Chapter 1642: Three Types of Emptiness Attack Weakness, Seeking Divine Assistance in Sword Classic

"What about Kong Yuhan?"

The narrative flashes back to before they entered the Ancient-Modern Forget-Worry Tower.

After Xu Xiaoshou finished his theatrics, suggesting that there was still a "Kong Yuhan" left in the God's Vestige, and then, using the connection from the Ancestor of Time's Shadow Staff, located the ancient golden pavilion, Dao Qiongcang's expression was not good.

But soon, after accepting this somewhat surprising fact, he pressed on, adding to their plan: "We need a new way to communicate."

"For example?"

"The Spiritual Link Technique!"

After the back-and-forth planning for the "Spiritual Link Technique," the two didn't immediately enter the Ancient-Modern Forget-Worry Tower.

"What's the plan?" Xu Xiaoshou asked.

"We'll act on the fly."

Dao Qiongcang wasn't one to give definite answers; he always considered "variables." Even though he already had an answer in mind: The plan was to be reckless! It meant launching a sudden attack, catching Cui Yin off guard, and forcefully killing him! The Three Honored Qiongcangs were capable of this—provided Cui Yin had no other trump cards and no longer concealed Dao Infants.

Xu Xiaoshou, however, was not optimistic. From the Face of the Evil God, to the Evil God Yi, to Cui Yin infecting Ming, to now... Time and again, Cui Yin had been eliminated. And time and again, Cui Yin had resurrected. So, would the next time definitely succeed? Not necessarily. The thought of pushing open the wooden door of the Ancient-Modern Forget-Worry Tower and facing the harsh reality made his head ache, and he couldn't help but ask: "Does Cui Yin truly have no weaknesses?"

Cui Yin had displayed weaknesses far too many times. Compared to a fully-formed Ancestor God, he was full of flaws. But smart people knew that Xu Xiaoshou's question was essentially asking about the "un-killable" aspect. Dao Qiongcang naturally understood the implied meaning, but he chose to answer the question literally. He slowly shook his head and said with absolute certainty: "No!"

"He has weaknesses. After several encounters, I've grasped seven or eight out of ten."

"For dealing with ordinary people, this is enough, but for him, three parts are still missing."

What did "three parts" mean? It meant they had to try, and likely, Dao Qiongcang wasn't confident about that trip into the Ancient-Modern Forget-Worry Tower!

Now, as he waited with Cao Erzhu in the temporal fragments, when Dao Qiongcang's voice came through the Spiritual Link Technique again, Xu Xiaoshou roughly knew that the flashy old Daoist must have figured out the remaining "three parts." He couldn't help but recall the partial weaknesses of Cui Yin that Dao Qiongcang had reluctantly revealed after persistent questioning:

"Xu Xiaoshou, haven't you ever wondered why Cui Yin is always either looking for a Dao Infant or on his way to find one?"

"Why?"

"Haven't you considered where his true body is?"

"True body..."

Cui Yin had a true body? Yes, he should have one! Cui Yin was the Technique Ancestor's external incarnation, akin to a second true body, possessing a tangible "flesh and blood body." So, why didn't he use his own body, instead always settling for others' Dao Infants, until even the Mother Tree capable of producing Dao Infants was slaughtered... Wait! One of the few times the flashy old Daoist had acted was to swiftly sever the Dao-Infant-birthing Holy Vine. Was there a specific reason for that too?

"His true body hasn't resurrected?" Xu Xiaoshou asked suspiciously.

"You're not as clever as I thought."

If it had resurrected, it could only be in the Thirty-Third Heaven. Who had been to the Thirty-Third Heaven? "...God Yi?"

Dao Qiongcang nodded slightly: "God Yi, though reckless in his direct assault, destroyed himself, but the explosive power after his self-sacrifice also obliterated Cui Yin's recently resurrected true body—I only learned all this after the Great God Descent Art."

Xu Xiaoshou gasped. So, what he was facing now was a weakened Cui Yin?

"Cui Yin's body is destroyed; his soul is fragmented, forcibly re-fused by techniques; his will is in the best state, but having just resurrected, it's definitely not as strong as before... This is Cui Yin's first 'Emptiness'—the Emptiness of Severe Injury."

"And the second?"

"The Eye of the Heavenly Ancestor never appears without reason. After the Feast of the Technique Hounds, Cui Yin's will has become deeply intertwined with the demonic ancestor's power from the Rift Demon Axe. Demonic nature is inherently arrogant; perhaps before, he could resist it and showed no signs, but now that the Dao Infant is destroyed, you will soon see a less meticulous, more careless side of him... This is the 'Emptiness of Arrogance.'"

"Arrogance..."

"Arrogance isn't a weakness for ordinary people, but for me, it's a swift blade for killing, no, for slaying gods."

"Alright, from what you're saying, there's a third?"

"The third 'Emptiness' isn't in Cui Yin, but in you and me. Cui Yin is left with only a somewhat decent 'will,' which also has a flaw. Since his strongest attack was merely the Feast of the Technique Hounds, and he's now powerless to unleash it again, only his 'guidance' remains strong. But this level of guiding power has long been ineffective against you and me."

"I know this one: Emptiness of Guidance!"

"...Mm."

"So, with these three 'Emptinesses' combined, what kind of lifeline can my Dao piece together for us?"

After detailing the weaknesses, when it was time to discuss a way out, Dao Qiongcang instead fell silent, shaking his head with an extremely annoying smirk, as if retaliating: "Heaven's secrets cannot be revealed."

"And now, they can be revealed?"

When the message came through the Spiritual Link Technique, Xu Xiaoshou gained a deeper understanding of Dao Qiongcang's previous words: The Emptiness of Severe Injury meant that even Kuileihan's phantom, using the Divine Punishment Tribulation, could momentarily immobilize Cui Yin. The Emptiness of Arrogance meant that after Cui Yin possessed the Saint Emperor Mangze, he no longer exerted himself fully or acted cautiously. Instead, he resorted to dirty tricks against those he saw as mere ants, adopting a cat-and-mouse mentality.

Bazun'an was absolutely right. The most terrifying thing in the God's Vestige was never Cui Yin, but "my teammate" on the other end of the Spiritual Link Technique.

"A sword!" Dao Qiongcang had no time for pleasantries; he quickly replied: "If God Yi were fully formed, I wouldn't use you. If Kuileihan could get in, I wouldn't use you. But only I am left—combat isn't my strong suit, so I can only stall. To defeat Cui Yin, a direct confrontation is unavoidable. Therefore, I need a sword sharp enough to be a primary attacker among the Ten Honored Ones, like Bazun, Shen, or Cao! Can you become this sword?"

Xu Xiaoshou was stunned. Me? Honestly, after hearing about and witnessing the combat prowess of God Yi and Dao Qiongcang, both direct and indirect, Xu Xiaoshou knew he still had a slight gap before becoming a fully mature Ten Honored One. But he easily discerned the hidden meaning in Dao Qiongcang's words: He wasn't asking him to rapidly mature into a flawless expert in all aspects, just to "attack"—leave the rest to him! And Dao Qiongcang's choice of words was precise; he only mentioned "sword"!

What was a sword? Ancient sword cultivators, on the Saint God Continent, had always been synonymous with fighting above their cultivation level. The Seven Sword Immortals, even a Sword Dao King Seat could challenge them. But the lower limit of this title was the King Seat Dao Realm of Spirit Refinement, and the upper limit was... limitless! It could be Mei Siren, pushing through a death countdown to cleave Jiang Buyi with a sword. It could be Xiao Kongtong gritting his teeth to rush into the Second World and severely injure Yan Wuse. It could even be Gu Yu, hearing the Dao in the morning, content to die in the evening, using his sword to open the Mysterious Gate.

"I'm not opening the Mysterious Gate!" Xu Xiaoshou replied glumly via the Spiritual Link Technique. Yes, the essence of the Mysterious Gate had indeed settled in his mind, but he knew he still had a long way to go. Forcing this sword would have dire consequences!

"You don't need the third realm. If you had that level, why would I bother with so many details? I'd have had you strike him down long ago."

Dao Qiongcang's words made Xu Xiaoshou's face darken with indignation. Can he talk properly?! Seriously?! But at the same time, it brought a sense of relief. Good, no self-sacrifice needed. The flashy old Daoist must have another idea.

"You have a punch that can destroy a physical body."

"You have a finger that can extinguish a soul."

The two abrupt sentences from Dao Qiongcang sent a chill down Xu Xiaoshou's spine. The very methods he had just thought of himself were these two. If Dao Qiongcang couldn't hold on, by risking exposure of the more potent Passive Punch and Illusory Extinction Finger, he could at least catch Cui Yin off guard. Even if he couldn't kill him, he could at least prevent him from guarding the tree gate for a short time, allowing him to escape the God's Vestige with the flashy old Daoist, right? What about after returning to the Saint God Continent? That was for later. Anyway, unleashing these two special passive abilities would also keep Dao Qiongcang suppressed for a while, giving him enough time to accumulate energy again.

Who would have thought that as soon as this guy spoke, he would block off all his options: "I don't need you to use them. They can't kill Cui Yin either. I need a sword that, starting from the weaknesses I mentioned earlier, will only injure his 'will,' destroying his last reliance, causing his state to completely collapse and him to fall back into slumber. Like rubbing salt in a wound, you know? That's what I mean."

You're so sinister... Xu Xiaoshou quickly replied after hearing that: "I can use Prajna-less!"

"Too slow."

"And Heaven's Abandonment!"

"Not enough."

"Just spit it out!"

Xu Xiaoshou was annoyed. Was he here just to demoralize him? Third realm no good, second realm not enough... Are you telling me you want me to become Bazun'an, combine nine major sword arts, and instantly create a "specialized attack sword" for you—one that does nothing else but maximize offensive power, focusing all output on the Dao of "will," solely for severing Cui Yin's will?

Dao Qiongcang: "I want you to embody Bazun'an..."

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes widened, and he completely lost his composure: "Do you think I'm a god?" Those words sounded familiar. Where had he heard them before?

Dao Qiongcang calmly replied: "Bazun'an isn't here, so your sword is the only hope. Among the Ten Honored Ones, whenever he faced danger, and everyone thought he couldn't endure it, such a sword would always emerge, astonishing the world. He could do it, why can't you? Young Master Shou."

You freaking... Such a crude goading tactic. Surprisingly, Xu Xiaoshou wasn't provoked at all: "My comprehension truly isn't good enough."

"Just try to comprehend it."

"I told you, I can't!"

"Just try to comprehend it again."

"I already said I can't, can't means ca—" Xu Xiaoshou's voice suddenly trailed off. Dao Qiongcang never shot blanks. What he wanted, could it be for him to recklessly use passive points on the Sword Dao Disc, raising it to the level of 90 super-Dao transformation? At that point, he would master all second-realm ancient sword arts—even if he hadn't seen them all, he would disregard that, simply extract the essence and discard the dross, and instantly create an enhanced version of Prajna-less... Prajna-less Sky Sever?

Not to mention he didn't have that many passive points. And Dao Qiongcang couldn't possibly know about the existence of the passive system. Even if all conditions were met and the Sword Dao Disc reached 90, whether he could create such a sword in a short time was still a 50/50 chance. So, what was the basis for Dao Qiongcang's continued certainty?

Rumble... The spatial fragments occasionally connected to the God's Vestige, and he could almost hear the terrifying roars of the battlefield. Xu Xiaoshou's mind became calm as still water; he fully settled down, Dao Qiongcang's earlier words flashing through his mind: "I want you to embody Bazun'an!"

He doesn't believe in me. He believes in Bazun'an. But Bazun'an is useless now. He also said it was impossible for him to enter the God's Vestige because of me; just trust Dao Qiongcang, unless I kidnap Yue Gongnu now... No, no, no, don't get sidetracked! Come back! Come back to me!

A thought flashed. The image of the Eight-Fingered Cripple strolling leisurely on Void Island emerged. Another thought flashed. The scene of his first audience with a Half-Saint, when Half-Saint Zangren looked at him, and Bazun'an swiftly emerged from within him, speaking domineeringly, appeared. Yet another thought flashed. The scene of meeting the Red Dog shortly after his debut, only to be saved by the laughing Honored One carrying a sack, who then bestowed the ancient text "Sword Observation Codex," and in his mind, he saw the young and arrogant Bazun'an bearing four swords, and learned sword intent—this scene emerged.

A thought settled. The scene of meeting Elder Sang in the Spiritual Treasure Pavilion, where the latter sighed leisurely, and as a hidden expert of 'Burning the Zither,' a sleeve-less Saint Slave, and an experienced person from the Spirit Refinement realm, he suppressed a young, naive newcomer—this scene emerged. That sigh brought about "Innate in three breaths, Sword Immortal in three years," and even now, the memory was vivid: "Do you know what a true genius is?"

"Still haven't comprehended it?"

Through the Spiritual Link Technique, Dao Qiongcang was clearly impatient. Clearly, the battle had turned him from a composed, subtly cunning divine stick into a blunt chatterbox. He sent a message at lightning speed: "Kuileihan can't get in, can't save his son, and won't give up... He can't force his way in, and knowing you and I are here, he can only go look for someone. Who would that be? Void Island exists in a similar way to the God's Vestige. If he controls the Sub-Dimensional Gate, he might be able to use the Spirit of Void Island to break through Cui Yin's blockade and open a tiny crack in the God's Vestige... And for someone he has a past connection with, whose strength is top-notch enough for Kuileihan to acknowledge, there's only one!"

Bazun'an!

Xu Xiaoshou fell silent. He wasn't surprised that the Eight-Fingered Cripple was still so highly regarded. Rather, he was astonished that the old Daoist's guess was entirely correct; he had already secretly met Bazun'an through the Sub-Dimensional Gate—the flashy old Daoist had deduced this path in reverse.

"But Bazun'an's true body can't get in!" Dao Qiongcang said with absolute certainty. "Even if he did, he'd be useless!"

Then why bring him up? Xu Xiaoshou didn't interrupt the guy's rant and soon heard him get to the crucial point: "But since Bazun'an chose you, he won't let you die, from beginning to end. He has no direct disciples, but he has a registered disciple, Xiao Kongtong. He 'fell' thirty years ago, and no one found the 'Sword Observation Codex' he created back then..."

Xu Xiaoshou's heart skipped a beat.

"Mount Moon Immortal City can rival the Ancient Buried Sword Mound in just thirty years? What kind of joke is that? Xiao Kongtong's journey was smooth, he didn't encounter any danger, and I didn't provoke him when I was the Hall Master. So, Bazun'an's contingencies for him were naturally never used. Then, on whom?"

On me... really? Xu Xiaoshou's scalp tingled. He looked within. The ancient text "Sword Observation Codex" rustled its pages. Faintly, it seemed as if a white-robed youth, whose face was indistinct, was about to emerge. Yes, there was such a person! From the very first time he looked at the "Sword Observation Codex," the sword intent within this ancient text had manifested into such a person! A younger version of Bazun'an. At the time, he thought it was an illusion, meant to transmit sword intent.

Dao Qiongcang continued his rapid-fire speech: "The current Bazun'an is utterly useless. But Bazun'an from the period when he created sword intent and the 'Sword Observation Codex,' he... he was a god." Dao Qiongcang couldn't even be bothered to use other adjectives to sugarcoat it. Since the true body wasn't present, he continued: "Don't tell me you don't have the 'Sword Observation Codex' on you, or that you haven't seen the contingency he left for you. Look carefully; it must be there. Sword thought, sword intent, or even the four swords would work. Search for it, even if there are restrictions, even if the power he left isn't complete..."

"I have it!" Xu Xiaoshou no longer remained silent, his voice firm as iron.

Dao Qiongcang's face brightened with joy: "Summon him!"

"I don't know how to summon him..." Xu Xiaoshou tried, but it really seemed to be an illusion, completely unsummonable, like it was fake.

The Spiritual Link Technique went silent. His mind became much quieter. Clearly, Dao Qiongcang's composure was shaken. "Don't kid around..."

"I'm really not kidding."

As soon as he spoke, Dao Qiongcang made a decision: "If you can't use it, then he will use it. Perhaps, just like Cao Yihan, the moment you draw your sword, he will be able to come."

Kuileihan? Phantom? My alternate universe aunt Xiang—is the Great Summoning Technique also my passive skill?

"When I last encountered Half-Saint Zang... Old Eight's voice did indeed come from within my body." Xu Xiaoshou narrowly avoided revealing a major secret.

"Half-Saint Zangren?"

Great, it's already exposed. The former Hall Master of Dao didn't care, saying, "That means he can monitor you through this power..."

"Darn it."

"Draw your sword!"

"Huh?"

"Now, come over here, and draw your sword!"

The topic changed so fast that Xu Xiaoshou couldn't react for a moment, until the flashy old Daoist repeated himself. He hadn't misheard. It meant returning to the battlefield and drawing his sword against Cui Yin! How to draw it, what kind of sword to draw, what would happen after drawing it, wasn't the God's Vestige sealed, and even if the Eight-Fingered Cripple could really come, what role would he play...? Xu Xiaoshou was full of questions.

"Don't ask! Just come!"

The Spiritual Link Technique flashed, and all his questions were swallowed back.

Xu Xiaoshou lowered his head. Cao Erzhu's soul body seemed to sense something. With just one glance, when he caught sight of the fervor flickering in Brother Xiaoshou's eyes, he understood. His entire soul body seemed to ignite, the surging young energy opening his mouth.

There was no sound in the spatial fragments. Xu Xiaoshou almost heard the shout.

"Boom!"

A cyan storm engulfed his entire vision. The moment he returned from the temporal fragments, the first thing Xu Xiaoshou saw was Saint Emperor Mangze, covered in blood. Dao Qiongcang was even worse; his body was shattered, not a single piece of flesh was intact, and even one arm was broken.

Cao Erzhu's blood ran cold instantly. My body...

"Draw your sword!"

No longer through the Spiritual Link Technique. From a distance, Dao Qiongcang let out a roar, his voice somewhat hoarse.

Cui Yin's three eyes slanted, demonic energy clearly visible within them. He had clearly seen his return, yet all three heads shook in unison, and three mouths curled in disdain: "You stalled for half a day, just for this?"

A message popped up.

"Received Taunt, Passive Points +1."

"Received Ignored, Passive Points +1."

Ignoring me... You brazen Cui Yin, Evil God! I've returned as a king, and you dare to ignore me? Is this the "Emptiness of Arrogance"? You're emptying out too fast, aren't you? It clearly wasn't like this just now. Dao Qiongcang even... fought you to your satisfaction?

Gulp! His Adam's apple bobbed.

Xu Xiaoshou drew Hidden Pain, put away Fiery Serpent, and then switched back to the Four Swords. You might be meeting your old master soon...

"How do I draw the sword?" He asked again in his mind, via the Spiritual Link Technique. This ancient sword cultivator, who had mastered 80% of the Sword Dao Disc, finally asked such an absurd question to someone completely new to ancient sword arts. There was no other way. Xu Xiaoshou was genuinely confused now, completely unaware of Dao Qiongcang's plan. I'm supposed to lead the battle. I know nothing. Is this what it feels like to be a pawn used by someone with a god-like perspective?

"I don't know!" Dao Qiongcang answered with surprising brazenness: "The Great God Descent Art, you understand?"

I understand. Summoning a god. Just like you. If you can't win, summon Old Eight. If Old Eight doesn't work, summon Little Eight.

"Boom boom boom boom..." The storm roared in his ears, but it couldn't shatter Xu Xiaoshou's body. It only made his robes flap wildly and sent his long black hair flying high.

The Sword Dao Disc was deployed. The Four Swords were raised diagonally towards Cui Yin. Since he had to draw a sword, he'd use everything related to swords. As for the rest... he wouldn't think about it!

Cui Yin spared a moment to turn his heads, returning three smiles, which seemed even more contemptuous.

"Received Scorn, Passive Points +1."

An inexplicable surge of anger welled up in Xu Xiaoshou's heart, yet he was lost in the storm, unsure what sword art to activate next. "Is this right? Is this the correct way to summon? But what's next? And the God's Vestige is sealed. His swords are gone, and he can't fly. How is he supposed to get here?" As soon as the message was sent via Spiritual Link Technique, the anxiety in his heart was truly impossible to hide.

Soon, Dao Qiongcang's exasperated voice came back: "You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask? Focus on drawing your sword. Bazun'an will come. As for the rest... the ritual, I'll prepare it!"