Chapter 1617: Acknowledging the Mistake and Admitting It but Not Correcting It; Beautiful Woman Buries in the Chest of the Palace Lord's Bed

At these words, everyone's faces changed.

Daoqiongcang acted in a flash of lightning; no one saw what he did, but a tiny spark of light flickered from his fingertip.

"Whoosh!"

It proved that, no matter the time, the Saints always maintained a certain level of vigilance against this enigmatic Dao Hall Master.

Almost at the same moment he moved, Xu Xiaoshou vanished. Elder Sang and Shuigui’s Obscure Profound Meaning burst forth, and they fled into the Dao Principles.

Cen Qiaofu embraced with his axe, pulling Yue Gongli in front of him as a shield.

Yue Gongli instantly disappeared again, replaced by a coffin that stood in his stead to block the attack.

Only Baizhou, who had specifically suggested that “Yue Gongli was problematic,” seemed to think he was now absolutely one of their own. He was still waiting for an answer, with slightly less vigilance towards the others.

Daoqiongcang’s finger was not aimed at Yue Gongli at all, but at Baizhou himself!

"Hmm?"

Baizhou hadn’t even closed his mouth.

That tiny spark of light had already entered his throat, disappearing without a trace even under Saint power perception.

"What are you doing?"

Baizhou was furious, his face ashen, and he roared, "I’m the one who asked the question, and you attack me? What did you feed me? Are you the Evil God?"

With a bang, Ghost Qi surged wildly, and it seemed as if a battle was about to erupt.

Yet, Daoqiongcang, having fed Baizhou the seed, retreated explosively without engaging in battle after achieving his goal.

At the same time, he formed hand seals and cast a series of spells:

"Great Perception Art!"

"Great Abnormality Art!"

These two techniques were Daoqiongcang’s passive abilities, used to detect the influence of Ancestral God-level beings and to alert him if his own state passively became abnormal but he couldn’t detect it.

By actively utilizing a passive ability, Daoqiongscang essentially infused a part of his own flesh and blood—Tianji molecules—into Baizhou's body.

This, of course, would be easy for Baizhou to discover, and even to exploit in reverse.

However, if it was only for a very short period, to complete a quick "targeted" screening, and the Tianji molecules self-disintegrated afterwards, Baizhou would have great difficulty exploiting them.

What Daoqiongcang wanted to check, of course, was not other irrelevant things, but merely the "aura of the Evil God's power."

If Baizhou was indeed problematic, he might not be tainted by the Evil God's power itself, but he would definitely be tainted by its aura.

But…

In the blink of an eye, the Tianji molecules had already self-disintegrated, and Daoqiongcang had gained nothing.

"My apologies."

He stood far off in the air, bowing his head in apology: "I was overly suspicious. You have no problems whatsoever."

Baizhou's face was already like charcoal. He growled in a deep voice, "If anyone has a problem, it should be Yue Gongli. How could I have a problem?"

"Then how could I have a problem?" Yue Gongli popped his head out from the other side of the sky, no one knew when. "I'd have to be insane to willingly cooperate with them!"

"Indeed," Daoqiongcang nodded slightly, "He absolutely cannot be problematic. Therefore, you, who raised this question, are the most suspicious… I was quite offensive just now, please don't take it amiss."

Absolutely impossible?

Baizhou could barely contain his anger: "Earlier, he cooperated with Canyin... that one... You say he absolutely cannot be problematic? Ask the few here, who believes that!"

Elder Sang, Shuigui, and others gradually reappeared. Cen Qiaofu also poked his head out from behind the coffin with a rather sour expression, their gazes all saying:

You must provide an explanation.

Yes, no one could accept being suddenly inspected, even if it was with good intentions.

Those who could cultivate to Half-Saint, who among them didn’t have a secret or a trump card?

Daoqiongcang’s action was simply brazenly crossing everyone’s fundamental principles.

"My mistake."

Daoqiongcang merely admitted his error; he offered no explanation.

He could not explain to these ants, limited by their vision:

As a successor to a Saint Emperor, Yue Gongli could temporarily humble himself before the Canyin Evil God, seeking help, only when absolutely necessary.

But to be possessed and manipulated by an Ancestral God without realizing it, or even to actively cooperate with the Canyin Evil God—these things…

Totally impossible!

Daoqiongcang had suspected problems with the God Slaying Axe and the Demon Cleaving Axe, but never with Yue Gongli.

Yue Gongli's status, ability, and background determined that even if he could summon a "Canyin Evil God," he was destined to be a person of the Saint Ancestor.

Even Rao Wangze might cooperate with the Canyin Evil God, because his family needed a chance to turn the tide, and for that, he might take risks.

Yue Gongli would not.

As the future heir of the Han Palace Emperor Realm, why would he need to do so?

He only needed to live, and he would become the world's number one Saint Emperor in the future—directly guaranteed. Hua Changdeng would have to retreat to a secondary position due to the constraints of the Yunshan Huashi!

But all this…

Could not be spoken.

The Saint Slaves were called "Slaves," and they truly had self-awareness.

An emperor never uses a silver carrying pole or a gold carrying pole; therefore, slaves can never fully grasp what those in power are thinking.

Baizhou trembled with rage.

Of course, he didn't know any of this.

At this moment, the only shred of calm thought in his mind reminded him that no one here, not even Xu Xiaoshou, was a true partner of the Xuyue Gray Palace.

Therefore, despite suffering such a great humiliation, to survive and for the sake of the Xuyue Gray Palace, he could not strike!

"Enough."

At the critical moment, Xu Xiaoshou, the master of the Yiyantang who had gone missing and then reconnected, spoke up.

He glared angrily at Daoqiongcang, showing his extreme displeasure with the latter’s actions:

"You old Daoist, you shouldn't be so suspicious, and even less should you investigate our companions in such a way. You are wrong!"

"I am indeed wrong."

"Apologize."

"I'm sorry." Daoqiongcang was quick to realize his mistake and quick to admit it, his main focus being a good attitude.

"Sorry isn't enough, you need to bow!"

"Palace Master Baizhou, I was wrong, please forgive my ignorance, suspicion, and offense just now." Daoqiongcang placed his hand on his left chest and elegantly bowed ninety degrees.

The bow was so deep, the apology so swift, it reached an extreme.

Baizhou's anger hadn't even peaked, yet the thirty-year Dao Hall Master had already bowed and humbled himself before him, the leader of a dark force.

What else could be done?

Baizhou felt that if he tore off his mask, he simply did not possess the power to withstand the combined might of the Saints present.

Given this, he could only take the hint, let the matter go, and endure this humiliation.

"Enough."

He waved his sleeve, picked up his wine gourd, and gulped down a few mouthfuls, muttering sullenly, "I accept it!"

Seeing this, Xu Xiaoshou secretly breathed a sigh of relief while also feeling a sense of empathetic indignation.

From the bottom of his heart, he approved of Daoqiongcang's decisiveness, because there wasn't much time left for everyone to go back and forth, slowly verifying identities.

But the matter itself was too unfair; why could you test me, and I couldn't resist?

But then again…

In a world where the weak prey on the strong, being weak is the original sin.

If you're weak, you deserve to be fed kindling, sacrificed as cannon fodder, or even tested.

What could be done?

Xu Xiaoshou, who was in charge of the situation, didn't want to be in charge of such a mess. He glared fiercely at the flamboyant old Daoist again, and said sternly:

"No next time, otherwise, I will take action!"

Alright… Daoqiongcang nodded silently, his gaze subtly shifting towards the Saint Slaves.

Baizhou was not problematic, so perhaps the problem lay with the few of them?

Qiaofu and Axe… they admitted their mistakes but didn't change their ways. Daoqiongcang locked his focus on Cen Qiaofu. If there was a next time, he would still act.

Just as Xu Xiaoshou thought, Daoqiongcang also knew that there wasn’t much time for "slow verification."

Someone had to play the villain so that Master Shou, the sole authority, could advance more effectively.

Daoqiongcang himself had been a Hall Master before, and back then he was annoyed that Aicangsheng didn't play the villain dark enough. Now that it was his turn, of course, he knew how to grasp the proper extent—no extent at all was the best extent for playing the villain!

"Let's go!"

The twin axes were not problematic, and Baizhou was not problematic. Xu Xiaoshou realized that they truly couldn’t keep spinning in circles.

Among the few people present, there wasn’t much trust between them.

Trust, given time, would gradually erode away.

At that point, more minor issues and troubles would follow, and even old grievances would be brought up—this was undoubtedly the situation the Canyin Evil God most wanted to see.

Therefore, if they continued to dawdle, the team would fall apart before they even took two steps.

But when it came to “moving”…

Everyone looked at Xu Xiaoshou from afar. There were two people who had pointed the way earlier; whose guidance should they follow?

"I've been to the Siming Temple."

Yue Gongli, with unknown confidence, actually believed his direction was more accurate than the enigmatic Daoqiongcang's.

Xu Xiaoshou himself held a direction to the Siming Temple, but he couldn't be certain.

He looked at Daoqiongcang.

The latter pondered before speaking: "If you all are still unsure, I suggest we listen to Yue Gongli."

These words were clearly directed at Xu Xiaoshou, without even glancing at the others.

He knows I also have a direction… Xu Xiaoshou immediately understood that this old guy definitely knew he had tampered with the God Slaying Order.

"Good."

He agreed without hesitation.

Daoqiongcang definitely had his own considerations, if he trusted Yue Gongli that much.

"Thank you."

Yue Gongli, having received permission, was on the verge of tears, a flood of emotional words eager to burst from his mouth.

But before he could even open his mouth, Xu Xiaoshou’s cold gaze cut him off:

"If you utter another word of nonsense, I will take action."

Uh… Yue Gongli’s expression stiffened for a moment, then he silently lowered his head and walked over to the Yinlingjiu, opening the flat coffin.

"Whoa?"

The Liumian Corpse King walked out in an inverted position, looking left and right, appearing quite fierce yet adorable.

"Try to be a little more serious!" Yue Gongli couldn’t hold back. He angrily kicked the latter, sending it sprawling into a sleeping position.

He bared his teeth, inhaling sharply, and commanded with a somewhat embarrassed face:

"Go scout ahead, Siming Temple, we've been there before."

The Liumian Corpse King turned its head and stared at him, as if contemplating something.

After staring for a while, it suddenly picked up the Yinlingjiu and started violently smashing Yue Gongli with it.

"Damn... No... Ugh... Help... Ahhh..."

Dust billowed.

Yue Gongli was smashed into the ground.

Everyone stood rooted to the spot, their expressions complex.

Xu Xiaoshou’s heart was a mix of emotions, and for a moment he even considered turning back to the first heaven.

How was he supposed to lead this team?

There wasn't a single normal person in this group, and they still wanted to go fight the Canyin Evil God?

This pounding lasted for almost half an incense stick of time.

Yue Gongli, completely unprepared for his own corpse, was held in a hard crowd control from beginning to end, pounded into a deep pit by the Corpse King he had raised.

"No."

As the Liumian Corpse King violently dug out a pit hundreds, even thousands, of feet deep, Daoqiongcang suddenly frowned.

Perhaps, it wasn't just fooling around?

Finally, at a certain critical point, a furious figure shot through the dust and soared into the sky. Yue Gongli, covered in blood and looking dishevelled, burst out of the ground:

"You dare to rebel against me?"

He formed a hand seal, just about to discipline the rebellious Corpse King.

The Liumian Corpse King also leaped out of the ground, from a rat hole-like tunnel leading to unknown depths. It first threw out the Yinlingjiu, blocking itself.

Then, with a straighten of its knee, it flung out an ancient plaque clamped between its knees. The plaque, like a boomerang, cut a graceful arc, and in a place Yue Gongli couldn’t see, it struck his翘臀 with a heavy thud.

Sizzle…

Blood stained the Siming Temple.

"Damn!"

Yue Gongli yelled, clutching his rear.

Just as he was about to retaliate, he turned around and saw the plaque stuck in the ground with a clang. Three large characters were exposed:

"Siming Shen…"

It was "Siming Temple"!

This plaque was not in the direction he had perceived, nor at the location Daoqiongcang had indicated.

But underground?

In an instant, all eyes fell on the Liumian Corpse King.

Xu Xiaoshou also realized at the same time that everyone, including himself, Yue Gongli, and Daoqiongscang, had been led astray by the Canyin Evil God.

But the Saint Ancestor's power on the Liumian Corpse King originated from the very beginning; did it manage to be unaffected by the guidance?

Or was it because it was stupid?

"Whoa?"

The Liumian Corpse King, facing everyone's gaze, bounced from foot to foot, dancing happily, as if seeking praise.

With a loud bang, Yue Gongli used the coffin as a palm, fiercely slapping the Corpse King away, and then went straight to the plaque.

"Excellent, it is indeed 'Siming Temple'!"

Unlike Xu Xiaoshou, Daoqiongcang, and the others who had only "seen" it, Yue Gongli had "entered" this plaque and knew that this item before him was genuine.

With just a thought, he could enter now.

"Enter?"

Yue Gongli, however, tilted his head to look at Master Shou.

He wasn't the one managing things here. Above him was Daoqiongcang, and even higher was this young man.

"Hua Yuan and I were still chatting inside then, when the branches of the Ancestral Tree suddenly surged out, forcing us out of the Siming Temple."

"After that, it was the descent to seize my soul blood, and the secret parasitism of Hua Yuan."

"Then, it was the first heaven, all of which you know." Yue Gongli explained a few things.

Xu Xiaoshou nodded upon hearing this, glancing around, and found that Elder Sang, Shuigui, Cen, Baizhou, and the others were all present, with no one missing.

Strange… He still had a vague feeling that someone was missing, but time was of the essence, and he had no time to dwell on minor details.

"You go first."

He gestured with his chin towards Yue Gongli.

The latter's face instantly stiffened. He was about to speak but then remembered his earlier words about "willingly serving as cannon fodder."

He hesitated for a moment, then turned to Baizhou: "How about…"

In a flash, the anger Baizhou had barely suppressed earlier ignited directly, rising even higher, his eyes bloodshot as he snarled:

"I'm…"

Yue Gongli was startled by the fierce reaction of that crazy woman. He also lacked the ability to engage the Saints present in battle, so he immediately changed his tune:

"I'll go! I'll go!"

Baizhou's expression softened slightly, and he snorted disdainfully.

Even a clay figure has a bit of temper. Do I look easy to bully, so you can just pick on me?

Cen Qiaofu trembled behind him.

He could completely empathize with Baizhou’s sorrow.

If only the person in charge here wasn't Xu Xiaoshou, and if only he didn't have two Half-Saint Obscure Profound Meaning masters, one of Water and one of Fire, standing before him.

In a different place, at a different time, he would be the cannon fodder.

But…

I, have reached Half-Saint!

What about the promised "Saints cannot be humiliated"?

How is it that all along the way, I’ve only seen "Saints humiliating Saints, and corpses humiliating Saints"? Where is the dignity that a Half-Saint should have?

Come back, my dignity…

While he was muttering to himself, at the plaque ahead, Yue Gongli hesitantly and slowly placed half a foot onto the large characters of "Siming Temple," reluctantly preparing to enter the plaque.

"Wait."

Daoqiongcang suddenly spoke.

Yue Gongli instantly disappeared from where he stood, and in the next second, he reappeared beneath Daoqiongcang's backside, hugging his thigh and weeping tears:

"Brother!"

"Brother Dao, you finally spoke!"

"I'm suffering, I've been waiting for this from you. You must do justice for me…"

With a slap, Daoqiongcang kicked Yue Gongli to the ground. He then solemnly reached out and pressed his left shoulder blade.

A clicking sound.

Everyone craned their necks to watch, and Yue Gongli’s eyes gleamed with hope.

A small hole opened in Daoqiongcang's shoulder blade, from which flew out a small golden-yellow bee with a white, swollen tail, as if it would ooze pus if squeezed.

Xu Xiaoshou frowned.

So disgusting, yet so anticipating, what was the flamboyant old Daoist playing at?

But then Daoqiongcang pressed the swollen white part, and the bee's tail was pushed forward, piercing its head with a hiss—it turned out to be a small bee toy made of two buttons!

Tianji Dao markings lit up at the opportune moment, and a chubby, adorable little sprite hopped out, beginning to circle Daoqiongcang:

"Tianji Sprite Xiaoqi has arrived!"

"Old Daoist, old Daoist, have you encountered any difficulties? Why did you summon Xiaoqi?"

As it circled, Xiaoqi saw Xu Xiaoshou, and surprise appeared on its face:

"Oh!"

"You're here too, Master Shou."

Xu Xiaoshou was petrified on the spot!

After waiting for so long, you summoned this thing?

I thought you were going to pull out a liberated-state Tianji Divine Envoy and send it in to scout!

"Go."

Daoqiongcang indeed planned to do so. He pointed at the plaque and said to Xiaoqi, "Go in. I guess something will happen."

Xiaoqi was originally full of enthusiasm, but upon hearing the latter half of the sentence, it froze in mid-air, its wings unable to flap. "H-happen?"

"It's an accident."

Daoqiongcang finished speaking and delivered a Tianji shot, a precise kick.

Xiaoqi was kicked into the plaque of Siming Temple.

"Ah—"

As the scream echoed, the Tianji Sprite disappeared, and a faint light emanated around the Siming Temple.

Gentle ripples of power spread out.

Yue Gongli’s eyes widened, thinking to himself that the plaque had these changes after he entered.

Suddenly!

"Hiss—"

A mournful shriek echoed from the depths of a soul.

From the plaque of Siming Temple, a graceful, black-robed beautiful woman suddenly emerged.

No one even had time to clearly see her face.

The beautiful woman in black robes gently embraced Daoqiongcang, who was closest, burying him in her soft bosom and dragging him into the four large characters of "Siming Temple."