Chapter 1675: Burning the Qin to Make a Cocoon Is Not Self-Binding, Butterfly Flapping Wings Moves the Rivers and Mountains

"So, this is your plan?"

"He advances, you retreat; he retreats, you advance. Is it simply to toy with Ai Cang-Sheng?"

In the Divine Relic, Elder Sang moved his fists and feet, then turned his head, looking at his beloved disciple with a hesitant expression.

Thanks to my beloved disciple, I've been reborn.

Reborn as a Fire-elemental Semi-Saint of the Aoyi, I began by comprehending the Dao in the Divine Relic and mastered the sleeveless Chi-Jiao-Shou, a variant of the Che-Shen-Nian Dragon-Melting-Burn.

Elder Sang was very satisfied with this life. He caressed his new body, feeling that long-lost smooth sensation again. This new physique had fair skin, was delicate and flawless, with only one minor flaw.

Touching his head, the small bald spot still hadn't healed. The excessive work in Fen-Qin in the past seemed to have caused not temporary physical damage, but permanent spiritual harm.

"What a pity..."

Elder Sang merely sighed. Soon, he collected himself, no longer indulging in his beautiful body.

A beauty in skeleton form. No matter how beautiful the skin and flesh were, once the sleeveless Chi-Jiao-Shou or sleeveless Chi-Jiao-Shen was activated, he would quickly revert to his former withered state.

Sometimes, Elder Sang envied the second-generation Che-Shen-Nian techniques like Ba-Zun-An's Jian-Nian, Mei-Si-Ren's Jian-Xiang, and Wei-Feng's Sha-Shen-Ling-Yu, which only harmed the internal aspects and didn't damage the skin much.

But then he reconsidered, at least he had mastered Che-Shen-Nian and held a trump card comparable to the power of the Ancestral Source, ready to be unleashed at the right moment.

And some people...

Turning his head to look at the Shui-Gui who had woken up but was still frail, Elder Sang felt quite content. Some people couldn't even learn Che-Shen-Nian, and their bodies were extremely fragile. What was wrong with the Chi-Jiao-Shou I comprehended having a slight side effect? It was already great!

"In my opinion, it's more than just toying with him, isn't it?"

To the side, Shui-Gui slowly opened his eyes, exhaling a murky breath. His trembling hand clutched a sacred herb, slowly absorbing spiritual energy. He didn't dare to consume it directly; with a body newly recovered from severe injuries, he couldn't handle such a potent medicinal herb, likely dying from over-nourishment.

Looking at Xu Xiao-Shou standing atop the holy mountain in the spatial mirror before him, then back at the real Xu Xiao-Shou in front of him, Shui-Gui couldn't help but ask, "What exactly do you want to do?"

Jin-Ren smiled, but said nothing. His main body was currently on the holy mountain, revered by thousands. The one who entered the Divine Relic was naturally the one who was originally in the Southern Domain. But in a little while, his main body could enter, and he could go out to meet Ai Cang-Sheng.

Shui-Gui saw that Xu Xiao-Shou's expression was a bit too arrogant, and after some hesitation, decided to offer some blunt advice: "Even if it's just toying with him, you need to be careful of the degree. Ai Cang-Sheng is still one of the Ten Venerables. If he can't hold it in and erupts..."

Before he could finish, Elder Sang shook his head and interrupted, "Ai Cang-Sheng won't erupt."

"So no matter what you want to do, as long as the holy mountain hasn't welcomed back Elder Yu, step on him hard, show no mercy!"

Shui-Gui was shocked, thinking, "Is this truly objective advice, or is there some personal vengeance mixed in?"

Elder Sang looked seriously at his beloved disciple: "I have no personal emotions in this. I just know that if Ai Cang-Sheng isn't stupid, he can only swallow his teeth and blood. Even if he is stupid and wants to erupt..."

"Xu Xiao-Shou, pay attention to the 'small figures' coming and going on the holy mountain. Dao Qiong-Cang won't want to see you win completely; he only wants to see both sides suffer. So he, or perhaps Yue Gong-Li, and some awakened individuals on the holy mountain, will remind Ai Cang-Sheng to endure!"

"And you..."

He paused, a ruthless look on Elder Sang's face: "Xu Xiao-Shou, you don't need to have any qualms. As heavily as you can step on him, do so. This is a great opportunity, show no mercy!"

Shui-Gui was silent; he hadn't thought of this point.

Jin-Ren clicked his tongue, "You old Sang, when my main body thought of that plan, I felt corrupted by that flamboyant old Daoist. You really don't want to show any mercy, do you?"

"I will."

Jin-Ren nodded, indicating that he would convey his master's opinion to his main body. Shui-Gui quickly dismissed the matter. With Xu Xiao-Shou himself, plus the assistance of Elder Fen-Qin, they could thoroughly refine the overall situation and any potentially overlooked details. His role as a "strategist" was minimal, so Shui-Gui turned to another angle and asked, "Have you mastered a way to leave the Divine Relic from elsewhere?"

Jin-Ren saw the gleam in their eyes, understanding the true meaning of the question, but he could only shake his head and regretfully say, "There are other methods. But this method is currently only usable by me. If you want to leave, you will likely have to rely on the Path of Guidance to return from your original location." He glanced at Cao Er-Zhu, who was still cultivating: "He too."

Shui-Gui opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to inquire further, but given the current Xu Xiao-Shou, he was afraid of asking about some secrets. Jin-Ren, however, was not so reserved and proactively explained, "Unless you all cultivate the Aoyi of Body, Spirit, and Intent paths."

Shui-Gui's head buzzed at this, and he immediately gave up on the unrealistic idea. So, the "feigned death" method Xu Xiao-Shou mentioned for leaving the Divine Relic was this difficult?

"Dao Qiong-Cang seems to have other ideas..."

Before he finished speaking, Jin-Ren smiled and replied, "What Dao Qiong-Cang likely thought at the time was to completely refine your souls into the kind of spirit artifacts I described and take them out. I can do that now too. Want to?"

Shui-Gui was speechless. To become a weakened spirit artifact and leave, then break free from the "artifact" outside, reshape a body, and slowly cultivate back to their previous realm. People would be out. And considered alive. But their Dao foundation would be half-crippled. Perhaps they could recover semi-saint combat power in a century, but there might be no further progress in this life, and a century... Compared to the overall situation, it would be too late! Rather than that, it would be better to obediently stay in the Divine Relic. Once Xu Xiao-Shou finished stirring up trouble outside and tied down Ai Cang-Sheng elsewhere, these few people could safely return via the original path.

"No need to think about it." Elder Sang waved his hand, glancing disdainfully at Shui-Gui. "Will he overlook something you can consider? Look whose disciple he is!"

Shui-Gui: "..."

Alright, alright, you two master and disciple, you're amazing. For no reason, he started muttering about his good-for-nothing son in his heart; they were truly incomparable!

"When the time is right, I need to go out."

After a period of "each harboring their own intentions," Elder Sang suddenly looked at his disciple and spoke gravely. Shui-Gui shifted his gaze from the not-yet-conscious Cen Qiao-Fu, a shadow crossing his face, silent, unsure if it was due to Cen Qiao-Fu or Elder Sang's words.

Going out to attract attention, eh? Jin-Ren probably understood what trick this Fen-Qin Elder had been contemplating and helplessly said, "From where do you go out?"

"The Dead Sea!"

"Let's talk about it later."

Jin-Ren waved his hand, not wanting to discuss things too far in the future, as he could handle everything himself and there was no need. He decided to transfer control to his main body; the passive points for blooming and aggressive passive skills had accumulated quite a lot.

"Come back!" Elder Sang's decision was firm, he chastised and called the rebellious disciple back, then looking at him and Shui-Gui, he said calmly:

"If I don't return to the Dead Sea for a long time, it means the 'containment' doesn't exist. In that case, Ai Cang-Sheng might choose to take a desperate gamble, suddenly pull you into the Shen-Ting, and quickly end the battle."

Shen-Ting? Jin-Ren's eyelids twitched, thinking of the Dark Shen-Ting, Ran-Ming Shen-Ting, and the Ruins of the Ancestor of Arts. But these were either nascent forms of Shen-Ting or only barely activated, borrowing some of their power.

"Shen-Ting!"

"And a complete one!"

Elder Sang was concise, knowing that Xu Xiao-Shou understood the meaning of these two sentences. But after saying them, he still wasn't entirely at ease, and explained more seriously:

"I don't know the specifics. But the Holy God Continent is the territory of the Five Great Holy Emperor Families. The Five Great Holy Emperor Secret Realms can evolve into the Five Great Shen-Ting when necessary, and Ai Cang-Sheng might be able to borrow them. If it really comes to a last resort, you must also guard against 'Ten Ancestors Resurgence.' This is precisely why Cui-Yin only dared to absorb Semi-Saint ranks in the Divine Relic to accumulate power, not daring to recklessly advance into the Holy God Continent."

"In short, do not relax your vigilance. Just know that they have many, many, very strong trump cards."

Jin-Ren nodded. He knew this. If they didn't have many or strong trump cards, someone as arrogant as Ba Zun-An or as powerful as the Saint Servants wouldn't have been suppressed for so long. The mysterious Dao Qiong-Cang wouldn't have needed to lie dormant on the holy mountain for over thirty years, only now daring to head south and establish a Tian-Ji-Shen-Jiao amidst the chaos. Even if only half of the Ten Venerables united, they could have overthrown the rule of the Five Great Holy Emperor Families long ago—but none of this has happened so far, precisely signaling something.

This time, when his main body returned to the Holy God Continent, having experienced Cui-Yin, he had been secretly guarding against these things. And he didn't believe that the Holy Emperors of the Five Great Holy Emperor Families on the Holy God Continent, even if some were low-level Holy Emperors, would be weaker than Cui-Yin in the Divine Relic. On the contrary, they might even be stronger! This point was evident long ago at the Tian-Xuan Gate, from the cowardly behavior of the miscellaneous Holy Emperor, Feng Yu-Jin.

"Ten Ancestors Resurgence..." Jin-Ren murmured, looking uncertainly at Elder Sang, wanting to ask what degree of resurgence it would be. Like Cui-Yin? Or a complete resurgence? He couldn't imagine!

Elder Sang shrugged, "The cost must be immense."

So, a complete resurgence is not impossible... Jin-Ren clicked his tongue at such a subtle answer, but said he understood. Could the Five Great Holy Emperors truly suppress the talent of someone who could write "Guan-Jian-Dian" thirty years ago?

A lone lion or tiger. It must be an immense "Great Horror" that would force a lone wolf like Ba Zun-An to want to establish Saint Servants, use the power of Fen-Qin, Hua-Cao-Ge, and secretly unite with other Ten Venerables, spending over thirty years, even shamelessly snatching the famous sword from young Su Qian-Qian, all to defy fate, right?

"It won't reach that level for now." Elder Sang smiled, thinking Xu Xiao-Shou was overthinking. After all, this was the most extreme, most severe situation, something even Ba Zun-An didn't encounter back then.

"If you want to return to the Dead Sea, you only have one chance," Jin-Ren returned to the main topic.

"Mm." Elder Sang understood very clearly. Once he returned, Ai Cang-Sheng would definitely be thoroughly prepared and wouldn't allow him to return to the Divine Relic via the Path of Guidance. At that time, if Xu Xiao-Shou couldn't reinforce him in time, he would essentially be crippled.

"But I still have to go back!" Elder Sang naturally knew the easiest path, but it was clear his ambition was not that small:

"There will always be a day when the Saint Servants clash with the Gui-Zhe Holy Mountain in a decisive battle. The old me would never have dreamed that Dao Qiong-Cang would one day leave the holy mountain. So, this opportunity... it's once in a lifetime!"

Elder Sang paused, stood up, hands behind his back, pacing back and forth in the dilapidated battlefield of the Divine Relic, as if he had rehearsed the plan countless times in his mind over the past thirty years, speaking it casually:

"If I return to the Dead Sea, the Heavenly Ladder will break, Holy Emperors will emerge, the order of the five domains will collapse, and everyone will be in danger."

"If I return to the Dead Sea, ghost beasts will appear, chaos will descend, major changes will occur throughout the four seas, and various forces will offer support."

"If I return to the Dead Sea, Ba Zun-An must arrive, the Void Island will descend, and the Black and White脉 will pour out."

"If I return to the Dead Sea, the Holy Ring Hall will be erected, the Saint Xuan Gate will roar, and all races' Saints will spare no effort."

"If I return to the Dead Sea..." Elder Sang stopped, laughing softly, "Actually, it's me entering the Dead Sea."

"The point where Ba Zun-An and I broke up was precisely this. He felt there was no need for such drastic measures; one could gradually attack from the outside, then kill their way into the Five Great Holy Emperor Secret Realms."

"I felt that nothing short of this could defy the heavens. One must take root internally, connecting inside and out, using the Dead Sea's turmoil as a catalyst to affect the situation of all races above and below the Heavenly Ladder."

So... Jun-Li getting shot and entering the Dead Sea in the Eight Palaces was also part of the plan? Even without Jun-Li, there would have been other methods for Jiu-Gong-Li, or Shi-Gong-Li, to enter the Dead Sea?

So... Returning from the Divine Relic to the Dead Sea, Elder Sang would then cause trouble in the Dead Sea. How would he cause trouble? He thought he had escaped the Saint Servants' schemes, only to look back and find himself still within Ba Zun-An's and Elder Sang's plans?

"Hiss!" Jin-Ren's pupils contracted. He had no idea Elder Sang would suddenly reveal these things. From his current perspective, how weak was Elder Sang? An Aoyi Semi-Saint, easily extinguished, insignificant as an insect compared to the Five Great Holy Emperor Families.

But a weak insect can spin a cocoon, trapping itself in the Dead Sea. What he was thinking now was to take the opportunity to transform into a butterfly in the Divine Relic, flapping its wings, and stirring up a storm on the Holy God Continent?

Jin-Ren abruptly looked at Shui-Gui. He found that while Shui-Gui's expression showed surprise, it clearly wasn't one of great unexpectedness, as if he had anticipated it.

No, you two are making me, the new second-in-command of the Saint Servants, feel like an outsider! Jin-Ren quickly asked, "What do you two want to do?"

Elder Sang smiled and turned back: "We're in perfect agreement."

"...Bullshit! For something this big, you should at least inform me, tell me what I need to do to cooperate, right?" Jin-Ren's eyes widened, flustered, quickly bringing his main body's will to deal with this matter.

Elder Sang smiled without a word, sitting on a large rock. He crossed one leg, propped his elbow, interlocked his fingers over his chest, a slight curve on his lips: "No need. All changes are fundamentally the same."

From Tian-Sang Spiritual Palace to the Divine Relic... From Saint Servants' Sleeveless to Fen-Qin-Zhu-He... Xu Xiao-Shou had heard too many stories about Elder Sang from storytellers, Ba Zun-An, Aunt Xiang... Until today, until this moment, he truly saw the decisiveness and madness of the former master of the dark intelligence world in this slightly balding old man.

Elder Sang pointed to the gray sky of the Divine Relic: "Cui-Yin was a variable; you ended that variable."

He pointed to the spatial mirror summoned by Jin-Ren, pointing to the disturbed people on Gui-Zhe Holy Mountain: "Dao Qiong-Cang was a variable; you also changed that variable."

He pointed opposite, at his beloved disciple, at Xu Xiao-Shou: "You are even more of a variable, a completely unpredictable and uncontrollable variable."

He paused, Elder Sang lowered his head, chuckling softly, his bald head gleaming: "But if there was no desire to interact with variables, the embers of Jin-Zhao wouldn't have randomly chosen in the five domains for decades, nor would it have chosen you by chance when I returned to the Spiritual Palace."

"If there was no desire to control variables, Jin-Zhao Tian-Fen would be your ultimate answer, and I wouldn't have gone to see Ba Zun-An because of you to get the other half of the Ten-Stage Sword Finger."

Elder Sang raised his head, looking at the gray sky. Without the dark circles under his eyes from reshaping his body, his gaze didn't seem as deep as before. But the depth of the dark circles was false; the profoundness in his eyes at this moment seemed capable of containing the vast galaxy:

"The Void Island's century-long layout, the general trend is already thus..."

"If Bai-Ku had no you, I would go there myself..."

"Gu-Yin Cliff has Shui-Gui planning, and the Four Divine Pillars are not waiting for you..."

"There are other candidates for the Four Forms Secret Realm, you are stronger than Lei Shuang-Xing..."

Elder Sang spoke of many variables, but all these variables, even if unexpected, could still be kept under control.

—Indeed, if a variable doesn't produce an unexpected outcome, it's not a variable!

And having reached this point, in this game still under control, it was clear, as Elder Sang's gaze fell upon him, Xu Xiao-Shou realized...

He was entrusting it to him.

"The night you became my disciple at Tian-Sang Spiritual Palace, I spoke to you of Goose Lake and the cage." Elder Sang's eyes held a hint of nostalgia.

"Layers of cages, nested together, that's what I wanted to tell you about the five domains of the continent, the Heavenly Ladder, and the Holy Emperors."

"At that time, you threw a stone into the lake, creating a great stir. I treated it as a joke, but held a beautiful wish, hoping it could truly be so."

Elder Sang chuckled, stroking his yet-to-grow beard, self-deprecatingly saying, "Does this old man actually have a day when his beautiful dream comes true?"

He was clearly very satisfied with this disciple. Even before, during, and after his apprenticeship, there were many unsatisfactory moments. But where in life is there absolute perfection? Having developed to this point, Elder Sang was extremely pleased.

"Now that everything is ready, even Dao Qiong-Cang can't scheme against you, what more do I have to worry about with you?"

Elder Sang looked back at the spatial mirror, at Gui-Zhe Holy Mountain: "Do what you want to do."

"If I weren't at ease, I wouldn't have told you all this today."

"When the time is right..."

Elder Sang stood up from the large rock, clenching his fists, but didn't activate the sleeveless Chi-Jiao-Shou to display his power. He wanted to enjoy this beautiful body his beloved disciple had created for a bit longer.

"When the time is right, I will return to the Dead Sea, which is to enter the game myself."

"All changes will flow like water eastward, let nature take its course."

"The rest will be up to you."

Xu Xiao-Shou finished listening and opened his mouth, a mix of emotions in his heart, wanting to say many things. He had thought that by not fighting and just toying with Ai Cang-Sheng, he would be invincible. He could also wildly accumulate passive points, slowly master passive skills, and gradually strengthen himself.

He hadn't expected that the general trend was unstoppable! The direction he was going was still the Saint Servants' trajectory—the stone had shattered the sky in the lake, but it was still in the lake! Elder Sang was even going to stir up more trouble in the middle... Can you even stir up trouble? You, a mere Aoyi Semi-Saint! Do you really think you're that flamboyant old Daoist?

But he didn't open his mouth to dissuade him. Xu Xiao-Shou then remembered the phrase "once in a lifetime opportunity"—indeed, if he didn't make trouble now, what if that flamboyant old Daoist truly intervened and sided with the holy mountain...?

Elder Sang saw Xu Xiao-Shou's ashen face, constantly changing expression, and smiled, waving his hand: "No need to worry, it's not that urgent."

"I'm still here. The initiative is ours."

He pointed back to the holy mountain in the spatial mirror, raised an eyebrow, and said: "You still have time, but not much."