Chapter 163: Afterward

The golden giant stood in the Shenluo Milin forest, its waist reaching above even the tallest tree canopies.

The ground below was a scene of devastation, a chaotic mess of rubble and gaping craters.

Xu Xiaoshou ceased his frantic assault because the Gray Mist Person, his primary target, had completely vanished, leaving only Mo Mo's face visible.

As his golden hands cradled the person, the crimson glow in his eyes slowly regained a human-like warmth.

"This is..."

Gazing at the bloodied figure in his hands, Xu Xiaoshou's consciousness returned slightly.

He had no recollection of what had transpired. After actively engaging with that violent consciousness, everything had changed.

Destruction, frenzy, smashing, and pounding...

These primal urges of violence had flooded his mind, controlling his every action.

Connecting the current situation with the previous battle, it was easy to deduce that he had sustained a fatal injury from the Gray Mist Person, triggering the "Kuangbao Juren" awakening effect.

Then, in that red-eyed state, he had directly annihilated the Gray Mist Person?

This awakening effect was incredibly potent, yet dangerously toxic!

It had actually made him lose his rationality?

Xu Xiaoshou felt a surge of dissatisfaction. If he couldn't maintain his reason, what was the point of this passive skill? What if he accidentally harmed an innocent person...

Well, it wasn't entirely useless...

He glanced at the deep pits on the ground and fell into thought.

Suddenly, a wave of exhaustion washed over him. Xu Xiaoshou's body trembled as the golden light fractured, and he reverted to his normal human form, still holding Mo Mo as he plummeted from the sky.

The two of them collapsed onto the ground together—Xu Xiaoshou from pure exhaustion, and Mo Mo from being unconscious... or dead?

After such a violent onslaught...

This was where the true terror of the Zongshi-level "Shengsheng Buyi" manifested. Logically, after such an outburst, Xu Xiaoshou should experience a prolonged period of weakness.

But with this passive skill taking effect, he quickly regained enough strength to move and felt his combat power returning.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't hesitate and immediately reached out to check Mo Mo's breathing. As expected, there was none...

Wait, was that a faint heartbeat?

He leaned in closer to check, and Mo Mo's chest seemed to rise and fall slightly, though the movement was barely discernible and occurred only after a long interval.

"Logically, she shouldn't be alive after that kind of attack..."

Now back to his normal size and having fallen into one of his own fist craters, Xu Xiaoshou could truly appreciate how terrifying his attacks had been as a giant.

With the power of a Zongshi body combined with "Kuangbao Juren," it was as if one punch could obliterate a small foe!

Even the smallest fist mark on the ground looked like it had been struck by a meteorite—over ten zhang wide and several meters deep...

He could hardly imagine what the Gray Mist Person had endured while he was out of his mind.

Perhaps it had begged for mercy...

But Xu Xiaoshou couldn't recall any of it.

As his physical strength recovered a bit more, he hurriedly channeled his Lingyuan to examine Mo Mo's body.

If she was truly beyond saving, there was nothing he could do.

Even though the Gray Mist Person had used Mo Mo's body, once the fight began, fists had flown without mercy. Xu Xiaoshou believed he had held back during the initial combo.

He felt no guilt whatsoever.

But if there was a chance to save her, Xu Xiaoshou didn't mind lending a hand.

The Gray Mist Person's various strange Ling skills had truly broadened his horizons. This wasn't something an ordinary Lianling Master could access—it definitely had a significant background.

Had it... died?

Xu Xiaoshou didn't think so.

Since Mo Mo was still alive, the Gray Mist Person absolutely couldn't have been killed so easily. It had probably been forced back to its original form and hidden away again.

Moreover, judging by the state of Mo Mo's vital signs, it didn't seem like she had barely survived the violent assault. Instead, it looked more like, at the last moment, some sealing force had forcibly preserved a tiny bit of her life force, waiting for rescue.

As for the rescuer...

"Heh, that guy had quite the scheme!"

Xu Xiaoshou figured it out in an instant.

If the Gray Mist Person wasn't dead, it must have counted on the fact that he and Mo Mo knew each other, so he wouldn't kill her and would instead try to save her!

Should he save her?

Xu Xiaoshou hesitated. Rescuing such a potential threat didn't seem like it would bring gratitude—more like retaliation.

But if he didn't...

His "Perception" picked up the scattered "Shengming Lingyin" on the ground. Xu Xiaoshou thought for a moment, picked it up, and placed it back on Mo Mo's lower abdomen.

He was someone who distinguished between grudges and kindness. Mo Mo had always seemed gentle and pure, probably not on the same path as that thing.

To kill one villain at the cost of an innocent life—that wasn't something Xu Xiaoshou could do.

Besides...

"You damn thing, if you dare show up again, I'll beat you back down, believe it or not!"

Xu Xiaoshou pointed at Mo Mo's right arm and scolded.

No response...

He chuckled.

Since he could send it packing once, he could do it a second time. And that thing was probably severely weakened now and couldn't emerge anytime soon.

Whether it would grow stronger next time, Xu Xiaoshou didn't know, but he wasn't about to stand still.

"Losers don't deserve to make me fear them!"

Xu Xiaoshou thought to himself, finding the words quite imposing.

Once Mo Mo woke up, he could try asking her about the situation.

He just hoped she wouldn't end up as a vegetable...

Xu Xiaoshou shook his head in regret. Being entangled with an old fogey like that might be a stroke of fate, but more often, it was just a hidden disaster.

If the Gray Mist Person had malicious intent, Mo Mo would be doomed to live under its control, never breaking free.

Xu Xiaoshou thought about his own red interface...

After Canglong Ru Yuanting, it had forcefully killed that thing. Maybe it had its own intelligence?

Was he also living under someone else's control?

The thought made Xu Xiaoshou freeze.

All his past experiences seemed like they were arranged by fate, following a traceable path, yet impossible to pinpoint.

He chuckled self-mockingly. He must have been brainwashed by Sang Lao's "Prison Theory." There weren't that many coincidences and manipulations in life.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Xu Xiaoshou dug out a lump of "Chijin Ye" and swallowed it, which basically healed his injuries.

He thought for a second and fed a bit to Mo Mo as well.

"Sigh, how can she be so weak? She just collapses after a fight, with zero fighting spirit..."

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but complain.

Full of energy, he hopped around a bit and stretched his bones and muscles, producing a series of cracks.

Checking his Qi Sea, his Lingyuan had mostly recovered, and his cultivation had solidified significantly from the battle.

Xu Xiaoshou smiled in satisfaction. This was true endurance!

Even if another Gray Mist Person showed up now, he'd still have the power to fight and wouldn't be afraid at all.

He was really getting stronger and stronger...

"Oh, right, what about the other one?"

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly remembered Mu Zixi. Back then, with the Canglong dive, he had forcefully thrown her away.

That fragile little body—surely she hadn't fallen to her death!

With his "Perception" covering a vast area, Xu Xiaoshou quickly spotted Mu Zixi about a hundred meters away and was stunned.

The nearby trees were all bare of leaves, as Xu Xiaoshou had stripped them clean, making it easy to see the girl dangling upside down from a branch.

Her feet were perfectly caught in a "Y"-shaped fork, preventing her from falling.

Her back was arched, head down, twin ponytails hanging loose, and her open mouth had drool dripping straight into her eye sockets...

She seemed to be asleep, smacking her lips as if chewing something in her dream. Her little hand wiped at the drool on her mouth before dropping back down, swaying gently...

Xu Xiaoshou was completely dumbfounded.

I was fighting so intensely here, and you fell asleep?

What a huge heart she had!

And look at that sleeping position...

Hanging herself on the southeast branch, was she?