Chapter 1790: I Meant to Offer My Heart to the Bright Moon, but the Bright Moon Shines on the Ditch

“Emperor Cang Sheng has fallen!”

Feng Zhongzui couldn't hold back his voice.

The Eye of the Grand Dao was extracted, and the Ancient War God Platform was naturally dismantled. Both indicators pointed to the same battle outcome: Grandmaster Shou had won! And the loser had perished!

“But...”

He was one of the Ten Revered Seats, known as Ai Cang Sheng, not Xiang Yaoyao. He was one of the Three Emperors, a self-proclaimed Guardian, and the only Emperor in the Ten-Person Council who bore true responsibility. He was so powerful that if he had successfully activated Void Ancestor Transformation, everyone would have witnessed his envisioned future: one arrow taking down all dangerous elements on the Celestial Ladder, both above and below!

The brilliant flower had bloomed, shaking the Five Domains.But twists and turns came, and the flower withered quickly.

To fall at the pinnacle of his power, with the shadows of the Dao Hall Master and Chong Yin appearing in between. The spectators from the Five Domains truly couldn't process whether Emperor Cang Sheng was truly dead or merely faking his demise this time.

“But it seems there will be no miracle?”

The news of Ai Cang Sheng's sacred fall echoed throughout the Five Domains. Grandmaster Shou remained in place for half a day, and spectators in front of the transmission mirrors across various regions also waited for half a day. Everyone hoped for a miracle. In the end, the battlefield's turmoil subsided, and no more smoke rose.

“The Dao Hall Master did not return...”“The邪神 (Evil God) Chong Yin had no further moves...”“And Emperor Cang Sheng's body and spirit are utterly destroyed!”

Feng Zhongzui's slightly mournful voice came through the transmission mirror, but the image still showed Grandmaster Shou, clad in black. He held the Eye of the Grand Dao in one hand, head bowed, seemingly lost in thought.

Zang Ku hung behind Grandmaster Shou's waist, restlessly buzzing, trembling, and twisting, a stark contrast to the quietude of its wielder.

Feng Zhongzui was still waiting. The people of the Five Domains were also waiting. Ultimately, it was Grandmaster Shou, still shown in the mirror, who ended everyone's illusions.

“It's over...”

Grandmaster Shou seemed to have been in deep meditation for a long time before suddenly snapping back to reality, his eyes blinking with renewed light. He turned, clearly aware that the transmission mirror was still focused on him, and chuckled softly to the people of the Five Domains: “I won. But Ai Cang Sheng did not lose.”

These words were perplexing, carrying a hint of the Dao Hall Master's style. Feng Zhongzui thought that perhaps in Grandmaster Shou's eyes, Emperor Cang Sheng was also a respectable person, which is why he spoke that way.

Standing in the Southern Domain, Xu Xiaoshou had no intention of offering further explanations. This battle was over! Although he felt a slight lingering dissatisfaction, having not personally witnessed the grandeur of Ai Cang Sheng's Void Ancestor Transformation.

However, like Lord Ye who claimed to love dragons but feared them in reality, Xu Xiaoshou, despite his regret, had no desire whatsoever to face Ai Cang Sheng's self-sacrificial Void Ancestor Transformation. He knew that under normal circumstances, he likely couldn't have withstood it.

The Berserk Golden Body not being unleashed was not a bad thing, but a good thing. At least in front of Chong Yin and Dao Qiongcang, he had preserved his strongest trump card—the kind even he didn't know how powerful it was! Oh no, two trump cards!

“Void Ancestor Transformation and Void Dao Transformation seem somewhat similar?”“Just as the Grand Dao Disk and the Grand Dao Map are merely different in name.”“But there should also be differences...”

Xu Xiaoshou pondered a lot after the battle. Although he hadn't used it yet, and wouldn't dare to unless absolutely necessary. After reviewing the fight, he had roughly understood the upper limit of his own Void Dao Transformation.

“Void Ancestor Transformation is the power accumulated by Ai Cang Sheng over more than thirty years, from the sealed Divine Cultivation Technique.”“My Void Dao Transformation, however, activates during battle, drawing power not from me, but from the Grand Dao of Heaven and Earth.”“Ai Cang Sheng could reach the peak of Void Ancestor; if I were given enough time for Void Dao Transformation, I might break through that restriction and reach the Ancestral God realm, or even surpass it.”“But correspondingly, I might not be able to return to my original self after the battle, as I might comprehend negative powers...”

Having thought for a full half day, Xu Xiaoshou was naturally not just contemplating the battle. In the final stages of this battle, Dao Qiongcang's bizarre intervention and Chong Yin's unexpected resurgence, all their intentions warranted investigation.

Although their plans had all been thwarted by him. Xu Xiaoshou knew that Chong Yin, like a centipede with many legs, would not die easily even if cut, and Dao Qiongcang was not one to admit defeat readily.

“Demon Ancestor...”

Recalling the words Chong Yin had been tricked into revealing in the Flower World, Xu Xiaoshou had a sudden realization. He gazed into the distance, towards the Central Domain.

At the peak of Gui Zhe, above the clouds. Old Sang, who sat cross-legged with closed eyes, had long entered Buddhahood, becoming the vessel for the Grievous Buddha's will, practically petrified. But when the Body, Spirit, and Will Disks were all activated, and he probed more carefully...

“Thump...”“Thump...”“Thump...”

Faintly, a slow and sparse heartbeat could be heard.

Within Old Sang's body, a faint vitality still pulsed, gradually growing stronger. It grew very slowly. But possessing the Life Grand Dao Disk, Xu Xiaoshou was incredibly sensitive to vitality.

He could even discern that this vitality did not originate solely from Old Sang; it seemed to also contain the power of grievances, and even an indescribable, unclear power intertwined within it.“Demon Ancestor?”

Xu Xiaoshou wasn't sure. When he used the perspective of the Life Grand Dao Disk to distinguish that vitality, beyond “one,” he saw a full “three” life patterns. His head began to throb!

The battle was over. Ai Cang Sheng had fallen. Xu Xiaoshou barely had time to catch his breath before, after Dao Qiongcang's intervention, he saw an even larger conspiracy behind this whole situation. This concerned the ancestral god secrets!

“What tumultuous times!”

To describe the future landscape of the Five Domains with the phrase “when a whale falls, all things grow,” would be inaccurate. After all, Ai Cang Sheng was never the largest whale, incapable of satisfying all the ambitious desires above and below the Celestial Ladder.

At most, he was merely a self-proclaimed Guardian. He had also willingly become a chess piece. But the defense line of guardianship was now evidently breached, and while it was an inevitable trend, he himself was the main force in this battle.

How many forces had merged into that surging flood, and where would they disperse next?It was unclear. Completely unclear.

At one moment, his eyes blurred, and Xu Xiaoshou felt he could still perceive an unseen sword intent within Old Sang's body.“Sword intent?”That ghostly sword intent vanished after he sobered up, as if it had been an illusion.

Xu Xiaoshou took a deep breath, no longer pondering. He needed to discuss this with someone. And after Dao Qiongcang had gone his own way, it seemed there was only one person left who could give him answers.

“But before that, there's important business to attend to!”“Bow!”

Returning to his senses, Xu Xiaoshou carefully put away the Eye of the Grand Dao. With the Intent Grand Dao Disk unfurling under his feet and the Space Grand Dao Disk rotating, his perception expanded, and he quickly reached out to grasp something. The Sinister Bow, which had exploded in the Southern Domain, fallen into the valley, and seemed to have lost its sentience, was directly pulled into his palm.

“Woooo...”

This bow, one of the nine renowned Supreme Divine Artifacts, now appeared to be nothing but sorrow. After falling into Xu Xiaoshou's hand, despite facing its arch-enemy, it offered no struggle. A bow follows its master's will!

The Sinister Bow knew how its master, Ai Cang Sheng, felt about Xu Xiaoshou, who had defeated him, in the final moments. There was no hatred. Naturally, the Sinister Bow could not feel hatred either.

“You're a pitiful creature too.”

Xu Xiaoshou meticulously examined the bow, completely unaffected by the invasion of its sinister power or various malevolent auras. He wasn't skilled with bows, nor did he intend to use this one. However, this bow was imbued with the power of an Evil God and had previously been a weapon of the Ancestor of Techniques. He truly couldn't rest assured leaving it to roam freely, as Chong Yin could potentially use it to revive at any time, so he could only temporarily take it.

He reached out and stroked the Sinister Bow's body. Beneath its scaled surface and string made of entrails, the weathered texture of time, having endured countless ages, transmitted through his palm. Xu Xiaoshou waited for a long time, seeing that the Sinister Bow remained indifferent even after his taunt, appearing quite disheartened. He could only shake his head and smile:

“I won't beat around the bush with you, let me just say this!”“After the battle, I also met with Ai Cang Sheng, and he entrusted many things to me.”

The Sinister Bow's string trembled slightly, its spirit seemingly refocusing its attention, listening quietly. Xu Xiaoshou was amused and continued:

“He entrusted me to take the Ancient War God Platform and then inherit the mission to protect all beings. I can only say I'll try my best.”“He also entrusted that the Eye of the Grand Dao, if possible, should be scattered across the Southern Netherworld, in short, not to fall into the hands of those with ill intentions and be exploited.”

The Sinister Bow trembled even more violently, its string buzzing, its expectation and longing evident. After a pause, Xu Xiaoshou reached out to stroke the bow's body again, then suddenly curled his lips into a wide, mocking smile:

“But you, the Sinister Bow, who accompanied him for half his life, this divine weapon revered as one of the nine Supreme Divine Artifacts—he left no instructions for you.”“Not a single word, he didn't even mention you. From beginning to end, he never thought of you.”“You are just a bow, nothing more.”

The Sinister Bow seemed stunned, completely stiff. Xu Xiaoshou didn't stop, continuing his verbal assault:“He never loved all beings, and you certainly weren't second in his heart.”“Whether it was the Ancient War God Platform or the Eye of the Grand Dao, everything he said, implied only one instruction... oh, one person, you should know her name.”

The Sinister Bow gave one last tremor, as if refusing to listen.“Lei Xiaoxiao.”It then ceased all movement, its body completely dimmed, losing all its former splendor.

Xu Xiaoshou said no more, throwing this miserable object into the Apricot Realm. He instructed the Four Ancestral Trees to guard it well, while keeping a portion of his mind on it. Should anything unusual occur, it would be instantly detected and resolved. Chong Yin would best revive within the Apricot Realm, if it dared! After all, the Apricot Realm was his home turf; not only were there the Four Ancestral Trees, but if they still couldn't defeat it, he could simply pull people in to suppress it, such as the Eight Revered Masters!

“Next step...”

Looking back at the Southern Netherworld, the direction Xu Xiaoshou gazed at was not the deep sea where the Eye of the Grand Dao should be shattered, but a deserted sandy shore near the Southern Netherworld's coast. Oh no, there was one person there.

As early as during the battle, long ago, Xu Xiaoshou had seen that figure. He hesitated for a moment, but not for long. For the first time, he voluntarily broke free from the main transmission mirror's lock, stepped heavenward, and vanished into the horizon of the Southern Domain's Sinful Land.

“Splash!”

The seawater washed over her ankles, and flowing sand caressed her toes. Yu Zhiwen's delicate body suddenly trembled, her slender hands clutching her veil tightly. The afterglow of the setting sun streamed from afar, casting shimmering golden light across the sea, but Yu Zhiwen couldn't see it. She could hear the sound of the water. She could smell the scent. And she could feel that at some point, someone had appeared beside her—just like their passing encounter on the Vermilion Bird Golden Pagoda back then.

“Xu, Xu Xiaoshou?”

Yu Zhiwen's voice trembled slightly as she slowly turned around.

Xu Xiaoshou let out a soft “heh,” then reached out to measure. Compared to their first meeting in White Cave, she was much shorter. He had grown quite a bit. She used to be nose-height, but now only reached his chin.

What changed wasn't just height; more noticeably, it was their external attire—they used to dress differently, but now they were somewhat similar. He wore black, and so did she. He had long hair, and so did she.

The only difference Xu Xiaoshou observed was that the veil on Yu Zhiwen's face was gone, replaced by a black cloth wrapped over her eyes. Xu Xiaoshou stepped forward and asked abruptly:“Where are your eyes?”

Yu Zhiwen flinched back like a startled young rabbit, turning away in the water, “Covered, covered up.”

“Covered up, or gone forever?”“...The same.”“Not the same,” Xu Xiaoshou stepped forward, standing beside her, facing the sea. “Never open them again, or never have them again?”

Yu Zhiwen took a shallow breath, her voice becoming very calm: “They were gouged out.” There had always been an answer. Things that didn't belong to her would be severed sooner or later.

Yet, even a brave warrior needs resolve to cut off a limb. Yu Zhiwen appeared to be a frail young woman, and Xu Xiaoshou hadn't imagined she could be so decisive. This severing cut off the past.

“That day in Yujing City, your master, my junior sister, oh, and Lei Shuangxing, after you learned the truth?”“...Mm.”

Xu Xiaoshou fell silent. He watched the setting sun sink into the sea of clouds, observed the dim yellow fade into grey-black, opened his mouth, then chose to close it again. He no longer mentioned the Pearl Star Eyes. They were once the most magnificent pair of eyes in the world, and he had once thought so too.

“Splash!”

The seawater slapped the shore again, this time reaching calf-high, soaking Xu Xiaoshou's trousers. He glanced down; Yu Zhiwen was still holding up her skirt.

She stood barefoot in the water, seemingly sensing his gaze. Her translucent toes, hidden beneath the surface, lost their sense of security, now desperately curling and grasping at the flowing sand. They couldn't grasp it.

Xu Xiaoshou chuckled softly, no longer looking at her. He gazed into the distance and strode forward, making splashing sounds.“You're in a hurry!”As the sound of his steps in the water faded, Yu Zhiwen suddenly called out loudly, “From the Central Domain, to the Eastern Domain, to the Southern Domain... you walk so fast!”

“My spatial profoundness.”“No one can catch up!”“Hm, not even Ai Cang Sheng. After all, my Grand Dao of Space is almost beyond Dao Transformation.”“You didn't even glance at the Southern Netherworld!”“I did.”

Xu Xiaoshou didn't turn his head, chasing the last sliver of sunset. The spatial Grand Dao Disk appeared under his feet, anchored on the deep sea of the Southern Netherworld. From far behind, Yu Zhiwen's shouts came again, a series of cries:“You're in such a rush!”“Just a glance and then you leave?”“Why are you in such a hurry, what are you going to do?”

Hearing her voice, Xu Xiaoshou involuntarily stopped. He hesitated for a long time, until the sky was mostly dark and the moonlight began to rise. He turned around, pulling out a pair of large eyeballs from his spatial ring:“Ai Cang Sheng's dying wish was to bury the Eye of the Grand Dao in the Southern Netherworld. The Southern Netherworld is your home, you wouldn't mind, would you?”

Yu Zhiwen seemed stunned for a moment, her expression darkening. She slowly shook her head, remaining silent. She had said so much, so much. She had almost expended all her life's energy on this moment. This was the opportunity she missed when facing a choice in White Cave, the courage she regained when gouging out her eyes on Gui Zhe Sacred Mountain. Meeting again in the Southern Netherworld, she didn't want to leave any more regrets. But, as expected...

What happened to the promised forward-looking spirit of an ancient sword cultivator? Why was Xu Xiaoshou so stubborn, lacking even the courage to face her? Could he truly not understand? The First Sword Immortal was nothing more than this.

“You're an idiot.”

Yu Zhiwen muttered silently, then quietly turned and walked towards Little Star, moving away from Xu Xiaoshou. The wind howled. The sound of waves crashing was loud. Under the moonlight, a solitary figure stood on the surface of the Southern Netherworld Sea, and another by the Heaven's Secret Puppet on the sandy shore. Neither moved.

Before long, Yu Zhiwen gave a self-mocking smile. With a delicate hand gesture, starlight shimmered, and with a buzzing sound, the ten-foot-tall Heaven's Secret Puppet, Little Star, bent its waist and lowered its hand. Only the iron lump reached out to her. The wooden lump would not reach out.

After waiting a while longer, Yu Zhiwen sighed deeply and shook her head. She paced into Little Star's palm, quickly sealing herself inside the iron lump.“Hopeless.”

But just as the hatch was about to close completely. On the sea, against the howling wind, a shout rang out:“But I've never tried something as ridiculous as ‘burying eyes’ either. You, on the other hand, have some experience...”“How about... you come with me?”