Chapter 1566: Holy Slave Wears a Hat on Top, The Five Great Villains Are All Silent

“Gah—”

Dead silence!

Utter dead silence!

It was as if everyone could hear that faint, ethereal caw echoing from the distant sky.

Fen Qin, Sheng Nu, Tian Sang Ling Gong Sang Qiye...

This once-renowned titan of the Five Domains, who had been both revered and reviled by millions, was now in such a pitiful state that he didn't even have a single straw sandal to cover himself.

His filthy, charred toes were exposed bare to the gaze of the multitude, digging desperately into the ground.

His body jerked like he'd been electrocuted, trembling uncontrollably.

His silence was deafening.

The world suddenly turned gray and meaningless, as Sang Qiye's dazed eyes swept unthinkingly over the crowd around him...

So many people!

Really, so many people!

Never before had Sang Qiye felt that Shen Zhi Yi Ji was so crowded, as if it were packed with billions of humans.

Every face was suppressing a laugh, and every look directed at him was filled with mockery.

So noisy!

And never before had Sang Qiye realized that a dead-silent world could be so chaotic:

The sound of boots scraping over the ground's grit...

The rustle of clothes as fingers clenched tightly...

Breaths, sniffs, and shoulders shaking uncontrollably...

Even the distant booms from the battlefield seemed to target his soul deliberately, more precise than claiming godhood or ancestral status.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

Like heavy hammers, one after another, rhythmically pounding his wounded heart into a pulp.

But oh, what bliss it would be to just rot away and die right now!

When Sang Qiye came to his senses, he found himself still alive, his body robust—stronger than everyone present except Xu Xiaoshou.

“Ugh...”

He finally let out a guttural sound, neither a sigh nor anything else coherent.

—Some people are alive, but already dead.

“I...”

His lips twitched.

It takes the one who tied the bell to untie it.

Sang Qiye was a man of great experience; he knew the only way to break this awkward standoff was to speak up himself.

Rely on Xu Xiaoshou?

Even if the sky fell, he'd wait until everyone else was dead before lifting a finger!

And that finger would likely just add more mockery, making things worse.

Yet, the man who once boiled cranes in Fen Qin and commanded the eight directions with a wave of his sleeve in Sheng Nu truly had no idea how to turn the situation around now.

His mind raced through countless possibilities, but it all boiled down to Xu Xiaoshou, or “calling him Master.”

“You?”

Xu Xiaoshou repeated, smiling as he looked at the humbled Sang Qiye, refusing to offer even a scrap of dignity, pushing him toward desperation.

“You might want to stop digging with your toes—looks like you've carved out a three-room apartment already.”

Whoosh...

All eyes followed Xu Xiaoshou's chin and gaze to those toes, now beyond embarrassment.

Silence.

Still silence.

A silence that flayed alive, a silence that cut a thousand times—this was far worse than a quick beheading!

Sang Qiye's whole body shuddered violently, his charred toes curling up like mimosa leaves touched, desperate to retract into his bones.

“You!”

He lifted his head, glaring at the traitor.

A thousand shocks and embarrassments exploded into endless malice.

His killing intent could no longer be contained; this blackened wretch was like a beast buried in the soil, leaping up for a final counterattack, yearning to slaughter everyone who had witnessed this.

But he couldn't kill them all...

Shui Gui, Cen Qiaofu—they were all here, and untouchable.

This incident had become an indelible nail, pinning Sang Qiye firmly to the pillar of shame!

“I?”

I! Xu Xiaoshou!

Do you think I'll fear you?

Xu Xiaoshou tossed aside all caution, advancing instead of retreating, his tone light:

“And I, your newly sworn master, Xu Xiaoshou, Sang Qiye.”

Hiss...

The entire crowd sucked in a breath.

Even Shui Gui and Yue Gong Li instinctively stepped back.

Compared to the pink-and-purple striped underwear, Sang Qiye was already beyond saving—what did it matter now? Shui Gui thought.

Compared to being gutted in public and shamed across the Five Domains, I just need to expose the Sheng Nu incident; it's not more outrageous than mine, maybe even on par, leading to mutual destruction... Yue Gong Li had already devised a counterplan: if I can't handle Xu Xiaoshou, I'll go after his master.

“Too ruthless!”

Some onlookers were already backing away.

Xu Xiaoshou wasn't just ruthless; he was a wolf, far beyond that.

He was like holding someone in his arms, hands under their knees, roasting them over a blazing furnace, forcing them to expose their most shameful parts while also letting loose something even more humiliating in front of the world.

That might be fine for a child!

But this was a full-grown, “famous” adult!

This was more heart-wrenching than murder; even a tiger doesn't eat its cubs, and he's your... uh, master—how could you go this far?

He could.

To Xu Xiaoshou, Sang Qiye was mentor and friend, comrade and foe.

It was this man who dragged him into the dirty schemes of the Ling Lian world and personally opened the most mysterious doors of the new realm.

He deserved thanks.

But it was all forced!

So, resentment was due.

Yet, he had provided full protection from behind!

So, forgiveness was possible.

But he laid down death traps time and again, leaving no buffer!

So, hatred was justified.

But he used his own body as a shield, blocking arrows for him...

Human emotions are complex.

Now, Xu Xiaoshou finally understood what that meant.

Because he couldn't clearly define his feelings for Sang Qiye or what kind of relationship they should maintain.

It wasn't something a single word could sum up.

He only knew that overly complicated matters didn't need deep analysis.

He'd always held a grudge against Sang Qiye for the sudden Jin Zhao fire seed.

He'd tried many revenges: fire seed up the nose, blowing up Ling Cang Ge, fists and verbal barbs...

But it wasn't enough.

Far from enough.

Like a lingering irritation in his heart, unremoved, leaving him unsatisfied.

But today...

“Awesome!”

Xu Xiaoshou kept a calm facade, but inside, fireworks were exploding.

So awesome!

Never had life felt this exhilarating!

Even multiple corpse explosions on Dao Xuanji didn't compare to publicly humiliating Sang Qiye.

Of course, master is master, disciple is disciple.

But there's a special dynamic: in a solid brotherhood, if possible, I'd love to hear you call me “dad” out loud.

Same goes for master and disciple.

“Call me!”

Xu Xiaoshou thought of this, his lips curving into a grin. “Call me master, Sang Qiye—what are you waiting for?”

He knew getting Sang Qiye to call him master was impossible.

But that didn't stop him from holding it over him, ensuring this old man woke from nightmares in cold sweats forever, with this little tail in his grasp, squeezing to the limit:

“A real man stands by his word; if you won't call me master, ‘Yifu’ works too.”

Was he killing like this?

At those words, even Shui Gui bolted away.

Sure enough, Sang Qiye tensed like a volcano about to erupt, his brows furrowing as he prepared to leap up.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't back down; he pulled out a recording pearl, laughing while retreating:

“Will you call or not!”

“Will you call or not!”

“You can't kill me, Sang Qiye—today, you'll have to shout it out for this to end. I've already recorded everything...”

Sang Qiye's head buzzed, his momentum halted as he watched the crowd scatter like birds and beasts, his vision swimming.

He considered himself a low-key person.

He could hide identities like Fen Qin and Sheng Nu from his close brothers in the Sheng Gong Four. His endurance was evident.

He'd only meant for this reunion to be a small show of grandeur, a big surprise for Xu Xiaoshou.

Yet, he never imagined...

One outward display might lead to a lifetime of regret.

“Boom!”

A distant explosion rang out.

Sang Qiye shook his head fiercely, trying to clear it.

“Huff...”

He let out a long breath, realizing he couldn't let Xu Xiaoshou lead him anymore.

If he didn't get past this, he'd never escape it.

“Xu Xiaoshou, come here—I have serious business to discuss with you.” Sang Qiye gritted his teeth and beckoned, ignoring the odd stares around him.

What else could he do?

Besides ignoring it and thickening his skin, was there a better solution?

He couldn't just stamp his foot and storm off—that would be too delicate, too cheap. If he were an ordinary Taixu, maybe, but who was he? He was Sheng Nu with...

Ha, he was nothing now, thanks to this damned traitor... Huff, tolerance, magnanimity... Sang Qiye, hold on. This isn't the first time; you can do it. It might just be...

Ha, probably not the last either! Sang Qiye gazed blankly at the sky, feeling a sting in his nose, laughing through tears.

What sin did I commit to take on this traitor?

Oh, I did, and plenty.

I deserve it!

“Pfft!”

In the distance, Cen Qiaofu, catching Sang Qiye's pleading glance, finally burst out laughing and dared to approach this terrifying master-disciple pair.

He had no intention of aiding his old chess rival.

Provoke Xu Xiaoshou?

He was doing well not dragging others into it.

Stepping in to share the heat would be thankless and messy.

“Come on, everyone, gather round!”

But as a mediator, Cen Qiaofu felt qualified—he was old enough to play that card.

He waved at Shui Gui and Xu Xiaoshou:

“The master or foster father thing is important! Very important!”

First, he affirmed that—among men, nothing was bigger than this—then Cen Qiaofu continued: “But don't forget, Shen Yi is still fighting that evil tree. We don't have time to just watch and wait.”

What a sly old man; I'll remember you.

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't fault those words.

He wanted to keep pressing Sang Qiye, but priorities mattered.

Sang Qiye wouldn't show up out of nowhere just to slap his own face; he must have brought something important.

“Yue Gong Li is gone.”

Shui Gui approached with a frown, scanning around before casually changing the subject in a roundabout way.

Xu Xiaoshou just chuckled.

Nice try with the pink-and-purple striped underwear; did you think I wouldn't notice that gutted guy ran off?

Your topic shift is clumsy; you're on my list too!

Today, anyone helping Sang Qiye is getting noted.

“That fox isn't that important anymore. Killing him is hard, and wearing him down takes too much time. We just need to know what he's up to and stop it... Come here.”

Sang Qiye said righteously, not mentioning the earlier shame, and waved to summon his trembling Fen Qin subordinates.

From the back, people were still passing the Shen Zhi Ming Xing, openly as if they were from Sheng Shen Hall, fearing no Ling Lian master in their way.

In truth, there was no point in hiding.

This place held half of Sheng Nu's forces; even Sheng Shen Hall would have to bow. They could call black white, and who would object?

The only worry for the Fen Qin crew was whether their boss would take out his embarrassment on them.

Clearly, years apart only let good memories settle—they overestimated Fen Qin's generosity.

Sang Qiye didn't blame them.

He just took in those faces, mentally preparing some tight shoes for them later...

But on second thought, he let it go.

In life, what storms can't you face? Today was bad; would tomorrow be worse?

Think positively: giving others leverage means their future moves against me are predictable.

Just steer clear of them.

The world doesn't revolve around me; good times and scenery are everywhere in the mountains.

So, don't let bad moods ruin you—tolerance and magnanimity are the true ways to live.

“Don't drive these people to Xu Xiaoshou's side; there really is another worthy leader...” In reality, Sang Qiye frowned in thought.

Once everyone was gathered, Xu Xiaoshou reluctantly shuffled over, and Sang Qiye waved grandly, smiling without flattery:

“Here are six Shen Zhi Ming Xing; consider it a meeting gift from me.”

As your master?

Xu Xiaoshou tsked inwardly: Why not call yourself “master” and give me an opening?

Six?

Cen Qiaofu raised his brows at the sight, glancing uneasily at his own bag, which was only a third as full, then at Shui Gui, his eyes shifting: How does he have six?

Shui Gui gave him a blank look: Six is nothing.

Cen Qiaofu twitched: You're not calling yourself weak, are you? We fought side by side and only got two!

Shui Gui snorted softly: Sorry, don't count me; I'm just a bystander dragged in. I have no such desires.

Cen Qiaofu smacked his lips, thinking these underworld types lived pointlessly, full of schemes, before turning to his old chess rival Sang Qiye with forced praise:

“Wow, six— that's a lot.”

Xu Xiaoshou chuckled, eyeing the Shen Zhi Ming Xing passed from Sang Qiye's people, and praised:

“Wow, six—just one less than my seven.”

Is that it?

Is that your way of brushing this off, Sang Qiye?

Dream on; it's master or foster father—pick one!

Sang Qiye caught the sarcasm in his traitorous disciple's tone and glared at Cen Qiaofu: “What about yours?”

Mine's mine; I have talent too and want an ancestral god fate— Cen Qiaofu pouted but pulled out the Shen Zhi Ming Xing and handed it to Xu Xiaoshou: “For you.”

“Ah, thanks, Cen Qiaofu; I'll remember this favor and repay it handsomely someday!” Xu Xiaoshou bowed sincerely.

You! Sang Qiye opened his mouth, his lips twitching, but said nothing.

Cen Qiaofu tilted his head slightly, shrugging imperceptibly, his eyes saying: What can I do? Your disciple's too sharp; I wanted to give it to you, but he won't accept it!

Sang Qiye gritted his teeth: Couldn't you have given it to me first, so I could pass it on?

Cen Qiaofu: Why didn't you say so earlier!

What's going on here... Xu Xiaoshou's suspicious gaze darted between these Sheng Nu elders, and he couldn't hold back: “Do you guys have your own encrypted language?”

Shui Gui inhaled sharply and stepped back, exiting the silent battlefield.

Good thing I kept my distance from this kid.

“Huh? Language? What language?” Cen Qiaofu scratched his head in confusion, about to whistle at Sang Qiye but was glared down, so he pulled out his little axe and started fiddling with it.

You're so busy... Xu Xiaoshou was speechless, not bothering to decode their code, and after taking the items, he said bluntly:

“Not enough.”

Counting his seven, Sang Qiye's six, and Cen Qiaofu's two, that made fifteen Shen Zhi Ming Xing total.

Still three short of the Zu Shen Ming Ge.

Sang Qiye knew exactly what his disciple meant by “not enough,” and after some internal grumbling, he played dumb: “Bai Zhuo Gong Zhu has three more.”

Whoosh...

Instantly, all eyes turned to the purple-haired beauty still standing there, waiting for a miracle or perhaps a divine sign.

Bai Zhuo Gong Zhu?

Only now did everyone realize this was the one from the Ancestral God Rankings, the leader of Xu Yue Hui Gong.

But...

Wasn't he supposed to be a man?

Under the spotlight, Bai Zhuo tipped his wine gourd, chugged a mouthful, planted a leg on a large rock, and belched.

“Burp...”

Then he shook twice and poured three Shen Zhi Ming Xing from the gourd:

“You saved my life, and I'm grateful.”

“But I won't just hand over these three Shen Zhi Ming Xing.”

Sang Qiye stepped forward, about to speak.

Bai Zhuo Gong Zhu shook his head, his face flushed, clearly drunk but sharp-minded:

“Don't talk to me about life or death, or the value of a few stars. That's your problem—if you're dead, you have nothing.”

“We're all smart here; you know what I mean, especially you, Xu Xiaoshou... Burp, I want you!”

You want me?

Are you truly sober or faking it?

Do you know what happened to the last woman who said that? She's in our Tian Shang First Tower now!

Xu Xiaoshou was about to respond and discuss cooperation.

But Sang Qiye shifted sideways, blocking him, his expression cold as he stared at the purple-haired beauty:

“Cooperation isn't negotiated like this.”

“Monopolizing goods isn't done this way either.”

Xu Xiaoshou snapped to attention.

Right, cooperation is based on equal footing.

Now, you're weak, we're strong; you have few, we have many; your greedy god lives in our house—who needs to cooperate?

In an unequal setup, rushing to talk equality is self-deprecation, not respect.

To others, it's just a lamb—ready for slaughter!

His mindset shifted.

Looking at this once-famous Xu Yue Hui Gong leader, Xu Xiaoshou's eyes changed.

He was about to speak, but seeing Sang Qiye in front, he paused with a smirk and chose to stay silent.

Who is he?

The renowned Fen Qin boss!

Before, I had no choice but to navigate the scheming Jiang Hu and deal with these old foxes.

Now, I have someone in front!

We can argue among ourselves, but we'll unite against enemies!

He can shut down everyone's thoughts and mouths with one line; why should I bother?

Just lie back!

Glancing sidelong...

Shui Gui stood aside, stroking his wet hair and adjusting his half-golden mask, acting like it was none of his business.

Another glance...

Cen Qiaofu toyed boredly with his little axe, eyes vacant, staring into space, probably thinking: What feast should I have after leaving the site?

So skilled!

They were pros at lying low!

Living more comfortably than this overworked schemer by miles!

Xu Xiaoshou finally realized what he'd been missing all along.

Experience!

Why should I plot everything?

Why master everything—fighting, scheming, planning, cultivation, all maxed out?

I just need to delegate: give the brainwork to Sang Qiye and Shui Gui, the fighting to Cen Qiaofu and Shui Gui...

And become an Ba Zun An?

Wait!

Is this what being an Ba Zun An feels like?

Xu Xiaoshou was envious, looked ahead, and fell completely silent, mind blank.

Around them, silence fell.

“Are you forcing me?”

Bai Zhuo's face darkened.

But after speaking, he waited a long time with no response from the Sheng Nu group or the kid Xu Xiaoshou.

He could only look to Sang Qiye, waiting for an answer.

Sang Qiye reached up, paused, then rubbed his scalp, saying nothing.

He just stared silently at Bai Zhuo Gong Zhu of Xu Yue Hui Gong, his large eyes and furrowed brows perhaps twitching, or perhaps not.

The wind blew, and the leg on the rock, bare under the high-slit skirt, felt a bit cold.

Bai Zhuo narrowed his eyes, sensing the atmosphere turn dangerous, and pulled his leg back.

He looked ahead...

The half-saint woodcutter staring blankly with his axe, the half-saint stroking his face with hidden meaning, the half-bald blackened man rubbing his scalp, the innocent-looking Xu Xiaoshou...

Weren't these the four villains?

“Boom!”

Another distant explosion.

Bai Zhuo's heart skipped; something's wrong, Shen Yi wouldn't act without reason... Five villains?

Thud.

In front, Xu Xiaoshou pulled out a straw hat from nowhere and placed it on the shorter bald man's head in front of him.

The scene was complete!

The blackened Sheng Nu Wu Xiu could now reach for things.

He adjusted the hat, his gloomy eyes hidden in dark circles, the dark circles in the hat's shadow, his entire charred body merging into the darkness.

The wind carried a hint of killing intent.

Bai Zhuo finally realized he was isolated, while opposite...

Sheng Nu—full form!

(The end of this chapter)