Chapter 1631: Si Ming Divine Seal Subdues Fortune and Misfortune, Contemplating the Evil Yin's Haunt, Hesitating Between Life and Death

*Clack!*

A flash of purple lightning briefly illuminated the sky.

As the thunderous roar exploded in his ears, Ba Wang’s staff had already shattered the divine throne.

Upon it, the three-headed, six-armed Kui Yin evil god, who had been quite at ease, was startled and personally experienced the most extraordinary masterpiece of the new era by the most outstanding Spirit Master: Divine Punishment and Tribulation!

*Sizzle...*

The evil god’s power seemed to be naturally suppressed, being purified, evaporated, or electro-dissolved by the purple lightning... rapidly dissolving!

Kui Yin was explosively shattered into dust.

But in the instant before its disappearance, everyone present could hear a faint, teasing voice drift down:

"Interesting."

"But with such a divine posture, how long can mortals like you endure?"

*Sizzle, sizzle...*

The purple lightning receded.

Yet, the leader of Shen Xiao slammed his fist down, his power instantly reverberating tens of thousands of li, shattering the purple mist filling the sky with electricity.

The aftershocks continued to spread outwards, eventually covering the entire Eighteenth Heaven, as if searching for every detail.

The light of the heavens and earth dimmed, returning to its initial greyish appearance.

Only the widespread devastation, and the electric snakes occasionally darting across shattered rocks and broken wood, announced the intense battle that had just taken place.

"This is troublesome..."

With a soft murmur, the Six Dao of Ancient Martial Arts was dispelled to conserve as much power as possible.

However, the Three Vimalas of the Vaulted Heavens mode remained active. Dao Qiong Cang, while maintaining the energy consumption, gently landed Ba Wang, saying, "Arrogant as he is, he actually hid..."

"Can't you find him?"

Xu Xiao Shou quickly stepped forward, knowing that Dao Qiong Cang must have searched this realm.

No results?

That won't do!

That old coot needs to be completely blown up to drop my shield treasure and a large amount of gold coins!

Xu Xiao Shou had seen the "Void" with his own eyes just now; it contained a large inventory of the Art Ancestor's items. Many of them were probably plundered treasures, longing for freedom!

How could I not liberate them?

Liberate them from the Art Ancestor's "Void" and bring them into my Xing Realm?

Dao Qiong Cang said nothing. Using his brawny body, he lightly pinched his fingers, and soon frowned:

"There are some results."

"But his guiding power is above mine. It's unlikely I can calculate much with my divine divination..."

Before he could finish, Xu Xiao Shou interjected, "His guidance must be meant to waste your time. We can just do the opposite!"

It's not scary if the guidance is strong. If you just don't go where it tells you to, isn't that fine?

Dao Qiong Cang's eyebrows twitched, but there was no joy in his expression: "What if he already thought of you doing the opposite of his opposite?"

"He can't afford to counter!" Xu Xiao Shou scoffed.

After all, he was someone who fought with his brain. Putting himself in Kui Yin's shoes, he could guess that Kui Yin's evasion was due to fear.

Dao Qiong Cang's current mode was too sharp; Kui Yin couldn't gamble.

If he dared to start operating on the third level from the beginning... better safe than sorry, what if that flamboyant old Daoist caught him directly? That would be quite a sight!

"How much time do you have left now?" Xu Xiao Shou asked bluntly.

Dao Qiong Cang: "Not much."

"How much is 'not much'?"

"Walls have ears."

Damn it!

That swindler hadn't revealed any useful information in those few sentences.

Xu Xiao Shou couldn't tell if the flamboyant old Daoist was pretending to be deaf and mute, fearing he'd uncover his true state, or if he was genuinely worried about Kui Yin overhearing.

I'm not curious about the battery life of you guys with bad endurance; I just want to have a grasp of the overall situation, okay?

However, despite his internal grumbling, Xu Xiao Shou still felt that Dao Qiong Cang might be slightly stronger than him at the moment.

He pondered for a moment, then said, "Trust your instincts."

Instincts, huh...

After fighting for so long, putting aside calculations and strategies, you say to rely on instincts?

If it were anyone else, Xu Xiao Shou wouldn't have said that, and they would have found it foolish.

But this was Dao Qiong Cang!

Xu Xiao Shou dared to say it.

Dao Qiong Cang actually found some sense in it. He nodded, then waved his hand:

"Follow me."

*Zzz—*

The Si Ming Divine Hall suddenly lit up with a flash of purple lightning, and then this realm within the divine hall trembled.

*Boom!*

Heavenly Dao - Three Vimalas of the Vaulted Heavens, leading the leader of Shen Xiao, powerfully entered the scene. Without a word, he wielded Divine Punishment and Tribulation - Ba Wang...

Under the various power enhancements, huge staff shadows swept horizontally and diagonally, radiating from between heaven and earth, breaking through everything, and shattering all things in this place.

High walls collapsed.

Palaces crumbled.

Such a magnificent divine hall, whose construction must have taken countless efforts, was reduced to ruins by a single staff in a few breaths.

"That attack power, tsk!"

Xu Xiao Shou, following with spatial teleportation, marveled after seeing the destruction site, and quietly pinched a piece of broken wall from the Si Ming Divine Hall.

It was incredibly tough!

It was an effect that, without a Shredding Scythe Shield to smash it, would have required extreme giants and Dragon-Drawing Halberd to achieve only after exhausting themselves, taking much time and effort.

After all, this Si Ming Divine Hall was inherited from Ran Ming, and its protective array inherently contained pure God-Slaying power.

One could only say that Dao Qiong Cang's current special mode was no different from himself, eyes bloodshot, having revealed all his trump cards.

One person with all trump cards revealed was enough. Xu Xiao Shou was happy to follow behind like an idle shadow, asking, "No?"

"No!"

High in the sky, Dao Qiong Cang, having unleashed his violence, adhered to the principle of conserving as much as possible and once again deactivated the Six Dao of Ancient Martial Arts.

His aura began to become unstable; clearly, even with his precise control, this body was struggling to bear such consumption.

But it was still within the controllable range.

Only the worry in his eyes could not be concealed.

"I have already marked the Si Ming Divine Hall. Kui Yin cannot return here. If he does, it will be tantamount to walking into a trap," Dao Qiong Cang declared loudly, seemingly wanting the 'ears behind the wall' to hear.

Marking...

Xu Xiao Shou chuckled inwardly.

The words were serious, but why did they sound a bit like a dog marking its territory with urine?

"What's wrong?" Dao Qiong Cang noticed Xu Xiao Shou's peculiar expression.

"Ah, nothing..." Xu Xiao Shou waved his hand, shifting his gaze elsewhere, "Since Kui Yin can't be found here, where do you think is the next stop?"

"First, let's leave the divine hall. I have something good to show you."

Even with Dao Qiong Cang's unstable aura, he was not in a hurry.

He first used the Great Teleportation Art to exit the Si Ming Divine Hall. After seeing Xu Xiao Shou follow, he made a grabbing motion.

The plaque inscribed with the four ancient characters "Si Ming Divine Hall" landed in his palm.

"This is yours."

He shoved it over without explanation.

Xu Xiao Shou looked down; what had been added to his arms was none other than the main hall of the Si Ming Divine Hall, which he had entered and exited repeatedly.

What did he mean?

Giving me a castle?

Are you, Dao Qiong Cang, that generous?

This must be some huge trap!

"You..."

"Oh right, and this."

Before he could speak, Dao Qiong Cang seemed to remember something. With a flip of his hand, he pulled out a jade seal that required both hands to hold, and chuckled softly:

"This is the only thing that Ba Wang couldn't smash in the hall just now. It contains pure God-Slaying power, and I suppose it is the 'Si Ming Divine Seal'."

"There might even be a divine consciousness of the God-Slaying Official, Ran Ming, residing within it. Perhaps if you refine it, you can communicate with the God-Slaying Official and open the gates to the Divine Ruins."

"Even if not, mastering it probably means mastering the Si Ming Divine Hall. This can serve as a springboard—if you return to the Sacred God Continent in the future, you might be able to return here with a thought if necessary, and re-explore the Divine Ruins."

This, wasn't this equivalent to the "Sub-Dimensional Gate" of the Divine Ruins?

Xu Xiao Shou was overwhelmed with flattery. No way, no way, did you, flamboyant old Daoist, take Er Zhu's body and now you're compensating me?

"You're not right!"

Why worry about excuses when bestowing a treasure?

Xu Xiao Shou never believed Dao Qiong Cang was a benevolent person. He directly refused, pushing the jade seal and plaque back, saying, "What you obtained, your fortune, you keep... A gentleman does not take what others desire."

Dao Qiong Cang chuckled: "You don't trust me?"

"Trust you?" Xu Xiao Shou retorted, "Can I trust you?"

"My dear Xu, you are too suspicious. At most, Kui Yin left a trace of his divine consciousness in this Si Ming Divine Seal. When you touch it, he might jump out to possess you, or perhaps he won't even emerge... Are you afraid of him?"

Is that not enough?

I told you it was a trap!

Your provocation won't work, alright!

Xu Xiao Shou's expression turned grim upon hearing this: "If you're sick, get treated. Don't go crazy in front of me."

Dao Qiong Cang shook his head: "But if the seal is left here, after we leave, he can revive as a fallback at any time. This is his retreat, and it's also an open strategy. We must keep it for him. The 'storage fee' is the benefit I mentioned earlier."

"You take this benefit then, I don't care about this fee."

"I can't." Dao Qiong Cang answered with self-awareness, "Your Heavenly Ancestor still has vitality. If you were truly to be possessed, he could give you a warning or two. My Sacred Ancestor's power..."

He shrugged: "Is dead."

He raised an eyebrow, his gaze fixed: "Opportunity and danger coexist, don't they, my dear Xu?"

What he said did make some sense, didn't it?

Xu Xiao Shou fell silent, having to admit that he was becoming more tempted.

He began to weigh his options...

Feng Yu Jin had once tried to possess him. The first and only time it happened, it enraged the Passive System, and the possession power was directly wiped out.

Could the system's passive defense mechanism work against Kui Yin?

Even if not, the flamboyant old Daoist was right. As the Heavenly Ancestor's successor, the Heavenly Ancestor should be able to detect anything amiss beforehand and then give a warning, right?

With these double protections, it was still a question whether Kui Yin would dare to show its head and possess him... Could he really try to take this treasure?

And the "opportunity and danger coexist" in Dao Qiong Cang's last words—it didn't matter what his "opportunity" truly referred to, Xu Xiao Shou's understanding was deeper.

The Divine Ruins, formerly the Heaven Realm Triangle, had a rule level that was too high, superior to any other place.

In the Sacred God Continent, for parts of the Dao Plate exceeding 80%, attempting further comprehension carried the risk of Dao-ization.

Here, there was no such risk. One could go directly to 90, bypassing the intermediate 10-point obstacle, and directly reaching the level of transcended Dao-ization.

"This is too tempting!"

For ordinary people, it was good enough to use the characteristics of the Divine Ruins once in a lifetime, as most people only cultivate one Dao in their lives, and this opportunity could not be reused.

Xu Xiao Shou was different; he could recycle it.

For him, this fundamental characteristic of the Divine Ruins was the most valuable thing here, bar none.

He still had many Dao Plates crying out to be fed; as long as he earned passive points, he could all push them to 90.

With his Body, Spirit, and Will Dao Plates at 90, he had already transformed to such an extent that he could even sense the guidance of the Ancestor God.

It was unimaginable to what extent his combat power would soar if all his Dao Plates were illuminated to ninety percent.

But at present...

Xu Xiao Shou dared not sit down and quietly comprehend, nor did he have so many passive points to squander.

Obtaining this Si Ming Divine Seal and plaque, and then eliminating Kui Yin and earning passive points, would open up the possibility of returning here to cultivate.

The cost was only bearing a tiny, tiny risk...

"I'll be a little greedy."

Xu Xiao Shou clutched the Si Ming Divine Hall tightly. A small amount of greed wasn't greed; he made decisions like an adult.

"A wise decision."

Dao Qiong Cang snapped his fingers, a smile on his face, "From now on, if I also want to enter this place to comprehend the Great Dao, I'll have to trouble Master Xu."

You cunning old Daoist!

You don't want to take any risks, just want to use your influence, huh?

"There will be a fee," Xu Xiao Shou didn't refuse outright, "It will be very expensive."

"Of course." Dao Qiong Cang nodded, "Friendship is friendship, what should be given, if you ask for it, I'll give it to you."

Strange...

Xu Xiao Shou frowned, no longer flirting with him. He put away the Si Ming Divine Seal and plaque, and looked back at the flamboyant man:

"Let's go, next stop!"

The latter didn't move, staring at Master Xu's empty hands, "What are you doing?"

"I've put it away!"

"What's the use of putting it away now? Drop your blood to make it yours, while I still have some strength, now! I'll protect you!" Dao Qiong Cang drooped his eyelids, annoyed.

Oh, so that's your idea?

I drop my blood now, Kui Yin enters my body, you hit us both with Ba Wang, exterminating two at once, then take back the Si Ming Divine Seal, and then you leave the Divine Ruins yourself—a perfect ending?

Xu Xiao Shou's expression turned ugly.

Before he could say more, Dao Qiong Cang sighed softly:

"Master Xu, you've misunderstood..."

Misunderstood what? Don't call me Master Xu, don't use honorifics!

"An open strategy should be countered with an open strategy. Now that he fears me, letting the Si Ming Divine Seal recognize you under my nose is an act of luring the snake out of its hole..."

So, I'm the bait to lure the snake out of its hole?

"He must see through this scheme, and thus, he will certainly not dare to come out. But if you secretly recognize it, or recognize it in the future, his intention to delay and hide might succeed to some extent..."

What beautiful words! So in the end, I bear all the risks, and you just watch to see if the fire is big enough to decide whether to save it or not?

"Therefore, from this perspective, recognizing it now is not only beneficial in every way but also cuts off one of Kui Yin's retreats, thwarting his open strategy."

Flamboyant old Daoist, your abacus beads are literally bouncing off my face!

Xu Xiao Shou couldn't stop shaking his head, his gaze marveling at the person in front of him, as if he was seeing him for the first time, he sighed:

"Only today do I truly know who you are."

Dao Qiong Cang smiled faintly, leaning on Ba Wang, like a door god, "Today, I am merely Master Xu's guard."

You should write a book, flamboyant old Daoist, call it "The Art of Speaking," I want to learn... Xu Xiao Shou was already feeling inferior.

Listening to the series of explanations, he clearly knew that contracting the Si Ming Divine Seal was a great danger, yet he actually felt that Dao Qiong Cang made so much sense!

Taking this small risk to seize an opportunity was absolutely necessary!

Moreover, with his protection and the Heavenly Ancestor's safeguard in the background, even if something went wrong, everything could be salvaged!

But opportunity and danger coexist.

Where did the danger go? It disappeared while he was talking, suddenly eaten by a dog?

"Are you sure it's alright?"

Xu Xiao Shou held the jade seal, yet it seemed he was truly persuaded, looking up with a foolish innocence for a final question.

Dao Qiong Cang nodded with a smile:

"Approximately."

What a wonderful "approximately"!

Xu Xiao Shou swore he wasn't swayed by the flamboyant old Daoist.

Before entering the ruins, he wouldn't have even considered such a brainless suggestion and would have directly refused.

But now, he called this "boldness born of skill"!

Given Kui Yin's last displayed state, it was still unknown whether he could harm himself even if he revealed himself.

Xu Xiao Shou really wanted to be the bait that lured the snake out of its hole, to test whether Kui Yin was a bigmouth and if he could be fished out.

How can one catch a tiger cub without entering the tiger's den?

*Drip.*

Without further thought, a drop of blood fell, and the Si Ming Divine Seal glowed faintly.

Without any hindrance—with his super-strong willpower, now enhanced by the Will Dao Plate—Xu Xiao Shou easily bypassed multiple tests and found the core of the Si Ming Divine Seal.

The blood contract was formed.

The bond took shape.

Just then, the plaque in his hand disintegrated into illusory starlight, no longer having a fixed form, but his mind buzzed, as if connected to another plane.

There were broken high walls, collapsed palaces, and countless "handshake" patterns spread across the ground...

Good, good, good.

Xu Xiao Shou was amused.

So, he was determined to trick me, which is why after destroying everything, he marked it with his "pee" and then gave me the jade seal?

He didn't expect that after contracting the Si Ming Divine Seal, all the marks would be so clearly labeled, and I could just erase them?

Xu Xiao Shou instinctively wanted to erase all the handshake patterns to prevent internal strife.

He suddenly remembered that the flamboyant old Daoist had said that the essence of the Great God Descending Art was to imprint the patterns into the "memory" of all things, and it had little to do with the superficial appearance of handshakes...

Unless Dao Qiong Cang himself was killed, all these handshake patterns could be fake; they were deliberately marked for people to see.

Thinking of this, Xu Xiao Shou couldn't help but grimace inwardly.

"Dao Qiong Cang, you are truly disgusting!"

Amidst his emotions, further thought was useless.

Xu Xiao Shou didn't touch those handshake patterns, keeping them as part of the plan. After his mind settled into the Si Ming Divine Hall, he quickly touched a massive mass of pure God-Slaying power behind the scenes.

Dao Qiong Cang's words were indeed not entirely baseless.

Just by the quality and quantity of the God-Slaying power now, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it was a true inheritance of the God-Slaying Official—almost equivalent to the power stored in the Dragon Pearl inherited by the Heavenly Ancestor's successor!

At this moment, Xu Xiao Shou felt that even if a divine consciousness of Ran Ming were hidden within and suddenly jumped out to communicate with him, asking him to help fight Kui Yin and regain the Divine Ruins, it would be entirely possible.

Just then, his prediction came true.

From within the God-Slaying power, a phantom figure suddenly emerged.

However, it was slightly different from what he had expected.

The phantom transformed into a divine throne, and on the throne, a three-headed, six-armed purple figure appeared, dozing, fingers forming a hand seal. He chuckled lightly:

"Little fellow, you do have some courage..."

"A wisp of thought, to behold Kui Yin?"

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