Chapter 1732: This Name Has Been Nurtured for Thirty Years, This Beast Was Born in the Prehistoric Era

"Young Master Feng, take a look."

In the Dead Sea, Xu Xiaoshou was in no hurry to descend. Instead, he gave Feng Zhongzui a pat, showing interest in the scenes from outside. He had noticed that even when he wasn't stirring up trouble himself, and had only sent Zhu Yike out, the growth of his passive points had not decreased; instead, it had increased.

How strange! Had the audience in Jade Capital City grown numb to him, yet become excited about Zhu Yike, this "newcomer"? Xu Xiaoshou, of course, knew that when he had just told Zhu Yike to find a Preaching Mirror after going out, there was actually no need to search. As long as there was one intelligent person left in the Feng family, they would surely have already prepared the mirror on Holy Mountain, waiting for Zhu Yike to emerge.

Feng Zhongzui, standing nearby, was quite startled by the address "Young Master Feng." He stammered, subconsciously wanting to reply "Young Master Xu wouldn't dare," but his thoughts drifted to whether "Master Shou" or "Young Master Xu" was the better appellation. In the end, he didn't utter half a sentence, but the Preaching Mirror's screen was switched quickly, displaying the scenery of Laurel Holy Mountain.

"Not bad." As soon as the Saint Tribulation appeared, Xu Xiaoshou could tell. Zhu Yike had a solid foundation, and there shouldn't be any major surprises with his Sainthood Conferral; it would be even better if he could achieve it in the Divine Ruins.

Besides his appraisal of Zhu Yike's mental state and enlightenment, regarding the "show" Zhu Yike put on after emerging from the Dead Sea... "He's quite a show-off!" Xu Xiaoshou was amused. Zhu Yike truly knew how to cause a stir. In fact, it seemed anyone from the Southern Region had a flair for attention-grabbing antics.

Xu Xiaoshou had heard from Li Fugui that role-playing was prevalent in the Southern Region. However, they weren't recreating characters from paper; they were recreating the Ten Venerables. He heard that the Eight Venerable was enduringly popular, while Dao Qiongcang was a late bloomer. Of course, the hottest roles currently were "Emperor of All Beings" and "Master Shou."

Interestingly, Aunt Xiang, the only female character among the Ten Venerables, was surprisingly less popular than the male characters by a significant margin. This surprised Xu Xiaoshou. In his impression, it seemed it should have been the other way around? Of course, these matters were trivial in a way, somewhat inexplicable. Yet, they were also significant, for everything that exists has its reasons. To a certain extent, the fact that the "Master Shou" role had caught up and could almost rival the Ten Venerables naturally reflected some issues.

"Fame!" Yes, it was still fame. After claiming the title of First Sword Immortal, although the process seemed effortless, the enhancement brought by "fame" had become very apparent.

Just like at this moment, while in the Dead Sea, Xu Xiaoshou felt subtle changes within himself at every instant. He could clearly perceive that compared to his past self, for instance, before the Divine Ruins, or even before Void Island... he was like a completely different person!

Before, he was like a clay figure, a sword hidden in its sheath. Even with a will to transcend, his feet seemed bound and dragged by water weeds, unable to escape a drowning state. Now, his brilliance was fully revealed, a treasure sword freed from dust. Even a casual glance during light conversation elicited an instinctively reserved reaction from others; it was different. Completely unlike before. To humbly claim he still wasn't yet "wolf-gazing and tiger-glaring" would no longer be humility, but hypocrisy.

"The internalization of fame, internalized into 'Nian' (Thought/Will)." "The externalization of 'Nian' manifests as 'Sword Nian' (Sword Will), displayed in one's gaze." "And for ancient sword cultivators, the eyes are often a symbol of the 'Heart Sword'..."

Like the sharp gaze of the Eight Venerable when he wielded his sword-self. And like the intimidating gaze of Kuilei Han from Qingyuan Mountain Town, who commanded respect without anger. The unique Sword Nian nurtured within his Qi Sea had only been unleashed directly once in the past, and it could only injure a Red-Clad Night Watcher at the Sovereign Dao Realm.

Things were different now. Under the nourishment of fame, even though Xu Xiaoshou hadn't spent much effort cultivating his Sword Gaze Art daily, in just these few days, his Sword Nian had grown so robust that it was even larger than the Sword Nian the Eight Venerable had left within him. This certainly didn't mean he had surpassed Old Eight in Sword Nian cultivation, but it could be understood as a symbol of "entering the inner sanctum" of mastery.

When it came to "Thorough Divine Nian" (Complete Divine Will), a form of power reputed to be the most difficult to cultivate, Xu Xiaoshou only truly felt its ferocity once he had genuinely entered its path. With just his own Sword Nian, on the 'quality' level, it could already overpower the Dragon Ancestor's power within him and rival the Heavenly Ancestor's power. Although in terms of 'quantity,' it was still far from the Heavenly Ancestor's legacy. But precisely because he had experienced this change firsthand, Xu Xiaoshou understood why Thorough Divine Nian was considered a groundbreaking feat across eras. He also realized why the Eight Venerable, by combining Thorough Divine Nian with 'fame' to create 'Sword Nian,' had achieved innovation in another sense.

"Fame, an endless flow!" After his title as First Sword Immortal was cemented, whether he was fighting or causing trouble... even at this very moment, as Xu Xiaoshou looked around, he was in the Dead Sea, and the protagonist on the Preaching Mirror's screen wasn't him, but Zhu Yike. Yet, the nourishment of fame had never ceased. That feeling of constantly growing stronger still continued. Even with Zhu Yike causing a stir at the Laurel Holy Mountain ruins, he could still gain 'fame'! Because everyone knew that Zhu Yike was Master Shou's man. The more impressively he performed, the more he indirectly boosted Master Shou's fame.

"Since the nourishment of fame is constant, does that mean Thorough Divine Nian... no, Sword Nian, once a person becomes famous, once they achieve mastery, even if left uncultivated, Sword Nian can automatically grow stronger?"

"Nurturing..." "This is the ultimate concept of 'nurturing'; nurturing a sword should be the same!"

Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but fall into thought, "Does my current fame compare to Big Mouth Xiao's?"

Xiao Kongtong might seem inconspicuous, but he was actually the City Lord of Can Yue Immortal City, and in ancient sword cultivation circles, his name as "Senior Brother" had been sung for a long time. It could be said that after the Eight Venerable, if there was a second person who cultivated Sword Nian, it was undoubtedly Xiao Kongtong.

In reality, among those famous for cultivating Sword Nian, it seemed there were only the three of them... Yet Xu Xiaoshou didn't feel that his current fame would lose to Big Mouth Xiao by much. After all, Big Mouth Xiao only garnered fame from a small portion of ancient sword cultivators in the Eastern Region's Sword God Heavens. But his own title "First Sword Immortal" not only garnered fame from these people, "Master Shou" also garnered fame from the people of the Five Regions.

"So, does my 'First Sword Immortal' title compare to Old Eight's 'Eighth Sword Immortal'?" His thoughts halted abruptly at this point.

The negative answer went without saying; he even felt a chilling dread upon deeper thought. The Eight Venerable! That damn guy, he created Sword Nian, yet he didn't tell the world that this thing's power could only be felt after achieving mastery. — After becoming famous, even without cultivating, one could still grow stronger!

While everyone was unaware of this, he used the name "Eighth Sword Immortal" to consume the faith of the entire Eastern Region's Sword God Heavens. Then, using the name "Ten Venerables," he radiated across the Five Regions, truly achieving universal recognition and respect. The Southern Region didn't practice ancient sword arts or revere ancient sword cultivators. Yet, the name "Eight Venerable" had held the top spot on the Southern Region's role-playing leaderboard for a full thirty years, unshakeable.

One can see a leopard from a single spot, and know autumn from a falling leaf. Even on the Heavenly Ladder, it was said that the impression of the lower realm's prodigies, when all was summarized, amounted to nothing more than the name "Eight Venerable." "To fully understand my name, one still needs seventy percent of their strength." He had truly cultivated the concept that "geniuses are merely the threshold to meet him." To taste a single piece from the cauldron, one can imagine how much fame from the Five Regions he had absorbed over the years? At this thought, Xu Xiaoshou's scalp tingled!

Crucially, that guy had shown nothing, maintaining the image of an eight-fingered cripple for over thirty years. Even before this qualitative change in his Sword Nian, Xu Xiaoshou himself had doubted whether relying on Old Eight was a wrong decision. Now, he no longer doubted. With his fame just established and his Sword Nian just flourishing, he could receive such nourishment, such enhancement. The Eight Venerable's phrase, "I am here," was absolutely not arrogance, but confidence. Perhaps Ancestral Gods were incomparable. But even against the Great Saint Emperors on the Heavenly Ladder, who treated the Saint God Continent as their backyard, did he also possess the confidence to raise his Sword Nian and strike them down?

"Steady, steady..." Xu Xiaoshou was even less hurried now, constantly telling himself that his pace could slow further. He continued to stare at the Preaching Mirror's screen, watching Zhu Yike start counting after finishing his antics.

While everyone was watching intently, he secretly pulled out You Si Sword. You Si Sword was still that You Si Sword, living up to its name as a fiendish blade, with extraordinary divine aura. But at that time, even the divine sword Xuan Cang in Rao Yaoyao's hand, upon seeing You Si Sword, seemed to lose its wits, even contending to fly higher.

In the Dead Sea, as the fiendish blade appeared, it didn't stir up a single ripple. The Emperor Sword Sovereign didn't even emit a sword hum. Or rather, it dared not! No one even paid much attention to a sword appearing in Master Shou's hand, because on the main stage, Zhu Yike's counting had entered its final phase. Only Beibei seemed to sense something, frowning and glancing obliquely. She only felt a slight strangeness but couldn't discern anything, scrunching her delicate nose and huffing.

Xu Xiaoshou's lips curved, and he put away the sword. He had clearly seen the essential difference between the Emperor Sword and the fiendish blade. The former still seemed obscured by dust, even with its luster and an enlightened master, it wasn't vibrant. The latter, nourished by Sword Nian, had light flowing across its blade, subtly showing signs of becoming the foremost of the Five Chaotic Divine Artifacts! If Beibei's compatibility with the Emperor Sword Sovereign was infinitely close to one hundred percent, then Xu Xiaoshou himself, plus You Si Sword, plus Sword Nian, had already broken through the hundred percent limit. As for an "upper limit"? Ancient sword cultivators couldn't see an upper limit.

It was hard to imagine what kind of effect would be created if the Eight Venerable's sword-self returned, and Qing Ju emerged from the Buried Sword Mound to enter the world, with the two becoming one.

"Is this what you wanted to tell the world, the bonus that 'fame' and 'Sword Nian' give to ancient sword cultivators, my Old Eight..." The Dead Sea was not turbulent, and Xu Xiaoshou suppressed the waves in his heart. The trump card was in his hand. Unless another set of cards was pulled out from the Heavenly Ladder, who in this era could withstand the frenzied fame that fellow, the Eight Venerable, had cultivated for thirty years? And before that, whether he could prove his own path by loving all beings (Ai Cangsheng) concerned the tide of the final battle. Failure was an option. The Eight Venerable would back him up. And Dao Qiongcang was like a mantis stalking a cicada, with an oriole behind. But Xu Xiaoshou didn't like the feeling of being a burden; he was also a normal person, and he wanted to win, relying on his own strength!

"Zhu Yike, this first step, it's yours..."

"Three!" The countdown entered its final phase. The Five Regions watched intently; at this moment, few were thinking about Zhu Yike's previous antics. Even Feng Xiaoshuang held her breath, forgetting the past, feeling immense pressure. She knew better than Zhu Yike who "the dog" was and how it would come out to bite. Perhaps as soon as this life countdown ended, with a 'thump,' the Evil Sin Bow's arrow, by its mere aftershock, could casually take her life. After all, Zhu Yike wasn't Master Shou; he couldn't guarantee the safety of those around him. A thief, what could he offer for others to place their hopes in?

"Two!" Zhu Yike himself felt no pressure. He hadn't even fully grasped who "the dog" referred to, only having a vague idea. But having been confined in the Dead Sea for so long, he knew nothing of the external conflicts. He knew nothing of the Divine Ruins, nothing of Cursed Yin, nothing of the Hall Master, nothing of the Emperor of All Beings, nothing of the Five Decays of Heaven and Man... Naturally, he didn't know if he could withstand "the dog" if it were to bite. It didn't matter. This question didn't even need to be considered. Because Master Shou had said that he only needed to count, and nothing would happen. Could his words ever be wrong?

So, counting to the end, returning to Apricot Realm, and then conferring Sainthood after seeing that damned Li Fugui, that was the top priority. Zhu Yike was already impatient, shouting the final count that held the Five Regions' focus: "One."

Click... Feng Xiaoshuang's foot missed a step, dislodging a pebble that rolled down the cliff. This sudden sound made the hearts of observers in the Five Regions skip a beat, but Zhu Yike merely frowned and glanced over.

"What's the matter? You're sweating profusely, do you have a fever?"

Feng Xiaoshuang found it hard to express her distress. This mirror was truly difficult to hold. Feng Zhongzui, Auntie misjudged you; to have persevered during the Holy Mountain battle, you were indeed a tough man.

"Aren't you going to shoot yet?" In the Southern Region, Zhong Yuanzi hadn't expected Ai Cangsheng to be so patient. He couldn't hold back, turning to question the person in the wheelchair beside him, desperate to shoot the arrow for him.

Xu Xiaoshou was too rampant! This "counting," anyone with eyes could see, was a provocation! He dared to brazenly, in front of the world, seize Half-Saint Pei Yuan's Dao, excavate his Half-Saint status, thereby proving that the Saint God Temple's path was wrong. The people they summoned could barely even hinder Xu Xiaoshou's advance, let alone make him retreat. What was more infuriating was that after doing all this, he even had Zhu Yike bring out the status, and even Pei Yuan's soul. They stood right under the targeting of the Eye of the Grand Dao and the Evil Sin Bow's arrow.

"When the ten counts are finished, I'm leaving. Are you going to stop me? Not stopping? Cowards! The people you summoned, in the end, didn't even save his soul, utterly useless! Worthless dogs!"

Uh... Zhong Yuanzi didn't know what would happen if they intervened. But he also understood that if they did, it would be exactly what Xu Xiaoshou wanted. Something significant would surely occur after an "intervention," something even more impactful than not intervening.

But... he was too brazen! This kid's arrogance was unbearable! They should have blasted him in the face; even if Xu Xiaoshou couldn't be killed, couldn't a mere Zhu Yike be shattered?

Ai Cangsheng, however, slowly shook his head. "The time is not yet right."

Zhong Yuanzi clenched his fists. Seeing Ai Cangsheng noncommittal, he angrily asked, "Are you afraid of falling into a trap? What if your fear of falling into a trap is his trap? What if he's prepared nothing, and he's just gambling that you'll assume he's prepared, and thus won't shoot?"

Hearing this, Ai Cangsheng glanced at Old Zhong with slight surprise, as if amazed that the other party had actually "opened his mind." Silent contempt was the most infuriating. Zhong Yuanzi felt terrible. "Do I look like an idiot?" He finally opened his mouth, "This Zhu Yike has mastered Golden Gate Thieving Arts, capable of 'stealing from heaven and changing the sun' with moves that even gods and devils can't guard against. If he confers Sainthood, he'll become a great menace. You might even have your Evil Sin Bow stolen from you. Can you let this go?"

Ai Cangsheng shook his head, saying nothing. Zhong Yuanzi was so furious his head spun. After opening his mouth, he too chose to remain silent.

"Fine, fine. You are the Ten Venerables. At the very least, you all possess the bearing of a Venerable. What am I, Zhong Yuanzi? I am nothing, how dare I interfere in your war? I am an ant; I am unworthy!"

"Game over." The ten counts were finished, and nothing happened. Zhu Yike gave an 'ehehe' sound, snapped his fingers, and grinned at the Preaching Mirror, not missing a beat in flattery: "Master Shou is unfathomable, Master Shou foresees everything!"

"He said nothing would happen, so nothing happened. I'm going home to confer Sainthood now. You all go pay attention to Master Shou instead."

"Next time we meet..." His gaze shifted from the Preaching Mirror to Feng Xiaoshuang beside the mirror, chilling her to the bone. Finally, he looked back at the Preaching Mirror: "Be careful! The Scarlet Thief can also steal hearts."

Steal hearts... Feng Xiaoshuang froze for a moment, her cheeks flushed. Seeing Zhu Yike about to leave, she quickly raised her hand to signal, "Zhu... you still have one more brocade pouch unused!"

Without seeing Zhu Yike flick a coin, everyone in the Five Regions heard a crisp sound. What did he steal?

Ahead, Zhu Yike paused, turned around, and scratched his head: "Oh yeah, I forgot. I have another brocade pouch."

Feng Xiaoshuang was dumbfounded. "You could forget this? This is the most important thing! If you forgot, what's the point of me standing here holding this mirror?"

Zhu Yike ignored everything else, quickly pulling out the brocade pouch Master Shou had given him. If nothing happened after the count, he was to open the pouch. Inside the pouch was a brilliant plan, and after using it, nothing would happen either. These were Master Shou's exact words. Zhu Yike wasn't a strategist and disliked thinking; he trusted Master Shou unconditionally.

After opening the black brocade pouch, he pulled out a palm-sized note with some crooked writing on it. "So ugly! These words were definitely not written by Master Shou! If one didn't examine it closely, if 'this old man' didn't recognize characters, even the Eye of the Grand Dao wouldn't be able to make out what was written on it..."

"Come here, closer," Zhu Yike waved at the Preaching Mirror, because the top of the note had three large characters: "Read This Aloud." If he was going to read it, he surely needed to make sure the Five Regions heard clearly.

So, the person holding the Preaching Mirror reluctantly walked closer. Zhu Yike wasn't afraid of being spied on; seeing the person arrive, he swayed his head and began to read aloud the contents of the note:

"Herein lies a beast, born of primeval chaos, birthed from obscurity. First a mere insect, it spun its own cocoon, then transformed into human form. It possesses x-ray eyes, capable of seeing through clothes. Its nature is gluttonous and lustful, always 'shooting' without cease. It wraps itself in black cloth, enjoys binding itself, a beast in human clothing, this is its true nature. This beast fears light, often hiding in mountain shadows, daring not to see the sun. Its feet have degenerated, gradually becoming wheel-hooves, swollen and bruised. The way to tame it lies in daring to tame it: send Dongdong away, send Nannan off. Know that it is gentle and not easily angered; hit it, scold it, its heart remains like solid ice. This beast guards fortune, usually not appearing, but when it does, the world is startled. This beast protects the Dao, usually unmoving, but when it moves, the earth rumbles. If you ask what this beast is..."

Zhu Yike stopped mid-sentence, looking up in confusion at the Preaching Mirror. "That's it, it ends here!" he said. "What kind of stuff is this? It's incomplete!"

While grumbling, Zhu Yike actually found it smooth to read aloud, but alas, he wasn't very cultured and only just literate. Unable to figure out what this thing was describing, he looked at Feng Xiaoshuang and asked, "Do you know what 'this beast' is?"

He glanced over, and oh, Feng Xiaoshuang was trembling. Before, she seemed to be feverish; now she looked cold. Were ancient sword cultivators all so... 'yin and yang'?

"Why are you still sweating..." Zhu Yike muddle-headedly folded the note, waited a while, but still nothing happened. He put away the brocade pouch, shook his head, and shrugged. "How baffling!"

He grumbled again, lifted his foot, about to head home to confer Sainthood. After some thought, he still felt something was off. Zhu Yike turned back to glance at Feng Xiaoshuang, who was trembling like a sieve, and mumbled, "This beast, this beast, what on earth is it? Is it the 'dog' Master Shou mentioned? But that's not right, where are there human-shaped dogs?"