew Lord Cangsheng had misunderstood, so he opened his mouth and said, "He shouted it publicly."

Ai Cangsheng immediately pictured that face and followed up, "And then?"

"That's all, just that one line."

"If he shouted it publicly, half of it was for me, and the other half for the world, so there must be more."

Xi was shocked.

How do you know Xu Xiaoshou so well, even better than the Yi Bu?

But Ai Cangsheng seemed to have heard his unspoken thoughts, gazing heavily at the sky as he said:

"Dao Qiong Cang mentioned more than once that one day, Xu Xiaoshou would become a great enemy of Sheng Shan..."

Xi suddenly understood.

So, the former Dian Zhu had mentioned it?

Of course, they must have discussed the world's talents during their casual chats in Sheng Huan Dian, but...

Xi was a bit puzzled.

Since Dao Dian Zhu had foreseen the future, why didn't he nip the risk in the bud? He was a master of divine calculations!

But Xi absolutely dared not ask that out loud.

The underlings shouldn't know too much.

And just as Xi had kept his question hidden, Ai Cangsheng also left half his words unsaid.

Back then...

Every time Dao Qiong Cang brought up Xu Xiaoshou, he would always add:

"Since you've already shot one arrow, why not add a few more? He's a prodigy!"

"...He's become a Zong Shi!"

"...Oh, the Sword Dao Wang Zuo."

"...He's at Ban Sheng level now."

"...This Xu Gusheng, I see he's just like Xu Xiaoshou—why not shoot another arrow?"

Whenever that happened, Ai Cangsheng always thought Dao Qiong Cang was mocking him, laughing at that arrow he shot in the Ba Gong.

Now...

Looking back, the person was gone, and the tea had gone cold.

The entire Sheng Huan Dian was empty, and rumor had it that Xu Xiaoshou's Gui Shou transformation was something Dao Qiong Cang had orchestrated!

Sometimes, Ai Cangsheng truly couldn't understand.

The Dao Qiong Cang he had known for decades—was that really Dao Qiong Cang?

Thinking back carefully, right here, in this very Sheng Huan Dian, he had casually joked and asked Dao Qiong Cang:

"Are you a Sheng Nu?"

It was just a joke.

But Ai Cangsheng had forgotten what Dao Qiong Cang's response was back then.

Now, in retrospect, he really seemed like a Sheng Nu follower, protecting and guiding Xu Xiaoshou's growth from start to finish!

Snapping back to Xu Xiaoshou, Ai Cangsheng looked at Xi and tilted his face slightly.

"Uh, Lord Cangsheng sees all, Xu Xiaoshou did have a second half. He said..." Xi looked troubled and chose his words carefully, "As long as you leave Gui Zhe Sheng Shan, he'll let bygones be bygones..."

"Bygones be bygones" was probably a softened version—Ai Cangsheng knew the original words must have been ten times harsher.

But he understood the meaning.

Ai Cangsheng said calmly, "Xu Xiaoshou thinks he can scare me away, and you think I'll leave Gui Zhe Sheng Shan, so you didn't dare say it straight?"

Thump!

Xi's heart skipped a beat.

Oh no, this was a loaded question!

How did Emperor Cangsheng pick up this habit? Did he learn it from Dao Dian Zhu?

He had clearly misunderstood Ai Cangsheng.

Ai Cangsheng wasn't one for riddles. As soon as he spoke, his gaze shifted to the distant sky, flickering as he murmured to himself:

"When Sheng Nu rises, the world falls into chaos."

"Their Dao is destined to oppose mine; there will be a final battle."

After a moment of shock, Xi lowered his head solemnly.

He wasn't sure if he understood correctly, but it seemed...

Lord Cangsheng was only discussing principles, and his words implied no intention to defend Sheng Shan to the death?

In the Shen Zhi Yi Ji, the Jin Zhao Fire Sea.

The Long Rong Jie, which had sealed off the sky, seemed to declare to the outside world that this volcanic area was under its control.

Outsiders, seeing the Jin Zhao white flames, wouldn't dare approach.

No one knew how many people were hidden inside the fire sea.

"Listen up, newcomers. There are only two ways to claim a Shen Zhi Ming Xing."

"First, blood recognition—no need to explain that."

"Second, hold it for more than ten breaths, and it changes from unclaimed to claimed."

"Remember this exception: if the holder dies, the Shen Zhi Ming Xing reverts from claimed to unclaimed."

"So, some of you watch the Zu Shen Bang and report any changes immediately; others count off in groups, switch every five breaths, don't hold it too long, and remind each other."

"And..."

The pattern on his left hand trembled slightly.

Sang Lao hadn't finished speaking when his eyes lifted, like an awakened fierce lion.

He quickly threw the Shen Zhi Ming Xing in his hand onto the unconscious Wang Zuo in front of him, smeared it with his blood, and kicked him to death.

On the other side, he seized another Shen Zhi Ming Xing being passed around in the crowd and swiftly added his own blood to it.

Everything was done in an instant.

Only then did the vibration in his left palm subside.

Without a word, a serious-faced person stepped forward, picked up the unclaimed Shen Zhi Ming Xing from the ground, and added it to the five-breath passing assembly. He took over the explanation, sharing Fen Qin's research findings with the newcomers.

"And remember, what just happened is a special case..."

"If your left palm pattern vibrates, it means the Zu Shen Bang has changed, but the vibration is faint—you might not notice it in battle, so stay extra alert..."

The hidden rules of the Shen Zhi Yi Ji had long been deciphered through repeated tests by intelligence workers.

Sang Lao let out a slight breath, ignoring the group as he flipped open his charred left palm, displaying the Zu Shen Bang:

"Six, Sang Qiye, one."

"Seven, Xu Xiaoshou, one."

Still dressed in his tattered white prison clothes, which he hadn't bothered to change, Sang Lao stared at the new name on the Zu Shen Bang and froze for a moment, then his lips curled into a smile.

Finally, he's here!

"Buzz!"

Cen Qiaofu flipped open his left palm, glanced at the updated list, and turned his head. "Nian is out."

"Xu Xiaoshou is here; he took Nian's Shen Zhi Ming Xing."

Shui Gui, pinching the half-golden beast mask on his face, nodded upon hearing this and stared thoughtfully at the list in his hand. "I have eyes..."

Cen Qiaofu didn't bother arguing, puzzled as he said, "We've had bad luck, sure, but we've only gotten two Shen Zhi Ming Xings in all this time. How come the others haven't moved much... Wait, they haven't moved at all!"

Shui Gui smiled. "What you see isn't necessarily true."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's move on; it's hard to explain."

"How many do we have?"

"Reporting to Lord Li, including the one in your hand and this new one, we have nine."

"Oh? With ten, we can summon the 'Wheel of Reincarnation Heavenly Pillar' and directly ascend to the upper realm, the Eighteen Heavens. There should be Shen Zhi Ming Xings there..."

"What about Zhou Tian Can's six..."

"It's time to close the net, to avoid complications... Let's go find Nian; she's still watching people, and since she hasn't sent a message, it's probably fine."

"Congratulations, Lord Li! Nine, plus Nian's one, and Zhou Tian Can's six... After ascending to the Eighteen Heavens, we only need two more Shen Zhi Ming Xings to get the Zu Shen Ming Ge!"

"Yes, we'll be the first to ascend to the Eighteen Heavens. Everything there—the Shen Zhi Ming Xings, the resources—will all be ours. We'll move it all into Han Gong Di Jing, ha ha! Congratulations, Lord Li; felicitations, Lord Li!"

"Speak too soon."

Although Yue Gong Li said that, his narrow fox eyes had narrowed into slits, and his fair face was overflowing with a smile like water.

What about Ai Cangsheng?

What about the gods?

While the snipe and clam fight, the fisherman profits.

The Shen Zhi Yi Ji isn't a game for those ten Zun with heavy karma, nor for those reckless fools.

To claim the Zu Shen Ming Ge, you need brains, wisdom, strategy!

And when it comes to strategy...

With that flashy old Daoist gone, who's in the entire Shen Zhi Yi Ji that can match me?

Yue Gong Li flicked the red robe in his hand and waved with a face full of spring breeze: "Let's go! Follow me, and you'll eat well and drink—"

The group of over thirty shook their left hands in unison.

Yue Gong Li's smile froze, a sense of unease rising in his heart as he hurriedly flipped open his left palm.

Before the Zu Shen Bang even appeared, someone behind him shouted:

"Lord Li, Chief Seat Nian has sent a message!"

No way... Yue Gong Li's mouth slightly agape, he didn't even check Nian's message and directly opened the Zu Shen Bang.

The rankings shifted.

The sixth row under "Nian" vanished!

The name "Wu Xiu" in seventh place flickered, as if disappearing for a split second, but actually moved up a spot.

Then, a new name appeared:

"Seven, Xu Xiaoshou, one."

Yue Gong Li's face turned green on the spot.

This troublemaker has entered the Shen Zhi Yi Ji?

Right on his debut, he took out my Nian and swallowed my bait in one gulp?

"Lord Li!"

Shouts came from behind. The analysis team had just finished their assessment and rushed to Yue Gong Li, but seeing his expression, they realized no analysis was needed. They directly asked:

"Go after him?"

"Or not?"

This was a dilemma...

Yue Gong Li's head started to ache.

If it were someone else on the list who bit the bait, how perfect!

It would drag everything into chaos—Huang Quan could come, and he had the ability to shift Zhou Tian Can's Shen Zhi Ming Xings onto that guy.

Then, mobilize the others—Sheng Nu, Xu Yue Hui Gong, and so on—to nibble away at them.

Vice versa.

But it was Xu Xiaoshou...

This troublemaker might cause chaos, but his connections with the factions were too delicate!

He was originally from Sheng Nu—no need to elaborate.

On Xu Kong Island, he cooperated with Yan Wang's Tian Ren Wu Sui, so his ties with Huang Quan were clearly deep.

From external intelligence, he even made a contract with Tan Shen in Yu Jing City, and Bai Zhou Gong Zhu might hand over his three Shen Zhi Ming Xings on a silver platter...

One thing led to another.

Besides his own, Xu Xiaoshou could seemingly gather a lot of Shen Zhi Ming Xings shortly after entering.

And his first choice, unluckily, was Nian, right next to a Zhou Tian Can...

"No!"

"It's not a coincidence!"

Yue Gong Li suddenly woke up.

Anyone who still saw Xu Xiaoshou as a big fool was the real idiot.

This guy might have been plotting the Shen Zhi Yi Ji's treasures even while fighting Dao Xuanji outside...

Even timing his entry at this exact moment might not be a coincidence!

Yue Gong Li calculated: He was just one Shen Zhi Ming Xing short of ten, enough to ascend.

Xu Xiaoshou, gathering from everyone, was probably about the same!

Now...

It was a race against time!

Nian's, including Zhou Tian Can's, absolutely couldn't fall into his hands... Yue Gong Li suddenly turned back to everyone behind him:

"Go after him immediately!"

In the Hei An Sheng Lin.

"Is this the Shen Zhi Ming Xing?"

Xu Xiaoshou examined the head-sized multi-faceted crystal in his hand, feeling the abundant neutral Zu Yuan force inside, and was greatly surprised.

What on earth?

Purified Zu Yuan force—how powerful was Ran Ming?

If he bit into it and absorbed it... Xu Xiaoshou's eyes darted, and he formed his sword fingers, stabbing fiercely at the Shen Zhi Ming Xing in his hand.

"Don't!"

"Master Xu, don't!"

Several voices of schadenfreude mixed with urgency rang out around him.

Brilliant divine light burst from the Shen Zhi Ming Xing.

Xu Xiaoshou's sword fingers were shaken off, his body jolted violently, and he staggered back half a step.

But the head-sized Shen Zhi Ming Xing shot upward like it had been launched, fleeing at a terrifying speed.

Whoosh...

Xu Xiaoshou quickly waved his hand, shooting out spiritual threads through space to pull back the fleeing Shen Zhi Ming Xing.

It didn't break—that was fine...

This thing was even intact!

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned. What material was this, so exaggerated? Stronger than his own body?

"Damn..."

He was shocked by the Shen Zhi Ming Xing.

But the people around him were all scared stiff by this Master Xu.

Earlier, someone had been curious about the Shen Zhi Ming Xing, and Zhou Tian Can had even tested it publicly.

Besides sucking out its power, any attack on it—depending on the strength—either injured or killed the attacker.

Master Xu stabbing with his sword fingers, infused with such terrifying sword intent...

And he only lost two fingers and stepped back half a pace, while the Shen Zhi Ming Xing itself fled in fright?

"The Ran Ming Yi Zhi is about to change..." someone murmured in a daze.

Xu Xiaoshou put away the Shen Zhi Ming Xing, no longer acting rashly. Feeling a vibration in his palm, he opened the Zu Shen Bang, confirmed it, and put it away.

Good.

Freshly arrived, he jumped to seventh on the board—low-key, just letting everyone know...

I'm here!

Come and pay your respects!

"The Hei An Sheng Lin..."

Soon, his gaze returned to this strangely named forest, landing on Zhou Tian Can's increasingly exaggerated belly.

The latter hadn't woken up yet.

Surrounded by a crowd of "pregnant" men and women, that large sack on the ground still glowed with the Shen Zhi Ming Xing's dazzling light, captivating.

Xu Xiaoshou hesitated, feeling a bit apprehensive, but still stepped forward to the gray border.

He'd come this far—what's having a child?

Dao Qiong Cang and Dao Xuanji couldn't stop me; Bei Huai Cangsheng couldn't stop me. Could a Sheng Lin and a child stop me?

"He's coming!"

"Is Master Xu going to charge into this Sheng Lin too?"

"The rest I don't feel much about, and I don't know what chopping Dao Xuanji means, but knowing the power of this Sheng Lin and still choosing to touch it..."

"I can only say, true man, true warrior!"

The warrior Xu Xiaoshou stepped into the Dark Birth Forest with one foot.

Invisible ripples spread at that moment, and the Life Dao Disk unfolded on its own. Xu Xiaoshou's pupils contracted as a warm current surged into his mind...

"Holy shit?!"