Chapter 1685: The Panicked Bird Shows a Flaw, One Strike Kills with a Broken Wing Arrow

"Retreat! Retreat quickly!"

"To the foot of the mountain! Everyone, run faster!"

"Plan Sixteen is in motion. You and I are just burdens here; it's a race to see whose escape technique is faster now... Heh heh, I'm off!"

At Guizhe Holy Mountain, the grand spectacle seemed to be reaching its conclusion with a retreat.

Few of the injured Spirit Refiners remained, having retreated from the mountainside to the foot of the mountain. Some cheered with joy, relieved that their lives were spared. However, a portion of the retreaters were reluctant, having spent a long time as masters of the Holy Mountain. Who would willingly abandon their home?

"This is so frustrating."

"If Hall Master Dao were here, things surely wouldn't have unfolded like this, would they?"

"But... alas!"

Amidst the not-too-distant chatter, A-Si pushed aside a large rock and emerged from the cave. A group of red-faced, bickering individuals jostled past him, completely oblivious to A-Si's presence.

"Finally."

A-Si breathed the thin spiritual energy, a faint light appearing in his eyes. After wandering through the fragmented spacetime for most of the day, he could finally see the light of day again.

He looked back at the secret passage. This was a passage Young Master Li had used in the past to sneak out and play. It allowed one to bypass the Heavenly Ladder and enter the Holy God Continent from the foot of Guizhe Holy Mountain. Such a detour naturally consumed a lot of time, but it was worthwhile if it meant avoiding the gaze of the one above.

"Lord Shou..."

He looked up. In the high heavens, a distant dark figure was gleefully playing a game of dodge-the-arrow, dragging two spatial orbs behind it.

BOOM!!!

A colossal roar erupted. A-Si instinctively recoiled, not daring to gaze at the figure any longer, even retracting his spiritual sense. Consequently, he failed to notice that the figure high above, not 'Lord Shou' but 'Jin Ren,' barely paid attention to the arrows from the Evil Sin Bow, yet cast a downward glance at him.

"Is the fight this intense?"

"Excellent. This makes it even harder for me to be noticed."

"But why are all these people retreating? Shouldn't they ascend and form a battle array, even if their contribution is minimal... Hmm, it seems he's skilled in Divination Arts, so forming an array would be pointless?"

A-Si watched another group descend the mountain past him, lost in thought.

Xu Xiaoshou is more versatile than anticipated. Having personally arrived at Guizhe Holy Mountain, he witnessed how a single individual could force back so many mountain guards and Red and White Robes. Those seemingly insignificant skills listed on paper—'proficient in Divination Arts,' 'proficient in ancient sword arts,' 'proficient in ancient martial arts,' 'proficient in demolition'—now conjured a vivid picture. It wasn't that these abilities were trivial. Rather, when compiled and presented together, the information appeared unremarkable.

In reality...

BOOM!!!

The whirring of arrows resounded overhead once more. A-Si's thoughts were cut short. He quickly activated his 'Holy Concealment Art' to its utmost limit. This ensured that not only did he appear transparent to passersby, but even if noticed, he would merely seem like an insignificant minor Void. No one would ever suspect him of being connected to the Saint Emperor's Secret Realm. Nor could anyone in the vast crowd pick out such an inconspicuous messenger.

"Brother, a moment, please."

A-Si, cautious not to overuse his spiritual sense, raised a hand and beckoned a group of people descending the mountain, asking, "How many Void-level cultivators are on the mountain now? Are there still any Half-Saints?"

The individuals stopped were five burly men. The leader frowned, cast a glance at the newcomer, then looked past him. "Where did you appear from...?"

Before he could finish, A-Si squinted and smiled at him. The burly man immediately forgot all his questions and his distrust of the person before him, replying, "On the mountain, aside from the Anomaly Department's chief and his people, only Half-Saints are left. Once our retreat is complete, even the Half-Saints might all be sent away, or forced to retreat to defend the Dead Sea. He is simply invincible!"

A-Si, who casually used his 'guidance' ability, failed to notice that the power he employed had touched someone's sensitive nerves. Jin Ren glanced down once more.

"Is he really that invincible?" A-Si muttered, then pointed towards the peak of the Holy Mountain, "How many Half-Saints are up there now?"

If he goes against the flow, perhaps he'll be noticed? He needed to find a compromise...

"More than ten, I'd say," the burly man replied. A flicker of clarity crossed his eyes, and he suddenly asked, "Who are you?"

A-Si froze. He hadn't expected that a mere Void-level cultivator could break free from his guidance. Could it be that when that Daoist disciple was Hall Master, he left behind some residual 'guidance forbidden here' rules on Guizhe Holy Mountain that weren't completely annihilated by the great war?

"I'm from the Anomaly Department; I have something to report to Lord Cangsheng," A-Si chuckled.

The burly man suddenly reached out and patted his shoulder. "Old man, having been on the Holy Mountain for so long, you should know this: bypassing your superiors is not a good idea."

How dare he! Insolent! How dare you touch me?

A-Si's eyes flashed with indignation. He then took a deep breath, suppressing his killing intent. With a subtle tremor of his shoulder, he effortlessly dislodged the man's hand.

To touch one of the Four Elders of the Yue Clan—this is the closest you'll ever come to 'supremacy' in your life. Too lazy to keep up the act, he simply said, "Scram."

The burly man flinched, stumbling a few steps towards the foot of the mountain, muttering with a frown as he distanced himself, "How rude!"

A-Si had a headache. Everyone was retreating down the mountain. If he ascended so openly, Xu Xiaoshou might actually notice him... He was hesitating too much. This would make him even more conspicuous. He should just directly charge forward, acting as an ordinary Anomaly Department intelligence officer going to deliver a report. Someone as arrogant as Lord Shou wouldn't have the leisure to notice such a 'small figure' from the Anomaly Department...

That's the plan!

A-Si set off up the mountain. Young Master Li's message had to be delivered. It boiled down to two points: Either Elder Yu and Hall Master Dao are brought back, or the Holy Mountain and the Dead Sea will face eternal damnation.

"Report!"

Guizhe Holy Mountain, before the Sacred Ring Hall.

Xi traversed the plaza, where only a sparse dozen Half-Saints remained, and once again approached the wheelchair, his heart racing with anxiety.

"Speak."

Ai Cangsheng lowered the Evil Sin Bow, his face clouded with gloom. Xu Xiaoshou was simply unhittable, and the young man likely never intended a direct confrontation. It was much as he had initially thought... He's nothing but a dog! He can't be driven away, nor can he be caught. If you turn your back, he'll still bark furiously and scratch you, utterly infuriating!

It was too frustrating. In thirty years, Ai Cangsheng had never fought such a vexing battle. At one point, he had believed Dao Qiongcang had turned against him, plotting on Xu Xiaoshou's behalf. But that was clearly impossible.

"Speak."

Xi seemed to have lost the ability to read his expression. After three full breaths, he still hesitated, his expression more pained than if he had swallowed filth. Ai Cangsheng couldn't help but glare at him. The young man then trembled, hesitantly presenting the jade slip in his hand. "Lord Cangsheng, please see for yourself."

"I said, speak!"

Ai Cangsheng now understood why Dao Qiongcang disliked repeating himself. He felt he was on the verge of becoming Dao Qiongcang. He had grown averse to explaining and too lazy to act. He couldn't even bring himself to scan the jade slip with his spiritual sense; at this moment, he craved only a voice other than Xu Xiaoshou's to neutralize the irritating clamor echoing in his mind.

Xi was greatly startled by the stern tone. He recalled Lord Cangsheng being impartial, not someone who would lose his temper with a junior like him! Clutching the jade slip, he quickly reported, "The Anomaly Department reports that Xu Xiaoshou's figure has intermittently appeared across the Five Domains, causing disturbances."

"They're all fakes."

Ai Cangsheng didn't even turn his head as he replied, his gaze fixed on the figure in the high sky. He actually longed to curse aloud: Can't you tell who the real Xu Xiaoshou is? What is the Anomaly Department even doing? They can't distinguish truth from falsehood and report intelligence directly without refinement? Does this mean if ten thousand Xu Xiaoshous appear across the continent, I'll have to fire ten thousand arrows, killing each one individually?

Ai Cangsheng restrained himself. The rage ignited by Xu Xiaoshou must not be easily directed at those nearby; that was precisely Xu Xiaoshou's objective.

Xi's mouth hung open. Indeed, astute as he was, he could already sense that Lord Cangsheng was brewing something unpleasant. But after a moment's hesitation, he bravely chose to press on with the subject: "Among them, the 'Xu Xiaoshou' at Dogwood Moon Ash Palace was the most audacious. There, he slew Wei Feng, transformed into a giant to repel Gou Wuyue, and finally, in front of the people of the Five Domains, he battled Hall Master Dao... Dao Qiongcang."

Ai Cangsheng finally turned his head, his murderous gaze fixed on Xi. A bead of cold sweat slowly trickled down Xi's forehead. He truly didn't want to discuss Hall Master Dao's betrayal, especially if Lord Cangsheng would just read the jade slip... But at this moment, facing the intense stare, he had no choice but to continue, albeit with a slight modification: "Just a moment ago, even as this 'Xu Xiaoshou' right before us was still dodging your arrows, Feng Tiantian of the Southern Domain's Feng family broadcast all the scenes from the battle at Dogwood Moon Ash Palace across the Five Domains using a Transmission Mirror. From the Five Domains' Transmission Mirror perspective, the Holy Mountain accounted for half the view, and Dogwood Moon Ash Palace for the other half, but in truth, their side was the main focus. Therefore, I suspect the Xu Xiaoshou there is the genuine one, while this one before us..."

Xi glanced distantly towards the high heavens. Lord Shou was still resting his eyes high above, having exhausted himself with curses. He maintained his stance as long as Lord Cangsheng didn't fire any arrows. Feng Zhongzui and Beibei circled behind him, broadcasting his 'impressive bearing' during cultivation to the world through the Transmission Mirror.

"I suspect he's a fake!"

I think *you're* the fake one!

Ai Cangsheng didn't believe the Anomaly Department's assessment at all. He merely raised his bow slightly as a demonstration. High above, Xu Xiaoshou immediately opened his eyes. Simultaneously, the reactions of those around him suggested they had forgotten something, then suddenly remembered it. A perfectly normal reaction! For a long time prior, everyone reacted this way!

Ai Cangsheng then lowered his bow. The demonstration was complete, and he was too lazy to waste energy firing arrows. It was then, with Xi's external intervention, that he was freed from a mental inertia and realized he had fallen into a peculiar trap. Ai Cangsheng sensed something was amiss.

"Guidance!"

"It's Dao Qiongcang's indirect guidance!"

Ai Cangsheng suddenly realized that even when his opponent activated the Oblivion Spirit Skill, he still remembered the name Xu Xiaoshou in that brief moment. And the reason he lowered his bow wasn't that he no longer wanted to kill Xu Xiaoshou, but because he had lost sight of his 'intended target.'

Xi was telling the truth! The Xu Xiaoshou high above isn't Xu Xiaoshou himself, but one of his avatars? For a long time, he hadn't detected this, partly due to mental inertia, but more significantly because a Dao Qiongcang-style guidance was present all around. Was it guiding people to follow the thought patterns they had initially been trained with? Was it guiding people to stop questioning when a fake Xu Xiaoshou had been substituted?

Alarmed by the oddity, Ai Cangsheng deciphered more from the Xu Xiaoshou before him. He was too easily startled! If it were the true Xu Xiaoshou from before, he would only react after the arrow was launched, appearing effortlessly composed. But now... He strongly resembled an external avatar, weaker than the main body in all aspects, lacking the protection of undifferentiated spiritual artifacts and power, thus becoming insecure. He had become so insecure that as soon as Ai Cangsheng touched his bow, he would immediately activate the Oblivion Spirit Skill—regardless of whether an arrow was actually fired. Yet, fearing Ai Cangsheng would notice that the 'intended target' wasn't entirely 'Xu Xiaoshou,' he would quickly deactivate the skill after using it.

"I've been tricked!"

Ai Cangsheng's face remained impassive, but shame surged within his heart. The esteemed Ten Venerate, the magnificent Emperor Cangsheng, was held in place by a mere external avatar, due to the complacency born from countless insults, coupled with a touch of mental inertia and indirect guidance.

"The Southern Domain..."

"Dogwood Moon Ash Palace..."

Ai Cangsheng gazed outward, slowly and imperceptibly activating his Eye of the Great Dao. Even if it was slow, he didn't want 'Xu Xiaoshou No. 2' to realize his disguise had been seen through. From his position before the Sacred Ring Hall, his gaze stretched towards the Southern Domain. Between listening to Xi's report and examining the jade slip, Ai Cangsheng chose to observe the battle scene himself.

Amidst countless light, shadow, and Dao principles, Ai Cangsheng gave it little thought, but soon located a forest shrouded in gray mist. And an extra-dimensional space that had been indistinct before, its entrance now opened.

Dogwood Moon Ash Palace!

Whether this was the true lair of Dogwood Moon Ash Palace was irrelevant. What mattered was that the various battle traces remaining here—including Wei Feng's Killing God Domain, Gou Wuyue's Green River Sword Realm, and Dao Qiongcang's Thirty-Six Heavenly Mystery Forms—all appeared genuine.

"They really came here?"

These three figures were no longer visible. As Ai Cangsheng gazed into the distance, he happened to hear Lord Shou leaning over a female ancient sword cultivator in a state of epiphany, speaking into the Transmission Mirror: "Until mountains crumble, and heaven and earth merge, only then dare I part from you."

What does that mean?

Ai Cangsheng was somewhat bewildered. He knew Xu Xiaoshou was being absurd, but could he really be this abstract? He leaves a fake body to restrain me here on the Holy Mountain, while his true self rushes to the Southern Domain to confess to a girl in enlightenment?

"According to the latest report from the Southern Domain branch," Xi continued, "The major battle involving Xu Xiaoshou and Dao Qiongcang was over the soul fragments of a girl named Mo Mo. However, even after the battle, the two did not part ways. Hall Master Dao doesn't seem to have intervened in the Southern Domain out of kindness to help us. In short, the relationship they displayed... was very intimate?"

Xi continued speaking, then suddenly paused. He wore a communication orb, allowing him to hear real-time reports from his subordinates. When he heard the last sentence, he was utterly shocked: "Until mountains crumble, and heaven and earth merge, only then dare I part from you..."

"Xu Xiaoshou claims Hall Master Dao once said those words to him?"

What?!

Ai Cangsheng could no longer suppress the shock in his heart. Those weren't Xu Xiaoshou's words to the enlightened girl, but words Dao Qiongcang had once said to *him*? The two of them...

Everyone across the Five Domains, including Xi and Ai Cangsheng, were utterly bewildered by Lord Shou's live narration. No one was foolish enough to believe every word Lord Shou said was entirely true. But the question was: was he fabricating lies, or merely exaggerating? If the former, Hall Master Dao was innocent, entirely the victim of a frame-up. If the latter, even if Hall Master Dao didn't possess the ardent intentions Lord Shou implied, he would still show a tendency towards alliance with the Holy Slaves and the First Tower in Heaven, wouldn't he?

This was truly terrifying! Would Dao Qiongcang, having withdrawn from Guizhe Holy Mountain, now use his decades of experience there to become its enemy?

"If it's true, won't the Five Domains descend into complete chaos?"

"In my opinion, Lord Shou isn't fabricating things. What Hall Master Dao revealed during their recent battle and banter suggests their relationship is far from shallow."

"Not long ago, it was a life-or-death situation, but now they can coexist somewhat. Something must have happened in between!"

"I fear it was something disastrous..."

As the Five Domains buzzed with discussion, Lord Shou, before the Transmission Mirror, hadn't stopped talking. He propped himself against the mirror with one hand. Seeing Feng Tiantian still cultivating, he casually leaned closer, gazing at the distant sky of the Central Domain, and said with a sarcastic tone: "Ai Cangsheng, I know you're watching me right now, and you hate me quite a bit. I have a question for you: Dao Qiongcang, who has followed you for thirty years, secretly said such things to me in the Divine Ruins. You... won't be angry, will you?"

Through Jin Ren's perspective, Xu Xiaoshou could see Ai Cangsheng of Guizhe Holy Mountain suddenly raise his bow. A vast amount of Evil God Power emanated around him. The next arrow appeared to be aimed from the Central Domain towards the Southern Domain, and the power it contained was vastly different from previous shots.

"He's firing an arrow!"

Through Feng Zhongzui's Transmission Mirror, the people of the Five Domains could see Ai Cangsheng aiming his bow and arrow towards the Southern Domain. Meanwhile, through Feng Tiantian's Transmission Mirror, Lord Shou leaned before the mirror, his eyes wide open, challenging Ai. Despite being separated by an entire domain, the battlefield was magically stitched together by the Transmission Mirrors, as if unfolding right before their eyes!

Everyone was thrilled. With bated breath, they listened as Lord Shou, from the Southern Domain, addressed Emperor Cangsheng, who was drawing his bow in the Central Domain, as if speaking to someone directly in front of him: "Ai Cangsheng, fire your arrow. Your arrow is meaningless. As long as you don't budge from your seat and refuse to come to the Southern Domain, you'll never kill me. But if you do move your butt and come to the Southern Domain, I'm not afraid to tell you this... Guizhe Holy Mountain was Hall Master Dao's first gift to me. He said this miniature mountain would look lovely placed inside my Apricot Realm."

This remote provocation was simply too spectacular. Not to mention Ai Cangsheng, even the spectators across the Five Domains, putting themselves in Emperor Cangsheng's shoes, felt as if Xu Xiaoshou was provoking them to death! He was simultaneously forcing someone to remain firmly on the Holy Mountain and forcing them to split apart to pursue him... How could one person possibly achieve so many things simultaneously? Lord Shou's scheme was surely designed to make Emperor Cangsheng vomit blood!

So, with the arrow nocked, would it be fired?

BOOM!!!

Without a moment's hesitation, Ai Cangsheng, drawing his bow and nocking an arrow once more, epitomized his nature: 'If the arrow's on the string, it *will* be fired!'

"Broken Wing Arrow."

Unlike the countless silent shots before, this time, the arrow had a name, leaving Jin Ren, who was far away, utterly bewildered. For no discernible reason, a strange sensation welled up within him... He instinctively activated 'Independent of the World' at lightning speed. Witnessing the named 'Broken Wing Arrow' fly straight towards his true body in the Southern Domain, as his true body activated 'Independent of the World' and fell silent, Jin Ren deactivated 'Independent of the World,' intending to pick up the conversation and continue his taunts.

RUMBLE!

The firmament suddenly tore apart. The Broken Wing Arrow, which had been launched towards the Southern Domain, now inexplicably appeared directly overhead, hurtling straight down.

Jin Ren: Wait, what?!

Oh no, it's coming for me!

He only had time to look up. The instant his Divine Acuity activated, the moment 'Independent of the World' engaged, the second 'Ultimate Giant' was invoked...

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!

Before he could even take a step, space shattered around him. Countless Broken Wing Arrows swept and intersected, sealing off all escape routes, shattering spatial Dao techniques, and instantly riddling the suddenly manifested Ultimate Giant—which the world had forgotten—like a sieve. The destructive power within these arrows was not substantial; it was merely sufficient to breach the Ultimate Giant's surface and infuse it with Evil God Power. Its true purpose, naturally, was to unravel one's sanity. Jin Ren possessed no spiritual awakening, nor the protection of Dragon Ancestor or Sky Ancestor's power. He also lacked the time to cultivate additional sword thoughts to contend with the Evil God Power. With only a super-Dao-transformed Intent Dao Plate, under such intense Evil God Power, he simply couldn't maintain 'Independent of the World'; he snapped.

He opened his eyes. The Five Domains simultaneously 'saw' him. As the Ultimate Giant appeared, the largest Broken Wing Arrow, shot from the heavens with unparalleled destructive force, pierced through the crown of the giant's head, exited from its feet, blasted through the entire titan, and shattered half of the Holy Mountain.

CRASH!

The Five Domains gasped in alarm. Ai Cangsheng, still in his wheelchair, lowered the Evil Sin Bow. For the first time, he didn't spare a glance for the riddled Ultimate Giant, turning his attention solely to the Nine Ritual Divine Envoy.

"Sever the Dao connection of the Five Domains, banish the Southern Domain. I will go to the Land of Sin and slay him."