Chapter 1789: Cross Street Three Lives Anomaly, Eight Venerables Wait Quietly for Changes

"Good news!"

"Boss, Aunt Xiang, good news!"

Loud footsteps echoed from afar.

Before the person even arrived, fearing the door might be knocked down, Xiang Yaoyao, seated at her dressing table, flicked a finger, and the wooden door swung open.

The newcomer was the second-in-command of intelligence for East Street at Crossroads Corner, known as "Eagle Serpent," a man with cold eyes and thin lips.

He was quite tall and originally slender, but having followed Big Brother, he had trained remarkably well.

"Eagle Serpent?"

Aunt Xiang lifted her gaze, giving him a quick glance.

In her memory, Eagle Serpent was quite reserved; his emotions rarely fluctuated. How could an intelligence operative be so easily flustered?

But his behavior today was genuinely unexpected. Was it because they hadn't seen each other in a long time? No, it hadn't been that long; only a few months had passed since they left the City of Dead Pagodas.

"What is it?" Aunt Xiang, holding a bronze mirror, asked calmly.

Ever since Shen Yi's soul essence returned from the Divine Ruins, she had used this "Golden Boy Mirror" as a temporary vessel for Shen Yi. But after searching for a long time, she still hadn't found a quick way to restore Shen Yi's physical body. It seemed she might have to bother Xu Xiaoshou again!

"Greetings, Aunt Xiang." At the doorway, Eagle Serpent, clad in purple and black robes, saw Aunt Xiang's troubled expression, and his surging excitement immediately cooled.

He dared not show further alarm. After calming himself, he spoke with ill-concealed joy: "Lord Shou fought Ai Cangsheng on the Ancient War God Platform. It was a life-and-death battle."

"Fifteen minutes ago, news from the front line reported that Ai Cangsheng had fallen in battle, his body, spirit, and will utterly destroyed. Only the Eye of the Grand Dao remained, now in Lord Shou's possession."

"Subsequently, the Ancient War God Platform was dispelled, signifying the War Ancestor's approval. The outcome was settled, and life and death determined."

Aunt Xiang, whose thoughts had been wandering, suddenly widened her beautiful eyes, nearly dropping the bronze mirror with Shen Yi inside. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and she stared intently at Eagle Serpent, not uttering a sound.

"'It's been confirmed!' Eagle Serpent, despite fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead from the immense pressure, stood firm as a spear and spoke with absolute certainty: 'I ordered everyone to verify the authenticity of the news within fifteen minutes, and we also made contact with the Flower and Grass Pavilion. And it's true!'"

For Eagle Serpent to declare something with such absolute certainty was rare, perhaps once a year. He knew the gravity of the matter more than anyone, yet he dared to speak with a ten-thousand-percent certainty: "If Emperor Cangsheng's residual consciousness remained within the Eye of the Grand Dao, with even a remote possibility of recovery, the Ancient War God Platform would never have been dispelled."

"If Emperor Cangsheng could transcend the Ancient War God Platform's limitations, he would have already ascended to an Ancestor God, and Lord Shou would have had no chance of victory from the outset."

"These two possibilities are contradictory, and therefore, neither holds true. This is also the fundamental reason why I received the intelligence fifteen minutes ago and only came to report it now."

"Ai Cangsheng is dead!" Eagle Serpent declared unequivocally.

"Ai Gou, dead?"

Aunt Xiang suddenly felt a wave of disorientation. She even thought she was dreaming and reached out to pinch her forearm.

"It hurts..."

It was real! Eagle Serpent wouldn't joke with her about such vital intelligence.

She knew Xu Xiaoshou was fighting Ai Cangsheng, but from the beginning, she hadn't believed the battle would have a definitive outcome. Thus, throughout the process, she merely listened in and observed a few times, never truly caring about the outcome.

"It's just an Ancient War God Platform! If Ai Cangsheng dared to use it, he should have been able to undo it!"

"Why?"

Eagle Serpent was prepared for this question. He respectfully presented a jade slip with both hands and said solemnly: "The full details of what happened, along with all the video footage from the Dao Propagation Mirror, are contained within."

"In short, Hall Master Dao made a move, Cursed Yin also intervened in the battle on the Ancient War God Platform, and Lord Shou didn't dare to hold back."

Aunt Xiang took the jade slip, swept it with her spiritual sense, quickly reviewed the entire account, and fell into deep thought.

Dao Qiongcang, Cursed Yin... If these two colluded, wouldn't that prove that they had already... back during the Divine Ruins?

"Shen Yi!" Aunt Xiang immediately turned the bronze mirror over and asked: "During the Divine Ruins, you said you were always residing in Cao Erzhu's body. Did you ever see that flamboyant old Daoist spend time alone with Cursed Yin?"

"Cursed Yin would never easily trust anyone, and Xu Xiaoshou wouldn't easily lower his guard against that flamboyant old Daoist. Did they have prolonged, isolated contact?"

The bronze mirror didn't ponder long before Shen Yi's calm voice emerged: "Yes."

"When?"

"When Cursed Yin possessed Rao Wangze and fought Dao Qiongcang alone, while Xu Xiaoshou fled the spatial currents with Cao Erzhu."

Aunt Xiang hadn't personally experienced the events of the Divine Ruins, but she had heard the full account from Shen Yi. She immediately realized the timing: "Before Ba Zun'an appeared?"

"Exactly."

Eagle Serpent listened to the conversation between the Boss and the Boss's wife, waiting quietly and daring not to show impatience. He knew he was merely the second-in-command, and Boss Shen Yi was only responsible for absolute combat power. In reality, the true commander of the entire East Street at Crossroads Corner was the woman behind Boss Shen Yi.

He had received the intelligence, and the Boss had received the intelligence. The conclusions they drew were likely similar—the Boss was not as foolish as outsiders believed! But when the intelligence reached Aunt Xiang, she typically considered far more.

"That flamboyant old Daoist wouldn't simply admit defeat like this..." Aunt Xiang frowned deeply, muttering softly to herself, then quickly spoke with conviction, "No! He's never truly lost!"

"The Dao Hall Master didn't lose?" Eagle Serpent chuckled inwardly.

Hall Master Dao was completely outmaneuvered by Lord Shou in this battle; it was a case of trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead. He could have had a good friend in Ai Cangsheng, or at the very least, found another opportunity to cooperate with Cursed Yin and forge an alliance with that Ancestor God. Under Lord Shou's hand, he lost both of these opportunities, even losing Lord Shou's potential friendship, and was ultimately forced to retreat dejectedly. This isn't a loss? What is this then!

Aunt Xiang clearly had her own understanding: "That flamboyant old Daoist never walks just one path. There's a visible plan, and a hidden one—perhaps even more than one..."

"'You mean he has other plans?' Shen Yi's voice came from the bronze mirror. 'What plans?'"

Aunt Xiang slowly shook her head. How could she know? She looked at Eagle Serpent: "Besides the Xu-Ai battle in the Five Domains, what other matters are important or seem unusual? Present them all."

As she spoke, Aunt Xiang suddenly paused, raising a hand to stop Eagle Serpent from speaking, and lowered her gaze, falling into contemplation. Good thinkers are good at introspection!

Against Dao Qiongcang, Xiang Yaoyao didn't dare to claim she fully understood him, but she would always be twelve times more cautious. Before or after every word she uttered, she would always reflect on herself. And as soon as she spoke just now, Aunt Xiang reflected and immediately knew what the problem was. Even in her own thought patterns, she had been focused on anomalies elsewhere in the Five Domains, completely overlooking the most easily forgotten place right under her feet!

Raising her eyes, Aunt Xiang asked: "Crossroads Corner, has there been any abnormality recently?"

Eagle Serpent paused, considered for a moment, then slowly shook his head: "The usual disturbances in the Central Plaza killing grounds a few days ago, you're aware of those. Currently, it's just someone else trying to covet the position of North Street Master, which is also insignificant..."

North Street Master? After Night Owl, it was normal for that position to change hands three to five times a month; it truly wasn't important.

But no anomalies... This was very reasonable! If Dao Qiongcang made a move, how could anyone perceive anything unreasonable? Even if anything could be perceived, it wouldn't be by people like Eagle Serpent and herself, but by opponents of his own caliber.

Aunt Xiang quickly thought of something and asked the bronze mirror: "Search again... for the location of the pagoda. Perhaps if Dao Qiongcang made a move, you could see it."

"'Heh, I've been looking for thirty years,' a light chuckle came from inside the bronze mirror. 'If he doesn't allow it, not even Dao Qiongcang can find it.'"

The speaker's words were unintentional, but the listener paid close attention.

Aunt Xiang's pupils suddenly dilated as she recalled the "usual disturbances" at Crossroads Corner shortly after her first return to the City of Dead Pagodas. Crossroads Corner often experienced disturbances. Whether it was earthquakes, thunder, or the gathering of killing intent forming calamitous evil winds that could easily cause qi deviation in those who touched them. This was nothing unusual; such events occurred every now and then at Crossroads Corner, otherwise, it wouldn't live up to its reputation as the most murderous place in the City of Dead Pagodas.

But the unusual part was... Aunt Xiang carefully calculated that the timing of those "usual disturbances" a few days ago seemed to coincide precisely with the external Heavenly Ladder melting down and Wuxiu entering the Buddha state!

"You Yuan, went out?"

"Or, if his power leaked out, then here at Crossroads Corner..."

Before this, she had been completely unaware, and hadn't even thought to consider this direction in detail. Now, upon reflection, the more she thought about it, the more terrifying it became.

A chill ran down Aunt Xiang's spine. Just as she was about to urge Shen Yi to search thoroughly, a startled voice suddenly came from the bronze mirror in her hand: "Eh?"

This sound, at this moment, was more terrifying than the sky falling. Aunt Xiang couldn't help but ask: "What did you see?"

"Inverted Buddha Pagoda?" Shen Yi hesitated.

"What? You found it?"

"...Yes."

As Shen Yi grew certain, Aunt Xiang's mind also went blank. Soon, her chaotic thoughts began to surge rapidly:

"Shen Yi found the Inverted Buddha Pagoda, at his weakest point in the last thirty years."

"Ai Cangsheng died by Xu Xiaoshou's hand, under the very restrictions of his own Ancient War God Platform. From now on, the Five Domains will be without a Protector of the Dao."

"Dao Qiongcang didn't suddenly intervene at the last moment; rather, he began planning everything from the Divine Ruins."

"Coincidentally, You Yuan's power leaked out at Crossroads Corner, melting the Heavenly Ladder and isolating the Five Great Saint Emperor Families and the two great planes of the Holy Divine Continent..."

Interpreting the Divine Ruins and the current Five Domains' situation from another perspective, Aunt Xiang suddenly understood Dao Qiongcang! This didn't make her happy; instead, it made her heart pound with dread.

"Even I can realize it?" Does this prove that the time for deception is over?

Aunt Xiang gripped the bronze mirror and asked in a deep voice: "You said before that You Yuan was suppressing something. What was it?"

"'You won't remember,' Shen Yi said quite directly."

"'I can now!' Aunt Xiang wanted to slap the blockhead. 'The Heavenly Ladder melted down, and Xu Xiaoshou's Grand Dao of Will has also been intervening!'"

"Demon Ancestor."

Eagle Serpent's body stiffened. *Is this something I should be hearing? The Boss wouldn't kill to silence him, but the Boss's wife... uh, that's hard to say!*

"'Should I leave first?' Eagle Serpent couldn't help but ask."

"'You don't need to. You'd better be Dao Qiongcang!' Aunt Xiang glared fiercely at him."

Eagle Serpent's face went green. *I'm not Dao Qiongcang! Boss's wife, why do you suspect everyone you see is that flamboyant old Daoist?*

It had to be the Boss in the bronze mirror who came to his rescue, asking: "Xiang'er, what have you realized?"

Aunt Xiang fell silent.

Shen Yi was already in this state; he had even activated 'self-sacrifice' among the Four Relinquishments. Just as well, his current state didn't require him to do anything; he only needed to quietly observe the changes.

Although she didn't know Dao Qiongcang's scheme or his ultimate goal, as long as they avoided confronting him directly...

"Xiang'er, I must act."

Shen Yi's single sentence interrupted her thoughts. He might not have seen the big picture, but he clearly understood what his companion was thinking. It was nothing more than her worrying about his safety, leading her to think it was better to avoid trouble and simply not participate. Just like how she had repeatedly hinted before that he should simply stay at Crossroads Corner and spend the rest of their lives together. Shen Yi knew this was unrealistic. His position didn't allow him to be so naive.

"'If I don't act, Ba Zun'an and Xu Xiaoshou will have no one backing them,' Shen Yi's voice was sincere. 'I am the big tree; they need something to rely on.'"

Aunt Xiang angrily shook the bronze mirror in her hand, trying to make the person inside sober up: "You're already in this state; just take a step back!"

The room fell into silence for a moment. Eagle Serpent trembled, feeling he shouldn't be here.

But before long, that calm, steady voice rang out again: "You know, I won't retreat."

Aunt Xiang helplessly placed the bronze mirror on the table, her hands hanging by her sides, silent for a long time. Eagle Serpent could only wait like this. From dusk, to deep night, to dawn...

As the sun rose in the east and morning light streamed through the window, Eagle Serpent finally saw Aunt Xiang stir.

"You shouldn't retreat..."

"But others must advance!"

She suddenly blinked, as if grasping a saving straw in her boundless despair. Her bloodshot eyes stared fiercely, looking quite savage: "What is Ba Zun'an doing?"

"'Huh?' Eagle Serpent was stunned. 'What is Master Ba doing? How would I know?'"

Aunt Xiang didn't need an answer. She continued to muse to herself: "In the jade slip you gave me, Ai Cangsheng underwent pseudo-Ancestorization, and Ba Zun'an, whose Eye of Gouye was anchored, was in the Central Domain?"

"'Uh... yes!' Eagle Serpent hesitated for a moment, then nodded heavily. 'What does that have to do with anything?'"

"Why is Ba Zun'an still in the Central Domain?"

"Uh."

"He didn't make a move the entire time?"

"Uh?"

Eagle Serpent was completely dumbfounded throughout. He couldn't keep up with Aunt Xiang's line of thought at all. But he wasn't stupid. As he adapted and suddenly realized, his lips parted slightly, and his face showed surprise.

"'That's right, during the Xu-Ai battle, Lord Shou no longer needed Master Ba's help, so Master Ba's trip to the Central Domain...'"

"Who was he waiting for?"