Chapter 1674: The Descendant of the Cangsheng Great Emperor's Tent, If One Scheme Is Implemented, Wind and Rain Will Form

A'Si was silent.

He didn't really know what Grandmaster Shou was like before. He had only heard tales of him creating countless clones, employing endless schemes, and possessing a silver tongue. Then, he vanished.

However, why did Xu Xiaoshou's current performance in the mirror earn the Young Master's high praise?

Considering alliances and strategies, A'Si asked, "Young Master Li, are we supposed to help the Holy Divine Palace or Xu Xiaoshou now?"

Yue Gongli turned and glared at the old man, snapping out of his contemplation. "Are you stupid? Of course, it's the Holy Divine Palace! We are forces of justice, while the Saint Servant is a dark force!"

*You* said anyone could cooperate... A'Si forced a smile, but he also knew it wasn't the right time for that discussion. After all, they supported the weak, not the strong.

"How do we help?"

"No! I'm still thinking about whether to intervene or offer assistance," Yue Gongli said, looking further ahead. "After all, I'm not on the Holy Mountain right now; I'm still recuperating."

A'Si's ears twitched. He quickly frowned, then said helplessly, "Young Master Li, people from the Holy Divine Palace have arrived. They say they're executing 'Plan Sixteen' and need the Saint Emperor's assistance."

"Get lost. Tell them to ask other families."

"Yes, but if other families provide aid and we do nothing..."

Yue Gongli stroked his chin, falling into thought. A'Si's words were not without reason.

The Holy Divine Palace was an organization used by the five Saint Emperor families to govern the continent. At least on the surface, they couldn't just stand by; it would demoralize people. Moreover, regardless of the outcome of this battle, Ai Cangsen had invested significant effort. If other families offered assistance, the hearts of the Saints on the Holy Mountain would gravitate towards those families. Who knows, perhaps his family would earn a Ten Venerables position?

But which family would act?

"Qianshi has no one capable. The Qianshi Saint Emperor, like my father, cannot personally act against a mere Xu Xiaoshou..."

"Bei Huai definitely wants to help, as he's after Xu Xiaoshou, but Ai Cangsen wouldn't be foolish enough to invite that madman. The other families also wouldn't agree to Bei Huai getting involved..."

"Indeed, only Hua Changdeng is left. He and Ba Zun'an still owe each other a battle. It's time to push them to fight and weaken each other..."

Yue Gongli looked up at A'Si, saying earnestly, "Go to the Holy Mountain yourself. Sincerely tell Emperor Cangsen that, if necessary, the Han Palace Saint Emperor will certainly assist him. There's no doubt about that!"

A'Si nodded, understanding this was a grand promise.

"But before that, if the 'Hall Master' and the 'Ten Venerables' can't even handle the First Heavenly Tower, and can't even force Ba Zun'an out..."

"Tell Ai Cangsen to humble himself and invite Dao Xuanji out. At the very least, if people from the Holy Mountain keep sacrificing themselves, the five Saint Emperor families definitely won't stand by. The Saint Emperors will take turns acting."

"While sanctioning Dao Xuanji, wouldn't the First Heavenly Tower and the Saint Servant also be conveniently eliminated?"

A'Si sighed. What a crude provocation. But it was also an open strategy, though many would die.

"These alone certainly won't suffice. Ai Cangsen currently lacks a battle strategy. It just so happens that Dao Qiongcang isn't here, and I'm barely adequate—after all, I know Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts. But you should only give him this information when he's finally pressed for it."

"Please elaborate, Young Master Li."

Yue Gongli organized his thoughts and, adopting Dao Qiongcang's tone, began to speak slowly:

"First, Xu Xiaoshou controls the Heaven Realm Core, and the Divine Remains are his transit point. He has the right not to return Wu Xiu to the Dead Sea. Therefore, 'Plan Sixteen' is fundamentally invalid, even if he doesn't know its contents."

"Second, Xu Xiaoshou has encountered Shen Yi and Dao Qiongcang; he absolutely won't engage Ai Cangsen in direct conflict, so tell Ai Cangsen not to bother trying. At the same time, pay attention to guidance, but note that Xu Xiaoshou will likely guide not Ai Cangsen, but rather a Half-Saint like Qin Duan—a circuitous, roundabout guidance."

"Third, Xu Xiaoshou's goal is indeed to rescue Wu Xiu. Therefore, his current strategy is to attract attention. It's correct for Ai Cangsen to hold his ground. If Ai Cangsen leaves, the Holy Mountain becomes empty, and Wu Xiu can return. If he doesn't leave, the Holy Mountain remains protected, but Wu Xiu won't return, and Xu Xiaoshou will continue to provoke until he does."

A'Si's eyes shot open, and he suddenly realized. So, Young Master Li highly praised Xu Xiaoshou's "dirty" tactics because of this point—it was an overt strategy!

But... what good would constant provocation do? As long as Ai Cangsen could endure, would Xu Xiaoshou really become stronger through constant provocation, strong enough to directly defeat Ai Cangsen and take his master away from the mountain?

"It is useful." Yue Gongli nodded with a smile. "You don't understand 'fame,' so you don't understand why Ba Zun'an cultivates fame, or why Xu Xiaoshou cultivates fame."

"What's more, that flamboyant old Daoist once mentioned to me that he vaguely sensed Xu Xiaoshou wasn't just cultivating fame; every time he acted wildly and recklessly, his strength would rapidly increase..."

"Perhaps he's practicing some insights into the Dao through seemingly bizarre behavior, deepening what he saw, felt, and understood in the Divine Remains, and assimilating it for his own use? In any case, we must be wary of this."

Xu Xiaoshou's comprehension is truly terrifying? A'Si felt that this was no less impressive than "innate in three breaths, Sword Immortal in three years."

"'No such prodigy for a hundred generations, no master for ten thousand years...' Xu Xiaoshou's boastful words sound like something Ba Zun'an would say, but they truly describe himself." Yue Gongli still gave him high praise.

A'Si was rendered silent once more. He already felt a bit reluctant to deliver the message. Go and make a grand promise to Ai Cangsen, then tell him to humble himself and invite Dao Xuanji, and finally, inform him... "Hey, actually, whatever you do is useless. Xu Xiaoshou is employing an overt strategy: when you advance, he retreats; when you retreat, he advances. You can never defeat him. You really are a useless dog."

Would Emperor Cangsen really not shove the arrow of the Evil Sin Bow straight down his own throat?

Yue Gongli smiled, looking at A'Si, who was hesitant and on the verge of speaking. "It's not hopeless; just listen to me finish!"

"Fourth, and finally, to break Xu Xiaoshou's overt strategy, Ai Cangsen alone isn't enough. In his perfect state, Xu Xiaoshou is simply too resilient."

"The Holy Mountain must welcome back Elder Yu. Then, one person will guard the Dead Sea, and another will go out to fight and wear down Xu Xiaoshou's condition."

"Those guarding the Holy Mountain and the Dead Sea are indispensable, but the one going out to fight can be replaced—it doesn't have to be Elder Yu, but they must have Elder Yu's level of skill. They must at least be able to threaten Xu Xiaoshou and wear him down, not just get themselves killed."

"When Xu Xiaoshou's condition drops to a critical point, Ai Cangsen will know where that threshold is... At that time, he can manage both ends: while guarding the Holy Mountain, he won't need to leave but can still assist others in shooting Xu Xiaoshou—this is the correct way to use Ai Cangsen!"

Yue Gongli smiled confidently. "The Ai Cangsen User Manual," which he had acquired from Dao Qiongcang, was absolutely flawless. Letting him leave the Holy Mountain and rush around, for whatever reason, would mean the decision-maker was incompetent. Making him steadfastly guard the Holy Mountain, letting others venture out, and having him assist with arrows would perfectly unleash the Holy Divine Palace's combat power while boosting morale.

"The arrows of the Evil Sin Bow have only two firing methods that maximize their power. Do you know what they are?" Yue Gongli's lips curled slightly, strikingly similar to Dao Qiongcang at that moment.

"What are they?" A'Si listened intently, resembling Yue Gongli when he humbly sought answers.

"First, when Ai Cangsen is seated and the Evil Sin Bow is drawn but not fired, the threat is maximized."

"Second, when Ai Cangsen stands, abandoning a middle domain, the attack power is maximized."

What kind of theory was that? Could Ai Cangsen even stand up? After listening, A'Si silently ignored that statement, thinking Young Master Li's previous methods were better. An archer needed a pile of meat shields in front to absorb damage so their combat power could be unleashed. The Holy Mountain currently lacked meat shields!

But Xu Xiaoshou was rumored to be a notorious combat monster; his spiritual energy was boundless, and he had comprehended the profound meaning of life, which meant infinite replenishment. Meat shields? There were no shields. But there were plenty of futile efforts, where they would go and never return.

"I'll have Ai Cangsen invite Elder Yu, but Young Master Li, who do you have in mind who could 'substitute' for Elder Yu?" A'Si frowned.

Yue Gongli pondered, actually somewhat reluctant to suggest. He couldn't control the "degree" or implications of what he was about to say. If Dao Qiongcang were here, he would definitely run it by him for filtering, but Dao Qiongcang wasn't here...

"Tell him this: The method I'm about to describe should *only* be used if Elder Yu is significantly delayed in returning—this is the crucial point! Ai Cangsen can only use it if Elder Yu isn't there!"

"What method?"

"The key point! Repeat it!"

"'Elder Yu isn't there?'" A'Si was intrigued. Was it some kind of rubbish method that harmed the enemy by a thousand but oneself by eight hundred, for Young Master Li to be so cautious? But if it was rubbish, why bother saying it and polluting others' ears?

Yue Gongli pondered again, and after confirming that no one was guiding him, he sighed and said, "Issuing the Saint Order for the Divine Remains was a mistake, but using it across the Five Domains wouldn't be a bad, albeit mediocre, strategy against Xu Xiaoshou."

"Of course, you'd need to invite a Saint of Elder Yu's caliber. But then you can't prevent others from being tempted to gain fame by stepping on Xu Xiaoshou, which would instead give Xu Xiaoshou a lot of... fame!"

Issue the Saint Order again... A'Si nodded gravely, indicating he understood.

"And another alternative method!"

"Again, the same condition: use it *only* if Elder Yu isn't there!"

A'Si nodded emphatically, repeated the key point, and, after Young Master Li seemed reassured, listened attentively.

Yue Gongli sat back in his grand chair, staring at the unruly Xu Xiaoshou in the two mirrors before him. He hesitated for a long time before finally speaking: "Open up the Dead Sea Restricted Zone. Give some incentives, and let the monsters inside fight Xu Xiaoshou!"

A'Si's heart clenched. Some monsters in the Dead Sea Restricted Zone had been suppressed for unknown ages. What level of creature would they release?

Yue Gongli rubbed his head, saying wistfully, "Don't think about it. Let Ai Cangsen worry about that. We are just offering suggestions."

"Yes!"

In the waterside pavilion, the breeze rustled gently. After Yue Gongli had finished speaking, he suddenly felt agitated, an uncomfortable sensation of being guided. Was this physical body, refined by Dao Qiongcang, guiding him? He verified, but it wasn't.

It must be a sudden impulse stemming from not being optimistic about the overall situation... Yue Gongli frowned, casting his gaze upon the lake, where he saw only natural scenes: dragonflies skimming the water, fish blowing bubbles, and so on. He couldn't discern anything about the world beneath the lake's surface.

"Is this advice correct?"

Recalling Xu Xiaoshou's past history of rising in power during battles, embodying the Grand Dao, and advancing his cultivation, Yue Gongli suddenly felt he was wrong, terribly wrong.

"Wait! Come back!" He mentally called out.

Yue Gongli looked up and saw that A'Si hadn't left yet, seemingly waiting for him to change his mind. As expected of his shadow... Yue Gongli opened his mouth but said nothing, withdrawing his suggestion.

"If only Dao Qiongcang were here."

Leaning on the railing and looking out, the lake seemed filled with sorrow. Yue Gongli felt a bit nostalgic for his childhood. Growing up was truly detestable.

"No more thinking. I'm just making suggestions; Hall Master Ai is the one who makes the final decision!" Yue Gongli patted his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Yet, a thought involuntarily surfaced: If I were Dao Qiongcang, would I propose such a tempting yet riskier suggestion?

Yue Gongli shook his head, clearing his mind, and returned to reality. I am not Dao Qiongcang. Nor is Dao Qiongcang invincible. Only the "Dao Qiongcang" deified in people's minds was unfathomable.

"Perhaps he's just returned to his original state now, and any suggestions he could offer would be on par with mine!" Yue Gongli quickly turned off the mirrors, no longer wanting to watch Xu Xiaoshou show off.

Actually, Yue Gongli hadn't told A'Si one more thing. The greatest gain from the Divine Remains wasn't acquiring things like the Eight Divine Paths, which only offered approximate current combat power; the key was Cui Yin. He knew where Cui Yin was!

In the First Heaven, when entering the nascent Dark Divine Court and fighting the Creation Infant Holy Plant, Yue Gongli had discarded a Void Giant Lord. That was a Divine Slough of the Heavenly Ancestor, extremely powerful, and the Creation Infant Holy Plant would definitely be tempted to devour it. Yue Gongli had originally intended to use this to leave a mark, and through the World Tree's Creation Infant Holy Plant, bypass the Saint Servants and others at the last moment to obtain the Divine Remains.

What a pity. Xu Xiaoshou was a variable. The Creation Infant Holy Plant wasn't the key either. Ran Ming wasn't there either, so he didn't discover that the Creation Infant Holy Plant had obtained his friend's Divine Slough, and thus didn't act in anger.

"The calculation failed." Yue Gongli could only sigh, admitting he truly wasn't Dao Qiongcang.

But! Unexpectedly, there was Cui Yin! By a twist of fate, the Half-Saint, Half-Saint status, and even the Divine Slough devoured by the Creation Infant Holy Plant were all providing nourishment to Cui Yin! Consequently, the Divine Slough's imprint ended up on Cui Yin, who was currently still wandering.

"Even if he discovered my mark, the weakened manifestation of the Ancestor of Arts wasn't much superior to the Heavenly Ancestor's Divine Slough in terms of level."

"I still have Divine Slough, and I can respond at any time to find..."

Yue Gongli gazed at the shimmering lake surface, pondering on whom this move should be played. Cui Yin had a grudge against Xu Xiaoshou, and also against Dao Qiongcang...

Ah, that's all for later. I am more important! Yue Gongli quickly shook his head, no longer overthinking.

"A'Si, are the sacred medicines I asked you to prepare all ready?" He turned to look.

"They are ready." A'Si pulled out a ring.

As soon as Young Master Li returned home, he had asked A'Si to prepare some sacred medicines for physical recovery and cultivation. A'Si wrinkled his nose, surmising that he must have encountered Shen Yi in the Divine Remains and wanted to temper his physical body... "Young Master Li, do you really not need to bathe and change before cultivating? To be honest, you smell a bit."

Yue Gongli burst into laughter upon hearing this. After taking the ring, he waved his hand and said, "No need. You go. Be careful not to descend from the Heavenly Ladder, and don't let Xu Xiaoshou notice... I'm going to Barren Mountain."

"What for?" A'Si asked, puzzled. That was a forbidden area, uninhabited, where spiritual energy and Dao laws were incomplete—not a place for cultivation.

Yue Gongli patted his backside and strode quickly out of the Listening Rain Pavilion, saying without looking back, "I'm tired of living. I'm going to self-destruct for a bit."