Chapter 1764: Times Differ from the Past, Bold Words Are Genuine and Unrestrained

“So, your name is Bazun An?”

Shortly after the dragon's roar at Siling Mountain subsided, the Feng family members didn't manage to capture the front view of the Holy Palace in time. The Spatial Arcanum suddenly descended from the sky!

Accompanying it was a sharp, clear cry, laden with provocation, startling all who heard it:“I've long heard that ancient sword cultivators are unstoppable and fearless, and some even say the Eighth Sword Immortal is unruly and reckless.”“I often wonder if such talk comes from those who are like frogs in a well, ignorant of the vastness of the world.”“Or perhaps it's merely the boastful actions of some petty individual, self-aggrandizing only for fame?”

Feng Zhongzui, who had just emerged from the Dead Sea, was instantly petrified upon hearing these words.

The spectators from the Five Domains were even more terrified, their jaws dropped.

“Who?”Who dared to speak with such arrogance? Claiming to be 'This Emperor,' belittling the Eighth Sword Immortal, and spouting such wild words before even appearing—were they tired of living?

As the Arcanum array pattern receded, there were no ripples or disturbances on either side, but within the battlefield, two petite figures appeared, standing shoulder to shoulder.

One was Ye Xiaotian. This white-haired Daoist boy was already familiar to the Five Domains, so he didn't draw much attention. However, the purple-clad little girl standing beside him, of similar height, truly astounded everyone.

She was exceptionally petite, appearing not yet adult. Yet, her hands were clasped behind her back, giving her an air of aged solemnity. Judging by the inherent arrogance on her small face, those audacious and disrespectful words must have come from her.

But...“Holy Emperor!”

Feng Zhongzui's voice trembled; he was at a loss for what to think. The voice of the old family patriarch echoed in his ears, each phrase more shocking than the last. He couldn't even process it, only repeating what he heard:“The head of the Holy Palace, Holy Emperor Zichong!”“Holy Emperor Zichong, the leader of the Divine Spirit lineage among the Holy Palace's five veins, and also the strongest combatant of Siling Mountain, as well as the most powerful force in the Five Domains of the Holy God Continent?”“The five great Holy Emperor families reside high in the clouds, the Holy Emperors of the Void Island's inner domain are far off in the heavens. There are only two Holy Emperors in the Five Domains of the continent: one is the Holy Palace's White Dragon, the other is Holy Emperor Zichong.”“And Holy Emperor White Dragon, it's said, regards Holy Emperor Zichong with even greater reverence?”“Holy Emperor Zichong, a divine spirit bloodline?”

Feng Zhongzui grew more confused with each word, more questions arising. After a moment, he spoke with excitement:“I presume everyone is as curious as I am about what a 'divine spirit bloodline' entails? It is said that above the Holy God Continent, there is a realm called 'Heavenly Realm,' which has thirty-three heavens. Those who reside in the thirty-third heaven are called 'Divine Spirits,' such as the God Slaying Official Ran Ming.”“In the past, cultivators in the Holy God Continent who reached the Ten Ancestors could ascend to the Heavenly Realm, attaining the status of Divine Spirits... So, are the Ten Ancestors equivalent to Divine Spirits, and Ancestor Gods equivalent to Divine Spirits?”“And Holy Emperor Zichong's divine spirit bloodline, does it originate from the Heavenly Realm?”

After Feng Zhongzui finished speaking, he himself felt a little dazed.

Isn't this akin to the innate Ancestor God destiny of the Resentful Buddha among the Ten Sovereigns? The Resentful Buddha's Ancestor God destiny also seems related to the Ancestor Tree, the ancient Bodhi wood, and some power of the Buddhist Sect's sarira. Holy Emperor Zichong's divine spirit bloodline, it seems, can be inherited?

“Little fellow, you know quite a lot.” The purple-clad little girl beside Ye Xiaotian quickly amused herself, then turned to look, her expression turning stern and rather severe:“Since you've seen a Divine Spirit, why do you not bow?”

The hearts of the Five Domains' spectators thundered. The might of Holy Emperor Zichong's single phrase could indeed suppress the entire Five Domains. In that instant, everyone felt dread, their knees instinctively trembled, and they were about to prostrate themselves. Feng Zhongzui couldn't even resist for a moment; his body went limp, about to collapse. But as soon as the purple-clad little girl finished speaking, she grinned:“Just kidding, scared you to death, hehe.”

The severe cold had passed. The overwhelming pressure instantly vanished. Feng Zhongzui, however, felt as if all his strength had been drained, leaving him on the verge of tears.

“You are a Holy Emperor! What kind of joke are you playing with someone like me, who merely holds a mirror? I can't handle it! If you want to joke, go find Master Xu, or the Eighth Sword Immortal you're looking for!”

“Are you afraid?” Zichong tilted her gaze, quickly returning her sight to Bazun An's Sword Self. Seeing him silent for a long while, she sneered: “Trembling, and unable to speak?”

Who in the world was this person? Aren't you a bit too presumptuous?

Under the peripheral vision of Holy Emperor Zichong, Xu Xiaoshou experienced for the first time what it meant to be truly 'ignored.'

Where did this whimsical fellow come from? Wasn't there a dragon's roar just now? Dragon Baby had just transmitted a message, saying it had a way to deal with the White Dragon of the Holy Xuan Gate. When pressed for details, it wouldn't say how, only speaking with an air of complete confidence, quite pleased with itself!

This... Zichong? She certainly had the 'pampered' vibe, but she didn't look like a dragon, did she?

Glancing at Bazun An, his Sword Self was incredibly dim, a state not far from what Xu Xiaoshou had seen in the Divine Ruins. Xu Xiaoshou immediately recognized that Old Eight was running out of power. He likely only served to maintain order. If he were to fight a Holy Emperor in such a state of full power, he might not fare well.

The crucial point was... Xu Xiaoshou's perception swept over Ye Xiaotian. Dean Ye, too, clearly wore a look of shock. He didn't transmit any sound, only spoke in a low voice, tugging continuously at Holy Emperor Zichong's elbow sleeve, yet daring not to use force:“It's not like this! That's not what we discussed just now! Lord Zichong, you're looking for a fight, not a negotiation...”

“Shut up,” Zichong said without turning her head, giving face to the Spatial Arcanum Demi-Saint by using a sound transmission that only those who could read lips would understand.

Dean Ye's hint couldn't have been clearer. Was negotiation even an option?

“Ahem!” Xu Xiaoshou cleared his throat and stepped forward.

Feng Zhongzui reacted incredibly fast, instantly aiming the Preaching Mirror towards him, while the other side magnified Ai Cangsheng in the Southern Domain battlefield.

Ai Cangsheng stood in silent stillness. The Seed of Artificing — Imprisonment had already been unsealed, but he hadn't moved since Elder Sang invoked the divine oracle. He seemed to be building momentum. More so, he seemed to be waiting. Waiting for a great chaos to descend from heaven, for the turmoil to be imposed on his enemies, while he himself remained unmoving.

“Emperor Cangsheng is too steady, isn't he!”“Hmm? Could he also be slacking off... opening an ancient war god platform, and then saying the rest is none of his business, using it to avoid the entire Holy Slave situation?”

The Five Domains held their breath, focusing on the battlefield, each with their own interpretations. But Ai Cangsheng's steady presence in the Southern Domain was no longer the main focus. The key was that if Holy Emperor Zichong made a move, it was highly probable that Emperor Cangsheng wouldn't even need to act, and the Holy Slaves would suffer a complete defeat!

“Look at Master Xu!” Bazun An didn't make a move; Master Xu did. Everyone in the Five Domains craned their necks, knowing that this was Master Xu's specialty, wasn't it? But in the past, he faced opponents he could fight. If he said something wrong, he could just fight, only going all out when truly provoked. Could he defeat this Holy Emperor Zichong?

“Oh, Dean Ye, you're here too?” Master Xu cleared his throat, took a step forward, and his first words were unexpectedly directed at Ye Xiaotian, the Spatial Arcanum Demi-Saint!

Ye Xiaotian was momentarily bewildered. 'Am I important?' Of everyone present, even counting the Preaching Mirror, who wasn't more important than him? Ye Xiaotian secretly pointed to the purple-clad little girl beside him, signaling that she was the true master, and she was temperamental and difficult to deal with.

Xu Xiaoshou ignored the gesture, his face expressing a sigh:“Long time no see, Dean Ye. Back then, when Elder Sang accepted grand-disciples on behalf of his master, you were a witness, weren't you? And now, time has flown by; the past is no longer the past, and surprisingly, the present is still the present...”

Zichong paused slightly, appearing to be thinking. Ye Xiaotian was also utterly confused. There was too much information in those words, and a lot of it was junk. For a moment, he couldn't figure out which part of what Xu Xiaoshou was saying was important. Was it nonsense? Or that roundabout talk about... accepting grand-disciples on behalf of his master? What on earth was that?

“This must be Princess Zichong!” Without giving anyone too much time to think, Xu Xiaoshou cupped his hands and bowed, formally offering a junior's salute.

Holy Emperor Zichong slightly frowned, hummed in acknowledgment, remaining aloof and impassive.

At this point, Xu Xiaoshou understood. Whether a person was intelligent or not could generally be glimpsed from their demeanor. Someone like the flamboyant old Daoist, whose mere sight could disgust and sicken, was the epitome of this. Conversely, people who generally aren't very bright tend to quibble over words, act mysterious, and employ seemingly clever but actually laughable roundabout strategies.

Thinking with his toes, Xu Xiaoshou knew that the Holy Palace didn't want to get involved in this war. If there was even one intelligent person there, they would advise the Holy Emperor: Appearing at this moment would only make them the sword used to kill with borrowed power. The wielder of the sword could be Ai Cangsheng, or the Holy Emperor families; that didn't matter. Once the sword was used, its edge would surely be blunted! So, Holy Emperor Zichong came here with Ye Xiaotian, immediately applying pressure, and it was still directed at Bazun An—judging by appearances, it was an outwardly fierce but inwardly weak display.

Perhaps Zichong herself was fearless; after all, not everyone was Holy Emperor Feng Yujin, who had many fears. But if the Holy Slaves truly went mad, the Holy Palace should be afraid! Zichong's 'children' under her command, be they Demi-Saints, Grand-Void... one by one, who could withstand the sweeping tide of the general situation?

But these were all preconceived notions. What if he was mistaken, and Holy Emperor Zichong was a person of great wisdom who merely appeared foolish, only showing these traits? Xu Xiaoshou dared not gamble.

Xu Xiaoshou activated Mind Stripping.'What does he mean?''He's Xu Xiaoshou?''What is the past if not the past? And the present is surprisingly still the present? What does this 'surprisingly' mean?'Good. Not great wisdom masked by foolishness. But great foolishness bordering on idiocy. Just from these few internal thoughts, no matter how Zichong performed later, Xu Xiaoshou already knew he had been overly suspicious. Zichong's personality displayed the 'ignorance' and 'confusion' of a typical life-form's first reaction, certainly not like the thinking elite monster, the flamboyant old Daoist, who never made mistakes. This made her so much easier to deal with!

Not only was she not particularly 'smart,' but she couldn't even be considered a 'person' among smart people. Because from the life pattern on her... The vastness of the vital energy and blood contained within her body surpassed that of Elder Yu, if not equaled it!

'A human cannot possess such vital energy and blood.''This is a humanoid monster; if she throws a punch, the entire Five Domains might suffer an earthquake!'

Mind Stripping continued. Upon actual use of this second awakening, Xu Xiaoshou immediately noticed another hidden benefit. It left people's inner thoughts nowhere to hide! Even if the existence of this second awakening would be noticed later, it could already form a sufficient first impression of a stranger... or rather, a strange powerhouse, and this impression was unlikely to be greatly mistaken.

'Bazun An's state... *hiss*! Ancient sword cultivators are truly mad!''Wait, Hua Changdeng is waiting for him, could he also be waiting for Hua Changdeng? Good, good, fight, fight!''Xu Xiaoshou wants to curry favor with me?''Hmph, this princess doesn't fall for flattery, but why does he call me princess? So disrespectful!''No, no, I don't acknowledge it.''Bazun An says nothing, so I'll ignore everything. How can mere mortals speak presumptuously to a Holy Emperor? Ridiculous!'

A grumbling monster who liked to feign aloofness... oh, not even that aloof. Xu Xiaoshou didn't even know whether Zichong hadn't noticed the presence of Mind Stripping intentionally, or if she genuinely lacked the awareness. But he soon understood. Amidst Zichong's cold remarks, full of proud condescension, and the surrounding jumbled, noisy internal thoughts, he heard a voice, extremely clear in its direction, almost as if it were speaking directly into his ear:“You can handle this beast.”“No matter the outcome, I am here.”—It was Bazun An's voice!

Xu Xiaoshou's pupils widened slightly. This Old Eight, for someone like Zichong, didn't even want to utter an extra word of nonsense? A Holy Emperor! If I truly provoked her and made her an adversary, you'd still be there? You'd dare to fight?

Bazun An's attitude no longer mattered much. Once this guy activated his Sword Self, his madness seemed to be primitively unleashed, evident to all. But he could also detect Mind Stripping, and even communicate directly through internal thoughts? Considering Dao Qiongcang's Path of Memory, the ancient sword cultivators' Heart Sword Arts, and then looking back at the somewhat single-minded Holy Emperor Zichong, was this the difference between cultivating intention and not cultivating it? Extraordinary bluntness!

Xu Xiaoshou pondered, no longer caring about Zichong's internal thoughts, and no longer wishing to engage in more meaningless negotiations with this Holy Emperor.

Just now, he had been thinking of bypassing Elder Sang and, through Mu Lin and Long Rongzhi, fostering a closer relationship with the Holy Palace. However, while Zichong might not be adept at thinking, she shouldn't be so foolish as to not understand the opposing stances. The Holy Palace would only ever be the Holy Palace. It could assist the Holy Divine Temple, but would never stand alongside the Holy Slaves. This should be a matter of principle!

Since confrontation was inevitable, and since Bazun An dared to make such a guarantee...“Princess Zichong...”“Don't call this Emperor 'Princess'!”

As expected, with just one more address, a trace of displeasure appeared on Holy Emperor Zichong's face. 'But weren't you planning not to speak with me?' Xu Xiaoshou found it amusing, then respectfully cupped his hands and said:“Senior Zichong, I may have some slight connection with the Holy Palace, but generally speaking, it's insignificant. The Holy Slaves' Chief, Bazun An, is in a currently frail and utterly pathetic state, even if he just used some methods to summon the Void Island... He is nothing special.”

Xu Xiaoshou pointed at the illusory Bazun An's Sword Self behind him, then at the corner of the Void Island stuck in the spacetime rift. Upon hearing these words, the Five Domains were torn between laughter and tears. Why demean one's own ally before the fight even began? Wasn't he your backing? But since it was Master Xu, everyone felt it was somewhat reasonable. However, such a dismissal indeed made all of the Eighth Sword Immortal's previous efforts seem rather pale and weak. Even Holy Emperor Zichong showed increased disdain for the black-clad young man before her. She only hummed through her nose, not uttering a single word.

“But I'm different!” Xu Xiaoshou, however, suddenly became serious again. “Zichong, do you know how strong I am?”

This forceful statement... was it a joke? Feng Zhongzui's hand trembled in fright. Master Xu's words sounded absurd, but his expression was utterly serious. The people of the Five Domains only felt a strange sense of contradiction. Master Xu even directly called Zichong by her name, dropping all honorifics like 'Holy Emperor' or 'Senior'!

Holy Emperor Zichong glanced at him with playful eyes, sizing up the boastful young man, and let out a scoff:“You?”

“Yes, me, Xu Xiaoshou, as the second-in-command of the Holy Slaves, I'm bringing you a message. I represent Bazun An, and more, I represent everyone in the Holy Slaves.” Xu Xiaoshou declared unequivocally.

Zichong found it even funnier: “The Holy Slaves? Is that supposed to be something very strong?”

Ye Xiaotian stamped his foot in exasperation. “It's not like this, it's not like this! You two shouldn't be clashing; this isn't how it's supposed to develop!”

Xu Xiaoshou ignored Dean Ye's eye signals and mental transmissions. His expression now calm, he said serenely:“Yes, me, Xu Xiaoshou, also representing the First Heaven's Tower, I'm bringing a message to you, to the Holy Palace.”

Zichong was thoroughly amused by this kid: “First Heaven's Tower? Never even heard of it!”

As soon as her words fell silent, a roar echoed all around; space suddenly collapsed.

Feng Zhongzui retreated explosively in fright, wishing he had wings to flee a thousand miles, but the mirror in his hand was too dutiful. In the Preaching Mirror's image, Master Xu appeared as if he had unsealed the Seed of Artificing — Imprisonment. The surrounding space was completely shattered by a surging power, turning into black holes.

The power of the Ancient War God Platform had not yet manifested. The black holes, however, were instantly repaired. Master Xu stomped his foot, and circle after circle of Arcanum array patterns slowly rose.

“One, two, three...” Feng Zhongzui was stunned. A full ten layers of Arcanum array patterns rose, overlapping, a truly shocking sight.

And that wasn't all! As the Arcanum array patterns appeared, the black moon that Master Xu had displayed during his tribulation also emerged behind him. And with the appearance of the Celestial Dog Devouring the Moon phenomenon, the Eighth Sword Immortal's Sword Self shattered. The myriad sword imagery it brought forth immediately shifted its worship, now bowing to Master Xu.

A person like a grain of sand in the vast ocean. His momentum seemed to swallow ancient mountains and rivers. Behind Master Xu, a sword aura condensed, like a floating giant, tall enough to obscure the sky. Standing shoulder to shoulder with Zichong, he could look down upon her, adopting a posture of disdain for a Holy Emperor, and from his mouth came an indifferent voice that could shake one to the core with horrifying thoughts:“Get out, or die.”

This sentence was uttered too casually. As casually as greeting someone or nodding in acknowledgment. But once its content registered, everyone—Feng Zhongzui, the spectators watching via the Preaching Mirror, and even Holy Emperor Zichong herself—was utterly stunned!

On what grounds? How dare he! A mere Grand-Void, a mere Arcanum, a mere sword potential... All of this, regardless of its might or the phenomena it brought forth, in front of a Holy Emperor in perfect condition, the question remained: How dare he?!

Ye Xiaotian's face turned ashen; it was as if rigor mortis had set in, and he could no longer move. Zichong's mind was still in the previous stage, the one where Xu Xiaoshou was trying to get close to her. This sudden change... Had he gone mad?!

Zichong did realize the content of the young man's words, but in utter disbelief, she subconsciously retorted:“What did you say?”

Her eyes widened, and her fists clenched. Such a direct challenge, yet not even aimed at Bazun An—was she being threatened by a mere kid? Holy Emperor Zichong squeezed her fists tighter. Her entire body began to tremble slightly from the tension.

The Preaching Mirror materialized all these details of her anger, presenting them unreservedly to the spectators of the Five Domains. But when the scene shifted, when it turned to Master Xu, this time, it was he who scoffed.

“I said...”“If you don't get out now, the entire Holy Palace will be buried with you.”