Chapter 1657: Deposing the Holy Slave's Blood Imprint, The Crime in Xuanji's Letter

“Are you there?”

Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts probed the ancient book world. The figure of the white-clothed swordsman was incredibly blurry, not as clear as before, and seemed to have completely lost its consciousness, leaving only a shadow.

“Yes.”

Still here? I thought you said "not much time" meant you'd left without a word long ago! Xu Xiaoshou was glad he hadn't started badmouthing Old Eight yet, and quickly said, “It’s good you’re here. We’re discussing you face-to-face, not behind your back. You shouldn’t be angry, right?”

Ba Zun'an couldn't be bothered with Xu Xiaoshou's insincerity. That matter back then was actually nothing to him. He was just disgusted by the not-so-clever methods; it wasn't something unspeakable. At that time, Xu Xiaoshou was still young and couldn't reach that level, so there was no need to tell him much. Now, with the Saint Emperor Rao family nearing its end, it was indeed possible to tell him some things about the Five Great Saint Emperor Families.

“Before the decisive battle, I received a letter.”

When this faint voice emerged from within his body, not only Xu Xiaoshou, but Dao Qiongcang also sat up straight. His information was gathered after the fact. What the person involved said himself would certainly have discrepancies in details compared to what was gathered from inquiries. The two sat cross-legged, both listening intently, all four eyes staring at their stomachs—a truly strange scene.

“The letter was unsigned, and I only learned later that it came from Dao Xuanji.”

“I don't remember the specific content well, only that it was a threat letter, asking me to make a choice.”

“What choice?” Xu Xiaoshou was astonished that a mere sister dared to threaten the exalted Eighth Sword Immortal, while also curious about Ba Zun'an's answer. There was no need to talk about personal impressions; it was common knowledge that the Eighth Sword Immortal at that time was synonymous with "young and arrogant" and would never compromise.

“She wanted me to choose between Yue Gongnu and Hua Changdeng.”

What?! Xu Xiaoshou was greatly startled by this, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. Is this something that can be said? Isn't Hua Changdeng a man? Did I have some preconceived stereotype, and Sister Changdeng has always been a peerless beauty? No, that's not right. He's just a scruffy middle-aged man, right? Then... Ba Zun'an... could it be... homosexual? That's right, he's always had a strange storyteller by his side... Xu Xiaoshou's expression turned strange, feeling as if everything could be explained from an incredible angle right from the beginning of the story.

“Tsk!”

Dao Qiongcang saw the reaction opposite him and knew this kid had completely misunderstood, so he helplessly waved his hand: “You truly have no talent for storytelling, Ba Zun'an, just shut up. I'll do it! If anything's wrong, you can speak up. I also want to hear your original version.” He stopped being polite with Ba Zun'an and pointed a finger at Xu Xiaoshou, saying: “To clarify this matter, you first need to know a few prerequisites. First, the Five Great Saint Emperor Families have noble bloodlines; everyone below the Heavenly Ladder is considered baseborn, whether it's Shen Yi, Ba Zun'an, or...”

“Insulted, Passive Ability triggered, +1.”

Xu Xiaoshou stared at the finger pointing at him, rolling his eyes helplessly. That was too sharp. Dao Palace Lord, do you dare to say that to the people of the Five Domains and see their reaction?

“Hmm.”

Nodding, Xu Xiaoshou did not refute the old traditionalists' views on bloodlines.

Dao Qiongcang continued: “Members of the Moon, North, Hua, Rao, and Dao families may wander in the mortal world for pleasure, but if they have relations with a baseborn, even if no offspring are born, the person themselves and their entire lineage will be demoted and forbidden from entering the Saint Emperor Secret Realm for life. Such people, within the Five Great Saint Emperor Families, even servants can call them ‘Saint Slaves’.”

Xu Xiaoshou's expression changed, not entirely surprised, as he had heard bits and pieces before.

“You've actually met a true Saint Slave, not like Ba Zun'an or Wuxiu.” Dao Qiongcang hinted, “Also in the Heavenly Sang Spirit Palace.”

“Who?” Xu Xiaoshou reacted quickly, “Rao Yinyin?”

“Yes!”

Only after Dao Qiongcang nodded in confirmation did Xu Xiaoshou slightly open his mouth, a bit surprised but also feeling it made sense. Rao Yinyin, Su Qianqian's good friend, the head of the thirty-three inner disciples of the Heavenly Sang Spirit Palace. Speaking of which, he still owed her a King's Throne Pill... That wasn't important. What was important was that her surname was Rao. On the Saint God Continent, other surnames could be encountered anywhere, but ordinary people simply didn't dare to use surnames like Yue, Bei, Hua, Rao, or Dao; they didn't even exist as options. Rao Yinyin not only dared to have the surname Rao from birth, but her name also had a similar structure to Rao Yaoyao's. The key was, thinking about it now, these two women did indeed look a tiny bit similar. Oh no, could they be mother and daughter?

Dao Qiongcang knew what Xu Xiaoshou was thinking: “Strictly speaking, Rao Yaoyao is Rao Yinyin's paternal aunt. Yaoyao herself gave Yinyin her name; she really liked this child. But Rao Yinyin's father committed a taboo—when this girl began cultivating, her talent was poor, and it was discovered that she was not of pure Five Great Saint Emperor Family lineage; she had half mortal blood, definitely from a baseborn... That word is too ugly. In short, when her father was enjoying himself in the mortal world, he fell in love with a mortal and had a child. But after bringing the person back to the Saint Emperor Secret Realm through various connections, he disguised them as a collateral branch of the Wu Rao Emperor Realm, got married, and pulled the wool over everyone's eyes. Secrets don't stay hidden forever; following the clues, he was discovered. The entire lineage was implicated, including his father, his grandfather, him, his daughter, his siblings... Rao Yaoyao was also affected, but her sword talent was exceptional, so I protected her. For Rao Yaoyao's sake, I couldn't manage anyone else, only protected Rao Yinyin, her favorite from that lineage, sending her to live below the Heavenly Ladder. You can also understand this as a 'restraint'. This remains a secret to this day; the higher-ups don't know. Later, when I became the Palace Lord, even if they knew, they could only turn a blind eye and dare not target Rao Yinyin.”

Feeling thorns in his back, as if sitting on pins and needles. Xu Xiaoshou, having heard all this, feeling the flamboyant old Daoist's resentful gaze, finally understood the reasons behind it. Why was Rao Yaoyao willing to be Dao Qiongcang's sword? Why did Dao Qiongcang dare to use an outsider so boldly, even training her without reservation? A true insider! As a result, after so many years of cultivation, just as the glory after Void Island's sanctification was about to bloom, she fell. The murderer was now sitting awkwardly opposite the storyteller, still scratching his head.

“Sorry, I messed up your fish-farming plan.”

Xu Xiaoshou awkwardly twitched his lips, cradling his head, and pouted, “How about I kowtow to you as an apology?”

Dao Qiongcang snorted. So much time had passed, he no longer cared. He wasn't one to hold a grudge.

Xu Xiaoshou thought about it and wondered, if the Saint Emperor Families always acted this way, how many destined individuals would rise from obscurity to power, driven by vengeance? He asked curiously: “Over all these years, hasn't there been a single prodigy who, after being humiliated, cultivated with a heart of revenge, broke through all restraints to become a Saint Emperor, and returned to the Saint Emperor Secret Realm to exact bloody vengeance upon those who wronged their lineage?”

Dao Qiongcang's face showed a bit of amusement: “Do you think that's possible? Anyone who becomes a Saint Slave, upon being expelled from the Saint Emperor Secret Realm, will have a ‘Saint Slave’ mark branded into their bloodline, making them unable to break through to the Grand Void and achieve Half-Saint status for life. This is the highest rule, let alone me, even the patriarchs of the Five Great Saint Emperor Families cannot change it. It has become a Dao Law, specifically to prevent the situation you described.”

Xu Xiaoshou looked crestfallen. Indeed, it was a rigorous world. How could families with a legacy of millions of years fail to guard against something he could even consider?

“Saint Slave Mark...” He stroked his chin, took out the Eight-Character Token, and flipped it over. On the back was an emblem of a naked woman with hands and feet cuffed, crying softly with her knees drawn up.

“Yes, that's it.” Dao Qiongcang stared at the emblem and said: “At moments of enlightenment, tranquility, rage, hatred... Spirit Refiners can break through; geniuses can always find a way out of desperate situations. At this time, the Saint Slave Mark will trigger, interrupting their breakthroughs and preventing them from becoming geniuses. Just like this.”

Dao Qiongcang's face flashed with anger, as if he had been utterly humiliated, and immediately, his aura erupted, as if he were about to break through in battle. He suddenly looked distressed, helplessly turning his hands over. In the palms of his hands, crimson blood gathered, forming the emblem of "Saint Slave." As soon as this mark appeared, his entire breakthrough aura was disrupted, and he could only continue to endure the humiliation from his enemies.

“How truly hateful...” Xu Xiaoshou touched his face; his cheeks were incredibly smooth. He didn't know why, but it felt as if a slave number had been branded onto him, the kind he was born with. So, Rao Yinyin couldn't become a genius. Even if he gave her King's Throne Pills, Grand Void Pills, or even Half-Saint Pills. Being the head of the thirty-three inner disciples might be the highest position she could ever reach in her life. This was an innate sorrow, and also the sorrow of the era.

“Freedom...” Xu Xiaoshou thought of what Ba Zun'an had said when he invited him to join the Saint Slaves in the White Cave back then, and he felt it even more deeply. So early on, he was already a Saint Slave. Regardless of whether one agreed or not, those destined to be Saint Slaves were born as such, with no choice.

“We've strayed.” Dao Qiongcang waved his sleeve, dispelling the heavenly illusion from his body, and returned to the main topic: “The content of the letter Dao Xuanji gave to Ba Zun'an was likely about 'the cat being out of the bag'. On the day of the decisive battle, due to certain connections... which was actually her doing. The Saint Emperor Yue family, and even the Five Great Saint Emperor Families, would re-examine Yue Gongnu's bloodline purity that day, to see if she had been...” He paused, then Dao Qiongcang, looking resolute and brave, vaguely said: “defiled.”

Ba Zun'an remained silent. Silence, at this moment, was an admission, meaning Dao Qiongcang was not wrong. Xu Xiaoshou understood: “So on that day, Little Eight...”

“Cough!”

“Oh, oops, sorry... So on that day, the Eighth Sword Immortal had to make a choice: either go to the Saint Emperor Family and take Yue Gongnu, then flee; or continue the decisive battle, go easy during the fight to let Hua Changdeng win; or bow to her, Dao Xuanji—since she caused the trouble, did she have a way to make Yue Gongnu pass the inspection?”

Dao Qiongcang smiled and nodded: “Yes, at least that's how the story I heard goes.” He looked at Xu Xiaoshou's stomach.

Ba Zun'an: “Correct.”

“Doesn't she know you?” Xu Xiaoshou was astonished, pondering that Dao Xuanji had made so many foolish moves. Once this letter was sent, what could she gain besides offending a whole bunch of people? “If you don't agree, it's a lose-lose situation. Would she really offend the then-famous Eighth Sword Immortal? Yue Gongnu, the Saint Emperor Yue family's descendant? And the promising Hua Changdeng? Going easy... For ancient sword cultivators, that would be a humiliation, right? Why would she do that? What was her purpose? What benefit could she gain?”

Dao Qiongcang shrugged: “To this day, I cannot understand my sister.”

“Really?” Xu Xiaoshou tilted his head towards the flamboyant old Daoist, “I don't believe you.”

Dao Qiongcang chuckled: “I tried to interpret her, and the conclusion I reached was that she just wanted to 'compare'. From childhood to adulthood, whatever I learned, she wanted to learn; whatever I mastered, she wanted to master. Perhaps it's because I had Rao Yaoyao, she also wanted to cultivate a Hua Changdeng. If the victory of the decisive battle came about through her schemes, perhaps she thought Hua Changdeng would be deeply grateful to her afterward. It must be said, Hua's potential was above Rao's; once cultivated, he could indeed surpass me. But Hua...” Dao Qiongcang shook his head. He couldn't control Hua Changdeng. Facts also proved his judgment was correct; Rao Yaoyao could be attempted to be controlled, but Hua Changdeng's current achievements made him a Saint Emperor, higher than himself. Dao Xuanji wanted to control him? A fool's dream! Perhaps he never even looked at her properly from beginning to end. This was precisely why Dao Qiongcang only spoke of trying to "interpret" Dao Xuanji, rather than fully "understanding" his sister. After all, this whole situation looked foolish from the start—if it were him, he would never have acted this way!

Xu Xiaoshou fell into thought. Sister Xuanji was too exaggerated, practically crazier than the Eighth Sword Immortal, but sometimes people's actions were truly irrational. “Do you think there's a possibility your sister liked Ba Zun'an?”

“Hiss!” Dao Qiongcang's pupils dilated, and he gasped. Indeed, bystanders see more than those involved. The Eighth Sword Immortal's charm at that time captivated the world, and countless beauties wanted to throw themselves into his arms... There truly was such a possibility!

“Or, thinking from another angle, your sister liked Hua Changdeng and wanted to attract his attention this way?”

“Hiss!” Dao Qiongcang stood up in shock, all his hair standing on end. From an emotional perspective, everything seemed to make sense, as human emotions could never truly be explained.

“Of course, it's also possible that people resist when suppressed for too long. Was your brilliance as a brother too dazzling, and no one noticed her, making her unhappy?” Xu Xiaoshou thought from a sympathetic perspective and felt he could understand Dao Xuanji. Not everyone could be like Wen Ting, suppressed by Ba Zun'an his entire life, yet still remain friends with him. —Even if they appeared to be friends on the surface, he probably became twisted mentally long ago, right? Dao Xuanji was similar. But she was different; she expressed these emotions. The Wen and Dao families had different inherent dispositions. Dao Xuanji also seemed to be a stubborn and rebellious type. Wen Ting... Xu Xiaoshou thought of the opera artist who came to collect the sword after Guyu's death... Uh, too artistic, hard to comment on.

“Perhaps, all are possible?” Dao Qiongcang tried to combine these three possibilities, feeling he was a bit closer to his sister's complex mind.

Xu Xiaoshou glanced at him hesitantly. Having a brother like you, it truly was a blessing for a sister.

“So you ultimately chose Hua Changdeng?” He didn't continue the topic, instead looking down at his stomach, then quickly spat, “You chose to fight him and ignored that threat letter?”

Before Ba Zun'an could speak, Dao Qiongcang laughed out loud: “At that time, he received challenges daily. Kill one, two more would come. Everyone wanted to step on the 'Eighth Sword Immortal' to gain fame. He couldn't even finish fighting them all. What was a threat letter? It didn't even have a name. He probably tore it up after a glance.”

Ba Zun'an: “Correct.”

So fearless? Xu Xiaoshou patted his stomach: “You really weren't afraid of something happening to Yue Gongnu, or were you just starting your relationship back then, and nothing had happened, so you weren't afraid of being investigated at all?”

Dao Qiongcang scoffed with a smile: “It's true that you were just starting your relationship, but 'nothing had happened,' I find that impossible...” After saying that, his eyes gleamed, staring intently at Xu Xiaoshou's stomach, with flames burning brightly in his eyes.

Xu Xiaoshou also looked down. The two exchanged glances, both slightly opening their mouths: “So you...” Their surprised eyes met again, each showing astonishment, and they asked uncertainly: “Could it be that you...”

“Tell me! There are only three of us here, what's there to be afraid of? I won't tell anyone.” Xu Xiaoshou declared he would keep his mouth shut.

“I won't gossip either; I'm just curious about some uncertain details from back then. Curiosity is human nature.” Dao Qiongcang spouted a bunch of crooked logic, the flames in his eyes practically burning his entire body.

Ba Zun'an remained silent. The two also stopped talking, just staring at the stomach, waiting. The God's Ruin fell silent for a long time.

Finally, Ba Zun'an couldn't withstand the stares, and a faint voice emerged from the stomach: “Yes, we have a child.”